Levinson Seeks Return To Stone Harbor Council

STONE HARBOR — H. Brian Levinson is seeking a council seat in the Nomination by Petition column. He served on council from 2004 to 2009.
During that time, he was chair of Public Safety and Natural Resources (including the Bird Sanctuary) committees.
He and his wife of 43 years, Janet, have been borough residents since 1999. They have two sons and three grandchildren.
A tax/business attorney, he has done tax planning for businesses and individuals; for 23 years, advising businesses and individuals on sales/purchases and loans; representation on matters involving government agencies in Binghamton, N.Y.
He was an adjunct professor of tax at State University of New York-Binghamton for 28 years and at Richard Stockton College of N.J. for two years.
Levinson was a law clerk in Binghamton City, N.Y. court for seven years.
As a volunteer, he has held positions as treasurer of the Broome County (N.Y.) Bar Association, and trustee and treasurer of Cider Mill Playhouse.
Locally, Levinson has served as trustee and treasurer for the Realty Owners Association. He is a board member of Friends of the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary and in the same capacity on Mustard Seed.
He received his BA from University of Rochester, Cornell Law School -JD; and NYU School of Law – LLM in Tax Skills.
He stated that he has, “The ability to achieve stated goals while complying with many rules and regulations, as well as individuals’ desires, often requires thinking ‘outside of the box.’ Solutions are not always found printed in a book or what was done before. I have used questions, analysis, and thought to create solutions to further stated goals.”
Among his concerns is the apparent “disconnect” between Council and the public.
“It is distasteful to me to have the government assert its authority and impose its directives without clear explanations or responsiveness to the question of ‘why.,’” he stated.
“I have engaged in explanations and dialogue for better understanding of problems, better acceptance of the solution, and, more importantly, for the ‘feedback’ necessary to better shape that solution,” he continued.
“I have gained insights by understanding these differences while finding common ground for a reconciliation so as to build a consensus,” he stated.
“While serving two terms on council, I asked questions both in private and in public. I accepted the criticism for my asking questions because I felt that the voters deserved explanations, and my questions facilitated the flow of information. My whole work experience involved not only asking questions but also responding to questions. You learn from questions:
His slogan is “Accountability and Transparency”