2021 Candidate Profile: Donohue Running For Orangetown Town Board

PEARL RIVER, 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.

Brian Donohue is seeking election to the Orangetown Town Board in November. Donohue, 49, is a partner in a home health care company focused on independent living for the elderly, and also a teaching assistant in the Clarkstown school district. Before that, he spent 20 years at Bear Stearns / JPMorgan, culminating as a managing director for the institutional equity trading division. He lives in Pearl River with his family.

Voters in Orangetown will fill two seats on the town board. Current Board member Denis Troy is not running for re-election. Donohue joins incumbent Thomas Diviny on the Republican and Conservative lines on the ballot and Lisa DeFeciani is running on the Democratic line.

Learn more about Donohue on his campaign website.

Check out Patch's full Q&A with Brian Donohue:

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am an 18-year resident of Pearl River. My wife and I have raised our three children here, and should they want to live here in the future, I want to ensure Orangetown remains affordable for them and all of our families. We have a lot of challenges facing our town and county. Taxes being one of them, zoning is another. With a background in business, I will work tirelessly to keep Orangetown under the tax cap, ensure responsible development, and work with businesses to bring in new tax ratables.

The single most pressing issue facing our town is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Taxes and zoning. Under the leadership of Supervisor Kenny, Councilman Diviny and the town board, Orangetown has stayed under the tax cap every year. Their conservative approach to governing must continue to ensure taxes do not grow. I will use my background in finance to find savings within the budget, including our debt service, to keep taxes low. In addition, we need to complete our master plan to ensure that each hamlet throughout the town is appropriately zoned and our Town Code is up to date. In Albany, New York City Democrats are pushing to eliminate local control of zoning and end single-family neighborhoods. I will work with Assemblyman Lawler to fight back against that and ensure it does not happen.

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

I have never run for public office before or been involved in politics. I have spent twenty years of my career in finance, before becoming a partner in a home health care business, where we take care of our seniors and help them live in their homes with assistance. In addition, I serve as a teachers assistant in the Clarkstown School District. I will use my experience in business, working with our seniors and our children, and fight for what is best for our community.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community?

I think the current board has done a tremendous job keeping taxes low, keeping our town safe, and ensuring responsible development. Under the strong Republican leadership of the board, Orangetown has remained a great place to live, work, and raise a family. If elected, I will work closely with Supervisor Kenny, Councilman Diviny, Councilman Valentine, and Councilman Bottari to keep this town moving in the right direction.

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

Supervisor Teresa Kenny and the Town Board did an excellent job keeping our town well informed at a local level and worked tirelessly with our state officials to ensure Orangetown had the resources needed to keep our residents safe. In addition, our essential workers - our police, fire, EMS personnel, nurses, doctors, highway and sewer departments, and many others - did a fantastic job serving our community under difficult circumstances. It was a great team effort.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

As a partner in a small business, I believe economic growth is critical for any community, especially in Orangetown. I will work to attract new businesses to our existing commercial properties to create jobs and increase our tax ratables. Working with the planning and zoning boards, we will ensure any new development is done responsibly. In addition, we must preserve Orangetown by protecting open space, improving our park land, and creating new recreational opportunities for our residents.

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

I had a successful 20-year career at Bear Stearns/JPMorgan, where I culminated to Managing Director from the training program right after graduation. Part of my responsibility was negotiating with our bank's clients on fair transactions that benefit both parties. In 2017 started a reputable business that services Rockland and Orangetown providing over 50 jobs to our local economies. I am confident I will use these skill sets to ensure a balanced approach to business development and land use, and ensure our residents voices are always front and center in these discussions.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Learn from your mistakes and, more importantly, learn from others. It's a luxury knowing errors that you can prevent by being cognizant.

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

I am an 18-year resident of Orangetown, and I am grateful for what this town has given to our family. I will do my best to keep Orangetown protected for future generations. Also, I have received multiple endorsements from organizations such as Rockland County PBA, IBEW Local 363, The MTA PBA, State Association of PBA's (representing over 40,000 police officers), Preserve Rockland and Orangetown, and the Hudson Valley 10-13 Association which provides health and welfare needs to members of law enforcement. I'm grateful for the support.