Candidate Profile: Ruth Walter For Westchester County Legislator

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, 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.

Ruth Walter is seeking reelection as a Westchester County Legislator (District 15) in November. The 55-year-old, small business owner, incumbent and former Court Clerk in the Village Justice Court, is running as a Democrat candidate. Walter attended the Hackley School in Tarrytown and Princeton University.

Walter has been married to her husband Kevin for 27 years and has two children Andrew and Laura. The family has two shelter-dogs, Cupar and Pandy.

Learn more about her on www.electruthwalter.com

Check out Patch's full Q&A with Walter:

Why are you seeking elective office?

I enjoy the work, and I am an effective leader for Yonkers/Bronxville

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

Flooding has devastated my district, from Clunie Ave to Parkview Avenue. I will continue as Chair of Environment & Health Committee. We have experienced more violent and more destructive storms. We must have climate resilience at the top of our priorities list, including protections for our homes and businesses.

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

This is my first elected office, but I am not new to public service. I have served as the Court Clerk in the Village Justice Court of Bronxville; I've have served as the President and Treasurer of the Bronxville Public Library. I have also held many volunteer positions, including Girls Scouts, Aquehung Yonkers Women Democratic Club and Zonta. These positions help me to be an effective legislator. I am also a small businessowner and I have employed 100+ people over 11 years. My opponent's experience is not up to the complex demands of this position. I have worked to disseminate science-based information about COVID-19 so that our schools and businesses can reopen safely. My opponent has been quoted as being unvaccinated and still knocking on 25,000 doors. This is a failure of leadership. The vaccine is free, effective and safe. A stay in the ICU can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and over 90% of hospital stays are now with unvaccinated individuals.

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

I am proud of the excellent work that has been done by the excellent professionals at the County Health Department, and all the County employees and elected officials who worked for months to contain the virus, from opening Glen Island for testing to the County Center and the Yonkers Armory for vaccinations. Like my colleagues have done across the county, I distributed thousands of PPE and hand sanitizers as well as alerting small businesses in the District to over $700,000 in direct grants. We want our economy to be rebuilt, and we rely on community health to build back to even greater prosperity.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Increasing our solar installations, especially on commercial and multi-family rooftops; reducing heat spots in Yonkers especially along Central Ave; encouraging green solutions to flooding such as permeable pavements and bioswales; investing in young people, especially opening up swimming to all Yonkers children so that they may qualify for summer jobs in lifeguarding as teens. Bringing more resources to the district for investment in our parks, recreation areas and cultural institutions. Upgrading our broadband access so all residents can easily log in to school and work. Working to strengthen union representation wherever possible. Encouraging young people to consider a career in politics and government.

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

1) In addition to hiring more than 100 people at our small business, giving many young people that important first job, our small businesses has generated millions of dollars in economic activity and supported local farms. I have met a payroll and paid commercial rent. Investing over a decade in this business has taught me what small businesses go through when they open, when they grow and when they mature. 2) When I served as the Treasurer of the library, I found a long-term contract that was not as cost-effective as others. We switched vendors, saved taxpayer dollars and did not lose services. I also advocated for $250,000 in capital support from the state for an HVAC project. I carefully look at budgets and ask questions whether it can be done more effectively. As Court Clerk, I found a reporting error and fixed it, leading to the resolution of many long-outstanding tickets. These experiences helped me as a Legislator, overseeing our County budget and looking for ways to bring resources into my district!

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Work hard for the people in your district. They will remember you on Election Day!

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

I'm the youngest of 8 and I know how to advocate for my district. In 2021, I brought over $330,000 into Yonkers and Bronxville to help community based organizations help our neighbors. Library programing, community gardens, senior programming and Black maternal health were the focus. I also put more than $2 million into our capital budget for things like senior fitness parks, water refill stations and noise cameras. Innovation and support for my district!

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.