Image taken from minitasanghvi.com
On June 1st of this year, Skidmore College Business Professor Minita Sanghvi announced her decision to run for Commissioner of Finance for the Saratoga Springs City Council. As the first openly gay candidate, Sanghvi announced her candidacy during Pride Month.
Although she grew up in Bombay, India, Sanghvi moved to the U.S. in 2001. She lives in Saratoga Springs with her wife and son, a town she has called home since August of 2014. Sanghvi graduated from the University of North Carolina Greensboro also in 2014 where she received her PHD. While at the University of North Carolina, Sanghvi won not only the graduate teaching award, but also the best dissertation award.
Sanghvi believes that her educational background, previous work experience, and complete understanding of the position makes her the best candidate for the job. She also serves on the Public Library Board and founded the city’s Human Rights Task Force, giving her what she believes to be the broad experience and vision needed to manage the city’s budget and implement new positive initiatives to Saratoga Springs.
What motivates you to run for Commissioner of Finance? What do you think qualifies you to step into this city role?
Sanghvi points out that the way COVID-19 hit the city of Saratoga Springs really showed her that the city needs new leadership, and cannot go back to business as usual. She explained that Saratoga Springs is a tourism economy and most of the city’s money comes from the summertime track season. When 2020 hit, the track was closed for visitors, but the horses still ran. The New York Racing Association (NYRA) still made money from horse bets. Sanghvi elaborated “we make money from the people in the stands and them living in our hotels and eating at our restaurants. So, we did not make any money. We really needed to rethink how we are taking our city forward with that in mind.”
A lack of tourism was not the only struggle the city faced over the summer of 2020. Sanghvi discussed George Floyd’s murder and the nationwide protests which reached the streets of Saratoga Springs. “As a woman of color, as a lesbian, as an immigrant, I understand the frustrations of marginalized voices not getting a seat at the table” she commented. Sanghvi has a saying that she picked up during her time at The National Board of Governors: “if you are not at the table, you are on the menu.” She wants to get people to the table and then expand the table to include more.
Sanghvi is the first woman of color and first LGBTQ candidate running for this office, and soon could be the first Desi-Queer mayor in New York State. All the things that make Sanghvi who she is also makes her think and question why there has never been someone like her before. Since there has not, she decided to step up and fill that void. Sanghvi has always pushed her students to run for office and she thought that instead of only telling her students to run, she should be doing it too.
Sanghvi believes that she is the most qualified candidate in this race. The reason being she has an accounting undergraduate degree, an MBA, an MS, and a PHD. She has worked at several Fortune 500 companies such as Walmart, Leo Burnett, and CARQUEST. She is also a tenured professor in the Business Department at Skidmore College, where she has been teaching business for almost 12 years. Sanghvi states, “you cannot find a more qualified candidate to run a department of finance in a small town of 30,000.” When Sanghvi worked at Walmart she was handling a lot of the accounting and finance pieces. At Walmart she was an Assistant Manager at a $100 million store and Saratoga's budget is $54 million, so Sanghvi certainly thinks she can handle the position if elected.
What do you think differentiates you from other candidates?
Aside from being the most qualified candidate, Sanghvi believes that the position for Commissioner of Finance requires big picture thinking which she believes connects to her MBA. Sanghvi’s MBA provides her with a helicopter view of some of the things the city needs and how they can get there. To Sanghvi, the city’s finance department is one of the best in the region as they have a great finance director and a great budget director, but they do not have the detailed oversight that a candidate with a CPA would bring. Sanghvi thinks that the biggest difference between her and opponent JoAnne Kiernan is Kiernan’s myopic view versus Sanghvi’s expansive view.
Can you give a general description of your platform for students who may not be familiar with city politics?
One of the first things Sanghvi wants to do is rebuild the city’s finances. When COVID hit, the city broke into their savings account. Then, the city took out short-term loans. Although the city has paid off their short-term loans, the Saratoga government still needs to replenish their fund balances.
Another task Sanghvi wants to focus on is more year-round tourism and expanding the city’s tourism base beyond mainly the racing track. Her plan includes focusing on sports tourism by utilizing Lake George, historic tourism, gay tourism - for couples to come and get married instead of going to Province town or Ithaca - and green tourism. The city has just approved $353,000 in last year’s budget to pay for bike lanes. So, Sanghvi’s plan is to get Electric Vehicle chargers (EV) Level 3 for people who come into town to plug in their cars, have lunch, do a little shopping, and keep traveling. Saratoga would get tourism money without having to do much and would get the city on the map for EVs. Sanghvi believes Saratoga Springs should enjoy its history, but that there is more to the city than the racetrack.
Additionally, Sanghvi wants to invest in sustainable and renewable energy and wants to have a carbon neutral city hall by the year 2030. She loves what Skidmore College is doing to be more sustainable and believes that should be done at the city level. Sanghvi mentions that she is the only candidate talking about this idea and claims it shows how much she cares about sustainability.
What do you visualize as the ideal change for Saratoga's political culture? And what issues would you prioritize for the community moving forward?
In her interview, Sanghvi says she would love more participation in her community and in politics. She feels that Saratoga Springs still has a rich, white, and old political culture. However, she understands why it is this way as not many people can afford to run for office. Sanghvi was told that she had to raise $40,000 for a job that pays $14,000 a year in a town of 30,000 people. She finds it ridiculous the amount of money a candidate must raise, but throughout the race, she has consistently raised more than her opponents. During the last 11 days of filing, Sanghvi raised $8,260.54 while her opponents raised $1,950 and $200 respectively.
One of the issues that we believe Skidmore students care most about is the city's treatment and policies concerning Black Lives Matter (BLM) activists. How would you work to repair the relationship between the Saratoga Springs Police Department (SSPD), Saratoga City Council, and BLM activists?
As the Commissioner of Finance, Sanghvi says she will make sure the city has the money to initiate and accomplish all police reform and task recommendations properly. She plans to hold office hours at the city hall so that people can come and talk about their concerns.
What are your expectations for Election Day?
For Election Day, it all depends on voter turnout according to Sanghvi. She states, “if people come out to vote, we have momentum, there is no stopping us. As soon as people hear about my qualifications, my work at the Library they will love all of it.” Sanghvi wants to be Commissioner of Finance for everyone disregarding political affiliations.
What are your short-term and long-term goals for the position and Saratoga Springs?
Sanghvi believes that one of things the city needs to do is to look ahead and do some forecasting for where Saratoga Springs sees itself in five years - and then ten- and how the finance department can help the city reach these goals. If elected, over the course of her term, Sanghvi believes she could make the city more inclusive, sustainable, and climate ready and resilient. She also supports updating the city’s infrastructure in an environmentally friendly way. Sanghvi is excited to take some of the things that Skidmore is doing and apply it to the city.
Campus Polling Information sent out by Skidmore College:
The campus polling site in The Center, located on the second floor of Case Center across from the Campus Life and Engagement offices, will be open for voting on Tuesday, Nov. 2, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Where to vote:
If you are a student living on campus, the campus polling site will be your polling place.
If you are living locally in an off-campus house or apartment, check your polling place here.
If you are living outside New York state, find your polling place here.
Read Skidmore News’ Interview with Democratic Mayoral Candidate Ron Kim.
Read Skidmore News’ Interview with Independent Mayoral Candidate Robin Dalton.
Read Skidmore News’ Interview with Republican Mayoral Candidate Heidi Owen West.