above: former County Legislator Ruth Walter; below: County Legislator James Nolan
By Dan Murphy
With less than 45 days before early voting in Westchester, its time to focus on the November 7th elections. All 17 seats on the Westchester County Board of Legislators are up for election, but only a handful are considered competitive.
One BOL contest that elicits strong opinions on both sides of the political aisle is in the 15th District, East Yonkers, Bronxville and parts of Eastchester and Mt. Vernon. County Legislator James Nolan is running for reelection after serving his first two-year term. In 2021, Nolan defeated Legislator Ruth Walter. Walter has returned to the ballot in a rematch that will be the most watched Westchester election across the county.
We spoke to both Nolan and Walter about the race. “I love what I do, and I bring a sensible voice to the district and to all of Westchester. I have fought for many things in the district, and I want to continue my work,” said Nolan who serves as the only republican on the 17 member BOL. (Legislator Margaret Cunzio is a registered conservative and together with Nolan serve as a 2 member BOL minority).
We asked Nolan if its important to have a republican voice on the county board. “Yes, it is important to have another voice and opinion. One party rule is never a good thing. I try to bring a balance and provide both sides of the argument.”
Nolan said that he wants to continue “to support the Police and help fund the police and look for ways to reduce crime.”
“I have also been able to push through several capital projects that impact my district. Quality of life issues and keeping Westchester an affordable place to live are also a priority, to help constituents with their everyday lives.
“I have no political agenda. I don’t do what’s best for politics, I do what is best for the people. I’m honest and I work hard for my constituents, not the party,” said Nolan.
Part of the reason for Nolan’s victory two years ago was his outreach, with both the candidate and his team of volunteers knocking on thousands of doors in the district. Nolan says this election will not be different.
“We are ahead of schedule and our team of volunteers is working hard. We have more union endorsements this year and now that I have a record to run on, the people know who I am.”
Nolan also agreed with the view of some that as an incumbent, he now has the political advantage over Walter. “Two years ago, the voters in the district elected me, and I did what I said I was going to do to represent them. I don’t see the voters changing their minds two years later.”
“She (Walter) had her chance to represent the district, and she is running on a socialist platform that is not in the people’s best interest. Her views don’t fit with the constituents.
“She is running on a self-promotion, self-centered platform, and she is going after the guy who is a sanitation worker that is addressing the needs of the average person in the district. She is more about politics, while I am running to defend the police and controlling taxes.
“Sometimes when people get elected, they stop showing up. Very few people come close to my work ethic and every day I’m out here working for the people.
“I have fought hard for projects that will help my district and Westchester. But I’m not afraid to open my mouth when I disagree. I am asking the voters not to look at the party but the person,” said Nolan, who in addition to his BOL post works for the Yonkers Department of Public Works.
One captial project that Nolan points to is the Sprain Ridge Park Pool. “It is an honor to announce that I was able to obtain in this year’s 2023 Budget funding to replace the Sprain Ridge Park Pool building. This is one of my accomplishments in my first term which I am proud of because as a kid this is where I would go to the pool with friends and family. Since I was elected infrastructure has been a priority of mine especially because it was ignored by the previous representative. Fixing a building that was originally built in the 1970s was no longer the answer and I made sure that the entire building would be replaced,” posted Nolan on his active Facebook page.
Two notable votes that Nolan took in his first two years were his vote against a ban of Menthol Cigarettes in Westchester (which was vetoed by County Executive George Latimer), and his vote against the Reproductive Healthcare Facilities Access Act.
At the time of the vote last year after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, Nolan said that the Reproductive Healthcare Facilities Act, which passed 15-2, could be challenged in the courts, and that is what has happened, with a lawsuit headed to the US Supreme Court and the BOL recently changing this bill by removing the 8 foot ‘bubble zone” that prevented protestors from approaching women entering a clinic.
While Nolan called Walter a socialist, Walter challenged Nolan’s ethics and whether his “MAGA” views represent the district. “I want to do better for the district. I don’t put myself in every picture.”
“I am not a socialist or a communist. I am a local business owner. I employ people and make a profit. That is the definition of capitalism. My business contributes thousands of dollars in sales tax to the county.”
“But I do believe in the importance of county government, to protect the consumers and keep us safe and healthy. I have proposed installing noise-cameras in the district.”
“I am the former Court Clerk in the Village Justice Court, and the granddaughter of a police captain in Boston. I support the Police in their efforts to combat crime and bring criminals to justice. I would never defund the police, and as chair of the cyber security taskforce, I want the police to educate the public on the dangers of cyber bullies and bank account theft,” said Walter, who focused on three issues where she differs with Nolan: The environment; gun violence protection, and protecting the right for woman to have an abortion.
“We recently saw another flash flood in Yonkers. I am fully supportive of decarbonization. Our planet is warming, and these storms are going to get worse. Trump got people not to trust the science, but its just the facts.
“We have so many guns in our society and some are not illegal. Guns are the #1 killer of kids and of suicide. I don’t want to take away anyone’s 2nd amendment right, and we have good gun laws. But it’s important to recognize that people want better gun laws,” said Walter.
“My opponent voted against the health clinic access bill. I am a woman and I have been pregnant. I come from a catholic family of 8 brothers and sisters so this wasn’t an issue in my family. But you don’t personally have to access a facility to understand that other people should have the right to do so without interference.
“My values represent the majority of the views of the district,” said Walter, who claimed that Nolan is “hiding the fact that he is a republican. He scrubbed it from his website, and if he were confident that this is a republican district he would be saying that. He may switch parties again.”
“I’m proud of the work that I did and I’m confident of winning in November. I think people are upset about the Trumpy turn republicans have taken here and across the country. I’m building a case of a person who is not doing the right thing. He would say I’m elitis, I would say he’s MAGA. I grew up the youngest of 8 kids in a middle class family. I run a store not a hedge fund,” said Walter.
When asked if the fact that Nolan is the only republican on the county board, Walter said, “He is the only republican, but what about the 17,000 democrats in the district? Should they bow to him? I notice that my opponent only attacks me, not the County Executive or the Mayor, both of whom are Democrats.”
Both Nolan and Walter agree on one thing: This is the biggest BOL race in the county, and it is also a bellweather of the political divide in the country.
More on the local elections in your community, and other BOL races, in the weeks to come.
