The Voice of New Rochelle: Your Elections Are Coming

It’s easy to think that the world of information revolves around you when you work in the media. It is particularly so when your world is right-sized to the great county of Westchester and, more to the point, the friendly confines of New Rochelle.

With that in mind, I hope you will accept my apology in advance if this column seems too presumptuous.

The truth is, Good Morning Westchester, the radio town hall that is my good fortune to host, and my consequent take on things, may well be no more influential than a poster on a telephone poll.

At issue is the upcoming mayoral race in New Rochelle. The goal: That GMW, as we call it at the station, and its current keeper—that would be me—not become a factor in the outcome.

In recent months and weeks, given the nature of the local news, including the arrest and conviction of a school administrator for sexual misconduct with a minor and the more recent indictment of a DPW manager, many calls to the show—and my responses—have centered around the Republican reaction to them, occurring as they are, during a Democratic administration. 

At times, that discussion has distilled down to the behavior and style of Councilman Richard St. Paul, who has assumed the role—titular or otherwise—as the chief spokesman for the opposition, verses that of the Democratic Mayor Noam Bramson, and more recently, City Manager Chuck Strome. 

Both sides have made news for their perceived level of civility or lack thereof. As is required of my role, I have commented on these altercations. But now, Bramson and St. Paul will offer their services to you as your next mayor.   

After Labor Day, the official campaign season will begin for us in the media. But I do not want to wait until then to make these points. So here goes:

Both men deserve your fair scrutiny as well as your best benefit of the doubt that is free from any comments I, or others, might have made while they governed. Here at WVOX, only William O’Shaughnessy, the president and editorial director, makes endorsements, and he does so only after careful consideration.

Noam Bramson, a Democrat, currently holds the office. He is Harvard educated in public policy and was voted in four years ago by a substantial majority. He had held the office two years prior having completed the unexpired term of Tim Idoni.  

Bramson is a gifted public speaker, a skill used often to describe his vision for the future of the city. St. Paul, a Republican serving District 4, is a successful attorney who has represented high profile clients and who has also been invited to the White House as one of the top, upcoming young leaders in the country.

These links are to their biographies:

• St. Paul
• Bramson

Bob Marrone is a radio host who will keep his mouth shut the rest of the way, encourage the candidates to do the talking and residents to do the voting. Like they say on Star Trek, he will not interfere with life on the planet.

There is plenty of time. All that is left is for you to make a choice. Call the shows—we hope you do—go to the meetings, study their records, and vote. 

Despite all the wrangling going on in Washington right now over the debt ceiling, this choice has the potential to cost you more in the wallet and more directly impact the quality of your life and those of your children.