Former school board prez backs McCracken's bid for legislator

Dear Editor,

I am writing to wholeheartedly endorse Tanner McCracken for Putnam County Legislator representing District 8. Having served alongside Tanner on the Mahopac school board for several years, I witnessed firsthand his unwavering commitment to our community and know he is exactly the kind of principled, transparent and fiscally responsible leader Putnam County needs.

Throughout his tenure on the school board, Tanner has been a tireless advocate for taxpayers and residents. He helped deliver two consecutive 0% tax levy budgets while supporting critical property tax relief for local seniors, veterans and first responders. Tanner has never treated “transparency” as a campaign slogan — he has consistently fought to make government more open, accessible and accountable to the public. He wrote the policies requiring the recording of all meetings, including committee meetings, and increasing the amount of time the public were allowed to speak at meetings. And he was the reason we now have practical personal finance education for all Mahopac students.

Beyond policy, I repeatedly saw Tanner demonstrate the type of integrity and professionalism every community should expect from its elected officials. Whether it was voluntarily recusing himself from matters that had the slightest hint of a conflict of interest or helping de-escalate tense situations during contentious meetings, Tanner always put the interests of the public first. His strong understanding of Robert’s Rules of Order also ensured that meetings — especially those he chaired — were conducted fairly, efficiently and respectfully.

These are just a few of the many reasons why Tanner has proven, through actions rather than words, what he stands for and how effectively he can deliver results. I have complete confidence he will bring the same integrity, work ethic and leadership to county government.

Fernando Martinez, Former president of the Mahopac Board of Education