Westchester County Board of Legislators

The Westchester County Board of Legislators is the legislative, policy-making branch of Westchester County, New York. The powers of the Board are enumerated in the county's charter. A key power of the Board concerns finances: appropriating funds, approving the budget and levying taxes. It also approves appointments by the County Executive and passes local laws, acts, and resolutions.

Westchester County Board of Legislators
History
New session started
January 8, 2024
Leadership
Chair of the Board
Vedat Gashi (D)
since May 16, 2023
Vice-Chair of the Board
José Alvarado (D)
since January 3, 2024
Tyrae Woodson-Samuels (D)
since January 8, 2024
Margaret Cunzio (C)
since January 6, 2020
Terry Clements (D)
since January 8, 2024
James Nolan (R)
since January 3, 2022
Structure
Seats17
Political groups
Majority caucus (15)
  •   Democratic (15)

Minority caucus (2)

Length of term
2 years
Salary$75,000/year.[1]
Elections
Last election
November 2, 2021
(17 seats)
Next election
November 7, 2023
(17 seats)
Website
Westchester County Board of Legislators

The Board's seventeen members, known as Legislators, are elected every two years and each represents a district of approximately 56,000 residents.

Board members

The Board of Legislators has seventeen members, each representing a district of approximately 56,000 residents. As of January 2022, fifteen of them are Democrats, one is a Republican, and one is a Conservative who caucuses as a Republican. On January 4, 2024, Legislator Vedat Gashi, a Democrat, was re-elected Chair of the Board. Legislator José Alvarado was elected Vice Chair of the Board.[2]

District Legislator Notes Residence
1 Colin Smith (D) Cortlandt, Peekskill, Yorktown
2 Erika Pierce (D) Bedford, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, North Salem, Pound Ridge, Somers
3 Margaret Cunzio (C) Minority Leader Mount Pleasant, North Castle, Pleasantville
4 Vedat Gashi (D) Chair New Castle, Somers, Yorktown
5 Benjamin Boykin II (D) White Plains, Scarsdale, Harrison
6 Nancy E. Barr (D) Harrison, Port Chester, Rye Brook
7 Catherine Parker (D) Harrison, Larchmont, Mamaroneck,

New Rochelle, Rye

8 Jewel Williams Johnson (D) Elmsford, Greenburgh, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown
9 Emiljana Ulaj (D) [3] Briarcliff Manor, Cortlandt, Croton-on-Hudson, Ossining, Peekskill
10 Judah Holstein (D) [4] Eastchester, New Rochelle, Tuckahoe
11 Terry Clements (D) Majority Whip New Rochelle, Pelham, Pelham Manor
12 David Imamura (D)[5] Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Edgemont, Hartsdale, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington
13 Tyrae Woodson-Samuels (D) Majority Leader Mount Vernon
14 David Tubiolo (D) Mount Vernon, Yonkers
15 James Nolan (R) Minority Whip Bronxville, Yonkers
16 Shanae Williams (D) Yonkers
17 José Alvarado (D) Vice Chair Yonkers

Committees

The Board of Legislators operates under a committee system. Currently, there are fourteen committees, each of which is charged with overseeing a particular policy area.

The following table reflects Committee chairs during the legislative term of 2024-2025.[6]

Committee Chair
Appointments Catherine Parker
Budget & Appropriations Jewel Williams Johnson
Economic Development Benjamin Boykin II
Health Jewel Williams Johnson
Housing & Planning Shanae Williams
Human Services Nancy Barr
Information Technology & Cybersecurity Judah Holstein
Labor & Human Rights Emiljana Ulaj
Law & Major Contracts David Imamura
Legislation Colin Smith
Parks & Recreation David Tubiolo
Public Safety Terry Clements
Public Works & Transportation Erika Pierce
Rules Tyrae Woodson Samuels & Margaret Cunzio
Veterans, Seniors & Youth James Nolan

References
  1. Kevin Zimmerman. "Westchester County Board of Legislators approves 52% pay raise for selves." Westchester County Business Journal. December 11, 2019.
  2. Administrator. "José I. Alvarado (Vice Chair)". Legislators form. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  3. "Emiljana Ulaj, the second Albanian-American on the Westchester City Council in New York". www.voxnews.al. Vox. January 27, 2024. Archived from the original on June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  4. "Westchester County election results". www.lohud.com. lohud. November 8, 2023. Archived from the original on June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  5. "County legislator Imamura sworn in". www.scarsdalenews.com. Scarsdale Inquirer. March 27, 2023. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  6. "Westchester County Board of Legislators 2022–2023 Committee Assignments".
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