DEBORAH
FISHER

LEADERSHIP FOR ITHACA NY THAT MEETS THE MOMENT

DEBORAH FISHER FOR WARD 5, PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF DEBORAH FISHER

Get in Touch!

What are your greatest hopes, worries, challenges, and fears as Ithaca meets this moment? What do you want Common Council to do differently?

I want to hear from you! Use this form, or email or call me directly.

Deborah Fisher

646-401-3858

ithacaaikikai@gmail.com

WE ARE IN A MOMENT OF POLITICAL CRISIS THAT AFFECTS ITHACA

I HELP NONPROFITS AND INDIVIDUALS TURN CRISIS INTO OPPORTUNITY

Services

I'M RUNNING FOR COMMON COUNCIL TO:

RESIST FEDERAL CHAOS

The City of Ithaca must get ahead of tariffs and budget cuts by diversifying its economy, streamlining local government, and penalizing large corporations that drain our town of value

PROTECT VULNERABLE CITIZENS

Those bullies can't divide us! Now more than ever, local government needs to serve those of us who are being targeted--from trans folks to government workers--as well as those who need a little help to get by

ENACT OUR PROGRESSIVE VALUES

Ithaca's greatest resource is its strong progressive heart. We can thrive if we hold on to our values, build trust in local government, and enact policy that works for all Ithacans, especially those with the fewest resources

WHAT I'M HEARING

I cried when I saw the property tax increase this year
My kids have already left because they can't afford to live here, and I might have to follow them
Cornell and Ithaca used to have a better relationship. It's not just about money, when I was younger, Cornell felt like a local resource
Why can't they fix the roads?
It feels like nobody in local government understands that we need to build a lot more housing
My girlfriend got laid off because a research grant is suspended
Fraternity houses do not pay their fair share
Cornell is not a monolith. I wish my representative understood that Cornell is made up of people who live here
We will move as soon as my partner is done with graduate school, I don't like living here
I don't feel safe on The Commons
I wonder if Cornell will survive this administration
I have a job on campus that might be eliminated. I hate living with this uncertainty

WHAT I'M PROPOSING

BUILDING TRUST IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Make sure the people and corporations who have more are paying more taxes than working class folks
Streamline zoning, permitting, maintenance, and other important city work
Address bottlenecks that slow work and keep services from getting to people

CAPTURING MORE VALUE FOR ITHACA

Penalize corporate landlords who hold commercial storefronts vacant for over six months
Streamline development of affordable, community-based housing
Close property tax loopholes that benefit the wealthy
Keep revitalizing downtown and diversifying the local economy
Strongly advocate support of the local economy to Cornell and other large economic players

COLLABORATING WITH CORNELL

Seize this opportunity to change the relationship between Ithaca and Cornell
Lean into Cornell's track record as an innovation partner in Ithaca
Work creatively toward a mutual aid relationship with Cornell that adds value for all Ithacans
Advocate for ambitious solutions that provide a safety net for all Ithacans--including Cornell students, faculty, and staff

A CREATIVE LEADER WHO WILL FIGHT FOR YOU!

I'm a fighter who's running because my skills are needed right now. I have decades of experience pushing for structural changes that make institutions work better for more people.

I moved to Ithaca in 2022. I'm the Chief Instructor of Ithaca Aikikai, a martial arts dojo that offers classes in aikido, weapons, and Zazen. I also work as a personal and nonprofit consultant, and serve on the Board of Directors of Birankai North America, a federation that maintains high standards in aikido training.

I trained as an artist. I started working for arts nonprofits in 2005, and have managed the art studio of a sculpture park; advised private philanthropy; served on multiple boards; and built a nonprofit from the ground up. From 2011 to 2021, I was the Founding Executive Director of A Blade of Grass, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting artists working in communities to enact progressive social change. In this role, I developed a reputation for creatively addressing the structural limitations that make nonprofits struggle. Under my leadership, A Blade of Grass was able to navigate uncertainty well and stick to its values. To ensure that the organization retained creative leadership after my departure, we went through a legal restructuring from a volunteer board of donors who had no leadership stake in the work of the organization to a paid, professional board of artists and arts professionals. Now I help nonprofits and individuals navigate difficult moments by embracing the way they demand change.

I live on Linn street over by Cascadilla Gorge with my daughter, husband, and my little brown dog.