Answers to Register-Star Candidate Profile Questionnaire

Candidate Profile Questionnaire

Name: William Hughes Jr.

Age: 43

Place of residence: 307 State Street, Hudson NY 12534

How long you’ve lived in the county: 43 years

Office being sought: Supervisor 4th Ward Hudson

Incumbent? Yes

Party affiliation: Democrat

Endorsements received: Hudson City Democratic Committee, Working Families Party, Independence Party, Conservative Party.

Previous elected offices:

Supervisor 4th Ward 2007 - 2009, Alderman 4th Ward 2003 - 2007

Education: Hudson High School Graduate

Occupation: Retired/ Columbia Co. employee

Years in that occupation: 10

Ever been convicted of a crime? No

Family: Wife: Adebola (Deb) Hughes, Senior Strategy Consultant, IBM

Memberships/Affiliations

Current member:

• Shiloh Baptist Church.
• Columbia Co. Empire Zone Committee.
• 103AD Judicial Delegate.
• City of Hudson/Columbia Co./NYS Democratic Committeeman.
• Monthly payroll contributor to the United Way.

Past member:

• Chairman, Columbia Co. Youth Advisory Board.
• Hudson Youth Advisory Board.
• Columbia Co. Minority Task Force.
• Hudson Development Corp.
• Hudson Community Development and Planning Agency.
• Hudson Industrial Development Agency.
• Board of Directors of the Boy’s and Girl’s Club.
• Award: 2005 NAACP’s community service person of the year award

What do you think are the top three issues facing Hudson?

Taxes: Continue to work with City and County officials to lower City and County taxes by keeping spending down. Increase Hudson’s taxable property/housing stock, by helping private developers build new housing. Work with Mayor Scalera and other elected officials to make Hudson more attractive for capital investment. Work with and encourage municipal cooperation from other towns and villages that would save taxpayers money.

Housing: Hudson has a great deal of boarded up homes not on the tax rolls. I will continue to work with Mayor Scalera, public and private developers to get these properties fixed up and back on the tax rolls. Continue to work toward redeveloping our low-income and affordable housing stock, by working with City, State and Federal officials to build new better quality homes.

Jobs: This is the biggest issue residents of Hudson are facing. If re-elected I will work hard over the next couple of years to redevelop the lower half of Hudson. Hudson is in need of capital investments that would revitalize its economy. Developing the Waterfront is a big part of that, but not the only part. The development of Club Helsinki, Opera House and Cannonball Factory in the 4th Ward is crucial to the revitalization of Hudson’s economy. Understanding this, I have been and will continue to work with Mayor Scalera and other elected officials to address the needs of these facilities. One of which is parking. I have been working hard to address this problem, by writing a congressional appropriation for the construction of a new parking garage, which will be crucial once these businesses are operating at full capacity. Developing a working Waterfront and a vibrant city will work toward all of the issues of importance I have outlined. It will increase the need for affordable housing, help lower taxes, create jobs and encourage future capital investments.

If you are the incumbent, what are you most proud of accomplishing?

The thing I am most proud of is, I redrafted the County’s Ethics Policy and had it pass the Board of Supervisors with a unanimous vote.

Fought alongside my fellow City, County and State elected officials to keep the Hudson Correctional Facility open.

I led the fight on the County level, for the City of Hudson to get additional sales tax revenue. As a result, the City of Hudson was able to get $75,000 additional dollars, above the additional $40,000 per quarter negotiated by Mayor Scalera several years ago. In 2008 Hudson received a total of $1.4 million in sales tax revenue, which was used to keep Hudson’s 2009 taxes from going up.

I am proud to have led the fight on the County Board of Supervisors and to be one of the loudest opponents against the movement of DSS out of the City of Hudson. I believe, this move would be a financial and social blow to the City of Hudson.

Was able to encourage several changes in the County’s youth employment program. Although each Supervisor gets one spot, I was able to work with my fellow County Supervisors to get seven youth from the City of Hudson hired into the program.

I’m proud of the fact, that because of the hard work I did during my first term as a County Supervisor, my fellow Democrats voted to appoint me Deputy Minority Leader of the Columbia Co. Board of Supervisors.

Accomplishments and Goals

Given my previous government experience, I was able to be effective during my first term as County Supervisor. I immediately hit the ground running, fighting for my constituents of the 4th Ward in the City of Hudson, as well as those who live throughout Columbia County.

Accomplishments:

• Fought along side Mayor Scalera, Fellow County Supervisors and others to keep the Hudson Correctional Facility open.
• Rewrote Columbia County's Ethics Policy, adding the Employee Bill of Rights
• Wrote recommendations for a County Labor Management Committee, a committee that has since been instituted.
• Fought for Hudson to get a larger share of County sales tax distribution. Was able to get an additional $75,000, which brought Hudson's portion of sales tax monies to $1.4 million. These additional funds were used to keep Hudson's taxes level for the tax year of 2009.
• Fought to keep the County from putting a homeless shelter in the middle of the City of Hudson's business district. Now sitting on the homeless shelter oversight committee, to make sure the program is properly installed in the properties offer to Columbia County, by the City of Hudson.
• Wrote several Congressional appropriation proposals. One of which is a proposal for a parking garage on 4th and Columbia St. Adding a parking garage to this area would help promote several new businesses in Hudson, namely Club Helsinki and the newly renovated Opera House.
• Took advantage of the County's new Youth Summer Employment Program. Personally helped 7 youth from through out the City of Hudson get hired.
• Took the lead on the Columbia County Board of Supervisors, fighting against the moving of DSS (Dept. of Social Services) out of the City of Hudson. This is a fight with the help of many others, we were able to win. I'm happy to say, "DSS is staying in the City of Hudson".
• After my first year on the Board of Supervisors, I was named Deputy Minority Leader by my fellow Democratic Supervisors. I earned the respect of my fellow Supervisors by having a good understanding of the issues before us. Also by working hard to facilitate a manageable resolution to the problem.

I am proud that during my first term as County Supervisor, I have been part of changing the business as usual attitude in our County government.. I take my job as County Supervisor very serious, making sure I ask the tough questions when they need to be asked. Taking the time to fight for constituents on a personal basis. My model is "No problem is to small to investigate, no person is to insignificant to help".
 

Goals:
County Level

• Work with my fellow County Supervisors, State and Federal Legislators to help streamline the DSS (Dept of Social Services) process, saving the County money and making the process easier for clients.
• Working to make Columbia County more inviting to businesses that would provide crucially needed jobs.
• Help Supervisor Doug McGivney, Chairman of the Legal Committee get a County alternative to incarceration program started.
• Continue to look for ways to streamline County government, saving County taxpayer's money.
• Make sure that clients who use County services get treated with kind, courteous services. 

City Level

• Work with Mayor Scalera to continue developing the waterfront. 
• Help create more affordable housing in the City of Hudson. 
• Work with Mayor Scalera, City Treasurer and City Alderman to lower taxes. 
• Help develop a plan to refurbish and get old homes back on the tax rolls. 
• Work on a 3 - 5 year plan to redevelop the lower half of the City of Hudson.

I'm currently working on the Bliss Tower project with Mayor Scalera, Congressman Murphy's office and other elected officials that would redevelop portions of the lower half of Hudson. This project would be the largest project to happen in the City of Hudson, since urban renewal in the early 70'. If this project was to come to fruition, the City of Hudson would become much more marketable, possibly creating jobs and lower taxes as well. Stay tuned in the coming months for more information on this project.

Let Experience Work for You

Re - Elect

4th Ward Supervisor

William Hughes Jr.

Qualifications

Current Member:
Columbia County Board of Supervisors - Supervisor/Deputy Minority Leader
Member of the Empire Zoning Board
New York State Democratic Committeeman
Columbia County/City of Hudson Democratic Committeeman
103AD Judicial Delegate
Past President of the Columbia County Youth Advisory Board
Past member of the Columbia County Minority Task Force

Past Member:
City of Hudson's Common Council (4th Ward Alderman)
Youth Advisory Board
Industrial Development Corporation
Hudson Development Corporation
Hudson Community Development and Planning Agency

Past Award:
Recipient of the 2005 NAACP's community service person of the year award.

Over 14 years of volunteer community service in the City of Hudson.

Re - elect

4th Ward Supervisor

William Hughes Jr.

"Let Experience Work for You"

My wife, Deb Hughes and I

Deb and I have been married for 6 years. We have no children as of yet, but we are planning on it.

I, William Hughes Jr. was an employee of Columbia County for 10 years, I retired in 2008. I also served on the City Council for 4 years as Alderman of the 4th Ward. I am now at the end of my first term as 4th Ward Supervisor. I have volunteered in my community for over 14 years, serving the youth and senior population.

My wife, Deb Hughes is, a graduate of Albany State University, with a Master degree in Information Science. Deb also has and MBA from the Lally School of Business, at RPI. Deb currently has the position of Senior Strategy Consultant with IBM.

Deb and I, are both a member of the Shiloh Baptist Church at 14 Warren St., Hudson, NY, where the Reverend Ronald Grant is the Pastor.

Together, my wife and I are a formidable team working toward making Hudson a better place to live for all.

Re - elect

4th Ward Supervisor

William Hughes Jr.

Hughes kicks off campaign

Hudson’s own, 4th Ward Supervisor, William Hughes Jr. and his wife, Deb Hughes, stands with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, just before the start of President Obama’s inaugural ceremony.

As 4th Ward Supervisor, I worked hard to help Senator Gillibrand get re-elected. Senator Gillibrand is someone who has shown a great deal of passion and caring while fighting for the citizens of Columbia County on the Federal level.

It is that same kind of passion and caring that I display, while fighting for Hudson on the County level. I have lived in Hudson, specifically the 4th Ward for 35 years. The 4th Ward and the City of Hudson as a whole is near and dear to my heart.

During my childhood, I have watched Hudson flourish with jobs, while families lived in a close knit community setting. Now I watch as our community struggles with unemployment and the lack of quality, affordable housing. This is not the Hudson I remember and this is not the condition I intend to leave it.

As County Supervisor, representing the 4th Ward, I have fought and will continue to fight to keep taxes low, increase our affordable housing stock and once again help Hudson get back to being the economic engine it once was.

Hudson has a lot of issues it needs to tackle; infrastructure, employment, housing, taxes, and the redevelopment of the lower half of the City. I will continue to work closely with Mayor Rick Scalera, Congressman Scott Murphy and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to address current and future problems plaguing our beautiful City.

“It only takes one to change a community”

Re – elect
4th Ward Supervisor
William Hughes Jr

“Let Experience Work For You”