Westchester County Legislator Westchester County Board of Legislators NEWS NANCY E. BARR Proudly Serving the 6th District Voice of the People of Westchester County for over 300 years Fall 2018 Newsletter

Nancy E. Barr District 6 ~ Harrison, Rye Brook, Port Chester

800 Michaelian Office Building 148 Martine Avenue, 8th Floor Dear Friends and Neighbors, White Plains, New York 10601 As I near the end of my first year in office, (T) 914-995-2834; (F) 914-995-3884 I want to thank you for placing your trust in me, [email protected] and share some of the great progress we’ve made Follow us online: in 2018. westchesterlegislators.com My colleagues and I passed several laws to facebook.com/westchestercountyBOL improve the lives of Westchester residents. These vimeo.com/user38417258 include prohibiting gun shows on county-owned Watch meetings live or on-demand at property, raising the age to purchase tobacco and westchestercountyny.IQM2.com vaping products from 18 to 21, encouraging the Up-to-date schedules at hiring of service-disabled veterans in county con- westchesterlegislators.com/calendars tracts, banning the practice of “conversion ther- apy” for minors, and the Immigrant Protection Making HERstory-- a record number of women now serve on Act. Some of these initiatives had been stalled for the Westchester Board of Legislators years, but 2018 brought many new legislators to county government -- including a history-making majority of women -- and we are working together for the ben- Your Property Tax Dollars efit of all Westchester residents. Did you know that only As Chair of the Environment, Health and Energy Committee, I have advocated for increased transparency 15 cents of your property related to Westchester County Airport and Indian Point. I introduced legislation for a county-wide ban on single tax dollar funds county use plastic bags, which I hope to pass in the coming months. Increasing the use of energy saving technology, government? including exploring ways to store solar energy, as well as improving programs for mental health are some of my With that money, plus other legislative priorities. funding from other sources, Coffee With Your I’m also learning more about our county facilities by visiting county courts, jails and wastewater treatment the county provides the plants. I’ve met with many organizations that support and enrich our communities, including the Women’s Justice following services: County Legislator Center at Pace University, ArtsWestchester, Open Door Medical Center and Sustainable Westchester, to name just a few. The more I learn about the people, operations and institutions throughout Westchester, the better I can ●● Transportation infrastructure: roads, bridges, buses, paratransit JANUARY for disabled residents Harrison serve you. There are considerable challenges ahead. Westchester endured many years of budgetary mismanagement, ●● Sewers, wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal FEBRUARY which put the county under great fiscal pressure. We are exploring creative solutions to put the county on a stron- ●● Courthouses, prosecutors and defense attorneys, probation and Port Chester juvenile justice services and the county jail ger financial footing going forward, including updates to vendor contracts and expanded shared services. As always, I appreciate hearing from you, whether by email or phone or a casual conversation at a community ●● Westchester Community College, preschool intervention and MARCH event. Many of you have told me how much you enjoy receiving my constituent emails so I will keep them com- special education Rye Brook ing. If you are not receiving these updates, you can subscribe to them at . ●● Emergency services and county police westchesterlegislators.com/subscribe-to-updates And I can always be reached at [email protected] or (914) 995-2834. ●● Parks, nature centers, golf courses and trails Subscribe to my county email blasts for ●● Restaurant inspections, rabies and other disease control information on the times and locations of these upcoming coffees, plus other ●● Social services, including Medicaid, homeless shelters and child See you around town! protective services Westchester news and activities atwestches - ●● Programs for senior citizens and at-risk youth terlegislators.com/subscribe-to-updates. ●● Our election system PHOTO GALLERY A few highlights of the 2018 Legislative Session Airport Updates Wage History Anti- dents are safer when local authorities Discrimination Act and citizens work together. Although as a nation we’ve made Tobacco 21 enormous strides in hiring equity, per- Protecting the health and welfare sistent gender- and race based wage of residents is one of county govern- gaps remain. That’s why we took ac- ment’s most important jobs, and rais- tion to combat these issues by banning ing the age for the sale of tobacco and questions about a job applicant’s prior vaping products from 18 to 21 will salary. Women and minorities often Since my arrival at the likely save many of our Westchester start out earning less than their peers, Board of Legislators, I’ve dedi- children from a lifetime of nicotine and when future wages become teth- Introducing legislation to fight wage theft Enjoying lunch with Harrison seniors following the Memorial Day Parade cated a great deal of time and addiction and related health problems. ered to previous salaries, that gap be- attention to the county airport, Research shows that long term addic- comes institutionalized. tion to nicotine is more likely when located on the northern border people get hooked at a young age. In of our district. I now sit on the un iolence G V considering this new law, we heard tes- Westchester County Airport Gun violence is one of the most press- timony from many local young people Advisory Board and consult ing issues of our time. I’m proud that about the explosive growth of high- regularly with those who moni- the first major piece of legislation in nicotine vaping products amongst tor airport traffic, noise and wa- 2018 was a law banning gun shows both high school and middle school ter pollution. I am also vigilant on any county-owned property. I also students. about the threat of a change in joined my fellow legislators in passing a governance at the airport, which resolution to support a state “red flag” Honoring Veterans Advocating for residents’ concerns Coffee and Conversation with Ribbon-cutting to welcome the new medical multi-specialty center at the first of three George Latimer at the could take away our authority to law allowing the courts to keep guns in Rye Brook airport public hearings Port Chester Senior Center oversee actions that impact our out of the hands of people shown to environment, health, property be dangerous to themselves or oth- values and quality of life. For- ers. And I was honored to speak at tunately, since County Execu- the Blind Brook High School walk out tive George Latimer took office for school safety on March 14, joining this year, we’ve seen increased hundreds of students protesting gun transparency in airport matters. violence. Earlier this year, three public Immigrant Protection Act hearings were held and hun- In a bi-partisan vote, the County I introduced a resolution supporting dreds of Westchester residents Legislature passed the Immigrant Pro- the creation of special “Veteran” pins were given the opportunity to tection Act to help protect the safety for the uniforms of Westchester fire- share their concerns. At this of all people in Westchester. The law fighters, police officers and emergency Onsite at a controlled fire during an airport safety drill Celebrating with local officials at the NAACP Effie Gordon Tea newsletter’s press time there is sets ground rules for how county of- medical personnel who served in our no official ‘privatization’ offer ficials share information with federal nation’s armed forces. Many thanks to being considered by the Board immigration authorities. It removes Port Chester Veteran Gerald Donahue of Legislators. However, there concerns that immigrants might have who approached me last January with is continued pressure to expand about seeking help if they’ve been vic- this wonderful idea to honor those hangar space and flights so it tims of crimes like domestic violence who served our country and now serve is imperative that all of us liv- or human trafficking, or concerns our local communities. I’m pleased to ing in the shadow of the airport about coming forward if they’ve wit- say the resolution passed unanimously! remain informed and engaged nessed a crime. It is not a “sanctuary” Although the pins are just a small to- and speak out to protect our law. In fact, it requires county officials ken, they represent the enormous grat- environment, health and quality to cooperate with federal authorities itude we feel for the selfless men and Reading to students at Thomas A. of life. ■ when violent crime, or terrorist activi- women who have made it their life’s Edison elementary school Harrison High School summer ties are suspected. All Westchester resi- work to protect others. ■ in Port Chester intern Alex Kaplan Blind Brook ‘senior options’ interns Josh Schlactus and Arianna Kohilakis

2 Legislator Barr’s Fall 2018 Newsletter www.westchesterlegislators.com 3