Oct. 30, 2025

Dear Editor:

I write to address the Proposal on the upcoming November ballot that Bronxville move its voting on local issues and offices, which for over 100 years has been conducted in March, to November in order to coincide with voting on State and national issues and offices.

By prior letter to MHTB, Mayor Marvin (with her usual eloquence) countered the purported rationales in favor of discarding the traditional separation of the consideration of our local issues and offices from the larger State and national considerations.  I found the Mayor's points to be compelling (and note that Bronxville Trustees Underhill and Knapp join the Mayor in opposition). Most importantly, the Mayor revealed the falsity of the claimed "non-partisan" motivation behind this effort to fundamentally change the manner in which our Village conducts its local affairs. Of course, as is her admirable nature, Mayor Marvin accomplishes revelation and refutation with the soft touch that I wish more in public life were able to apply. 

Of course, I am not in public life.  And I feel no compulsion to dance around what is plain – we are grown-ups and deserve to be provided with facts.

As noted by Mayor Marvin, of the 457 signatures (400 being required) on the Petition by which the Proposition to fundamentally change the way our Village has conducted itself as a body politic, 359 were collected by the Bronxville Democratic Party officers and District Leaders. The remaining 98 signatures on the Petition were collected by Democratic Party volunteers. Good for them – volunteering is important and to be encouraged. 

To describe the effort behind the 457 signatures on the Petition as "non-partisan" is mendacious. It's a prevarication. These words are my small effort at Mayor Marvin's enviable "soft touch."  To put it plainly, the effort here is not non-partisan as a matter of plain fact.  To purport otherwise is simply a lie. Now, I have been lied to many times by political types, so my feelings are not hurt here. I have, however, grown accustomed to transparency and honesty on issues and candidates as regards local Village matters. I suspect this candor will largely disappear if this Proposition passes. Of course, perhaps that is the intent. 

One need not be clairvoyant to discern the motivation here. The Village Democrat apparatus (very different from the individual party members, of course), noting that a clear majority of the Village voters are registered Democrats, is not pleased with how things have gone in March voting.  It's quite understandable, of course, that in the face of losing votes on issues and candidates they should win based upon their Party's majority position they would (instead of considering their positions and candidates) want to change the basic context of the voting to one that may be more favorable. Indeed, while seeking to change the rules in order to win presents some distaste, getting away from the focus on their positions and candidates that comes with our discreet and defined voting in March is quite rational from a political and strategic viewpoint.

But, this for me is the basic problem. This is one aspect upon which the Mayor did not present in her MHTB piece. The problem comes down to one basic (and, I think, rhetorical) question:

Why would anyone want our local issues, deliberations, and decisions to be subsumed by/in the dysfunction that defines the national (to say nothing of State) political dialogue?

For over 100 years, Bronxville has kept discussion and deliberation of its discreet and local issues and candidates for its offices separate from the larger national and State considerations.  I think the clear record demonstrates that our Village has done well to maintain this paradigm of political separation. The legendary Tip O'Neill once stated that "All politics is local." For me, I would presume to alter this to "All the politics that most matter to me and my family are local."  I like Bronxville. My family and I have thrived here (I think, anyhow) and we deeply appreciate the privilege of being part of this extraordinary community.  When I get off the train from NYC in the evening, I quite literally exhale from the pressures and (sometimes) onslaught that dealing with the outside world brings – especially as regards for what passes for our national and State governance.  When local issues and offices are up for debate leading into our communal March voting, I always marvel that we collectively seem to be able to discuss respectfully.  And, most importantly, to disagree without being disagreeable.  I believe, based on my experience, that we vote for people not on the basis of political party affiliation or identification, but on how we identify with the issues and persons themselves – and how a vote for one or another will impact our Village and its interests.  In my experience, this uniquely local dialogue is what keeps us out of the negativity and intractability that I believe sadly attaches to and afflicts the political dialogue beyond our Village.

Of course, political issues and the worth of this candidate as opposed to that can be matters upon which disagreement may be had.  But, as to our local consideration of issues and candidates I believe we have managed to disagree amongst ourselves with respect and without undue rancor.  And, I believe, we have resolved our local political issues on the basis of Bronxville's best interests as we perceive them in good faith.  To have our issues and candidates get lost in what is sadly and increasingly the political shouting match of the national and State levels would truly be a basic detriment to our Village.  And, playing the tape forward, will yield consequences that will bode very ill indeed.

For over 100 years, Bronxville has maintained a well-deserved reputation for cordiality.  Let's keep it that way by assuring the political matters that are uniquely ours are maintained as matters to be considered by us as a community and resolved in our way – not according to dictates of a larger discord that has no regard for our interests and needs in any case.

I urge all to vote "No" on the Proposition.

Thank you,

Tom Curran

Editor's note:  MyhometownBronxville does not fact-check statements in letters to the editor, and the opinions do not necessarily reflect the thinking of its staff. Its objective in publishing letters to the editor is to give air to diverse thoughts and opinions of residents in the community.