On The Campaign Trail with Andrew Batista

Why I'm Running

With only a few weeks left in this campaign, I want to be clear about why I'm on this ballot.

I decided to run for Town Council because too many people confuse complaining online with real action. I'm running because our town deserves a Council that actually serves its residents - all of them, not just one group or association.

I've spent these past months talking with neighbors, attending community events, and sitting through Town Board meetings. What I've seen is a lot of good people who are tired of the dysfunction. They're fed up with meetings that feel more like high school drama than public service. They've watched residents get treated with disrespect for simply exercising their right to speak.

The real issue isn't any one decision or policy - it's the lack of accountability. When the same small group controls multiple boards, when basic questions about constitutional rights and rule of law get dodged instead of answered, when conflicts of interest go unchecked - that's not governance. That's a problem.

Poestenkill deserves elected officials who understand they're public servants, not power brokers. Officials who follow the Constitution, operate transparently, and answer to their constituents.

I'm running because I believe in this town, and I believe in democracy - the real kind. If you do too, I hope you'll vote on election day.