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ITHACA, N.Y. — Sean Gannon (http://ithacavoice.com/2015/10/council-

candidate-we-need-to-slow-down-development-in-ithaca/) is running as an

independent candidate for the Ithaca Common Council's Second Ward seat

against Ducson Nguyen, who won the Democratic primary.

Below are the 9 questions we asked Gannon in an interview on Sunday; click on the

one you're interested in to see his answer, or read the entire story in order.

To read our interview with Nguyen, see here (http://ithacavoice.com/2015/07/7-

questions-with-new-candidate-for-ithacas-common-council/).

(Did we miss your question? If so, email us at jstein@ithacavoice.com)

1 – What's your top priority for Council?

2 – What in your background qualifies you for the post? Why are you

running?

3 – What do you think of how the city has handled the Commons

construction project?

4 – Do you want to address the issue of parking?

5 – What do you think about the Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services

(http://ithacavoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Screen-Shot-

2015-10-20-at-8.39.52-AM.png)Sean Gannon, independent Council candidate. (Submitted photo)

project at 210 Hancock Street and the 11-story building proposal for the

Trebloc site on State Street?

6 – What do you think of tax abatements for developers?

7 – What are your thoughts on environmental sustainability in Ithaca?

8 – What do you think of 1) dogs on the Commons and 2) chickens in the

home?

9 –What's your ideal Friday night in Ithaca, and why?

1 – What's your top priority for Council?“My top

priority is

to re-

establish

the

transparency that will build deeper trust and to work with my neighbors

solving our common goals of affordable housing, an equitable local economy,

and increased participation of Cornell and Ithaca College in the costs of

running this beautiful city that is home to us all. The people in the 2nd Ward

want a meaningful voice on Common Council and that is what I am

campaigning to be. I hear in my community a weariness of party dominance

that exhibits hints of victory at the cost of transparency and accountability. I

believe we will be best served in today’s local political climate by an

independent voice and this is why I am running as an Independent

Candidate.”

2 – What in your background qualiPes you forthe post? Why are you running? Why do youthink you are a good candidate?“My professional and life experiences before and after moving to Ithaca will

enable me to serve us well here in the 2nd Ward.

After studying economics at the University of Pennsylvania I worked in real

estate development specializing in the rehabilitation of historical industrial

buildings."

"I gradually shifted my career focus to the arts and found work on a

documentary film project titled Ecological Design; Inventing the Future, on

which I learned about ecology-based technologies. This experience deeply

changed my understanding of the built environment and how we can work

successfully towards sustainability. I have been coming to Ithaca since 1989

for educational purposes and in 2003 began renovations on our duplex home

here. Since then I have been a landlord and in 2008 I became a food and

hospitality business owner. My roots in the community are growing broader

and deeper as I continue on my current venture: the conversion of an empty

property slated to be a parking lot into a community garden and outdoor

performance and art exhibition space."

In sum, I cherish my experiences because they foster in me a strong and

personal empathy with the broad concerns of our community.”

3 – What do you think of how the city hashandled the Commons construction project?“Ask anyone about the Commons Project and you hear an immediate sigh of

relief that it is completed. The entire community is relieved to be back

supporting local businesses on and around the Commons. The reconstruction

would have been very complex even with the process running smoothly.

Unexpected problems exacerbated inherent challenges."

"I applaud the mayor, the city administration, and especially the merchants

who survived the tumult for their tenacity in the face of adversarial

infrastructure surprises. One complaint that I've heard repeatedly from the

merchants on the Commons, a population in the 2nd Ward who pay taxes yet

do not have a vote, that speaks volumes to me is that they wish the

administration had responded more actively to their concerns. If we want

business on the Commons to flourish, we need to listen to those businesses.”

CONTENT CONTINUED BELOW

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4 – Do you want to address the issue ofparking?“Can we please return the coin meters and move the new systems to more

appropriate locations around the city? For many segments of our community

their operation requirements are unwieldy or prohibitive. I am hearing all

over the ward that the new parking system has people frustrated enough to

refuse going to the Commons. Merchants echo this concern. In our attempt

at streamlining we are inadvertently alienating people dear to our

community and turning a deaf ear to their needs.”

5 – You said in a speech at City Hall Wednesdaynight that development in the city wasproceeding too rapidly and must bereconsidered. What do you think about theIthaca Neighborhood Housing Services projectat 210 Hancock Street and the 11-story buildingproposal for the Trebloc site on State Street?“We need affordable housing now and we need a variety of housing types for

different economic situations. I love that the 210 Hancock Street project is

addressing this urgency. However, the community's acceptance of the project

moving forward does not mute ongoing concerns. Some adjacent property

owners question why the town-homes are planned for creek side while the

more controversially scaled buildings face their homes. Can this be reversed

to achieve appropriate context? Can the height of the buildings be softened

with upper story setbacks? And, given our desire for food security in Ithaca

I’d support INHS enthusiastically if they encouraged garden permaculture.

"I wholeheartedly support density development in downtown Ithaca, and

specifically the development of the Trebloc Site with a multistory building.

The current proposal is being met with substantial resistance by most of the

2nd Ward constituents with whom I've spoken. It is the base of our Commons

and restaurant district, the entrance into our city for residents and visitors

alike, the intersection of students from Ithaca College and Cornell, and it

deserves a building that reflects these converging populations. As a

community we have presented deep concerns about the monolithic size and

single demographic market and the developer has answered with cosmetic

alterations. I hope that they continue the conversation with a more holistic

approach. The tax abatement scenario has been more troublesome to my

neighbors."

(http://ithacavoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Screen-Shot-2015-

10-15-at-8.43.01-AM.png)

"We need to be more informed of the reasoning behind these decisions

beyond the simplicity of what has been presented. Residential real estate

development is profitable in Ithaca as evident by the high demand and giving

away our tax dollars may just be gravy.”

6 – It’s cool that you mentioned taxabatements, because that was going to be mynext question. What do you think of taxabatements for developers?“For that particular place I think the tax abatement can be an effective tool to

influence the development. Tax abatements are literally our tax money dollar

for dollar; so, the abatement needs to be used to achieve community goals

beyond density. We are stalwart in our desire to have local people employed.

We have a keen interest in green technologies. We want to crown our sixteen

million dollar Commons with a suitably dynamic building. If we award an

abatement it should be to accomplish these things.”

7 – What are your thoughts on environmentalsustainability in Ithaca?

“I mentioned in my background that I worked for a film called Ecological

Design. I also worked on other media projects exploring sustainable urban

planning and keep informed on emerging ecological technologies. Many of

these can be used to create light industry. I think we can use tax abatements

for attracting and fostering eco-tech light industry. We are already nationally

recognized as a great place to live. Let's strive to become a great place to

work with some of the most advanced ecological technologies. People will

want to live here doing that kind of work.”

8 – What do you think of 1) dogs on theCommons and 2) chickens in the home?“I think walking a dog through the Commons is fine and merchants support

this. The question of stopping and shopping while walking a dog through the

Commons is a good discussion.

"As for chickens, food security is essential. I would be thrilled to trade some

of my kale for someone’s eggs. We just need clear guidelines regarding issues

such as minimal yard size and proper housing for the hens.”

9 – What's your ideal Friday night in Ithaca, andwhy?“This is a funny one for me because due to the nature of the hospitality

business my Friday nights are usually spent ensuring that other people's

Friday nights are enjoyable. My Friday is often Monday or Tuesday. Which is

cool in that there is no wait for the restaurants I like to eat at and my friends

and I often get 'private' screenings at Cinemapolis.

Currently I am preparing for two art exhibitions and in December you will see

a show of my work at Gimme Coffee on Cayuga and then at The Shop in

February.”

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