Yorktown Supervisor Slater Sets His Sights on State Assembly
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Yorktown Supervisor Matt Slater has often called his current role “an honor and a privilege,” but now he’s setting his sights on serving the community in a different capacity.
Slater, 36, who was reelected uncontested to a second two-year term last November, is seeking Republican and Conservative backing to run for the 94th State Assembly District seat this year.
The seat is currently occupied by fellow Republican Kevin Byrne, who has secured the GOP nomination to run for Putnam County Executive to replace MaryEllen Odell, who is term-limited.
Slater said vying for the Assembly wasn’t on “his radar” until recently when he was approached by party leaders. After consulting with his family and doing some soul searching, Slater conceded he “really struggled with it” before deciding to seize the opportunity.
“This was no small decision. This weighed on me very heavily,” Slater said. “I don’t want anyone to think I used this position (supervisor) as a steppingstone. I’m not abandoning my community. I will be able to represent the town in a different capacity. It’s a fight worth fighting.”
A graduate of Yorktown High School, Slater is no stranger to Albany. He worked for three years for the Minority Leader of the Assembly, two years as chief of staff for former Assemblyman Steve Katz and four years as chief of staff for former Senator Terrence Murphy.
“I don’t need training wheels. I can hit the ground running,” Slater said. “We need a strong voice to protect our families and protect our community. I have the experience to fight for our community.”
New York’s 94th Assembly District encompasses Yorktown and Somers in Westchester and Carmel, Southeast, Patterson and Putnam Valley in Putnam.
Slater cited the skyrocketing Con Edison charges and the controversial accessory dwelling unit (ADU) proposal as two recent issues that he could help local constituents by tackling on a state level.
“I’ll make sure we will push back on a lot of the proposals coming out of Albany these days,” he said.
If elected in November, Yorktown’s deputy supervisor, Councilman Tom Diana, would become supervisor as of Jan. 1, 2023, and the Town Board would have 30 days to choose an interim supervisor that would serve the remainder of Slater’s unexpired term.
95th Assembly District
Meanwhile, the four candidates who are jockeying to succeed retiring Assemblywoman Sandy Galef in the 95th Assembly District, which covers the City of Peekskill, Town of Cortlandt, town and village of Ossining and parts of Putnam County, took part in a Zoom forum last week in front of Cortlandt and Croton Democratic district leaders.
Town of Ossining Supervisor Dana Levenberg, Westchester County Legislator Colin Smith, former Peekskill Mayor Andre Rainey and former Peekskill Councilwoman Vanessa Agudelo answered specific questions on issues and talked about why they wanted to join the Assembly.
“The time to act for the future is now,” said Agudelo. “I am part of a larger movement. We need to personally have a connection with constituents. We need a fighter.”
“I want to help people on a wider scale,” Levenberg said. “We have a lot of challenges ahead of us. I will continue the good work I have done for the Town of Ossining and good work Assemblywoman Galef has done.”
“I’ve always been a person for the people. My track record speaks for itself,” Rainey said. “I think I am the person who can get the job done and continue the legacy of Assemblywoman Galef.”
“I am a public servant at heart and have always been,” Smith said. “I want to see everyone has an opportunity to live in a place they can afford that is safe and clean.”
According to a district leader in Peekskill, the city’s Democratic Committee recently rejected a motion to endorse Rainey. Others are pushing for a “Nominating Convention” to select Rainey.
To date, no Republican has stepped up to run for the seat.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/