Meet the Candidates: Tompkins County Legislature District 3 – Carolina Osorio Gil

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 Osorio Gil had to say in response to our questions.

Tompkins Weekly: What are the top three issues facing Tompkins County?
Carolina Osorio Gil: Housing/Property Taxes: As a long-time renter in Ithaca, I have experience struggling to find affordable housing within the city, where I can access public transportation. My fiancé and I have also been saving up to buy a house, but even with all of the wonderful services that exist in our community to help low-income people purchase homes, it’s hard to find one where we can afford the mortgage and the very high property taxes on a long-term basis.

This struggle is being felt across the county and across demographics. A friend of mine and her family were evicted from their home because the property that their affordable apartment was located on was purchased by a commercial developer and the only affordable housing they could find is in Caroline. That caused them to have to purchase a car because public transportation to reach their home is sporadic and inaccessible to them due to distance.

A resident of my legislative district, a civically active and engaged community member, and her family are going to have to sell their home, which they purchased with the help of Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, this year because they can no longer afford the property taxes, which increase each year. Property taxes and rental rates are inextricably linked and the current housing system that we have in the county has created a cycle where virtually the only way for a low to moderate income family like mine to afford to buy a house is to purchase a multi-unit home that provides rental income to help supplement the high costs.

Access to Healthcare and Services/Drug Addiction: Tompkins County is renowned for having a large amount of human services to such a degree that individuals move here from places like New York City to access the services. However, through my own community organizing work advocating for low-income Latinx and other community members of color, I have experienced the difficulty that many historically marginalized individuals struggle with to access these services. Issues of language, transportation, mobility and physical access, difficulty of access to information, previous incarceration, socioeconomic class, and racial prejudice present serious barriers to individuals who most need those services. In addition, the huge opiate and other drug addiction battle we face in the county is another reason to focus on adequate access to services in the county.

Living Wage: Everyone in our county deserves the dignity to get paid enough to be able to provide for themselves and their families. A living wage throughout Tompkins County is needed now and the reality is that too many individuals are still working for minimum wage, often having to juggle multiple jobs in order to pay their bills and support their households.

TW: What skills do you possess that would be an asset as a Tompkins County legislator?
COG: As a community organizer, I have experience working on a grassroots level with traditionally marginalized community members as well as a huge number of local organizations. This experience has helped me develop a number of useful skills including mobilizing communities, educating the public, and building networks for positive social change. In addition, my educational training has been in psychology, and teaching and curriculum design, so I am very knowledgeable on a variety of topics related to arts, education, and cultural development. Finally, my various work experiences have helped me develop skills in administration, logistics, and financial and budgetary management. And, of course, I speak Spanish!

TW: What is something that would surprise people to know about you?
COG: My passion for the arts. I am an actress, director, and an improv comic! I have emceed at various local festivals including the Ithaca Festival and Grassroots. Currently, I am working on an original collaborative theatrical piece about borders and migration that we’ve performed in Kolkata, India; Ithaca; El, Paso, Texas; and this summer will be traveling to the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne.

TW: How would you balance the desires of your constituents and your own personal beliefs when making decisions as a member of the Legislature?
COG: If I had to identify one of my greatest strengths, it’s that I am a good listener, and I encourage participation of all community members. District 3 includes IC and Cornell students, home owners, and long-time renters like myself. Community members throughout the county, including my district, are greatly diverse in their needs and viewpoints. Although I definitely have a strong sense of social justice that drives my personal belief system, I am always open to take into serious consideration the issues that my constituents bring forward if I am elected to serve in this role of public servant.

TW: Why should people vote for you?
COG: I have a strong history of being an active and engaged member of our community with a lifelong dedication to social justice, anti-racist work, and transformative change. As a formerly undocumented immigrant who fled to this country, I have experienced the struggles that many still face in the ever-complex world we live in. My unique experiences have positioned me to make a real and positive contribution to the Tompkins County Legislature. Thanks so much for your time in reading this and if you want to find out more about me please visit www.osoriogilfortompkins.com.