Why I Switched My Support From Abzun to Luzio for Mt. Kisco Mayor
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
When Lisa Cerbone Abzun first expressed her desire to run for Mayor of Mount Kisco, I decided to support her with my vote as a district leader of the Democratic Party in our town.
But, during her interview with our selection committee, she refused to support the stronger ethics law that our town desperately needs after more than a decade of scandals, forced resignations and insider deals. She also refused to support needed protections for our town’s open space and trail network, which have been under continued attack for many years from politically connected developers and corporations.
These refusals deeply disappointed me. Even though Lisa had shown a strong shift toward supporting questionable Republican development schemes as deputy mayor, I thought that she would reassert her previous independent point of view now that she was running for office on her own. To the contrary, she has doubled down on her real estate business roots and made it clear that she rejects anything that limits development or “investment.”
Tom Luzio, on the other hand, was clear and forthright about his support for preserving open space. He was also totally convincing in his assertion that a stronger, enforceable local ethics law was essential to restoring an honest local government that would respond to the needs of all residents, rather than the desires of wealthy special interests.
Since Lisa’s bid was rejected by the Mount Kisco Democratic Committee (by a two-thirds majority), Lisa has unfortunately shown her true colors even more clearly.
During the primary campaign she has avoided discussing these key issues, while conducting a propaganda-style smear campaign attacking Tom’s own ethics –despite his spotless 25-year career in law enforcement. She has also strongly supported the proposed Accessory Dwelling Unit law, backed by powerful out-of-town real estate interests, which would devalue single-family homes in many parts of our town. Tom opposes this proposal.
Lisa has also abandoned her former supporters to curry favor with real estate development allies. During recent Village Board work sessions, she participated in baseless criticisms of our Trail Team leaders, a group with more than 80 years of collective volunteer service to our town. She called plans to protect and improve our historic green space unnecessary and expensive, including a park ranger proposal that was co-sponsored by our police department as the most cost-effective way to ensure the safety of our trails and parks.
I’m confident that one reason for her virulent opposition to these proposals is that they included expanding the trails to enable safe access to the north side of Kisco Mountain, a precious public forest still openly coveted by powerful developers.
A keystone of Tom’s beliefs is that we need to protect, preserve and improve Mount Kisco parks, trails and open space – and that a police-trained and connected ranger is an essential part of that effort.
It all comes down to ethics, and who you trust to run this town for the benefit of all our residents. Based on my own decades of community service and what I’ve learned from that experience, I trust Tom Luzio to be fair, inclusive and honest as our new mayor.
The polls close at 9 p.m. on Tuesday. Please get out and vote your conscience.
John Rhodes
Mount Kisco
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