The County Executive’s Corner: A New Term, A Renewed Commitment to Rockland County

I am deeply humbled by the confidence shown by the 74 percent of Rockland voters who cast their ballots for me on Election Day. 

It is once again my honor and privilege to take the oath of office and continue serving as your County Executive for another term.

But let me be absolutely clear—whether or not you voted for me, I remain fully committed to serving you and acting in the best interests of every resident of our beloved county.

When I first took office in 2014, I made a promise to right the fiscal ship. At that time, Rockland County was facing a staggering 138-million-dollar deficit.

Through disciplined, conservative budgeting—and a relentless focus on economic growth—we didn’t just eliminate that deficit. We completely turned our financial outlook around.

Now Rockland County stands on solid financial ground, with a strong surplus. That stability has allowed us once again to keep County property taxes flat, following tax cuts in both 2025 and 2024, and zero increases in 2023 and 2022.

And let’s not forget—Rockland remains the only county in New York State with a Moody’s Triple-A bond rating, the highest possible rating. That achievement is a testament to the exceptional dedication of our County workforce and the partnership of the Rockland County Legislature—and it allows us to secure enviable rates when investing in and strengthening our infrastructure. But there is so much more ahead.

We will continue to strengthen support for our emergency volunteers. 

Through our HERROs program, Higher Education Recruitment and Retention Opportunities, we have already reimbursed more than half a million dollars in tuition for those who give their time and talent to protect our communities.

We will continue to preserve open space. 

Since reviving the Open Space Acquisition Program in 2019, we have preserved more than 330 acres from development, including the largest acquisition in the program’s history this past year in Sloatsburg. We will steadily work to open these lands to the public and pursue additional grant opportunities to protect even more open space.

We will continue making progress toward affordability and sustainability. 

This past year alone, we invested 13.5 million dollars through our HALO program to support the creation of 500 new affordable workforce housing units benefiting seniors and emergency volunteers. These low-interest loans will recycle back into future housing initiatives. We are also redeveloping the vacant Sain Building and will be loaning out an additional 6.5 million dollars through HALO this year.

We will continue investing in a greener, more resilient future. 

In the 2026 budget, we added $200,000 for a countywide feasibility study to identify the best locations for solar panels and EV charging stations on County property. These efforts don’t just advance environmental stewardship—they save taxpayer dollars and position us for additional grant funding.

That—and so much more—as I pledge to continue protecting our fiscal health, strengthening our economy, and preserving our precious natural resources.

To the residents of Rockland County: thank you—for your trust, for your confidence, and for allowing me to continue this important work.