Killian, with volunteers at the opening of her campaign office in Tuckahoe
By Dan Murphy
The special election for State Senate to be held April 24 in a large part of Westchester County in the 37th District to see who will replace George Latimer (now county executive) has Republican Julie Killian facing off against Democrat Shelley Mayer.
Killian, a former Rye City Councilwoman, ran two years ago for this same senate seat, losing to Latimer by a 56%-44% margin in a presidential election year. Killian recently opened a campaign office in Eastchester to get her message out, which is that “Westchester families can’t afford Albany corruption any longer. It’s time for change.”
“It is my mission to bring change to Albany,” Killian said. “New York has the most corrupt state government in the country and Westchester County receives the least school aid in New York State, so it is no surprise we have among the highest property taxes in the nation. We must send people with fresh ideas and fresh perspectives to state government to objectively address the rampant corruption, stop wasting taxpayer money, and prioritize the programs that our citizens desperately need, like prevention, treatment and recovery funding to address the growing heroin and opioid epidemic.”
Killian also hopes to tie her opponent, Assembly member Shelley Mayer from Yonkers, to the dysfunction and corruption in Albany. “My opponent was a lobbyist, a top aide to two Senate leaders who both went to prison and is currently a state Assembly member who defended the Assembly speaker’s cover-up of the abuse and harassment of young women,” said Killian. “Shelley Mayer can’t change Albany. She is Albany.”
Killian has also highlighted two other issues in her State Senate campaign. First, she called on state lawmakers to fix inequities in state school aid distribution, which she claims is the reason for Westchester’s sky-high property taxes.
In the 2017-18 state budget, Westchester County schools received an average of $5,218 per pupil from New York State. That is less than any other county in the state. “Westchester County receives less state funding per student than any other county in New York State,” Killian said. “It’s no coincidence that we also pay the nation’s highest property taxes. I will stand up for Westchester taxpayers in the State Senate because our hardworking families deserve to be treated fairly.”
Killian also supported a Republican State Senate legislation to stop sexual harassment. “I strongly support the comprehensive sexual harassment legislation that has been introduced by members of the New York State Senate Republican Majority,” she said. “This is the most comprehensive response yet to sexual harassment in the workplace in the public and private sectors and should be immediately enacted into law.
“This legislation builds on legislation proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and will ensure that all employees throughout this state are provided with the safe work environment they deserve. Given the bipartisan way it was developed, I am optimistic that it will quickly advance through the legislative process,” Killian said. “Given the fact that the state has spent more than $11 million in public money to settle sexual harassment claims, this legislative response is essential to protect hardworking taxpayers.”
This legislation would: create a uniform policy for all branches of state and local government and establish a dedicated unit to receive and investigate sexual harassment claims, ensure individual liability to promote greater accountability, prohibit confidentiality agreements unless the victim requests that his or her identity be kept private, and put in place necessary safeguards to allow government to recoup monies to rightly protect hardworking taxpayers from being on the hook for individual acts of sexual harassment.
Killian recently announced a series of debates and forums throughout the 37th District, which includes the towns and municipalities of Armonk, Bedford, Bronxville, Crestwood, Eastchester, Harrison, Katonah, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, North Castle, New Rochelle, Port Chester, Rye City, Rye Brook, Tuckahoe, White Plains and Yonkers.
A West Harrison Neighborhood Association meet-the-candidates forum is scheduled Wednesday, March 28 at 7:45 p.m. at the West Harrison Senior Community Center; a debate is scheduled Tuesday, April 3 at 3 p.m. at the Osborn Senior Living Center in Rye; a Journal News/LoHud debate is scheduled Tuesday, April 10 at 7 p.m. at the College of New Rochelle; an NAACP forum is scheduled Sunday, April 15 at 5:30 p.m. at 95 Lincoln Ave., New Rochelle; a League of Women Voter’s forum is scheduled Monday, April 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the College of New Rochelle; and a FiOS 1 News debate is scheduled Tuesday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the RNN Studios in Rye Brook.
“Julie is looking forward to a robust schedule of forums and debates to talk about the issues that matter to Westchester residents, including addressing Albany’s culture of corruption, tax relief and affordability, jobs and opportunity, school safety, the opioid epidemic, sexual harassment in the workplace, and many other topics,” said Campaign Manager Mike Lawler. “By the time voters head to the polls April 24, they will understand the sharp contrast between Julie and her opponent.”
Killian will run on the Republican, Conservative and Reform Party lines, while Mayer will run on the Democratic, Working Families and Women’s Equality Party lines.,
The challenge for Killian, as many Moderates, Independents and Republicans see the political landscape in Westchester now, is: Can she overcome a Democratic “blue wave” of enthusiasm and support for progressive ideals and candidate?
Killian ran a credible contest against Latimer two years ago. But since that time, last November Latimer defeated Robert Astorino for county executive by 14 points (57 to 43 percent) and combined with the animosity and opposition to President Donald Trump in Westchester, makes winning for a Republican more difficult.
“Julie lost two years ago to Latimer,” said one Westchester Republican. “This is a special election, so turnout will be lower, which may help her, but it’s still a tough race to win. Shelley Mayer has been received well in the district and she was already well known and respected in Westchester. It’s all about enthusiasm on the democratic side. Will the Indivisible crowd stay active and get out the vote for a special election? We will see.”
Killian will have to get high vote totals in Republican-rich areas like Eastchester and Harrison to make up for what will be a large margin of victory for Mayer in her home City of Yonkers. “The numbers don’t seem to add up for Julie, or any other Republican in this race, but stranger things have happened,” said a Westchester independent leader. “But I wouldn’t want to run as a Republican in Westchester after watching Astorino go down to defeat so badly.”
