And now we move on

November 6th brought us one of the closest mayoral races in Peekskill’s history. The campaign got unseemly at the end, with both sides slinging mud as fast as they could throw it. But in the end, a well-funded ground game on Election Day brought out all of Bohlmann Towers to vote, which turned the City over to the Democrats.

Thank heavens, it's over. Now we can get back to the important work of making Peekskill a better City.

Everyone is talking about what happens next.

Ginsburg has already abandoned the Standard House, and is now reconsidering whether to move forward with the Abbey at Fort Hill. After the nasty mailings and comments coming from the Peekskill Democrats in the final weeks of the election, castigating the man who just gifted the City forty acres of prime real estate, Ginsburg might just sell his property and walk away.

The next big question is, what will happen to the composition of City Hall? Who will the Democrats choose to fill Mary Foster’s vacant seat? Chances are it will be someone with name recognition, because whoever it is can only serve until November 2008, at which time they will face re-election. City Manager Dan Fitzpatrick’s name keeps coming up in Naples, Florida’s search for a new City Manager, so it would be no surprise if he moved on. Comptroller Marcus Serrano has received many job offers, given his contributions to the turnaround of Peekskill’s financial fortunes, so it would not be surprising to see him get recruited by Mount Vernon or New Rochelle.

The Democrats campaigned on rejecting Republican plans for redeveloping the City, so the most vulnerable position in City Hall has to be Director of Planning and Development Brian Havranek. Long time Democrat Deborah Post is expected to be named to his position in early January.

One of the best pieces of news that was uncovered during the campaign is that Mary Foster has had a change of heart and now supports Target. She and her team will have an opportunity to make good on this promise in the next three months. Peekskill eagerly awaits them to approve the plans that will change Lower South Street for the better, and put the Karta property to much better use.

But first, the Common Council must pass the 2008 budget. We were heartened to hear Mary Foster say during the Cortlandt Colonial debate that she would reject the 5% tax increase proposed by the City because we are sitting on a fund balance that is higher than any municipality in Westchester County.

We only wish the budget had been passed before the election. Then a unanimous Council would have passed a zero percent tax increase. It would have been a nice symbolic act of unity, washing away the divisive acrimony of the campaign.