Rome, N.Y. — Jeffrey Lanigan announced his candidacy for City of Rome Mayor on Tuesday, February 7 at 5:30pm at the Franklin Hotel.  Here is the text of his announcement speech.

Good evening.  Thank you all for coming out to the Franklin this evening.  First off, let me thank the wonderful Vescio family for hosting us. The Franklin is celebrating its 50^th year in business and has played a major role in the City of Rome’s history.  Thank you to the Vescio family for your hard work and dedication in making the Franklin a true Rome landmark.

My name is Jeffrey Lanigan, and I am formally announcing my candidacy for the office of mayor of the City of Rome in the upcoming November election.

As a husband, father, and active member of this community I consider myself to be very fortunate to have been born and raised in Rome and educated in Rome Public Schools.  I was extremely proud to have served this great community as a law enforcement officer with one of the best police departments in the state, if not the country.  Unfortunately, due to an on-the-job injury, I was forced into early retirement in 2022.  Over the last few months, I have found myself keenly following the direction of the City and to be blunt, I’ve been dismayed, and saddened, by what I’ve seen and heard.  Crime, blight, lack of communication, and the lack of participation and leadership from the current administration is what has brought me to this decision.  Upon learning of my intent to pursue the Office of the Mayor, I’ve been encouraged by community residents, business owners and visitors alike as they’ve shared with me the need for change.  My passion and desire for a better Rome has fueled my commitment to not only identify the issues, but to bring necessary change and creative solutions.  My mission is to ensure that Rome is a better place for “everyone”, to live, work, play, and raise our families.

I have heard repeatedly from the community that 8 years is enough for the current administration, and I agree.  It’s time for a new generation of leadership for our City.

With that said, I would like to recognize the current and previous administrations, for all their dedication and efforts leading up to now.  The City has experienced some private development due to the economic climate in recent years. There has also been unprecedented funding coming from state and federal governments in the last several years. Funding sources such as the New York State Downtown Redevelopment Initiative and the American Rescue Plan alone have put millions toward the City’s initiatives. Rome is extremely lucky to have a qualified and talented team in the Community and Economic Development Department.  Mohawk Valley EDGE has also been instrumental in furthering Rome’s interests as were our elected state officials including Senator Griffo and Assemblywoman Buttenschon.   Rest assured that with the right leadership, staffing, public/private partnerships, and cooperation with our elected officials, success will not only continue under my administration, but we will elevate this City to the next level.

Politics is about timing, and right now is the time for change.  It’s time for strong leadership, time to work collaboratively with the Common Council, time to forge new public/private partnerships and strengthen existing ones, time for listening, time for inclusion, and most of all it’s time for new energy and excitement to move this City forward.

Local government is the most effective form of governance.  The City is responsible for providing quality services for the people and businesses we serve.  From public safety, planning, community programs and events, to the most fundamental services including waste collection, road improvements, water and sewer. The challenges we’ll face over the next decade will require the actions and solutions of smaller communities like Rome to lead the way.  With the right leadership, and approach I can bring to the Office of Mayor, I am confident that Rome will capitalize on the upcoming growth cycle our region and community deserves.

I believe in the people of the City of Rome, and they deserve to have trust and confidence in their government.  One of the things we must do better as a local government is to communicate the why of what we’re doing.  It’s important for residents to be aware and to have an opportunity to be engaged with their leaders.  It’s their government and their City Hall and it needs to work for them.

Recently I had someone ask “why would you subject yourself to this?  Why don’t you just relax, take it easy, play golf, etc.”    But that’s just not me.  I’ve always been the type to roll up my sleeves and to contribute where I can help to make a difference.    Like most cities in America, the City of Rome is facing significant challenges in public safety.  I have a unique skill set to work with our men and women in the City’s workforce to provide the tools they need to keep Romans safe.  Public safety is more than crime statistics. It is imperative that Rome is not only safe by the numbers but is recognized by residents and visitors as a safe community. Bail reform has presented some significant challenges for all law enforcement agencies including the court system, but that shouldn’t mean we throw in the towel. One of the key priorities of local government is public safety, and we need to find local solutions for problems that the state and federal governments won’t help with. Whether that means new initiatives, laws, or policies, we must do more.

In the weeks ahead, I will continue to outlay the goals and objectives of my campaign as well as solutions and ideas for change.  I want to thank my family Don, Rose, Tim, Jennifer, Audi, Mackenzie, my amazing mother Theresa and most importantly my beautiful wife Melissa and son Connor for all your love and support throughout this experience.  I also want to thank all of you that attended tonight, and the hundreds of people that have reached out to me offering their support and encouragement.  It truly means the world to me.

I was once told, “Courage is contagious” and that couldn’t be a truer statement in my eyes. We are not a community of ONE but a community of MANY. When you give people something and someone to believe in and depend on, they will begin to standup. Let me be that someone for this community.

Again, from the bottom of my heart thank you!!

Our campaign website and social media are forthcoming, and we’ll be sharing those details soon.  Our campaign kick-off event will be held on Tuesday, March 1, 2023, at 5 pm at the Toccolana Club.   If there are any questions regarding the campaign or you would like to get involved, I encourage you to contact our campaign at (315) 630-ROME    That’s (315) 630- 7663.

I’ll be happy to answer any media questions.