Press release from Scott Steve, Republican Party candidate for City of Cortland Mayor.
Long-time Cortland resident Scott Steve announced his candidacy for Mayor of the City of Cortland today. He cited infrastructure improvements, quality-of-life issues, and transparency and accountability of city spending as his top priorities.
His experience as a local business owner and past Chairman of the County Legislature provide him the background to lead the city's necessary infrastructure improvements to enhance residential quality of life and business development, Steve said.
Steve served as a Cortland County Legislator from 2002-2005 including two years as Chairman of the Legislature. He is the owner of Scott Steve Builders, founded in 1985, which provides business development, consulting and building services.
“For too long, taxes and fees have increased without sufficient transparency and accountability. Many of our neighbors find themselves with property taxes higher than their mortgage payments.”
“We also need fresh ideas on infrastructure projects that provide long-term savings rather than adding recurring costs,” Steve said. “The city has one-time federal funds that should be used in a way that reduce infrastructure costs over time.” Installing LED lighting throughout the city and making water main system repairs are examples of improvements that could ultimately save residents money in the long run.
Steve faced similar challenges in the past and is ready to address the current issues facing the city.
“As Chairman of the County Legislature, I led a bipartisan effort to modernize County operations and restore fiscal accountability,” Steve said. He pointed to improvement in the County’s bond rating and savings of millions of dollars on insurance costs as examples.
“City residents may be unaware of the fees the city collects and how they are used, or how grant funding is being spent.”
He also noted that his background as a builder and development consultant will help in managing the city’s priorities and spending. “I have worked successfully with many local businesses to manage large projects, streamline operations, and reduce costs.”
Steve said he will be speaking to residents about quality-of-life issues affecting them and how the community can bring about improvements.
“My wife Shelley and I chose to raise our five children in the city of Cortland. While we are happy with that decision, some of the city’s quality-of-life that we valued has been eroded,” Steve said.
He stated that as Mayor, he will work with community organizations, government agencies and residents to address our most pressing quality-of-life issues.
Scott, 59, resides on Ridgeview Ave. with his wife Shelley. They have five children ages 16 to 30.
His father-in-law, Gerry Duffy, served as 6th ward alderman and ran for Mayor in 1987, losing by a slim margin to Marty Mack.
He will appear on the Republican, Unite NY and Conservative ballot lines in the November 2nd election.
