Westchester County Board of Legislators
County government provides services at the local level, similar to the way the Federal government provides services at the national level and State government at the state level. Also similar to the Federal and State governments, County government consists of three branches – legislative, executive and judicial.
In Westchester, the legislative branch is the County Board of Legislators (“County Board” or “BOL”). The County Board sets policy and enacts laws, levies taxes, approves budgets and appropriates funds to operate programs and provide services, and has oversight responsibility of the executive branch, including approving appointments.
There are 17 Districts in Westchester Country, each electing one Legislator to a two-year term with elections held in odd-years. Legislators must live in the District they represent. As of early 2019, the County Board is comprised of thirteen Democrats, three Republicans and one Conservative. The County Board operates as a single legislative body and employs a committee system, with each committee representing a policy area. The Chairman of the County Board appoints the committee members and the committee chair. Currently, there are thirteen standing committees and each legislator serves on at least one committee.
Westchester County Board of Legislators
800 Michaelian Office Building
148 Martine Avenue, 8th Floor
White Plains, New York 10601
Main Tel: (914) 995-2800; Fax: (914) 995-3884
Not sure what district you live in? Input your address to find your local representative.
How the Westchester County Legislative Process Works
Proposals for new laws as well as changes to existing laws can come from citizens, organizations, legislators and the executive branch, however only legislators or the county executive can sponsor a law. Proposals must first be placed before the full County Board; the County Board then decides which ones will be considered for enactment and assigns those to a committee. If the proposal includes a fiscal component, it will be assigned to the Budget and Appropriations Committee in addition to the respective policy committee. Proposals are evaluated and reviewed within the committee(s) with input from the public and from the county executive and legal branches. When proposals are finalized, the committee(s) sign out a resolution which will be voted on by the full County Board. The County Board can approve the proposal (approval consists of a majority vote of 9 for enacting acts, resolutions and laws, and for approving appointments and a vote of 12 for bond issues), reject the proposal, or send it back to committee for revision.
Approved proposals are sent to the County Executive who has ten days to sign the legislation into law or to return the bill to the County Board with an explanation for the veto. If the County Executive does not act within 10 days, the proposal automatically becomes a law. A veto by the County Executive can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the County Board.
How to Participate
Contact your District Legislator (see below for list of Representatives by District)
Attend meetings (meetings are open to the public)
Meetings of the County Board of Legislature are held every other Monday night at 7 pm. Opinions can be expressed at the Public Hearing held during the first thirty minutes of each County Board Meeting. Those intending to speak, should arrive early and register for the three-minute time slots.
Committee Meetings are usually held on Mondays or Tuesdays during the day.
Visit the County Legislature website https://www.westchesterlegislators.com
or call (914) 995-2800 to check meeting dates and agendas.
Some meetings can be live streamed visit http://westchestercountyny.iqm2.com/citizens/default.aspx
John G. Testa (R)
Minority Leader
District 1
Cortlandt, Peekskill, Yorktown
District 1 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone (914) 995-2828
Website
Blog
Facebook
Staff
Barney Molloy
(914) 995-2800
Committee Membership
- Chair, Rules (with Catherine Borgia)
- Budget & Appropriations
- Energy & Regional Efficiencies
- Environment & Health
- Legislation
Kitley S. Covill (D)
District 2
Bedford, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, North Salem, Pound Ridge, Somers
District 2 Map
Contact Informat
Phone 914.995.2810
Website
Staff
Erika Pierce
914.995.2804
Committee Membership
- Social Services, Chair
- Environment, Health & Energy
- Intergovernmental Services
- Legislation
- Law & Major Contracts
- Public Safety
- Public Works
Margaret A. Cunzio (C)
District 3
Mount Pleasant, North Castle, Pleasantville
Contact Information
Email
Website
Phone ( 914) 995-2847
Facebook
Staff
Kacie Schulman
(914) 995-6554
Committee Membership
- Chair, Appointments
- Budget & Appropriations
- Labor/Parks/Planning/Housing
Michael B. Kaplowitz (D)
District 4
New Castle, Somers, Yorktown
District 4 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone (914) 995-2848
Website
Facebook
Twitter @mikekaplowitz
Staff
Beth LoBello
(914) 995-2809
Gary Friedman
(914) 995-2816
Committee Membership
The Chairman of the Board sits on all Committees
Benjamin Boykin (D)
Chairman
District 5
White Plains, Scarsdale, Harrison
District 5 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone (914) 995-2847
Website
Facebook
Staff
Lucy Ortiz
(914) 995-2818
Committee Membership
- Chair, Public Safety & Social Services
- Vice Chair, Appointments
- Vice Chair, Budget & Appropriations
- Environment & Health
- Infrastructure
- Legislation
- Minority Affairs Task Force, Co-Chair
Nancy E. Barr (D)
District 6
Harrison, Port Chester, Rye Brook
District 6 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone 914.995.2834
Website
Facebook
Twitter @ElectNancyBarr
Staff
Robyn Weintraub
914.995.2820
Committee Membership
- Environment, Health and Energy, Chair
- Appointments
- Budget and Appropriations
- Law and Major Contracts
- Public Safety
- Public Works
- Social Services
Catherine Parker (D)
District 7
Harrison, Larchmont, Mamaroneck,
New Rochelle, Rye
District 7 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone (914) 995-2802
Website
Facebook
Twitter @cparkerryeny
Staff
John Filiberti
(914) 995-8016
Millie Magraw
(914) 995-2800
Committee Membership
- Chair, Energy & Regional Efficiencies
- Budget & Appropriations
- Environment & Health
- Labor/Parks/Planning/Housing
Alfreda A. Williams (D)
Majority Whip
District 8
Elmsford, Greenburgh, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown
District 8 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone (914) 995-2833
Website
Staff
Teresa Toscano
(914) 995-4984
Mary Jackson
(914) 995-2800
Committee Membership
- Chair, Community Services
- Environment & Health
- Public Safety & Social Services
- Labor/Parks/Planning/Housing
- Legislation
- Seniors & Constituencies
Catherine Borgia (D)
Majority Leader
District 9
Cortlandt, Croton on Hudson, Ossining, Briarcliff Manor, Peekskill
District 9 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone (914) 995-2812
Website
Facebook
Twitter @LegCBorgia
Staff
Omar Herrera
(914) 995-2819
Committee Assignments
- Co-Chair, Rules
- Co-Chair, Families Task Force
- Budget &Appropriations
- Appointments
- Energy & Regional Efficiencies
- Infrastructure
Damon R. Maher (D)
District 10
Eastchester, New Rochelle, Tuckahoe
District 10 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone 914.995.2817
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Staff
Marianne Bateman
914.995.4526
Committee Assignments
- Labor & Housing, Chair
- Budget & Appropriations
- Intergovernmental Services
- Parks, Planning & Economic Development
- Public Safety
- Seniors & Constituents
Terry Clements (D)
District 11
Pelham, Pelham Manor, New Rochelle
District 11 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone (914) 995-2826
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Staff
Maya Menon
914.995.2807
Committee Membership
- Intergovernmental Services,Chair
- Appointments
MaryJane Shimsky (D)
District 12
Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Edgemont, Hartsdale, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington
District 12 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone (914) 995-2821
Website
Facebook
Staff
Ellen Hendrickx
(914) 995-2806
Joy Haber
914.995.4760
Committee Membership
- Chair, Infrastructure
- Environment & Health
- Legislation
- Litigation
- Public Safety & Social Services
- Seniors & Constituencies
Lyndon Williams (D)
District 13
Mount Vernon
District 13 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone (914) 995-2837
Website
Facebook
Twitter @LegLDWilliams
Staff
Victor Allen
(914) 995-4429
Committee Assignments
- Chair, Litigation
- Energy & Regional Efficiencies
David J. Tubiolo (R)
District 14
Yonkers, Mount Vernon
District 14 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone (914) 995-2815
Website
Facebook
Staff
Virginia Deckelmann
(914) 995-2815
David Massey
(914) 995-3277
Committee Assignments
- Chair, Seniors & Constituencies
- Infrastructure
- Public Safety & Social Services
- Hispanic Affairs Task Force
Gordon A. Burrows (R)
Minority Whip
District 15
Bronxville, Yonkers
District 15 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone (914) 995-2830
Website
Facebook
Staff
Carol Bengis
(914) 995-2851
Committee Assignments
- Litigation
- Legislation
- Public Safety & Social Services
Christopher A. Johnson (D)
District 16
Yonkers
District 16 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone (914) 995-2829
Website
Campaign Website
Facebook
Twitter
Staff
Shatika Parker
(914) 995-2813
Committee Assignments
- Appointments, Chair
- Labor and Housing
- Public Safety
Virginia Perez (D)
District 17
Yonkers
District 17 Map
Contact Information
Email
Phone (914) 995-2846
Website
Facebook
Twitter @legvperez
Staff
Dayana Gomez
(914) 995-4070
Committee Assignments
- Chair, Legislation
- Co-Chair, Hispanic Affairs Task Force
- Co-Chair, Minority Affairs Task Force