Randall Leverette
Randall Leverette. (Photo by Lauren Thomas)
Like Lunati, Randall Leverette has taken his civic duty seriously and has become a regular attendee at many Town Board meetings, as well as serving on the town’s five-person civilian Police Commission. He has an extensive background in communications and marketing and said that he decided to run because he has “a willingness to serve,” and to “offer skills that would be beneficial to the community. In a community as diverse as New Paltz, the Town Board should reflect that diversity both in thought and voice.”
If elected, Leverette said that his top priority would be to “focus on departmental efficiencies that would help reduce waste and unnecessary spending.” He said that as a Town Board member he would “look for ways in which we might expand our tax roll in a way that is mindful of our community needs.”
As for lowering taxes, Leverette concurred that “Everyone wants to lower taxes and we all hate paying taxes, yet we expect a certain level of service for the taxes we pay.” He said that his plan is simple in that he believes that “We need to spend smarter and exercise fiscal restraint, and that recipe will yield savings.” That “recipe,” he claims would “ensure that taxes would not increase and that savings realized from smarter planning and spending will be passed onto taxpayers in the form of lowered taxes. New Paltz taxpayers are shareholders in the business of our government, and they deserve a better return on their investment than is showing on the books. We also deserve responsible management of resources by those minding the shop.”
In his estimation, the proposed Wetlands Protection Law, as well as the passed and judicially challenged and upheld Town Floodplains Zoning Laws, are “complicated issues. I believe that our environment should be protected. I also believe that landowners should have protection as well.” To that end, the only commitment he could make on these environmental protection and public health and safety laws was this: “I can promise that I will keep an open mind and will press to work with both sides to seek a meaningful compromise to create a win/win situation for all concerned.”
The greatest challenge that he believes New Paltz is facing, Leverette said, is “keeping New Paltz affordable for everyone, particularly our seniors and young families and those looking to start families.” As to how he would meet that challenge, Leverette said, “The only way to do that is to think beyond today and look past ourselves toward long-term financial stability, economic vitality and thoughtful environmental protection. Creating an efficient government that spends wisely now, so that we can build a stronger, brighter future for generations to come, is in everyone’s best interest.”
As for why he believes that he’s prepared to take on the post, he said that he believes he has the “temperament, personality, approachability, intellect and skill set,” to do the job, but also is someone with great commitment and who “shows an interest in government.” Leverette has extensive background in public analysis on all levels, and said that despite “credentials,” all of which are impressive, “I’m a nice guy who believes that every criticism is a learning opportunity and that negative energy is a waste of time, fairness is the cornerstone to compromise and good government is about helping all people in large ways and in small ways.”
