Meet the Candidates: Tompkins County Legislature District 4 – Reed Steberger

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 4, which covers a portion of the City of Ithaca, has been represented by Democrat Rich John since he was elected to the Legislature in a November 2016 special election. John is facing a challenge for his seat from Reed Steberger, who is also seeking the Democratic position on the ballot.
Here is what Steberger had to say in response to our questions.

Tompkins Weekly: What are the top three issues facing Tompkins County?
Reed Steberger: Housing: Tompkins County wants to see 4,000 new housing units built over the next eight years, to increase density both downtown and in countywide “nodes,” and to incentivize housing that working people can afford. As we incentivize development – with tools like tax abatements – the process must be conducted with a higher degree of transparency and public accountability to groups like seniors, students, first time homebuyers, and housing voucher recipients, than under our current set up with the IDA and CIITAP program. The county also needs to create formal protections for renters, who regularly deal with unsafe housing stock, unfavorable lease terms, and discrimination on the basis on income.

Social Programs: Funding for social programs – Medicaid especially – is a major challenge for the county government, not only under the current federal administration, but as a result of the decades long national effort to defund the social safety net. As a Democrat, I believe we need to stand up for social programs, which make Tompkins County the economically vibrant and diverse community we take pride in. Ensuring sources of ongoing funding without exacerbating the already high cost of living will take creativity, community engagement, and a commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community.

Criminal Justice Reform: Tompkins County is on the cusp of a major shift – from a punitive system of policing and mass incarceration that disproportionately impacts people of color, lower income people, those with mental health needs, and people experiencing addiction, to a model that puts health, well being, racial equity, and economic stability at the core of public safety. Programs like the recently implemented LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion), the mobile mental health unit, a downtown detox center, the Ithaca Plan, the OAR bail fund, implicit bias trainings, the URO program, and expanded reach for other alternatives to incarceration all contribute to this shift. Most importantly, our Legislature needs to convince the New York State Commission on Corrections that we do not need to expand our local jail (the cost of which would significantly raise local taxes) and that we are setting an example of a paradigm shift that can take place across the State of New York.

TW: What skills do you possess that would be an asset as a Tompkins County legislator?
RS: I’ve lived in Ithaca for eight years and over that time, I’ve built strong, longstanding relationships of trust with government and non-profit leaders, labor unions, environmental groups, community centers and cultural organizations, small business owners, education leaders, as well as undergraduate and graduate student organizations. These relationships are critical for legislators to have. First, the public needs to see that their representatives have demonstrated, working relationships with community members and community leaders. Second, these relationships are essential when it comes to taking on the complex challenges we face because community members need to know their voices won’t be left out, that our solutions to community challenges will be collaborative, and that there’s a seat at the table for everyone. Moveover, I have extensive professional experience communicating complex political issues in accessible language, creating inclusive public process, and leading courageous conversations on challenging topics, like race and and racism.

TW: What is something that would surprise people to know about you?
RS: In March 2013, I coordinated the “Seneca Lake 12” action at the Crestwood gas storage facility on Seneca Lake. It was the first major act of civil disobedience protesting the Crestwood Facility, and kicked off the ongoing direct action campaign that was ultimately successful this year. I later worked for Earthjustice, which led the legal fight against the facility. A lot of my job was supporting residents of the Town of Reading, where the facility is located, to advocate for themselves to their town board. My role has often been to stay behind the scenes so others’ voices can be lifted up.

TW: How would you balance the desires of your constituents and your own personal beliefs when making decisions as a member of the Legislature?
RS: This is a question of accountability. How should elected officials be accountable to the people they represent? I believe it’s the responsibility of elected officials to earn the public’s trust by building real relationships with our constituents, meeting residents one-on-one, and actively seeking our community’s perspective. I have eight years of experience facilitating group decision making process – whether the topic is organizational equity and inclusion, state level environmental strategy, or strategic planning – and making sure all voices are included at the table. This year, I’ve spoken to hundreds of residents. I’ve heard over and over that I’m the only candidate who’s knocked on many residents’ doors and that I’m the first candidate to ask “What are your hopes for our community?” “What do you want to see from your government?” I don’t think those questions should be so uncommon!

TW: Why should people vote for you?
RS: Over my eight years in Ithaca, I’ve earned my reputation as someone who gets things done. At a time of national crisis, you can count on me to stand by our community’s progressive values, bring transparency to local government, and engage the public in decisions that affect us all. Aside from my qualifications, 75 percent of the voters in the 4th district are under the age of 35 and 30 percent of Tompkins County residents are between the ages of 20-35. Of the 14 county legislators, none are under the age of 40. As someone who’s 27 years old with 8 years of experience serving our community, I would bring an important and underrepresented perspective to the Legislature.