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November 1999 City Elections In the Troy mayoral race, incumbent Mark Pattison and Republican challenger Carmella Mantello talk issues. As reported in recent Troy Record and Metroland articles, Democratic incumbent Mark Pattison is running this year on a platform that stresses the progress the city has made after four years under his direction; he points out that recent initiatives have brought a more vibrant arts community to Troy and that a recent Record story based on FBI statistics says that violent crime in the city is down by 8 percent. Republican challenger Carmella Mantello, contends that crime in the city is on the rise, that taxes are too high and that property values are dropping. The former city councilwoman emphasizes the negative in her campaign but says that with the right kind of leadership, Troy could still turn things around. For example, while crime is a problem in certain city neighborhoods a more proactive police presence would effectively clean up the streets. She said, more active-duty officers on the streets are needed.But Pattison said it's not that he doesn't see crime as a problem rather, he said, he thinks it would be inappropriate to characterize Troy as much worse than any other city. Should he win the bid for mayor this November, Pattison said he plans to reorganize Troy's police force into a precinct system to increase manpower and police presence in the city's neighborhoods. According to Pattison, this could be a defining year for Troy. Although he's taken his share of criticism for raising taxes across the board while raising salaries for special appointees and department heads, he said his financial planning, unpopular as it may be, has paid off. He boasts that ailing neighborhoods have begun to show some signs of revitalization. In order to continue on the road to revitalization, Pattison said, the city will need to stick to his "fiscally conservative" plan which means no tax relief for Trojans in the near future. But tax relief a hot topic to some Troy residents who believe they have been carrying a hefty tax burden under Pattison is a key point in Mantello's platform. She has promised voters a property tax cut, which she said will help boost home values, and attacked Pattison for misusing "millions of dollars pumped into our city by Sen. [Joseph] Bruno [R-C-Brunswick]." However, Pattison called Mantello's plan "shortsighted." He said, "Our revenues have not increased, by and large. The state cut state aid to municipalities in half. It's gone up only 4 percent since then. . . . We've been very fortunate to get distressed cities aid . . . but we still have overwhelming capital needs. . . . Unless the state or federal governments dramatically change the revenues, then I see [tax cuts] as being a very difficult proposition to uphold." At a recent debate held at the Bethel Baptist Church, the candidates discussed issues facing the minority community and the city as a whole. Most of the 50 people in attendence wanted to know what the candidates would do about their North Central neighborhood. The neighborhood is particularly hard hit by local crime and lack of businesses coming into the area. Pattison indicated that recent street paving and the opening of North Central Firehouse were a start towards revitalization. Carmella Mantello reinterated her pledge to establish neighborhood advisory panels to facilitate greater communication with City Hall. In cooperation with Troy United Ink Corp., a not-for-profit corporation 
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