We, the undersigned residents of Westchester County, demand that Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Kaplowitz, Westchester County Legislators and County Executive Astorino VOTE NOW to amend the County Charter to specifically address the timing for the Special Election to fill the vacancy in the 14th Legislative District and extend the window for the election by eight (8) days so that it coincides with the already-scheduled September 13, 2016 Primary Election.
Elections cost money to administer. A stand-alone Special Election before Primary Day will place an unnecessary additional tax burden of more than $100,000 on Westchester residents. With a projected $17.6 million budget deficit, that makes no fiscal sense.
Currently, the County Charter requires that a Special Election be held within 90 days of the vacancy. The Republican legislator resigned effective June 7, 2016 so the Special Election would fall just eight (8) days short of the Primary. Clearly, the timing of the resignation is suspect.
Failure by any of the aforementioned parties to vote immediately to fix this will result in:
1. The expenditure in excess of $100,000 if a Special Election is held prior to Primary Day; and
2. The disenfranchisement of voters who may vacation during the summer and not have adequate notice.
Westchester County residents already pay the highest property taxes in the nation.
