Stony Point Councilman and former advisor to the coalition government in Iraq Tom Basile said on Wednesday he wants to continue a legacy.

"Senator Bill Larkin has served our area for many years with great distinction," Basile, a Republican, said of the outgoing 90-year-old state senator during an interview at Basile's Woodbury headquarters, "and I'm very honored he endorsed me to succeed him."

Three-term New York Assemblyman James Skoufis said he would be a great state senator because he will not conform.

"I speak out the way I want to speak out," Skoufis, a Democrat, said during Wednesday's interview outside the Chester Senior Center, "... and if it costs me an election someday, that's okay."

The issue of opioid addiction has rarely come before the candidates in previous interviews and debates, but both candidates were eager to talk drug policy and had some common ground.

Both Skoufis and Basile have concerns about a major shortage in outpatient treatment options in New York State. They both say that is unacceptable, considering the treatments are tested and proven, yet lawmakers in Albany are not approving the funding.

"Beds require money," Skoufis said matter-of-factly. "We need more money from the county. We need more money from the state. That's something that will be a top priority when I get to the state senate."

"There is a continuum of treatment model that has been developed between county agencies and non-profits," Basile said, "but what we need to do it scale it up, and scale it up quickly."

On government spending, their differences are clearer.

Basile took issue with tax incentives offered by the Governor's Office of Motion Picture and Television Development. The incentives include a 30 percent tax credit on all expenses, a 10 percent tax credit on post-production expenses when using a production facility in New York State, and other tax credits for commercials and construction of production facilities.

Basile says the $420-million program should be killed, and that the money should be used "to allow families to afford child care, by increasing the income tax deduction for child care expenses."

Skoufis wants to keep the program overall, but said he believes the program should be "narrowed to benefit smaller outfits," structuring into the deal more benefits to smaller, independent companies while taking away some benefits for the giants of the industry.

Among Skoufis's biggest concerns about government spending are corporate welfare and pay-to-play politics.

Skoufis said the highly publicized Crystal Run donation scandal has clearly shown how the cycle often begins with donations going to lawmakers.

"Then, as a reward, those politicians give economic development money to those very big corporations. It's wasteful spending. It's not economic development," Skoufis said. "If it were up to me, we would take those billions of dollars and lower the state's share of the sales tax rate."

As for the campaign itself, both candidates have accused the other of spreading lies and misinformation through campaign mailers.

Basile said on Facebook that the most recent pro-Skoufis mailer lied about spending levels during Basile's time on the Stony Point Town Board. Skoufis said on Wednesday he is disappointed with photos and language in pro-Basile mailers that negatively link Skoufis to prominent Democrats such as New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio.

Basile said in response that his campaign is calling out all state lawmakers in Albany, not just Democrats.