DISTRICT 5
White Plains, Scarsdale, West Harrison

Hon. Ben Boykin was re-elected in November 2023 to his sixth term on the Westchester County Board of Legislators for District 5 (representing most of White Plains, all of Scarsdale and West Harrison).

Ben was honored in January 2018 and January 2020 to be selected by his peers to serve as Chairman of the Board of Legislators. BY every measure, his four years as Board Chairman were historic and consequential for this Board, the most diverse in Westchester County history, with more people of color among Legislators than ever before, and with a female majority for the first time. Under Ben’s leadership, this Board passed more progressive legislation than at any time in Board history. He was Chairman when the Board celebrated its 50th anniversary and during the pandemic, the most severe health crisis to hit the world in over 100 years.

Working with County Executive George Latimer and his team, we stabilized the County’s finances, rebuilt the County’s reserve funds to more than $300 million from a low of $65 million four years ago. We’ve cut the property tax levy three years in a row while maintaining essential services. We’ve made critical investments in our infrastructure, provided support to working families, added to our affordable housing stock, protected public health and responded to COVID-19, invested in our award-winning parks system, protected public safety and are reforming policing, helped our veterans and reformed government ethics. The investments we have made in the Board’s technology allowed us to continue the work of County government throughout the pandemic without disruption, and this has helped make your government more accessible and transparent.

In June 2019, Ben was nominated by the National Association of Counties (NaCo) to take part in the 16th Annual County Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C., as well as elected to the Board of Directors of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) in September 2019. In May 2020, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the General Alumni Association for the University of North Carolina.

Ben is a 34-year resident of White Plains. He was a member of the White Plains Common Council from 2000 – 2013 and was elected Council President three times. He served as Chairman of the Shared Services Committee where he used his broad business and financial expertise to save taxpayers money through service consolidations, cost reductions and efficiency improvements. He also served as Chairman of the Youth Board and as Chairman of his city’s Budget & Management Advisory Committee. Ben was instrumental in a $1.2 billion investment in downtown White Plains. In addition, he fought to change zoning to protect residential neighborhoods, supported public safety initiatives to protect residents and our environment, acquired approximately 40 acres of open space, and created 180 units of workforce housing. Prior to his election to the Common Council, Ben served seven years as a member of the White Plains School Board. He is a member of Meals-on-Wheels of White Plains, a member and District Leader of the City of White Plains Democratic Committee, as well as a member of the Black Democrats of Westchester County and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

Ben is a financial executive with more than 50 years of experience. He has been a CPA for 49 years and is currently President of Ben Boykin & Associates, a financial consulting firm. He began his business career with the international accounting firm of Deloitte in Greensboro, NC. After four years with Deloitte, Ben joined RJR Nabisco where he held executive financial positions in Winston-Salem, NC; Atlanta, GA; New York City; and Parsippany, NJ. He transferred to Nabisco, Inc. and was Assistant Treasurer responsible for all aspects of the treasury function including raising capital, cash management, banking, risk management, and strategic modeling.

Legislator Boykin has also worked extensively with educational and not-for-profit organizations for nearly four decades. Ben served as Adjunct Professor of Accounting at North Carolina A & T State University. In addition, Ben served eighteen years as a member of the Bennett College Board of Trustees in Greensboro, NC, retiring in 2005.

Ben has received numerous awards and recognitions for his service to various communities including the Clear Run High School Trailblazer Award (August 2019), the Economic Security Award from the Zeta Nu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (September 2014), the Outstanding Service Award from the White Plains Youth Bureau (December 2013), Harvey E. Beech Outstanding Alumni Award from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (November 2013), Franor’e Award (October 2013), Ted Benjamin Award for community service from the White Plains Democratic Party (May 2010), Dr. Barry Yearwood Community Service Award (October 2007), the Outstanding Citizen of the Year Awards (February 2002 and January 1994) from his fraternity, Beta Alpha Alpha Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. In 2022, Ben received leadership awards from the AFL-CIO Labor Council and Northeast Stem Academy and in 2023, he received the ArtsWestchester Golf Honoree Award and the Harold Fitzpatrick Community Service Award for the African American Men of Westchester.

Ben is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, receiving a B.S. in Business Administration with an accounting concentration, in 1972. Ben received his M.B.A., with honors, from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University in Evanston, IL in 1981. Ben is married to Carsandra Spearman Boykin and they are members of Union Baptist Church. Their two daughters, LaSandra Boykin and Dr. Nicole Boykin, are graduates of White Plains High School.

Presentations
Scarsdale Forum (02/09/24)
Summary of New Voting Laws Scarsdale Neighborhood Associations Presidents (SNAP) (10/02/17)
Voter Registration Process (04/19/17)
County Government 101 (03/29/17)
2017 Scarsdale Forum Discussion Westchester County Budgets (01/26/17)
Scarsdale Forum Presentation (01/26/17)
White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations (WPCNA) (01/10/17)
 

Contact Information

(914) 995-2827
E-mail Me
Subscribe to My E-News

Staff

Josie Ferrara
(914) 995-2818 

Committee Assignments

Economic Development, Chair
Legislation
Public Safety

Newsletters

 

DISTRICT 10
Eastchester, Tuckahoe, New Rochelle

Judah Holstein has lived in District 10 since infancy. A graduate of Iona College, Judah was raised in the Bonnie Crest neighborhood of New Rochelle. Judah began his career as a respected software developer in the corporate world, and in 1995 founded his small software company, Miracom Computer Corp. Driven by a lifelong commitment to community, including 3 terms on the Eastchester School Board, Holstein worked to ensure the best possible public education through advocacy, vision, communication, and balance. Judah is known for listening to community members and helping them understand the decision-making factors.

As an Eastchester School Board trustee since 2013, he has consistently advocated for the residents of Eastchester and their children, exercised responsible budget oversight, fostered constructive dialogue and viewpoint exchange to build consensus and achieve outcomes, and prioritized transparency and diplomacy. In addition to his three terms as a trustee on the Eastchester School Board, he has served on the boards of three local PTAs, the Westchester East Putnam Regional PTA, the Eastchester Schools Foundation, the Eastchester Alumni Association, and the Westchester Putnam School Boards Association. He has been a friend and advocate to SEPTA, the Eastchester Traffic and Parking Committee, the Eastchester Library, and others.

Contact Information

(914) 995-2817
E-mail Me
Subscribe to My E-News

Staff

Marianne Bateman
(914) 995-4526
 
Nancy Street
(914) 995-4526


Committee Assignments

Information Technology
& Cybersecurity, Chair
Appointments
Budget & Appropriations
Economic Development

 

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