HENRY C. GRANISON
DEMOCRAT FOR COUNTY LEGISLATOR
PRESS RELEASE
Henry Granison, Long Time Belle Sherman Resident, Announces Run For Tompkins County
Legislature.
ITHACA, NEW YORK, April 21, 2017
Henry Granison, longtime Ithaca resident, adjunct faculty member at Tompkins Cortland Community
College (TC3), and father of two, today announced his candidacy for the Democratic Party nomination
for Tompkins County Legislator for the 3rd District, which encompasses neighborhoods of selected
parts of Cornell's campus and Collegetown, Belle Sherman and South Hill. Granison will compete in
the Democratic primary on September 12, 2017.
"I debated for some time whether to run for this seat, but ultimately it came down to a motivational
truth: I want to help my community overcome the significant challenges and threats resulting from last
November's national election,” Granison said. “Like so many of my neighbors, I have gone through
five stages of grief since November; but instead of acceptance as the last stage, I choose action.”
While Granison acknowledges that the county legislature does not have the power to directly impact
national policy, “there are ways that county government can assist lower and middle income residents
in combating some of the negative impacts stemming from national policies,” Granison said. He points
to recent county resolutions supporting the Affordable Care Act and protecting the status of the county's
immigrant population as examples.
Granison was born and raised in New Jersey. As a first-generation college student, he was grateful to be
able to attend Harvard College. His first job after college graduation was working in the Washington,
D.C. Office of his local Congressman, the Honorable Peter Rodino (D-NJ). As manager of constituent
services, Granison observed first-hand how an elected representative can best interact with his
constituency. During this time, Granison applied and was admitted to Cornell Law School.
After graduating from Cornell Law School in 1988, Granison married his law school sweetheart and
classmate Mary Beth Grant. He worked at two large corporate law firms and later transitioned to
working at the Minnesota Legal Ethics Board. Granison returned to Ithaca in 1999 to work in the
Admissions Office of his alma mater. Granison later taught law-related classes at TC3 for over a
decade. Granison and his family have resided in the Bryant Park area of the Belle Sherman
neighborhood for almost eighteen years. Ms. Grant has worked at Cornell University since August of
1999. Their two children attended Belle Sherman Elementary School, Boynton Middle School and
Ithaca High School. Their oldest daughter graduated from Hofstra University and is currently a firstyear
law student at Washington University's School of Law. Their younger daughter graduated from the
College of the Holy Cross and currently works at a not-for-profit organization in Ithaca.
As the son of working-class parents who belonged to the Bakery and Electrical Workers unions,
Granison cares about people who live in poverty and about people in the working and middle classes.
“I strongly believe in the traditional ideals of the Democratic Party of protecting people who live in
poverty and those in the working and middle classes. I have always been a member of the Democratic
Party and always voted for the party,” he said.
.
“I want to assist people who have problems in their everyday lives. I believe that we need to protect the
wide variety of social services and to provide additional affordable housing in the county. Donald
Trump's budget outline, by contrast, proposes cuts to many vital social services like the Meals on
Wheels program and the complete defunding of the Legal Services Corporation. Moreover, as an
African American male I vigorously advocate for equal rights and protections for all.”
Granison realizes that the county legislature's funding of these critical issues will have to be balanced
with all the other unfunded mandates and other needs facing the county. Granison acknowledges that
making these fiscal and policy decisions will not be easy. “If elected, I will use my experience working
with the public to seek input from the residents of the district." He notes that inclusion is vital for a
truly representative government, and he plans to establish a constituent advisory board to seek the
opinions of residents of the 3rd District.
The motto of the legislature is "Inclusion through Diversity," which is one of the hallmarks of
Granison’s campaign. "I want to represent a diversity of opinions of the 3rd District. I will strive to be
an effective advocate for all members of my district,” Granison said.
Contact:
Henry C. Granison
votehenryg@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/henrygranisonNY/
(607) 342-8643
DEMOCRAT FOR COUNTY LEGISLATOR
PRESS RELEASE
Henry Granison, Long Time Belle Sherman Resident, Announces Run For Tompkins County
Legislature.
ITHACA, NEW YORK, April 21, 2017
Henry Granison, longtime Ithaca resident, adjunct faculty member at Tompkins Cortland Community
College (TC3), and father of two, today announced his candidacy for the Democratic Party nomination
for Tompkins County Legislator for the 3rd District, which encompasses neighborhoods of selected
parts of Cornell's campus and Collegetown, Belle Sherman and South Hill. Granison will compete in
the Democratic primary on September 12, 2017.
"I debated for some time whether to run for this seat, but ultimately it came down to a motivational
truth: I want to help my community overcome the significant challenges and threats resulting from last
November's national election,” Granison said. “Like so many of my neighbors, I have gone through
five stages of grief since November; but instead of acceptance as the last stage, I choose action.”
While Granison acknowledges that the county legislature does not have the power to directly impact
national policy, “there are ways that county government can assist lower and middle income residents
in combating some of the negative impacts stemming from national policies,” Granison said. He points
to recent county resolutions supporting the Affordable Care Act and protecting the status of the county's
immigrant population as examples.
Granison was born and raised in New Jersey. As a first-generation college student, he was grateful to be
able to attend Harvard College. His first job after college graduation was working in the Washington,
D.C. Office of his local Congressman, the Honorable Peter Rodino (D-NJ). As manager of constituent
services, Granison observed first-hand how an elected representative can best interact with his
constituency. During this time, Granison applied and was admitted to Cornell Law School.
After graduating from Cornell Law School in 1988, Granison married his law school sweetheart and
classmate Mary Beth Grant. He worked at two large corporate law firms and later transitioned to
working at the Minnesota Legal Ethics Board. Granison returned to Ithaca in 1999 to work in the
Admissions Office of his alma mater. Granison later taught law-related classes at TC3 for over a
decade. Granison and his family have resided in the Bryant Park area of the Belle Sherman
neighborhood for almost eighteen years. Ms. Grant has worked at Cornell University since August of
1999. Their two children attended Belle Sherman Elementary School, Boynton Middle School and
Ithaca High School. Their oldest daughter graduated from Hofstra University and is currently a firstyear
law student at Washington University's School of Law. Their younger daughter graduated from the
College of the Holy Cross and currently works at a not-for-profit organization in Ithaca.
As the son of working-class parents who belonged to the Bakery and Electrical Workers unions,
Granison cares about people who live in poverty and about people in the working and middle classes.
“I strongly believe in the traditional ideals of the Democratic Party of protecting people who live in
poverty and those in the working and middle classes. I have always been a member of the Democratic
Party and always voted for the party,” he said.
.
“I want to assist people who have problems in their everyday lives. I believe that we need to protect the
wide variety of social services and to provide additional affordable housing in the county. Donald
Trump's budget outline, by contrast, proposes cuts to many vital social services like the Meals on
Wheels program and the complete defunding of the Legal Services Corporation. Moreover, as an
African American male I vigorously advocate for equal rights and protections for all.”
Granison realizes that the county legislature's funding of these critical issues will have to be balanced
with all the other unfunded mandates and other needs facing the county. Granison acknowledges that
making these fiscal and policy decisions will not be easy. “If elected, I will use my experience working
with the public to seek input from the residents of the district." He notes that inclusion is vital for a
truly representative government, and he plans to establish a constituent advisory board to seek the
opinions of residents of the 3rd District.
The motto of the legislature is "Inclusion through Diversity," which is one of the hallmarks of
Granison’s campaign. "I want to represent a diversity of opinions of the 3rd District. I will strive to be
an effective advocate for all members of my district,” Granison said.
Contact:
Henry C. Granison
votehenryg@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/henrygranisonNY/
(607) 342-8643
