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EASTCHESTER, N.Y. -- The four candidates vying for two seats on the Eastchester Town Board greeted one another warmly at the Meet the Candidates dinner Wednesday night.
The event was sponsored by the Eastchester-Tuckahoe Chamber of Commerce and held at Mickey Spillane's. Former Eastchester Board of Education member John Filiberti and newcomer Anita Rosner are trying to unseat Trustees Joe Dooley and Glenn Billotti.
Dooley and Billotti are running on the Republican/Conservative ticket and Rosner and Filiberti are running on the Democratic ticket. As he has gone door to door campaigning, Filiberti said many residents have said they were happy to see Democratic candidates.
"People do not realize that there are many registered Democrats in the Town of Eastchester and it is a number that is growing, " he said. "People have said they are happy that there is more than one choice."
Rosner said she has spent much of her time campaigning by visiting local businesses.
"I have created a survey and I am asking local businesses to fill it out for me," Rosner said.
As she continues to collect information, Rosner said she is in the process of creating a kind of town-wide stimulus package.
"I want to focus on the businesses here and how to help them," Rosner said.
Billotti agreed that taxes is one of the most important issues to voters.
"Over and over, I keep hearing that people cannot take any more increases," Billotti said. "I have reassured them we will cut to the bone. It won't be easy, but it is do-able."
Dooley said that although taxes is the number one issue residents ask about, they are also worried about the amount of traffic in town and the amount of open, green space and preserving the town.
"While everyone wants to keep their taxes in check, they are also conscious of the fact that they don't want to lose what Eastchester has to offer, " Dooley said.
Although Supervisor Anthony Colavita is running unopposed, he said he has many issues to tackle in what would be his fifth consecutive term and ninth and 10th years in office.
"This is going to be a very tough budget season with the New York State mandated 2 percent tax cap and no relief from state mandates," Colavita said.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Residents of Tuckahoe, Bronxville and Eastchester are able to vote for members of the Town Board.
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