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Community Leaders Brainstorm Roadmap For Healthy Westchester

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Community leaders are gathering on Friday at Pace Law School in White Plains with The Keep Westchester Thriving Coalition to discuss ways to keep the county strong. 

Laura Rossi is moderating a discussion on how to keep Westchester thriving Friday.

Laura Rossi is moderating a discussion on how to keep Westchester thriving Friday.

 Photo Credit: Contributed
Cindy Capitani

"Our Budget. Our Values: A Community Conversation," begins with coffee and networking at 7:45 a.m., followed by the program from 8:30-10:30 a.m.

The program will be moderated by Laura Rossi, Esq., Executive Director of the Westchester Community Foundation. 

It will provide some ideas for elected officials as they debate priorities and grapple with how to pay for the services needed to keep Westchester a thriving community. 

“The budget should be an expression of our values and support progress toward a shared vision for our county,’’ said Noelle Damico, Co-Chair of the Westchester Women’s Agenda. “Through in-depth discussion of concrete ideas for developing revenue generation, this forum will explore critical questions of sustainability.” 

 Joanna Straub, NPW Executive Director added, “Up until now, public input on the budget has been limited to three public hearings that come too late to discuss larger issues. It is our hope that this forum will provide for a robust exchange of ideas and help the community develop a long-term plan for our future.’’ 

To give participants the best chance to share ideas, the event will be interactive, with two rounds of discussion among representatives of various community sectors, followed by a Q and A with the audience, and conclude with brief responses from elected officials. 

Ron Deutsch, Executive Director of the Fiscal Policy Institute, will open the program by outlining the challenges the county faces and presenting a variety of options for generating revenue. 

 Among some of the many community leaders and elected officials participating in the program are,

  • John Ravitz, Executive Vice President/COO of the Business Council of Westchester 
  • Amy Allen of the Westchester County Association
  • Cora Greenberg, Executive Director of the Westchester Children’s Association and Board Member, Nonprofit Westchester
  • Juanita O. Lewis, Hudson Valley Organizing Director, Community Voices Heard
  • Rev. Troy Decohen, Interfaith Clergy for Social Action
  • Michael Boriskin of Copland House
  • Westchester County Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett
  • Westchester County Legislator Michael Kaplowitz 
  • North Salem Town Supervisor Warren Lucas, chair of the Municipal Officials Association 

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