Rockland Candidate Profile: McGowan For County Legislature

PEARL RIVER, NY — Rockland County will have several contested races in this fall's election, including for the County Legislature. Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles until election day.

John McGowan is running for the District 15 seat on the legislature from which Pat Moroney is retiring. His opponent is Julie Goldberg, who appears on the Democratic and Working Families lines on the ballot. McGowan, a Republican, also appears on the Conservative and SAM lines.

An attorney, McGowan was a prosecutor for the county. He is current president of the Rockland County Ancient Order of Hibernians.

The single most pressing issue facing our community, and what I intend to do about it.

Overdevelopment, by far, is the most pressing issue in Rockland County as a whole. Second, and often symptomatic of overdevelopment, is a culture of non-compliance with building and safety codes. I intend to work with County Executive Ed Day and his administration to pass legislation to ensure that our suburban landscape, quality of life, environment, and existing infrastructure are not compromised by the rapid and irresponsible development of land occurring in many parts of Rockland and that laws throughout the County are equally applied and enforced.

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

I am a former Senior Assistant District Attorney in Rockland and have advocated for the interests of Rockland residents who were victims of crimes. In that capacity, I was a Special Victims’ prosecutor and worked to bring justice to those who committed crimes against the most vulnerable members of our society, including children who were abused and assaulted. This experience has provided me with tremendous insight into advocating for the rights of others and I will draw upon that experience, as well as my experience as a practicing attorney in the field of general civil litigation and as a lifelong Rockland resident, to work on behalf of the residents of District 15, as well as the County as a whole, to ensure their interests are duly represented. I believe having a trained advocate is necessary during the next Legislative term and that I have the skill set and experience best suited for this position.

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

While this is an open seat, as Legislator Pat Moroney is retiring, I believe that our current Democratic-led Majority of the Legislature has often acted for political purpose, rather than to enhance the lives of the residents of Rockland. For instance, the County-owned Sain Building is in a tremendous state of disrepair and should have been sold to add much needed funds to the County and tax revenue to the Town of Clarkstown. This is a prime example of the Legislative Majority’s failure to place common sense ahead of politics.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Another major issue for voters to consider is the Legislative redistricting that will occur following the mandated 2020 US Census. District 15 is a prime example of a gerrymandered district, as its district lines follow no clear, logical or geographic boundaries. Instead, District 15 is comprised of portions of Pearl River, Nanuet, West Nyack, and Chestnut Ridge. Further, 5 current Legislative Districts include portions of Nanuet, which is only a 5-square mile hamlet. In my opinion, this was done to make Nanuet an afterthought and to push political power elsewhere in the County, especially into the Town of Ramapo, where 11 of the 17 Legislative Districts are drawn into. This cannot be tolerated going forward and Nanuet, along with all of Rockland, needs a strong advocate to ensure that redistricting is done fairly and logically.

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

I am a trained advocate and attorney who has experience representing the County of Rockland as a former Rockland prosecutor. I have tried and won tough cases and have earned the respect of my colleagues and adversaries. I am also extremely dedicated to my local community, as I have been the President of the Rockland County Ancient Order of Hibernians for the past 2 years. I am also a faculty instructor with the Orangetown Police Youth Court and have been an adjunct professor at St. Thomas Aquinas College since 2013. I believe that my professional experience and dedication to my community make me the right choice to be the next District 15 Legislator.

The best advice ever shared with me was …

“Do the right thing.” It’s a simple, yet strong message that I continually reflect upon in making decisions professionally and personally. As a former prosecutor, I was trained to always “do the right thing” above “winning” a case. If all of our elected leaders did the same at all times, as I aspire to do, then I believe our County as a whole would be in a much better position moving forward.

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

I am a worker and not afraid to “roll up my sleeves” to get the job done. I believe in reason, logic, and common sense when making a decision. I also believe that as an attorney, I am skilled at evaluating both sides and being able to see the positives and negatives of any argument; to me, this is particularly important as a Legislator must work with his/her fellow Legislators to pass legislation and resolve issues. The role of an elected official is to work for his/her constituents and I intend to work every day to make our County better.

Are you running for office in Rockland County? Contact Lanning Taliaferro at lanning.taliaferro@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and posting campaign announcements on Patch.

Previously on Patch:

• Rockland Candidate Profile: Wolfe For County Legislature
• Rockland Candidate Profile: Low-Hogan For County Legislature
• Rockland Candidate Profile: Foley For County Legislature
• Overdevelopment Is The Issue For Orangetown Supervisor Candidates