Judy Myers Receives Journal News Endorsement

Published in the Journal News:

Democrat Judy Myers, who also appears on the Working Families and Independence lines, joined the board after a special election in 2005, filling the seat vacated by George Latimer when he moved to the Assembly. Her opponent is Republican and Conservative Suzanna Keith, who was elected to the Rye City Council a year ago. Keith, who works in marketing, is full of zingers. She derides Myers for being part of a tax-and-spend board that has made property taxes in Westchester the highest in the nation; the talking point largely ignores the role of taxpayer-driven school taxes, or the significant and unique role that unfunded state mandates play in boosting local costs. And like many of the GOP challengers, Keith has adopted the administration’s divisive position on the 2009 fair housing settlement, which she opposes. We believe the smarter position was the one taken by lawmakers in 2009: Rather than expose taxpayers to some $500 million in liability — the possible fallout from a final defeat in the housing case — the board agreed to a settlement that requires the county to build 750 units of needed affordable housing, with subsidies amounting to a bare fraction of $500 million.

Our recommendation is for Myers, who in her brief tenure on the board has been part of bipartisan efforts to reduce the cost and size of county government. Her smart approach to cuts makes sense — inasmuch as District 7 is composed of diverse communities with differings needs. Myers’ talents will be called on even more in the years ahead, as tax-cap pressures make for harder choices and difficult politics. So far, she has been up to the task.