Photo by A. Warner

By Staff

Oct. 11, 2023: On November 7th, Bronxville residents will have the opportunity to vote for a candidate for the Westchester County Board of Legislators in the 15th District, which encompasses Bronxville and parts of Yonkers.

Incumbent James Nolan, who is a Republican, will face Ruth Walter, who is a Democrat.  The two candidates faced each other in 2021, with Nolan prevailing.

The Westchester County Board of Legislators is the legislative and policy-making branch of the Westchester County government. According to the Board's website, "It is to Westchester what the US Congress is to the United States." However, unlike the US, which has the House of Representatives and the Senate, Westchester only has one legislative body.  

The Westchester County Board of Legislators has 17 members, and each member is elected to a two-year term. The Board approves the budget, appropriates funds, and levies taxes. It also passes local laws, acts, and resolutions. It has thirteen committees that oversee different policy areas such as Economic Development, Environment, Seniors, and Social Services.

James Nolan (Republican)

James Nolan, who was born and raised in Yonkers, currently works for the city of Yonkers Department of Public Works. MHTB has the opportunity to catch up with Nolan who is running for a second term in office. 

In reflecting on his accomplishments in his first term, Nolan said he was most proud of securing $7,000,000 in funding for Westchester County Emergency Services. "Police reduce crime and their absence gives criminals space to wreak havoc," says Nolan, "We are seeing a steady uptick in crime across the Nation, and it is important that we defend and fund law enforcement, as well as all emergency services." 

If reelected, Nolan says that he will focus on: 

1) Modernizing "Westchester County’s infrastructure to deal with the rampant flooding we have been experiencing. Although we will not be able to solve this crisis in two years, I look forward to working with my colleagues to start solving the issue."

MyhometownBronxville also caught up with Ruth Walter.

Ruth Walter and her family live in Bronxville.  They own and run Dobbs & Bishop Fine Cheese in the village, which has been in operation for 14 years. Walter notes that their small business employs "local young people from Sarah Lawrene College, Bronxville High School and Iona University" providing them with "that important first job. "

Through her business, Walter has had the opportunity to observe "Gen Z" up close and advises, "Never bet against Gen Z! They are smart, hardworking and reliable." She also "loves the community" and is happy to "support many of the charitable endeavors in the community." 

Additionally, Walter serves on the Bronxville Rotary Board, the Foundation for Yonkers Public Library Board and the Board of the Bronx River Parkway Reservation Conservancy, which has advocated for the repair of the Bronxville Lake footbridge.

Walter served a term in the County Legislator from 2019-2021 where she worked to provide COVID information and support for residents and small businesses in the district, and served on six committees, three task forces and was the co-chair of the Labor Subcommittee.

She worked on a variety of issues such as helping seniors get COVID vaccines, funding for a senior fitness park, and fast-fill water fountains that are environmentally friendly.  

If elected, Walter's top priorities are:

1) Gun safety because "violence prevention" is important and "guns are the #1 killer of children in this country."

2) Reproductive health because "Black maternal health is a crisis in the state, and with the overturning of Dobbs, choice is now a local issue."

3) Climate because "after another catastrophic flood, it's time to put green and grey infrastructure into place to protect our homes and businesses.

4) Cybersecurity because "cybersecurity has become a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, and we need smart legislation to combat the organized crime that is attacking our digital lives at home, school, and work."  Walter currently serves as the Chair of the Cybersecurity Task Force working to education Westchester residents about online risks.

Other Races on November 7th

In addition to the race for the Westchester County Board of Legislators for the 15th District, there is also an election for Eastchester Town Supervisor and Eastchester Town Council on November 7th.  MyhometownBronxville will be providing information on these candidates in next week's issue.