Remarks by Dan Platt of the Upper Hudson Green Party announcing his decision to run for Mayor of Albany, New York.

We are at a truly historical moment in this country and in this city. It is time to move away from holding people's feet to the fire and get right to throwing the rotting system itself into the fire.

The current power based politics fail the marginal and manage to frustrate left right and center. It is no longer a time to protest those in power, but to take power as ours for our welfare, and truly empower The People of this city.

I feel I am qualified to lead this city on this mission, this people's movement.

That is why I seek the office of Mayor of Albany.

I run for office because when it comes to systematic change and achieving social and economic justice, the executive office must be included to make the difference.

I know cities and I know politics and I know this city, and I see its people and how they live. There is no time to lose.

I run as a Green because I am a Green, independent of big money, unapologeticly left,and deeply democracic and creative. Green is the Party that stands with partners to break the two party system that has worked to give us no choice at all. It is the party that accepts that powers and authority of government must be on the side of the struggles of working people.

I am running to bring change to Albany starting with its very structures. How the city deals with our Economy and Environment.

To change our economy means to employ participatory budgeting, a public bank , and low cost conflict resolution, shifting resources away from punishment to restorative practice

It means expanding publicly owned utilities like broadband internet and local energy production; public housing controlled by those that live there.

To pursue any and all policies to build, grow and maintain a worker controlled economy and a sharable city; jobs that stay here, and meet peoples needs.

I am running for our environment as well but there is also our built environment, our parks, streets, homes and workplaces.

Improving them depends on there being more space for Buses, Bikes and Benches.

And positive public places with benches and bathrooms, making the city both visitor and resident friendly.

We also need An actual Food policy; we need an office to coordinate urban farming and lead with programs to turn waste into plenty. 

To pay for all this new stuff cannot only be a matter of changing budget priorities, it IS a matter of tax reform. Changing what and how we tax. Thinking ecologically as a Green does, is to know that everything is connected. Taxes are burdens when they are regressive. Taxing commuters and land would turn our situation around.            

I will treat every citizen of Albany as valuable. I will assume everyone has something to offer. I will not feed the politics of division.

This campaign will find and forge the leaders for the years ahead, not the followers of yesterday.

Should I win I will welcome all other leaders to have a place in city government.

For the people, by the people means to me; No superiors, no subordinates.

There are of course other issues on my agenda, including social justice,  and providing for the underclass programs that are humane and effective.

Finally, this campaign seeks to change the conversation about the mayor. The mayor should no longer be the micro-manger of interests or the referee of fair play. The time for a powerful individual at the top having the responsibility are over. The time for a governance from below is now. This is the time to be practical and demand what we may think is impossible. Because another city is possible, and we are going to build it together.