This week I had the opportunity to share my vision for our Town with Angela McFarland, Publisher of the Ballston Journal. Below are my responses to our wide-ranging interview.
1.
What is the best way to ensure that Town of Milton officials operate in an ethical manner? Electing public officials who have a demonstrated appreciation for the importance of ethics in public service is critical, and revising our town ethics code will be one of my highest priorities if I am elected to the town council.
As the former Director of Training at the Commission on Public Integrity and now as Counsel for the NYS Conference of Mayors, I work in the field of government ethics and will bring my expertise to town government. I have proposed a detailed ethics reform plan which you can read about on my website, www.ManciniForMilton.com. My plan includes a regular review of the town ethics code, mandatory ethics training for town officials and employees, and a mechanism allowing town officials and employees to request and receive a confidential ethics opinion in the event they need guidance.
2.
What changes should be made to next year’s Town budget? Does the budget process need to be changed? In these difficult economic times we need to sharpen our pencils and stretch taxpayer dollars to do more with less. The important thing to remember is that the money in the town's budget belongs to the people, not the government. I favor opening up the budget making process to ensure that the town is listening and responding to taxpayers' concerns in a respectful manner.
3.
What would be your number one priority if you are elected. My number one priority as a fiscal conservative would be to manage taxpayer funds responsibly and strive for efficiency so that we can meet the needs of the present and adequately plan for the challenges of the future.
4.
What would benefit the residents of Milton the most, experience or a fresh perspective? Both are important. Experience and a fresh perspective are not mutually exclusive. The right kind of experience can’t always be measured by the number of years someone has held elective office. Experience should be measured as the life’s work of a candidate, which might be in the public sector, the private sector or a combination of the two.
In my case, I bring a fresh perspective in the sense that I have not held elective office and bring new ideas to the table. At the same time, my work at the Commission on Public Integrity and the NYS Conference of Mayors has given me a great deal of experience in municipal government and prepared me to serve in the town council. I have been involved in the community as a member of the Ballston Spa Planning Board and as chairman of the Bicentennial Committee in 2007.
Finally, I bring to the table my perspective as a husband, father, homeowner and taxpayer in the town of Milton. I grew up here and am fortunate to be able to raise my sons here. I want our town to succeed so they can one day have that same opportunity.
5.
What is the best way to ensure an orderly atmosphere in Town meetings? By adopting reasonable meeting procedures to ensure that Milton residents' concerns will be heard while at the same time allowing for the business of the Town to be conducted in an efficient manner, we can improve the atmosphere in town meetings.
6.
Why should voters support you? With the recent groundbreaking at AMD, our area is headed into a new era of development. Our town will be presented with many challenges and opportunities in the coming years. I have the vision, energy and most importantly the desire to take on these challenges proactively so that development happens on our terms. As your Councilman, I will fight to preserve our small town atmosphere while preparing Milton for the future. I will bring the highest level of integrity to town government and manage taxpayer funds responsibly.
