Write a commentThe Tresidder Mayoral Campaign Headquarters on West First Street was recently the site of the second of three 'Meet The Candidate' events leading up to the Oswego mayoral election. These events provide a chance for voters to hear from the three Oswego mayoral candidates. This specific event, held September 23rd, was catered by Aunt Mary’s Italian Cookies & Catering.
This 'Meet The Candidate' event for Oswego County Legislator Amy Tresidder provided an opportunity for Ms. Tresidder to meet with a number of small business owners and media outlets from Oswego.
Those in attendance included Steve Yablonski (Oswego County Today), Makayla Kemp (Oswego County Today), Heathe Jones (Tresidder Campaign volunteer), Tom Drum (16th District County Legislature candidate), Gary Ritzenthaler (Lighthouse Coworks), Mary Plummer (Aunt Mary's Italian Cookies & Catering), Nathan Emmons (3rd Ward Alderman candidate), Bill Symons (Canale's Insurance & Accounting), Ellen Clark (Oswego Promotion & Tourism Advisory Board), Michelle Southgate (Lakeside Artisans), Carl Walwarth (retired), Julie Fischer (HHC, AADP) and Steve Philips (Oswego Renaissance Association).
This event was sponsored by the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce, represented by Tim Rice (Board of Directors), Greg Mills (Executive Director) and Danielle Hayden (Assistant Director).
Amy Tresidder stated that she has lived in Oswego for over thirty years and that she had “lived here longer than anywhere else.” She said that she had a lot of customer service involvement and that “Customer service is one of the best things you can provide.” Tresidder noted that there is a difference between business and government; “Business goals are to grow and create profit and government’s role is to provide services. What they have in common is that the delivery of service has to be sufficient.”
According to Tresidder, the biggest source of revenue for the city is sales tax revenue. “Without your business, this city cannot survive. We collect more sales tax revenue than we do property tax revenue”. Tresidder believes the city needs to promote business and get local people to shop within the city. With respect to local shopping, Ms. Tresidder stated that “The city is not worse, it’s different.”
In reference to the recent common council meeting where the renting of a so-called 'pothole killer' was approved, Tresidder referred to it as “A band-aid, and right now, we need a band-aid.” She believes there should be a five year plans for equipment purchasing but this is a good short-term option.
When the discussion turned to lack of opportunity with local jobs, it was asked what can our city government do to promote businesses coming to Oswego and creating employment opportunities for the next generations to stay in Oswego. Tresidder stated that the city needs to turn away from tax incentives for businesses and that there are “too many tax exempt properties in the city now.” Tresidder believes the city can no longer afford “massive tax cuts for businesses.” She stated that “Between the tax exempt properties, city owned properties, and 'red x' properties, we are not bringing in the revenue the city needs.”
Tresidder stated that she believes that people are looking for places that have good health care and excellent schools, and that the city needs to work on those two things. Steven Philips of Oswego Rennaissance Association stated that “Oswego has a high concentration of poverty right now” that will not attract new businesses. He went on, saying “Statistically, people that are living in poverty are under educated and cannot perform the jobs that a business coming into our community will need. A new business will not look at us because we do not have a workforce that we can supply.” Tresidder responded that the city and local businesses need to work with CITI (formally BOCES) on creating skilled workers.
Tresidder believes that the city needs to 'dress for success' in order to get new people into the city. She also stated that there is a lack of communication between the college, the city, the county of Oswego and tourism. Tresidder stated that these groups are not acting as a team but more as 'individual bubbles'.
She closed “The success of the city of Oswego is the success of the county.”
