Meet Your Cairo Republican Candidates Debra Bogins and Michael Flaherty

As voters here in the Town of Cairo prepare for the upcoming election on November 4, we take this opportunity to introduce two Republican-party candidates who are seeking to build on local government service and take our town into its next chapter: Deputy Supervisor Debra Bogins, running for Supervisor, and Council Member Michael Flaherty, aiming for another term on the Town Board.

Debra Bogins – Candidate for Town Supervisor,

A lifelong resident of the Town of Cairo, Debra Bogins emphasizes her deep ties to the community she calls home. With decades of service in New York State government—primarily in the budget and finance arena—Bogins says she’s well-equipped to lead the town as full-time Supervisor. In her own words:

“I am a lifelong resident of the Town of Cairo, a place I love to call my home. I retired from the state of NY working in the area of Budget and finance. Since I am retired I will be a full time Town Supervisor.”

“I have been endorsed by both the Republican Committee and the Conservative Party for election to this post, but I want you to know that I will represent everyone who lives in our great Town, regardless of their party affiliation."

“My main priority, as a Town Supervisor, will be to reduce our property taxes as much as possible and control any budget increases that may arise over the year. I will consistently eliminate wasteful spending while maintaining the funding for necessary expenses.”

“My vision … begins with a Comprehensive Plan, which the Town of Cairo is now engaged in writing. I want to bring in good paying jobs and I want to keep your sons and daughters here, working at a career and raising a family.”

Bogins currently serves on the Town Board (as a Deputy Supervisor) and stepped up when the current Supervisor opted not to run again. Her campaign platforms focus on fiscal discipline, protecting seniors, supporting working families, and leveraging Cairo’s location in Greene County for economic growth.

Potential plans for Debra's election have included her promise to hold taxes down while maintaining essential services that will resonate with many local homeowners as well as the mention of supporting home-based businesses and recruiting compatible new businesses signals an effort to diversify the town’s economic base.

The Comprehensive Plan process offers an opportunity for broader community participation—and Bogins appears ready to lead that effort.

Michael Flaherty – Candidate for Town Council Member.

Michael Flaherty is currently a member of the Town Board and is running again with a distinctly hands-on vision. When asked why he’s seeking office, he stated:

“I’m very passionate about this. What I have is not just a vision for me—it's for my community, I got my hands in this.”

Flaherty points to several recent initiatives to show his commitment:

He partnered with the Environmental Protection Agency to go door-to-door in South Cairo, performing water tests after concerns arose around the former thermostat-factory site’s possible contamination of the water supply.

He has outfitted the Cairo Police Department with upgraded technology, from modems and computers in squad cars to body-cams and a bilingual translation device for visitors to the local courthouse.

Leveraging grant money, he proposes converting the former American Martial Arts & Fitness Center dojo (on Route 32) into a senior center, complete with daily activities, a cafeteria serving lunch, and a local food bank.

Flaherty frames his candidacy as being about practical improvements in residents’ day-to-day lives—whether it’s safe drinking water, upgraded emergency services, or senior-friendly community infrastructure

The senior-center proposal signals attention to our aging population—a growing demographic in many upstate New York towns.

A reminder to voters that elections matter at the local level—town supervisors and council members make decisions that impact property taxes, local infrastructure, services, and the direction of community growth.

Be sure to vote—and, if you have questions or ideas for the Town, let your candidates (and future office-holders) hear from you.