Brian Sharp

@SharpRoc

Monroe County Legislator Tony Micciche announced his mayoral bid on Monday — the first Republican to officially campaign for the office in more than a decade.

Micciche kicked off his campaign in a parking lot of the former Piehler Pontiac at Lake Avenue and West Ridge Road, highlighting the loss of business and jobs in that corridor and challenging what he called the "legacy of failed progressive Democrat philosophy." Citing the city's rising poverty, failing schools, crime, high taxes and what he said was overregulation by a Democratic-run City Hall, Micciche asked: "Had enough yet?"

The 59-year-old property investor ran a write-in campaign for mayor in 2009, and first was elected to the county Legislature in 2011, unseating Democratic incumbent legislator Stephen Eckel. His district covers portions of Gates, Greece and in Rochester; the Charlotte and Maplewood areas. He was re-elected in 2015, winning 51 percent of the city vote; 53.5 percent of the district vote overall.

His is a compelling story, having come from a poor family and grown up in foster care. He was on his own at age 13, he said, "sleeping in cars, working full-time." As an adult, he worked 25 years at a General Motors plant, only to be "downsized" and forced to reinvent himself. Thus he began buying, flipping or holding properties. He has been a union member for more than 40 years.

"I am one of you," he told the more than two dozen supporters gathered Monday. "And I am the American Dream."

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But he is a Republican, running for the top office in a city where enrolled Democrats outnumber Republicans 6-to-1. The last time Micciche reported his campaign finances, in January 2016, he had just more than $500 on hand, records show. He has reported no activity since.

Mayor Lovely Warren, by comparison, had nearly $240,000 in her campaign account to start the year. Warren, along with Democratic challengers James Sheppard and Rachel Barnhart; even Green Party candidate Alex White, all have a head-start in the campaign. Lori Thomas, an independent, has also announced a run.

"I don't underestimate Tony," said Monroe County GOP chairman Bill Reilich, who joined Micciche for his announcement and, in a later interview, touted the candidate's city campaign wins. "He is going to be dedicated to this race."

Lawyer John Parrinello was the last GOP candidate on the ballot, back in 2005. He received at least $50,000 from the party and got 16 percent of the vote to Robert Duffy's 72 percent. Reilich said all candidates must meet certain benchmarks to trigger party support, including their own fundraising, the work and commitment shown and other measures.

"I know it's a different race," Micciche said of the mayoral campaign. "And I know the odds are that I probably won't win."

But he has come out firing with a litany of proposals, taking stances counter to prevailing Democratic positions, and painting himself as a common man with common-sense ideas. Said Micciche: "I'm not hiding behind fancy words like 'collaborative' and 'transparency.'"

His issues include:

►Schools: He would give the City School District one year to restructure, cut the ratio of administrative to instructional staff, raise graduation rates to 65 percent and take other actions, including the creation of a "detention school" to remove troublemakers. If those conditions are not met, he pledged to put the entire $119 million in city aid to the district in escrow until matters improved. Pressed on whether such a move is legal, he answered: "I will try."

"Why are we paying for failure?" he asked. "It would force the school district to start to perform. I'm trying to put a fire under their butt."

►Public safety: He would establish the planned but yet-to-be-located police precincts in the former Charlotte, Franklin, Wilson Magnet (the old West High), and East High schools. This, he said, would save money not having to rent new facilities, while improving school safety, truancy enforcement and support neighborhoods as well as police-community relations.

He pledged a real reduction in crime, noting the city is boasting of a 30-year-low in the crime rate while the number of murders, robberies and rapes are up year-over-year.

►Business: He would "unshackle" property and business owners from "redundant, expensive, wasteful and unneeded regulations," citing complications faced by Nick Tahou Hots, L&M Lanes and others. He pledged to install a "business hot line" in the mayor's office, resurrect the late Jake Kemp's urban enterprise zones to fight poverty, encouraging reuse of existing buildings in exchange for expedited approvals, reduced property taxes and fees.

He would dump the city's sanctuary city policy, seek to cut taxes by 10 percent and said in prepared remarks that he would "advocate for drug testing and DNA testing to hold accountable those that misuse taxpayers money." Asked to clarify, he said he was referring to those who repeatedly seek drug rehabilitation services, and the children of mothers on public assistance who do not or cannot identify the father, who could then be held accountable for assistance.

"Most of the people who are committing crimes tend — I won't say all tend — to be on some kind of assistance," he said, noting similar measures have been pushed at the county level and that the matter would be a county and state issue, primarily.

"Some of these proposals are just that, they are things to look at, to throw on the table," he said.

In the legislature, Micciche serves as chairman of the public safety committee and vice chairman of the transportation committee.

BDSHARP@Gannett.com