APPROACH
I favor pragmatic common sense solutions to real problems with less government and more individual freedom.
ISSUES
CRIME
BAIL REFORM
Under the new bail reform act, the Democrats have been letting various non violent criminals out of prison pending conviction, mostly drug dealers and thieves without bail. This in turn has fueled a crime wave. After the petty thieves are released shortly after arrest the thief is still broke or needs drugs and just goes back to stealing again and again and again. One stole my bicycle which is costing me over $1000.00 to replace.
Even worse is violent criminals an example of this is the death of Connie Tuori. A 93 year old resident whose alleged killer had numerous prior offenses and was let out of without bail.The following allegedly occurred:
Victoria Afet, 23, of Syracuse has been charged with murdering Connie Tuori. The Syracuse Police Department announced the arrest of Afet — who has been in jail for weeks on unrelated charges — during a news conference Thursday.
Afet has been charged with first-degree murder and firstdegree burglary, both felonies. If she’s convicted of first-degree murder, she could face life in prison without parole.
Syracuse police officers found Tuori, a retired teacher and world traveler, dead in her 12th-floor apartment on St. Patrick’s Day
Under the new bail reform act, the Democrats have been letting various non violent criminals out of prison pending conviction, mostly drug dealers and thieves without bail. This in turn has fueled a crime wave. People that formerly would be held without bail are being set free in a revolving door system of injustice. For the same reasons they were criminals before the arrest they continue to be criminals after they leave prison, a few days after the arrest. The Connie Tuori incident is a classic example. The press states:
Afet has a history with law enforcement that includes being accused of robbing a 74-year-old woman at Skyline, stealing $38 and biting her hand on Feb. 18, police said in a felony complaint filed in Syracuse City Court. She was released by a judge the next day — only to be returned to jail just over a week later on a new charge.
Before her murder arrest, Afet had five ongoing felony cases, a short, failed stint on probation and a misdemeanor larceny conviction, public records show. She’d been jailed seven separate times in the past three years, according to records provided by Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Jon Seeber.
Her prior ongoing allegations included, in separate cases from 2020: slamming a woman’s head against a tree, flashing a serrated knife while threatening someone’s life and injuring someone with a knife outside a store.
These are just one example of the continuous revolving door justice this short sighted and foolish law has produced.
CUTTING POLICE BUDGET
The current administration has cut the police budget during crime wave. We are beingoverrun with petty crime. My bicycle was stolen off my back porch. Except as to wastefulspending cutting the police budget is impractical, foolish and incompetent and cannot besustained.Police are an essential service for which the community pays taxes.
Another example besides Connie Tuori was done by former Mayor Lee Alexander whocut the vice squad budget. South Warren Street filled with prostitutes during his administration asa result.
FIRE
The Fire Department has also been cut. Here is an example from my law practice. The following occurred:
A car hit a fire hydrant. This was reported to the fire department. The fire department failed to fix said fire hydrant for years. Anextension cord started a fire in my clients house by the firehydrant. The fire department arrived and the damaged hydrant failed to work. They had to use another hydrant down the blockwith a considerable loss of time setting up. Meanwhile the housefire became unmanageable and the house was lost. The fire endangered the adjoining houses. Stephanie Minor refused to paythe damages.
Obviously the fire department is not being adequately funded or managed.
IMPROVED GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY
Improved government efficiency is the best way. Greater efficiency means the samenecessary services are delivered at efficient costs people can afford. Inefficient practices areeliminated and necessary services are delivered at an affordable price.
INFLATION, JOBS, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH
INFLATION
As I predicted in my last campaign inflation is now rampant. This was caused by the Progressive Agenda, gas shortages/ Ukraine War, greed (gas prices are calculated on a percentage markup for taxes and retail). Last I heard the New York gas tax windfall is not even being considered for tax reduction (or rebate) and has produced a tremendous windfall of tax revenue at every level of government.
Inflation is like a dog chasing its tail. The prices go up, the wages try to catch them. Then the prices go up again because of the wage increases. Then the wages go up again to catch the inflation. The prices go up again. Etc etc etc On and on spiraling and spinning until exhaustion. The worker is continually behind the inflation playing catch up and failing. The worker and businesses just fall further and further behind. Inflation does not work. The worker is forever behind playing catch up but losing ground in the race, business are the same. Eventually nobody can afford anything. Inflation has to end.
Business growth is what pays the bills and you cannot have too much of it. You get growth the increase allows for higher profits and higher wages. Everyone wins. This is just common sense.
The city has to be competitive. The policies of the city have to be competitive with the other areas or there is no growth and no new jobs. A level playing field for business is needed. We cannot unreasonably burden businesses and expect them to compete with other businesses and or locate here.