By Office of Ruth Walter

May 24, 2017:  Small-business owner Ruth Walter will launch her campaign for county legislature with a campaign kickoff fundraiser at the Olde Stone Mill in Tuckahoe on May 31 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

She will challenge Republican Gordon Burrows in District 15, which includes the Village of Bronxville and parts of the City of Yonkers, including some of the Bronxville Post Office area. Click here to see a map of District 15.

"Our community's needs are not being served by entrenched politicians who have forgotten what it's like to listen to voters and their concerns," Walter said. "I know we can do better."

Walter wants to focus on making sure the county serves the needs of its citizens in a responsible manner. To do that, she would draw on her experience running a small business and serving the public as a Bronxville Library trustee and former village court clerk, where she found innovative ways to trim costs and make local government run more efficiently.

For more than eight years, Walter has successfully run the cheese shop she opened with her husband in Bronxville during the financial crisis in 2009. Dobbs & Bishop Fine Cheese is a vibrant part of the community. The business has employed over 70 people, including high school and college students, and supports many local charities.

Walter also has experience in public service as both an official and as a volunteer. In her three years as a Bronxville Library trustee, Walter has worked to ensure that the $1.4 million annual budget is spent wisely and to make the budget process more transparent. She helped identify and replace one service vendor with a lower-cost one, reducing costs on that line by two-thirds. In another civic role, Walter served as court clerk in the Village of Bronxville, where she uncovered and fixed a DMV reporting error that cleared a backlog of tickets.

As the mother of two teenagers, Walter has made a significant investment in Westchester. "Our focus needs to be continuing to make Westchester attractive to young families considering a move here or to our own children deciding to stay as they become adults," said Walter, who grew up in Westchester and has lived in District 15 for the past 12 years.

"Young families are the natural next wave of homebuyers and home renters to fortify the economic base. To that end, Westchester County's wonderful parks, clean air, well-run police and fire departments, shopping districts and transportation all need our attention and support," she said.

Walter will bring fresh eyes and new ideas to government at the county level and build bridges between the county and its businesses, small and large. "I look forward to fostering goodwill and cooperation between residents in District 15," said candidate Ruth Walter.

For more information, go to www.electruthwalter.com.

Pictured here:  Candidate Ruth Walter.

Photo courtesy Office of Ruth Walter