Primary Election Date: 06/26/2012
General Election Date: 11/06/2012

Who Am I?

Matt currently serves as Mayor of Wappingers Falls, a Dutchess County municipality that has seen a dramatic revival under his leadership, including an astonishing 17% growth rate during this difficult economy.

Upon assuming office, Matt inherited long-standing problems made worse by political gridlock and elected officials’ neglect. But by drawing on his experience as an entrepreneur, small business owner, and financial planner, Matt set out a bold plan to rebuild Wappingers Falls, fought to forge bipartisan agreement, and advocated for the support and financing needed to make it a reality.

Today, Wappingers Falls is one of the fastest-growing and fiscally-soundest communities in the 19th District. Crime is down, public services are strong, and Wappingers Falls’ infrastructure and water systems have been upgraded after years of decline. All the while, Matt has held the line on property taxes, even in this economic downturn.

Matt’s successes as Mayor of Wappingers Falls have won him the recognition of many civic groups, including water and land preservation organizations, and his ability to unite people behind his vision has twice earned him the cross endorsements of the Democratic and Republican parties in his runs for re-election.

Prior to entering public service, Matt set out on a career in business. He first worked his way through college, graduating from Notre Dame with a degree in business and then training to be a CPA. Matt went to work with a major accounting firm in Manhattan before taking on the task of helping struggling companies turn around their fortunes.

At one of these companies, Matt found financing for a $20 million expansion of a start-up Recycle Paper Mill and later prepared the company for public stock offering. Under Matt’s leadership, this project went on to create many new jobs. After several similar projects, Matt struck out on his own, starting a small business on Main Street in Wappingers Falls that he operated for nearly 8 years before becoming Mayor.

Over the course of his time in business, Matt wasn’t able to save every troubled company he set out to help, but he did learn critical lessons on what it takes to get businesses healthy and hiring. He later put this experience to good use in helping Wappingers Falls recapture its future, and it’s what he intendeds to bring to a gridlocked Congress that has failed to address America’s urgent crisis of job creation.

Originally from Mobile, Alabama, Matt grew up in Orange County, NY and graduated from Cornwall High School. Matt earned the rank of Eagle Scout at West Point in 1985, and also attended Marion Military Institute.

Why Am I Running?

I want to create jobs by U.S. investment in our infrastructure. I want to advocate for those who need the protection of a social safety net. As Mayor, I have a proven record of advocacy for a challenged municipality. Also, I have a proven record of growing my municipality by investing in its core, creating jobs and making a better place to start and keep a business. We grew 17% and I want to advocate for that growth in America.

Americans are deserving of a smart, efficient, focused government. Your Congressman should be a good steward of public infrastructure, the environment and the resulting employment opportunities.

Hold Me Accountable!

Issue #1 is Jobs: Matt believes the Federal government can partner with local governments to invest in infrastructure to create business opportunities. He worked tirelessly to ease development by pursuing planning, community consensus and pre-approving sites, so that business investors will not be discouraged by excessive regulations. Accordingly, developers would not be persuaded to invest out of state or out of the country in less regulated areas.

Budgets & Deficit: Matt believes in a balanced budget and spending restraint. He has delivered modest spending increases during his three terms in office.

Education: There should be educational opportunities for all young Americans regardless of their family's financial ability:

Energy: Matt supports sustainable energy over alternate energy but recognizes that alternate energy needs to be developed in some cases to break our dependence on oil. He believes that there should be a planned strategy to decommission Indian Point. Matt is anti-fracking until it can be shown to be less harmful and effect a smaller radius.

Foreign Policy: Matt supports an orderly withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan. He also supports restraint in the funding of weaponry and the number of young men and women sent to war.

Lending Practices and Market Regulation: As a CPA who worked in the securities industry, Matt learned the importance of financial regulations for Wall Street. Predatory lending practices must be regulated for the good of the American economy.

Social Security & Medicare: They represent a promise to the American people which cannot be revoked. Further, Matt believes in universal healthcare for all.

Veterans: Matt supports honoring the sacrifice of the men and women who have served us by increasing the benefits to returning veterans as well as to those families left behind.

Watershed Protection: Matt's advocacy for the Hudson River, its estuaries, and all watersheds led him to participate in the Hudson River Watershed Alliance and the Dutchess Watersheds Alliance. He serves as Chair of the Wappinger Watershed Intermunicipal Council, 13 municipalities which make up the largest watershed in his county. In this effort, he worked with the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the New York State Department of Conservation and private property owners. He negotiated incentives for landowners to improve the value of their property through zoning enhancements in exchange for environmentaly innovative processes which remediate damaged areas. He believes that environmental protection and economic development can work hand in hand.

Working Families & Labor Unions: The middle class has been targeted for elimination. Matt supports policies which empower the middle class and protect it as the basis of a sound economy. Matt believes that collective bargaining is an absolute right of every American.

My DFA values:

Coming Soon

My Campaign is People-Powered!

In my three terms as Mayor of Wappingers Falls, I made it my business to lobby our County, State and Federal representatives. Upon my opponent taking office, she told me her mission was to limit government involvement to "National Defense and Interstates". This is unacceptable. The Federal Government needs to concern itself with the well-being of all Americans. My opponent says that she is working to "put money back in the pockets of the taxpayer". Instead, her policies work to eradicate the middle class. In order to have a vibrant economy, the middle class must be supported.

The way to get people off the sidelines is by going around and letting people that the only way to change the system is through voting. We need to make sure more people occupy voting booths next November, and that's done by making the extra effort to involve people that are typically left out of the process, such as younger voters and minorities.