June 17, 2026

Dear MHTB:

Last year, having obtained the requisite 400 petition signatures (actually, 457 – with 359 collected by party leaders purporting somehow to be  “independent”), the Village Democrats succeeded in having a proposal to move the voting upon Village questions and issues from the Spring to November placed on the November ballot.  Fortunately, this was the only success they secured here – despite a strident effort, they lost and the consideration of Bronxville matters remained a distinctly Bronxville process separate from the unfortunate dysfunction that plagues our State and – especially – national politics.

Not to be deterred, however, they are at it again.  And, perhaps with even more stridence.  So firm in their belief that they are ever so right, and clearly uncomfortable with how they fare when their views are not accepted when considered by the Village in our Spring elections, the effort to get the Village’s issues lumped with the morass that are November elections has been renewed.  You cannot fault the fervor, I guess – but, witness how one true believer reportedly solicited petition signatures this past weekend while people were relaxing (or, trying to) with friends and family at the pool of a local club.  Not nice (Hint:  If you are bothering people in the precious little time they have to enjoy themselves because you assume you are right and all must be in thunderous agreement with you, you might look into some hobbies to occupy your time that don’t involve the forced participation of others).

This is becoming sadly repetitive.  The supporters of moving consideration of Village issues from the discreet matters they are in the Spring seemingly want our local issues subsumed by whatever hyperbole (and accompanying discord) may attend State and National elections in the Fall and are apparently not going to take “No” for an answer.  Apparently, the supporters of moving our Village balloting think the discord will help passage of their agenda.

Some of the communications seeking petition participants are actually funny in how they present the justification for moving the voting on Village issues from the Spring to the Fall.  One solicitor (not the one who dislikes enjoyment of relaxation at the pool) who is readily identifiable as politically active actually posited that voting in the Spring and the Fall is a burden that is tiring – and how easy it would be to just vote in the Fall with all the other balloting.  Seriously?  Someone who is spending time in the Spring/Summer seeking petition signatures to get a political issue on a ballot when they lost on the very same effort within the last calendar year is doing so because they are somehow fatigued by the burdens of political participation?   The arrogance of the inherent assumption that someone might to intellectually-challenged enough to buy this strained reasoning is so absurd as to be funny.

Bronxville has a long and successful history of keeping its consideration of its public issues its own – and separate from larger, and less cordial, political contexts.  History shows that this fosters Bronxville’s independence – that local political issues are viewed through a uniquely local lens of what people consider best for Bronxville separate from any State or national (often demagogic) urgings.  As an objective matter, Bronxville has done well by this independent paradigm.  Why change that?  Why the strident effort to change a place that was attractive enough to move to for its well-developed processes and the benefits they have clearly yielded as tested by time?

But, sadly, people are going to have to rise to the challenge and meet this effort fundamentally to change the way that the Village conducts its business as its own and maintains cordiality as a community.  Again.

I urge all to decline signing on to this year’s petition drive.  And, of course, to enjoy the pool in peace.

Respectfully,

Thomas J, Curran

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