Letter to the Editor: In Support of Dan Brakewood

Dear Editor:

The Starwood Capital project is the most important issue of this election.  The decisions that will be made by the Board voted into office in March will impact our community and our schools for decades to come.  We need to get this right.  We need to elect representatives who will push back on Starwood Capital and ensure that we get the best development for Port Chester’s future, not just the most financially lucrative for the developer.

You will hear candidates say that they do not want to see a development of 820 units of rental housing.  However, candidates will often say anything to get elected.  Fortunately, we have sitting trustees who have already shown us how they will vote when it comes to Starwood’s proposal.  We do not need to rely on a campaign brochure to know that Dan Brakewood votes no to advancing this particular proposal.  He has been very clear from the beginning that this proposal does not conform to our Master Plan, and has pointed out that the additional students generated by the project will mean higher school taxes as we will need to hire more teachers and build new classrooms.  Dan Brakewood is the only one of the candidates who has children in our public schools.  Successful schools are the heart and future of the community as well as the foundation for home values.  We need Dan Brakewood on the board to protect the interests of the school district.

I don’t think we need to worry that standing up for what is best for our village will drive the developers away.  The stronger our board is with the resolve to uphold high standards, the better a community we will have.  We cannot sell out for short term financial gains that will be spent in a few years, and live with negative impacts for the next 100 years.   We must re-elect Dan Brakewood and his like- minded running mates to ensure that the Starwood project benefits us instead of costing us.  

Mary Strauch

Port Chester