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Thomas Garrity is practically a lifelong resident of Somers. His family moved here when he was one year old. He attended Somers public schools and Pace University, where he earned a BBA in Management and an MBA in Finance.
He and his wife, the former Ann McGoldrick, have two children: Tommy, 9, a fourth-grader at Somers Intermediate School and Brenna, 4, in pre-kindergarten at St. Patricks.
Garrity is Sales Director at AbitibiBowater, an international forest products corporation, producing a diverse range of products, including newsprint, commercial printing papers, market pulp and wood products. He handles $90 to $100 million in sales each year.
He spent five years on the Somers Zoning Board of Appeals and three years on the Planning Board. He is just finishing his first four-year term on the Town Board.
He is an active member of the Somers Lions Club and, in his spare time, coaches youth soccer, baseball and youth football.
Garrity has been endorsed by the Republican, Democratic, Independence and Conservative Parties.
1. Why are you running for Town Board?
I am running for the Town Board because I truly love the Town of Somers and feel it is the jewel of Northern Westchester and the County in general. I grew up here and have made my home here and I want to be involved in helping to create the future vision of Somers, and making sure it stays a town with the same home town feel we all want and love. I feel my experience on the various Boards on which I have served as well as how long I have lived in Town gives me the experience to get the job done, over my opponent.
2. Why should Republicans vote for you in the primary and how are you different from your competition?
As I stated in the first question, I simply have vastly more experience when it comes to all issues facing the Town of Somers when compared to my opponent. From both a technical (code, zoning, planning) standpoint, as well as a community volunteer standpoint, I believe my record is second to none. All of these things give me an advantage when looking at the issues facing the town. You learn a lot about a town when you live there for 44 years.
3. What is the biggest issue or problem in Somers right now and what would you do about it?
I believe the biggest issue facing the town is, and has been for the last few years, keeping a tight rein on the budget. Revenues are down and the Town Board has had to make some tough decisions in order to keep services at a high level, but town taxes remain low. Working with MaryBeth Murphy and Rich Clinchy, we have made the tough decisions, while still keeping services high and retaining our high bond ratings.
4. What has been your greatest accomplishment as a Town Board member?
I don't think I can limit it to just one accomplishment, I think there have been many, both big and small.
1. Keeping our overall Town taxes low in this fiscal climate is a big win.
2. Bringing temporary speed bumps to Lake Lincolndale during the swim season has helped to keep our kids safe, yet they are able to be removed during the winter to give the highway better access during storms. A small but important issue for those who swim at the lake.
3. Signing the Climate Pledge enabled us to get grants (hundreds of thousands of dollars year to date) that will help the town and the schools save money on energy. Good for the town and the environment.
4. Establishing the town shelter in Heritage Hills proved vitally important over the last few weeks with the hurricane , we did not have this three years ago.
5. What would you like to see in Somers that is not currently part of the community?
I would like to revisit a possible Community Center in town, scaled down from the last offering from a few years ago. We have also started to address some capital projects that need to be looked at and I am sure they will start being worked on in the next year.
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