An Ordinance to Repeal City of Ithaca Municipal Code Section 346-17, “Pedestrian Crossings” WHEREAS Plan Ithaca, the City of Ithaca’s comprehensive plan, prioritizes pedestrian travel above all other modes of transportation; and WHEREAS on March 6, 2019 Common Council adopted the goals of “Vision Zero” to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries on roadways, and […]
Category: Legislation
Commissioning a Rental Vacancy Study in the City of Ithaca
New York State’s Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 expanded the Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA), allowing municipalities throughout the state to opt into it. The ETPA stabilizes rents in buildings of six or more units constructed before 1974, regulating annual rent increases through a county Rent Guidelines Board and entitling tenants to […]
Calling on the Federal Government to Cancel Federal Student Loan Debt
Modeled after Senator Warren et al’s student loan debt cancelation resolution, this calls on President Biden to use his executive authority to cancel federal student loan debt. WHEREAS over 43 million Americans hold more than $1.5 trillion of federal student loan debt at an average balance of $39,351[1] and more than 9 million federal student […]
Emergency Protection for Ithaca Renters and Small Landlords
Largely written by the Ithaca Tenants Union and modified by me, the mayor, and Alderperson Smith to ease its passage, I sponsored this legislation to request that New York State give us the power to cancel rents and prevent evictions and financial ruin. Status: Passed June 3, 2020 WHEREAS the City of Ithaca has demonstrated […]
Condemning Violence and Hate Speech
In response to mass shootings against mosques in a terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, I worked with Mahmud Burton, president of the Al-Huda Islamic Center to write a resolution condemning hate, particularly towards the Muslim community. Status: Passed April 3, 2019 Resolution Condemning Violence and Hate Speech WHEREAS the City of Ithaca’s Diversity Statement […]
Shopping Carts
In response to concerns from residents regarding abandoned shopping carts throughout the city (mostly downtown), I took draft legislation written by former Alderperson Eddie Rooker and working with City Forester Jeanne Grace (whose department somehow ends up dealing with abandoned shopping carts), revised it to address longstanding frustrations she’s had with shopping cart management. Highlights […]
Recognizing the Second Monday of October as “Indigenous Peoples’ Day”
Recognizing that the City of Ithaca rests upon Haudenosaunee land, this ordinance removes all references of Columbus Day from city code and instead recognizes Indigenous Peoples’ Day. I worked with Cayuga Nation leaders, the city’s Director of Human Resources, and the city attorney to write this legislation. Status: Passed September 6, 2017 An Ordinance to […]