County Legislator and Chairman of the Board Michael Kaplowitz
Mike is an independent Democrat, fiscal conservative and small business owner. He has lived in Somers with his wife Jayne and their two daughters since 1989. Michael has represented the 4th District (Yorktown, New Castle and Somers) since 1998.
Chairman Kaplowitz previously served as Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chair of the Budget & Appropriations Committee. On January 6th, 2014, Michael was elected as Chairman of the Board. Mike has already delivered on his promise to ensure that each of the 17 members of the county board will hold a leadership position or committee chair for maximizing bipartisanship and legislative cooperation.
Mike played a critical role in the passage of the historic, bipartisan 2013 budget. Throughout his career in public service, Chairman Kaplowitz has earned a reputation as a Legislator who works diligently to foster an atmosphere of collegiality with all of his colleagues. During that time, Mike found and eliminated millions of dollars in wasteful government spending.
Mike Kaplowitz is a long-time environmentalist and immediate past chair of the County Legislature’s Environment & Energy Committee. Throughout his 16 years on the Board of Legislators, Mike has helped preserve over 11,000 acres of open space in Westchester.
Mike co-authored the Smoke-Free Workplace Act and led the legislative effort to keep the sewage fairness issue on the front burner for years, recently winning the long battle on behalf of Yeshiva, Riverwoods and Random Farms homeowners in New Castle. This victory will stop the current flow of partially-treated sewage from entering our drinking water.
Mike Kaplowitz has a long history of involvement in a wide variety of community and civic organizations, including the Volunteer Center, the March of Dimes Walk America, the American Red Cross and the Partnership Fund for Aging Services. Visit www.westchesterlegislators.com, or call, 914 995-2848.
State Assemblyman David Buchwald
David was elected to the Assembly in November 2012, and has passed seven bills in his first legislative session. He received a perfect score from the Environmental Advocates of New York, brought over $17 million in transportation and infrastructure improvements to his district, significantly increased state aid to local schools (including an 18.5% increase for the Chappaqua Central School District), and hosted Assemblyman on Your Corner events as well as a Small Business Forum to deepen the connection with his constituents.
Prior to joining the State Assembly, David worked in the tax department of the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, where he represented both business and pro bono clients in need of tax advice.
At the same time, he was a member of the White Plains Common Council where, for three years, he represented 57,000 residents of the City of White Plains. In that role, David was an advocate for the environment, senior citizens, and enhanced budget scrutiny. He also served as Chairman of the White Plains Traffic Commission.
After graduating from Yale University, where he received a B.S. in Physics, David worked for three years at the Manhattan offices of NERA, an economics research firm headquartered in White Plains. David then went on to receive a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School and a Masters of Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government.
In addition, David has been on the Board of Trustees of the White Plains Historical Society and served as Chairman of the Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council (MNRCC), an oversight and advisory body that seeks to improve the railroad’s services and responsiveness to the needs of riders. David grew up in Westchester and has lived in White Plains for twelve years, where he currently resides with his fiancée, Lara.
“Assemblyman on your Corner”
“I want to make sure it’s as easy as possible for folks to discuss their concerns, ask questions and work with me to solve problems related to State government,” David stated about this series. “One of the great joys of my job is hearing your opinions and helping people navigate state agencies on matters ranging from housing and growing businesses to taxes and the DMV.” The district David serves includes the towns of Bedford, Harrison, Lewisboro, Mt. Kisco, New Castle, North Castle, North Salem, Pound Ridge and the city of White Plains. Any resident can communicate their questions or concerns by emailing buchwaldd@assembly.state.ny.us or calling 914 244-4450.
