Lisa Thagard

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Lisa Thagard

Independent

Education

Bachelor's

Buffalo State University, 2007

Graduate

Buffalo State University, 2023

Personal

Birthplace

Buffalo, N.Y.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Social worker

Lisa Thagard (independent) ran for election to the Buffalo Common Council to represent North District in New York. She did not appear on the ballot for the general election on November 7, 2023. She did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on June 27, 2023.

Thagard completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Thagard was born in Buffalo, New York. Thagard earned a bachelor's degree in sociology and a graduate certificate in public administration from Buffalo State University. Thagard's career experience includes working as a social worker.

Elections

2023

See also: City elections in Buffalo, New York (2023)

General election

General election for Buffalo Common Council North District

Incumbent Joseph Golombek won election in the general election for Buffalo Common Council North District on November 7, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joseph Golombek (D / Conservative Party)	97.5	2,243
		Other/Write-in votes	2.5	58

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,301
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Lisa Thagard (Independent)
• Eve Shippens (Working Families Party)
• Matthew Powenski (R)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Buffalo Common Council North District

Incumbent Joseph Golombek defeated Eve Shippens in the Democratic primary for Buffalo Common Council North District on June 27, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joseph Golombek	70.3	1,078
		Eve Shippens	29.5	453
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	2

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,533
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Lisa Thagard (D)

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Matthew Powenski advanced from the Republican primary for Buffalo Common Council North District.

Conservative Party primary election

The Conservative Party primary election was canceled. Incumbent Joseph Golombek advanced from the Conservative Party primary for Buffalo Common Council North District.

Working Families Party primary election

The Working Families Party primary election was canceled. Eve Shippens advanced from the Working Families Party primary for Buffalo Common Council North District.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Thagard in this election.

Campaign themes

2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Lisa Thagard completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Thagard's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm Lisa Thagard and I am a mother, grandmother, social worker and an activist. As an activist I am an advocate for disadvantaged individuals. I believe in always fighting for what is right. I will never stop standing up for what is right. I stand with others against an unjust world. We are disadvantaging the next generation when we do not stabilize the neighborhood to make it a fair and equitable development throughout the entire North District. Currently I live in the North District, Riverside, Historical Black Rock area and I am aware of what is needed in the district to make it a better place for the future. My mission is to empower the North District; promote solutions that reduce crime and violence, restore families, revitalize underserved communities. I am running for the North District Council seat to improve the quality of life and protecting our safety throughout the City of Buffalo. Councilman Joseph Golombek has been the North District Common Councilman for 23 years. To know Joseph Golombek, serve on the Council for two decades and he did not capitalize on the Historical aspect of Black Rock and creation of economic enterprise is very disturbing and a disservice to the City of Buffalo. A community supposed to grow, not stay the same or deteriorate. I am prepared to be the Councilwoman to encourage safety, health and wellness, opportunities in the community. My vision of a growing community is building, nurturing, and strengthening the district.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Improving the Quality of Life and Protecting Our Safety. Providing resources to the community to make them more livable and sustainable. Building communities is a beautiful process that not only cultivate connection amongst people, but it offers a collective space for experience sharing. My goal is to develop community spaces designed through systems of safety, openness and good moderation to allow people to share their experiences and learn from one another. When I was out campaigning, I told the residents "It's Not About Me, It's About Us, We Will Build the North District Together". If we truly want to repair the City of Buffalo, then it's up to all of us to come together roll up our sleeves and do the repairs.
• Affordable Housing and Infrastructure. Our community needs vital resources as we grow to build a better future. We require quality access to health care, suitable and affordable housing, activities for all ages of the family, eco-friendly playgrounds, transportation, mental health and preventative services. These resources allow us to enjoy the quality of life. It's important to be proactive in ensuring health-related resources are available. The blue and green infrastructure movement encourages access to green space and nature. Which incorporates waters, plants, grass, and trees into the Black Rock area.
• Resources for Homeowners and the Local Businesses. I will be the North District voice to make sure all residents and Business owners voice their concerns in a common space for conversations to allow communication with each other. Throughout my term I will meet regularly with the neighbors; attend block club meetings and engage with the local businesses as well as the local police department to stay informed on what's going on in the district. I plan on creating genuine interactions between residents and business owners in the district.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Land use influences the quality of a community. How land is utilized impacts economic development, affects transportation, determines the types of housing and population density. Eliminate single-family zoning laws and allow the denser housing. These denser housing types are urgently needed to increase supply and help mitigate affordability challenges, particularly multi-family rental housing options. Upzoning existing zones allows higher density development through increased building heights, reduction in minimum lot sizes, higher unit-per-acre maximums, and similar standard changes. It also means allowing multi-family properties in zones where single-family properties are also allowed. Being a social worker and seeing the challenges our youth and families are facing today it is very important I invest in more community centers and activities in the district. Community centers provide a safe place for young people to hang out, make new friends, and stay out of trouble. The centers will accommodate all age groups with the goal of empowering individuals and families providing opportunities for active living and recreation in a safe, inclusive environment and improving the quality of community life. I will commit to finding more resources to address sidewalks, road repairs and poor housing conditions especially homeowners who often can't afford to make repairs. The local businesses are essential to the district. My vision is to revitalize the North District.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My Grandmother Pinkie Thagard, she was a beautiful, remarkable, strong woman who had 10 children, 8 sons and two daughters. She lived to be 93 years old and was Blessed to see four generations. Shirley Chisholm, she was the first African American woman to be elected to the United States Congress and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's Presidential nomination. Harriet Tubman, she was an American Abolitionist and Social Activist who was an escaped enslaved woman who became a conductor on the Underground Railroad, leading enslaved people to freedom. Harriet Tubman helped ensure the final defeat of slavery in the U.S. by aiding the Union during the American Civil War. She served as a nurse, a Union spy and a women's suffrage supporter.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The principles that are most important for an elected official is accountability, transparency, fairness and responsibility, for the best interest of stakeholders and community as a whole.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The Buffalo Common Council exercises the legislative powers of city government, including adopting the annual City budget, ordinances, and resolutions, setting appropriate tax levies, establishing sewer and water tax rates. City Council members include introducing legislation, setting City policy, and giving advice. A Buffalo Common Council member is an advocate for the district they serve and represent. The Council member will respond to constituent requests, enacts laws and promotes the safety of its citizens. Address green space, improvement of sidewalks and approve zoning laws and other building code issues.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Mayor Summer Youth, I was 14 years old, a Receptionist at St. Andrew Presbyterian Manor. Initially it was a seasonal summer job. When school started, I worked part time as the weekend receptionist for the nursing home for a year.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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