Q&A: County Legislator Candidate Katie Manger

Meet Katie Manger, candidate for Westchester County Legislator, District 7, up for election on Tuesday, November 7th. Manger is running as a challenger against incumbent Catherine Parker. District 7 covers Mamaroneck, Rye, Larchmont, part of New Rochelle, part of Harrison.

We will be running an interview with Parker separately.

Your Name: Katie Manger

Running for: Westchester County Legislator, District 7

MyRye.com: Why are you running for county legislator? 

Manger: I am seeking to represent the sound shore district to bring fiscal discipline and respectability to the Westchester County Board which has been on a spending spree, with our tax dollars, for the past 5 years.

Why are you running for county legislator now? 

Manger: A challenge to Ms. Parker is long overdue and an overwhelming number of people have approached me and asked me to step up and bring an independent voice to LD 7.

What is your party affiliation? 

Manger: I am a Republican running on the Republican and Conservative tickets.

What are the three biggest opportunities / challenges being managed at the Westchester County government level that directly impact the City of Rye over the next 3-5 years? 

Manger: 

1. The question should be what are the 3 challenges that are being mismanaged at the Westchester County Board and the number one answer is the lack of fiscal discipline with regard to our tax dollars
2. Reinvestment of our tax dollars back into the community in areas such as infrastructure and attempting to manage the increased flooding issues that have plagued our communities
3. Representation that is in touch with all of the residents of District 7

What is new about these opportunities / challenges since the last election cycle?

Manger: While the challenges are not new, the responses, or lack thereof, are old and tired. The Sound shore needs real solutions, not just lip service from our county leaders. The flooding is a reoccurring issue and while the county has amassed an exorbitant money grab from raising the levy and the windfall from the increased sales tax, very little has been reinvested in our community.

What are the three flood mitigation measures the Westchester County government should undertake with the greatest cost/benefit to the City of Rye?

Manger: 

1. Newer and larger drainage pipes that can handle the increased amount of rain fall
2. Working with municipalities to ensure that their codes and regulations are incorporating proper and adequate drainage solutions when building
3. Connecting initiatives with long-term management that includes defining desired outcomes as well as initiating urban tree plantings that are can help to diminish the rising water tables

What are the three biggest areas for cost containment with Westchester County government over the next 3-5 years, and how would this impact the City of Rye? 

Manger: Since the last election cycle, we’ve had another flood, inflation has risen dramatically, putting a strain on local families including many seniors. Mortgage rates have gone from 2-8% in that time, impacting supply, and we have a sudden and large influx of a refugee population.

The County is now providing attorneys for eviction cases, which adds costs onto taxpayers, but also creates a further disincentive for smaller landlords to purchase and rent out very needed properties in our area.

Due to a county contract with Standard Amusements, the City of Rye has paid out property taxes to the county, but is unable to collect.

We still have many vacant offices along 287, which are an opportunity for Westchester to recruit many businesses out of the city, many of whom are greatly incentivized to move by costs, crime and aging buildings. Additionally, much of the workforce of these businesses is in Westchester. We have a great opportunity to recruit and grow our economy. The County should take the lead by creating an attractive and predictable business environment.

Westchester County Government has a unique opportunity to not only contain costs, due to the enormous amount of money that they are receiving from raising the sales tax, but reinvest tax dollars into the communities where they are most effective. Instead, they have chosen to increase spending across the board and give almost nothing back to the tax payers. 

Please Answer the following Yes or No:

Manger: 

Issue	Yes or No	One sentence explanation.
Rye City is prepared for the next “100 year” flood.	No	Rye city is not prepared and could benefit greatly from the county investing more tax dollars into our infrastructure.
Additional restrictions on development will help with flood mitigation.	Yes	Decreasing impervious surfaces, requiring larger containment tanks and better urban tree initiatives such as planting river birches, weeping willows, etc.
Leaf blowers should be regulated at a local and / or county level to address quality of life and pollution related issues.	Not Sure	I’ve knocked on thousands of doors and no one has mentioned leaf blowers.
Rye Playland will be in good hands with Standard Amusements.		That is yet to be seen in light of the recent lawsuit showing money they’ve allocated towards improvements included their administrative costs.
The current roads in Rye that are maintained by the County are acceptable.	Yes and No	However, more immediately, county roads should be examined for adequacy in light of the expansion in neighboring communities.
Westchester County is in a position to assist Rye City to reduce its deer population by active management that might include sharp shooters or bow hunting	Yes	Additionally, the County should look at wildlife management broadly in large development plans such as United Hospital, where many animals have been clearly displaced now that demolition has begun. It’s not humane to allow wildlife to be suddenly displaced and forced to forage along highways and residential neighborhoods. This outcome was entirely predictable and wholly unacceptable.

 

What statistics, data and best practices does the County maintain that can assist local villages, towns and cities such as Rye with policy making and overall good governance? 

Manger: When it comes to best practices and efficiency, it is a known fact that the most efficient government is the local government that primarily deals with “sticks and bricks.”

Are there areas where the County could improve in this area and thereby assist localities such as Rye? 

Manger: Westchester County does a fair amount of shared services with local municipalities such as planning department resources, information technology and perhaps one of the most important – Public Safety.

Tell us about you:

How would your friends and family describe you in one word? 

Manger: I asked & consensus was fierce.

Pick one:

Manger: 

Select from:	Your Pick:
Coke or Pepsi?	I don’t drink soda
Regular or diet?	n/a
Action movie or rom com?	toss up
Cook, order in or eat out?	cook
Dog, cat or no pet?	dogs
Balsamic vinaigrette or ranch?	vinaigrette
Ruffles Original, Lay’s Barbeque or Funyuns?	I don’t eat junk food
Still, sparkling or tap?	sparkling

 

What is the kindest thing someone has ever done for you? 

Manger: I can’t say. I’ve been the fortunate beneficiary of a great deal of kindness in my life.

What is your day job? 

Manger: I stopped my career to raise my kids. I do pro bono work for people in Westchester mainly resolving consumer transaction issues, and volunteer at a National Park.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why, and who would you take with you? 

Manger: I’d like to travel back to Greece and spend time touring their ancient sites.

What is your favorite streaming / TV series ever?

Manger: Last Kingdom

What is your favorite movie?

Manger: How do you pick one? One of my all-time favorite scenes in a movie though, is the first date scene in Goodfellas.

Where do you live in Rye and how many years have you lived in the City?

Manger: I live near Rye Country Day School and I’ve lived here on and off for about 18 years. We lived abroad for a couple of years.

What affiliations do you have with organizations in Rye? 

Manger: My volunteer work is in Westchester, but outside of Rye.

What are three of your favorite food takeout / delivery restaurants in Westchester County’s 7th legislative district?

Manger: 

1. Rye Grill & Bar
2. Red Plum (Mamaroneck)
3. Sunrise Pizza

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? 

Manger: Carpentry & sewing

Thanks Katie!

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Katie Manger’s bio (provided by candidate):

Katie has lived in the Sound Shore with her two sons Brendan and Liam for 18 years. Looking for a home for her family, she found in Rye good schools, open green space and a true sense of community. Stepping away from a successful legal career to raise her two boys, Katie’s energies soon found their way to pro bono legal advocacy in Westchester County.

Katie received her Bachelors of Science degree from Middle Tennessee University, majoring in Political Science with minor concentrations in English and History.

She received her Juris Doctorate from City University School of Law where she made the Law Review and was a member of the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity. She is a member of the NY State Bar.

Katie served as compliance counsel for several top-tier Wall Street firms (Wells Fargo, Bear Stearns, BMO / Nesbitt Burns) in their investment banking and US capital markets divisions.