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Health & Fitness

Briarcliff Village Elections: Challenge The Peoples Caucus

Here in the Village of Briarcliff Manor, the Mayor and Village Trustee positions are filled by a rather Un-American, Non-Democratic, insider-driven and controlled, one-party system - The Peoples Caucus. We only "technically" elect them. In reality they just nominate each other behind closed doors. Then they invariably run unopposed in an election no one goes out to vote in.  Consequently, they don't have to serve or respond or answer to you or anyone in the Village other than their little insider power-clique. 

 

In order to solve this problem, we need to mobilize to create a more democratic process of TRUE DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS for Mayor and Trustees here in Briarcliff. This means sponsoring strong opposition candidates to the Peoples Caucus nominees who run unchallenged year-in and year-out.   There is no other municipality in Westchester with this type of un-American, non-democratic, insider-driven and controlled, one-party system.

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As an example, the school board in Briarcliff is a group of five people who were TRULY ELECTED to their posts through an annual knock-down, drag-out, old-fashioned, American, democratic election process.  Opposing viewpoints are presented.  Discussion and debate occurs.  Ideas are brought to the community.  Candidates listen to constituents.  Neighbors and family members disagree for a few weeks and then come back together in support of those who were elected.

Find out what's happening in Pleasantville-Briarcliff Manorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

This is a call to ALL here in our fine Village to consider running in our next Village election on March  18th.  Please consider running NOT as a Caucus-Sponsored candidate but as an INDEPENDENT challenger to the Caucus candidates.

It is time to create a true, American, democratic election process for the Mayor and Village Trustee positions.  It is time to create a true, multi-party election process, complete with opposing viewpoints , discussion and debate and ideas being brought to the community for discussion and candidates who actually listen, and then represent, constituents.

 

For those politically-aware, high-information voters here is a cut and paste from an email just released from the Peoples Caucus with how THEIR process works:

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For those interested, we offer again this year to conduct an information session for anyone contemplating running for local elected office or the Executive Committee to explain the Caucus nominating process, the subsequent Village election process and the Caucus’ Executive Committee’s responsibilities. That session will be held on Wednesday, December 11, 2013 at 8 PM at the Briarcliff Teen Center, behind the Municipal Building. Please advise us no later than Monday December 9 if you are interested in participating. If there are no participants, the meeting will be cancelled.

 

The first step in the local election calendar is the Caucus Nominating Meeting, which will be held at 8 PM on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at the Briarcliff Manor Middle School Theater. At this meeting, those seeking the Caucus’ nomination for local elected office will be nominated and have the opportunity to address the audience; also at this meeting we will nominate the members of the next Caucus Executive Committee. 

 

A “Meet the Candidates” Meeting will follow at 8 PM on Wednesday, January 15, 2014 in the Theater; also at this meeting we will elect the members of the next Caucus Executive Committee. 

 

Should any local elected official position be contested, a Voting Meeting will follow on Wednesday, January 22, 2014 in the Village Youth Center (behind the Municipal Building); voting hours are 3 PM - 9 PM or by absentee ballot. 

As before, the Nominating and Debate Meetings will be videotaped and shown on public access channels. The broadcast schedule will be posted on the Caucus’ website www.peoplescaucusbm.com and we will also e-mail the schedule to those on our email list.

 

The Village general election will be held Tuesday, March 18, 2014.

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It is time to create a true, American, democratic election process for the Mayor and Village Trustee positions.  It is time to create a true, multi-party election process, complete with opposing viewpoints , discussion and debate and ideas being brought to the community for discussion and candidates who actually listen, and then represent, constituents.

Note that The Peoples Caucus is conveniently lining up their nominees over the Holidays while absolutely no one in the Village is paying attention, rather than in January after the Holiday season.

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