Candidate Profile: John Hynes For Westchester County Legislator

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — Election season 2023 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.

Name: John Hynes

Age: 55

Hometown: Pelham

Running for which office: Westchester County Legislative District 11.

Education: Bachelor's degree and several classes away from a master's degree

Political experience: Pelham Republican Committe district leader

Work experience: 32 years in law enforcement experience.

Family: Married 27 years to my lovely bride and have three beautiful daughters

Why are you seeking this office?

Love working with people to get things done. I'm a hands-on kind of person who like to resolve issues.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidate(s) seeking this post?

She is a veteran politician and I'm the new guy.

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

Crime in every community is always a big topic. As a former detective I want to focus on crimes within our community. I believe I can be very useful in this area. I also want to focus on our youth. Set up programs and events for the youth that will be positive, want more interaction.

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

First thing I would do is reach out to the community and learn much as possible how I can help. I would meet local officials and members of the community for input. We need to work together.

How would you protect the drinking water in the community?

To be honest not familiar with this topic but again I am a hands-on type of person, and I would make sure everything is being done to keep our water safe.

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

At the end of the day, we are all neighbors. We should all be working together to make our community better for all. I believe in local government and believe we can get things done.

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

Over the years I worked behind the scenes with people who were running for a political position and people who were already in office. I have also been on numerous volunteer organizations holding different board positions. I am not lazy; I like to work and work hard. As former President of the Pelham PBA I dealt with many issues over the years of my presidency. I worked with officials to get issues resolved. I believe in sitting down and talking things out.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Always give it your best shot. There will be good days and bad days but if you keep doing the right thing the good days will outweigh the bad days.

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

I am a people person. One who believes interacting with others to get things done. I was and still part of many volunteer organizations. Several of those organizations are State of New York Police Juvenile Officers Association. An organization that travels all over New York State in educating police officers to work with youth. I was a Drug, Abuse, Resistance, Education (DARE) instructor in classrooms teaching children about the bad effects of alcohol, drugs, bullying and much more. A certified hostage negotiator who was able to get suspects out without anyone getting hurt. The Danny Fund, an organization that helps families who have children that have a long-term illness. There are more but I just wanted to share a few. I even coached Little League before I had children. Again, I'm a go getter and like to give back to the community and work with our neighbors.