Local Candidates Debate at LWV Event (Part III)

The League of Women Voters of Larchmont/Mamaroneck and Rye, Rye Brook & Port Chester hosted a well-attended local candidates debate in the Town of Mamaroneck Courthouse on Thursday night.  The evening gave candidates running for the 37th Senate District, the 91st Assembly District, Village of Mamaroneck justice and Village of Mamaroneck trustee the chance to share their views with potential voters.

The debate was moderated by Adelaide Digiorgi, a member of the league in Westchester County and its president in Bronxville. Participants gave an opening statement and were then presented with three questions from the league, and as many questions from the public as time allowed. Each segment concluded with a closing statement by each candidate. Those running for village justice (Village Attorney Christie Derrico and Mamaroneck resident Alice Pernick) only gave an opening statement.

Alice Pernick, who has lived in the Village of Mamaroneck for a decade and has two children in the local school district, said she has spent her entire career working for the public good, highlighting her work as an attorney in state and federal agencies and as a volunteer in the community. About the position she is running for, she said, "The most important work of the village court is to dispense fair and unbiased justice." Pernick says her experience working at the NYS Commission on Judicial Conduct gave her "a deep understanding of how to run an ethical courtroom."

Christie Derrico, the current village attorney and a former League of Women Voters president, is admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey and federal court. She has worked in local and state supreme courts. "This has given me tremendous exposure to how various courts are run," she said, adding that her areas of practice include landlord-tenant, general practice, estate work, will drafting and more. Thirteen years ago, Derrico started her own practice, and has handled misdemeanor criminal matters, civil litigation, zoning and planning board matters, and has picked jury panels, she said.

Derrico is running on the Republican, Independence and Conservative party lines, and Alice E. Pernick on the Democratic party line.

Next spoke the candidates for trustees: Incumbent John M. Hofstetter (running on the Democratic party line), incumbent Toni Pergola Ryan (Democratic), incumbent Marianne V. Ybarra (Republican, Conservative, Independence), Sid Albert (Democratic), Gregory Sullivan (Republican, Independence, Conservative) and Mary Polanco Vozza (Republican, Independence, Conservative).

Editor's Note: To read more about each candidate's background and qualifications, read their individual profiles on Larchmont-Mamaroneck Patch by clicking on their names above. These profiles, which ran over the course of several weeks, will be re-featured on the site for a week starting Monday, Oct. 25.

The first question from the league was to define what in the candidate's professional background qualifies him/her to assume the duties of the position s/he seeks, and his/her plans to work across party lines given the political acrimony often present in the village. Ryan said that during her work at a sales and marketing company for the past 28 years she has learned to build bridges between people and to deliver results. She highlighted her work on various committees, on budgets, grant writing and benefits, and said she's "always been able to build consensus…As a member of the Board of Trustees, I have worked very hard to work for all residents and for all of the colleagues on my board, whether Republican or Democrat, and I think we've gotten a lot done."

Sullivan said that at this level of government, he didn't think "parties factored in as much as getting done what needs to be done…" There is no room for party politics when it comes down to families using the harbor or children getting to school safely, he said. "I anticipate governing for what's best for the people in the village." Sullivan, who has served five years on the Zoning Board of Appeals, says the board has handled very contentious matters. "To this day, I am able to hold my head up and say that I listened to what everybody had to say and voted for what's best for the people of Mamaroneck."

Albert said his qualification is the fact that he has lived in the village for 73 years, and his motivation is to find solutions to local issues that have come up recently and will continue to arise. One of the things he does best, he said, is to listen. "I am willing to study and make whatever decisions necessary for the majority of the people in this village…"

Ybarra's qualifications are her job as an assessment clerk for the past 15 years and her ability to listen and talk to people, she said. "Not only do I have to listen to people all day long, but I have to hear them complaining about their taxes, and yet get them satisfied enough where they don't go ballistic, and by the time I am finished talking to them they are calmed down and can go on to their next thing."

Hofstetter said his most important experience was working in the publishing business in New York City for 15 years, a relationship-based business where he learned to find solutions to problems actively with others. "I think I do that very well," he said. Regarding the political acrimony, Hofstetter said it "arises when people feel they haven't had a fair hearing or a fair opportunity to be heard." Another important issue, he said, was to keep tax levels fair.

Vozza highlighted her 13 years of experience as a public and private school educator, her teaching experience at Manhattanville College, her work at the Attorney General's office assisting victims of fraud, and for the rights of neglected and abused children for the Administration for Children Services in New York City. "These illustrate a responsible and caring attribute that I believe this village needs…" she said. Regarding partisanship, she added that she is registered as a non-party independent. "As trustee I will do what's best for all the people, not a political party or a special interests group."

The candidates were then asked what the most important issue facing the village was. They all agreed on taxes, except for Vozza, who said she had initially thought about flooding, but given the consensus would address the tax issue as well, and Hofstetter, who said the real issue was the use of the village's resources, taxes being one of them.

Sullivan said the village's tax increase last year was "the lowest in a very long time," and Hofstetter added that the increase was low because the village had depleted its "rainy day" fund to achieve it. Ryan offered caution regarding the village's growing population (seniors on fixed incomes), and said the village should use its resources better and further look into consolidation of plans and programs. Ybarra also spoke about people living on fixed incomes and at risk of losing their homes. "We should maintain what we are doing now, do more with less and go through the budget line by line…" she said. Albert also spoke of seniors, who not only are having trouble keeping their homes, but "can't even keep their grass green anymore," referring to the 75 percent water rate increase approved by the village this year. He suggested looking at every department in the village and reducing, combining or cutting services where possible. Vozza said she would go through the budget as if it were her own household budget, making "periodic minor repairs to avoid making costly large-scale improvements later." Hofstetter agreed that consolidation should be considered, as well as looking at other communities' best practices.

Regaring flooding, both Sullivan and Vozza agreed that the village should not wait for the Army Corps of Engineers to conclude its study—expected to take several years—and be proactive. Ryan went over the flood prevention steps the village has taken, particularly with regards to the catch basins, the reservoir and the dam. Albert, like Hofstetter, suggested working with upstream communities "because everything washes down to Mamaroneck," Albert said. Ybarra said permits have been secured with the county to work on flooding, and that work with the Town of Mamaroneck should continue. Hofstetter added that the village should look into joining a new county program to receive storm water management funds.

Responding to questions from the audience, the candidates spoke about the future of Harbor Island park and its contract with Sportime, transparency in local government, and the recently settled lawsuits between the village and Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club. One question regarding the club was disallowed because it came from Norman Rosenblum, mayor of the village.

To view the entire debate, visit LMC-TV's Web site.

To read about the debates between Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer and newcomer Bob Cohen, and Assemblyman George Latimer and Rye Neck resident Bill Reed, view our related articles.