Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and State Senator Shelley B. Mayer Hold White Plains Town Hall: 2019 Legislative Session Wrap-Up

WHITE PLAINS, NY – On Wednesday, Oct. 16, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and State Senator Shelley B. Mayer held a Town Hall in White Plains at The Thomas H. Slater Center to share the achievements and challenges of the 2019 Legislative Session.

The White Plains Town Hall was the State Senators’ final one in a series scheduled in Westchester County before they return to Albany. Attendees including State Assemblyman David Buchwald and Westchester County Executive George Latimer had the opportunity to hear from the State Senators about laws passed this year in Albany and how they will impact Westchester communities.

Local residents shared their support of and concerns for a wide range of issues including:

Vaping
High cost of prescription drugs
Seniors
The School Tax Relief (STAR) program
Healthcare
Mental health and substance abuse
Pending closure of Mount Vernon Hospital

Together with their colleagues, Leader Stewart-Cousins and Senator Mayer were able to deliver historic reforms that New Yorkers had been demanding for years, including tougher gun laws, affordable housing and tenant protections, voting and ethics reforms, action on climate change, and stronger protections for women’s rights.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “This Town Hall gave Senator Shelley Mayer and me the chance to hear directly from Westchester residents and ensure they can learn about the historic actions we took in Albany to tear down barriers and create opportunities for all New Yorkers.  I am so pleased to see civic engagement is a priority for my constituents, and I am grateful to everyone who attended. My number one concern is listening to residents across the 35th State Senate District and throughout the state and working to ensure we address their priorities over the next Legislative Session.”

State Senator Shelley B. Mayer (D-Westchester) said, “I am glad to continue co-hosting substantive Town Hall events with Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins to discuss our legislative accomplishments during the 2019 Legislative Session. Hearing from constituents is an essential part of representing their concerns and aspirations in Albany. For anyone who was not able to attend the Town Halls, my door is always open in my District Office in Port Chester to meet with me or one of my staff members and discuss the relevant concerns in your community."

About New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins

In 2019, Andrea Stewart-Cousins made history when she became the first woman to lead a legislative house in New York’s Capitol. Stewart-Cousins was elected by her colleagues to serve as Leader of the Senate Democratic Conference in December 2012, becoming the first female leader of a legislative conference in New York State history. She was first elected to the State Senate in 2006 and currently represents Greenburgh, part of White Plains, part of New Rochelle, part of Yonkers and Scarsdale. Learn more about Leader Stewart-Cousins here.

About State Senator Shelley B. Mayer

Senator Mayer was elected to the New York State Senate to represent the 37th District in an April 2018 Special Election, and she was subsequently re-elected in November 2018. The 37th State Senate District includes the Cities of Yonkers, White Plains, Rye and New Rochelle; the Towns of Bedford, Eastchester, Harrison, North Castle, Mamaroneck, and Rye; the Villages of Bronxville, Larchmont, Harrison, Mamaroneck, Port Chester, Rye Brook, and Tuckahoe; and the unincorporated places of Katonah, Bedford Hills, and Armonk. Prior to her time in the State Senate, she served in the State Assembly for six years representing the City of Yonkers in the 90th Assembly District. Click here to read more about Senator Mayer.