FROM THE EIC 

Dear Edgemont Neighbors:

Since the formation of the EIC in 2016, we have sought to inform residents on key issues surrounding incorporation, and take all necessary steps to hold a vote on whether to become our own village. The EIC believes Edgemont would enjoy a representative and accountable government that shares equally in the benefits and burdens of self-governance.

Right now, Edgemont is a school district and fire district—not a village. Unlike the six incorporated villages within Greenburgh (Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Hastings, Irvington, and Tarrytown), we self-govern only our school and fire districts. We do not control our other municipal services, or the taxes we pay for them. And we lack any control over the land use decisions made for Edgemont.

Instead, we are governed by the Town of Greenburgh, within which we are only 8% of the population.

An Edgemont Village would have the same status as the existing six villages, which collectively account for more than half of the town’s voting population but pay less than 10 percent of the town's property taxes. Further, the already-incorporated villages are unaffected by Greenburgh’s zoning laws and land use decisions because they have their own governing bodies. 

To illustrate unincorporated Edgemont’s current predicament, imagine Scarsdale as an unincorporated community of Westchester County with no local government of its own. In that scenario, the County Executive and Board of Legislators would, for Scarsdale, determine service levels; set tax rates and establish budgets; enact local laws; and make zoning decisions.

Scarsdale residents could vote for county officials, but so too could a much larger population throughout Westchester.

Now imagine there are no term limits and the County Executive has been in office for over 30 years.

In this hypothetical, residents of unincorporated Scarsdale would have a limited ability to shape the future of their community. Instead, county legislators from distant areas would make hyper-local decisions (e.g. zoning, capital investments, taxes) that are critically important to Scarsdale residents.

Today, Edgemont’s predicament—as a small, unincorporated hamlet within very large Greenburgh—is similar to the above example. Our residents currently can vote in school board and fire district elections and on critical Edgemont school district matters like budgets and bonds, but only upon incorporation would we also have full domain over essential decisions regarding governance, taxes, land use, and service levels.

Like our school board representatives, our village trustees would be community residents voted in exclusively by the Edgemont community. They would be fully accountable for the decisions they make on our behalf.

 As we’ve detailed throughout this website and as verified by independent experts in 2017 and 2024, an incorporated Village of Edgemont would have the resources to deliver excellent services; offer new, local amenities; plan thoughtfully for the long-term use of our land; and control our taxes. And, importantly, our village can even lighten residents’ school district tax burden by offering senior-friendly services that retain empty-nesters, thereby slowing enrollment-driven school budget growth; and promoting a more vital commercial tax base.

Edgemont has proven it has the people and passion to run excellent school and fire districts. We believe Edgemont can do better for itself as a village.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions.

– The EIC

Jeff Sherwin, Jon Lewis, and Mark Rosenblatt