Pair of Local Officials Seek District 2 Board of Legislators Seat

Two local municipal officials are seeking the open District 2 seat on the Westchester County Board of Legislators.

Bedford Councilman Francis Corcoran, a Republican, who has been on the town board for 13 years, faces Democratic three-year Mount Kisco village Trustee Karen Schleimer.

The winner will take the seat about Dec. 1 once the election is certified because of Peter Harckham’s resignation earlier this year. Interim Legislator Alan Cole was appointed in June to represent the district.

Reasons for Running

Schleimer, 65, said she accepted overtures to run for the seat from the Northern Westchester Coalition.

“I felt that I had made good strides in Mount Kisco. I accomplished a lot of things for a fair number of people,” Schleimer said. “And I thought the opportunity to do it on a larger platform was a tremendous opportunity and maybe I could really make a difference.”

Schleimer, a real estate attorney, also served on the village zoning board for about 25 years, was a village prosecutor and a planning board member.

Corcoran, 52, who grew up in Bedford and spent his career in the financial industry, said he decided to run after Peter Harckham departed.

“We’re different than down county. Our needs are different,” said Corcoran. “We send a lot of money to the county and a lot of folks don’t think we get back what we give.”

He added that his town board experience would be valuable.

“I have an obligation to run because I know I can be a leader for up here, represent us down there and have a strong voice that will be heard,” he said.

Affordable Housing Settlement

Corcoran said he agreed with County Executive Rob Astorino that it is federal government overreach to force municipalities to change their zoning to provide affordable housing or to approve the model ordinance, which calls for 10 percent of new housing projects to contain affordable units. Bedford not only approved the ordinance, but strengthened it, he said.

If elected, Corcoran said he would sit down with municipalities that have not approved the model ordinance and explain what has been done with affordable housing in Bedford. The town has been in the forefront of providing affordable units through the Blue Mountain Development Corporation.

The town board also recently approved zoning revisions to allow affordable housing in former light industrial zones, he said.

Schleimer said her background in planning and zoning would be helpful to the Board of Legislators, particularly with the housing settlement. She’s also had experience as a negotiator and has been a commercial arbitrator.

Finishing the 750 units will likely go down to the wire, Schleimer said.

“The federal government wants to accomplish a goal. The towns have been willing to step (up) and try to meet that goal,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of pressure to make this settlement work and I think no one wants to put us in a position where we’re going head to head with the federal government.” There are some issues, such as septic and water, which makes it difficult for some northern Westchester municipalities to provide affordable housing, Schleimer said.

Water/Sewer Issues

Corcoran said he would advocate for the use of alternative water treatment systems in areas like Katonah and Pound Ridge, which are prone to septic problems. He has been involved with the Environment Facilities Corp., which provides low-cost financing and technical expertise to municipalities considering construction of sewage and water treatment facilities. The new town water treatment plant in Bedford is providing outstanding clean water, he said.

Schleimer agreed that water quality is an important issue for the district. Different and new technologies help to preserve water quality, such as shared septics, she said.

“You’re grouping septics rather than having each unit have its own individual septic,” she said. “I would be happy to work with the towns in investigating whatever possibilities there are.”

Service Sharing

Corcoran and Schleimer both support the greater sharing of government services to reduce spending.

Schleimer said the consolidation of the Mount Kisco Police Department with the county Department of Public Safety, which began on June 1, has been successful.

“The response from the public has been overwhelmingly supportive,” she said. “There are many more cars and many more officers present. The response time is substantially improved. The specialized services are way above what we could offer as a small local department.”

Schleimer said that several former village police officers stayed on after the consolidation. “You don’t feel that you’re among strangers,” she said. However, the consolidation remains a work in progress. The county is willing to work with village officials to improve the new arrangement, she said.

Schleimer said there could be infrastructure that could be shared between the county and municipalities, but she wanted to study the issue, including what has been done with shared services elsewhere in the country.

Corcoran said Bedford has shared services with other municipalities, including sharing a machine to clear catch basins. He would continue to pursue other opportunities with the county.

Budget Issues

Corcoran said Bedford officials navigated through some of the most difficult financial times since The Great Depression and still managed to maintain the town’s AAA bond rating, part of a smaller fraternity of towns and cities in the state to have that rating, he said.

Corcoran said the town hasn’t cut services since he’s been on the board and has a healthy fund balance.

“I don’t think there’s anybody who has run for this seat or held this seat, and I don’t know anybody on the county level, that has the kind of level of background that I have,” Corcoran said.

Corcoran, who would likely arrive in time to vote on the 2016 budget, said he would start analyzing the spending plan when it is released before he would take office and would meet with legislators.

In addition to his town board service, Corcoran has been appointed to unpaid positions to work on financial issues, including chairman of the inspector general’s office for the MTA, serving under four governors.

Corcoran said the county should seek specific industries “and try to get a niche in that industry” by using temporary tax incentives and using a corporate spokesperson who would tout the benefits of doing business in Westchester. The county should speak with high level executives to encourage them to move their companies to the county, he said.

Schleimer said early retirement incentives have resulted in a drastic reduction of county government staff and she is concerned about departments being decimated. Also, infrastructure projects that have been delayed could endanger public safety, she said.

Current legislators have been helping to familiarize Schleimer with the budget process. She has been involved with the Mount Kisco budget in her work as a trustee.

Both candidates agreed that the county should not borrow for operating expenses such as pension costs and tax certiorari refunds.

“It’s not a healthy way to finance a budget,” Corcoran said. “We don’t do that in Bedford.”

Corcoran said the county should consider seeking revenues other than raising property taxes. Charging a user fee to allow commercial vehicles to use county parkways was one idea.

“There’s got to be ways you can find things to generate revenue,” he said.

Schleimer also was uncomfortable with borrowing for operating expenses.

“I’m really concerned about not being able to meet your current expenses and doing it by borrowing.”

Seeking efficiencies and searching for savings in the budget’s other areas without damaging needed services is crucial, Schleimer said.

If the county cannot balance its budget after seeking cost savings, it should seek federal and state funding, Schleimer said. Borrowing should be a last resort, she said.

County Politics

Schleimer said Astorino has been a factor in the campaign and has been helping with funding for Corcoran’s campaign.

“Maybe not overtly, but he (Astorino) is definitely a factor,” Schleimer said.

Though she is on an all-Democratic board, Schleimer said working with county Republicans would not pose a problem.

“I basically do my own independent evaluation,” said Schleimer, who added that she has not always agreed with her Democratic colleagues on the Mount Kisco board.

Corcoran said he would take reasonable positions without an agenda when dealing with county issues.

Other Comments

Corcoran said he was not running for this seat to run for another position in the future.

“I love northern Westchester,” he said.

Schleimer said she is proud of her public service record and has met great people while campaigning.

“They know that I’m willing to go the extra mile,” Schleimer said. “I’m doing this only because I think I can make a positive contribution.”