Westchester County Executive George Latimer was sworn in for his second four-year term as county executive in a virtual ceremony on Jan. 3. During his first term, Latimer proposed and the County Board of Legislators approved a two-term limit for county executives, so Latimer”™s second term will be his last in the post.
Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins also was sworn in for a second term.
Because of the Covid pandemic, the event stood in sharp contrast to Latimer”™s first inauguration four years ago when an estimated 1,000 people attended. This year’s virtual ceremony took place in the county executive”™s office suite at the Michaelian Office Building in White Plains and was telecasted on the internet.
Recorded messages of good wishes came from elected officials including U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“Going into this new term, the top item in my portfolio is housing,” Jenkins said. “Specifically, working through the various challenges we have seen pre-pandemic, now during the pandemic and eventually post-pandemic.”
Jenkins said that he wants to build on the $50 million that”™s included in the 2022 budget for land acquisition and infrastructure improvements to support the development of affordable housing within the county.
“I”™m looking forward to continuing working with all of our municipal partners, our advocacy organizations and the people of Westchester on this very, very important issue,” Jenkins said.
Latimer said, “The first four years of our administration were all about fixing what was broken. We inherited a number of fiscal problems and first and foremost we needed to get Westchester County back on solid financial ground. But more than that, we created a template that results matter to us.”
Latimer cited accomplishments such as converting the county”™s Bee Line Bus System to hybrid and all-electric vehicles, negotiating a new management agreement for Playland, using IDA resources to help companies such as Regeneron expand and create more jobs, and using county resources to help small businesses survive the hardships caused by the pandemic.
Latimer said he plans to stage county-wide community discussions on the future of the Westchester County Center and the Westchester County Airport, including development of a new master plan for the airport.
“All voices will be included, all voices must be heard and they will be heard,” Latimer said.
Latimer said that he welcomes exchanging views with people who hold differing views from his and are across the aisle politically.
“When we face opposition that is not based on principal but rather simply to gain political advantage and power we will call it out for what it is and we will push back with purpose and vigor,” Latimer said. “We will not let the blessings of free speech and free thought be used to advance lies and conspiracies designed to soften the climate of objective truth so that violence may achieve what cannot be achieved at the ballot box. This administration will fight to protect democracy, the rule of law and the right of the will of the majority of the people to be followed and not subverted by any angry minority willing to end democracy with force of arms and violence.”
Latimer expressed a belief that 2022 will see a return to normalcy as the pandemic subsides.
