Latimer Announces Re-election Bid for Second Term
County Executive George Latimer officially announced Monday morning that he is running for a second term this fall.
Latimer said there are still plenty of issues for him to tackle over the next four years.
“We still face more challenges ahead,” Latimer said in a nearly two-minute video that was released on his campaign Facebook page. “The pandemic is not over; our families and small businesses are still struggling and social inequities that existed before the pandemic have gotten worse. But we’ll fix these problems the same way. We’ll deal with them openly and honestly and look at the facts, not politics. We’ll work on solutions.”
He touted his accomplishments that included restoration of the historic Miller House in North White Plains and Memorial Field in Mount Vernon, construction of the new family courthouse in New Rochelle, repairs to the Sprain Ridge Pool in Yonkers and cutting county property taxes for the last two years.
Latimer, 67, also said that his administration has communicated key information to the public on a regular basis since the start of the pandemic nearly a year ago.
The announcement had been expected since after the holidays. Last summer, Latimer said he would likely announce his re-election plans after work on the 2021 budget was completed in December. A large deficit was expected but with federal funding from the CARES Act, a voluntary retirement program and sales tax revenues that were not as dire as originally projected, there was a small cut in the tax levy for this year.
It is currently unknown who Latimer’s opponent may be for the general election. Somers residents Dan Branda, a staffer for former state senator Greg Ball and communications specialist for former county executive Rob Astorino, had announced last August that he intended to run for the Republican nomination. However, he said Monday that he is pursuing “a family opportunity” and has decided to forgo pursuing the seat.
The Westchester County Republican Committee is working on identifying a nominee to challenge Latimer, Branda said.
If Latimer’s re-election bid is successful, this would be his last term in the seat. During his first term, he proposed a two-term limit for the county executive’s position. The Board of Legislators later approved the measure.
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