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OSSINING, N.Y. Briarcliff Manors Kim Izzarelli is hoping to announce Wednesday a bid to challenge Assemblywoman Sandy Galef (D-Ossining) for the 95th state Assembly District.
Izzarellis decision could depend on an endorsement from the Westchester Republican County and Putnam County Republican committees, which are set to host a joint convention to endorse candidates at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Mahopac. Izzarelli said she is also seeking Conservative Party and Independence Party endorsements. Izzarelli previously lost an election for a seat on the Ossining Town Council in 2011. She said she expects her run for the Assembly seat to be very different.
I dont expect to have any primary challengers, Izzarelli said Monday. I really believe the people of New York need to have a candidate that is fiscally conservative and not dismissive. Everything Ive heard Sandy Galef say in recent history is I cant get the votes. Its really hard for me to accept someone making excuses and cant do their job. If she doesnt have the pull of the party to get votes, she should retire.
The 51-year-old Izzarelli, who is a pension and employee benefits consultant, said she is in favor of repealing New York's Triborough Amendment. The 1982 Amendment to the Taylor Law prohibits a public employer from altering any provision of an expired labor agreement until a new agreement is reached. This amendment requires automatic pay increases where a salary step schedule or longevity schedule exists, even though the labor agreement has expired.
Izzarelli later said she wants to help Ossining residents who are paying high property taxes.
Were in a really bad place right now, Izzarelli said. I see in Ossining and the surrounding communities that there are a lot of empty storefronts. Thats your tax base and you need those people to be there and we need to bring them back. Employers are moving away and thats a big problem.
Galef said Monday that she was concentrating on the assemblys current session but looks forward to campaigning in a few weeks.
I am running for re-election and in general I think weve had the best two years on the state legislature since I can remember, Galef said. Weve stayed under the tax cap and adopted a tax cap locally. Weve adopted some mandate relief with the pension fund. Weve also had income tax cuts, the first in 58 years. So many accomplishments have taken place in the last two years and I hope to continue that going for another two years.
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