PEEKSKILL, N.Y. Democrat Mike Kane is running for county legislator for District 1 against incumbent Republican and former Peekskill Mayor John Testa.
The Peekskill Democratic Committee nominated Kane, its chairman, to run against incumbent County Legislator John Testa of Peekskill in District 1. The district, which covers most of Peekskill and parts of Yorktown and Cortlandt.
Kane is a network technical specialist for AT&T. He is also a shop steward for the Communications Workers of America (CWA) 1150, and was formerly vice president of CWA Local 1153. He served on the Westchester Board of Legislators' environmental committee, as well as the Westchester County Democratic Labor Committee.
Kane has served on the board of the KEON Center, a non-profit agency that serves the needs of the developmentally disabled. He is also a former associate member of the Cortlandt Hook and Ladder. He has lived in Peekskill for 14 years with his daughter.
1. Why are you running for county legislator?
Taxes need to remain low as we recover. [We] need to encourage more jobs to increase tax base lowering the burden on regular folks and foster Westchesters growth through entrepreneurship and targeted investment by the county. We need fresh ideas - you keep doing the same thing every two years you cannot expect a change.
2. What skills and or experience do you/would you bring to the job?
I bring a lifetime of experience. I have worked in all facets of business - as a former small business owner I have known the red tape that hinders them. As a shop stewart and former union vice president, I have worked with adversary's to ensure compromise during negotiations and made things run smoothly."
3. What issues would you like to address in District 1?
"The Tappan Zee Bridge revitalization will create jobs in Westchester and have a daisy chain effect to improve Westchester Countys economy. We must also acknowledge the Governor is going to shut down the Indian Point, and it is our job to start the conversion of the plant into a viable energy source and create new jobs with this conversion process. We must work to make the district an easier place to start a business and make it thrive here so we need new manufacturing and ideas in Westchester.
4. How do you differ from your opponents in your views of what should be done to make the District better?
I am not a paid professional politician and I will take the word of the people over the word of special interests. I will work in a bipartisan fashion in all corners of the district to help town and city needs. My opponents twenty years of experience means little when he shuts out the voice of over half your constituency.
5. What else would you like voters to know about you?
"Ive felt your pain in these trying times since Ive raised my family here and I want to be part of the solution unlike my opponent. The time is now to create new jobs in many fields right here in Westchester. As your legislator, I will also ensure that our quality of life can be retained while finding new revenues to ease our tax rates."
Editor's note: County Legislator John Testa declined severaL requests to answer the five questions above but directed readers to his website, www.johntesta.com, and his blog, www.johntesta.com.wordpress.com. Testa did however talk with us about his decision to run for a second term in an article here.
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