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Contact: Bill O’Reilly, 914-619-5252

Westchester Independence Party Endorses  Rob Astorino for Westchester County Executive

White Plains, N.Y. (May 20, 2009) -- The Westchester County Independence Party today announced that it has endorsed Rob Astorino for Westchester County Executive, hoping to "clear the stale thinking from the halls of county government with the fresh air of new and vigorous leadership."


Mr. Astorino is running for County Executive to reduce the tax load in Westchester County, by streamlining county services, and to restore a high standard of ethics in county government. In endorsing Mr. Astorino for County Executive, the Independence Party is starkly rejecting the candidacy of incumbent County Executive Andy Spano, who previously ran on the Party's line.


"These are challenging times that require new thinking and intellectual vigor, and those are the qualities we find in Rob Astorino.

"There are compelling reasons why change for Westchester's highest elected office is necessary in 2009," said Dr. Giulio A. Cavallo, Chairman of the Westchester Independence Party. "One-party rule has effectively dismantled the system of checks and balances in the County Charter resulting in a bloated bureaucracy that continues to punish taxpayers. Instead of a healthy tension between the two branches of county government, we have a mutual admiration society. As a result, Westchester families are hurting financially and the current administration just does not understand their pain.


"The people of Westchester are paying for it every day. Spano's arrogance and recklessness have destroyed the dreams of thousands who have been forced to move or significantly sacrifice their life plans because of his high taxes. Rob Astorino is an independent thinker with the vision and character to get this county back on track," Cavallo continued.


"I thank the Independence Party for its endorsement," said Astorino "and I look forward to justifying their confidence in me by delivering leaner, smarter and less expensive county government after I am sworn in on January 1, 2010."


"Our endorsement should send a clear message to non-affiliated voters and independent -minded Democrats that Rob Astorino's vision of a retooled county government is the right vision for the future of this county," Cavallo said.