ALBANY City Auditor
CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE
Albany Bicycle Coalition, Capital Streets & Walkable Albany worked together to ask each of the Albany City Auditor Candidates questions relating to walkability, bikeability, transit, and overall livable streets issues.
Each candidate was asked over a dozen pertinent questions in a written questionnaire.
Primary elections will be held June 24, 2025.
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Served as a member of the Common Council, and works as a teacher for the City School District of Albany.
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Chief of Staff of the City of Albany and a senior city leader for 10 years.
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Since 2016, Sam has served as an Albany County Legislator. His experience spans city, county, and state government.
What neighborhood do you live in?
Rosenzweig: 8th ward - Normanskill neighborhood
Galin: Helderberg
Fein: South End
How often (days per week) do you walk to where you need to go? What issues do you notice?
Rosenzweig: We chose my neighborhood because we have a lot of family in easy walking distance. While raising my boys in walking distance to family was a wonderful thing, my neighborhood is not very walkable to the rest of Albany. However, as a school attendance officer, I work directly with students where they live all over the city and part of my job is a focus on how they get to school. I am very familiar with walking routes of students and some of the issues throughout the city. Speeding is a clear issue, but although I work with high school students, visibility for students, many of whom are smaller, is something I have deep concerns about. Ultimately, it is drivers paying attention to the speed limit and the roadway, but for my students it’s about them being able to get to and from school safely.
Galin: As someone who both lives and works in a walkable area, I walk where I need to go nearly every day – whether it’s walking to Stewart’s to get milk, walking to the Post Office, or walking down the block for lunch. During those walks, I notice sidewalks that are sometimes uneven, intersections with worn-down/away crosswalk markings, crossing signals that do not automatically change with the traffic signals, beg buttons that do not activate walk signals, snow/ice buildup after storms, streets where sidewalks do not exist, and traffic that speeds in certain areas with limited enforcement tools.
In my role as Chief of Staff, I completed the policy research that led to an amendment in the City Code to reduce the period of time property owners had to clear their sidewalks of snow and ice from 24 hours plus a notification from the city and another 24 hours on top of that to simply 24 hours from the last snowfall. After hearing numerous complaints about the large piles of snow that accumulate at corners of high-traffic intersections after plowing snow, I also worked with the Department of General Services to launch the new pilot program that DGS is utilizing to remove snow from ADA ramps at those high-traffic intersections – making it easier for pedestrians to cross streets safely and helping property owners who did not necessarily put the snow there but have difficulty removing the large, machine-made piles. I also worked closely with the Albany Police Department and our New York State Legislative Delegation to help secure the Home Rule approval so the City of Albany had the authority to install School Zone Speed Cameras and reduce our citywide speed limit to 25 miles per hour. Each of these improvements has helped to mitigate some of the issues seen when walking throughout the city, but I know there is even more work to do.
Fein: I walk every day — to work, meetings, and errands. I’m lucky to live within walking distance of my workplace, which really shows me how important it is to have neighborhoods where you can get around on foot. That said, we still have work to do. In the winter, sidewalks often aren’t cleared, making it dangerous for pedestrians. Vacant lots and abandoned buildings hurt the walkability and vitality of neighborhoods, especially in the South End where I live. And in many parts of the city, basic amenities like grocery stores and pharmacies aren’t within walking distance. Albany has real potential to be a truly walkable, thriving city — but we have to make walkability a priority.
Do you use, or have you ever used, a bicycle for something other than recreation (such as commuting, running errands, or replacing car trips) in the City of Albany? If so, what issues do you notice?
Rosenzweig: I ride my bike a great deal, but it is mostly for recreation. In terms of my students, I would echo a lot of the concerns for those that have and ride bicycles.
Galin: I have bicycled to commute to work and run errands. When doing so, I notice there are a variety of streets that have bike lanes or sharrows, and then other streets that have no markings for bicycles and are very narrow. Because of the variety of bicycle treatments, some vehicles seemingly do not share the road with bicycles making it difficult to navigate across the City on a bicycle depending on whether there are bike lanes on the street you are traveling.
As Chief of Staff, I helped bring a variety of bicycle infrastructure improvements across the finish line, including the South End Connector protected bike lanes, the improved bicycle lanes along New Scotland Avenue, the improved bicycle lanes on Clinton Avenue, the creation of the Skyway, and many other bicycle infrastructure investments. Even with all those accomplishments, as someone who helped highlight the publishing of the City’s new Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, I know there is even more work to do in every neighborhood across the City.
Fein: I’ve biked to get around from time to time, but I walk and use transit much more often — living at the bottom of a hill makes biking less practical. Still, when I do bike, it’s clear Albany’s streets aren’t yet where they need to be. We need better bicycle infrastructure, including a larger network of bike lanes (especially protected lanes), bike paths, safer intersections, and more pedestrian-friendly street design if we want biking to be a viable transportation option for more people.
How often do you use public transit? What strengths and issues do you notice?
Rosenzweig: I don’t usually use public transit, it’s not very accessible from where I live. My students utilize public transit, but CDTA buses are routed specifically for the high school students.
I do strongly believe that the office of Auditor should be more engaged in performing internal audits that can be beneficial to issues beyond financial issues. When it comes to public transit, there have been some big changes made over the last several years. Have these changes been beneficial to the people of Albany? Are there neighborhoods that could be better served? While there are some limits on what the Auditor’s office could do in this area, I would be very interested in talking with Capital Streets about what we could do to provide data and analysis. I also strongly believe that the Auditor should be spending time out in the City, directly interacting with people and getting to know real areas of concern, being more aware of what impacts neighborhoods, like public transit, is an important part of understanding the needs of the people of Albany.
Galin: When traveling outside the City of Albany I utilize public transit more often. Within the City of Albany, I often drive given the time-sensitive and often changing demands of my role as Chief of Staff.
Strengths of public transit that I notice include areas where buses have dedicated traffic signals to help keep buses on schedule and ahead of traffic and a very informative app from CDTA which gives you real-time updates on where your bus is before it arrives. Issues I have noticed include garbage overflowing at bus stops and individuals suffering from addiction and mental illness congregating around the bus stops. One of the programs I have worked closely on to help create is Albany Navigates, the street treatment program that brings medical professionals directly to those in crisis. This program has built relationships with some of the individuals who can be found in bus shelters – sometimes in crisis – and is making an impact by both connecting individuals with the medical support they need and securing transitional housing for those who are unhoused. As Chief City Auditor, I will conduct an audit of the Albany Navigates program to understand the comprehensive impact the program is having and work to identify more areas where additional resources can enhance the impact Albany Navigates has on our community.
Fein: I use CDTA regularly, and overall, we’re fortunate to have a solid public transit system for a city the size of Albany. CDTA covers a lot of ground and buses are generally reliable. But there’s still room for improvement. The biggest issue is frequency, especially during nights and weekends when people still need to get around, including people working in the service industry. If we want transit to be a real alternative to driving for more people, we need to invest in more frequent service, continue to expand Bus Rapid Transit, and add dedicated bus lanes.
In 2022, 60 vulnerable road users (defined by NYSDOT as “pedestrians, cyclists, motorized wheelchair users, and those on foot within work zones”) were killed or seriously injured in Albany County– at the time, that was the most in any one year since the Institute for Traffic Safety Management & Research (ITSMR) began tracking data for New York. But that record high was broken in 2023, when 65 vulnerable road users were killed or seriously injured. How would you protect residents from dangerous roads in the City of Albany?
Rosenzweig: I see the office of Auditor as the analytical and data arm for the residents of the City of Albany. I have two advanced math degrees and as a teacher, the ability to connect with people across the City of Albany, giving me a unique background to achieve this goal. While I would not be in a policy role for solutions to this terrible data point, I would be in a place to look at information from the police department on crashes and help find the most high risk places for policy makers and the Mayor’s office to target for street safety. Information and data can help identify the appropriate solutions and places to prioritize. Beyond that, actually interacting and getting to know the people where they live can also highlight some of these issues. Because I have a unique connection with neighborhoods all over the City from my work with students getting to school, I would have direct knowledge and connections to the school district to provide additional information to help some unique angles to address broader issues for students and street safety.
Galin: As mentioned earlier, in my capacity as Chief of Staff I have worked closely with the Albany Police Department and our New York State Legislative Delegation to help secure the Home Rule approval so the City of Albany had the authority to install School Zone Speed Cameras and reduce our citywide speed limit to 25 miles per hour. I also worked closely with the Department of Engineering and Department of General Services to create the speed hump pilot program, investing more than $3 million over the past three years to create speed humps in neighborhoods across the City of Albany in an effort to slow traffic down and make our streets safer for everyone. Each of these improvements has helped to mitigate some of the issues seen when walking throughout the city, but I know there is even more work to do.
As Chief City Auditor, I will conduct an audit of all personal injury and automobile incidents occurring in the City to understand which streets are the most dangerous for pedestrians and drivers alike, and then compare those streets to those in compliance with the Complete Streets Standards and Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plans. This information will be valuable when advocating to the next administration to help recommend what treatments and investments should be made to particular streets in the interest of public safety. I will also continue to advocate for more funding for speed humps and a NYS-approved expansion of the School Zone Speed Camera program to help slow traffic down across the City. I will also advocate for the implementation of the traffic calming and pedestrian improvements planned for around Washington Park and Lincoln Park in an effort to correct decades-old traffic patterns that allow vehicles to speed and pedestrians to be put in harm’s way.
Fein: These numbers are heartbreaking and unacceptable. These deaths and injuries are preventable. They’re the result of years of policy decisions that prioritized cars and speed over safety. We need to treat this like the crisis it is and fundamentally rethink how we design our streets.
Our streets must be designed to prioritize people. This includes building more protected bike lanes, expanding traffic calming infrastructure like curb extensions, raised crosswalks, and speed humps, and narrowing streets to slow traffic. We also need to update our zoning and planning policies to encourage denser, mixed-use neighborhoods so people can live closer to jobs, schools, and services without relying on cars. Better public transit is also critical — the more people who walk, bike, and take transit, the safer our streets become. As City Auditor, I will use my platform to keep a spotlight on street safety and make sure city government is held accountable for taking real action
Do you support the use of funds from school zone speed camera tickets for traffic calming infrastructure around schools? What street improvements could help keep children safe on their way to and from school?
Rosenzweig: This is not something that I would have purview over as Auditor, but as a father, and particularly in my current role as a school attendance officer, I believe this is an important investment to make.
Galin: I 100% support the use of funds from school zone speed camera tickets to implement traffic calming infrastructure around schools. These investments can include curb extensions, new signals, improved signage and pavement markings, pedestrian islands along larger corridors, and improved educational resources for pedestrians and drivers. I have been part of the ongoing discussions between the City of Albany and Albany City School District, particularly around the improvements to pedestrian safety around Albany High School and implementation of School Zone Speed Cameras, and I believe both entities need to take a holistic review of the internal traffic pattern around Albany High School to understand if there’s a safer pattern that can be utilized by students and teachers so that less of the pick-up and drop-off activity occurs directly on Washington Avenue.
Fein: Yes, absolutely. Revenue from school zone speed cameras should go directly toward making the streets around schools safer for children and families. This includes safer crossings with raised crosswalks and curb extensions, narrowing streets, and improving sidewalk conditions.
That said, as a candidate for City Auditor, I’m concerned that the City of Albany receives only $17 of every $50 ticket, with the rest going to a private vendor. As City Auditor, I will review this contract to ensure we’re getting a fair return - and that public dollars from enforcement are being used for real, measurable improvements in street safety, not absorbed by vendors. Albany residents deserve transparency and accountability in how these funds are managed.
Do you support State Senator Pat Fahy’s bill to designate 7 acres of the Harriman Campus for mixed-use, transit-oriented development? In what other ways will you promote affordable and transit-oriented development in the City of Albany?
Rosenzweig: Again, this is not something that I would have purview over as Auditor, but as a resident, I do support Senator Fahy’s vision in this area. More mixed-use development in Albany is a good thing.
While I wouldn’t be able to promote development in my role as City Auditor, I would be able to provide data and analysis to enable more and stronger development. In my personal goal of making more connections to neighborhoods and people, I could also help highlight what existing neighborhoods are missing to find additional opportunities that may have been overlooked.
Galin: Yes – I actually believe New York State should designate all of the Harriman Campus for mixed-use, transit-oriented development, and move all the current NYS employees from the Harriman Campus to Downtown Albany, but Senator Fahy’s bill is a good starting point. As Chief City Auditor, I will also advocate for the reduction of parking minimums for housing projects when they are within a close distance to bus stops in an effort to encourage affordable and transit-oriented development. I will also conduct an audit of the housing created over the last ten years to better understand the factors driving the creation of both affordable and market-rate housing and conduct the research necessary to develop proposals that help overcome the hurdles currently present preventing the construction of market-rate housing in Albany.
Fein: I strongly support Senator Fahy’s plan. Smart, transit-oriented development is exactly the kind of approach Albany needs if we want to build a more affordable, walkable, and sustainable city. The Harriman Campus is underutilized, and this plan would help transform it into a vibrant, connected neighborhood where people can live, work, and easily access public transportation.
In addition to supporting the Harriman Campus redevelopment, I’ll use the Auditor’s office to push for the zoning and planning changes we need to encourage mixed-income and mixed-use development along transit corridors in Albany. I’ll dig into the data, highlight what’s holding us back, and use real-world models to show how we can make it happen here. By prioritizing and investing in transit-connected neighborhoods, we not only address the housing crisis - we also build a stronger economy and a more connected, livable city.
What is your vision for the future of Albany's riverfront and I-787?
Rosenzweig: As Auditor, my vision is to support the efforts of DOT, Albany Riverfront Collaborative, the Friends of the Albany Waterway, and the people that live in those neighborhoods, particularly the South End, to help find the future that best supports the people of Albany. Too often, we have people decide what’s best for others, I believe in partnering and working to provide the data and analysis to allow the people most impacted to make the best decision.
Galin: My vision for the Riverfront and I-787 is a place where pedestrians feel safe and welcome, where traffic is traveling on a surface street instead of an elevated highway, and where there is housing and mixed-use commercial space along the Hudson River. I am a supporter of options B-1 (Two Way Boulevard West of Railroad, Bridge Near Port) and B-4 (Two Way Boulevard West of Railroad, Replace Dunn Memorial Bridge).
Fein: I’ve been loud and clear that we need to reimagine I-787 - tearing it down and reconnecting our city to the waterfront must be a priority. I was an early supporter of the Albany Riverfront Collaborative because I believe in embracing bold, positive change to move Albany forward.
The creation of I-787 did real damage to our neighborhoods and we have an opportunity now to reconnect Albany to the river, create new public spaces, build housing, and undo some of the worst mistakes of 20th-century urban planning.
There are many possibilities for what this space could become, and we need a collaborative, community-driven process to shape that future. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and we can’t afford to waste it. I laid out my vision in an op-ed for the Albany Riverfront Collaborative in December 2021. Here is an excerpt: "Today, the highway remains a symbol of the government’s failure to consider the good of Albany, but also a challenge to the growing group of residents who see the possibility of change. Residents, activists, architects, artists, and elected officials are working to articulate a plan and a process that can include every voice in our city and region."
In 2021, the City of Albany published its Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. The plan provides many options to drastically improve conditions in Albany, but the City has made very little progress on implementation. How, if elected, will you work to put the concepts in the existing plan into action?
Rosenzweig: As Auditor, my office could provide data and analysis on how the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan has been utilized and opportunities for it to be utilized in the future. It would also be valuable to hear from advocates the most needed initiatives or vulnerable points within the plan to have more widespread tracking for future street projects and reconfigurations.
Galin: As Chief City Auditor, I will conduct an audit of the implementation of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan to determine where the City has accomplished the limited implementation and make recommendations on what investments should occur immediately. As someone who helped champion the publishing of the Plan, I am the first to admit the speed of implementation is slower than we would have hoped, however I am a big believer in “what gets measured gets done” and so conducting the audit will be the first step in advocating for increased investment to implement more of the Plan, sooner. This information, coupled with partnered advocacy with organizations like Capital Streets, Walkable Albany, and Albany Bicycle Coalition, will help encourage the next administration to implement these improvements even faster.
Fein: We already know what needs to be done - now it’s about follow-through. Over the years, we’ve seen planning reports come and go, but too often they sit on a shelf while little changes on the ground. What’s missing isn’t ideas, but the political will and leadership to make them happen.
As City Auditor, I will track the city’s progress on implementing the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and make sure the public knows exactly where things stand. That means issuing clear, accessible reports that highlight successes, call out delays, and identify barriers. I will also identify pathways to move projects forward, including identifying funding sources - whether from the state or private sector. And I’ll work alongside community groups like Capital Streets, Walkable Albany, and the Albany Bicycle Coalition to help turn public demand into action. We have the blueprint, but we need real accountability to get it done.
How will you support the City of Albany’s newly reorganized Department of Engineering in its implementation of Complete Streets design principles on Albany’s streets?
Rosenzweig: The Office of Auditor could be incredibly helpful to the Department of Engineering in many ways. Ensuring efficiencies throughout projects, including financial audits to make sure that our departments are fully utilizing project dollars could result in more funds being available for important infrastructure projects. As noted previously, in addition of utilizing my advanced math degrees to produce usable data and analysis that can be used to inform projects, I also want to truly connect with the people throughout Albany and make sure their voices are heard. The combination of these pieces can really push complete streets models that enhance what the community needs in alternative transit and walkability options. Every neighborhood should have a complete street and a safe places to walk. Giving the Department of Engineering the information they need to make the best possible designs along with fully utilizing funding will help enable Complete Streets design principles on Albany’s streets.
Galin: As Chief of Staff, I was part of the team that created the new Department of Engineering because I understand the importance of having subject matter experts who focus not only on building our streets and sidewalks but ensuring their design matches the needs of our residents and visitors with an emphasis on safety and walkability, and I continue to advocate for even more funding to expand the staff within the Department to this day.
As Chief City Auditor, I will also advocate for the budgeting of a full-time ADA Compliance Coordinator within the Department of Engineering whose job it is to analyze all city infrastructure and review every proposed improvement. The ADA Compliance Coordinator would oversee the updating of the City’s ADA Transition Plan and ensure all current city properties and future investments not only comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act but that the City is going above and beyond to ensure seamless access and inclusivity for residents and visitors with mobility impairments.
Fein: Complete Streets principles should be the standard for every road project. I will work to ensure that Complete Streets policies are implemented by tracking progress and reporting it to the public. I will collaborate with the Department of Engineering to come up with solutions to obstacles that may exist and use my voice to help build public support for more people-centered street designs. At the same time, when there are delays or projects that miss the mark, I’ll use the tools of the Auditor’s office to hold departments accountable.
Do you support fully funding all remaining components of the Washington Park Complete Streets Study once the recently awarded grant funds run out?
Rosenzweig: The Auditor will not have purview on this matter. However, as an independent citizen and advocate for students, I see Washington Park as the jewel of Albany. It is a place that everyone goes to, from every neighborhood, every economic level, and it is important to invest in it, particularly to ensure people are safe when they go to enjoy the many events and amenities of the park.
Galin: Yes. As Chief of Staff, I worked closely with County Legislator Peter and Councilmember Conti to propose the Study, and with Councilmember Romero to work on finalizing the report. While the City has secured a significant amount of grant funding to implement portions of the recommendations, it is not enough to cover the cost of all 15 recommended improvements within the Washington Park Complete Streets study area. As Chief City Auditor, I will work hard to save money to help free up resources so that we can invest even more to implement these improvements. And for the record: I believe we should implement all of the recommendations.
Fein: Yes, absolutely. Washington Park is one of Albany’s greatest and most-utilized public spaces, but recent tragic traffic collisions have shown that we must do more to protect the pedestrians who use it every day. Completing the vision laid out in the Complete Streets Study would make the park safer, more welcoming, and more accessible for everyone. In addition to supporting full funding for the remaining work once the grant money runs out, as City Auditor, I’ll evaluate the project’s progress and provide clear, transparent updates to the public every step of the way.
Are you familiar with quick-build infrastructure, and do you support its usage to keep Albany residents safe in cases where funding isn’t yet available for permanent street redesign?
Rosenzweig: I am not familiar with quick-build infrastructure, but I would be very open to learning more and seeing how the Office of Audit and Control could help.
Galin: Yes, very much so. As Chief of Staff, I worked with DGS, Engineering, and APD to make the closure of the Washington Park Lake Road and Sprague Place intersection a reality by bridging the divide between permanent implementation of changes based on the Complete Streets study and the temporary solution that was achieved through the use of bike rack. I have seen the benefits of quick-build infrastructure in other places, including along Lark Street and at the intersection of Morton and Eagle when we utilized temporary bollards to help prevent vehicles from driving in the parking lane when traveling eastbound on Morton – helping to slow down traffic and make it a safer crossing for pedestrians.
Fein: Absolutely. I strongly support using quick-build infrastructure as a smart, effective way to redesign our public spaces and improve street safety without waiting years for full capital funding. Quick-build strategies - like paint, flexible posts, planters, and temporary curb extensions - let us make real, visible changes in weeks or months instead of years.
These temporary designs are lower-cost, lower-risk, and they invite community feedback. People are more open to trying something new when it’s not permanent. That creates room for experimentation and dialogue, which can ease the path toward long-term improvements.
This is exactly the kind of thinking I plan to bring as City Auditor: forward-thinking, cost-effective, and focused on practical results. Albany has too often been stuck in a mindset of delay and doubt: hesitant to innovate and quick to assume bold ideas aren’t possible. Meanwhile, residents pay the price for missed opportunities. As Auditor, I’ll champion innovative, proven strategies like quick-build infrastructure that allow us to move faster and deliver meaningful change.
How do you plan to reduce emissions from transportation (which account for 30% of Albany's total emissions) to support the City’s efforts to meet its Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) goal of reducing overall emissions by 40% by 2030?
Rosenzweig: Moving from fossil fuels to electric is an important way to lower emissions and can help achieve CLCPA goals. The way the Office of Audit and Control can help achieve this is by doing internal audits on the number of cars and class we have, what opportunities we have for shifting those vehicles to EVs, and to look at the charging infrastructure. It’s possible by continuing the build out of EV infrastructure in places that we know we will be replacing vehicles in five years we can more easily make the transition.
In addition, the Office of Audit and Control can look to other areas of efficiency. We purchased our street lights years ago, which allowed us to shift to more energy efficient bulbs throughout Albany. Are there other opportunities for this kind of innovation? Are our buildings properly moving away from fossil fuels and utilizing the latest environmental technology? Are we missing opportunities for solar panels on our buildings or other places? It’s possible an audit of the landfill could show a major way for us to make change in our solid waste emissions is to have commercial composting and remove this readily usable organic material from the waste stream. I’d like to work with the Sustainability Advisory Committee on different areas to focus on for internal audits. Again, there may be some things that are broader in scope than the office could handle, but I believe strongly in looking to see what you can do instead of focusing on what you can’t.
Galin: Beyond continuing to encourage more people to utilize public transit, I will conduct a fleet audit of the City’s non-fire truck, ambulance, garbage truck, and police car vehicles to determine how many are EV’s and how many can be EV’s in the next four years, as well as advocating increased investment in EV infrastructure. I will also advocate for further implementing the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan as discussed previously.
Fein: Reducing emissions from transportation starts with rethinking how we design our city. Albany should lead the way in meeting the ambitious climate goals of the CLCPA.
We need to build a city where people don’t have to rely on cars to get around—where walking, biking, and public transit are safe, easy, and accessible for everyone. This means investing in our transit system, expanding fare-free options, and pushing for denser, mixed-use neighborhoods that promote walkability. As an Albany County Legislator, I have been a strong advocate for moving toward a fare-free transit model because it increases ridership, reduces car dependency, and makes our city more equitable.
We need to confront the mistakes of the past, when so-called “urban renewal” tore through Albany’s neighborhoods and built highways that prioritized suburban commuters over city residents. Today, nearly 30% of downtown is taken up by parking lots - much of it in underdeveloped areas, meant to serve state workers commuting in from outside the city. That’s the legacy of planning a city around cars instead of people. Reimagining I-787 is a major opportunity to begin reversing this damage, but we also need to go further to truly reconnect neighborhoods, restore our waterfront, and build a city that puts people first.
As City Auditor, I’ll push for bold, innovative strategies that reduce emissions and improve quality of life. I’ll track our progress toward CLCPA goals and make that data public—because transparency and accountability are how we build trust and drive action. Climate action isn’t just good policy, it’s a chance to build a more vibrant, equitable, and successful future for everyone.
How will you ensure the City of Albany implements what has been recommended for our streets and public spaces in the extensive catalog of commissioned climate resiliency plans?
Rosenzweig: This is a place where audits can be incredibly helpful. Looking at recommendations in some of these plans and not just seeing if they have been achieved, but ensuring that the information is known throughout departments could make a huge impact. Often, separate departments are not fully aware of what is in studies, even if it directly impacts them. Working through plans to see what has been utilized and what could be utilized can make a big difference for Albany and our environment.
Galin: As Chief City Auditor and someone who has significant concerns around walkability and safety, I will conduct an audit of the City’s climate resiliency plans and determine how many of the street and public space recommendations have been implemented. I will also work with Walkable Albany, Capital Streets, the Albany Bicycle Coalition, and other walkability organizations to recommend which of the unaccomplished recommendations should be prioritized to implement as soon as possible. If the next administration does not commit to these recommendations, I am committed to using my position as a citywide elected official to put public pressure on the next administration to change course.
Fein: It’s a good step that Albany has developed detailed climate resiliency plans. We should recognize this work, but we need to follow through with action and make sure residents can see the results. As City Auditor, I’ll monitor the city’s implementation of transportation and infrastructure-related climate recommendations and issue clear reports so the public knows where we’re making progress and where we’re falling short. That’s what transparency and accountability look like: tracking data and using it to drive action.
Right now, the City’s 2023 benchmarking report tracks energy efficiency for city-owned buildings. This is important, but we also need to be just as serious about monitoring progress on transportation and public space improvements. I’ll make sure those metrics are tracked and reported just as clearly.
What do you see as the biggest problems facing vulnerable road users on Albany's streets, and how do you plan to address them?
Rosenzweig: I believe the best way the Office of Audit and Control can assist in making streets safer is through audits to find efficiencies, to ensure we are doing projects to capture our most vulnerable roadways and populations, to make sure we are fully utilizing the plans we have, like the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, and to push to have the voices in the neighborhoods heard so our streets can be used by the people who live there, not just for the people moving through.
Galin: Safety. At the end of the day, municipal government’s responsibility is to ensure the safety of residents and visitors, and that includes when evaluating our built environment particularly along our transportation corridors. I plan to utilize the Office of the Chief City Auditor to make our streets safer – including through audits that will find efficiencies that expand access to resources and through advocating for more grant funding that slow vehicles down (like speed humps, curb extensions, and other built infrastructure) and keep our pedestrians safe. I also will conduct an audit of all street signs to ensure we are installing signs where they are missing. When signs are missing, it creates confusion for everyone and it creates an unsafe experience because drivers often slam on the breaks, people reaching out to 911 during emergencies waste precious seconds figuring out where they are, and it's generally unwelcoming to those unfamiliar with our communities.
Fein: Too many of Albany’s streets are still designed around moving cars as quickly as possible rather than keeping people safe. While lowering the city’s speed limit was an important step towards pedestrian safety, to truly address the issue we need to redesign our streets and public spaces. Vulnerable road users - whether they’re pedestrians, cyclists, people using wheelchairs, or parents pushing strollers - are often left navigating streets with missing or poorly maintained sidewalks, wide intersections, lack of protected bike infrastructure, and uncleared ice and snow on sidewalks.
City government should take over the responsibility for clearing snow and ice from sidewalks, starting with high-traffic, densely-populated areas. Our current approach, which relies on individual property owners, leaves too many sidewalks inaccessible and unsafe for pedestrians, especially seniors, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable road users. We must also prioritize traffic calming measures, building protected bike lanes, and treating Complete Streets design as the default.
As an Albany County Legislator, I have been a leader on protecting vulnerable road users. I recently introduced a local law that would require that vehicles keep a three-foot distance when passing vulnerable road users. As City Auditor, I’ll continue this fight, using the office to help move these ideas from concept to reality. I’ll come up with practical solutions, identify potential funding sources, and help connect the dots between different departments and community partners.
Describe a time you had a wonderful transit experience, whether in Albany or outside the Capital Region. What went into making that experience memorable? How can you work to match those experiences locally?
Rosenzweig: Some of my best transit experiences have been getting my students back to school and finding ways for them to problem solve transit in their own lives. Some students need to get younger siblings to school before they go to school themselves, helping them navigate that and getting the support needed is incredibly rewarding.
Galin: I had a wonderful experience utilizing public transit in Italy two summers ago. The trains and buses were on time, the signage was clear, the stations were accessible and clean, and the internet on the trains worked – the experience was memorable because it wasn’t negative. When I travel across the country, including more recently in New York City and Washington, DC, it’s clear that many cities experience some of the same challenges mentioned in response to question 5. I think we are working hard as a community to address those challenges, but need to continue bringing resources directly to those in crisis and demand that CDTA clean up bus shelters more frequently.
Fein: Growing up in a suburb outside of Boston, I lived within walking distance of the “T” (Boston’s subway system). This shaped how I think about cities. I could walk out my front door, hop on a train, and be anywhere I needed to go. What made it memorable was the way the neighborhood and the transit system worked together to create a sense of freedom and connection.
That’s the kind of experience I want to help build here in Albany. We need to invest in making public transit faster and more frequent, and design our neighborhoods with more housing, jobs, and services close to transit stops so that people can truly live car-free if they choose. I’ve been exploring the creation of a regional commuter rail system using our existing Amtrak lines, which would connect Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga, and Hudson with fast, reliable service. Similar to what Hartford, Connecticut has done, this would connect our region, breathe life into our economy, and reduce car dependency.
How would you work to change our streets and public spaces to make our communities more liveable for people of all ages and abilities?
Rosenzweig: My vision for the Office of Audit and Control is to provide data and analysis that can be utilized to enhance every part of the City of Albany. As Chief City Auditor, I want to be present throughout the City and make sure voices are heard and connections are made so that we are looking in the right places to provide that data and analysis. I have the unique ability and experience to do this because of my background. I have two advanced degrees in mathematics and spent the majority of my teaching career connecting with students to teach them complex math issues. When my family life needed flexibility, I was able to shift from the classroom to an attendance teacher, where I went throughout Albany to connect with students and parents where they were, finding solutions and support. My vision is not an easy one to achieve, but it is the right choice for Albany and I have the experience to make it happen. I would love to work with Capital Streets to ensure safer streets for everyone in Albany.
Galin: As Chief City Auditor, I will continue the work I have undertaken as Chief of Staff to make our streets and public spaces safer and more livable. That means conducting the audits mentioned previously to help improve our walkability safety infrastructure. I firmly believe that we should be implementing more of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, that we should be investing in built infrastructure to make our streets safer, and that we should be working to eliminate barriers to having walkable and connected communities. I want to see the elimination of beg buttons, I want walk signals to change when lights turn green, I want there to be more curb extensions and speed humps, I think we should be reducing traffic in our parks, and I want there to be a continued level of enforcement against speeders. We need to keep doing this work in order to elevate Albany’s standing as a city that is welcoming to all.
Fein: A livable city is one where an eight-year-old and an eighty-year-old can safely cross the street, find a place to rest, and feel connected to their community. This means safer sidewalks and crossings, protected bike lanes, benches, trees, and public spaces that are accessible to everyone, no matter their age or ability.
As an Albany County Legislator, I’ve fought for policies that make our communities more livable, from protecting tenants from displacement to pushing for fare-free transit to make getting around easier and more equitable for everyone. That’s the kind of thinking I’ll bring to the Auditor’s office: bold, people-first, and focused on real results.
I’m not here to check boxes or go through the motions. I’m here to push for real change, and help make Albany a place where people want to live, raise their families, and feel proud of the city they call home.