Meet the Candidates for TOE Councilman: Anita Rosner

Kicking off Patch's coverage of the Town of Eastchester (TOE) political candidates for this November's election are the four candidates contending for the two Town Councilman positions: Anita Rosner, Joe Dooley, John Filiberti and Glen Bellitto. 

Patch recently spoke with Anita Rosner, a Bronxville Manor resident and 13-year Eastchester resident, who in the past has served as Vice President and Executive Board member of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Westchester chapter, as well as chaired a major fundraising campaign for Tuckahoe’s Immaculate Conception Church, where she and her family are parishioners.

Rosner is a former board member of the Bronxville Manor Association, where she served as treasurer and editor of their newsletter, and also has considerable economics experience, having served as the Director of a Wall Street-based executive search firm and managed the company's offices in New York, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles as well as established their first international office in London. 

Rosner has established a Facebook page ahead of this November's election (which can be found by searching "Anita Rotondi Rosner for Eastchester Town Board"), where she invited anyone to post comments, initiate discussions or share suggestions for change in Eastchester's local government. Here is what Rosner had to say when Patch caught up with her to discuss the upcoming elections:

Patch-1: What do you see as the single most critical issue facing the Town of Eastchester Board in the coming years of the term for which you are running?    

Anita Rosner: There are actually two issues I'm focused on right now. To begin, it concerns me when I see vacant stores in Eastchester, Tuckahoe and Bronxville. We'd have a much better tax base if there were more businesses here. I'd like to work on encouraging merchants and small businesses to set up shop in Eastchester. Wouldn't residents rather spend their money right here at home than go elsewhere? Everyone would benefit. Secondly, as a taxpayer, I'd like more information on how my money is being spent, where it's being spent and why it's being spent. There's not enough specific information available. I'd like to change that so we're all more in-the-know about how our town is being run. 

Patch-2: If you were to be elected this fall, you would be joining an all-Republican Town of Eastchester Board. What are your feelings on this and what do you believe you can bring to the Town Board that has not been there in previous years?  

Rosner: An all-Republican board is a problem as far I see it. Each councilman started his career on the board as an appointee, they are all from the same party and I wonder if they really represent the community as a whole. When you don't have different points of view, can there really be any meaningful conversation or exchange of ideas when it comes to policy-making decisions? By being the newcomer, I can add a fresh perspective, ask questions, bounce around new ideas and I won’t be afraid to speak up. If I’m elected, I think it will recharge everybody’s batteries, create a shift in the dynamic of the board and change things in a positive way. I'm very excited by that prospect. I might also mention that there are some neighborhoods that don't feel they're being represented. I live in Bronxville Manor, and I hear this from my neighbors all the time. It's a large pocket without representation.

Patch-3: A lot has happened on a national scale in the last couple of months in terms of politics and the economy, including the passing of the Debt Ceiling Act and the signing of the 2% property tax cap bill by Governor Andrew Cuomo. On a local level, what do these things mean for community members? What challenges should they expect to face, and how will you work to alleviate the burden put on them during these difficult times?

Rosner: At first blush, the 2% property tax cap sounds like the relief Westchester taxpayers have been longing for. We have some of the highest taxes in the country. My concern is that we may find, somewhere down the road, that our services and schools could be under funded. If that happens, there will have to be cuts somewhere, perhaps in the form of layoffs and discontinuation of services. I’d hate to see that happen. While I applaud Governor Cuomo’s attempt to ease our burden, I’d have preferred it in the form of reduced government spending. That puts the onus on local government. As councilwoman, my goal will be to trim as much fat as I can find. I’m generous, but I can’t stand to see money wasted, especially if people’s jobs or community services are hanging in the balance.

Patch-4: For someone who is unfamiliar with the Town of Eastchester and its partnership with the Villages of Bronxville Tuckahoe, how would you describe the relationship between the three municipalities? Do you feel more could be done in partnership between the three communities to benefit residents?

Rosner: The Town of Eastchester is comprised of the two villages, Bronxville and Tuckahoe, plus Eastchester “proper,” if you will. When referring to Eastchester exclusively, one uses the term “Eastchester outside.” Tuckahoe has it’s own village government, and only it’s residents elect their officials. The same is true of Bronxville. Yet all residents vote for the Eastchester Town Board. Each of the three municipalities has it’s own police department, court, school district, library, planning board, building department, department of public works, and the list goes on and on. They do share some services such as the fire department, emergency services through the Eastchester Volunteer Ambulance Corp (EVAC), and Lake Isle. There seems to be a lot of overlap and that might just be the place to trim some expenses. A study is in order to find out if consolidating more services would actually save the taxpayers money. 

Patch-5: What prior relevant experience do you bring to the Town Board, and why do you think it makes you the right candidate for the position of Town Councilwoman?

Rosner: I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I realize this is no time to be demure since people need to know who I am. So here goes: At the age of 22, I started as a part time employee for a Wall Street firm. By the age of 25, I was their Director of Research, responsible for six offices throughout the United States and one in London. I enjoyed a long and successful business career before I retired to raise my family. I joined the Bronxville Manor Association’s board within months of moving here. In 2006, my son was diagnosed with Type I diabetes.  From that moment, I made a commitment to raising money for a cure. Within one year, I was elected as Vice President and executive board member of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I know about the inner workings of boards, how to negotiate, how to raise funds, how to share ideas and come up with creative strategies to solve problems and get things done. I know when to listen and I know when to lead. Above all, when I enter into a venture, I take it seriously and give it everything I’ve got. I don’t shy away from hard work.

Make sure to check back with us tomorrow and later this week for the interviews with the rest of the candidates up for TOE Councilman in November's elections. Wednesday's interview will feature incumbent candidate Glenn Bellitto. Town of Eastchester Councilmen are elected to 4-year terms and are paid a salary of approximately $16,000.