Calsolaro eyes
mayoral run

Albany council member exploring election challenge to Jennings

By TIM O'BRIEN, Staff writer

First published: Wednesday, June 18, 2008

ALBANY -- Common Council member Dominick Calsolaro will meet with supporters Sunday to explore running for mayor next year.

Calsolaro, a Democrat first elected in 2001, said he wants to make sure incumbent Mayor Jerry Jennings has an opponent if he runs again, but Calsolaro won't split the vote if there is more than one challenger.

"I have to get people together, talk things over and see where that leads," Calsolaro said. "My main thing is if Jerry runs again, I want to make sure we have a united candidate everyone can support. I don't think we can afford Jerry any more."

Calsolaro sent an e-mail inviting people to a meeting Sunday at 560 Delaware Ave. to discuss the city's 2009 elections.

Jennings, who has said he will seek re-election, laughed when told Calsolaro was holding the exploratory session.

"He didn't invite me," he said. "Leave it at that."

Calsolaro said he had not decided to run and could support Council President Shawn Morris or Assemblyman Jack McEneny if one of them should choose to challenge Jennings.

"I'm not going to run if we're going to split things," he said. "I think it's more important we have a change than I run for something."

McEneny, who is up for re-election in the 104th Assembly district, said he is concentrating on that election. McEneny lost a primary bid for mayor against Jennings in 1997.

"It's too early to work on one campaign when you're working on another," he said. "I have made no plans to run for mayor. I am going to stay right out of it here and concentrate on getting elected to my position here."

He described Calsolaro as "very sincere," though he noted the two have clashed over the need for a proposed Albany Convention Center. Calsolaro opposes the project, and McEneny is on its board and one of its biggest boosters.

Calsolaro also fought for years to create a Gun Violence Task Force in the city. Jennings finally agreed this year, and the task force is now meeting to develop solutions for the shootings that have plagued the city.

A frequent critic of the mayor, Calsolaro voted against the budget and has railed against the city's habit of borrowing to pay for short-term needs.

While acknowledging it is early to start the process of running for mayor, Calsolaro said Jennings' incumbency gives him an advantage that needs to be countered.

"Nobody is going to be able to raise the money that Jerry raises," he said. "It's going to be more of a ground-level process."

 

Tim O'Brien can be reached at 454-5092 or by e-mail at tobrien@timesunion.com.