After conducting numerous interviews with candidates for elected office acrossTroy and Rensselaer County, the Troy Area Labor Council (TALC), AFL-CIO issued its final candidates endorsements for the 2021 general election.

Adam Pelletier, TALC president and American Federation of Government Employees Local 3343 (Social Security Administration) member, said, “I am proud to support these candidates for elected office across Troy and Rensselaer County. This year, we revamped our endorsement process in an effort to make it more rigorous and to ensure we support those candidates who truly stand with labor and working people. On primary night, four out of our five endorsed candidates won their Democratic Primaries. We look forward to expanding on these victories in the upcoming general election this November.”

The Troy Area Labor Council, AFL-CIO 2021 endorsements are as follows:

• Gwen Wright for Rensselaer County Executive
• Justan Foster for Rensselaer County Clerk
• D. Colin Charlestin for Troy City Council District 1
• Kiani Conley-Wilson for Troy City Council District 5
• Marketa Edwards Troy City Council District 6
• Cindy Doran for Rensselaer County LegislatureDistrict 1 (Troy)
• Peter Grimm for Rensselaer County Legislature District 1 (Troy)
• Nina Nichols for Rensselaer County Legislature District 1 (Troy)
• Alexander Flood for Rensselaer County Legislature District 5 (Nassau, Sand Lake, Schodack)
• Jennifer Mann for Brunswick Town Council
• Paul Buehler for Brunswick Town Council
• Michael Myer for North Greenbush Town Council

In the race for Troy City Council District 3, TALC conditioned its endorsement of Sue Steele. TALC supports a community effort, led by the community group, Friends of Mahicantuck, to stop any potential development at 1011 Second Ave, the last undeveloped piece of land on the Hudson River in the Lansingburgh section of Troy. The opposition from residents and neighbors of the potential development is virtually universal yet Sue Steele’s voting record indicates she may vote to move ahead without an environmental impact review. TALC urges her to vote yes for a positive declaration, which would require an environmental impact study be conducted.

“Elected officials should listen to their constituents at all times, but particularly when their dissent to a particular issue before a governing body is near-universal. Residents in Lansingburgh and across Troy, along with prominent environmental organizations, have been clearly opposed to any development at 1011 Second Ave. It is vital that Councilmember Sue Steele hears them and votes for a positive declaration when this issue is next before the council. If she does not, TALC will withdraw its endorsement and support for candidacy,” concluded Pelletier.