The Westchester County Board of Legislators is the legislative, policy-making branch of Westchester County. The powers of the Board are enumerated in the County’s charter. A key power of the Board concerns finances: appropriating funds, approving the budget and levying taxes. It also approves appointments by the County Excutive and passes local laws, acts and resolutions.
The Board has seventeen members, known as Legislators, each representing a district approximately 50,000 residents and is elected every two years. (See below Board members)
The County Board has seventeen members, each representing a district approximately 50,000 residents. As of February 16, 2011, twelve of them are Democrats and five are Republicans. [1]
| District | Legislator | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Testa (R) | |
| 2 | Peter Harckham (D) | |
| 3 | John Nonna (D) | |
| 4 | Michael B. Kaplowitz (D) | |
| 5 | William J. Ryan (D) | |
| 6 | Martin Rogowsky (D) | |
| 7 | Judith A. Myers (D) | Majority Whip |
| 8 | Alfreda Williams (D) | |
| 9 | William Burton (D) | |
| 10 | Sheila Marcotte (R) | |
| 11 | James Maisano (R) | Minority Leader |
| 12 | MaryJane Shimsky (D) | |
| 13 | Lyndon Williams (D) | Vice Chair |
| 14 | Bernice Spreckman (R) | |
| 15 | Gordon A. Burrows (R) | Minority Whip |
| 16 | Kenneth W. Jenkins (D) | Board Chair |
| 17 | José I. Alvarado (D) |
The Board of Legislators operates under a committee system. Currently, there are eleven committees, each of which is charged with overseeing a particular policy area.
The following table reflect Committee chairs during the legislative term of 2010-2011.
| Committee | Chair |
|---|---|
| Budget and Appropriations | Jose Alvarado |
| Legislation | John Nonna |
| Community Services | Alfreda Williams |
| Public Safety and Security | Martin Rogowsky |
| Government Operations, Efficiency & Savings | Michael Kaplowitz |
| Public Works, Trans., Labor & Parks | William J. Ryan |
| Environment & Energy | Peter Harckham |
| Generational, Cultural & Ethnic Diversity | Bernice Spreckman |
| Appointments | William Burton |
| Housing & Planning | William Burton |
| Rules | VACANT |