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District 10 Update: March 28, 2025

  Government should make people's lives better and easier, not create barriers when they need help. That's why the Social Security Administration's decision to reject Westchester County's offer of county-owned space for the Hearing Office in White Plains is so disappointing. With White Plains set to close and the Newburgh office already shut down, there will soon be no Social Security Hearing Offices left in the Hudson Valley. People who need to resolve important issues -- like disability claims or benefit appeals -- will have to travel long distances just to be heard. Westchester County offered a simple, local solution, but instead of working with us, the federal government chose to walk away. I started the week joining community leaders and advoc...
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District 10 Update: March 21, 2025

Dear Friends and Neighbors,  Over the past week, I had the privilege of attending a series of events throughout Westchester County that reinforced the importance of being an ally. True allyship requires us to engage with different communities, experience their traditions, listen to their stories and histories, and work together to address shared challenges. Last week, Iona University and the American Jewish Committee of Westchester and Fairfield Counties hosted the "Shared Roots, Divergent Paths" series, featuring the program "Neither Rejected nor Accursed: Catholic Responsibility to Counter Antisemitism." Participants engaged in meaningful interfaith dialogue, exploring the unique perspectives and experiences of the Christian and Jewish communities. On Tuesday, I attended an Iftar event, celebrating the breaking of the fast of Ramadan at the Upper Westchester Muslim Society in Pleasantville. The Chair of the Bo...

District 10 Update: March 13, 2025

Dear Friends and Neighbors,  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins signed legislation that solidifies the County's commitment to challenging Con Edison's proposed utility rate increases. This action follows a unanimous, bipartisan vote by the Westchester County Board of Legislators to join the major rate case in New York State.  I join with my colleagues to take a stand against Con Edison's unfair rate hikes by challenging these excessive increases because our residents shouldn't have to foot the bill for a company already making record profits. I've heard from so many of you, families, seniors, and business owners, who are outraged by these skyrocketing costs. You deserve better. ConEd's rates are already substantially higher than those charged by other New York suppliers such as National Grid, and yet they continue to push for increases while raking in billi...

District 10 Update: March 7, 2025

    Dear Friends and Neighbors,  This week, I had the pleasure of celebrating several grand openings across District 10. It's exciting to see new businesses investing in our neighborhoods, bringing fresh opportunities and energy to our community. I also had the honor of marking the transition from Black History Month to Women's History Month and Irish American Heritage Month. My friend Linda Tarrant-Reid led a fantastic tour of the The Lincoln Park Conservancy exhibit at the New Rochelle Public Library, showcasing the rich history of Black Westchester and New Rochelle, including images from her personal collection. Additionally, I joined Women United of Westchester Social Club and the Eastchester Irish American Social Club as they kicked off their annual celebrations, highlighting the stories and contributions t...

District 10 Update: February 28, 2025

I'm pleased to share that my bipartisan Misuse of Digital Deception Bill was signed into law this week by County Executive Ken Jenkins. When leaders focus on principled values like safeguarding the public and ensuring accountability, government works! You can read more about the bill signing here . Speaking of values, this week I also stood with community leaders to speak out against hate and bigotry, standing in solidarity with both the immigrant and Jewish communities. Human nature often draws us toward those who look like us, sound like us, and experience life like us. But differences should not divide us. Those who are not like us are not our enemies. They are simply different.   We should all be allies in the fight against hate in all its forms. Antisemitism, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and misogyny are all different faces of the same divisive force. While it is sometimes ro...