Why are you running?
Dustin Bryant: Having lived here, having rented here, having grown up here, running businesses here, and participating in different rec league sports—all the things that happen in Kingston—my perspective can be very valuable in city government. I very much care about what happens in Kingston.
Ruth Katz: I got really inspired talking to people when I was canvassing for other candidates in the past. I felt impactful doing that. Some people had really good ideas they wanted to share, and it got me really interested. I thought, if I can make a little impact in these conversations, maybe I could do more.
When did you decide you’re going to run?
RK: Amee Peterson and Bill Reynolds, [vice chair and chair of the Kingston Democratic Committee], approached me and asked if I would be interested. I had already been thinking about it.
DB: In March, when I learned that Steve Schabot wasn’t running and I saw the different people who were running, I talked with my partner, Fiona, and I decided to put my hat in the ring.
What do you think about the city opting into the Emergency Tenant Protection Act rental regulations?
DB: I’ve had friends that have been forced out of Kingston, and I’ve rented houses that have been sold. I literally had to move three different times right when COVID hit. I know that struggle of having to scramble and find a place. The problem with tying [rent regulation] to a percentage of empty housing is that it doesn’t do enough to actually protect affordable housing. I feel like if we build enough—let’s say 8% empty apartments that nobody can afford—it doesn’t solve our housing crisis. There’s a lot that we need to do, and it’s a very complex issue. It’s not one solution.
RK: When I was canvassing during the primary, knocking on doors, three different people in three different buildings were in the middle of packing because they could no longer afford their rent. That’s a really traumatic thing—to have to move when you don’t want to move. So we need to figure out ways to help people out. I’m definitely in favor of some kind of rent regulation. I think people do need relief and protection.
What do you think about changing the definition for what makes an apartment considered affordable by lowering the official threshold?
RK: The existing definition seems pretty arbitrary. It doesn’t seem based on the reality of what people are experiencing. So I do think it’s important to review how affordability is measured.
DB: The existing definition is misleading. There are teachers in the Kingston school district who can’t afford to rent in the city of Kingston. So I would say calling that tier “affordable housing” is not accurate.
Would you call yourself pro-union?
DB: Yes. My father was a police officer, my mom was a teacher, they both retired. There’s pros and cons and different levels of unions, but they protect wages, and we need people to be able to afford living here. You need affordable wages, and unions do help that.
RK: Yes. I worked for a union a long time ago. I worked for 1199. I taught English as a second language to Haitian immigrants who were home health aides.
What’s your attitude toward ICE in the city?
DB: Unless they’re here to pick up actual criminals, I would not support them. If they’re picking up somebody who’s a danger to society, they should let the police department know first. That would be justifiable. But if they’re just picking up friends and neighbors who have been living and going to school and contributing to our area, then I absolutely do not appreciate that. I think we absolutely need to look out for our friends and neighbors.
RK: With regard to immigrants, I would love everyone to tap into their empathy and think about their own family history. They’re not only targeting people who are criminals. Often they’re people who have all their papers in order. They’re following the rules. They’re going to their court date and they’re still getting abducted. This is not an arrest. It’s an abduction. And we need to protect people and be humane.
Do you have thoughts on the charter review that the Common Council is going to go ahead with?
RK: I’ve heard just a little bit about it—something to do with how much power the mayor has versus the council—and I think that’s the kind of thing I need to study more before I could comment.
DB: Yes, absolutely. I think we do need to have less power in the mayor’s position and a little bit more power split out among the City Council, as a general practice.
A Question for Dustin Bryant:
I noticed you’re running on the Common Ground Party line. Usually, if a candidate in Kingston doesn’t have the big D next to their name, it can be difficult to get elected. Why didn’t you vie to run on the Democratic Party line, and where did you get the name?
DB: Well, I have a coffee roasting company. Honestly, I think in local politics, having a completely independent voice is more important than being tied to a political party, because then you might need to act with the political party on everything. Also, when they had the Democratic primary, it was such a low turnout that I believe it doesn’t really represent all of the people in Ward 8. I think having an option in a general election is better for everyone as well, because there will be a bigger turnout. If I can get through this battle, it’s going to be better for more people.
Ruth Katz makes a statement:
One of the main things I want to convey is that from going door to door, I’m hearing that a lot of people just feel a little bit out of the loop. They want to be able to have a say if there’s going to be a new development in their neighborhood or, let’s say, if Ponckhockie is going to become a historic district—just to have the information they need to participate in decision-making. Obviously, people have busy lives, but they want to be in the loop more. If I become the next alder, one of the things I would want to do is communicate on a more regular basis with the community by having a monthly meeting in different neighborhoods, because it’s such a widespread district. I just want to see that collaboration extend a little more into the community where people can really feel in the loop.
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