!VOTE NOW! - Nov 2 or on Election Day: Nov 4,
Ithaca Town Hall (215 N Tioga St) or Robert Purcell Community Center. (107 Jessup Rd)
ENDORSED BY
RICH JOHN - Tompkins County Legislature 2016-
MARTHA ROBERTSON - Tompkins County Legislature 2002-2021
MARGARET FABRIZIO - Ithaca Common Council 2024-2028
Gepe Zurenda for Ithaca Common Council
Ward 5
General Election November 4, 2025
General Election November 4, 2025
About Gepe:
Gepe (pronounced “Jeep”) is a native of Elmira, NY and has been an Ithaca resident for the past 39 years. While currently a clinical social worker, he has also worked in manufacturing, both on the assembly line and in management. Gepe has always prioritized giving back to his community, and has previously served on the Ithaca City Planning Board, Board of Family and Children’s Services, and at the Advocacy Center. He was a founding member of Ithaca Community Recovery and served as Treasurer of Cornell’s Center for Religion, Ethics, and Social Policy. Gepe hopes to continue his service to the Ithaca Community on Common Council, where he will work hard for greater affordability and inclusivity. Read more about Gepe in his own words here.
Gepe’s Platform
•Make Ithaca more affordable by lowering Ithaca’s property tax burden for renters and homeowners
•Informed and inclusive decision-making
•Secure an equitable Memorandum of Understanding with Cornell
•Implement zoning changes to expand housing stock
•Better define the roles of City Manager, Mayor, Council
•Apply performance metrics for the City Manager
•Increase timely property inspections and code enforcement
•Focus on county-wide climate initiatives
•Support student advisory board, student-faculty research program, and internship opportunities
What are your hopes for Ithaca? What do you think Common Council should prioritize? Please let Gepe know!
A Letter from Martha Robertson:
Ward 5 voters - I urge you to vote for G. P. (Gepe) Zurenda to represent you on Ithaca’s Common Council!
As a Tompkins County Legislator for 20 years, I had to make many difficult choices about money. Gepe is super qualified for that responsibility, with the ability to make wise, nuanced, and compassionate fiscal choices.
Gepe’s first career being in manufacturing, his extensive management experience included having to make hard calls when revenues just didn’t cover expenses. With a second career as a clinical social worker serving many clients with addiction, Gepe’s empathy for the struggles people live with runs deep. He is uniquely qualified to handle the complex decisions an alderperson must make.
The candidates’ platforms are also starkly different. Gepe’s blog shows his understanding of competing needs and presents practical solutions that will make a difference. I’m afraid his opponent’s platform is more of a wish list, with nothing about how she’d pay for her aspirations.
The Tompkins County Democratic Committee (TCDC) has a rule that committee members shall support the primary winner for the general election, regardless of who they endorsed in the primary. If the member wants to publicly support another candidate, they must resign from TCDC. I agree with this rule (and wish that Democrats in New York City would follow it and support Zohran Mamdani!). Therefore I have submitted my resignation from TCDC so that I can write this letter. It means that much to me.
Martha Robertson
Tompkins County Legislator, 2002-2021
A message from RICHARD JOHN:
I am writing in support of Gepe Zurenda in his campaign for a Ward Five seat on the Common Council. Gepe is a longtime City resident and business owner. His knowledge of the community and experience are needed in our city. He has served in various local government and not-for profit positions that demonstrate his long-term commitment to being here and participating. In particular, the City is facing some impressive financial challenges. Adding his understanding of budgets, finance, and management, would be of real benefit to the Common Council and City taxpayers. If you are a Ward Five voter, I hope you will give Gepe Zurenda a chance to earn your vote.
Richard John
Tompking County Legislator, 2016 to Present
A LETTER FROM MARGARET FABRIZIO
I encouraged Gepe to run because he has the people smarts, heart, and business savvy required for the job. He gets it that our track is unsustainable, that local taxes are running renters and property owners out of town, that our basic infrastructure (think potholes and frequently busted water pipes!) is in shambles, that we need to prioritize the health of the Commons, make Collegetown more vibrant, and ensure elected officials act as critical thinkers and well-informed policymakers. Gepe also supports my goals of creating a student advisory board and a permanent student/faculty internship program to help local government better research, brainstorm, and innovate.
Gepe's combination of MBA and MSW degrees cannot be undervalued. He will bring decades of business management experience and decades of listening to people and helping to resolve problems to the table. He has worked for 25 years as a therapist specializing in drug and alcohol counseling and is a founding member of the local non-profit Ithaca Community Recovery. He has also volunteered time and expertise to the Ithaca City Planning Board, Family and Children’s Services, the Advocacy Center, and Cornell’s Center for Religion, Ethics, and Social Policy. He has been a truly engaged Ithacan for decades and is well-versed in the city’s challenges and opoortunities.
Life experience and work experience counts! I am looking forward to having Gepe's combination of wisdom, pragmatism, and compassion at the table. I fully support him and hope you will, too. Election Day: Nov 4, Ithaca Town Hall or Robert Purcell Community Center.
Margaret Fabrizio, Alderperson, Ward 5
