Special Election: Legislature candidates talk voter issues

A special election for the Tompkins County Legislature District 2 will occur March 23. District 2 represents the Fifth Ward and part of the Third Ward of the city of Ithaca. Tompkins Weekly asked the two candidates, Veronica Pillar and Leslie Schill, a series of questions, which they both answered over email. Their answers are below.

Tompkins Weekly: Why are you running for the county Legislature?

Veronica Pillar: I am a teacher, organizer, tenant, and scientist. Through my community work, I’ve seen that grassroots activists and community members don’t always feel heard by their representatives, while government representatives sometimes feel like the public doesn’t understand what is in their scope of authority. I am running to be a bridge between government and community and improve mutual understanding for the good of the county. With years of community experience, I am committed to justice, accountability, and evidence-based decision-making while representing District 2 in the Tompkins County Legislature.

Leslie Schill: Faced with the impending election of November 2020 while living through a global pandemic, I felt called back to public service. I am running to give something back to this community that is so dear to me and my family. My goal is to bring my energy, experience, and knowledge to support our community in this time of crisis. Right now, we need creative thinking and a proven track record for dealing with complex community challenges. I will be an advocate for a Healthy Community — in District 2 and across Tompkins County.

TW: How would you distinguish yourself from your opponent?

VP: My campaign is rooted in grassroots work. My greatest commitment is to remain accountable to community members and to the movements for social justice and human rights that I work in and learn from. I am very transparent and I will be open with people so that they understand what’s going on in the county and know that I’m listening and taking their input seriously.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only highlighted but exacerbated the existing social and economic problems of Tompkins County. I know that instead of merely recovering from the pandemic, we need to tackle these problems head-on. I will bring my community experience — as an organizer for racial justice, community aid, and more — to local government to address the challenges in our community.

LS: I am a seasoned leader who has worked for both the Tompkins County government and Cornell, and I bring critical skills to this role: conducting successful community outreach and public participation, budgeting and oversight, and working with NYS agencies. I understand how government functions and would bring a depth and breadth of experience on issues that are important to this community: housing, the environment, our local economy, and energy and climate action. I regularly partner and collaborate with staff and local elected leaders, including the County, and have good working relationships that will support efforts on behalf of District 2.

TW: What would you describe as your strengths and weaknesses as a public servant?

VP: I believe deeply in the dignity and worth of every human being, and I’m skilled at open, active listening, which is critical work for a public representative. I am drawn toward collaboration and connecting people with each other and have been described as very diplomatic.
I am not great at self-promotion, which can make campaigning challenging! I am also pretty soft-spoken, which in our culture can be taken for a lack of strong opinions or convictions, but I am very clear about my values and do not hesitate to speak my mind when I see injustice.

LS: I am a public servant at heart. My job history includes more than a decade working in local governments, first in DC Parks and Recreation and more recently for the Tompkins County Planning Department. I understand the dynamics and challenges of working within a government to help communities realize their visions and goals.

I have served/continue to serve on local government committees/boards:

• City of Ithaca Waterfront Zoning Committee, member
• Tompkins County Community Development Housing Fund, Program Oversight Committee member
• Tompkins County Planning Advisory Board, Vice Chair

This would be my first time working for a local government in the capacity of an elected official. I expect there is a lot to learn about government in this capacity as a community representative.

TW: If elected, what are your top three priorities as a legislator?

VP: I believe that housing is a human right. We need to prioritize creating housing that is genuinely affordable, not subsidizing luxury development as we’ve been doing. High property taxes are a burden for low- and middle-income people and are a cause of gentrification. The New York Health Act, of which I’m a strong proponent, would shift Medicaid costs off local governments, allowing us to lower property taxes. We can also enact rent stabilization in the city, with county support.

Municipal broadband internet is another top priority. Fast and reliable internet is a modern necessity — all the more in COVID times — and in a wealthy county like Tompkins, there’s no reason that all residents shouldn’t have it.

Social and economic justice are big for me. In the Legislature, I will continue to make all my decisions through an anti-racist and equity-focused lens. We can have a community where everyone feels genuinely safe and has their basic needs met if we focus on that goal and do the necessary work.

LS: 1) Prioritize Public Health to Address COVID in Our Community: then attend to other pressing community issues viewing them through a public health lens. 2) Support Critical Needs of Families: Affordable Housing, Childcare, Strong Local Economy with Good Jobs. 3) Invest in Our Community’s Future: Youth Services and Workforce Development, Environ-
mental Stewardship, and Climate Action.

TW: What would you like potential voters to know about you?

VP: Most people don’t really understand what local government does or how to participate, and I will make every effort to be transparent and foster good communication with county residents. Whether we agree on every issue or not, I will always listen respectfully and with an open mind and heart because I genuinely care about everyone.

LS: I am a long-time Fall Creek resident, with children at Fall Creek Elementary and Ithaca High School. My hands-on experience in Tompkins County working on our local affordable housing development, climate action strategies, natural lands preservation, and livable communities provide a framework for advancing progressive policies and initiatives in the County Legislature.

TW: How do you plan to address the needs of the different cultures, socioeconomic statuses, etc. that are in the district?

VP: I believe in prioritizing people with the greatest need — those with the fewest resources and those whose voices we don’t usually hear: people of color, poor people, people with disabilities, older folks, children. We shouldn’t focus on making sure that the system continues to work for those it currently benefits. If we want different results, we need to think about these things differently.

As a legislator, I will actively reach out to all pockets of our community to learn their needs, and I will not shy away from challenging the status quo, asking tough questions, and suggesting new policies that will benefit the entire county.

LS: To effectively represent all residents of District 2, I will need to continuously talk to constituents, host public input sessions, and bring information early and often to the community. In this way, I can learn about residents’ diverse needs and values.

My approach will always be that of the true planner: outreach, listening, discussion, compromise, creating feedback loops, and constant learning. These are key assets to making transformative policies, places, and projects that embrace and reflect the goals of the community. It takes hard work and dedication, but it is worth the effort!

TW: How are you best suited to address the economic and social impacts of COVID-19?

VP: I have a scientific background and that shapes the way I think about things. I like to focus on evidence-based reasoning, including people’s lived experience as evidence. As far as COVID goes, I understand that not everyone has been impacted in the same way and I will prioritize those who most need support right now — frontline workers, parents, people with health conditions, the unemployed, and older residents.

LS: My campaign is centered on Public Health — I am running on the Healthy Community party line. My vision is to apply a laser focus to addressing the COVID crisis locally, in support of our County Health Department, to ensure we take a comprehensive view of this crisis and manage an efficient and well-executed vaccine distribution to our community.

Regarding economic impacts, I am prepared to be an effective voice for our community, advocating for pandemic relief funding, including for our local businesses, to Albany and the federal government. I support the development of a vibrant, new waterfront community that can usher in new economic growth in District 2.

To address the social impacts of COVID, I am proposing a new County-ICSD collaboration to ensure great outcomes for our kids: providing wrap around programs and services to support childcare, youth programming, mental health services, and building a school to workforce pipeline.