Dear petition signers,

It’s been a few months since we started this petition and we owe you a status update.

All summer, the Eastchester town board refused to hold interactive board meetings with residents despite our requests to hold the meeting on zoom (or other teleconf software). We pointed out that ALL neighboring communities, including Tuckahoe, have successfully transitioned their meetings online.

Not until repeated requests did the board open the meetings to the public in September. At the 9/15 meeting, collaborators to this petition showed up in person only to be left unheard. Only one resident was allowed in the court room and got up to present the petition to the board in extremis, right as the supervisor called for an adjournment.

Fast forward to this past Tuesday, October 13 where we went back to present the petition again, this time supported with a copy of the petition and a list of names.

You can be assured that the petition was duly presented to the board, along with the names of all petition signers. We will persist in inquiring about progress towards coordinating a citizens’ committee to provide guidance towards a more inclusive and equitable Eastchester.

It is important that you know that the day after the meeting, council member Sheila Marcotte published the following: “People are tired of a handful of people coming to the board meeting and posting on ghost websites their hatred… you know the people.”

Marcotte is up for election on 11/3 for a seat on the town board and she is no stranger to far-right policies. During her previous time in office, she voted to repeal same-sex benefits for gay town employees and voted for the continuation of gun shows at the county center. She is an unabashed Trump supporter, climate change denier, and vocal opponent of fair housing policies. She is also actively engaged in falsely accusing local anti-racism advocates of being anti-police, promoting divisions and fueling the rage of local far-right sympathizers. We cannot allow this Trump rhetoric into our town hall.

All elected seats in Eastchester are held by Republicans. Without an elected ally to bring new ideas and hold the board accountable, hopes for progress are slim. The best way for us to have our demands heard is to ensure that we elect someone with an open mind and willing to raise tough issues. We urge you to vote for Tara Conte on the Democratic or Independent lines. Our common vision of an inclusive Eastchester depends on it. Vote early, vote well, and please encourage your friends and family to do the same.

Vote by mail: https://absenteeballot.elections.ny.gov/

Vote early from Sat Oct 24 to Sun Nov 1 at the Eastchester Public Library - https://citizenparticipation.westchestergov.com/voting/early-voting-2020

Vote in person on November 3. Check your polling station: https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/

Sincerely,

The committee of Eastchester for all of us.