Independent candidate Hael Stewart-Fisher announces his run for City of Newburgh mayor in the 2023 General Election this fall. He joins the race for the seat as a first-time bidder as well as a first time candidate running within the city’s political realm.

Originally from Kansas City, Kansas, this is not Stewart-Fisher’s first time running for a political office. Stewart-Fisher was 18 at the time when he first pursued politics, running for a seat on city council. Though he did not win his first political bid back then, Stewart-Fisher felt he was ready to toss his hat in the ring once again now in 2023 and is ready to serve the community and city he calls home.

“I didn’t want to stand on the sidelines, and continue to voice my opinions in a vacuum with other like-minded folks,” he said. “I really wanted to get out there and try to make a difference and offer people some variety.”

In the three years he has lived in the city, Stewart-Fisher has served on several community boards and committees such as the Transportation Advisory Committee and Newburgh Preservation Association where he serves as interim president.

As a candidate and citizen, Stewart-Fisher has recognized the potential of the city and can see that potential grow through the encouragement of economic development, maintaining the city’s tax base, bringing in new businesses and business owners and addressing housing needs. If elected, Stewart-Fisher said he would look to establish himself as an available mayor to all citizens within the city.

If elected as mayor, he sees the creation of regular feedback sessions with the community, monthly town halls that would help him meet more city residents and discuss their needs. He would also work, if elected, to ensure that each city municipal department has the proper tools in place for effective communication and collaboration with one another for the benefit of city residents.

With a diverse population within the city, a majority of Hispanic/Latino identifying residents presently, Stewart-Fisher wants to ensure that materials are made available in Spanish and different languages and also utilize American Sign Language services for those who may be impaired.

Addressing transparency and accountability, Stewart-Fisher wants to keep the public informed and provide safe spaces for community members to voice their opinions and concerns without fear. Residents have told him they felt this way within the city council meetings.

“I’m there to serve you, not to serve myself. People want to voice up, they want to have their opinions heard, they want to provide their feedback,” he said. “I should be able to go to a council meeting, voice my opinion, whether it’s directed at a specific individual or a decision, and not feel like I get retaliated against or feel like I’m belittled.”

Addressing city safety and security, Stewart-Fisher would look to work with and continue the present relationships with Orange County, New York State and federal law enforcement agencies and peers. Offices also like the Orange County District Attorney’s Office would help with crime deterrence and keep all city residents safe.

With the city’s tax base, he would pursue additional economic development that would in turn help fund the city leadership and continue to provide city services. He also recognizes that while there are many nonprofits in the city, he would like to see them contribute to the tax base as well.

Stewart-Fisher shared he would work towards bringing in additional funding from grant programs and would like to bring in more businesses and homeowners to the city. When discussing housing, he would like to see amendments to the city code that would allow for accessory dwelling units and microunits for residents to live in. When discussing businesses and ownership, an entrepreneurial startup center would be a program that he would look to form and implement to help educate and support residents pursuing new business opportunities.

In the city today, residents rely on public transportation such as buses and taxes or ride-share services such as Uber to get to their places of employment, stores, appointments and other life events. As a member of the Transportation Advisory Committee, Stewart-Fisher sees maintaining a relationship with Orange County and advocating for more transportation support in the city as a top priority in his platform.

For all the potential ideas that he has if elected as mayor, he understands the importance of the collaboration and support of the city council which will also see new and incumbent candidates appearing on the ballot this fall. “We have the opportunity to really create something amazing, that is inclusive that values each and every single individual,” he said.

Heading into the few remaining months before November, Stewart-Fisher will be running on the NewburghForward line and will face off against Democratic candidate Torrance Harvey who is seeking re-election to the seat and Republican/Conservative candidate John Giudice.