Catalina, Gashi, Borgia Best Choices for County Board Seats
Endorsement
The region is losing two longtime representatives on the Westchester County Board of Legislators with the retirements of Michael Kaplowitz and John Testa, who combined have 32 years of experience fighting for constituents in the northern end of the county, which often is overlooked with funding and services.
Replacing them will be a challenge, but District 1, where Testa serves in Peekskill, Cortlandt and Yorktown, shouldn’t miss a beat if voters elect Frank Catalina.
Catalina, a well-established attorney in Peekskill for the last 38 years, served four years as mayor from 2014 to 2017 and helped set the tone for all the praise the city has been receiving. He demonstrated he could work effectively on a bi-partisan council where he was in the minority, as he would be if elected to the Democratic-controlled Board of Legislators.
Catalina is articulate and won’t shy away from a debate. He will certainly make his presence felt in White Plains.
On the other hand, his opponent, Colin Smith, has served the last two years on the Peekskill Common Council and has not stood out in any way, choosing instead to blend in with the Democratic majority.
Smith, also a lawyer, has good intentions and worked well on the Peekskill Board of Education for six years, but Catalina is clearly the better choice to excel on the county level.
In District 4, which covers Yorktown, New Castle and parts of Somers, Vedat Gashi, an attorney, gets the nod over another attorney, former Yorktown Supervisor Michael Grace.
Gashi is personable and appears capable of getting up to speed quickly on issues. His common sense approach will serve him well at the county level. Meanwhile, Grace said he has no problem shortchanging infrastructure needs and depleting reserves. His opposition to the Immigrant Protection Act, which basically only prevents the county from using its law enforcement resources to enforce federal immigration laws, is also puzzling.
In District 9, Ossining, Croton-on-Hudson and parts of Cortlandt, Peekskill and Briarcliff Manor have been well-served by Legislator Catherine Borgia for the last eight years.
Borgia hit her stride as Majority Leader on the board for several years and is currently chairperson of the board’s Budget & Appropriations Committee. She is a tireless worker and dedicated representative.
Republican Robert Outhouse is looking to oust Borgia for the second time but has not presented enough convincing arguments to demonstrate he would represent the district better than the incumbent.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/