Incumbent Tkayik best choice for Poughkeepsie

Sometimes it can be hard to remember that there is a city outside of Vassar. Sure, we all know that Bacio's is across the street and that the Vassar Shuttle will take us to the mall, but that's pretty much the extent of a typical Vassar student's interaction with Poughkeepsie.

Yet, there is in fact a community that exists just outside of the College's grounds. Residents of Poughkeepsie have to live, work, eat and shop in the area. Right now, they have something else to do too, something which could affect how Vassar students interact with the city. They have to vote.

The elections for mayor are right around the corner, with two candidates as the main contenders. On the one hand is current mayor, John Tkazyik, a Republican. His opponent is Ken Levinson, a Democrat. Tkazyik, 32, has led the city for four years already and wants to continue for a second term. He should, with all he's done for the city. Take it from me, someone who has lived in Poughkeepsie her entire life.

When I was younger, there were many places in this city that were extremely run-down. There still are, but the improvements under Tkazyik's leadership have been extremely helpful in turning this place around.

Take Main Street, for example. During my childhood, it was definitely not one of the better places in this city. Recently, though, it has been completely revamped. There are so many new high-end restaurants, like the Artist's Palate and Brasserie 292. A new Associated Supermarket has also been added, making things more convenient for residents around that area. Before that, most people only got groceries on one of the supermarkets on Route 9. Another renovated area in Poughkeepsie is down by the waterfront of the Hudson River. There are multiple award-winning restaurants down there, like Amici's, Mahoney's and Shadows on the Hudson. That area is also home to the train station, a place known to many Vassar students, which was also updated in recent years.

Besides Tkazyik's efforts to improve city life through renovations and new businesses, he has also made it a goal to crack down on crime in the community. According to the Poughkeepsie Journal, violent crime is down 30 percent in the first half of this year compared to the same time last year. He also wants to continue to work with police to catch drug dealers and criminals in the area to make the community safer for its inhabitants. To help with this, he instituted a Cash for Tips program to make it easier for people to report knowledge of illegal gun possession.

Not only has Tkazyik done all this for Poughkeepsie, but he is also a local member of the community himself. He lives in the Hudson Valley and helps to run his family's restaurant, Andy's Place. Tkazyik knows what should be done for Poughkeepsie. He has the experience and a plan to continue with his previous reforms. Another term could only improve upon all of these accomplishments and help to reform Poughkeepsie even more.

—Sabrina Sucato '15 is a student at Vassar College. She attended Poughkeepsie High School.