In a contentious upcoming Democratic primary election in Mamaroneck Village June 28 for Village Trustees, Emmanuel Rawlings, Leilani Yizar-Reid, and Lou Young are running against an incumbent opposition slate of Andrew Spatz, Robert Litman and led by incumbent Trustee Dan Natchez.
Below are two Letters to the Editor. First, is a Letter to the Editor from Village Mayor Tom Murphy in support of the Rawlings, Yizar-Reid, Young slate, followed by a response from Trustee Daniel Natchez, the subject of several allegations, in support of his incumbent slate, Andrew Spatz, Robert Litman and Dan Natchez.
To the Editor:
We Democrats in the Village of Mamaroneck have an important day approaching—June 28, when the Democratic primary will be held for candidates for Village Trustee. I am writing to encourage you to vote for Emmanuel Rawlings, Leilani Yizar-Reid, and Lou Young. These three exceptional candidates bring to our Village Board fresh voices, diversity, and empathy for all village residents.
Just as important, Rawlings, Yizar-Reid, and Young will lead on the issues where intransigent board members have impeded progress for too long: flood mitigation, housing accessibility, zoning reform and holding the line on taxes. These have been issues very close to my heart as Mayor and I need these board members by my side to bring them successfully to the finish line.
All three of the candidates have deep roots in our community. They have served in senior positions at critical organizations such as the Community Resource Center and STEM Alliance. They worked in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida to help rebuild our community: distributing food and connecting residents with needed services. They frankly did more to help flood victims than most elected officials.
In particular, they understand the urgency of flood prevention in our village. Presently on the Board of Trustees, Lou Young, fought for and won an additional $1.36 million dollars for emergency river and creek dredging to be done in 2022. I know for sure that Rawlings, Yizar-Reid and Young will work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to build a more flood resilient village through sustainable development strategies.
This primary is particularly critical because these candidates’ opponents and their supporters have used underhanded tactics to distort the truth and rob voters of their voice: attempting to stop the primary with a challenge that was later thrown out by the New York State Supreme Court. I’ve always believed that the Democratic Party should support democracy, not thwart it, and that you—the voters—should be the ones to decide who gets to be Trustee.
The leader of the opposition slate, incumbent Dan Natchez, has been a persistent opponent of progress on the Village board. His goal seems to be to simply impede movement and to advance the goals of his personal political supporters. Three of his supporters have cost the Village hundreds of thousands of dollars on quixotic lawsuits. They are now all appealing their lost litigations and you, the taxpayer, will once again be paying for their hubris.
Natchez voted NO on a needed pedestrian safety project on Fenimore Rd last year. He also initially voted no on the Black Lives Matter memorial because he objected to the words “Black Lives Matter”. This would have effectively silenced voices that have been ignored in America for 400 years!
We have a choice this June: a dedicated team of hard working community members who will fight to represent you, informed with real data, or the same obstructionists who have prevented needed progress in our village for decades. I hope I can count on you to vote for Rawlings, Yizar-Reid, and Young. Early voting will be held at the Town Center, 740 West Boston Post Road, from June 18-June 26. Election day is June 28.
We need a team that can lead, not impede!
Tom Murphy
Mayor, Village of Mamaroneck
To the Editor:
As a lifelong resident I have witnessed many election campaigns including many that were highly contested … but mostly on the issues.
In my lifetime I have never seen so much animosity, personal attacks. dirty tricks, distortion of the facts and outright lies. It has caused polarization and divisiveness, and mistrust in our Village. And for what – to win an election? How petty.
There should not be any place for such antics in our Village.– yet there are those – including our Mayor – who say ‘it’s just politics’.
Is it any wonder why more and more residents do not trust their government?
We should welcome and respect honest disagreements on issues. Both sides, if they have open minds, can learn from opposing views and come up with better and more informed solutions.
Some people live for politics and others strive to put our Village first.
Yesterday a resident said he was fed up with the negativism and it must stop. Those are my sentiments exactly!!!
I have taken the high road and hope you will join me in putting “Friendly” back in the Village and not just in a line at the bottom of the Village stationery.
Early voting is open now through Sunday, 6/26. Primary Day is Tuesday, June 28th.
Trustee Dan Natchez
Village of Mamaroneck
Running for re-election
editor: Lou Young has been a contributor on theLoop
Hasn’t Murphy been in politics long enough? Why doesn’t he let a “fresh face” have a go at his position? Asking for a friend.