Patch Profile: White Plains Council Member Presser Seeks Re-Election

WHITE PLAINS, 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.

Victoria Free Presser is running for re-election to the White Plains Common Council. After a career in nonprofit and governmental public information for over 45 years, assisting a variety of organizations and constituencies, including the Westchester County Office for the Aging, Westchester Children’s Association, GLSEN, the Center for Healthcare Education and Research at Pace University and the Scarsdale Public Schools, she retired in 2020. The 73-year-old is married; her two children attended White Plains schools.

Campaign website: https://www.facebook.com/JVJforWP

Patch: Why are you seeking this office?

Presser: I’m thrilled at the prospect of continuing to serve on the Common Council. I bring every fiber of my being to this work – all my knowledge, my expertise, and my heartfelt commitment to strengthening our city and helping our residents with their concerns. And I relish the opportunities that government service offers to get things done.

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

Presser: My running mates (Jenn Puja and Jeremiah Frei-Pearson) and I are committed to ensuring that White Plains has quality housing options for everyone; and leads the way on protecting the environment; and invests in all our neighborhoods.

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

Presser: Affordable housing is the most pressing issue -- I and my running mates intend to see that the requirements are enforced that all new developments have 12% of their units as affordable, and to find additional, creative ways to expand affordable housing options in White Plains.

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

Presser: My goals for the future include expanded youth services, particularly for our teens; pedestrian safety; and implementing the new Comprehensive Plan, making sure that the community continues to be informed and involved.

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

Presser: As Chair of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Board, I conduct the Committee’s monthly meetings, and hear reports on the array of programs that the Youth Bureau provides our young people, helping them find their future. Recently we discussed the impact of recent mall closings on teens who are looking for a place to “hang out.” As a result, I’m working with our Youth Bureau executive director Frank Williams to identify how the Youth Bureau can meet that need, and provide an inviting and safe place for our young people to gather.

I brought my public information expertise to the task of alerting the Battle Hill community when the neighborhood lost its polling place at the Battle Hill Condominiums, and advocated for its restoration; then l helped develop a partnership with El Centro Hispano to serve as a permanent polling place at its new location at the foot of Battle Hill.

Concerning the crucial issue of sustainability, I worked with my colleague Jenn Puja to update the City’s solar ordinance, providing for more rigorous Common Council oversight, and requirements for buffer zones – including mandates for using native plants and ongoing maintenance. I also helped facilitate the Rte. 119/Battle Hill Native Garden Demonstration Project, which served as inspiration for the Native Meadow project on the site, and which recently received State funding..

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

Presser: From my mother: "Err on the side of generosity."

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

Presser: It has been my honor and joy to serve on the White Plains Common Council these past four years. I hope to have the privilege of continuing that work.