02/08/11 PRESS RELEASE: Republican & Independence Parties, give popular village trustee nod to challenge incumbent Port Chester Mayor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Port Chester, N.Y. --- February 8, 2011

Port Chester voters, unhappy with the direction of their local government, are uniting in their support of popular Village Trustee Bart Didden in his bid to unseat embattled incumbent Mayor Dennis Pilla in the village's upcoming spring election.

Didden has secured unanimous support from the local Republican and Independence Parties. Bart Didden  will be the lone challenger to Democrat incumbent Dennis Pilla who is running for a third two-year term.  

Didden, a successful local businessman who owns an alarm and security company located in Port Chester, was the top vote getter in this past June's election for six village trustees.
After serving in office on the Village Board for seven months, it didn't take long for him to realize that, in order to bring real change, he would have to run for mayor.

"Port Chester lacks leadership and is heading in a disastrous direction under Mayor Pilla, and if we don't turn things around quickly our village will be in real trouble for years," Didden said, referring to the village's ballooning debt and stagnating tax base.

"I have worked hard as a trustee to make this government more accountable and responsive to the needs of Port Chester residents. I have tried to make the village board get serious about our financial crisis. But the mayor has been totally unresponsive. Unfortunately, I have learned that one vote on the Board of Trustees is not enough to affect the change we desperately need," Didden explained. 

"Real change has to come from the top. We need a new mayor --- a strong leader --- who is ready to enact sweeping reforms that will restore financial stability to Port Chester and allow our local community to grow and prosper once again."

Didden describes himself as an "independent thinker" who will work for practical solutions to Port Chester's problems, mainly reducing Port Chester's $37 million worth of debt.

"I'm a businessman; I employ dozens of people from our local community and I know how to meet a bottom line. That's exactly what we need in a mayor: someone who will run Port Chester like a business and make village government more accountable and responsive to our customers, the taxpayers."

Local party leaders agreed and organized overwhelming support for Didden's candidacy on the Republican and Independence ballot lines. Didden received unanimous support from both parties.

Didden outlined his platform and agenda as Port Chester's next mayor.

"We must get our debt under control by adopting a multi-year capital plan immediately. This will mean tough choices but we have to do it. At the same time, we cannot balance our operating budget on the backs of our taxpayers, which is why I'm proposing a freeze on local taxes. And we need better long term planning to guide Port Chester's future growth through an updated Master Plan and zoning ordinance."   

Didden said he will also advocate for stricter code enforcement of buildings in Port Chester to address code violations such as jerry-rigged electrical wires, illegal occupancies, safety violations and overcrowding.

"Port Chester voters will have a clear choice in this election. If they are okay with skyrocketing debt, higher taxes and a government that ignores their needs, then they can vote to reelect Mayor Pilla," the candidate said.

"But if Port Chester residents are unhappy with the direction we're heading; if they are fed up with budget deficits, high taxes, and mismanaged government; if they want change and are ready to move in a new direction, then I am their candidate. I promise to bring the reforms needed for a better Port Chester."

Didden summed up his feelings on the race saying, "All around us we see examples of local governments --- places like Rye and Greenwich --- serving their residents much better than our government here. But I am proud to live in Port Chester. It's where I've made my home and raised my family. It's where I run my business. As a taxpayer and a stakeholder in this community, I feel we deserve better from our mayor. I know we can do better and I am ready to accept that charge." 

Read more about Bart Didden's Campaign at BartDidden.com 

Contact the Campaign by email info@bartdidden.com or call (914) 937-2602

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02/06/11 Port Chester Trustee Joseph "Uncle Tom" Kenner Throws Village Minorities Under The Bus

THE VILLAGE IDIOT SPEAKS OUT

IN AN EFFORT TO GIVE

MICHAEL "MY FAMILY IS CASHING IN" CARVIN

A $200,000 PAY DAY

How Soon They Forget: Joseph "Uncle Tom" Kenner Was Appointed To The Village Of Port Chester Trustees, Only Because Of The Voting Right Case

What A Sell Out: Joseph "Uncle Tom" Kenner wants to propose a resolution would set aside $225,000 to retain Michael "My Familiy Is Cashing In" Carvin, brother of Republican and Rye Town Supervisor Joseph "The Harvard Educated Fool" Carvin, at a rate of $750 an hour to fight the Department of Justice.

What kind of cockamamie plan does Joseph "Uncle Tom" Kenner have: To make the hardworking residents of Port Chester loose another costly Federal case, so the Republican's and the Carvin family can once again take the taxpayers to the cleaners

Here Is An Editorial From The Village Idiot Joseph "Uncle Tom" Kenner ....

The Port Chester Board of Trustees agenda for Monday contains a resolution to authorize the hiring of counsel to appeal the voting rights case. Judge Stephen Robinson found that our historical system to elect trustees violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The public will have an opportunity to be heard. I wanted to provide the facts that lead to my decision to support what two experienced voting rights lawyers have characterized as a powerful appeal with a substantial likelihood of success.

Prior to being appointed to the board in 2007, I believed that the establishment of voting districts — the typical remedy in Voting Rights cases — would not work. To divide a small village like Port Chester into districts is wrong. The only district the federal government could create with a majority of Hispanic citizen voting-age persons,..... Blah .... Blah ..... Blah ..... Lets Give the Carvins $200,000 Bucks .....Blah ..... Blah ..... Blah .......

.... I know firsthand since I, an African American who moved here in 1998 .... Blah .... Blah ..... Blah .....Lets Give the Carvins $200,000 Bucks .....Blah ..... Blah ..... Blah .......

......The decision to appeal is truly one of principle that transcends the cost of time and money. Port Chester's opportunity to appeal is now before us. We can remove the shameful and unwarranted stigma of the judge's ruling, which affects how others view us. .... Blah .... Blah ..... Blah .....Lets Give the Carvins $200,000 Bucks .....Blah ..... Blah ..... Blah .......

......I encourage the public to attend the Board of Trustees meeting on Feb. 7. The vote will be momentous .... Blah .... Blah ..... Blah .....Lets Give the Carvins $200,000 Bucks .....Blah ..... Blah ..... Blah .......

......The ultimate decision by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals will only further unify our community that stood together and endured the pressure of the federal government while standing up for principles that made this village and our country great. ..... .... Blah .... Blah ..... Blah .....Lets Give the Carvins $200,000 Bucks .....Blah ..... Blah ..... Blah .......

signed

Joseph "Uncle Tom" Kenner

Who Is Selling Out Port Chester On Behalf Of Michael "KaChing KaChing KaChing" Carvin and Rye Town Supervisor Joseph "The Harvard Educated Fool" Carvin

UPDATE:

02/08/11 Residents to Joesph "Uncle Tom" Kenner: Are You Crazy !!! Don't Appeal The Voting Rights Lawsuit !!!!

Trustees rejected Joseph "Uncle Tom" Kenner's idiotic idea of launching an

appeal on Monday night after a bipartisan move by Democratic Mayor Dennis Pilla and Conservative Party Trustee John Branca stepped in to delay on the vote.

Taxpayers in Port Chester may not like the federally-imposed cumulative voting system, but they sure in the hell don't want to pay for a costly appeal that is going to put $200,000 in the pockets of Michael "My Familiy Is Cashing In" Carvin, brother of Republican and Rye Town Supervisor Joseph "The Harvard Educated Fool" Carvin

An Out pouring of Port Chester residents who heard about Joseph "Uncle Tom" Kenner's

idiotic proposal came to Monday's meeting, despite the lack of official notice that the item was on the agenda.

Almost universally, the taxpayers slammed Joseph "Uncle Tom" Kenner and Michael "My Familiy Is Cashing In" Carvin $750 / hour payout, as they repeatedly said fighting the DoJ would be costly with little chance of success.

Mayor Pilla and Trustee Dan Brakewood pointed out that legal experts said the original fight would cost only $250,000, and "they were off my $1 million," Pilla said, referencing the $1.2 million in legal fees the village has already paid to fight the DoJ.

Still others said it was a retroactive attempt to claim unity and draw attention away from extremist TEA Party lunatic Bart "The Bigot" Didden's track record.

Extremist TEA Party lunatic Bart "The Bigot" Didden, who is running for mayor, inadvertently helped the DoJ make its case when he distributed fliers during the 2007 mayoral election that warned, "the Hispanics are running the show already"

The federal judge cited Extremist TEA Party lunatic Bart "The Bigot Didden's flier as one piece of evidence showing bias against Hispanic candidates in Port Chester.

Thanks A Lot Bart For Getting Your Wife And Child To Help Your Fold, Stuff And Mail Your Racist Flyer.

It Looks Like The Family That Hates Together Stays Together.

Village Resident And Taxpayer Tom Kissner Summed Up The Situation Beautifully ....

"In my opinion, the village of Port Chester has already spent entirely too much of the taxpayer's money on appealing this in the first place. While I'm well aware that the cumulative voting process is very unpopular throughout the village, I would like to suggest it has actually served the village very well. The board of trustees, for the first time, reflects the community that voted for it."