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A Somers man announced Thursday a virtual “Front Porch” campaign for Westchester County Executive in 2021.
Dan Branda, who served as Executive Director in the State Assembly and State Senate for Greg Ball and as a policy advisor and Communications Specialist for former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, said he was looking to unseat incumbent Democrat George Latimer with an agenda that includes a commitment to reduce property taxes and an open, bi-partisan government while investing in county infrastructure and effective constituent service programs.
“I am running for Westchester County Executive because I want to raise my children here,” Branda said. “However, Westchester is simply unaffordable for too many—including us. The crushing burdens of property taxes and housing costs are proving to be outright barriers for seniors to remain in their homes, for a young family like mine to stay here and settle into a home of our own, for young professionals looking to live in the county where they grew up or currently work, or for anyone simply seeking the opportunities that Westchester offers.”
Branda, who earlier this year launched a digital marketing and web development business, Branding Company LLC, said he plans to reach out to voters by aggressively interacting across multiple media channels.
He said the property tax burden will be his most immediate concern because he believes Westchester government is heading toward a financial crisis that will unfairly and irreparably harm its residents.
“Property taxes are completely disconnected from our ability to pay but can have a devastating impact on families, especially in today’s economic climate,” Branda said. “We’re seeing a combustible mix of high unemployment, economic recession, and feckless management of the government’s finances that could easily force untenable property tax increases: The county is facing an immediate and crushing $250 million budget deficit, unfunded long-term employment liabilities near $4 billion, and a deep cut to local aid by the Governor. People are going to lose their homes, or be evicted from their apartments, without a significant bailout from the federal government because George Latimer spent money he never had and now has no better plan.”
Source: Rick Pezzullo for the The Examiner News