White Plains Voter Guide for State and County Races

By Krista Madsen and Rasheed Oluwa

Here is a rundown of all the Westchester County and state races you’ll see on the ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 5 from six NY State proposals to many uncontested spots and real competitions county-wide and in your district.

From vote411.org:

County Executive

Term: 4 Years; Salary: $160,760         

The County Executive is the chief executive.  Duties include supervising the day to day administration; supervising the structure and organization of each department; reporting to the County Legislature; appointing, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature; serving as the chief budget officer; executing contracts and agreements for the County; executing all executive and administrative powers in relation to any and all functions of County government.                     

• Robert Astorino (R, C), Westchester County Executive of Hawthorne, Mount Pleasant, Campaign Website http://www.robastorino.com

• Noam Bramson (D, WF, I), Mayor, New Rochelle of New Rochelle, Campaign Website http://noambramson.org

IN THE NEWS: For more on the County Executive race and their debate in White Plains, click here. More recently, the candidates bickered over alleged campaign sign removal by Bramson's camp.For this story, click here.

County District Attorney

• Janet DiFiore (D, C, WF)

County Clerk

• Timothy C. Idoni (D), Westchester County Clerk

• Mary Beth Murphy (R, C, I), Supervisor, Town of Somers

County Court Justice

• Montgomery J. Delaney (R), Trial Attorney

• David F. Everett (D, WF, I), Attorney

Supreme Court Justice - 9th Judicial District

• Daniel D. Angiolillo (R, C, I), Associate Justice, of the Appellate Division, NYS Supreme Court

Family Court Justice

• Kathie E. Davidson (D, R, C, WF, I)

IN THE NEWS: For more on all the judicial races, including candidates' ratings from the Women's Bar Association, click here.

District Legislators

Term: 2 years; Salary: $49,200 Base

Duties: Among the duties of each County Legislator is to enact laws dealing with the County and its residents; to adopt an annual budget and to levy taxes; to determine the structure of County Government and the number of County employees and their salaries; and to initiate new projects and programs as the need arises.  There are 17 County Districts.

District 5 includes White Plains and Scarsdale.

• Benjamin Boykin II (D, WF, I) White Plains City Councilman;  President, Ben Boykin & Associates http://www.voteboykin.com/working.shtml

New York State Proposals

1: An Amendment - Authorizing Casino Gaming

The proposed amendment to section 9 of article 1 of the Constitution would allow the Legislature to authorize up to seven casinos in New York State for the legislated purposes of promoting job growth, increasing aid to schools, and permitting local governments to lower property taxes through revenues generated.  Shall the amendment be approved?

2: An Amendment - Additional Civil Service Credit for Veterans with Disabilities Certified Post-Appointment

The proposed amendment to section 6 of article 5 of the Constitution would entitle a veteran who has received civil service credit for a civil service appointment or promotion and subsequently is certified as disabled to additional civil service credit at subsequent appointment or promotion. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?

3: An Amendment - Exclusion of Indebtedness Contracted for Sewage Facilities

The proposed amendment to Article 8, section 5 of the Constitution would extend for ten years, until January 1, 2024, the authority of counties, cities, towns, and villages to exclude from their constitutional debt limits indebtedness contracted for the construction or reconstruction of sewage facilities. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?

4: An Amendment - Settling Disputed Title in the Forest Preserve

The proposed amendment to section 1 of article 14 of the Constitution would authorize the Legislature to settle longstanding disputes between the State and private entities over certain parcels of land within the forest preserve in the town of Long Lake, Hamilton County. In exchange for giving up its claim to disputed parcels, the State would get land to be incorporated into the forest preserves that would benefit the forest preserve more than the disputed parcels currently do. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?

5: An Amendment - In Relation to a Land Exchange in the State Forest Preserve with NYCO Minerals, Inc.

The proposed amendment to section 1 of article 14 of the Constitution would authorize the Legislature to convey forest preserve land located in the town of Lewis, Essex County, to NYCO Minerals, a private company that plans on mining the land. In exchange, the NYCO Minerals would give the State at least the same amount of land of at least the same value, with a minimum assessed value of $1 million, to be added to the forest preserve. When NYCO Minerals finishes mining, it would restore the condition of the land and return it to the forest preserve. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?

6: An Amendment - Increasing Age until which Certain State Judges Can Serve