LAURIE RYAN

FOR WESTCHESTER 

Westchester County Legislator Candidate District 9


My name is Laurie Ryan.  I am the Republican Candidate for the Westchester Legislator of District 9.  I will also seek the COMMON SENSE Independent line.

Westchester's District 9 includes Verplanck, Montrose, Buchanan, Crugers, Croton, Southern Cortlandt Manor, Ossining, and Briarcliff Manor and areas of Briarcliff Manor in Mt. Pleasant.

I have voted Republican, Democrat, and Independent. I am just a good person wanting to infuse a bit of common sense in what seems to be a "lacking common sense" kind of time.

I am running to promote, write, and support policies that keep Westchester safe, healthy, and prosperous. This means physically, mentally, fiscally, and environmentally safe. 




VOTE LAURIE RYAN 

TO KEEP US FISCALLY, MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND ENVIRONMENTALLY 

HEALTHY, SAFE & PROSPEROUS


ABOUT LAURIE

Laurie has been a Westchester resident for 60 years. She and her family currently live in Cortlandt Manor. She has volunteered her time as a HenHud Board trustee, town  sports coach and math tutor. She coached AAU Boys Basketball. She loves football and basketball.


Laurie received her School Leadership Certification from the College of New Rochelle, her Masters degrees in Education and Mathematics from Manhattanville College, and her Bachelors degree in Fine Arts from Pace University.


Laurie is a retired high school math teacher and Math Department Chairperson. She taught, guided and mentored at Alexander Hamilton HS in Elmsford for 32 years. She was responsible for curriculum development; evaluation; budgets; staying current with state mandates; fostering relationships with community, parents and colleges; goal setting; and providing opportunities for professional and academic growth. She was a member of the Curriculum Council, District Strategic Planning Committee, Leadership Team, Union Negotiating Team, and the Emergency Management Team. She has created numerous state plans including Safety Plans, and Building and Facility Improvements. Laurie was also the Senior Class Coordinator which involved an immense amount of love in additon to organization, communication and planning skills. Her favorite part of teaching was the close relationships built with hundreds of students, mentoring them, and keeping in touch with them. She is a staunch advocate for children. She was voted favorite teacher for 30 out of her 32 years at Hamilton.


Laurie served as a trustee on the Hendrick Hudson Board of Education for 12 years. She ran for this position for three reasons: to make sure a superintendent never received an 8% raise again, to overhaul elementary and middle school academics and to get the community to vote for a turf field. She is proud to have been part of teams that successfully negotiated numerous bargaining agreements, passed 12 budgets, and 5 bonds. She redesigned board/staff/community communications with the creation of Meet and Greets because she believed that the community was not being heard. Laurie has held positions on several committees including Finance, Policy, Facilities, Safety, Curriculum and Strategic Planning. She worked with the Board and Superintendent for strategies regarding the closing of Indian Point.


Laurie made public the Town of Cortlandt 2020 Budget showing outrageous salary increases during COVID, the realities of Indian Point, and toxic locations throughout Cortlandt. She put forth ideas regarding energy, beautification, law enforcement, community events, more access to voting, tree trimming, road paving management and code enforcement as well as participating in the Verplanck waterfront forums.


All positions have provided her years of experience in leadership, management, and patience—and that's not even the mom of three and wife of 31 years part!


CON EDISON delivery charges

Say NO to state take over of local zoning

Say NO to going entirely electric

Say NO to lithium battery plants along our waterfronts

Affordablity for all of us

Accessibility to live and work

Address crime - addiction - homelessness - mental health - illegal immigration 

Get guns obtained illegally off of the streets

SUPPORT THE WIDOWED who have been devastated by not only the crippling loss of their spouse but also the financial stress from losing sources of income

SUPPORT our Veterans, Seniors, Surving Spouses and Animals

SUPPORT small business


While Westchester has many issues to address, 

these are some of my top concerns...

ENERGY & CON EDISON

Con Edison Delivery charges are outrageous. Many times they are 3 times the usage charge. Furthermore they are proposing a 13% increase. 

The foolish, ill-thought closure of Entergy (Indian Point Nuclear) has caused a tsunami of problems and costs.

Autopsy of a Perfect Policy Failure

We must balance energy sources and and use common sense.

EDUCATION

Laurie does not support the closing of the US Department of Education. However, she does acknowledge there is a ton of waste that can be eliminated. She would like to work with the NYS Department of Education to develop curriculum especiaslly at the elementary and middel school levels. When we have too many kids lacking in social skills, who can not read, write correctly, perform basic math skills, speak properly, ... and the list goes on - we have a problem. 

In addition, she will encourage and promote trades education programs and address college affordability.

LEGISLATION







LOCAL ZONING

Keeping us physically safe and healthy also includes housing and neighborhoods. Laurie will not support the engineering of neighborhoods. Kathy Hochul's proposed zoning laws will allow the state to take over town zoning rules. We should not do anything that jeopardizes the lives and safety of others nor upset the quality of life. Laurie supports local zoning and will work to protect single family zoning.


OUR YOUTH



OUR SURVIVING SPOUSES

The widowered are already suffering with the unbearable loss of their spouse. The added financial stress of losing income exasperates this loss. It is crippling. Laurie will work with Congress to champion a new tax bracket specifically for the widowed, continued spousal Social Security payments, and surving spouse veterans' payments. The widowed should not lose their spouses' payments at the absolutely most devasting time of their lives. 


OUR VETERANS

We MUST show our gratitude and support for those who have sacrificed so very much in order to keep us safe.

Veterans need access to top-notch healthcare, education & employment opportunities, housing and mental health services and companionship programs.

In addition, many times a surving spouse can. no longer recieve their veteran spouse's benfit payments. I am currently working to remedy this.


OUR SENIORS

Seniors need access to necessary resources and services. These include companionship, healthcare assistance, community programs and affordability. While many of our seniors are more than capable of affording where they live, many are not and are faced with leaving their lifelong homes - this is where affordable housing takes precedent.

While President Trump has proposed the elimination of federal tax on social security, I propose we eliminate the state tax on those payments as well.

I will also propose the elimination of school taxes for seniors as well as easier access to voting.


OUR ANIMALS

Westchester currently has an animal abuse registry but it only includes those who have been convicted of animal abuse crimes. I will further that by working with animal rescues to write and support policies to protect animals and wildlife and create a registry of people who can no longer adopt pets. In addition, we need more shelters and better monitoring of breeders. I will do everything I can to make that happen.


TAXES

Westchester County pays the highest property taxes in the country. Something must be done.

HOMELAND SECURITY

The current administration is in the process of deporting violent criminals who entered our country illegally including members of MS13 and Tren de Aragua. I will author and support any Westchester policy or laws that cooperate with Homeland Security.

THE COST

WESTCHESTER ISSUES