Candidate Profile: Frank Gordon For Harrison Mayor

HARRISON, NY — In 2021's general election, residents of the Hudson Valley will be voting for local officials. In anticipation, Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Frank Gordon is seeking election as Harrison Mayor in November. The 61-year-old is running on the Working Families Parties ticket as a Democrat.

Learn more about Gordon on www.movingharrisonforward.com

Check out Patch's full Q&A with Frank Gordon:

Position Sought

Supervisor/Mayor

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

BS, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
MBA, University of Chicago Graduate School of Business
JD, University of Chicago Law School

Occupation

Retired financial executive and attorney after a 25-year career as:
CFO, BlackRock Kelso Capital Corporation, 5 years
Managing Director, BlackRock Inc., 8 years
Attorney, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, 4 years
Vice President, The First Boston Corporation, 4 years
CPA, Senior Accountant, Deloitte Haskins + Sells, 4 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Current Town Councilman/Village Trustee, Town/Village of Harrison

Why are you seeking elective office?

Harrison town government is at a turning point. A decade of leadership by the current administration is coming to an end. I believe residents yearn for a new form of government, one in which power is shared widely, rather than confined to a few. I intend to return local government to its roots, as a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Recent events have caused residents to question the adequacy of our town’s infrastructure, which has not always kept pace with real estate development. The town should seek federal and state funding to the fullest extent to mitigate the impacts of flooding, upgrade our stormwater and sewer systems, and improve pedestrian safety.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My family and I have no financial interests in any businesses or commercial real estate in town as a source of personal income. As a CFO, attorney and CPA, I am well-qualified to perform the in-depth analysis required to make the optimal decisions to improve our town and my decisions will be free from bias in favor of my personal interests.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

The current officeholder is not seeking reelection.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

Local officials responded adequately to the challenges of the pandemic but I would have provided a more visible, physical presence. Residents wanted to see, and hear, directly from our town leaders about their plans for dealing with the pandemic. Continual direct communication to residents via remote video with the ability for residents to ask questions would have provided a reassuring influence.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

With my running mates on the Moving Harrison Forward team, we intend to leverage our relationships with other government officials to ensure that Harrison receives its fair share of state and federal funding. This will enable us to upgrade the town’s strained infrastructure without increasing residents’ tax burden. We support total transparency in government, which means disclosure far in advance and in excess of bare legal minimums. We will provide residents with actionable information that is important to their quality of life. We plan to implement a comprehensive committee structure that will unleash the untapped talents of residents on matters facing our town. Our community is currently lagging in efforts to combat climate change but we will remedy that.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

During my career, I have often been entrusted with managing difficult, complex projects. As a CFO at BlackRock, I was tasked with establishing the initial accounting and financial reporting system for a publicly-held investment fund, while at the same time handling the fund’s legal affairs. I take deadlines and intense pressure in stride.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

“Honesty is the best policy.”

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I look forward to continuing to serve Harrison residents and addressing their concerns and problems as my top priority.

Find information about absentee and early voting here: Election 2021: New Systems For Early Voting In Westchester. To find all your candidates, as well as statewide, county and local propositions, follow the links offered by the Board of Elections:

• View the 2021 General Election Candidates List.
• View the 2021 General Election State Propositions.
• View the 2021 General Election County and Local Propositions.