The Next Steps Show: Irondequoit Town Supervisor Debate

Host: Peter Vazquez
Guests: Lt. Col. (Ret.) Andre Evans (Incumbent, write-in Democrat) and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Anthony Costanza (Former Town Assessor, Republican)

Host (Peter Vazquez):
Mira, listen. Leadership is proven when no one is watching. Today is not about politics but principles: trust, integrity, and who will serve Irondequoit with accountability and courage when the spotlight fades. Today’s debate is where words meet truth and promises face reality. Welcome to The Next Steps Show, aquí con Peter Vazquez.

We are doing things differently. Over the next hour we will hear from two candidates interviewing to be your next Town Supervisor for Irondequoit, New York. The Honorable Lt. Col. (Ret.) Andre Evans, the incumbent and write-in Democrat candidate; and the Honorable Lt. Col. (Ret.) Anthony Costanza, former Town Assessor and Republican candidate. We also invited Town Board Member and endorsed Democrat candidate John Perticone, but he declined to participate.

No questions were provided in advance. All topics are presented for the first time, live, in-studio, to ensure a fair, transparent, and authentic debate.

Rules:
Each candidate has two minutes for an opening statement and a closing statement. Answers are 60 seconds; rebuttals are 30 seconds at the host’s discretion. No crosstalk. We will rotate questions by segment. The station may cut mics for time or decorum.

Opening Statements

Andre Evans:
Good afternoon. I am Andre Evans, current Town Supervisor of Irondequoit, husband to Kristen of 40 years, and father of Aaron and Gabriel. I am a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, mentor, community advocate, and former financial advisor. I returned to active duty after 9/11 and served 15 more years above my 20 because the nation needed me. I am a public servant, not a politician. I work for the people, not party politics or kingmakers. My goal is to keep building a community that lasts a lifetime by improving business climate, responsiveness, and our crumbling infrastructure. I serve the people.

Anthony Costanza:
Thank you. I appreciate that we are treating this like an interview. The job is Town Supervisor. It speaks volumes that John Perticone declined to appear. Regarding my résumé: as a military commander and comptroller I oversaw $4.8 billion, roughly 900 times Irondequoit’s budget. My OPR, signed by a major general, said my leadership and stewardship are the benchmark. Irondequoit needs innovation. For decades, citizens have been sold out to special interests. I am advocating for the 95 percent who have not been represented. If you are a millionaire on Rock Beach Road, my message may not resonate. I want every resident to thrive and to make this a town of a lifetime.

Questions

Host:
Andre, 35 years in the Army. What command-leadership practices will you bring to day-to-day operations, and how will residents see the difference in your first 90 days?

Evans:
Integrity first: doing the right things for the right reasons, especially when nobody is looking. Selfless service: set aside what benefits me and work for what benefits residents. Innovation: officers do not just give orders; we improve systems that last beyond one command. I will build processes that outlive me.

Host:
Anthony, Irondequoit has about 51 officers for 52,000 residents. You have discussed federal grants to add 10–15 officers and a trades/arts/science training center. How do you scale staffing and deliver projects like accessible parks?

Costanza:
We must right-size the force. Daily population doubles or triples with commuters and the banking sector. Pursue federal grants for officers, hire for character and chain-of-command discipline, and train to standards. On accessible parks, we will scope needs and funding, then execute with schedule discipline.

Host:
Anthony, you said you corrected thousands of property assessment errors and used an independent appraisal on your own home. What deliverables will you publish in your first 100 days?

Costanza:
First, lift the hood and see where we are. FOIL requests have been slow-walked by some, not by Andre. Deliverables: transparent, line-item budgeting from revenue to expense; and change how we conduct town meetings to be more accessible and less adversarial.

Host:
You reduced your home valuation using an outside appraisal. Step by step, how was that compliant?

Costanza:
I contacted New York State Real Property officials first to confirm jurisdiction. I requested an outside assessor; that was denied. On their guidance I exercised no personal discretion and used a licensed appraiser’s number.

Evans (rebuttal):
We investigated twice, including by an IG and an auditor. Anthony followed procedures. The apparent reduction was largely veterans’ exemptions taking effect. Irondequoit supports veterans and police.

Host:
Andre, an independent investigation led to a censure and mandated training. Have you completed the training?

Evans:
I have taught sexual harassment training for 35 years and completed training multiple times through organizations I serve. The board wanted a specific paid trainer at an astronomical cost. That was not done.

Host:
Affidavits alleged offensive comments and retaliation. If reelected, what safeguards will you implement to prevent issues and rebuild staff trust?

Evans:
I categorically deny the allegations. We will strengthen the ethics board, policy, and managerial training to uphold the highest standards.

Costanza (rebuttal):
I worked in Town Hall for ten months and did not see a harassment problem. There is no collusion here; we will not attack each other with things that are not true. I would wear a body camera as Supervisor and even place a camera in my office with appropriate audio limits. Full transparency.

Host:
Anthony, you cite an 11 percent departmental cut as assessor and pledge a 10 percent pay cut as Supervisor. What gets trimmed without degrading services?

Costanza:
I inherit a budget not of my making. Start with procurement. End sole-source habits. If we cannot get multiple bids, we do not award. A condemned house demo cost $65,000 with one bidder. That is unacceptable.

Host:
Anthony, explain PRD and COD to catch regressivity. How will you publish these and who audits them?

Costanza:
The public cares about level of assessment, not PRD or COD. Those are state statistics that do not determine tax bills. Publish plain-language assessed-to-market ratios and keep them fair.

Evans (rebuttal):
Our distribution shows lower-valued homes paying too much and upper-valued homes not enough. Valid reassessment is needed to align assessed and market values.

Host (Lightning Round):
Cut spending or grow revenue first?

Evans: Cut spending.
Costanza: More analysis on crime before action.
Evans: Faster permits over lower fees.
Costanza: Potholes before sidewalks.
Evans: Digital packets over paper.

Publish a public KPI dashboard in 90 days?
Costanza: Yes.
Veto a budget line that raises the levy above inflation?
Costanza: Yes.
Acknowledge every FOIL within two business days?
Evans: No; follow the law’s timelines.
Independent audit of the assessment roll?
Both: Yes.
Adopt a good idea from your opponent?
Both: Yes.

Finish the sentence:
Easiest dollar to save is…
Evans: The one never spent.
Costanza: My own salary.
Most overlooked neighborhood need…
Costanza: Policing.
Evans: Public housing.
Best way to keep property taxes stable…
Evans: Cut spending.
Economic development should look like…
Costanza: Double what it is now.

Policy yes/no: term limits, cost per plowed mile, fee sunsets, body-worn cameras.
Both: Yes to all.

Host:
Name one metric you will publish monthly that your opponent has not mentioned.

Evans:
Sales-tax data, true crime statistics, and any staff fee or policy changes.

Costanza:
Higher-fidelity crime reporting, plus salaries by position, not by name.

Host:
One way you will include people who did not vote for you.

Evans:
Form cross-topic committees from budget to development.
Costanza:
Improve their pocketbook. That is how you show care across the aisle.

[Break]
Proverbs 29:2: when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, people mourn.

Segment Two

Host:
Andre, you are a write-in. What does that say about party support?

Evans:
I have rarely had party support; I have people’s support. My independent stance likely made me a target. This election is direct democracy.

Costanza:
I entered politics recently after 25 years in the military. We built a grassroots movement focused on fiscal responsibility and people over party.

Host:
Why should voters trust your ethics, and what transparency will you apply?

Costanza:
Ethics is the cornerstone. I held TS/SCI clearance. I was not allowed to speak fully, but I will in court. I will be exonerated.

Evans (rebuttal):
The ethics board was broken. I rebuilt it and directed design of a comprehensive ethics policy and program.

Host:
Property crime pressure is real. What concrete steps will you take, and how will you measure progress?

Costanza:
Create a live public dashboard tracking complaints and resolution timelines.

Evans:
Be data-driven. Strengthen neighborhood watch, lawfully link doorbell cameras to police, and make code enforcement proactive. Integrate code, fire marshal, and police.

Host:
Balance safety with freedom and privacy.

Costanza:
Uphold the Bill of Rights. Enforce laws within state and federal guidelines. No eavesdropping or wiretaps without cause. Form a task force and stay transparent.

Evans:
Collect metadata lawfully, access only when a crime exists, purge on a fixed schedule, and be transparent about what is collected and when.

Host:
The Irondequoit Bay Harbor Management Plan notes the entire perimeter is DEC Class I wetlands. How will you balance development with protection?

Evans:
Work with DEC. My plans improve access within regulations and enhance watershed and wildlife protections. We can support people and wetlands.

Costanza:
Class I protections and steep slopes make certain building costly and unwise. Follow guidelines and focus development where it makes engineering and fiscal sense.

Host:
Andre, you proposed $18/hour part-time and $20/hour full-time. You applied for funding for accessible playgrounds, skate parks, and bathrooms, and backed a $4.2 million Family Justice Center at Skyview. How will you pay and sustain operations?

Evans:
The wage floor is already in place. We funded it by cutting waste and redundant roles, finishing under budget. Justice Center uses grant support. I plan on five-year horizons with risk and regression analysis.

Costanza:
Grants do not last. Broaden the tax base with real residential and commercial growth so improvements are sustainable. Root-cause analysis and economies of scale matter.

Host:
Define “discrimination to fix injustice” in hiring.

Costanza:
Hire the best qualified candidate using structured HR panels and scoring.

Evans:
Do not hire based on identity, but widen recruiting pipelines. If you only recruit in one area, you will not get a representative candidate pool.

Host:
Guardrails to prevent reverse bias?

Costanza:
Set expectations and publish criteria. If you are most qualified, you get the job.

Evans:
Hire the best people. Cast a wide net across suburban, urban, and rural areas.

Host:
Evidence that opponents drove cases against you?

Evans:
An investigation concluded in November, then was timed to nominations. I received a letter threatening embarrassment unless I resigned. I stood and fought.

Costanza:
My opponent claimed the NYS Assessors Association would find me guilty. I produced a letter from their counsel declining to pursue. We also recorded him breaking town law on July 4. There has been a pattern of false statements.

Host:
Rochester codified a sanctuary policy in August 2025. Do you agree with claims that sanctuary cities have lower crime and stronger economies?

Evans:
I do not have the data to say.
Costanza:
Cities should not impose their will on federal and state actions.

Will you direct Irondequoit Police to cooperate with federal agencies like ICE beyond emergency aid or mirror Rochester limits?

Evans:
Yes, cooperate in emergencies.
Costanza:
Yes. Cooperation already occurs; reversing it would be ridiculous.

Closing Statements

Costanza:
We live in polarized times. I am asking for the job of Supervisor to raise Irondequoit’s quality of life. I have no higher political ambitions. I grew up here. I want to leave this place better for my 10-year-old son. Website: https://irondequoit1st.com

Evans:
There are no charges or indictments against me. If you cannot stand on truth, you should not lead. I fight for the people. Our town has won awards for safety and environmental policy and remains a top place to buy a first home. Website: https://voteandreaevans.com

Host:
Early voting starts tomorrow. Do not wait. Today’s debate is where words met truth and promises met reality. Be a leader. God bless the United States of America. Do not let one second go by where you are not a voice for liberty. That includes voting.