Candidate Profile: Tim Idoni For Westchester County Clerk

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — In the upcoming general election, residents of Westchester will be voting for county and local officials.

Patch is asking candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns.

In Westchester County, the race for clerk is being contested. Incumbent Democrat Tim Idoni is running for re-election and Scooter Scott, a Republican, is seeking to unseat him.

Idoni, 66, is a resident of New Rochelle. He was first elected county clerk in Westchester in 2006.

Prior to that, he was New Rochelle's mayor from 1992-2005. Idoni also served as Ardsley village manager, New Rochelle deputy city manager and New Rochelle's director of emergency services.

He has four daughters and eight grandchildren.

Idoni has a master's degree in public administration from New York University and a bachelor of arts from Iona College, with a double major in American studies and English. He graduated from New Rochelle High School.

Campaign website

Tim Idoni for Westchester County Clerk

Here are the answers to a series of questions as submitted by Tim Idoni. They were lightly edited for style and clarity — not content.

Why are you seeking elective office?

I have been serving in elected office since 1992, with success every step of the way. Prior to elected office I served in a managerial position as the Assistant to the Village Administrator of Bronxville, Deputy City Manager of New Rochelle and Village Manager of Ardsley. I also headed a not-for-profit affordable housing agency that added over 200 quality units to the City of New Rochelle. Public service has driven me since I attended college and I am looking to expand the tremendous success we have achieved in the Clerk's office.

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

Our county is expanding quickly and we need to be able to address the needs and concerns of all our populations. Immigrants are looking for services and our Clerk's office has evolved into the finest County Clerk's office in the state of New York, with the best in technology and superior community outreach programs. I have been lecturing groups on identity and real estate security for years. We will expand these programs while simultaneously reducing costs to the taxpayers.

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

I bring a lifetime of non-political public service, using my management expertise and the most modern best practices which has earned the office 12 national and state awards, especially in the areas of automation and strong budgetary practices. I have saved the taxpayers over $40 million, monies that went to reduce taxes and supplement non-bureaucratic functions such as public safety and health. The office staff has been reduced from 110 to 60, without using inhumane layoffs.

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

I believe Westchester, including my office, is in the forefront of responding to the coronavirus, handling all the essential issues we are mandated to do, thus making our office the finest in the State. While other governments were shutting down services, we found ways of keeping our office open, while keeping staff members safe. Our chief priority was doing what we are always required to do under Federal, State and county laws, also recognizing we had to ensure the safety of our residents. We continue in this role to this day

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Our top priority will always be to provide superlative service to our residents, whether it be the recording of land records, the filing of very sensitive legal documents or providing essential licensing such as pistols, businesses or passports. We pride ourselves in fast, efficient and smart service, handling your records with modern 21st technology and techniques, something we led the State in over the past 10 years.

I spend a lot of time working with my colleagues around the State looking to amend laws that will provide for our ability to further improve our services. As Clerk of the County's Supreme and County Courts, I also work with the State Office of Court Administration to improve court systems from the local level right up to the highest courts.

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

We have received 12 national and State awards for technological improvements and professional management innovations. I was named New York State Clerk of the Year in 2017 and, in 2020, was awarded the state's highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award for overall excellence in the management of our office and service to the entire State of New York. We were the first county in the State to electronically record a deed after I helped pass a state law allowing us to do so. We led the State in the electronic filing of court documents, which has led to millions of dollars in efficiency and savings while speeding the processes of the courts.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. (My high school football coach)

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

I have been honored to spend 40 years in faithful service to the residents of Westchester in a variety of management positions. I believe I have succeeded making every community I served a better place to live, learn and succeed. I helped transform the downtowns of Ardsley and New Rochelle. We have made life safer in so many ways and created thousands of jobs. We brought a city and a not-for-profit back from massive deficits. And I have added to the effective service of county government regardless of the party in power. I work with everyone and take pride in helping everyone.

Editor's note: The candidate's responses have been lightly edited for style and clarity.