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MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. The Mount Kisco train station had more than its share of customers Tuesday morning, as a Westchester reform group used the location as an actual platform for its press conference in support of a group of Westchester legislative candidates.
New Yorkers for Growth, a fiscal reform group formed after the 2008 elections, officially announced on Tuesday its endorsement of eight candidates for county legislature, which includes Bedfords District 2 Republican and Conservative candidate, Peter Michaelis.
Michaelis, who was one of five endorsed candidates present at the press conference, said his campaigns main priority is to alleviate the tax burden on local residents. After going door to door for the last seven months, bringing those taxes down is the most important thing to them, he said.
According to Liz Feld, former Larchmont mayor and New Yorkers for Growth spokesperson, the groups push is to relieve local tax burden, which she said has been a difficult task due to partisan fighting on the legislature.
Michaelis opponent, incumbent District 2 Legislator Pete Harckham, a Democrat, told The Daily Bedford, the movement to break up the board could be counter-intuitive, especially regarding his own merits.
Its a lot of noise. Im the only candidate in the race with a record of cutting taxes and spending, Harckham said, citing his endorsement from Governor Andrew Cuomo. We cut taxes 2.2 percent and cut spending by 30 million dollars.
The following legislative candidates were also endorsed by New Yorkers for Growth: Michael Smith (District 3), Dr. Terrence Murphy (District 4), Dr. Iris Pagan (District 5), David Gelfarb (District 6), Suzanna Keith (District 7), Susan Konig (District 9), and Sheila Marcotte (District 10).
Feld said surveys were sent to each legislative candidate in Westchester County, and endorsements were chosen based on candidates the answers. She said the survey touched upon the hot topics of the races, including taxes, pension reform, and the concept of asking town employees to pay for their own health insurance.
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