Bedford's Quiet Left Turn

I’m writing in response to Don Scott’s recent opinion piece, “From Cuomo to Mamdani – What Westchester Can Learn from NYC’s Left Turn.” Don raises an important point: New York City’s extreme progressivism isn’t confined to the five boroughs. It’s also in Westchester - especially here in Bedford - albeit without the fanfare and high profile candidates like Mamdani and AOC as its standard bearer.

Bedford’s Town Board has quietly moved our town in a direction that looks a lot like the policies Mamdani campaigned on. Take the gas-powered leaf blower ban. It may sound small, but it’s a telling example: a local government deciding what tools you can use in your own backyard. Add to that the push for a so-called “Mansion Tax” on homes priced far below anything resembling a mansion, and the increasing focus on dense, urban-style development across our hamlets.

Don writes that “incumbents are likely to be challenged from the left, not the right,” and that the real battles will take place in Democratic primaries. I’d argue Bedford’s Town Board is already firmly on the far left - just not always open about it. The real impact of Mamdani’s rise isn’t that our leaders will be challenged by more progressive candidates. It’s that they’ll feel newly emboldened to stop hiding it. The soft sell is over.

The groundwork has been laid - sewer extensions, zoning easements, and activist influence from groups like Bedford 2030 - all pointing toward a version of Bedford that’s less local, less rural, and a lot more ideological. Two members of our Town Board have publicly aligned with the “defund the police” movement. One is running for re-election this year.

This isn’t about left vs. right. It’s about whether Bedford remains a community shaped by local voices and practical choices - or one steered by activist-driven agendas that don’t reflect the values of most residents.

So what can we do?

1. Pay attention. The details matter - especially the ones that get passed quietly.

2. Get involved. Show up to meetings. Ask questions. Push for transparency.

3. Talk to your neighbors. Most people in Bedford aren’t extreme - but they may not realize how embedded the extremes already have become.

Mamdani’s rise is less about one candidate and more about what happens when the majority tunes out. We can’t afford to do the same here.