Ins and Outs of the Pleasantville Village Election

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Tuesday, the Village of Pleasantville will hold a village election with four candidates vying for two spots on the board of trustees. Two incumbents, Stephen Lopez and Jonathan Cunningham, will be on the ballot as well as George Dolce and Colleen Griffin Wagner. Residents will have the opportunity to choose two out of the four candidates. None of the candidates are affiliated with a national political party.  Trustees are elected for a term of three years.

-Stephen Lopez was originally elected as a trustee in 2009 and has lived in Pleasantville since 1989.  He previously served on the Pleasantville Planning Board for 13 years and is a professional landscape architect and city planner.  Lopez said he believes the three biggest issues currently in Pleasantville are budget concerns, the affordable housing settlement and consolidating services.  Lopez said he is a strong believer in keeping taxes low while maintaining services and living within the state mandated 2 percent tax levy cap.

-Jonathan Cunningham has served three consecutive terms on the board of trustees and has lived in the village since 1989.  He is currently the Village Deputy Mayor.  Cunningham is a retired investment banker and is currently a corporate financial consultant.  Cunningham said he believes his experience on the board and his background with financial organization and analysis can be a valuable asset to the village.  Cunningham said it is important to use the taxpayers’ money wisely while providing services and keeping public safety intact.

-Colleen Griffin Wagner is running as a challenger on the ballot and has lived in Pleasantville for the past 12 years.  Griffin Wagner is a stay at home mom and has been a volunteer for local organizations such as CYO basketball and AYSO soccer.  Griffin Wagner said she hopes to improve communications between the village and residents by utilizing tools such as newsletters and surveys and said that being fiscally sound and maintaining businesses in the village are big concerns. 

-George Dolce is a retired FDNY paramedic lieutenant who has lived in Pleasantville for 19 years.  Dolce, running as a challenger, said he is a big advocate for not merging the Pleasantville Police Department with nearby departments and believes in living within the 2 percent tax levy cap.  Dolce said his experience in office as a lieutenant in the fire department, along with his honesty and integrity, can be valuable to the residents of Pleasantville.

-Current Mayor Peter Scherer will run again for the same position in an unopposed race.  Scherer will be running for a second consecutive term after originally being elected mayor of Pleasantville in March 2009. Village Mayor serves three-year terms with no term limit. 

Voting will take place on the second floor of village hall Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.  Residents of Pleasantville who are registered with the Westchester County Board of Elections may vote. 

The Village of Pleasantville is home to more than 7,000 residents, according to the 2010 census. 

Click here to follow Daily Voice Mount Pleasant and receive free news updates.