ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Rachel Barnhart announced Monday she will run for Rochester mayor, making it official.
The veteran TV journalist and recent state Assembly candidate was joined by a group of supporters at a downtown hotel, and, after outlining a plan to grow the economy, reduce poverty and improve the quality of life for city residents, addressed how the Democratic field is shaping up.
"I'm not running because of (Mayor) Lovely Warren and I'm not running because of Jim Sheppard. I'm running because we need change and I have a plan, a specific vision, to bring that needed change to Rochester," Barnhart said.
While Warren, the incumbent, has yet to announce her plans for re-election, a statement from the Friends of Lovely Warren Committee reads:
"Last year, Miss Barnhart ran for the State Assembly. This year she has announced her candidacy for Mayor. We are curious to learn what office she will run for next year."
Sheppard, a county legislator and former police chief, announced in January his intention to run.
Barnhart says if elected, she'll reduce property taxes by 50 percent. She also vows to put fiber internet in every city home and increase childcare funding for another 1,000 families. As for how to pay for it all, Barnhart said there are options.
"We can consolidate our water system, which quite frankly would lead to tens of millions of dollars. We can make state aid, we can ask the state for more money and we can also make budget efficiencies."
Barnhart said the property tax cut would take three years to accomplish.
Barnhart also says she learned much from her defeat in the Democratic Primary for the 138th Assembly Seat. She says that experience, together with having read every city budget and City Council proposal over the last 18 years, makes her qualified to run City Hall.
"I know what works and what does not work. I have extensive knowledge about the city and we need to do something different. We've been managing the problems and start to solve them. A mayor provides vision and that's what I'm going to do."