New Rochelle Mayor Bramson Will Not Run For Re-Election In 2023

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Mayor Noam Bramson announced on Monday that he will not be a candidate for re-election in 2023.

In a letter to the New Rochelle community, Bramson expressed a "deep sense of gratitude – for the partnership of colleagues in government, for the energy, wisdom, and generosity of supporters, and, above all, for the trust and confidence of the people of New Rochelle."

When his term concludes at the end of 2023, Bramson will have served New Rochelle for nearly three decades – 18 years as mayor and 10 years as a member of the city council. He has won five mayoral elections, each by a large margin.

"Our progress today is made even more gratifying by the memory of challenges overcome," Bramson said announcing he would not seek another term. "Far and wide, New Rochelle is viewed now as an innovative leader with an exceptionally bright future. And through it all, we have preserved what is best in our civic character — an inclusive spirit that celebrates diversity and welcomes people of every tradition and circumstance."

During Bramson's time in office , New Rochelle has experienced what has been described as the most dynamic growth in a century. He pushed for the advancing the city’s environmental goals by writing and adopting New Rochelle’s first sustainability plan.

"Noam has been a friend and partner for nearly 30 years, highlighted by our work together the COVID-19 crisis," Westchester County Executive George Latimer said, reacting to the announcement. "He has done an exceptional job guiding New Rochelle through a dynamic transitional time. We’ve been fortunate to have his leadership.”

Bramson also led New Rochelle through some of its most challenging moments in its history, such as the Great Recession of 2008, which put enormous financial pressures on cities throughout America. He will perhaps best be remembered as the face of early efforts to adapt to the growing COVID-19 crisis, when the city was in the global spotlight as an initial epicenter of the spread of the viral outbreak.

"For the great majority of my tenure as City Manager, I have worked with Noam as the City’s Mayor," Charles Strome said in a statement, reacting to the news. "He has been New Rochelle’s chief elected official through both difficult and good times, and has always been willing to stand up and be the face of our City to its residents no matter how good or bad the situation was. From the financial difficulties we faced during the national collapse of 2008, to New Rochelle being the early epicenter of the COVID pandemic, Noam was there to lead. I was extremely thankful for his ability to help guide us through the pandemic with his honest and straightforward communication with our residents. Noam has always sought to improve our City, balancing development with sustainability and resiliency, whether on the waterfront, in the downtown or in our many diverse neighborhoods."

See Also:

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Bramson is a remarkably beloved figure in Westchester County politics and remains wildly poplar among his constituents in New Rochelle. It was only in recent months that his reputation was put under the microscope. In June, despite expressing a belief that Bramson was acting "in the best interest of New Rochelle," the city's Ethics Board ruled that he violated the city charter when he lobbied City Manager Charles Strome to name him to the post of commissioner of economic development.

Bramson's rare misstep as mayor took some of the shine off an image crafted over decades of public service, but his legacy remains very much intact among his colleagues and supporters.

"Through years of dedicated and effective leadership, Noam has earned the respect of colleagues across Westchester and New York State," State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said. "He has been a strong voice for progressive values and has played a vital role in New Rochelle’s dramatic positive strides. I have been proud to represent and work with Noam and know that he will continue making important contributions to our community."