Tonight's debate between Feiner and Bernstein lasted over two hours. It was a surprisingly entertaining evening with Bernstein speaking well and making his points effectively and Feiner startlingly aggressive and well-prepared with sound bites and documents. But, during these 2+ hours, guess which two syllables were never uttered by either candidate? You are correct if you guessed.... HARTSDALE. We truly are the neglected, taken-for-granted, high-tax-payers of Greenburgh. For these two candidates, whose children attend highly reputed school systems and whose families live in communities enjoying escalating property values, Hartsdale apparently does not exist. Not a single allusion to or question about Hartsdale's special double whammy of spiraling taxes and declining property values. How appropriate that the only debate in this campaign took place in Hastings-on-Hudson. Hartsdale - the community with the largest single number of voters in Greenburgh - might as well not exist. But do we have anyone to blame for this inattention other than ourselves?
UPDATE: Bob Bernstein campaigned in Manor Woods (last night, Friday, after the end of the two-day holiday) and deserves credit for putting his boots on the ground in the typically ignored Hartsdale hamlet.
I was hoping for a question about Hartsdale. E Hartsdale Ave's downtown business district will soon be fully occupied (once the Yogurt store opens up). This is great news. Only a few years ago half the street was empty-with vacant store fronts. We will also be spending over $100,000 we received from the federal government on a grant to beautify the downtown area. Solar powered garbage bins will be placed on the Ave. This summer we repaved part of E Hartsdale Ave. More repaving on the stretch of E Hartsdale Ave that had not been repaved will be done next year--enhancing the avenue. I have asked the Commissioner of Parks to consider a walking path at Richard Presser Park (Webb Field)--would also like to see outdoor adult fitness equipment. As a result of feedback I received earlier this summer from a resident, we will enhance the entrance to the water tower on Birchwood Road. We will be repainting water towers. After the primary I intend to meet with landlords on Central Ave to discuss strategies to replace vacant storefronts with new stores. There's a lot more. Your readers can call me anytime (I don't return calls on Rosh Hashanah-tonight to Friday evening--my phone is 438 1343 or 478 1219). PAUL FEINER
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