Letter to the Editor: Harckham Deserves Your Vote

Westchester County Legislator Pete Harckham is a good man. He is a good colleague and a good friend to those who know him.

This may not be enough to gain your vote, but I ask you to consider the following record.

When Pete Harckham was elected four years ago to the Westchester County Legislature, he said he would cut taxes and reduce County spending, while preserving essential services. Through hard work, civility, and a commitment to bipartisan cooperation, Legislator Harckham has done exactly that.

He followed through on what he promised, just like you would expect a good friend to do.

This year, Legislator Harckham worked to cut spending by $30 million and reduced County taxes by 2.2 percent, more than twice the tax relief proposed by the Astorino Administration, saving taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.

Through civil discourse with Republican and Democratic colleagues, Legislator Harckham successfully passed term limits legislation and cut the Board of Legislators budget by 11 percent in 2009 and 2010. At the same time, Legislator Harckham ensured that the Department of Emergency Services and the County Crime Lab were protected from reckless and shortsighted cuts that would have endangered the safety of everyone in Westchester County.

He also worked personally to help protect hundreds of Westchester families from foreclosure in very difficult economic times. The record above is clear. Westchester County Legislator Pete Harckham has shown the leadership, values, and commitment to honest public service that deserve your vote for his re-election in November.

Thank you for your consideration and your time in reading this letter.

Ellen V. Kearns, Ph.D.
Pound Ridge