Questions About the Largest School Bond Proposal in Scarsdale’s History, or What Are We Getting for $98 Million?
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The Design Lab was built at SHS as a result of the 2014 bond.You may have received an email with a survey from the Scarsdale Schools requesting your input on a proposed $98MM bond. And if you have not been following the discussions, you might want to familiarize yourself with the plans for the largest bond in Scarsdale’s history. It’s a complex plan with many moving parts – and here are some questions about the proposed bond:
The Amount
The Board and Administration have reached consensus on a proposed bond just under $100mm. The debt that is rolling off, or the tax neutral solution would be $40mm. So the $98mm bond is almost 2.5 times the tax neutral amount – translating to a $500 annual tax increase for residents for homes assessed at $1.3mm. Is this increase for 20 years? 30 years? They have said they will provide a sliding scale rubric to calculate the tax increase for those with homes at greater assessed values.
Why this amount? Scarsdale has historically taken on greater than tax neutral debt to fund major initiatives such as construction of Heathcote School and the Scarsdale Middle School.
However, in this case, the administration says that the school buildings have a long list of infrastructure needs, upgrades and repairs. That list included ADA upgrades, electrical and plumbing work. There is $12mm for air conditioning which is needed in this time of global warming. However, there is no signature project, such as the Learning Commons or the Design Lab at the high school, which were included in the 2014 bond.
Elementary School Additions
There are two additions planned – one at Edgewood and another at Fox Meadow. Fox Meadow is at capacity and will receive a two-story addition to house a library and multipurpose room. Classrooms will be renovated as well for a total cost of $25.4mm. We have not seen any renderings of these new spaces at Fox Meadow -what will they include?
The Capital Projects Steering Committee, a committee of parents, educators and administrators who was formed earlier this year to make a recommendation to the district, did not include an expansion at Edgewood School in their plan. Instead they recommended interior reconstruction of the gym and multipurpose rooms and renovations of 28 classrooms. Their recommendation was for $10.6mm of work to Edgewood.
However, in October 2025, in response to requests from Edgewood parents, the administration reconsidered that plan. The administration asked for a new enrollment projection from the demographer who now projects a jump in enrollment at Edgewood. It is puzzling how they came to this conclusion since:
-Enrollment in the Scarsdale Schools overall has declined from 4,778 to 4,678 students in the past 10 years.
-Enrollment at Edgewood, was 411 students in 2016-17 and is 410 in 2025-2026.
-Home sales are at historic lows (205 homes sold in 2023 and 2024)
-495 students who reside in Scarsdale are attending schools out of the district, a five year high.
-No new housing developments are in the works and there are a fixed number of building lots.
But despite the trends, the demographer is projecting 440 students at the school for 2028-2029.
Using this data as a rationale, the bond project now includes a new two-story addition at the school with 6 classrooms and 5 small instruction spaces at a cost of $21.4mm.
Special Education
Why an expansive addition? What appears to be driving this need for more space is the presence of the Special Education program at Edgewood, which occupies three classrooms with 21 Scarsdale students (K-5) and 4 tuition-paying out of district students. The district made a decision to educate these special needs students in-district rather than outside, predicated on the potential cost savings from not paying out of district tuition and on the premise that there was space within current buildings to house the program.
But a $14mm addition? This would be the equivalent of spending $700,000 a student for a program with a highly variable number of students year over year. It’s an outsized spend that benefits the few, not the many.
Instead, the district should look for other solutions to house special need students. Greenacres Elementary School received an eight-classroom addition in the last bond, and the Greenacres population has remained relatively stable. Perhaps there is capacity there. In fact, in order to alleviate crowding at Fox Meadow, the district proposed moving 60 Fox Meadow students to Greenacres, indicating there is space available. This was rejected by parents but does raise a question. Has the district done an analysis of moving the Special Education program to Greenacres rather than spending another $12mm on an expansion at Edgewood? Since many of the students in the Special Education program do not reside in Edgewood, and it is not their home school, it would be easy to shift sites in order to save the district from an unnecessary expansion.
If the program were relocated, those three classrooms could be re-purposed to meet the schools need for space for specials like music and Spanish or serve as an additional classroom should there be a need due to a rise in enrollment. Funds could be used for a cafeteria, multi-purpose room and flex spaces requested by Edgewood parents.
Long Term Picture
This year, Assistant Superintendent Andrew Lennon provided a much-awaited long term financial forecast for the Scarsdale Schools. Due to higher than expected health care claims, an increase in the number of staffers over the past ten years and the tax cap, the district has been forced to use reserves to keep budget increases below the tax cap. This projection showed that in just three years, given the current spending levels, the district will have depleted their reserves. If the Board does add six classrooms and five instructional spaces to the footprint, how will this impact the bottom line? Have they accounted for increased staffing, custodial services, maintenance and utilities in their projections? We haven’t seen a long term financial plan that includes the expansion, but we should see one before approving this bond.
Vision
The Reading Hive Library at Smithfield Elementary School in North Richland Hills, TexasLast, what is the goal of this $100mm plan? Are we building learning spaces for future generations which will facilitate next-gen pedagogical thinking, or just adding more square feet of space to the floor plan? We have not seen any renderings of the new spaces, save some rough site plans to show where the additions will go. Where is the innovation that brought us the Heathcote Elementary School, the Design Lab and the Learning Commons at SHS. Where is the forward thinking about elementary school design for a premiere school district?
Residents need answers before it’s time to vote. If we sign on for a long-term tax increase, let’s be sure the work will further the district’s ability to provide a first-rate education to Scarsdale students along with keeping them safe, warm and cool too.
Make your own educated opinion about this major initiative. It’s up to you to ask the questions and be comfortable with the answers. See what you think. Take a look at the plans here and do complete the survey you received from Parent Square.
Good Memories Made at Arthur Manor’s 96th Annual Holiday Celebration
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On a very cold Sunday afternoon, December 7th, 2024, the Arthur Manor Neighborhood Association celebrated its 96th annual holiday sing and tree lighting ceremony in Davis Park. This annual event in Davis Park began in 1918, the founding year of the Arthur Manor Neighborhood Association. The turn out on December 7th was quite large and included many local residents and their families.
The day’s festivities began with the crowd singing their favorite Christmas and Hanukkah songs which were all expertly directed by the voices of Arthur Manor’s own Jeanie Bongiorno and Katie Rich. Hot chocolate, brownies, holiday cupcakes and cookies were provided by all of the volunteer residents who helped make the day a special one in Arthur Manor. A large basket of excellent pastries was prepared and donated by Catherine Zhang and Chenyu Li, both students at Scarsdale High School, who created their own non-profit company, Bakes4good.com, distributing sale proceeds to worthy charitable causes.
The crowd on Sunday also included Lou Mancini and many other active members of Scarsdale’s Volunteer Fire Company Number 1, founded on Sprague Road in Arthur Manor in 1893. Scarsdale’s Volunteer Fire Company Number 1 is an integral part of the Arthur Manor association and all of the Association’s public events.
Following the group sing, everyone’s all-time favorite, Santa Claus (played by long time Arthur Manor resident Rick Wingate), arrived in Davis Park in style in an antique 1946 Scarsdale Fire Department truck driven by another long time Arthur Manor resident, Michael Keating.
After Santa Claus completed his rounds in Davis Park with many photographs taken and all of the candy canes handed out to the children, Santa left the crowd at Davis Park with Michael Keating behind the wheel. The annual holiday event moved on to the lighting of the large pine tree in Davis Park. The tree lights were strung earlier in the week in Davis Park under the direction of Scarsdale’s Public Works and the dedicated Pubic Works’ crew. Arthur Manor wishes to send a special thanks to the Village Manager’s office and the Department of Public Works for their assistance in making the December 7th event a reality.
This annual festivity in Arthur Manor’s Davis Park is only made possible by the collective efforts of the many Arthur Manor volunteers including especially the Marcus, Roche, Porco, Rich, Menna, Stuart and Bongiorno families, and all of the other Arthur Manor volunteers too numerous to list here. Many good memories were made on Sunday and the Arthur Manor Board of Directors wishes to thank everyone who helped to make this year’s 96th celebration so special.
Committee Seeks Nominations for the Scarsdale Bowl and Spotlight Award
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The 2026 Scarsdale Bowl Committee is looking for nominations for both the 2026 Bowl Award recipient and 2026 Spotlight Award recipient. The Scarsdale Bowl Committee seeks as many deserving candidates for consideration as possible.
The Scarsdale Bowl Committee will hold its first of several meetings dedicated to selecting this year’s honorees on December 7, 2025. Nominees for both the Bowl Award and the Spotlight Award are requested on or before December 5th.
The Scarsdale Bowl, under the auspices of the Scarsdale Foundation, has been awarded annually since 1944, to an individual (or, in exceptional cases, to a married couple or domestic partners) who have given “unselfishly of their time, energy and effort to the civic welfare of the community.” The founding donors of the Bowl believed that “many who serve generously and voluntarily, without office, honor, or publicity, are those deserving of having their names permanently inscribed on the Scarsdale Bowl.” The Scarsdale Bowl Award is an enormous honor bestowed on a Scarsdale resident in recognition of his or her volunteer public service in the community over the course of some decades. The Bowl itself, with the honorees engraved names, is permanently displayed at the Scarsdale Public Library.
Bowl Nomination QR Code 2026
Candidates must be Scarsdale residents who do not currently hold elective office. To access the Bowl Award nominee recommendation form, please visit this URL:
In addition, the Scarsdale Foundation will continue the tradition it began in 2023 and present a second award, called the Spotlight, to honor an individual or an organization that has made a significant impact and brought about positive change in one targeted sphere of community engagement.
The Spotlight Award recognizes a Scarsdale resident or institution that has focused on moving the needle in one particular area.
Spotlight Award: Candidates must be Scarsdale residents or institutions, and individuals may not currently hold elective office. To access the Spotlight Award nominee recommendation form, please visit this URL:
This year, the Scarsdale Foundation Bowl Dinner will be held on April 23rd at Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club. The dinner will pay tribute to the honorees while celebrating the spirit and culture of volunteerism in Scarsdale. Funds raised at the dinner will enable the Foundation to continue its mission of quietly but effectively helping local individuals and community organizations through student scholarships and project grants. Most significantly, the Scarsdale Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships during the past ten years to Scarsdale’s high school graduates in their sophomore, junior and senior years of college.
Spotlight Nominee QR Code 2026The 2026 Scarsdale Foundation Bowl Committee members are: Penny Bauersfeld, Lisa Copeland, Warren Haber, Laura Miller, Toby Milstein Schulman, Nadine Pepin, Alli Seiden, Rob Tepper, Claudie Uribe and Julie Zhu. Pam Fuehrer is serving as Chair, with Tim Foley serving as Secretary and Sharon Higgins serving as Treasurer. Janice Starr, a Scarsdale Foundation Trustee, will also serve on the committee as a liaison, along with Seema Jaggi, President of the Scarsdale Foundation Board.
We look forward to gathering on April 23rd to recognize all that makes Scarsdale a special place to live, and to benefit generations to come.
Questions? Please reach out to Pam Fuehrer, Bowl Chair at [email protected]. Additional information about the Scarsdale Foundation can be found at www.scarsdalefoundation.org.
2025 Arthur Manor Holiday Sing and Tree Lighting at Davis Park
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The Arthur Manor Neighborhood Association invites the Scarsdale community to join with neighbors, family and friends on Sunday, December 7th at 3:30 pm as we gather at Davis Park to celebrate this special time of year.
Hot cocoa will be served during the holiday sing with songs of the season including Christmas and Chanukah favorites. All guests are invited to bring individually wrapped holiday cookies and any other baked goods (please, no nuts).
Financial donations for future Arthur Manor events will also be accepted on December 7th.
The annual event concludes with the lighting of the holiday tree and a visit from Santa Claus. There will be candy canes for all – young and old alike!
This year’s event is made possible by the collective efforts of all of the Arthur Manor volunteers who help make the neighborhood association a strong and vibrant part of our community.
Please call Matt Martin at (917) 697-2747 or email ([email protected]) if you are interested in helping with this annual event or if you would like to participate in future activities in Arthur Manor.
Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, Faith Leaders, Elected Officials, and Advocates Rally in Scarsdale to Support the Medical Aid in Dying Act
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Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-Westchester) joined faith leaders, state and local officials, and hundreds of advocates at Chase Park on November 13 in support of the Medical Aid in Dying Act (A136/S138). The legislation, which passed both houses of the New York State Legislature in June 2025, would give terminally ill, mentally capable adults with a prognosis of six months or less the option to request medication to peacefully end their suffering if it becomes unbearable.
The rally drew a large and diverse coalition of local supporters, including Westchester Reform Temple Senior Rabbi Jonathan Blake, Calvary Baptist Church Rev. Erwin Lee Trollinger, NYS Senator Shelley Mayer, New Rochelle Mayor Yadira Ramos-Herbert, White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, Assemblywomen Amanda Septimo, Dana Levenberg, and MaryJane Shimsky, Suzanne Berger, Chair, Westchester County Democratic Committee, Indivisible Scarsdale, the Scarsdale Democrats, End of Life Choices New York, Compassion & Choices New York, and many local residents and advocates.
Jonathan Blake, Amy Paulin, Jen Puja and Tom Roach
As part of the event, 2,500 candles were placed throughout Chase Park to symbolize the number of New Yorkers who die of cancer each month. Cancer is the leading terminal illness suffered by people who choose medical aid in dying in states that authorize the option. The candles created a powerful and moving visual reminder of the thousands of New Yorkers affected by terminal illness and the urgency of compassionate end-of-life options.
Assemblywoman Paulin, the bill’s longtime sponsor, called the rally “a testament to the compassion and determination of New Yorkers who believe in dignity, choice, and relief from needless suffering.” She added, “Tonight’s gathering was about love, compassion, and respect for personal choice. The Medical Aid in Dying Act is not about giving up—it’s about giving terminally ill patients peace of mind and control in their final days. I’m heartened to see our local community turn out as they have in support of this legislation.”
If enacted, the Medical Aid in Dying Act would make New York the 12th state in the nation, plus Washington, D.C., to authorize medical aid in dying. The bill includes strict safeguards, a multi-step request process, and comprehensive protections for both patients and healthcare providers.
Supporters say the measure is about autonomy, compassion, and dignity.
Rev. Dr. Erwin Lee Trollinger, White Plains Calvary Church, said, "It is a painful moment to watch loved ones lie on their beds of affliction, pain, and misery, or see that the essence of life in their eyes has dissipated and disappeared. This bill would give all of us the ability to leave this earth in a way that it is dignified and without pain and suffering.”
“As we stand before the Author of life, we come to ask to help us and our loved ones to live and die with dignity, surrounded by love and compassion,” said Senior Rabbi Jonathan Blake, Westchester Reform Temple. “As I have spent 25 years as a rabbi and teacher of Jewish tradition, a tradition that is multivocal and with little consensus, nevertheless I have found that it is consistent with the Jewish way, to say that if you could boil down Judaism to one premise it is this - that we were put onto this earth for the purpose of human flourishing, not to promote or prolong human suffering. And it is that sacred premise that informs my presence here this afternoon. Life is for living, and when we come to the end of our earthly journey, let us be surrounded by love and care and leave this earth on our own terms.”
“I stand with the legislators who made a courageous and necessary decision on a bill that many people may not embrace until they have faced these difficult experiences themselves,” said Suzanne Berger, Chair, Westchester County Democratic Committee. “New York is at its best when it leads, and this legislation is a powerful example of our state choosing humanity, dignity, and moral clarity.”
Myra Saul, Co-Chair of the Scarsdale Democratic Town Committee, which was a proud co-sponsor of the event, said, “What I continue to hear in the community is that people simply want the option this bill offers. This is about allowing individuals to make the choice that feels right for them. I am proud to support this bill and grateful to Assemblywoman Paulin and our elected officials for their leadership on such an important matter.”
State Senator Shelley B. Mayer said, “I join Assemblymember Amy Paulin, faith leaders, and other advocates in hoping that Governor Kathy Hochul will sign the Medical Aid in Dying Act into law. As a Senator with very conflicting sentiments on this subject, but who ultimately voted to support the bill, I know that this law will provide meaningful options for those facing imminent death who seek the relief it offers. It will allow New Yorkers facing terminal illness and unrelenting suffering the opportunity to end their life on their own terms peacefully and without pain, consistent with their own ethical beliefs. I want to especially thank Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for her willingness to bring this bill to a vote, and hope that Governor Hochul will find a path towards signing it.”
State Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, “The Medical Aid in Dying Act is a compassionate piece of legislation that gives terminally ill New Yorkers the ability to make a deeply personal decision on their own terms. With strong safeguards and a clear process in place, this legislation acknowledges the reality that end-of-life care must respect both autonomy and dignity.”
“The majority of New Yorkers support signing Medical Aid in Dying Act into law,” said State Senator Pete Harckham. “In the years to come, many of our loved ones will benefit from this law, which will make end-of-life care an appropriate option for our residents.”
“I am in support of the Medical Aid in Dying Act as it reflects compassion and respect for personal choice, ensuring that individuals and families can make deeply personal decisions with dignity and peace of mind,” said Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow.
Assemblyman Chris Burdick said, “I have been a proud cosponsor of the Medical Aid in Dying Act since joining the Assembly in 2021, and I hope that the Governor will sign this significant piece of legislation now that it has finally passed both houses. Dying with dignity on your own terms, when you are terminally ill, is an option that would alleviate much grief and suffering for individuals and their families.”
“As a state legislator who co-sponsored, advocated for, and ultimately voted for this bill, and as a person who has watched family members struggle with end-of-life choices, I will be so proud when Governor Hochul signs our Medical Aid in Dying legislation,” said Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg. “So many people, after seeing loved ones suffer needless indignities at the end of their lives, have worked so hard for so many years on this bill. Majorities of New Yorkers in every scientific poll taken on the issue support this bill. Governor Hochul, your signature on this critical legislation will give so many people peace of mind, as well as the ability - in a safe and protected way - to end their lives in a dignified manner of their choosing.”
Assemblyman Steve Otis said, “This legislation has been carefully crafted, thoroughly reviewed, and written to provide the right to make end of life decisions in the hands of the individual. Now is the time to approve this measure to place this important choice where it belongs.”
“I stand firmly with Assemblymember Amy Paulin and the advocates fighting for the Medical Aid in Dying Act. If enacted, this legislation will give terminally ill New Yorkers the power to make end-of-life decisions with compassion, peace, and self-determination. No one should have to endure unbearable suffering without the choice to meet their final moments with grace and control. This is about humanity, empathy, and honoring the dignity we all deserve,” said Assemblywoman Amanda Septimo.
“Nearly one in five Americans currently has the option to seek aid in dying in their home state, enabling them to manage their last days on their own terms,” said Assemblywoman MaryJane Shimsky. “Our legislation would extend this end-of-life choice to New Yorkers facing a prognosis of less than six months to live. It is a compassionate and thoughtfully crafted bill, with protections for patients and physicians, and with no obligation for either to participate. The Medical Aid in Dying bill has the support of a majority of New Yorkers.”
City of New Rochelle Mayor Yadira Ramos-Herbert said, “I want to thank my friend and colleague Assemblywoman Paulin for offering this very thoughtful approach to bodily autonomy and having the ability to decide what your life looks like, in every way that you can think about that. The guardrails are well thought out and will provide quality to so many who just want the agency to choose what their life looks like.”
Mayor Tom Roach, City of White Plains, said, “I’m here because I want to support my colleagues who had the courage to bring forward this legislation, which ensures that people have a say in how they leave the world. It is a choice for individuals, under specific circumstances under this law, and when people take a vote on an issue like this that is controversial, and there are strong feelings on both sides, it is important to show support for them, and support for our Governor as she considers this. The Governor has been so considerate of many important issues, and she has really led the way on mental health issues. So now the hope is that we will see this bill get signed into law.”
White Plains Council Member and Mayor-Elect Justin C. Brasch, who is of the Orthodox Jewish faith, said, “I'm proud to stand with the advocates and families who have spent years fighting for this moment. Everyone deserves the chance to live their final days with peace and dignity, which is why I am hopeful that Medical Aid in Dying will become an option for New Yorkers.”
White Plains City Councilwoman, Westchester County Legislator-Elect and Executive Director of the Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Body AFL-CIO Jennifer Puja said, “giving terminally ill individuals the freedom to decide how and when to say goodbye, sparing them needless suffering is compassionate. Thank you, Assemblymember Amy Paulin, for championing New York’s medical aid in dying bill to protect personal choice at life’s end. I urge Gov. Hochul to sign this bill into law and provide end of life choices for New York.”
Westchester County Legislator Ben Boykin said “I am pleased to support the Medical Aid in Dying Act (A136/S138) approved by the NY State Legislature in June 2025 and request that Governor Hochul sign this bill into law. It will allow those terminally ill, mentally capable individuals with a prognosis of six months of less to live with the option of medical aid in dying.”
David T. Imamura Westchester County Legislator and Majority Leader, and Executive Board member of the Westchester Asian American Democrats, said, “I strongly support the passage of the Medical Aid in Dying Act and ask Governor Hochul to sign into law this critical legislation. Those with terminal illness and who are in tremendous pain shouldn’t be forced to suffer without options. To me this law is about compassion and respecting personal choice, allowing individuals to end their suffering on their own terms and with dignity.”
The Medical Aid in Dying Act also has broad bipartisan support, as evidenced by Westchester County Legislator and Minority Leader Margaret A. Cunzio who said: “The Medical Aid in Dying bill is about compassion. I firmly believe that terminally ill Westchester residents want the ability to make choices that bring peace and dignity to their final days.”
“I applaud Assemblywoman Paulin and her colleagues in the New York State legislature for passing the Medical Aid in Dying Act,” said Westchester County Legislator Catherine F. Parker. “New Yorkers facing horrendous terminal illnesses deserve the freedom of choice to decide when the pain, burden, or lack of dignity is too much to bear.”
Westchester County Legislator Erika L. Pierce said, “Unfortunately, too many of us have had to stand by while our loved ones endure unimaginable pain while disease robs them of their life. I have had this for both my grandfather and my uncle, both of whom experienced extreme pain in their final weeks. While they had medication to “help”, it did not come close to erasing that pain. This legislation is about making lives better, even in those final days, and allowing us to do better for those we love.”
“Knowing I can access medical aid in dying has freed me from fear of the future and allowed me to live what remains of my life as fully as possible,” said Dr. Jeremy Boal, a New York physician with ALS who supports the bill.
Benny Pollak of the disabled community said, “As somebody living with a disability, I believe it is very important that we have the same access to all medical options as those in the general population, including access to medical aid in dying. We don't need extra protection. Those of us with living with disabilities want control at the very end of our lives, just as others do. I cannot express strongly enough that I believe that we are not an especially vulnerable population that needs extra protection, that we don’t want to be patronized, and that we want to be empowered to make our own choices. And I cannot think of a more important choice than that of getting medical aid in dying.”
Joe Mayhew, a veteran from Dutchess County said, “The story of my support of Medical Aid in Dying is personal. It’s of the pain and grief my family suffered when in 1998 when at 61 years old my father was diagnosed with lung cancer. My father was a tough man by any standard, but three months into chemo he had enough. A stout man who served in the United States Marine Corp, he became less than100 pounds, couldn’t eat or sleep, was sick all the time, and his pain was unmanageable. He had only one request of me - to help him end his suffering. It wasn’t possible, and over the next month he suffered agonizing pain. For years, I felt I’d failed him for letting him suffer. Now NYS has finally passed this bill which allows the affected to determine how to leave life with dignity. No longer will a husband, wife, son or daughter feel shame for doing nothing because the state decided how much pain and suffering a terminally ill person can take.”
“For me, Medical Aid in Dying presents a simple issue - an issue of basic humanity,” said Eileen Kaufman, Hartsdale resident, retired Touro Law School Professor and ovarian cancer survivor. “I would sleep so much better at night if I knew that when the inevitable comes, I would be the one to decide enough is enough. Enough for me, and enough for my family, who suffers by watching me. I don’t know what will happen, and I might not ever choose that option. But one thing I know for certain, is the peace of mind that I would have if I knew that option was available. I look forward to celebrating Medical Aid in Dying passing and becoming law in this State. I need it, and New Yorkers need it.”
“I’ve been an advocate for Medical Aid in Dying for more than 10 years - I attended the very first lobby day in the Spring of 2015,” said Stacey Gibson, Garrison resident and grieving community Medical Aid in Dying advocate. “My husband died the previous year, in a manner that was not in keeping with the glorious life that he led. I promised him that I would do all I could to find a better path for New Yorkers. I want to thank Assemblywoman Paulin, Senator Hoylman-Sigal and all those who have worked tirelessly for so many years to get this bill passed. And I want to say thank you to Governor Hochul for her very respectful consideration of this bill. I do hope that she will decide to sign this bill into law. When that happens, I will have the comfort of knowing that I have the option available to me when my time comes, if I choose to take it.”
Eric Wessman, Pelham resident and grieving community Medical Aid in Dying advocate said, “Six years ago, I had the unfortunate experience of watching my brother die of cancer. He had been suffering for two years. He was a very positive person and had a love for life. Although he loved life, he knew there was no way he was going to survive, and he loved to have the option. And it is just that - an option. If this is made available, you don’t have to take it, but it’s there for those who want it and who are suffering.”
“A year ago this week, I was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Your likelihood of living is a year to a year and half, and the death is excruciating. So, I hope, by the time I get to that, New York has passed this bill. I hope the Governor will sign it, and it will be available to me and that I can have the choice. Maybe I won’t take it, but it will mean so much to me to have it,” said Iris Dudman, Hastings-on-Hudson resident diagnosed with glioblastoma.
Eugenie Rosenthal, Scarsdale Democrats member and President-Elect of the Scarsdale Rotary Club said: “My mother died after a prolonged, excruciating illness. It would give me great peace of mind to know that I and others if in such circumstances, at least towards the very end, would have the option to die in peace and dignity on our own terms. I am grateful to Assemblywoman Amy Paulin for fighting for this right. People talk about the right to life and right to freedom. Few things are as fundamental as the right, if you are of sound mind, to die, as we live, in harmony with our values, spirituality, and vision for ourselves.”
“New Yorkers overwhelmingly support medical aid in dying – by margins of two-to-one or more in every poll,” said Corinne Carey, Compassion & Choices’ senior campaign director for New York/New Jersey. “The Legislature passed the Medical Aid in Dying Act this spring, after years of consideration. Countless New Yorkers have died – many unnecessarily suffering – while waiting for New York to join New Jersey, Vermont and nine other states plus Washington, D.C. in authorizing this compassionate end-of-life option. All eyes are on New York and Illinois, where the Legislature has also approved a medical aid in dying law. The time for action is now. Dying New Yorkers are very much watching a ticking clock.”
“We are proud to stand with so many in our community and others who have been so helpful in getting us to this point,” said Mandi Zucker, Executive Director of End of Life Choices New York. “We know Governor Hochul will do the right thing on an issue which so many of her constituents throughout New York State overwhelmingly support. As we head into the holiday season, there are so many families who have loved ones suffering from incurable illnesses and - if given the choice - would want to be with them to the very end. That’s what Medical Aid in Dying would allow those who choose to utilize it would do. We are hopeful that the Governor will give them and so many others in the future the option.”
The evening closed with calls for unity and action, as attendees held candles aloft in solidarity with those living with terminal illness and their families.
