Meet the Candidates for VOM Trustee: Mary Polanco Vozza

With three Village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees seats up for grabs next week (those of John Hofstetter, Toni Pergola Ryan and Marianne Ybarra), three new candidates have thrown their hats in ring for the positions.

One of those is Mary Polanco Vozza, an attorney and New York State certified teacher. Together with her husband Joseph—a lifelong resident of the village, as well as a local attorney—they are raising two little boys locally. Mary feels strongly that the combination of her teaching experience within the public sector, as well as her legal experiences with city and state government agencies, demonstrates her commitment to public service.

Patch sat down with Mary to find out more.

Patch: Why run for village trustee?

MPV: Growing up in the Bronx with my parents and five siblings, my father taught us at a very young age, 'If you want to succeed in life, you're going to have to do it for yourself, and the best way to succeed is by giving back to your community and getting an education, because that is the one thing that can never be taken away from you.' His recent passing crystallized in my mind that this is what I am meant to be doing at this time, because as an attorney, an educator and a mom to two young boys, I feel the need to make a difference.

I'm proud to be raising my kids in Mamaroneck, just as my husband was. He always spoke highly of the experiences he had growing up, and I want to make sure my children have that, too. I want to give back, I want to be a part of it, and I want to offer my services and experience in order to ensure that Mamaroneck continues to prosper.

Patch: What is your party affiliation?

MPV: I am registered as a non-party independent because I believe in non-partisanship, but I have the backing of the Republican and conservative parties.

Patch: Do you think partisanship of the board has been a problem? If so, how do you hope to rectify that going forward?

MPV: People keep asking me, 'Who are you running against?' For me, it doesn't really matter—I am running for the village, our children, our taxes, our safety and our community; I'm not competing.

I don't understand the bickering and the animosity between the Republicans and the Democrats, [and] neither do I want to entertain it. This village has much bigger fish to fry than to waste time pointing fingers at one another. I know that my presence on the board will bring more unification. I just want to address the issues and look at the ramifications in an economically viable and efficient manner. As a trustee, I will help decide what makes most sense in the best interests of the citizens.

Patch: What do you see as being the most pressing issues facing the village today, and in the foreseeable future? Where do you stand on these issues?

MPV: There is lot of negative talk about this village, specifically community affairs and how that is handled with our Hispanic population; issues with Mamaroneck Avenue parking; flooding; lawsuits; the need for additional playing fields; and how money is being spent on certain items.

I would work closely with the Chamber of Commerce and address any concerns our businesses have because we make decisions that impact Mamaroneck Avenue, which I consider to be the main artery to prosperity. If we cut that artery and we lose business, then we lose not only tax dollars, but our village is no longer attractive to visitors, and ultimately that has a ripple effect on how we are able to generate revenue. We have to make sure our business owners have just as much an opportunity to speak their concerns as our taxpayers do.

Patch: If elected, what would your priorities be?

MPV: First, we need to have experts come in who can analyze the current drainage system we have and provide us with options to increase the flow of drainage through the lower points of Mamaroneck… in the most economically feasible way to correct this for optimal results. I live in a neighborhood where my in-laws and so many good friends and neighbors have experienced flooding, and the devastation is unspeakable.

Patch: What do you think you would accomplish that your predecessors weren't able to?

MPV: As a first generation Spanish-American [who is] fluent in Spanish, I would reach out to the Hispanic community and have frequent dialogues regarding any concerns and issues, which unfortunately have fallen upon deaf ears in the past. We need to bridge the gap so we can work together. I know what it's like not being able to communicate needs and concerns -- I saw it firsthand as my parents tried communicating with school personnel, as did my husband when his parents emigrated from Italy.

Regarding lawsuits, I think we need to look at the facts of each case and weigh them individually and not bundle them together. As an attorney, I would analyze the merits of litigating versus settling. If it is most cost efficient to settle, by all means do so, but we shouldn't unilaterally settle just any case brought before us – that will create a litigious community looking for a payout, and that will only hurt the taxpayers.

Also, I'm for full disclosure. I want to make sure that village residents are kept fully informed and aware of all the business dealings and decisions. I would also look for input from the village residents to help make decisions.  

Patch: What special skill sets/ideas would you bring to the table?

MPV: My effectiveness in communicating with village residents; I consider myself to be personable and easy to talk to, and I am a great listener. I am responsible, grounded, open-minded and a trained communicator. I think inferential skills are incredibly important when dealing with the public, as well as when handling municipal matters that directly affect tax payers.

Coming up tomorrow: Gregory Sullivan.

Editor's Note: This is one in a series of profiles that ran this summer. We are featuring them again one week before Election Day in case you missed them. If you have questions for the candidates, ask them in our comments section.