Pierce, Vala vie for District 2

The race for the District 2 seat on the Westchester Board of Legislators (Bedford, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, North Salem, Pound Ridge and part of Somers) pits incumbent Erika Pierce (D, Working Families) against Republican challenger Jozef Vala. We asked them to share their respective visions for the district.

Erika Pierce

Please outline your career, leadership and educational accomplishments: I’ve been honored to serve as your county legislator since January 2022. Previously, I ran a nonprofit with educational and veterans’ programs, taught high school and ran a NYC-based printing company. I hold a BA from Barnard College and an MAT from Manhattanville University and studied business at NYU. Each role taught me to listen, budget and bring people together.

What are the most important issues facing Westchester County, and why are you the most qualified to address them? Families across Westchester are stretched to the point of breaking. Groceries, gas, utilities, health care and child care are increasingly out of reach. Caring for aging parents and younger children is testing families, and recent federal cuts to the programs families and seniors rely on only add more pain. Housing costs — whether for purchase or rent — are sky-high, due in part to an increasingly shrinking housing inventory. Local businesses feel it too, which impacts our tax base. Making Westchester more affordable matters to all of us, whether at a kitchen table or a committee table.

I’ve lived in this district, the county’s largest by area, for over 26 years and know its six communities well: Bedford, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, North Salem, Pound Ridge and half of Somers. Each has its own character and needs. I’ve learned about them by showing up: listening to residents, town leaders, nonprofits, first responders and business owners, and digging into the issues they face, from clean water to housing to cell coverage and everything in between. As vice chair of the National Association of Counties’ Environment, Energy and Land Use Steering Committee, I bring national resources and ideas back home.

My relationships with leaders at all levels of government help me find solutions for our problems, whether it’s a new program to help residents have safe drinking water or funding for an affordable housing project. After nearly five years of service, I have the experience to keep delivering, and I know there’s much more to do.

If elected, what will be your top priorities over the next year? I’ll keep standing with neighbors working hard to make ends meet. I’ll push back against rising utility rates and unfunded mandates that drive up local taxes. I’ll keep working with the county to send millions of dollars to our towns and schools, funding vital services and helping keep property taxes in check. I’ll fight for funding for our roadways, to give our communities a real say in where data centers are built, and to continue funding for safe drinking water and wastewater solutions.

The federal government continues to put pressure on counties and towns. If reelected, I’ll keep fighting back against that pressure and finding ways to deliver the support and services our residents need and rely on.

What is the most important piece of advice you have received? My grandmother, whom I dearly miss, once told me the best thing we can do with our lives is showing up for others. She lived that way as a teacher, social worker and volunteer. I try to honor her memory by following her advice, and it’s what I bring to serving this district.

Jozef Vala

Please outline your career, leadership and educational accomplishments: I have spent more than 30 years in sales leadership, building high-performing teams, managing strategic accounts and delivering results in competitive environments. That experience taught me how to set priorities, manage budgets, solve problems and hold organizations accountable.

In Westchester, I have been actively involved in education and community service. I previously ran for the Somers Board of Education, advocating fiscal responsibility and parental involvement. I have also served in the PTA and supported our local education foundation.

As an entrepreneur, I have operated small businesses and explored initiatives focused on farmland preservation and local economic development. These experiences strengthened my commitment to protecting Westchester's character, open spaces and economic vitality.

What are the most important issues facing Westchester County, and why are you the most qualified to address them? Westchester families face rising taxes, increasing costs of living, state mandates that weaken local control and continued pressure on farmland and open space.

County government must focus on fiscal responsibility, support local decision-making and prioritize essential services. Too often, residents are asked to pay more while receiving less value.

I am qualified to address these issues because I bring decades of private-sector experience where results matter and budgets must balance. My campaign, "Put Families First: Local Control Strategy," focuses on practical solutions that put residents ahead of bureaucracy.

If elected, what will be your top priorities over the next year? My top priority will be ensuring responsible use of taxpayer dollars through greater budget oversight, transparency and accountability.

Second, I will defend local control and home rule, ensuring communities have a stronger voice in the decisions that affect them.

Third, I will support policies that strengthen families by promoting quality education, encouraging responsible development, preserving open space and supporting local businesses to keep Westchester affordable and attractive for future generations.

What is the most important piece of advice you have received? The most important advice I have received is simple: put family first and lead by example. People respond to consistent actions more than words. When leaders focus on serving others, follow through on their commitments and take responsibility for results, trust is earned. That principle has guided my career and will guide my service if elected.