Republican Scaringe will challenge Mahan
Colonie supervisor candidate wants to see “smart growth”
George Scaringe, a veteran of Republican politics for more than four decades, will challenge incumbent Supervisor Paula Mahan, a Democrat, in this year’s election.
Scaringe led the town Republican Committee from 2016 to December and chaired the Albany County Republican Committee from 1976 to 1993 and 1996 to 1998.
He said if elected to lead the booming suburb, a priority would be to bridge gaps between developers and residents to ensure “smart growth,” tackling traffic congestion and keeping taxes low.
“I decided based on what I saw that I think it’s time we try to bring Colonie back to a day when it was more of a suburban area and neighborhoods were intact. I think it’s getting out of hand,” he said.
The most frequent complaints at public meetings from residents — the most vocal among them advocacy group SAVE Colonie — center on over-development and traffic congestion. Scaringe, a real estate broker who has lived in Colonie for 36 years, said he is friends with some developers and understands what it costs them to build in the town — but wants to listen to residents’ concerns as well.
“We need growth in the town of Colonie, but we need to make sure it’s smart growth. If I’m successful to getting elected, I will make sure I’m talking to both sides. I want developers to still do business in the town of Colonie and I want advocacy groups to have a part in what goes on. It’s a little give and take,” he said.
Scaringe said he’d address complaints about traffic by communicating with state and county agencies and the Capital District Planning Commission, considering ideas like a train or bus service to transport commuters.
He also hopes to keep taxes low after this year’s budget that raised taxes above the state’s cap.
“We will be looking at the budget with a sharp pencil,” he said.
Scaringe said if he wins he would only serve one term and would push to introduce term-limit legislation.
“If people stay in office too long, you sort of get a little stale. I think that’s what’s happening in Town Hall. People think it’s like a family. It’s got to stop,” he said.
Incumbent Mahan seeks her seventh twoyear term. She has touted infrastructure improvement and development in the area’s most populous town, balancing the budget and improving its bond rating, and increasing public safety. Her critics say her administration has appeased developers and lacks transparency about the development process.
She did not respond to a request to discuss her re-election campaign Thursday.