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WPCNR Campaign 2011 by John F Bailey March 14, 2011:

 

Glen Hockley, People Over Politics candidate for Mayor of White Plains submitted petitions containing over 1,100 signatures to the County Board of Elections this morning in order to place his name on the ballot for the March 31 Special Election for mayor of White Plains(pending Board of Election approval of his petition).

 

 

Hockley said he was going to bring taxes down. Asked if elected mayor if he would keep the city budget where it is at this year’s $155.5 million, Mr. Hockley said “we need to do a major efficiency program at City Hall,” and that he would “look at every area of the budget and department for more cost savings and strip away what is not working.”

 

Hockley came out strongly for preserving the integrity of White Plains neighborhoods, such as, he said “by not putting a school in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Are you listening, Ridgeway?  Are you listening, Gedney Farms? Are you listening Haviland Manor?”  This apparently is a reference to the plan hotly opposed by the Gedney Association where the French American School  would  build three schools and an auditiorium  on the former Ridgway Country Club property. The plan is about to be submitted to the city.

 

 

Hockley in a prepared statement, said he was running for the people of this city, that then he is running as and it truly independent quote not beholden to any political party.

 

On Ridgeway he was asked how he would stop FASNY building there.  Hockley said he had a few alternatives to offer which he would reveal when he became mayor.

 

Asked to evaluate his two adversaries for mayor: Tom Roach, the Democrat and Common Council President, now Acting Mayor,  and Bob Hyland, the Republican nominee,. Hockley, analyzed them this way. “One (Hyland) has business experience; the other (Roach) has administrative experience and I have both,” Hockley said.

 

Dan Pagano, Mr. Hockley’s attorney told WPCNR that the Board of Elections has three days to raise any objections to Mr. Hockley’s petitions. Mr. Hockley has three days after objections are filed by the Board  to counter the objections, if any, are made.

 

Pagano said that if Mr. Hockley was taken off  the ballot by the Board of Elections. Hockley, could file a temporary restraining order, which Pagano said, could delay the election scheduled for March 31, 2011.

 

Hockley said petitions were mandatory for him to be placed on the ballot because he was not endorsed by an officially recognized political party.

 

 

With News 12 camera rolling, Hockley submitted his signatures to Board of Elections, cochairman, Reginald LaFayette (above). LaFayette said to the television cameras and this reporter Hockley had all the documents he needed, including a certificate of acceptance, which Hockley’s failure to turn in, in August of 2009 resulted in his being forced off the 2009 Mayoral ballot and into a 8-month federal court case which Hockley lost. Hockley was forced to mount a write-in campaign for Mayor in 2009, in which he received 1,791 votes as opposed to former Mayor Adam Bradley’s over 6,000 votes.

 

Upon successfully delivering his petitions, Hockley thanked supporters outside the Board of Elections.  Stating that “nothing has taken or will ever take” his focus off the “well-being of our citizens,” Hockley stressed the importance of reducing taxes without sacrificing public safety or city services.

Capitalizing on his reputation for standing “for and with the people, unencumbered by political harnesses,” Hockley proposed, “This is our chance to define ourselves as independent, forward-thinking people sculpting a new city of fulfilled promise and achieved potential,” adding, “This is our chance to get it right!”

 

Conservative Flip Flop

 

Hockley had thought he had the Conservative Party endorsement for this Special Election last Friday. He was informed by the CitizeNetReporter that Hugh Fox, Conservative Party head had called this reporter to say the Conservatives had thrown their support to Hyland instead.Hugh Fox, the chairman of the Conservative Party, and county employee, had apparently reneged on his original written promise to endorse Hockley, and switched his endorsement to Mr. Hyland, the Republican, instead against the wishes of the White Plains Conservative Party.

 

Asked in a news conference if he had any idea of what happened between his (Hockley’s) being told he had the conservative endorsement and him losing the conservative endorsement Hockley said it was in the past and he was moving forward. He said he had no idea why that happened.

 

WPCNR Campaign 2011. By John F Bailey. March 11, 2011:

Former Councilman Glen Hockley confirmed to WPCNR he has received the endorsement of the Conservative Party of White Plains for mayor. Hockley said this would give him two lines on the Thursday, March 31 election ballot: the Conservative line and his own People over Politics, wine. Hockley said his next step was to file his petitions on Monday at the board of elections.

In a news release this morning, Hockley announced he would kick off his campaign for Mayor with a news conference at 11 A.M. Monday at the Westchester County Board of Elections.

Mr. Hockley said he would be kicking off this campaign on Monday morning for mayor. The election will be held Thursday, March 31 in each of the 43 districts across the city of White Plains.

Asked what he brought to the campaign and felt White Plains needed. Hockley told WPCNR, he would concentrate on tax relief. He said he had a plan to do something about parking in White Plains to make parking more consumer friendly. He also said he wanted to make the city business climate, more friendly to business. Hockley said his campaign owed nothing to no one, and that he was only accountable to the people.

 In an official news release from the Campaign, Hockley called for “renewed focus on the future of White Plains,  it’s time to put the people first — not politics,” he said.  “It’s time for reasonable and rational action today that leads to a more prosperous and successful tomorrow.”

Hockley recently accepted the endorsement of the Conservative Party, while continuing his independent bid on the People Over Politics ticket.  “I’m grateful to the Conservative Party for its appreciation of my contributions to this City, and for its confidence in my leadership,” he said.  “Today, as always, my focus is on the burden of our taxpayers and their concerns,” Hockley said.

In October 2009, Hockley’s People Over Politics launched a write-in campaign only two weeks before Election Day and won close to 2,000 votes,(1,791) surprising many pundits in a city unaccustomed to the write-in ballot. 

Since then, the release said, the independent party has retained its volunteers, stayed organized and focused on the City’s economic recovery.  “We were heartened by the strong support we received in the last election and our numbers have been steadily growing this past year,” Hockley stated.   “I think people are sick of political posturing and are starving for some basic common sense and efficiency in city government,” he added.

Campaign volunteer Jamie Baker-Price quoted by the release, recalled what she says is key to her dedication to Hockley’s campaign.  “Last week during an organizational meeting, Glen summed up what, to me, it’s all about.  He said, ‘If we strip away the politics, we are left with each other standing eye to eye and discovering what connects us as humans and neighbors.’  He said, ‘It’s time for politicians to become people again.’  I think the whole world would benefit from that thinking,” she added.

On Monday March 14 at 11am, Hockley will kick off his campaign with a speech in front of the Westchester County Board of Elections, “to share my hopes for White Plains and outline objectives and goals for our future,” he said.  “For at least a decade, I’ve engaged in my “walk-abouts” — meeting and talking to citizens and merchants on every single street in White Plains.  I know the concerns of residents and businesspeople in every neighborhood and the success they deserve.  My candidacy for Mayor is all about them.”