The Larchmont/Mamaroneck Patch.com published a great Q&A interview with candidate for trustee Ilissa Miller.
Some highlights:
Q: What are some of the major issues facing residents in the Village of Mamaroneck?
Ilissa Miller: With the continued economic uncertainty, it's challenging to protect our village character. New developments are important, but cannot be allowed to disrupt our quality of life or create neglect of our public assets and must not affect our public services. We need to plan for long-term financial health by implementing budgets that reflect the values of our village while respecting taxpayers and families.
Safeguarding public and private property with effective flood mitigation is another top priority. The village needs building and zoning codes that are easy to understand and enforce. Furthermore, without knowing what Mother Nature will bring, we must provide information about past floods to our village residents so that they can make cost-effective decision about their homes. And, before our the next flood hits the village, we need a plan in place to provide residents access to emergency funding and assistance.
Finally, I firmly believe that the only way to solve the challenges that our community faces is to insist on greater transparency and accountability from the Board of Trustees. I strongly believe that residents deserve more information, in a way that they can understand it, about how fiscal planning decision are made and our local officials need to listen with more sincerity to the concerns of our community. For example, the knowledge and experience of our residents can be so beneficial, we need to leverage this opportunity by insisting that the recommendations of official volunteer committees be taken seriously.
Q: As a board member, how would you help make the village a better place to live?
Ilissa Miller: Luckily, Mamaroneck Village is already a wonderful place to live! Right now our biggest responsibility is to make sure that the high quality and diverse character of our community can be maintained for new families looking for the perfect place to raise their children. That means we must plan for long-term financial health with responsible budgets that respect taxpayers. The Democratic candidates are committed to finding alternative sources of revenue to protect our village character without putting more pressure on families facing their own economic uncertainty. We can learn from the successes of our neighboring communities to create more effective and more efficient government. And we must face these challenges together, with village officials working in full partnership with residents and community leaders.
Q: What made you want to run for the VOM board?
Ilissa Milller: From my college days, I was an activist who spent summers campaigning. I joined a service sorority, whose activities were solely about fundraising for the community. After starting a family in Mamaroneck, I joined my neighborhood association and served for seven years as president. And when my son entered school, I immediately joined the PTSA. So, some form of community service has been part of my life for a long time. With three incumbent trustees retiring all at once this year, there is an unusual opportunity for some new voices and new energy to enter the public debate. When I was approached to run, I thought about my experience as a business person, as a member of my community, and as a mom, and I decided I could be an effective trustee. Mamaroneck’s government shouldn’t be a mystery to it’s citizens. Our friends, neighbors, and families deserve more transparency, more communication, and more cooperation toward a shared vision of our community’s future.
