JAMESTOWN – Current Jamestown City Councilman At-Large and mayoral candidate Andrew Liuzzo (R) said he would push for more government cooperation and community interaction if elected.
Liuzzo, appearing in an interview with WNYNewsNow Thursday afternoon, said that the original city charter was set up so that the mayor and City Council would run the city, not just the Mayor’s office. Liuzzo, however, said that the Mayor’s office is currently in complete control.
“I don’t believe that is how we run the City of Jamestown,” explained Liuzzo. “I believe that we have our directives and our direction from the Mayor, department heads and we (city council members) really do not have that much input and I want to change that.”
“I think City Council needs to be an integral part of the decisions we make in the City of Jamestown, not just showing up to a couple of work sessions and reading over some resolutions that have been handed to us, and then voting on those resolutions at the voting sessions.”
The candidate said, in his time on the council, he has learned that there are a lot of members that could be doing things who are currently not.
“City Council has been accustomed to not having arguments or different points of view discussed unless they are of like mind,” said Liuzzo. “A lot of resolutions don’t even make it to the table.”
“I think having people with different points of view and a different idea on how to run something is a positive.”
If elected, Liuzzo said he would push for council members to engage in further discussions and bring new ideas to the governing body.
Just over a month ago, the candidate announced he was seeking the office of Mayor.
Liuzzo, however, did not receive his party’s endorsement for the seat. On Feb. 19th, longtime Chautauqua County Legislator Dave Wilfong (District 11) received the GOP endorsement.
The two are now running in a Republican primary that will take place on Jun. 25.
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