According to the Westchester County Board of Elections the voters of the Independence Party in County Legislative District 1 have spoken and handed a lopsided victory to County Legislator John G. Testa by a 2-to-1 margin.
Despite the fraudulent and underhanded tactics of Testa’s opponent, Mike Kane, the voters were not fooled. His actions were called “deceitful” by a NY State Supreme Court judge and the voters rejected his attempt to steal the party’s nomination.
“I want to thank the voters of the Independence Party who took the time to write my name on the ballot on Primary Day. This overwhelming victory is truly gratifying to me and I pledge to continue to work hard for the citizens of Peekskill, Cortlandt and Yorktown, and earn that support entrusted to me,” said Testa.
John Testa has been a true independent voice for the citizens he represents and has always handled his responsibilities as an elected representative with a non-political, honest and transparent approach that has made him known as a champion for the citizens of Northern Westchester.
Sadly, his opponent, on the other hand cannot say the same. He is the Chairman of the Peekskill Democratic City Committee and is hardly anything but a rank partisan political operative who uses unfounded personal attacks, innuendo and rumor as daily tools of his trade. He is at the helm of a party that has led the City of Peekskill into an abyss of deficit spending, outrageous borrowing, hidden taxes, neighborhood deterioration, increased crime, civil unrest and lost business and jobs. He also helped lead the way in splitting Peekskill during the redistricting process. This process reeked of political partisanship and was condemned by the League of Woman Voters.
This is not the first time Testa has handily defeated Kane in an election. In 2003 Kane ran for Mayor of Peekskill against Testa and lost by what is considered to be the most decisive loss of a mayoral candidate in recent history.
“I look forward to the rest of the campaign to speak with the citizens of Cortlandt, Peekskill and Yorktown and discuss the issues most important to them and how I will continue to lead the way to reduce county spending and taxes for those I represent,” said Testa.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
About John G. Testa
Former District 1 County Legislator, John G. Testa is served five terms at the Westchester County Board of Legislators, spending the last 3 terms as BOL Minority Leader.
John G. Testa is a lifelong resident of Peekskill who first entered elected public service as a member of the Peekskill Common Council in 1998 and then served three terms as Mayor. He previously served on the Conservation and Parks Advisory Board and Zoning Board of Appeals. John became an elected official eager to improve the City in which his family has lived for more than a century and quickly earned a reputation as a strong, independent, nonpartisan voice for fiscal responsibility.
John received a BS degree in Technology from SUNY Oswego, where his academic achievements gained him induction into Epsilon Pi Tau, the International Honorary Fraternity of Technology. He earned his MS degree in Technology from the City College of New York. He began his teaching career in 1980 at Peekskill High School, his alma mater, as an instructor in Technology and Social Studies, retiring in 2013 after 33 years teaching.
John has been a leader in support for the Arts Community in Westchester. He presided over the construction of the Peekskill Art Lofts, the establishment of the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, and the complete restoration of the Paramount Center for the Arts, originally a 1930’s movie house and helped bring critical funding to many Westchester programs. Legislator Testa received the “Advancing the Arts in Westchester Award” by ArtsWestchester.
John has a been a leader on environmental issues for two decades and has a long record of initiatives he has supported and spearheaded. His active involvement in developing and promoting environmentally friendly policies began as mayor and continued throughout his time as Westchester County Legislator. His efforts consistently earned John the endorsement of the NY League of Conservation Voters.
John’s most recognizable accomplishment has been his promotion and preservation of local history and historic landmarks, bringing an unprecedented focus on the region’s rich history, and its legacy of historic Victorian architecture. His roots in historical preservation stem from his experience as a Revolutionary War re-enactor and member of The Brigade of the American Revolution for 50 years.
John was instrumental in securing the preservation of the Lincoln Depot, now the Lincoln Depot Museum, where he now serves as President. The museum was recognized in 2015 as one of The Best Museums in Westchester. He also secured the preservation of historic Fort Hill as parkland, a 40-acre parcel that was originally a Revolutionary War encampment site. Under his leadership, the United States Dept. of the Interior declared Peekskill a “Preserve America Community.”
John was able to establish a record number of National Register designations of local structures, including the first Downtown and Neighborhood Historic Districts and supported the preservation of the historic Miller House in North White Plains. In 2017 John was named a “Champion of History” by the Lincoln Society in Peekskill.
John and his wife of 37 years, Nancy, live in Peekskill and have two adult children, John, Jr. (fiancé Courtney Kelly) and Katy (husband Mike Mearon). John and Nancy recently welcomed the arrival of their first grandchild, Lacey Mae, in 2019.
On Topic with John G. Testa 