CLAY — The 2021 general election is Tuesday, Nov. 2. For information about polling places and early voting, visit ongov.net/elections or contact the Onondaga County Board of Elections at 315-435-8683.
District 2
District 2 includes the western portion of the town of Clay.
James Rowley (incumbent)
Republican, Conservative
Rowley is assistant superintendent of finance for Oneida City Schools.
How will your experience serve you in government?
I began my career in the private sector working in financial/managerial positions. I have been in local government in various roles for nearly 25 years. I was the former supervisor of Clay and the former CFO for Onondaga County. In my current role as assistant superintendent for finance at Oneida City Schools, my span of control includes not only budget, but also transportation, food service and buildings and grounds. I believe my experience is unique compared to most elected officials and I will leverage it as best I can to ensure county government is accountable to my constituents.
What do you think are the biggest challenges in your community?
We have a unique opportunity to bring a computer chip manufacturing company to the town of Clay. This will entail federal, state and county government to collaborate on a significant incentive package. I am convinced the long-term benefit to the community outweighs the costs. While we have an excellent opportunity to grow our economy, an inflationary drag is adversely affecting our community currently. I hear my constituents complain of higher costs for fuel, food and utilities. The state-mandated increase in minimum wage to $13.20 per hour will increase the cost of doing business locally and further fuel inflation.
What are your ideas for addressing these challenges?
An ironic aspect to the pandemic is that many local governments and school districts experienced surpluses during 2020. At the county level, we planned for the worst and experienced a significant turnaround. We are currently running significantly ahead in our sales tax receipts for 2021 as well. At a minimum, I will advocate for a tax cut in the 2022 budget to offset the tax increase we passed in 2021. I will also work to limit the scope of county government so future tax increases are kept to a minimum to help offset the inflationary drag residents are experiencing.
Jay Snyder
Democratic, Working Families
Snyder is a medical receptionist.
How will your experience serve you in government?
My experiences at a variety of jobs and life will help me connect with my constituents and do my job for them rather than for a party or donors. As a former educator, I know the importance of listening and being an advocate for my students. I plan to use those same skills as I advocate for the best interests of my constituents.
What do you think are the biggest challenges in your community?
Jobs, affordable housing, and social services.
We need more jobs in our community that pay a living wage rather than just a minimum wage. We need to encourage and support our local entrepreneurs and small businesses to open and expand, rather than outside major corporations.
We need to create safe and affordable housing for people in our community. The average rent is often difficult for people to afford. We need to do something about that.
Social services, including health care, have taken a hit in this pandemic. There were cuts made that shouldn’t have been. We need to expand social services, including mental health services in order to help our most vulnerable people, particularly children and our seniors.
What are your ideas for addressing these challenges?
In addressing jobs, I believe we should stop offering tax breaks to major corporations and start giving them to local businesses who will keep the jobs here which, in turn, will bolster our local economy.
In addressing housing, I believe we need to encourage developers to build housing that’s accessible to more people as well as encourage landlords to not charge more just because they think they can.
In addressing social services, I believe we need to use monies from government programs to hire and train more social workers and mental health workers rather than build baseball diamonds and soccer fields.
District 14
District 14 includes the eastern portion of the town of Clay and the village of North Syracuse.
Shanelle Benson-Reid
Democratic, Working Families
Dr. Shanelle Benson Reid is a teacher. Visit friendsofdrshanelle.com to learn more.
How will your experience serve you in government?
I’ve spent most of my adult life as a teacher advocating for students and families. This work has prepared me to advocate for neighbors and community members.
What do you think are the biggest challenges in your community?
The biggest challenges in my community are equal access to children and family services, transportation, and industrial development.
What are your ideas for addressing these challenges?
My ideas are as follows: make certain there is equal access to children and family services in suburban communities by opening offices within the district, assess traffic patterns and problems and make the necessary adjustments before building restaurants and shopping centers and lastly, support small, local business with economic support that improves success and sustainability.
Cody Kelly (incumbent, appointed February 2021)
Republican, Conservative, Independence
Dr. Cody Kelly is a pediatric physical therapist. Visit facebook.com/LegislatorCodyKelly to learn more.
How will your experience serve you in government?
I have worked as a pediatric physical therapist since 2017 under Onondaga County’s Early Intervention program. There will be no greater advocate in the legislature for children with special needs than myself.
In receiving my doctorate of physical therapy, I learned how to think critically, analyze and synthesize large amounts of information. These skills have proven invaluable as a county legislator when it comes time to weigh the merits of different programs or spending, and prioritize the many responsibilities of county government. I will continue to rely on data to make the best decisions for my constituents.
What do you think are the biggest challenges in your community?
Clay is one of the fastest-growing towns in Onondaga County, experiencing sustained development and population growth in recent years. My constituents recognize the need for economic development which will lower their taxes and ensure the town of Clay remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
We must balance that growth with the need to maintain the character of the community that we all love. The 14th District is home to many parks, wetlands, growing business districts, and vibrant residential communities. With these diverse interests, it has never been more important to have elected leaders who are approachable and transparent. We are all stakeholders, and nobody should feel left out of the political process.
What are your ideas for addressing these challenges?
In my time as county legislator, I have organized and participated in community meetings with representatives from local, state, and federal government. I have participated in group zoom calls with constituents to discuss issues. I regularly attend town and village board meetings to hear people’s perspectives and advocate on their behalf. My phone is always on, and I check my email every day. I make a point of attending a variety of community events to celebrate the organizations and people who call Clay home, like I have for my whole life.
It is important that people’s voices are heard when elected officials are making decisions regarding the future of the community. I have done that, and I am excited for what the future holds in store for the town of Clay.
