District Leader Primary September 10
To the Editor,
I am running for Mayor of Rye in order to restore faith and trust in the way that our City government is run. Unfortunately, confidence in our City government has taken a big hit under the outgoing administration as a result of the Rye Golf Club scandal, the Rye TV fiasco, and the Rye police uniform bid controversy, to name just a few.
The outgoing administration is opposing not only my bid for Mayor, but also my teammates who are running for District Leader in the Republican primary on September 10.
So, while I will respectfully ask for voters’ support in November, I am also supporting right now my teammates in the Districts and at the polling places noted below:
Andrew Dapolite District 2 The Osborn Home
Diane Tolve District 2 The Osborn Home
Daniela Vitiello District 3 Rye City Hall
Alan Caminiti District 3 Rye City Hall
Al Vitiello District 4 Rye City Hall
Grace Nemarow District 4 Rye City Hall
Bob Cypher District 8 Damiano Center
Angela Sculti District 8 Damiano Center
Peter Lane District 9 Whitby Castle
Joe Sack District 9 Whitby Castle
Bill Soviero District 13 Milton Firehouse
Jim Flick District 13 Milton Firehouse
You can find out which District you live in by visiting http://citizenparticipation.westchestergov.com/find-polling-place, and entering your address. If you live in District 2, for example, your District will be listed as 230002; if you live in District 3, your District will be listed as District 230003; and so on.
Thank you for your consideration. Please remember to vote on Tuesday, September 10.
Sincerely,
Joe Sack
Reader’s Forum
Three Strikes & You’re Out!
By Matt Fahey
For the first time in history, there will be contested primary elections for “District Leader” in Rye on Tuesday, September 10. The stated premise of public statements by the current leadership of the Rye Republican City Committee (RRCC) about our motivation for this primary is entirely fallacious. Our intention is not to support any mayoral candidate in the general election on November 5. Our petitions to join the RRCC were circulated and turned into the Board of Elections nearly a month before Peter Jovanovich announced his independent run for Rye mayor. We have “no horse in the race.” This year’s Republican mayor and Council candidates are set and cannot be legally changed by the RRCC. To be unequivocally clear, that is not our reason for running.
Quite simply, we wish to strengthen the RRCC and promote Republican ideals of limited government and fiscal discipline. We are committed to bringing about a needed change of leadership of the RRCC, based on repeated past failures of the current leadership to promote the ideals of the Republican party and to promote candidates willing to fight for these ideals. Some of these failures include:
The election of 2007. The leadership of the RRCC failed to identify and promote three candidates for the city council. Instead, the leadership cross-endorsed with the Democrats, effectively robbing every voter of the right of a choice for council member, thus ceding control of the Council to the Democrats.
The election of 2009. The leadership of the RRCC supported the nomination of Doug French, Peter Jovanovich, Suzanna Keith, and Rich Fillippi, but did precious little to assist the campaign efforts. It’s interesting to note that the party leader told Doug French during the campaign that if they were successful, he would step down and let new leadership emerge. The slate was successful, but the transition of the RRCC leadership never occurred.
The upcoming election. The leadership of the RRCC promoted a registered Democrat as a candidate for the City Council. While we have no qualms about well-informed and experienced Democrats serving on the Council, and always welcome healthy debate, it’s the job of the Rye Democrat City Committee to identify and promote Democratic candidates.
A healthy, vibrant and engaged RRCC is brought about by the introduction of new members with new ideas. After ten years of the current leadership, we believe it is time for a change.
On September 10, registered Republican voters of Rye have the opportunity to bring a new enthusiasm to the RRCC, by voting for the following candidates:
District 2 – Matt Fahey
District 3 – Patrick MacCarthy
District 4 – Greg Faughnan
District 8 – Linda Ritacco
District 9 – John Alfano and James Burke
District 13 – Elaine DiCostanzo and Alex Muench
Matt Fahey is a former Republican member of the Rye City Council.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
In Support of Councilwoman Parker’s Candidacy for County Legislator
Dear Editor,
In September, Democrats along the Sound Shore will decide who will be the next Democratic candidate for the County Legislature, the seat so ably held by Judy Myers during the past nine years. Rye’s Catherine Parker, who was twice elected on the Democratic line for Rye City Council, will be an excellent candidate. As members of the City of Rye Democratic Committee with many years of experience working on local campaigns, we wholeheartedly support Catherine. She is a well-respected public official, an independent thinker, a loyal friend, and a caring neighbor.
As those in our neighboring communities of Harrison, Larchmont, Town and Village of Mamaroneck, and parts of New Rochelle get to know Catherine, her appeal will extend beyond Rye.
For those of us who know Catherine well, the decision on Primary Day is already easy. And, we are confident that the choice for the rest of the Sound Shore Democrat community will become equally clear as Catherine’s accomplishments become recognized.
On September 10, the overwhelming choice of Democrats along the Sound Shore will be Catherine Parker.
Sincerely,
Rye City Democratic Committee-
Rod Brown, Meg Cameron, Tony Castro, Carolyn Cunningham, Vicki Farrington, Cheryl Geller, Bill Lawyer, Linda Lefkowitz, Rosaleen O’Neill, Maurio Sax, Jonathan Spitz, and David Walker
Thanks for a Great Season
Dear Editor,
The 2013 Rye Recreation softball season has come to an end. It was another great year of softball in Rye. The fields looked good and there were some great games throughout the A, B, C, and Women’s Sound Shore leagues.
I would like to take a minute to thank some of the people who help contribute to the quality of softball in Rye. Thank you to the Rye Recreation Field Crew, which consists of full-time and seasonal staff: Kelvin Ceballos, Frank Cecere, Greg DeGaetano, Alex Delgado, John Demarco, Anthony Patafio, Brian Levinson, Frank Lopez, and Bruce Wessell. These gentlemen go above and beyond in preparing the fields in the city for play. I found several rainy days this season where other neighboring communities cancelled their softball, but Rye was able to get our games in because of the crew’s hard work.
Also, thank you to Carmen Defabio and USSSA for sending reliable umpires, Sally Rogol for her support during the season, and to Melanie Cane of The Rye Record for taking photos.
Finally, thank you to all the players and sponsors of the 2013 season. Thank you, and we will see you next season!
Sincerely,
Doug Scott, Rye Recreation
Equitable Pay Scheme for MTA Improvements
Dear Editor,
I understand that the City of Rye may be contemplating repairs to the increasingly rundown Rye Metro-North station parking lot, financing such repairs with an increase in parking fees. While I applaud this overdue effort on the part of the City to address the condition, I would remind the powers-that-be that the annual fee for Rye City station parking is already the most expensive of surrounding communities, in some instances substantially so. When the annual parking fee was more than doubled several years ago, apparently not a dime of that increase went to the maintenance or upgrading of station parking.
Perhaps a more equitable means of financing repairs would be to once again assess a higher fee for non-resident parking permits, a pricing scheme abandoned several years ago in conjunction with the then overall fee increase due to the “administrative complexity” of identifying non-residents.
The annual fee for station parking as currently structured makes it among the most expensive resident fee, and among the least expensive non-resident parking fee. The logic of equalizing resident and non-resident parking fees continues to mystify me. (Can’t zip codes accomplish this?)
Thank you,
Andrew Brooks
A Tiger of a Tale
Dear Editor,
I have rarely read an article as poignant and eloquent in its simplicity as Tom McDermott’s “Tiger in that Tank?” Thank you for including it, and please convey my congratulations and admiration to the author.
Sincerely,
Bob Marrow
