Murphy, Parker Primary Official Harrison Conservatives Endorse Four
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Vol. 13/Number 28 www.myharrisonreport.com July 19, 2013 Harrison conservatives endorse four By DANIEL OFFNER STAFF REPORTER [email protected] With five town officials up for re-election—the mayor, two town councilmen, town clerk, and re- ceiver of taxes—members of the Harrison Conservative Committee have endorsed four of them for the upcoming 2013 elections. Selecting an all-incumbent list of endorsements, local conservatives will back Mayor Ron Belmont, Councilman Joseph Cannella, Town Clerk Jackie Greer, and Tax Receiver Joan Walsh. But, after filing an Nancy Masi on their respective re- opportunity-to-ballot petition, Ron election bids, leaving Republican Belmont—who is a non-affiliated Councilwoman Marlene Amelio as voter—won the primary in a land- the proverbial odd man out. slide, claiming more than 60 votes “We didn’t nominate another to Walsh’s 15. council seat,” said Conservative In 2009, during the last Harrison’s Committee Chairman Rocco Conservative Party primary, former Turso. “We didn’t cross nominate a Harrison Police Chief David Hall, Democrat either.” a Republican, cruised to victory When questioned by The over former Patrolmen Benevolent Harrison Report about whether Association President Ralph the party plans to back four-year Tancredi. A registered Conservative, incumbent Amelio, Turso wouldn’t Tancredi would later be kicked off speak on the notion, stating the the police force that same year for party had already filed its petitions his involvement in an altercation at for the 2013 local elections. a local bar on Halstead Avenue in Due to long-standing capital needs, Harrison “I am very disappointed,” Amelio 2007. now faces a near $80 million debt. The Harrison said, upon learning that the conser- Republican council members Report takes an in-depth look at how the town got here. File photo vatives had no intention of endors- Cannella and Amelio also won pri- ing a fifth candidate. mary challenges for the conserva- Although Amelio did not receive tive party line that year. the conservative endorsement, she While Amelio was left on the had plans of her own. With the req- outside looking in this year, the con- uisite amount of signatures already servatives endorsed the remaining Murphy, Parker primary official collected, Amelio said she has filed four incumbents with the Belmont an opportunity-to-ballot petition— administration. By CHRIS GRAMUGLIA than 700 signatures, easily surpass- several other prominent Democrats an additional petition that enables “I’m excited to be endorsed and ASHLEY HELMS ing the required petitions necessary approached Murphy about not run- candidates to primary—for the by the Conservative Party,” said HARRISON REPORT STAFF to trigger a primary for the right to ning for the seat. Myers has publicly Conservative ticket. Belmont, who received the third- [email protected] appear on the Democratic ballot in backed Parker as her successor. “Hopefully, the members of the party nod earlier this month. “I [email protected] November’s general election. The Murphy said he shouldn’t have Conservative Party will realize the think [the council and I] have been Democrats’ worst fears have deadline for filing petitions with the been asked to drop out of the error and vote for me,” Amelio said. very conservative on some things… become reality as Rye City county Board of Elections was July race because he belongs to the This will be the first primary for but I think we’re making all the Councilwoman Catherine Parker 11. Democratic Party and has the right the conservative ticket since 2009. right moves.” will, in fact, face a primary chal- The two candidates will look to- to ask for a nomination. Although third-party endorse- With the selection of four en- lenge in September from former ward September’s primary date, and “If anyone should have dropped, ments are typically a helpful boost dorsees picked from the 10 can- Village of Mamaroneck Trustee two upcoming debates. it was the person who had to ask at the polls, in Harrison, they have didates running this November, it Tom Murphy. For Parker, viewed as the front- permission to run in the party,” also been a source of contention seems doubtful either of the two The county Board of Legislators runner, it is a far cry from what she Murphy said. amongst political candidates. Democratic candidates running candidates are vying for the seat expected when she announced her The former Mamaroneck trustee In 2011, there was a primary be- for town council will look to pri- currently occupied by Legislator entry earlier this year. garnered more than 500 petition sig- tween two mayoral candidates vy- mary against incumbent Amelio in Judy Myers, a Democrat, who said Murphy’s surprise entry into the natures of registered Democrats in ing for the Independence Party nod. September. she will not seek re-election in race seems to have ruffled some Rye, and said he knew he was going At first, members of the local For the first year in the town’s November. feathers within the party. to primary Parker. Independence committee chose to history, the local Democratic Both candidates collected more According to sources, Myers and PRIMARY continued on page 14 endorse former-Democratic Mayor CONSERVATIVE continued on page 13 2 • The harrisoN rePorT • July 19, 2013 Clerk proposes selling E-ZPasses as town service By DAN OFFNER and LIZ BUTTON people are still traveling a lot residents. In fact, she said, the nearby Henry are as involved in the process as Harrison, to HARRISON REPORT STAFF in the summertime. Hudson Bridge now only takes E-ZPass and the best of Greer’s knowledge. [email protected] The E-ZPass “On-the-Go” does not accept cash. In addition to this new service, Greer said, [email protected] system allows users to open “I’ve received information and I made the town uses a number of alternative ways to Harrison may soon offer a new an account on the spot just some calls to [the New York State Thruway get additional revenue, like charging licens- convenience to residents, which by purchasing the prepack- Authority], and I checked with other town ing fees to film companies to shoot in town, could also be an unlikely genera- aged account kit for $25 at the clerks in Westchester,” Greer said. While they such as it did last week with the new film“The tor of revenue for the town: sell- clerk’s office, without waiting all expressed interest, none of the other clerks Other Woman” starring Cameron Diaz. ing E-ZPass tags. in line at a state office or filling Through the New York State out an application. Thruway Authority, Town Clerk People can immediately use Jackie Greer has positioned the tag in their cars and then Harrison to become home to one register it within 48 hours of the first town clerk offices in by visiting the New York the county to be a sales center for E-ZPass website at e-zpassny. com or by calling a toll free that agency’s E-ZPass “On-the- Through the New York Go” tags. State Thruway Authority, number: 1-800-697-1544. At the next Town Council Town Clerk Jackie Greer Harrison Mayor Ron meeting, scheduled for July 18, will propose that Harrison Belmont, a Republican, ex- Greer will request permission sell E-ZPass “On-the-Go” plained that the sale of the from the board to enter into an tags. File photo tags at Town Hall would only agreement with the state Thruway serve people who currently do Authority’s E-ZPass regional automatic toll not own an E-ZPass, saving them a trip to the collection program to sell the tags through her state Thruway Authority to purchase one. local clerk’s office. The tags can be used at any “This is a service we are providing for our toll collection station in the state or any of the residents,” Belmont said. “It’s not a big money- other 14 states that accept E-ZPass. maker for us.” Sales of the device, which would begin in Belmont added that while the tags will now mid-August, will garner the town almost 17 be provided by Town Hall, adding more credit to one’s E-Z pass account will still need to be E-ZPass tags, like the one pictured here, will soon be available for purchase at the Municipal percent of the gross sales. Greer will also ask Building on Heineman Place in downtown Harrison. The agreement with the state Thruway the board for approval for $525 to buy the first done through the state Thruway Authority. Department, once approved, will provide the town with 17 percent of the gross sales as well as 25 passes. Greer said she elected to get involved in provide a convenience for residents looking to skip a trip to the department’s offices. Greer said the start date is convenient since the program to provide a convenience for Photo/Daniel Offner July 19, 2013 • The harrisoN rePorT • 3 WESTMED to build 85,000 sq. ft. office space in Purchase By DANIEL OFFNER arguing that the medical facility’s expansion the influx of medical and biotech corporations medical centers,” said Patricia Simone, vice STAFF REPORTER threatens to lower property values. seeking additional office space. president of leasing and operations for Simone [email protected] During that time, Councilwoman Marlene The new facility is currently under con- Healthcare development. Last month, WESTMED medical group Amelio, a Republican and a Purchase resident, struction by Simone Healthcare Development In addition to the WESTMED facility cur- announced the county’s largest multi-specialty expressed several concerns about the proposed and Fareri Associates within the Harrison rently under construction—as well as the medical practices signed a lease to open its construction of a garage, saying that, if the Executive Medical Park complex, which now already-existent facility off Anderson Hill fifth outpatient office at 3030 Westchester Ave.