Unlike prior members of Congress representing Philipstown, our congressman, Mike Lawler, has been resistant to responding to constituents calling for him to hold frequent town halls across the district at times that most can attend. He has been presented a petition with just short of 400 signatures asking for this.

His unwillingness to respond to constituents who want to ask him questions and hear his views on a variety of issues is revealed by the fact that he has instructed his staff to claim that the few daytime “mobile office hours” his office has held (where individual constituents meet with a staff member to get help with private matters) are, in fact, “town halls.” Mobile office hours are important but not sufficient.

Only after significant pressure from many calling his office did our congressman show up, unannounced, at the recent “office hours” held in Mahopac — which he tried to pass off as a town hall.

The congressman, by the end of this impromptu meeting, vowed to hold town halls throughout the district, during evening and weekend hours, and respond to questions directly from attendees, to make himself accessible to his constituents. Let’s hold him to that promise.

Margaret Yonco-Haines, Garrison

Behind The Story

Type: Opinion

Opinion: Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.

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