A more engaged town government and improved local-state coordination are the highlights of the Rhinebeck Democratic Party’s just-released platform on which Democratic candidates will run in local elections in November.
Candidates will be endorsed and announced at a Democratic Party caucus meeting in Rhinebeck on June 15.
“This is a statement of principles,” party co-chair Warren Smith said in a news release. “We expect our candidates in the campaign to support a new approach to Town Government by instituting on-duty government with an accessible presence in the Town Hall, as well as a more innovative, purposeful approach to local-state cooperation.”
“At the same time, fiscal responsibility requires that we focus equally on cost containment and new sources of revenue,” he added. “Clearly, we need to move beyond a single reliance on taxes. Our platform commits us and our candidates to a pro-active identification of alternative funding which may be available through state sources and private grants for public projects.”
Barbara Hugo, the party co-chair, said, “We think the platform is both a solid substantive statement of Democratic policy at the local level and a novel contribution to public information that ought to enhance debate and stimulate voter participation in November.”
Hugo pointed specifically to signs of a return to economic normalcy and the consequent need to insure that Rhinebeck’s Comprehensive Plan accommodates “smart growth.” We need to “move forward with innovation,” she said, “and our platform promises a close look at key local issues and challenges with fresh eyes and new approaches.”
The full text of the platform is available on the Rhinebeck Democrats’ website: www.rhinebeckdemocrats.org.
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