CANDIDATE FOR VILLAGE MAYOR:

KEN BIALO

Campaign Opening from Mayor Ken Bialo

(January 26, 2006) Dear Larchmont Republicans:

I have had the honor and privilege of serving as your Mayor for the last 4 years, and now I am asking for your help. 

Please come and support me at the Village Republican Party Caucus to be held on January 31, 2006, at 8 p.m. at the American Legion Post in Flint Park.  This is true democracy at work. Only Village Republicans who attend the Caucus in person can have a say in who will be named the Republican candidate for Mayor. 

I am running for my third term as Mayor.  The person whom I appointed as Deputy Mayor as recently as April, Liz Feld, says she has been planning for a year to run against me -- without ever saying a word to me. Now she wants the Republican nomination for Mayor. I am asking you to support me.

Until my election as Mayor in 2002, Republicans had been in the minority on the Village Board, from the time I was first elected Trustee, in 1991.  In fact, for many of those years, I was the only Republican on the Board.  In 2002, the hard work led to good things, as it frequently does.  The voters elected me the first Republican Mayor in 22 years, and Republicans gained a majority on the Board for the first time in 15 years.

Since my election as Mayor in 2002 we have accomplished a great deal here in the Village.  We built new sidewalks, curbs, trees and lights in the Boston Post Road business district. We revised our antiquated zoning code and improved coordination among our three land-use committees. We brought together many diverse constituencies to prepare plans for the exciting once-in-a-lifetime expansion of Flint Park playing fields and a new 700-foot waterfront conservation area. We coordinated the reconstruction of the railroad station so as to minimize disruption. We made hands-on efforts to deal with stormwater and flooding issues. As always, I have maintained a strong concern for keeping down Village property taxes.

But these “big ticket” items are only a small part of what has been accomplished.  We have also planted over 250 new trees in the Village; conducted an annual safety survey of all Village trees; pulled down unnecessary telephone and sign poles; and successfully negotiated with Verizon to relocate its huge, unsightly fiber optic boxes. And we have made significant improvements in government operations as well. 

This list could go on and on. These are the plain facts.

I always give my best for this Village.  I am very proud of my record and proud to have been elected eight times as a Republican in a Village with a large majority of registered Democrats.  I have lived here for the last thirty years, and didn’t need Money Magazine to say last year that Larchmont is the 11th Best Place to Live in the Nation.  We all already know it is the best. Nevertheless, there is still more to do.

By this time, I’ve had the good fortune of getting to know many of you and your families. And you know me pretty well too.  You know that I’m dedicated to keeping Village taxes as low as possible while improving municipal services and preserving the character of this Village we cherish.  Everything I do boils down to how to be most helpful, how to get everyone’s input, and how to make the best choices.  No baloney. 

So I am asking you to support me now -- when it really counts.

I want to be the Republican Party candidate for Mayor. To do that, I need your vote at the Republican Caucus on January 31, 2005.  So I am asking you please to come to the American Legion Post in Flint Park by 8:00 p.m., and raise your hand for me.

If you have questions or need a ride to the caucus, please call (834-0147) or e-mail ( kbialo1009@aol.com). I will be happy to help.

And once again thank you for your support for the last 15 years, as we rebuilt the Republican Party together.  It is an honor and a great privilege to serve you.