On the eve of Election Day, we share a few final statements from the two candidates for County Legislator, District 7, which includes Rye, Mamaroneck, Larchmont, and parts of Harrison and New Rochelle. Catherine Parker (D) and John Verni (R) have expressed a strong commitment to increase flood mitigation measures and are in favor of a regional stormwater district. They agree that Westchester’s high taxes are an impediment to sustainable growth.
On the eve of Election Day, we share a few final statements from the two candidates for County Legislator, District 7, which includes Rye, Mamaroneck, Larchmont, and parts of Harrison and New Rochelle. Catherine Parker (D) and John Verni (R) have expressed a strong commitment to increase flood mitigation measures and are in favor of a regional stormwater district. They agree that Westchester’s high taxes are an impediment to sustainable growth.
Verni’s consistent campaign message is: “Taxes are too high, County government is too big. We need to ensure that we provide County government at a price people can afford.”
In her closing statement at the League of Women Voters forum in Harrison last month, Parker said: “I believe passionately in serving the Sound Shore communities and making them better places to live. I will be an active and dedicated legislator who will work in an inclusive way to get things done.”
Parker says the County has lost some opportunities on flood mitigation and some ground on its public transit system. She’d like to take a new look at transportation, starting with a smaller hybrid bus fleet.
Verni would like to see more shared services to cut costs, improve efficiency, and to get more municipalities working together. “There has to be a better competitive bidding process in place to achieve those savings.”
Both Parker and Verni are “deeply invested” in Westchester as business owners. Parker opened an eponymous travel and lifestyle store in downtown Rye 17 years ago. Verni, a land-use attorney whose family-owned real estate company specializes in the redevelopment of old buildings, recently restored the Mamaroneck Train Station. It is now a mixed-use space, which contains the Club Car restaurant and offices.
The candidates have longstanding volunteer records. Verni has served on the board of Habitat for Humanity of Westchester for 26 years. He’s chairman of the board of Iona Preparatory School. He’s also a board member and training officer of the New Rochelle Youth Court. Verni led community opposition to the IKEA project in New Rochelle and is currently involved in the effort to save the historic New Rochelle Naval Armory. A longtime resident of New Rochelle, he and his wife, Katrina now live in Mamaroneck. They have four children.
Parker, who was elected to the Rye City Council in 2007 and is now halfway through her second term, revived the Rye Chamber of Commerce and helped bring a younger voice to the League of Women Voters of Rye, Rye Brook & Port Chester. She has served as past president of both organizations, as well as the Rye Arts Center. She took the lead on the City Council to hire a commercial real estate broker to list 1037 Boston Post and not sell it to the first bidder, a move that increased the City’s fund balance by close to $2 million. She and her husband, David Walker, have two school-age children.
Verni, 51, is running on the Republican, Conservative, Independence, and Green Party lines. He has the endorsement of County Executive Rob Astorino, Mamaroneck Mayor Norman Rosenblum, and Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont.
Parker, 47, who is an independent running on the Democratic line, has the endorsement of retiring County Legislator Judy Myers, New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson, who is running for County Executive, State Senator George Latimer, and Assemblyman Steve Otis.
