Letter to the Editor: 2013 Race for Mayor in Port Chester

Being relatively new to Port Chester and having never attended a League of Women's Voters debate before, I was able to attend the LWV debate at Port Chester High School on March 1 between Mayor Dennis Pilla and his challenger, Neil Pagano. 

What struck me most about the differences between the Mayor and Mr. Pagano is that the Mayor, who is a six-year incumbent, repeatedly pointed the finger of blame for the lack of progress on important issues facing the Village at some Members of the Board of Trustees (whom he never identified), and called for their replacement. 

That, to me, is not leadership. 

When you've had six years to forge constructive working relationships with fellow Village leaders, and you apparently are not willing to look at yourself and figure out what it is about your own leadership/management style that is not working, then it's time for a fresh approach. 

Mr. Pagano, by contrast during the debate, emphasized his ability to work with leaders of all political backgrounds and persuasions, as evidence by the many examples he cited through his work as Chairman of the Industrial Development Authority (IDA), and through his many years of working in the private sector as a life-long resident of the Village. 

I liked Mr. Pagano's "down home, personal" style (he obviously has deep roots in, and a passion for, the Village and its people) and I believe, if he is elected, he will display the leadership and management skills that will quickly and readily forge the kind of effective working relationships with other Village leaders that this Village is badly in need of. 

That is why on March 19 I'll be casting my vote for Neil Pagano for Mayor, and using my six Board of Trustee votes to vote twice each for Joe Kenner, Frank Ferrara and Savrio Terenzi, all of whom I am convinced are committed, along with Mr. Pagano, to tackling important issues facing the Village (e.g., expanding the tax base, developing the Marina and the United Hospital site, resolving Code Enforcement program problems, and addressing now -- not later -- the looming and large budget deficits the Village will be confronted with) that the current Mayor has had six years to make progress on, but, like at the debate the other night, has done little other than to point fingers of blame at others. Again, that's not leadership. 

Pilla's continued presence as Mayor would be counterproductive and would stifle the Village's ability to reach its true potential.  In coming years, Port Chester needs a leader who has been a proven consensus-builder and practical problem solver. That leader is Neil Pagano. 

Patrick J. Gillis

Port Chester