Sophia Resciniti, ‘06, is the Republican, Conservative Party, Libertarian and Independent Party candidate for Binghamton’s 2nd district on the Binghamton City Council. She is a lecturer in Binghamton University’s College of Community and Public Affairs.
In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue in your district and why?
“The most pressing issue is determining how we make our neighborhoods places where people want to live for generations to come. This boils down to three main issues: public safety, taxes and blight. First, residents need to feel safe in their neighborhoods. This starts with making sure our police and fire departments have the necessary resources and training. But it also means making sure residents have access to safe and healthy housing. Next, we need to continue lowering property taxes. Our high property tax rates burden families, hurt property values and deter individuals looking to buy homes in our area. Renters also suffer when landlords pass the high-tax burden onto them. Lastly, we need to crack down on blight, increasing penalties for bad landlords and providing code officers with needed resources. This also means improving the housing stock so that no one has to live in dangerous or substandard conditions.”
How do you envision engaging with the community and addressing the concerns they may have? More specifically, what would you do to engage Binghamton University students in these community issues?
“The West Side is the only area of the city without a neighborhood group that meets regularly with residents and city officials to talk about neighborhood-specific issues. As a member of City Council, I would change that. And I would encourage Binghamton University students to attend and make their voices heard as valued members of our community. I would also remain accessible to constituents and happy to meet in person, talk over the phone or email about issues, concerns and ideas. I’ve spent the last several months knocking on residents’ doors and listening. Many of these residents have been students. These conversations have directly informed my priorities and helped shape my platform. This kind of engagement is critical for a candidate and even more important for an elected official.”
Do you have any plans to address the housing blight in your district, and the city as a whole? Please explain why or why not.
“Blight is one of the issues I hear about most often about as I go door to door. Almost every neighborhood has an eyesore that frustrates residents, and some deal with clusters of blighted buildings. I will work with my colleagues on City Council to ensure city code officers have the resources, training and technology they need to do their jobs effectively. I will also push for increased penalties for irresponsible landlords who fail to maintain their properties. And I’ll advocate for expanding programs that provide assistance to good landlords and homeowners, including the Senior Home Repair Program and the First-Time Home Buyer Program. I would support the city’s blighted property demolition program in cases of extreme blight, where properties have deteriorated to the point where they are unsafe or are too costly to rehabilitate.”
If you could make changes to the building codes or code enforcement in the city, what would they be? If you would not make any changes, please explain why not.
“Again, I will advocate for increased penalties for irresponsible property owners who fail to maintain their buildings. While state law dictates much of the city’s building and housing codes, I’ll push for making sure residents, including students, know about the free resources available to them from the City’s Code Department, including free property inspections prior to signing a lease. The city should be working to inform residents about these services, which help ensure their living conditions are safe, and increasing access to them wherever possible.”
What changes, if any, would you make to public transportation in your district and why?
“Broome County operates public transit in the city, and the University runs the blue bus system used by many students. My role on City Council would be to advocate for necessary improvements and changes on behalf of public transit users. I believe the city can and should continue to work with the county and the University to assist with improving residents’ experience with public transportation whenever appropriate. The city should also invest in infrastructure projects that support diverse means of transit, including roads that are more walkable and safer for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as vehicles.”