County Legislator Christopher Johnson, who was elected by his fellow members earlier this year to serve as the Board’s Majority Leader, recently penned a letter outlining his role and his first 100 days in leadership. Legislator Johnson represents the 16th District in Yonkers, where he has served for the past five years, winning election in 2017 and 2021. From 2019-2021 he served as Majority Whip and in December 2021 he was elected by his colleagues to serve as Majority Leader. Prior to that Legislator Johnson served as a Yonkers City Councilman for 6 years.
Majority Leader Johnson writes, “2022 marked a new phase for me in my role as County Legislator for the 16th District in Yonkers. I was elected by my colleagues to serve as Majority Leader of the Democratic Caucus of the Board of Legislators. For those who are unfamiliar, the Board of Legislators is made up of 17 members. Those members are comprised of elected individuals from different parts of Westchester, who represent each of their respective districts. Those individuals represent different political parties. Our current Board is comprised of 15 Democrats, 1 Republican and 1 Conservative.
The Majority Leader is the head Majority Caucus, currently the Democratic caucus. As such, my role is to organize the Board’s agenda and priorities, ensuring we tackle a wide range of issues in support of the residents of the County of Westchester, and that is exactly what I have begun to do in this first quarter.
“Legislatively we have introduced Salary Range Legislation requiring employers in Westchester to post minimum and maximum job salary ranges to promote equity in hiring. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, on average women earn 82 cents to every dollar a man earns, and inequity is worse for women of color; the gap is persistent regardless of educational attainment. This legislation forces companies in Westchester to be transparent about pay scales which in turn will help the employee judge whether or not they are being treated fairly.
“We also backed the Clean Slate Proposal pending in the New York State Legislature which would automatically seal criminal records from civil review in certain cases, for people who have completed their sentences and probation, and have maintained a clean record for some years thereafter. It is intended to help people get back on their feet after serving their debt, and to reduce recidivism.
“Other Legislation in the works include topics on Food Allergy Safety and the creation of an Office of Police Accountability. Additionally, I sit on the Appointments, Rules, Housing, Human Services/Equality, Legislation and Public Works and Transportation Committees.
“Serving as Majority Leader is an honor but that does not take away from the district work happening in my office daily. Since the year has begun my office has continued to field constituent calls on an array of issues ranging from coyote sightings to Con Edison. We are working diligently to improve departments and navigate the issues, to better serve residents of the 16th District. Last month, we held a Non Profit Workshop with over 40 attendees in collaboration with the Westchester County Youth Bureau, Non Profit Westchester and Pro Bono Partnerships, to aide individuals who want to start their own nonprofit organizations. I want to do all I can to support the growth and ambitions of Yonkers residents.
I can’t say the work is easy but I can say it’s rewarding. To continue to be able to serve residents of District 16 is not something I take lightly. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions or concerns. Give us a call at 914-995-2829 or send an email to slpc@westchestergov.com and my aide Shatika Parker will assist. I will also start a #QuestionsforChrisJohnson on my social media pages so be sure to follow me @honchrisjohnson on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Thank you for taking the time to read what I’ve been up to at the Board of Legislators. I look forward to seeing everyone in person, as the weather gets warmer,” writes Majority Leader Johnson.
Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins, who served as the County Legislator from the 16th District prior to Johnson, said, Majority Leader Johnson has done a wonderful job navigating the different voices in the democratic majority. That role is different from his duties as a legislator. When you are a legislator you can take stronger positions for your district, but as a leader, you have to have a skill set that helps shepherd the 15 members of the democratic BOL caucus. He has shown that type of leadership,” said Jenkins.
Board Chairwoman Catherine Borgia said, “It’s been exciting working with Chris as he’s stepped into his new leadership role at the Board of Legislators. We make a great team. In just a few months Chris has already made his mark, moving forward important legislation through the Board process. He works hard with staff and colleagues to create a calendar that allows the legislative process to play out, while ensuring the priorities of all of the caucus members are being heard. We have an ambitious agenda for this term, including redistricting.”
