WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2007. October 5, 2007: The Candidates’ Forums in White Plains will kickoff next week with the Council of Neighborhood Associations, The Women’s Club of White Plains, and the League of Women Voters all presenting the candidates for Common Council.

The Women’s Club forum scheduled for October 17 at The Women’s Club of White Plains  has  excluded three independent candidates for Common Council from appearing before the public.  Candyce Corcoran, Conservative Party candidate, Robert Levine and Robert Stackpole have been denied participation in the forum. The Women’s Club has chosen to feature candidates from the Republican and Democratic Parties only.

Jo Falcone, who is organizing the forum said she was told by the leaders of  The Women’s Club that traditionally only the “major” party Candidates have been presented at these forums, and that was the explanation why the three outspoken challengers will not be included.

Falcone said, “The Judges will introduce themselves. They will have less than a minute to introduce themselves, then each Common Council candidate will each have three minutes to introduce themselves then we’ll questions and answers. They will only do the two major parties, Democrats and Republicans. That’s what they always do. I don’t change them. I’m not arguing with anybody. The policy’s been in effect for about 50 years. That’s what they say, “this is the way we’ve always done it.” We’ve had it before, you happen to have a new party , the Independence Party. They  (The Women’s Club)would never invite other people to the debate. It’s not really new, but that’s the way it is.”

The Council of Neighborhood Associations will have a forum at the high school Tuesday evening at 7:30 P.M. featuring all nine candidates. The League of Women Voters on October 22, at the White Plains Public Library will hold their forum featuring all nine candidates.