Incumbent vs. mayoral hopeful’s husband in Ward 3
KINGSTON, N.Y. >> Alderman Reynolds Scott-Childress is being challenged for the Common Council’s Third Ward seat by Joseph DiFalco, a frequent critic of the city’s current administration.
Scott-Childress, 58, is a Democrat running on the Democratic, Working Families and Green Party lines. DiFalco, 71, is a member of the Independence Party who is running on that party’s line and the Republican line.
The winner will serve a two-year term starting Jan. 1, 2020.
Scott-Childress was appointed to the council in April 2016 and then defeated DiFalco’s wife, Ellen, in the November 2017 election for the Third Ward seat. (Ellen DiFalco, though a registered Democrat, is this year’s Republican and Independence Party candidate for Kingston mayor.)
Scott-Childress is majority leader of the Common Council and sits on the boards of directors for the TMI Project and the Kingston Housing Authority.
A professor of U.S. History at SUNY New Paltz, Scott-Childress has lived in Kingston for 14 years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Columbia University in 1983 and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Maryland in 2003.
Scott-Childress and his wife, Katherine, have two children.
Scott-Childress said that during his time on the council, he has met with hundreds of Ward 3 residents individually and in small groups. He said he has worked with city departments to address residents’ concerns, such as by having overgrown foliage removed from a street corner because it was blocking the view, and working with city police after illegal activities were reported in a residence on Janet Street.
“I see my job as being an effective liaison between
Ward 3 residents and city services,” Scott-Childress said. “I am experienced in this work, and I pledge to continue my efforts for the safety, well-being and understanding of all.”
On the citywide level, Scott-Childress said, property tax rates have been lowered for three years in a row and he looks forward to reducing them for a fourth year in the upcoming 2020 budget. He also said the city is in excellent fiscal shape, with a 6.7 stress-test rating (out of 100).
Scott-Childress said he will, if re-elected, continue to support responsible borrowing and ensure the city is able to take on large infrastructure improvement projects, such as upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant and the Twaalfskill Creek drainage improvements.
“I will work to ensure that the city continues to maintain sound services for residents,” Scott-Childress said.
Scott-Childress also said the development of decent housing for all Kingston residents is crucial. He said he organized seven housing hearings held by the Common Council earlier this
year to come up with solutions and is developing legislation to regulate shortterm rentals in the city.
Scott-Childress said he also is pushing for further exploration of ways the city can ease the tax burden on homeowners and for new, responsible economic development that will increase tax revenues.
DiFalco has lived in Ulster County for 66 years and is retired from the construction industry. He is a high school graduate.
“The current Ward 3 alderman does not represent the ward fairly and does not respond to important issues at all,” DiFalco said. “I have learned that many
of his constituents don’t even know who he is. Ward 3 has its share of traffic and quality-of-life issues, which I will address.”
Ellen DiFalco served as confidential secretary to former Kingston Mayor Shayne Gallo, who lost a 2015 Democratic primary to current Mayor Steve Noble. Joseph and Ellen DiFalco have been outspoken critics of Noble and his administration since the beginning of the mayor’s term in 2016.
Voters can cast their ballots at one of the Ulster County’s eight early voting sites between Oct. 26 and Nov. 3, or at their polling place on Nov. 5.