Press RElease

Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi and Town Board Member Danielle Zaino
Joined by independent Mark Saracino

Mount Pleasant, NY – March 2023

With Governor Hochul’s threat to take home rule away from local municipalities looming in the background, the Mount Pleasant Republican Town Committee (MPRTC) announced its slate of candidates for this fall’s election. The ticket is headed by Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi, with incumbent Danielle Zaino, and Mark Saracino, a political independent who’s joining forces with the GOP, running for Town Board.

In addition to Fulgenzi, who’s in his 10th year as supervisor, Zaino and Saracino, the GOP slate includes three incumbents who are running unopposed: Robert Ponzini for Town Justice, Richard Benkwitt for Highway Superintendent, and Emily Costanza for Town Clerk. The Mount Pleasant Republicans also endorsed and support Margaret Cunzio for re-election as Westchester County Legislator, Pleasantville Village Trustee W. Paul Alvarez, and Sleepy Hollow Village Trustee Tom Andruss. Alvarez and Andruss are running in the March 21St village elections.

“Our slate is strong, and the Mount Pleasant Republicans are proud to support every one of our candidates,” said MPRTC Chair Helen Keating. “Albany is already making life more difficult and more expensive for everyone in Mount Pleasant – and the governor’s new transit-oriented development (TOD) plans would put the State in charge of our community. We can’t let that stand.”

“Carl Fulgenzi, our Town Supervisor, has proven he deserves another term,” Keating continued. “He will guard our town against this massive 50-units per-acre apartment and multi-family housing plan by Gov. Hochul and Albany Democrats that will destroy the character of Mt. Pleasant, overcrowd our schools, and dramatically increase our taxes. It must be stopped and only the Republican ticket will fight this with all they have to stop it.”

“Carl, Danielle and Mark will fight to keep control over our town in the hands of our citizens-NOT Albany politicians and special interests. They are committed to putting the best interests of every citizen of the Town of Mount Pleasant first, regardless of Party.”

Keating praised Zain for heading up the effort to honor Mount Pleasant’s veterans with special banners, and she noted that Saracino is dedicated to ensuring that people who grow up in Mount Pleasant can stay in Mount Pleasant-just as he, a proud lifelong resident, has. Keating also noted that Zaino and Saracino worked together previously when they formed the Coalition for a Safe Mount Pleasant which started in 2016 which is still in existence today.

The GOP slate was introduced at a March 5 brunch held at Tesoro D’Italia in Pleasantville. More than 100 people turned out to hear from recently elected GOP Congressman Mike Lawler. In addition to Lawler, the packed house heard remarks and testimonials from former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino; former candidate for New York State Comptroller Paul Rodriguez and other members and supporters of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly (RNHA), who emphasized the importance of Latino and Hispanic citizens as a growing constituency with a powerful voice for shared principles; and representatives of the Westchester Teen Republicans and Westchester Young Republicans.

Former Congresswoman Nan Hayworth was on hand and praised MPRTC Chair Keating for her “dynamic leadership,” calling the Committee’s recent award for being the outstanding GOP Committee among Westchester’s Republicans “well-deserved.”

Keating invited everyone who cares about Mount Pleasant’s future to join their candidates as they campaign in the town’s neighborhoods right through to election day, November 7.