Patch Candidate Profile: Bruen Seeks Seat In Rockland Legislature

CLARKSTOWN, NY — Election season 2023 election is here and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

David Bruen is running to fill the District 11 seat on the Rockland County Legislature. Lawmaker Laurie Santulli is not seeking re-election. His opponent is Will Kennelly.

Bruen, 22, graduated from Clarkstown High School South and Syracuse University and has been active in both school and local politics. He serves as Treasurer of Rockland County Democratic Committee and Clarkstown Democratic Committee.

Campaign website: https://www.davidforrockland.com/

Patch: Why are you seeking this office?

Bruen: When I graduated high school, most of my peers said they wouldn’t return to Rockland; today, years later, that holds true. It’s unaffordable and there's a lack of opportunity, felt especially deeply by our young people. I looked at our local leadership and asked myself, “If no one is going to do something about the future of our county, then why not me?” If elected, I’d be the youngest Legislator in County history, and I mention that because I think we need new leaders and a new generation in local government to bring our perspective and tackle these issues head-on.

Patch: What are the major differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?

Bruen: I am not a developer, I have no ties to developers, and I have not taken any campaign contributions from developers. I am proudly endorsed by Sierra Club and have a strong record on environmental issues. However, at a recent debate, my opponent told the audience he is “not familiar” with the issue and “does not have an opinion” on what would go into a climate action plan and he believes “there are a lot more issues that are more concerning.”

I couldn’t be more different, I believe that clean air and clean water are critical to any community. I believe we must protect our greenspaces and our local parks. When it comes to our future, families can lose their homes to flooding and other disasters. But it doesn't have to be this way, instead, we can elect leaders who will lead on environmental issues and protect our community.

Patch: What is the single most pressing issue facing your constituents and what do you intend to do about it?

Bruen: Affordability. When I’m knocking on doors or meeting folks at public events, I hear it in different ways “taxes,” “cost of gas,” “cost of a home,” but at the end of the day it all ties back to our underlying affordability. We can and must tackle this issue from every angle possible. We need to bring in more investment from businesses, create good paying jobs, and economic growth – by doing so, we can expand our taxbase and create a reliable way to actually lower taxes for families.

We also need to be fiscally responsible and brutally honest with our partners in government. Rockland is the only county serviced by the MTA that pays more than we get back, so if they won’t invest more in us then Rockland should be exempt from the MTA payroll tax.

Patch: How would you address the affordable housing issue in the community?

Bruen: We must prioritize middle-class housing that is accessible for young people and affordable for our seniors to remain in place. If we grow our local economy, we can expand our tax base and lower the burden on individual taxpayers. That is a direct, proactive approach we can take locally to address this issue.

Patch: How would you protect the drinking water in the community?

Bruen: We must hold our water company accountable. They must move faster to remove microplastics from our water. We must also ensure that private wells, which make up about 10% of Rocklander’s water supply, are not left behind and are protected. Furthermore, we must prevent pollution by protecting drainage, stopping reckless overdevelopment, and investing in our infrastructure.

Patch: What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Bruen: We need good government reforms, such as recording and publishing all public meetings. The County Legislature should advance its digital footprint to make it more transparent and accessible to find what legislators are voting on and how they are voting. I also share the same position on term-limits that Ed Day held when he was a legislator: I support a referendum vote to decide on a maximum of three, four-year terms for Legislators.

Patch: What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Bruen: As Student Body President at Syracuse University, I represented roughly 19,000 people which is also roughly the size of County Legislature District 11. As President, I served for two-terms overseeing an organization with more than 100 people and annual budget over $5 million. One of my most significant accomplishments was moving up the University’s sustainability goals, which include: (1) moving up the net-zero carbon emissions goal from 2040 to 2032, (2) phasing out single-use plastics by 2028, (3) creating a Sustainability Research competition to incentivize research and creativity, and (4) the creation of a Sustainability Oversight Council to oversee the University’s progress. This experience has made me very experience in identifying problems, developing solutions, and working with stakeholders and leaders to implement change-making policy.

Patch: What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Bruen: As an Eagle Scout, by far the most defining piece of advice I’ve heard is the Scout Motto: “Be Prepared.”

Patch: Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions

Bruen: I want voters to know that, on Day 1, I will be ready to work hard to realize the changes we want and need as Rocklanders. Despite my relative youth, I know that I’m ready. That’s why I’m endorsed by Planned Parenthood Hudson-Peconic Votes, Sierra Club, the New York State Young Democrats, New York State Working Families Party, Rockland County Legislature Chairman Jay Hood, former Congressman Mondaire Jones, former State Senator David Carlucci, former State Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick.