Downtown is the "center" of our community. We believe we have lost the center and it's time to find it again. We envision our Capital District downtowns, (downtown Troy, downtown Schenectady, and especially downtown Albany), as centers that offer enjoyable residential accommodations as well as places of interest that will attract a steady stream of visitors. Downtown Albany needs shopping. Serious shopping, from galleries and boutiques to a fashionable indoor shopping mall. It also needs a good old-fashioned trolley to take people up and down State Street. And all the downtowns need a "fareless zone," where people can ride a CDTA bus a couple of blocks to get from one fun, interesting place to another, hassle free. Our downtowns also need bright red Kiosks centrally placed where friendly community representatives will greet visitors, tell them about the day's many happenings, hand out brochures and coupons and even sell tickets (like NY's TKTS but friendlier). We support the prospect that change and progress begin with us, so we sign this petition as a first step to making change happen.