Jaffe and Roach Seek Change in Albany

Democrats in the 89th Assembly District will choose between Thomas Roach and Mark Jaffe on Tuesday to decide who will take the party's ticket to the general election in November to face incumbent Robert Castelli.

Jaffe, 54, is a West Harrison resident who is the current Greater New York Chamber of Commerce president. Roach, 48, has served on the White Plains Common Council for nine years. Each candidate is an attorney by profession.

Both men emphasize the importance of cutting property taxes while creating a timely and accurate budget this spring. Each candidate also vows to make significant changes to Albany if elected.

Jaffe, who has no formal political experience, claims to be an outsider to the state political system, looking to bring a different perspective to Albany.

"I think the people are sick and tired of the way politicians have been treating them in terms of their tax dollars," said Jaffe. "Of course we want service, but we want services at a rate we can afford."

Roach, meanwhile, says that after working in local government for almost a decade, he sees a move to Albany as a chance to make changes to a broken system that he dealt with while serving in White Plains. He said he decided to run after he became fed up with problems handed down from higher levels of state government.

"I've never been to Albany, but I've dealt with the impact of what's going on in Albany before the economy brought it to the forefront of everyone else's consciousness," said Roach. "I felt like I could keep grumbling and bang my head against the wall or I could go and change it—and that is what I intend to do."

As for how they will make these changes? Each candidate boasted past leadership experience as positive. Jaffe, with the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, where he said he is an advocate for 16,000 small businesses, entrepreneurs and small business owners. Roach with the White Plains Common Council where he says he has overseen a timely and accurate budget each year in office.

Both candidates said that the current system, specifically high taxes, unfunded mandates and a state budget that arrived months after deadline this spring, need to be changed.

"I believe in sound fiscal management, and I have actually done it for nine years," said Roach. "You have a situation where the taxpayers are carrying a heavy load and that needs to be remedied."

Jaffe emphasized that his lack of past political experience is a positive, and that he is qualified and prepared to step in and provide a different voice.

"I have a vast understanding of how the political process works," said Jaffe. "I know how to get the attention of a room and I know how to get things done."

On the education front, Jaffe said he plans to focus on making higher education more attainable for students of every background through low to zero interest loans. Roach, meanwhile said his focus will center on altering the financing of public education. He hopes to focus on smart spending at a local level, providing for public schools while decreasing the burden on local property taxes.

Each candidate voiced opposition to hydraulic fracturing and said that they support the current moratorium, which was implemented this year. Roach, who cited a strong environmental background, said that he has been on record as being against the method of natural gas drilling for years.

"Everything I have seen is showing it to be a dangerous activity," said Roach. "It threatens our water supply and I am opposed to it." 

Jaffe said he is also against hydraulic fracturing until the proper research is done to ensure the safety of the New York City and Westchester County water supply.

"We can't take the danger of polluting our water resources," Jaffe said. "We would be crazy to do that, we saw what happened in the gulf coast."

As far as budgeting strategy, Roach emphasized a look at the expenditure side of government, saying that revenue is too difficult to predict and hard to stimulate in slow economic times. He said the the most realistic way to lower taxes in the area is through careful spending an clever budgeting. 

"The balance between revenue and spending needs to be addressed and cannot be unless you look to the larger costs," said Roach, citing the current state personel and pension costs as tough issues that need to be addressed. "It's not always easy, sometimes you are going to have to do things people are not happy about and you may lose some friends, but to me that's part of the job."

"You can't be afraid to do things that are beneficial to the residents," he added.

Jaffe cited planning, negotiating and a connection to his constituent's desires as his budgeting strengths. 

Roach has accepted endorsements from six of the eight democratic committees, and has also accepted an endorsement from the Independent Party, meaning his name will appear on the ballot regardless of the results of Tuesday's primary.

Meanwhile, Jaffe said that he is "seeking the people's endorsement on Tuesday," and that he views himself as the best advocate for voters in the area.

Voting for the Democratic Primary will be held on Tuesday, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at voting centers located throughout the district. The 89th Assembly District encompasses White Plains, Harrison, New Castle, Mt. Kisco, Bedford, Lewisboro and Pound Ridge.