Patricia Snyder
Democrat
Occupation: Fiscal officer
Question: Why are you running for town board?
Answer: I am eager to contribute, have always acted with pragmatism and I believe elected officials should have an open and honest dialogue with voters. Four years ago I pledged to be “Your voice for your Town” and I pledge to continue to do that for the next four years. We passed the Size Cap Law to stop the big-box development on the historic Bender Melon Farm; we support the current Drinking Water Protection Law to protect local wells and reservoirs from blasting for the gas pipeline; we worked with state, county and town officials to open the Albany County Rail Trail and we saved taxpayers money by consolidating the village and town courts. We will continue to work with neighboring towns and communities to share services and resources to save money.
Q: How will your experience serve you on the town board?
A: My strong business and financial background, coupled with a commitment to our community, provides me with the experience, knowledge and integrity to lead our town into the future. As an incumbent board member seeking re-election, I will continue to manage the town’s finances prudently and budget conservatively while maintaining essential services residents have come to expect. In my first term we have kept town taxes low and within the instituted state mandated cap. Solutions to many of our challenges can be arrived at through ingenuity and innovation, and not simply by throwing money at them.
Q: What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the town?
A: The biggest challenges revolve around infrastructure (i.e.: roadways and water) and keeping New Scotland the jewel of Albany County through prudent management of development and keeping taxes low. Road repaving is a yearly project and we tackle as much as possible within our budget every year. We need to continue to support our senior services program that not only provides socialization opportunities, but is a stop-gap for necessary medical appointment transportation. We are addressing recreational park space and activities for our youth with an upgrade to our town parks, to be phased-in as funding permits. We need to continue our focus on land use and development so we can bring in the next generation of homeowners and cultivate small business and commercial growth.
Q: What are your ideas for addressing these challenges?
A: We need to complete the mission of updating the town’s zoning and local laws to ensure development appropriate to the character of the Town and supportable by the Town’s infrastructure and community resources. I have always believed in the process of achieving the right balance between the needs of the Town, its residents and landowners. The planning and zoning process for future development in the commercial district is now underway. We need to promote economic development in the commercial zones and work hard to maintain a supportable Town budget that respects our taxpayers’ wallets.
