North Castle Candidates 2019

Airport Impacts?

I'm on North Castle's Town Board, so many of our residents are either actually or potentially affected by air and water pollution. Many of our residents are affected by the noise, some of them very badly. Other important concerns are current and future water pollution and air pollution. Obviously, the airport also has favorable impacts for our residents, such as the convenience of being able to take flights from there, which also benefits the employees of local companies and thereby also the companies.

Degree of Support for County Resolution 245-2003 Opposing Airport Expansion (1-5)?

4 .5 - No comments

Most Important Airport Issues?

On a day to day basis for those directly affected by it, the noise. It can be maddening for those most affected by it. However, the water pollution (including from the fire fighting chemicals that were used at the airport in the past) also is very important, particularly because it can impact so many people. ( In North Castle, we devote significant effort and resources to protecting the water supplies of our residents and our neighbors (broadly defined) as well.) That's true also for air emissions. A lot of these issues would be adversely impacted by airport expansion. As part of this, we have to consider what the appropriate level of FBOs should be.

Further Consideration of Privatization?

For at least two reasons, I believe that it's appropriate to consider all reasonable alternatives, although I'm not in favor of the long-term leases from a couple of years ago. First, someone might present a desirable proposal that has not been considered before. Second, exposure to different proposals can provide information or trigger desirable ideas that weren't previously considered. Although I'm wary of privatization, there can be benefits to responsible privatization in some circumstances, especially with an experienced operator that can provide a breadth of experience and economies of scale, and perhaps some tax benefits only available to a taxable entity that would be passed on to the local governments. However, any privatization must be analyzed in excruciating detail and must retain appropriate municipal control of major decisions since the operation of HPN is far from being just about the money or convenience for travelers. At the end of the day, I wouldn't rule some sort of responsible privatization with continuing County involvement, but I suspect that absent special considerations, the most appropriate choice will be for the County to retain control.

Track Record / Experience with Airport Issues?

I pay close attention to whatever comes up in, or is relevant to, our town, and I listen carefully to our residents' concerns about the airport, which are similar to many of my personal concerns. (These concerns are consistent with the concerns I have repeatedly expressed about overdevelopment in our town.) In addition, I attended all of the county's airport sessions last year (I believe there were three), and spoke at one of them.

What Would You Do in Your Position?

For better or worse (and I think it's for the better in light of our current County government), I believe that the most effective approach is to speak to the FAA with a single unified voice, i.e., at the County level, that is likely to be more powerfully heard than the smaller voices that individual municipalities in the County have. However, we have to be sure that issues that are especially important to our town and the other municipalities abutting or near the airport (frequency of flights and noise are two examples) are given appropriate priority and emphasis. Accordingly, our Town Board has to be prepared to consider also approaching the FAA and other decision makers independently, if necessary.  We and the County also should consider availing ourselves of the clout that some of the major local companies have.

What Else that is Relevant to the Airport?

I am the Town Board's liaison to our town's Conservation Board, Open Space Committee and Recycling Committee, as well as our Town Wide Cleanup Day, which is under the auspices of the Recycling Committee and for the past three years has been coordinated by either one or two high school students. I attend most of the meetings these boards and committees hold and as a result I am attuned to our town's environmental concerns. The Recycling Committee currently is trying to have drop off composting in our town, and I am working with the Recycling Committee in its efforts to champion that effort. I also understand the value of having an appropriate local airport operation. Among other things, while working in DC for the US Treasury two decades ago, I would travel back and forth on most weekends, and in many cases I took flights taking off or landing at HPN.

Airport Impacts?

They are adversely impacted by related traffic, noise, and environmental effects. On the positive side, North Castle constituents also utilize the airport as a much more convenient/local option than other airport options

Degree of Support for County Resolution 245-2003 Opposing Airport Expansion (1-5)?

5 - No comments

Most Important Airport Issues?

Environmental impacts, traffic impact, pollution, noise, privatization, and general expansion.

Further Consideration of Privatization?

I favor consideration of different bids and public comment and debate of them – but I will not support privatization or airport expansion unless there is clear evidence of its benefit to the town

Track Record / Experience with Airport Issues?

As a participant in discussions w/ members of the community

What Would You Do in Your Position?

I can help amplify the community’s sentiment and represent it to the stakeholders involved in decision-making

What Else that is Relevant to the Airport?

I’m fully supportive and looking forward to working with the members of the coalition!

Democrats

Michael Schiliro

Republicans/Conservatives

We were unable to contact the following Candidates, who should NOT be treated as unresponsive: