Tompkins Weekly

Meet the Candidates: Tompkins County Legislature District 3 – David Shapiro



By Rob Montana
Tompkins Weekly

With at least 20 people announcing their plans to run for Tompkins County Legislature in the fall, Tompkins Weekly will be offering readers an opportunity to learn more about the people who will be appearing on ballots in September and November.

District 3, which covers a portion of the City of Ithaca, has been represented by Democrat Carol Chock since 2007. With Chock retiring at the end of her term, three people have stepped forward as candidates for her seat – Carolina Osorio Gil, Henry Granison and David Shapiro.
Here is what Shapiro had to say in response to our questions.

Tompkins Weekly: What are the top three issues facing Tompkins County?
David Shapiro: There are a lot of different issues facing Tompkins County and most of them I would categorize similarly – it isn’t easy for people to afford living here. Because of that, many of our neighbors haven’t enjoyed the same opportunities for economic independence.
This issue is discussed all the time, often within the context of the lack of affordable housing. For good reason, high property taxes along with the shortage of supply makes housing incredibly expensive. That is an issue most of us agree on, but the solution rarely has consensus. What worries me, is that this debate prevents us from considering other ways that the government can help support more affordable living.

One of my main issues is the lack of affordable and high quality child care. Too many families struggle to find balance between the quality of care they want and the cost of care they can afford. Many families simply choose to sacrifice years of their careers (and future earning potential) to stay home and care for their children. While no one would debate the value of parents involved in raising their children, the truth is, most household wages simply aren’t high enough to support not having two working parents.

My constituents also include single parent households and single adult households which is why it is also important that I fight for pay equity, pay transparency and a living wage. I want to see the legislature play a more active role in the many ways we can help living in Tompkins County become more affordable.

TW: What skills do you possess that would be an asset as a Tompkins County legislator?
DS: I have devoted my professional career to advancing the needs of children, families and marginalized groups, through the delivery of high quality and cost-effective social services. The programs I led have consistently produced high results, both in terms of programmatic outcomes, and in financial stewardship. I have real-life examples where the financial oversight I provided led to increased wages and more opportunities for advancement. I believe that when voting for me, I’m offering more that my skills as assets, but actual results that demonstrate how I have put these skills to action.

TW: What is something that would surprise people to know about you?
DS: I always dreamed of moving to a small town and getting involved in local politics. I know a lot of people are engaged in the political process this year because they disagree with, or fear how, the national agenda might influence local priorities. I have many similar concerns, but my motivation to get involved started a long time ago and my desire to have a positive impact in this community will extend far beyond the life cycle of our current elected officials.

TW: How would you balance the desires of your constituents and your own personal beliefs when making decisions as a member of the Legislature?
DS: In government policy, the will of the people and the needs of the many must remain the focus of the policy agenda. Being a leader often means putting aside a personal priority when a greater consensus emerges, while having the strength and courage to stand firm when a core belief is challenged.

TW: Why should people vote for you?
DS: I believe there are two important distinctions that set me apart from the other primary challengers. I have been preparing, first in graduate school and then through professional experiences, for just this opportunity. I also believe that when it comes to issues like cost-effective social services, living wages, pay equity and pay transparency, I can tell you exactly how I have accomplished these things with real-life professional examples. In the end, I hope that is what my constituents want – a tireless worker for the betterment of my community, and one with a track record that shows I know how to get things done.

 

 

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