New York State Assembly-elect Robert Castelli is sworn in by former New Castle Town Supervisor and judge, Charles Banks.
February 19, 2010
by John Ehrlich
Robert Castelli, the underdog victor in the 89th Assembly District Special Election, took the oath of office Tuesday and called for cooperation among Albany legislators. “The vitriolic comment needs to stop,” Castelli said, reminding the nearly 100 in attendance at Mt. Kisco’s American Legion Hall that “we are first neighbors.” “Its not a Democratic job and not a Republican job. It’s the peoples’ job.”
Castelli commended both his opponent in the February Special Election, Westchester Legislator Peter Harckham, and Castelli’s predecessor in Albany, Adam Bradley, for their offers of assistance. Bradley gave up the 89th District Assembly seat to become Mayor of White Plains.
“New Yorkers are hurting,” Castelli said. “State, county and local governments are running short on funding and taxpayers are continually squeezed for more and more of their hard-earned dollars. Together, we overcame tough odds to win this election. With your continued support, we can change the way things are done in Albany and work to make the state a more affordable place to live while laying the foundation for a stronger New York.”
“Cold wind of change” and a call for “home rule”
Going into the February 9 Special Election, Peter Harckham was believed to have the edge, since there are 10,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans in the 89th Assembly District. But Castelli won by a 23% plurality, 6,797 to 5,542 according to still-unofficial Westchester County Board of Elections tally. Alluding his own election as well as other election surprises in New York and elsewhere, Castelli commented, “As I will tell those in the Assembly who will be my colleagues when I get up there, if you are not receptive to change and don’t recognize the immediate need for change, then I think you are going to find the same cold wind of change that blew me into office is going to blow many out of those offices in November.” Castelli emphasized, “we want our voice back, our government back, and our home rule back.”
Will push to “cap spending…cut taxes…secure reform and transparency in Albany”
“We need to move away from the tax-and-spend policies of the past and move the state in a new direction, one of fiscal responsibility and reduced burdens. That’s why I was elected to represent the 89th Assembly District and that’s what I will be fighting for in Albany and at home,” Castelli pledged.
He repeated his call for repeal of the MTA commuter tax, the Triborough amendment and the Wickes Law, issues he frequently cited during his campaign. The MTA commuter tax places a disproportionate burden on Westchester County residents, a burden many feel should be borne by New York City mass transit riders themselves.
Castelli criticizes the Triborough Amendment to the Taylor Law for preventing effective collective bargaining. By prohibiting a public employer from altering the provisions of a contract that has expired until a new agreement is reached, under the current law public employees working without a contract receive all the benefits included in their previous contract, giving unions little incentive to offer concessions or to bargain in good faith.
The Wicks Law requires local governments, including schools, to use multiple contractors to build public works projects above a certain size. Castelli maintains that this often results in extra expenditure for multiple bid packages, costly delays and expensive legal disputes, adding between 15% and 25% to the cost of public projects.
On the subject of public trust and the stream of revelations of misconduct by elected and appointed officials, Assemblyman Castelli emphatically stated, “With every ounce of my being I will fight to enact the toughest ethics legislation in the nation to put an end to the corruption in Albany and restore public confidence in state government.”
Castelli will be seated in Albany on Monday
Castelli will be officially seated in the Assembly on Monday. In addition to New Castle, the 89th Assembly District includes the towns of Mount Kisco, North Castle, Bedford, Lewisboro and Pound Ridge, as well as parts of Harrison and White Plains.
Legislators, representatives and town officials throughout the district were present for his Mt. Kisco swearing in, including, among others, State Senator Vincent Leibell, Mt. Kisco Trustee George Griffin, Bedford Supervisor Lee Roberts, Lewisboro Supervisor Charles Duffy.
Assemblyman Robert J. Castelli delivering his inaugural address
State Senator Vincent Leibell congratulates Assemblyman Castelli.
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