2019 Candidate Profile: Colin D. Smith For County Legislature

PEEKSKILL, NY — Westchester County has several contested races in this fall's election, including legislator for District 1. Peekskill Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Colin D. Smith, a Democrat from Peekskill, is running to represent District 1, which is comprised of Cortlandt, Peekskill and Yorktown. His opponent is Republican Frank Catalina.

Smith is an attorney who graduated from Cedarville University in Ohio and Pace Law School. He is engaged with two stepdaughters.

He is currently a councilman for the City of Peekskill and was previously on the Peekskill City school board.

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

There are several — jobs/economy, environment and affordability. Whether it's the closure of Indian Point Buchanan or empty store fronts in Peekskill and Yorktown, many in our district are struggling to find work. I will work with state and local officials, labor unions and the business community to provide good-paying jobs for our residents. The closure of Indian Point presents many environmental challenges to the area. I will demand that the state and federal government make the health and environmental safety top priority throughout the decommissioning process. I will also fight to ensure that our government uses every available resource to help blunt the impact that the loss in tax revenue will have on our hardest hit communities like Buchanan and the surrounding areas. Affordability is growing problem across the county but particularly in our district. I will continue to work to increase affordable solutions for residents, especially for our seniors who should be allowed to age in place.

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

I have a proven track record of fiscal responsibility and have supported keeping tax increases below the state mandated cap each and every year I have been in office.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I am a strong supporter of labor unions and would like to see an expansion of apprenticeship programs throughout the district. I also believe that we must do all we can to fight climate change at both the local and county level. I support women’s reproductive rights and all legislative measures aimed at protecting them. I believe in protecting the rights all of our residents, especially in our more vulnerable communities. Lastly, I believe in governing by inclusion. We live in a very diverse district and it is important that everyone be given a voice.

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

In addition to successfully supporting five straight school board budgets under the tax cap, I also helped realign the district curriculum from top to bottom, found ways to provide busing for our students (K-5) without sacrificing monies needed for instruction, helped successfully lobby Albany for increased GAP funding during budget seasons to improve the quality of education for students, supported diversity in hiring and helped bring in high-quality administrators into the district and improved instructional leadership. As a member of the Peekskill Common Council, I have supported increased affordable housing solutions for residents, stronger environmental policies and green initiatives, better partnerships the local business and improved relations with local labor.

The best advice ever shared with me was …

Don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s all small stuff.

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

If elected, I promise to work and do my best on behalf of ALL the residents of our district. If you would like to meet or speak with me directly, email me at colin4westchester@gmail.com.

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