Schenectady County Legislator Philip Fields resigns
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- On Tuesday, Schenectady County Legislator Philip Fields resigned from the legislature. According to the Legislature, he resigned due to increased demands of a recent promotion.
Philips was appointed to the Legislature in 2004 to fill a vacant seat and has been a legislator ever since. At the time of his resignation, Philips was the Deputy Chair of the Legislature and Chair of the Rules and Ways & Means Committee.
According to the Schenectady Democratic Committee, Fields was a steadfast member of the county legislature and utilized his professional background to advance financial interests for county residents.
"The Schenectady County tax levy is lower today than it was in 2016, and the nine-year average County tax increase is 0.0%. Legislator Fields played an instrumental role in making that possible," Chairman of the Schenectady County Democratic Committee Frank Salamone said. "While Legislator Fields has represented all Schenectadians, his advocacy on behalf of the Guyanese community has been instrumental in the assimilation of the Guyanese community in Schenectady. In addition to his service on the County Legislature, Fields has helped to advance “Caribbean Day” to be the great success it has become."
The legislature said Fields was the first African American and Guyanese American to serve as a legislator. He has also been a member of the Schenectady County Human Rights Commission since 2007.
"Legislator Fields will leave large shoes to fill but I am confident that the members of the Democratic Caucus are well equipped to continue to work on behalf of all Schenectadians," Salamone added.
"It has been an incredible honor to serve the people of District 2 and Schenectady County over the past 21 years," Fields said. "I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together, from fostering economic growth through our unified economic development team to improving public services and preserving the unique character of our community. I am grateful for the trust and support of my colleagues, County staff, and residents throughout my tenure. While I am stepping down, I remain committed to Schenectady County’s success and look forward to seeing its continued progress."
According to the County Charter, now that he resigned, a special meeting must happen within 45 days. At the meeting, the full legislature will take nominations and then vote to appoint someone to fill the vacancy.
"It has been a privilege to serve alongside Legislator Fields and to have been part of the body that appointed him more than two decades ago," said Gary Hughes, Chair of the Schenectady County Legislature. "His steadfast commitment to our community, his leadership in crafting responsible budgets that balanced critical services with fiscal responsibility, and his historic tenure as one of our longest-serving members leave an enduring legacy. We thank him for his dedicated service and wish him the very best in the future."
Philip leaves the legislature to serve as Secretary to the NYS Assembly Ways and Means Committee. According to Salamone, Fields has dedicated himself to making life better and more affordable and the new role will allow him to continue to do so.