Controlling the rate of tax increases starts with knowing where every dollar goes
Town of Poughkeepsie residents deserve a government that lives within its means — one that funds the services you rely on without reaching deeper into your pocket every year. That requires discipline, transparency, and a willingness to make hard choices. It also means building a budget on a solid, sustainable foundation — not papering over problems with one-time windfalls that won't be there next year.
I've done this before. As Commissioner of Dutchess county OCIS, I built budgets from scratch, identified cost savings, and led my department by — managing budgets with accountability to both leadership and the public. I know what responsible stewardship looks like from the inside, and I know what happens when it's absent. That experience is what I'm bringing to the Town.
A full municipal spending audit
Before we can cut waste, we have to find it. I'll conduct a comprehensive review of every town expenditure — line by line — to identify where taxpayer dollars are being spent effectively and where they aren't.
Finding real efficiencies
That means renegotiating vendor contracts, eliminating duplicated services, and modernizing operations where technology can add efficencies. Savings found will go back to residents.
Protecting essential services
Fiscal responsibility isn't about gutting what works. Public safety, infrastructure maintenance, and core community services will be protected. The goal is smarter spending, not just less of it.
Zero-based budgeting
Every department should justify its budget from scratch each year — not simply inherit last year's numbers with an automatic increase. This approach forces accountability and surfaces waste that rolling budgets hide.
No reliance on one-time funding
Federal grants, settlement funds, and surplus windfalls are welcome — but they are not a budget strategy. I will never plug a structural gap with a one-time source, only to leave residents holding the bill when that money is gone.
Full budget transparency
Residents should be able to see exactly how their tax dollars are spent — not in buried reports, but in clear, accessible formats published proactively. Transparency isn't optional; it's how trust is earned.
The Bottom LINE
Real tax relief isn't a promise you make at election time — it's the result of disciplined, transparent governance every single day. I've managed public budgets through tough times and know how to make every dollar count. I'm committed to bringing that same discipline to the Town of Poughkeepsie.