Power & Politics: Vote 2026 primary races for Westchester legislature and the county's largest city unveils its proposed budget
This week's guests include the two Democratic candidates for the Westchester County legislature's 15th District, Anthony Nicodemo and Kisha Skipper as well as the two Democratic candidates for the legislature's 17th District Wilson Terrero and Leslye Oquendo-Thomas.
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Vote 2026
There are two Democratic primary races involving the Westchester County legislature.
In the 15th District, which includes Bronxville, Eastchester and Yonkers, two Democrats are vying for the chance to flip the only true Republican seat on the board.
Greenburgh-North Castle United Teachers Union President, educator, basketball coach and LGBTQ+ rights activist Anthony Nicodemo is running a primary against Yonkers NAACP President and Yonkers city advocate Kisha Skipper.
Nicodemo said he's running to bring down the cost of living by investing in county-run social services, addressing flooding problems within the district and pursuing better infrastructure.
"I’ve done so much advocating between public education, LGBTQ issues, sports over my career; the next step is to be the person in the room that’s able to make those decisions," he said. "We’ve seen where we’re going as a nation right now, unfortunately. We’re struggling economically because of a lot of the policies of the federal government.”
Skipper said she's focused on addressing affordability in housing and energy, protecting public health, expanding climate-resilient infrastructure and prioritizing environmental justice.
"I don’t think now, is the time for the Democrats to take a chance," she said. "We really need to flip this seat and I think supporting a Democrat with a proven record of advocacy, activism and action is going to be what is necessary to flip the seat in November.”
The Westchester Democratic Committee endorsed Nicodemo in the race.
The winner will face off against Westchester County Legislature Minority Whip James Nolan, who was first elected to the board in 2021, then reelected in 2023 and 2025.
The only other non-Democrat on the board is Minority Leader Margaret Cunzio, a registered Conservative.
In the 17th District, which includes just Yonkers, two Democrats are looking to fill a seat that will be vacant after longtime legislator Jose Alvarado announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election.
Alvarado has been on the board from 2002 to 2011 and again from 2020 until now.
Yonkers Dominican Cultural Association President and former Yonkers City Council Majority Leader Wilson Terrero is going up against former longtime Yonkers city legislative aide and United Nations staffer Leslye Oquendo-Thomas.
Yonkers Democrats have backed Terrero in the race.
If elected, he said he's focused on making living more affordable so people can stay in the Yonkers community, improving infrastructure and enhancing public safety.
"I’ve invested my time in working and uplifting and empowering our community and I would continue to do that," he said. "I have the experience as a former council majority leader in the city of Yonkers and I was able to improve the lives of so many people here in Yonkers."
Oquendo-Thomas said she wants to buck the political status quo in Yonkers because she believes elected officials should be accountable to the voters, not their personal agendas.
She's running to address affordability in housing, transportation and higher education, including calls to make the BeeLine buses and Westchester Community College tuition reduced or free.
“We have so many projects coming to the city of Yonkers, development taking place all over the place and that’s what they’re touting, ‘Hollywood on the Hudson’ and all this economic development, but when you speak with the everyday residents of District 17 they’re struggling,"she said. "They’re barely making ends meat, they’re living check-to-check. So, I really want to see them benefit from all this economic development, so that would depend on Yonkers residents being prioritized for the jobs that are coming to Yonkers.”
Yonkers proposed budget
This week, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano announced his proposed budget for 2027.
The budget contains no cuts to municipal services or active workforce and maintains historic funding to Yonkers Public Schools.
The total budget for the city and the Yonkers School District is $1.57 billion.
It does include a 5.25% tax rate increase.
If passed, a typical family at the median assessed value of $10,900 would see their annual property tax bill increase by $551, or around $45.91 per month.
