By Dan Murphy
Ruth Walter, the Democrat running for Westchester County Legislature in the 15th District, has unveiled her plan to address gun violence in Westchester. Walter has brought the issue of gun violence, and the shootings across the country in recent months and years, to the forefront of her campaign for the County Board.
Walter has proposed two specific plans to help keep Westchester residents safe from the threat of gun violence. Similar to laws adopted in New York City and Suffolk County, Walter said that, as a county legislator, she will advocate for the creation of a gun offender registry in Westchester County.
Gun offender registries in other communities require persons convicted of at least one gun-related offense to register their names and addresses with police, and some also required persons to check in with police every six months for three years. The legislation has been used to deter people convicted of firearms crimes from re-offending and help police track gun offenders. The information would only be available for law enforcement officials, not the public. Law enforcement agencies use a gun offender registry to map where gun offenders live, which isn’t possible with the existing databases, and could aide in shooting investigations.
Walter said she also supports New York State’s Red Flag Law, which provides a critical resource to remove guns from people who are a threat to themselves and others.
As a legislator, Walter said she will work to implement a “Red Flag mandatory notification” policy so that anyone who is a victim of domestic violence or reports domestic violence is given information about the law and how to petition the courts to remove guns.
“No community is immune to the threat of gun violence, and we can do more here in Westchester at the county-level,” she said. “We can’t afford leaders who refuse to take action or who are emboldened by the National Rifle Association. Unlike my opponent, I will never accept support from the Westchester County Firearms Owners Association. I am committed to taking action to keep our county safe.”
Usually, the issue of gun safety and violence does not come up in county legislative races. However, in this race, Walter has been able to contrast her views with that of her opponent, Republican County Legislator Gordon Burrows.
Burrows accepted the endorsement of the Westchester County Firearms Owners Association in his elections in 2013 and 2015. According to Walter, the WCFOA is a local, NRA-like pro-gun organization that opposes common-sense gun laws, including opposing banning gun shows at the county-owned Convention Center even though such shows included neo-Nazi and confederate paraphernalia. Burrows voted against banning gun shows at the Westchester County Center in 2017 and 2018.
County Executive George Latimer used the issue of guns as a campaign issue in his win over former County Executive Rob Astorino in 2017. Astorino supported keeping the gun show at the county center in White Plains.
The race between Walter and Burrows is a rematch of their 2017 contest, in which Burrows won, becoming one of the few republicans to win in Westchester during a “blue wave” of democratic progressive turnout.
The question in this race, and in the several other notable county board races coming Nov. 5, is: Can Walter and democrats encourage and excite their majority base of county democrats to come out during an election year in which there is no race for county executive, governor or president.
One local race that could fuel turnout in this contest is the election for Yonkers mayor. Incumbent Democrat Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano is running against little known-Republican Mario De Giorgio. This race benefits Walter if Yonkers democrats come out and vote for Spano and stay on the democratic line and vote for Walter, who has been endorsed by Yonkers City Council President Mike Khader.
The 15th County Board district includes parts of Yonkers and Bronxville. Burrows has served on the County Board since 2005.
Walter is a small business owner, served as a court clerk in Bronxville, and is president of the Bronxville Library Board of Trustees. She grew up in Dobbs Ferry and currently lives in Bronxville with her family.
