Answers from Jerry Jennings
Jerry Jennings
Over the last few months AOA has been putting your questions to Albany's mayoral candidates. Yesterday we posted answers from Republican Nathan LeBron, and earlier this year we spoke with Corey Ellis and Shawn Morris.
Last week we braved the road and sidewalk construction on Delaware Avenue (important to know since -- yep -- you'll hear it going on during the interview) to sit down with Albany mayor Jerry Jennings at his campaign headquarters. After the jump are answers to some of your questions, and a few of ours. Like the others in this series, they're arranged so you can watch each answer separately.
Why should the city of Albany hire you again?
What are some of your biggest accomplishments?
Where do you think you could have done better in the last couple of years
Albany just got a seven year extension on the landfill? What happens then? What is your long term plan?
The landfill accounts for a pretty significant portion of the city budget. Is there a plan to wean it from the budget or do you see it always being a big part of Albany's budget?
What qualities are you seeking in the next Albany police chief?
The mayor announced a search committee this week. [CapNews9]
You and the former police chief have been saying crime is down in the city, but some folks say they are not feeling safe. What are you doing to make Albany safer?
What kind of businesses do we need downtown to attract residents?
Are we ever going to get residential parking permits for downtown Albany
There's been a lot of talk about transparency in city government of late -- and the suggestion that your administration lacks transparency. Is a transparent city government important to you ? And how are you working to make information easier to access?
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Comments
big thanks goes out to AOA for putting these together, great stuff.
... said JVG on Oct 30, 2009 at 3:39 PM | link
Why did the mayor respond to the transparency question with talk about the budget? Ya dodged the question, Jerr.
We wanted to hear about why you're mum on machine guns, the parking permit soap opera, a drunk driver cop, a police chief who was not qualified for the job, and just what favors (if any) are being traded for these big developers who donate big bucks to your campaign.
The transparency issue has little to do with the process by which the budget is put together (that's all public record). The people of this city want to know what this government will do to re-establish a trust that has been slowly shrinking.
... said See through you on Oct 30, 2009 at 4:23 PM | link
You reference nanotech? C'mon. Did this administration play that big a role in getting Sematec here? Let's talk complimentary businesses... perhaps a downtown tech park, a business incubator, or Harriman Campus tech labs that aren't R&D for SUNYA?
The city Admin HATES Sematec! It's the university! They require services, don't pay taxes, their employees don't live here, and the city is afraid they will move into the Harriman Campus. Let's get some policies in place to attract their employees to this city.
... said nano nano? on Oct 30, 2009 at 4:29 PM | link
Yor spelling ween rong. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wean
Editors: Fixed. Heh. Yeah, that's an entirely different sort of Ween.
... said Bucko on Oct 30, 2009 at 5:23 PM | link