“The People’s Representative—listening to them… working with them… delivering for them.”
That’s how Democrat Bill Ryan describes the approach that’s gained him a solid reputation as a highly accessible, get-things-done County Legislator.

Bill, who represents the City of White Plains, the “county seat,” and the Village of Scarsdale, currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board. For six years he’s chaired the Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice. Bill also serves on the following committees: Legislation, Public Works, Energy, Environment and Health, Officers and Departments, and Rules.

Best known for action that protects our families, Bill was the force behind the creation of the County’s new Department of Emergency Services, the nerve center for the County’s rapid response to fire, medical emergencies, hazardous materials spills, natural disasters, acts of terrorism and the use of weapons of mass destruction. Bill has pushed for significant improvements to the County’s fire training center, making it a national model. Since the September 11, 2001 attack on America, Bill has pushed for specialized services such as Critical Incident Response and equipment such as the bomb truck, to strengthen Westchester’s ability to deal with acts of terrorism.

Bill wrote the landmark Ryan Laser Law to prohibit the sale of dangerous laser pointers to minors. This legislation, the first of its kind in the nation, received strong support from both police officers and educators and has been a model for municipalities across America. Bill co-sponsored the County law requiring “safe storage” of guns to make sure kids don’t have access to guns in the home. Working with parents and educators, he developed a proposal for a State “graduated drivers licensing program” to make our teenagers safer drivers. Bill won County backing for “Instant Evidence” cameras in police cars so officers can get photographic evidence of violence and abuse at the domestic violence crime scene. He helped develop and pass legislation to remove organized crime from the garbage hauling industry and eliminate the $50 million “mob tax” on Westchester consumers.

Bill’s political career began in his hometown of Peekskill in 1974 when he won on the floor of the City’s Democratic Committee a hotly contested district leader position in the City’s pivotal 8th ED. Bill quickly rose to political prominence locally when he was elected Chairman of the Peekskill Democratic Committee in 1975. Bill directed the Democratic Party to three straight local election victories in 1975, 1977 and 1979. In 1982, at age 33, Bill was elected to the New York State Assembly representing Peekskill, the Town of Cortlandt, and five other communities in Putnam, Orange and Rockland Counties.

As a member of the Assembly’s Education Committee, Bill was best known for his work to achieve equity in the distribution of school aid and for obtaining additional aid to help high-tax low- wealth school districts. He delivered a record $350 million in State school aid to Westchester, enhanced the TAP (tuition assistance) student aid program, provided additional funding for Westchester Community College, and provided funding for computer literacy programs in public schools.

Recognized by Gannett Newspapers for having the top “batting average” for legislation among the County’s State lawmakers, Bill sponsored the consumer-friendly New Car “lemon” law; the “Hurd” Aid bill that provided a total $79 million in special aid to the State’s small city school districts including White Plains, Peekskill, Mt. Vernon and New Rochelle; legislation providing retirement benefits for Police and Firefighters and property tax relief for Veterans and Senior Citizens. Through his work on the Re-build New York Transportation Infrastructure Bond Issue, he provided funds for area highways and bridges including $11 million for the Route 9/Louisa Street interchange in Peekskill to provide direct access to the County’s resource recovery facility at Charles Point. Bill sponsored the River estuary management bill and the model legislation for a senior citizen prescription drug assistance plan – the forerunner of EPIC. When federal transportation aid was cut to New York, Bill won approval for Westchester County and other major transit systems around the State to use the two-unit articulated bus to cut down on transit operating costs.

In his 1984 re-election bid, Bill was narrowly defeated by then Peekskill Mayor, now New York Governor, George Pataki. Two years later, Bill again went head-to-head with Pataki over the Assembly seat. The incumbent held on.

Moving to the City of White Plains, Bill joined the Democratic Committee in the “county seat” and was his party’s choice in 1993 to run for County Legislator. Bill lost the election to an entrenched incumbent but made a much stronger-than-expected showing among White Plains voters. Four years later, in 1997, he ran again and won the District 5 legislative seat. Bill was re-elected in 1999 and again in 2001.

In 2001, with the White Plains city election approaching, the Democratic Party’s nominating committee recommended Bill as its candidate for Mayor. The full Democratic Committee opted to support long-time City Councilman Robert Greer instead. Bill honored the Committee’s decision and actively supported Greer’s campaign. Today Bill is viewed as a leading contender for the White Plains Democratic mayoral nomination in 2005 and is considered to be on the “short list” of Westchester Democrats who may follow Andy Spano as County Executive.

In 1985, State Assembly Speaker Stanley Fink appointed Bill to the position of Intergovernmental Liaison with the Legislative Commission on State-Local Relations. He later served as the Commission’s chief policy associate for education finance and aid to local governments.
After twenty years in State service, Bill left his position on Speaker Sheldon Silver’s managerial/confidential staff to devote more time to the issues confronting the people of Westchester and County government.

Prior to his term in the State Legislature, Bill worked for ten years in the private sector as a bank officer, holding management positions with major commercial and savings banks doing business in Westchester and neighboring counties in the mid-Hudson Valley region.

Bill’s record of public service in government also includes appointed positions held in the City of Peekskill as Chairman of the Board of Assessment Review and Chairman of the Peekskill Housing Authority. His community involvement over many years has included volunteer service as Treasurer for the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. He has served on the Boards of the Peekskill Ambulance Corp., the Peekskill Little League, the Jan Peek House Homeless Shelter, and Peekskill Associated Charities. He was a founder of the Peekskill Area Health Center; a coordinator for the American Freedom Train; a United Way Corporate Gifts volunteer; a coach in the Peekskill Youth Football League; a member of the Cortlandt Hook & Ladder Co. No. 1; a member of the Elks Club and the Exchange Club; and a member of the Westchester County Airport Advisory Board.

Currently, Bill is a member of the White Plains Rotary Club, White Plains Historical Society, North Broadway Citizens Association, Antonio Meucci Lodge, Order of the Sons of Italy, and the Concerned Citizens for Open Space. He is a Patron member of the Jewish War Veterans, White Plains Post 191.

Bill graduated from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh in 1972 (BA, Economics). He is married to the former JoAnn MacDonald Ciocca, daughter of former White Plains Public Safety Commissioner, Ed MacDonald. They reside on Seneca Avenue and have three adult sons and two daughters.