Experience, Independence Gives Diaconis Edge in District 3 Legislators Race
For a Board of Legislators district that has at times had hotly contested campaigns and close finishes, this season’s low-key matchup between Republican Margaret Cunzio and Democrat John Diaconis has been a mild surprise.
That can likely be attributed to the temperament and levelheadedness of both candidates, who comported themselves well throughout the fall and deserve high marks for keeping the discussion focused on the issues.
But don’t equate the absence of histrionics in this race for the seat in District 3, which covers primarily the towns of North Castle and Mount Pleasant and the Village of Pleasantville, with unimportance. This is County Executive Rob Astorino’s home district, and make no mistake, there is pressure on the Republicans to maintain the hold on this seat, especially if the GOP has designs on eventually overtaking the Democrats and regaining the majority one day on the Board of Legislators.
There is also optimism on the Democratic side that if former Pleasantville mayor John Nonna was able to represent this district for two terms (once unopposed), that victory with a strong candidate is achievable.
For the last four years Astorino has had an unwavering ally in White Plains in Michael Smith, who voluntarily departs the board after having served two terms.
While both Cunzio and Diaconis appear highly capable based on their professional qualifications, the comfortable advantage here goes to Diaconis.
First, he has gained expertise on the local level, having served for nearly five years over a decade ago on the New Castle Town Board before he moved to Armonk.
Beyond that, since Diaconis’ arrival as a North Castle resident about six years ago, he has continued his involvement in capacities where he has had to be well-acquainted with issues that are critical to his town, this district and the county, which has him well-prepared to enter office.
In a volunteer capacity, Diaconis has been the longtime treasurer for the Friends of Miller House/Washington’s Headquarters in North White Plains. The group has been among the legions in North Castle and elsewhere who have fought to end the county’s absurd refusal to complete at least the minimum repairs on that historic structure while everyone figures out where its permanent home should be.
Diaconis is also the current co-chair of an ethics task force in town charged with revising the ethics code, always a crucial matter to be well-versed in regardless of which level of government one serves.
Professionally, as an attorney, Diaconis has represented clients in housing discrimination cases, most notably the Town of Yorktown against the government, so he’s not just familiar with the 2009 affordable housing settlement, he also understands many of the nuances of the agreement. With 14 months remaining before Westchester must fully comply, his voice on the board would be welcome. He realizes that all the sabre rattling by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is likely a ploy in hopes of intimidating the county and there is no legal standing for the agency to go beyond the terms of the settlement.
Perhaps most importantly, after four years of the district’s representative being in nearly perfect lockstep with Astorino on all of the major issues, the constituents of District 3 deserve more. They need someone who is an independent thinker, who will be able to protect constituents’ interests, even if that means bucking the administration. There is also hopefulness that whenever it’s the Democrats’ turn to act like juveniles on the Board of Legislators, that Diaconis could be one of the adults in the room.
For her part, there is lots to like about Cunzio. She is equally well-spoken and speaks easily and knowledgeably on all the issues. She has a strong record of volunteerism, having served on the Mount Pleasant Architectural Review Board along with two animal shelters.
Cunzio’s long personal history in the area – she’s a lifelong Westchester resident and a Byram Hills graduate – and familiarity with nearly the entire district gives her a strong understanding of the pulse of the communities she would serve.
But her insistence that HUD’s aim is to dismantle local zoning draws a red flag as time grows short and the county needs to finish the requirements of the settlement. Her call for another study relating to the Miller House site calls into question whether she can be a fully independent voice.
In this race there are two qualified candidates competing for the job. But one, John Diaconis, is the best choice to move the district and county forward.
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