Guest Editorial: Why I am running for mayor of Croton-on-Hudson.

"Croton deserves better. Village hall should be a place where residents feel heard, respected, and engaged."

by Gary Eisinger, Voice of Croton

The growing awareness that dissenting voices have been erased from village decision-making brought me to declare myself a candidate for mayor of Croton-on-Hudson.

For too long, critical choices about our village’s growth, zoning, and finances have been made behind closed doors or with only a token opportunity for residents to weigh in. The recent granting of unilateral authority to override zoning protections — without meaningful neighbor or community input — is just one example of a process that prioritizes developers and insiders over the voices of our residents.

Another example is the Gotwald Circle project, where homeowners, Our Saviour Lutheran Church, and the Circle School were given no notice before permanent “No Parking” signs eliminated 10–15 spaces in front of their buildings. Even if safety concerns required action, the failure to involve those directly affected reflects a troubling lack of transparency and collaboration.

Croton deserves better. Village hall should be a place where residents feel heard, respected, and engaged. Transparency is not a burden; it is the foundation of a healthy democracy. And it is not optional.

So why am I qualified to serve as your mayor? My career as an educator saw an increase in my leadership capacity from teacher to principal to deputy network leader overseeing 28 schools with 8,000 students, 1,200 staff members and an annual budget of over $30 million. One of my proudest moments, and one that makes me uniquely qualified to achieve what I am proposing here, was being rated the most competent, collaborative, and trustworthy principal in the Bronx through a citywide Department of Education survey.

I served as a Croton Little League baseball and softball coach and volunteered with my wife for PTA and library board activities. I am a longtime member of the Croton Yacht Club, formerly its Commodore, and now serve on the board of directors.

As mayor, I will work to restore balance and fairness in village decision-making. That means protecting zoning standards from unchecked overrides, ensuring village boards and committees are filled with the most qualified residents without regard to political affiliation. And that all our voices are part and parcel of the conversation from the start — not after deals are sealed and ready to be voted upon. Or in the case of Gotwald Circle, just rolled out. By refocusing village priorities on the needs of our young families, seniors, small businesses, and our neighborhoods we will thrive as a village for decades to come.

Croton is a remarkable community, but it will not thrive if our government isolates itself in its own echo chamber. My candidacy, alongside fellow Voice of Croton candidates Stacey Nachtaler and Nigel Ravelo, is about bringing your voice back to village hall. Together, we can restore a transparent, locally focused democracy where every resident has a stake in shaping our future.

Gary Eisinger

Candidate for Mayor

Village of Croton-on-Hudson

Candidates Gary Eisinger (center), Stacey Nachtaler (left), and Nigel Ravelo (right)

Editor’s Note: The Chronicle will continue to provide fair and balanced coverage of the village election campaign in the form of Guest Editorials, news and feature articles, and interviews, up to and beyond Election Day on Tuesday November 4.

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