Justin Brasch is running in the June 24 Democratic primary for White Plains mayor. Early voting starts June 14. A 20-year resident of White Plains and a Common Council member since 2017, Brasch served as council president and chair of the White Plains Youth Bureau. In addition, he is a longtime Democratic leader involved in various community organizations, including the White Plains Planning Board, School Board Budget Advisory Committee, Westchester County Legislature’s Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, White Plains Multi-Modal Transportation Center Stakeholder Task Force, NYC Sierra Club Political Committee, and Mid-Manhattan NAACP.
Inspired by his Jewish upbringing and the ideal of helping the broader community, Brasch got his start in politics and government, interning at age 17 for Manhattan’s Upper West Side then-Congressman Ted Weiss. Brasch explained: “I want to be a role model to my children, teaching them the most important aspect of government is to help the most vulnerable in our society, help and protect those in need, and set an example of honesty, integrity and sincerity.”
Brasch continued: “We all love White Plains. As our community grows, it’s vital to maintain our quality of life, ensure safe streets, empower our youth and seniors, make housing more affordable, and promote sustainability. I have a proven track record of making city government work.
“I am looking to build on the strong work of Mayor [Thomas] Roach’s administration as we embark on a new era for White Plains. Our city is in a great position; we remain under the property tax cap. Our Moody’s rating is very high. From housing to safety to sustainability to parks to keeping taxes down, I am eager to get to work.”
On housing, Brasch noted: “White Plains is growing. We need to ensure our housing stock is keeping pace. On the Common Council, I was proud to fight to ensure our affordable housing program is citywide, not just downtown, which made the new housing at 1133 Westchester Avenue possible. Under this new push, developers are required to set aside 12% of units for affordable housing. I played a role in getting One White Plains, the new comprehensive plan, delivered, and look forward to establishing benchmarks to ensure we stay on track.” As mayor, Brasch plans to continue to find opportunities for developers to create more affordable housing, including a density bonus.
The safety of the city is a key concern for Brasch. “We must use every resource we can to reduce crime and make White Plains safer. On the Common Council, I was proud to fight that every police car has a non-lethal taser. As mayor, I will continue to work with law enforcement and first responders using all the tools at our disposal to prevent gun violence, stand up to hate crimes, and improve community-police relations.”
The issue of the environment is also important. “We must do more to ensure White Plains improves our sustainability,” Brasch said. “The current administration has done a good job. I aim to be more proactive in implementing solutions, investing in green infrastructure to get all our buildings up to code.” Other priorities include hiring a sustainability director, implementing a tree-cutting statute, securing more EV charging stations, investing in green infrastructure and opportunities to expand public transit and reduce cars in the city.
“I am committed to increasing the number of community spaces and parks. My administration will look for opportunities to include green and/or public spaces in new development projects. As a former chair of one of the largest youth bureaus in the country, I’m incredibly proud of the success we’ve seen across the 68 programs. One of my top priorities is an intergenerational community center, putting youth and senior programming under one roof.
“White Plains has a tremendous record providing good public services for our residents. I look to continue that great work,” Brasch continued. “As a Common Council Member, I fought to secure office space and a full-time staffer for the council, so we could better serve the public. I will look to improve upon the mayor’s office’s communications and keep the council and public informed.”
Brasch graduated from Hunter College High School, Williams College and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, including a junior year abroad at Oxford University.
On the White Plains Common Council, Brasch currently chairs the White Plains Youth Bureau board and is a member of the Budget and Management Advisory Committee. He and his wife, Juli, are members of the Hebrew Institute of White Plains and the Young Israel of White Plains. They are proud parents of Westchester Day School, SAR, Frisch and Ma’ayanot alumni.
Brasch is endorsed by a broad base of public officials, unions and organizations, including Congressman George Latimer, State Senator Shelley Mayer, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, Westchester County Legislator Ben Boykin, police and fire unions, and the Hispanic Democrats of Westchester.
To learn more about Brasch, visit https://www.braschforwestchester.com
