By David Riley Published on July 17, 2015 www.democratandchronicle.com
For the first time in recent years, a Green Party candidate is running for Monroe County executive.
Rajesh Barnabas, 39, filed petitions last week to appear on the ballot in the fall election.
Barnabas is a producer and director at Rochester Community TV and previously worked as a Rochester School District teacher. He has been involved as an activist with groups such as Rochester Against War, the Coalition for Police Reform and Rochester Indymedia.
He said he is running to raise ideas from some of those organizations, and because neither major party is seriously addressing income inequality, environmental issues or a crisis in the city schools.
“I think both parties — basically the Democrats in the city and the Republicans that dominate county government — they’re not looking for a county-wide solution,” Barnabas said of the school district’s problems.
Barnabas is the husband of Democrat and Chronicle columnist Erica Bryant. They live in Brighton with their two children.
Alex White, the party’s co-chairman, said a campaign kickoff is in the works for next week.
Barnabas will be running against Republican Cheryl Dinolfo and Democrat Sandra Frankel.
Green Party candidates, including White, also filed petitions to run for City Council. White is running for the South District seat now held by Democrat Adam McFadden, who also faces a primary challenge from Ann C. Lewis.
Dorothy A. Paige is running for the Northwest District also sought by Democrats Molly Clifford and Lashana D. Boose.
Anthony Giordano is running for the East District slot, where incumbent Elaine Spaull and Democrat Lisa Jacques also are running.
Candidates unaligned with any party still have until Aug. 21 to file nominating petitions.