The candidates for Westchester County executive squared off Wednesday night in the final debate before election night.
Robert P. Astorino, the incumbent, and challenger Noam Bramson sat elbow-to-elbow at a table and shared a microphone, but the two spent the evening proving they were far apart on the political spectrum and did not share the same world view.
Both candidates mostly stayed close to their campaign playbooks, with Republican Astorino criticizing his opponent”™s tax record as mayor of New Rochelle and Bramson, a Democrat, portraying Astorino as a member of the tea party with conservative social views who has cut county social programs.
Bramson compared Astorino to Ted Cruz and House Republicans at the debate, hosted by the League of Women Voters of Westchester at Pace Graduate Center in White Plains. Bramson took aim at Astorino”™s social views saying the incumbent was a pro-gun, anti-abortion, anti-gay rights extremist.
“Westchester is literally the birthplace of Rockefeller Republicans and that”™s not what this is,” he said. “Mr. Astorino”™s record is not just far to the right of the typical resident of Westchester, it”™s far to the right of the typical Republican in Westchester.”
Astorino, who is seeking his second four-year term, said that a county election was not about social views, but a record of solid fiscal management. He said his administration has reduced taxes each year and has been about “three Ps”: protecting taxpayers, promoting economic growth and preserving essential services. Astorino said Bramson”™s “three Ps” have been “pouncing, pummeling and punishing” the taxpayers of New Rochelle.
He distanced himself from the Washington D.C. deadlock by noting how the 2013 budget was approved by a bipartisan coalition. Most members of the Democratic majority of the county”™s 17-person Board of Legislators had walked out before a December 2012 vote on this year’s budget. Two Democrats joined with the seven Republicans on the board, agreed on a budget and approved it with a board majority. “My job was to lead and make sure things get done,” he said.
Astorino has clashed with the Democratic board majority to the point where the board has sued him half a dozen times over the years. He said that the battles were for good reason.
“Every time I”™ve been sued, it”™s because I”™m trying to protect the taxpayer,” he said. “And I”™ll take that fight to court every time and I”™ll take that fight to the street every time.”
Bramson said that the suits were evidence of a divisive administration unwilling to compromise. “The relationship with the legislature has been a disaster,” he said. Bramson defended his own record as mayor of New Rochelle by saying the tax rate has increased at a level equal to or slower than the county”™s other big cities.
The county executive is paid an annual salary of $160,670. The election is Nov. 5, when all 17 county legislator seats will also be decided.
