Schenectady Renaissance Platform

Under Republican leadership, Metroplex was created and since its inception it has continued to positively transform our downtown. This is a clear bright spot for our city, but, it has also contributed to a lack of focus on the neighborhoods. In the past, Republicans recognized the need to revitalize our downtown and we worked to make it a reality. Since then, Democrats have merely continued that effort while ignoring the rest of the cities needs. A republican majority on the City Council would focus like a laser on renewal for our neighborhoods and our families. Let’s face it, downtown is wonderful, but it is more of a place for visitors and tourism than it is for building the community. We pledge to change Schenectady for the better or our city and what follows is our plan.

Public Safety

Any effort to renew a community must begin with safety. The crime rates in our city, which FBI statistics show is among the highest in upstate New York, damage our property values, our schools, attractiveness to businesses and our reputation as a city. This is not meant as a slight on the hardworking men and women of our police department and Sheriff's Office, but instead it is meant to show the lack of support they have had from their elected leaders. We propose to make the following changes

Hire 50 new officers over a 2-year period and dedicate them to community policing and foot patrols in our neighborhoods

Make quality of life crimes such as graffiti, property damage, noise complaints, littering, loitering, illegal vehicles on city streets and other crimes and violations

that impact residents our top priority. Zero tolerance for those crimes will translate to a realization by criminals that the party is over

Diversity - Expand our efforts to recruit and hire police officers and firefighters that reflects the community and can more easily build trust with communities of color

Continue to fund community engagement officers in our city schools and work collaboratively with the District Superintendent to maintain adequate officer staffing and training to help maintain a safe educational environment for our children.

Ask the state for permission to install speed cameras near our schools and our major roads that cut through neighborhoods to destinations such as the park

Develop a program that will expand needed access to mental health care. Work with mental health care professionals, social workers, counselors, school personnel along with our law enforcement/first responders in establishing a program that will help to care for those in need of immediate care and identify access for chronic care to residents including the homeless.²

Work with private sector insurance providers willing to expand access for mental health care and intervention services to those in need.

END HOMELESSNESS

Hire our Homeless - A major issue in our city is garbage left on our streets, corners as well as our roads and parks. We would seek to establish a community driven charity to raise money to support new city programs to help our most vulnerable. First among them would be hiring the homeless to help the city with cleaning up our streets and our city. This would help these individuals with instilling self-worth and a work ethic while making some money. As an added bonus they would be a proud part of beautifying our city.Hotel/Vacant Spaces converted to homeless housing- The state currently allows hotel space to be converted to housing for the homeless, we should take full advantage of that to get people off the streets and into housing

Mobile Mental Health Services - Seek funding from the state to establish a mobile program of social workers and counseling to minister to the homeless population and connect them to services. A similar program is in place in Baltimore, and it has made a major difference.

End panhandling and loitering- As described above, we must keep our streets safe and welcoming even as we address the problem of homelessness.

BUY SCHENECTADY

More than anything, we need to attract new residents to our city in order to keep it growing and to put it on the path to success,

First Time Home Buyer Credit- Republicans would establish a “first time homebuyer” property tax credit of $1000 a year for five years for anyone moving to Schenectady to buy their first home

Owner Occupied Credit- any landlord living in their own rental property would receive a “grow Schenectady” credit of $500 a year for five years

We would never endorse or support “Rent Control”

Reestablish and reinvigorate the pipeline from NYC To Schenectady for Guyanese families willing to take on property here

Establish ties with the Hasidic and Orthodox communities who are more than ever looking for welcoming and affordable places to move to new areas outside of NYC for better quality of life

We would streamline the zoning process and make it resident friendly, clear and vastly improve customer service.

We would vigorously pursue code violations from absentee landlords

IMPROVE BASIC SERVICES

Purchase plows and hire or contract for sufficient workers so we never again leave our residents stranded in a snowstorm

Incentivize all city personnel including office workers to become qualified to drive a truck if they are needed in an emergency

Standardize garbage pickup so that pick up days aren’t always shifting

Retool the sidewalk program to identify major traffic areas for investment in new sidewalks and curbs, and then build out neighborhoods from there. NO additional taxes will be taken on from the neighborhood

Paving and potholes, work with the state to get the infusion of cash needed to accelerate our infrastructure investments. The state of our roads is deplorable

Take over the maintenance of boulevards where residents are no longer willing or capable to do so. In cases where they are give each contributing resident a $100 a year property tax credit for their labor.

Work with providers to improve access to broadband

Central Park - A, B & C Baseball Diamonds - A Diamond is scheduled for field lights. Reduce the fee schedule¹ for baseball diamonds city baseball leagues and city school district. establish a fee schedule for non-city team or league.

FIX OUR SCHOOLS

Negotiate with the School Board to receive payments to cover the costs of fire and other services to the school.

Appoint an official liaison to the school board to represent city interests at all times.

Pursue charter schools to locate in Schenectady to provide true choice to residents and their children.

PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT

Install renewable energy on every viable city building and free space

Hold a city-wide vote on community choice aggregation as a way to increase our commitment to reducing emissions

Preserve, improve and protect open spaces and parks

Taxpayer Eligibility Program for proof of water-saving devices and other eco-friendly appliances. ie, washers/dryers, dishwashers, etc.

City-wide Charging Stations for electric cars which could bring needed revenue for the city.