On a chilly Thursday evening, I walked into a historic government building and watched as people streamed in to address local elected officials concerning a proposed municipal budget. We were at a budget forum hosted by the Westchester County Board of Legislators. Since I am a local elected official, I am quite familiar with these types of settings. And I always welcome hearing the concerns of the people I represent. But this was different. I was not there to listen. I was there to speak loudly for those who frequently have the quietest voices in our society – children.
A WCA Board Member’s advocacy is an integral part of the job. And we all draw our inspiration from various sources – mine comes from many. It comes from growing up with a mother who taught first grade. It comes from civic engagement experiences as a Board of Education Trustee and a Town Board Member. But mostly it comes from my experiences as a parent, a PTA dad and a youth sports coach. These experiences have taught me to keep one core concept at the heart of my decision-making – children first. And I’ve realized over time that if I do that, then I will undoubtedly make better decisions.
Now back to that chilly Thursday evening. As I awaited the start of the meeting, I watched as the auditorium slowly filled up and observed several signs, mostly advocating for increased funding for programs supporting children. I said hello to a few of the legislators that I have worked with in the past and wondered what the tone of the meeting would be. In my experience our county government has been extremely supportive of programs benefitting children and indeed has typically been at the forefront with these programs. And I was pleased to see that history of support reflected in the tone of the many people that came to speak. The legislators were thanked for their track record, but continuously urged to do more. And why not? Can you ever speak too loudly on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves? Can you ever really do enough to support the next generation to inherit the earth?
When it came my turn to speak, I spent most of my allotted three minutes thanking the legislators for their support of programs that benefit children. I thanked them for providing $3.7 million dollars in funding for the Eviction Prevention Program. I reminded them of the detrimental impact evictions can have on children if they must switch schools, leave friends, and sometimes even live apart from family members. I thanked them for providing $1.5 million dollars in funding to support mental health clinics. I reminded them of the mental health challenges children face that have been exacerbated and persist from the recent pandemic. But I wasn’t there just to thank them for the positive work they are engaged in. I had an ask of them as well. And my ask was this: as they move forward in the budget process, and the other tough policy choices they must make, I asked them to adopt the core concept in decision-making that I have learned to use – children first.
It is not too late to make your voice heard contact your Westchester County legislator and let them know that kids need to come first. Click here to cotact your legislators.