Mayoral Candidates Talk Disability Rights

By: Rochester YNN, March 17 2011

It’s an opportunity for voters with disabilities to learn more about their candidates. The Center for Disability Rights and Regional Center for Independent Living held a mayoral forum Thursday evening.

Candidates in the upcoming special election for mayor – Bill Johnson, Tom Richards, and Alex White – were invited to share their positions on disability issues and answer questions from community members.

“I think particularly if you go through census data, there’s a concentration of people with disabilities in the city of Rochester, because that’s where low income housing is, and a number of other factors,” said Chris Hilderbrant, the chief operating officer for CDR. “I think this is very important and i think the next mayor will definitely shape a lot of important issues for people with disabilities.”

Accessible housing, transportation and snow removal were among the topics brought up at the forum.