Hon. Robert Astorino

HON. ROBERT ASTORINO

Former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino was elected to office in 2009 and re-elected in 2013 with bipartisan support winning by a 13-point margin. During his first term in office, Astorino froze or cut the county tax levy four years in a row, reduced overall spending in the county by 4.4 percent, maintained the highest credit rating among counties in New York, attracted new businesses to the county, and helped create 30,000 new jobs.

In addition, Astorino has worked hard to preserve essential services by maintaining a sizable social safety net, improving ParaTrainsit for the disabled, establishing public-private partnerships, and expanding environmental and recycling initiatives. Astorino continues to lead Westchester in the right direction by sticking to what he calls the 3 P’s: protect taxpayers, preserve essential services and promote economic growth.

Astorino was first elected to public office at age 21, serving as a member of the Mount Pleasant Board of Education. During his tenure, he also served as the board’s vice president. He went on to serve for 12 years as a councilman on the Mount Pleasant Town Board, including six years as deputy supervisor. In 2003, he was elected to the Westchester County Board of Legislators. Before taking office as County Executive on Jan. 1, 2010, Astorino had a long career in the radio industry. He was the station manager and program director of The Catholic Channel on Sirius-XM Satellite Radio and hosted a weekly radio show from St. Patrick’s Cathedral with the archbishop of New York.

In 2001, he helped launch ESPN Radio in New York. He became the station’s senior producer, and was executive producer of “The Michael Kay Show.” He has also held a wide range of volunteer and civic positions.

He has served on the Westchester Business Council’s Government Action Committee, the Mount Pleasant Rotary, the North Castle Land Trust, and the Hudson Valley Greenway. He also served two terms as vice chairman of the Westchester County Board of Ethics.

Astorino earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications at Fordham University, where he also minored in Spanish and Political Science. In 2001, he studied in Barcelona, Spain, and received a Spanish Immersion Diploma from the Enforex School of International Studies.

The county executive is a lifelong resident of Westchester. He and his wife, Sheila, live in Hawthorne and are the parents of three young children: Sean, Kiley Rose, and Ashlin Grace.

Hon. Robert Astorino acceptance speech as a  
Honorary Advocate of the Saint Pio Foundation