Politics & Government

Nita Lowey Endorses David Fried for County Exec

The former Spring Valley justice made his official announcement to run for county executive on Sunday

 

As the race for county executive heats up, candidates are coming forward. On Sunday, former Village Justice David Fried announced his candidacy for Rockland County Executive from his family’s small business in his hometown of Spring Valley.

“My vision is of a county government where accountability is our creed,” said Fried. “And with that focus on making this government accountable, I promise you a government that will cost less when my administration goes to work.”

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He announced on Sunday a major endorsement from recently reelected Congresswoman Nita Lowey (NY-17), who will be representing all of Rockland County under the newly-drawn district lines.

“David Fried has the energy, experience, leadership skills, and commitment to public service that will make him an excellent County Executive,” said Congresswoman Lowey. “We have worked together on a wide range of issues to improve the quality of life in Rockland since he served on my Congressional staff almost 10 years ago. In the important areas of economic development, David has creative short-term and long-range solutions to help Rockland meet its fiscal challenges. I am proud to endorse him in this race.”

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He resigned from the court on Friday and Fried says it’s county’s mounting fiscal crisis that spurred him to action.

“Last year I was sent a memo from the county stating probation officers would no longer appear in court because the county couldn’t afford money for gas,” said David. “I could not believe they would allow the difference between justice served and justice denied to be determined at the gas pump. I realized at that very moment that we do not only suffer from a deficit of dollars and cents but also from a deficit of ideas.”

Fried also addressed the lack of vision and leadership in county government by outlining his vision.

  • Minimum 10 percent reduction in salary for the County Executive, appointees, and commissioners; “(As a County Legislator) I voted against my own pay raise…and I will continue that approach as County Executive”
  • “By creating policies and incentives to show prospective job creators and business taxpayers that they don’t have to look to New Jersey anymore . . . I will make sure that Rockland is open for business again.  My economic development team and I will partner with our towns and villages to fill store fronts and turn vacant, run-down, commercial buildings into engines of opportunity.”
  • Working with Albany and Rockland’s state legislative delegation; “I will personally supervise my commissioners so we improve how we administer state mandated services in order to meet our obligations intelligently.”

A look at David's Fried's resume:

The grandson of Holocaust survivors, his life has been shaped by their life’s story. A first-generation American on his father’s side, Fried's grandparents came to the United States to escape persecution and to provide opportunity for their children. Growing up in Rockland County, his parents set an exemplary example of hard work for Fried and his brother. With his parents, Sandy and Beverly, owners of a small business in Spring Valley, he witnessed firsthand the struggles of any small business – making payroll, paying always increasing taxes, and looking for innovative ways to grow.

A graduate of Spring Valley High School, he received his Bachelor’s degree from Manhattanville College and a law degree from Benjamin Cardozo School of Law. David has served as an Adjunct Professor at Pace University and St. Thomas Aquinas College. 

  • Advance Aide to President Bill Clinton and then-First Lady Hillary Clinton
  • District Representative for Congresswoman Nita Lowey—helped residents with Medicare, Social Security and other federal benefits
  • First elected to the County Legislature in 2003, he served as the Chair of Legislature’s Public Safety and Government Operations
  • As a Public Safety Advocate to the Sheriff’s Department, he helped secure millions of federal and state funding for police departments across the county’s villages and towns.
  • Elected in 2009 as Spring Valley Village Justice, Fried worked to revolutionize the court and its operations. Looking to reduce recidivism, particularly among youthful offenders, he sought and secured funding for youth diversion efforts. As a result, young offenders that entered the court were provided the opportunity to turn their lives around

Editor's Note: Some parts of the post was user-generated

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