After mentioning the special election in two previous blogs – including one that embedded the mayoral debate , it would be anticlimactic not to mention the results.
Election Results:
The turnout was low – as was expected, but Tom Roach (D) won a decisive victory winning 52% of the vote with Bob Hyland (R ) winning 35% and Glenn Hockley (I) taking in 15% of the vote.
There were only 8700 ballets cast in this special election – which is sad given the estimated population of over 57,000. So that probably translates into something under 25% of the eligible voters turning out. Given that this was a special election on an odd day, it would be hard to say that this was unexpected. But it underscores the potential for volatility that special elections for local offices tend to have.
Where we have been:
For my part, I think the right man won. I spent a fair amount of time phone banking for Mr. Roach – so I obviously felt strongly that he was the right person for the job. White Plains is a great city and I am proud to call it my home. But its a city that has been through a lot lately. We need an experienced level headed public servant – and I believe, that that’s what we got. Although the city lived up to the hype of ” White Plains Renaissance” while the economy boomed – once the recession set in it was no longer so easy.
Many long-time residents had been worried that the downtown “Renaissance” was “too much, too fast” but Mayor Joseph Delfino ignored the pleas for restraint and the build up of the downtown continued its relentless pace. Then the bill came due. Revenue from the much ballyhooed downtown shrank but the infrastructure costs continued. Taxes were soaring, people who had been “sold” the downtown Renaissance were fuming under increased tax burdens and decreasing services.
In 2010 the fiscal crisis was all too real. But we had a new mayor. However, no sooner had Mr. Bradley taken the oath when scandal erupted. Bradley was arrested, charged and convicted on domestic violence charges. Throughout the ordeal and even after his conviction, he refused to resign. I even commented to friend that I thought he was trying to figure out how to run the city from prison if he had to.
Where we need to go:
So Mayor Roach enters office with some daunting tasks….The people of White Plains wish him well. He will need our support in the coming months because there is a lot on his plate. He has to lead the city back into a state of solvency in the midst of cutbacks at the state a federal levels while still providing services. Taxes need to be stabilized to prevent those on fixed incomes from being forced to move. This would impact home values that have already been beaten down by a poor economy. There is nothing trivial about the tasks ahead. That is why I am glad that an experience public servant won.
I’m sorry that I don’t’ have a decent photo of the “winner” but I try not to “steal” photos from the web and though I was at the victory party, the lighting was not great. Here is a link to the News 12 Video of the victory speech.
© 2011 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.
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