Paul J. Feiner
Encyclopedia
Paul J. Feiner is an American
politician
from New York
. He has been Town Supervisor
(an elected office with a two-year term) of Greenburgh, New York
in Westchester County since 1991. He unsuccessfully ran for United States Congress
twice.
and holds a law degree from St. John's Law School
in New York. He is married to Sherrie Brown, an attorney; they have one daughter.
Feiner has been involved in politics since childhood: at age 12, he worked as a volunteer in the Congressional campaign of Ogden Reid; at 16, Feiner became Chair of the Teen Democrats of Westchester.
He was elected in 1983 as a County Legislator in Westchester County, and was first elected Town Supervisor of Greenburgh in 1991; he has held that post ever since. In 1998 and 2000 Feiner ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic
candidate for New York's 20th congressional district
, losing to the long-time incumbent Congressman, Benjamin A. Gilman
.
Feiner's campaign website describes his introduction of the concept of "Dial Democracy" where residents of Greenburgh can phone in questions and comments to Town Board meetings as they are in progress, televised live on the town's local Public-access television
cable TV channels. He maintains a blog for residents to comment on policy, events, and local issues.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He has been Town Supervisor
Town supervisor
Town Supervisor is an elective legislative position in New York towns. Supervisors sit on the town board, where they preside over town board meetings and vote on all matters with no more legal weight than that of any other board member .Towns may adopt local laws that allow them to provide for an...
(an elected office with a two-year term) of Greenburgh, New York
Greenburgh, New York
Greenburgh is a town in the western part of Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 88,400 at the 2010 census. Paul J. Feiner has been the Town Supervisor since 1991.-History:...
in Westchester County since 1991. He unsuccessfully ran for United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
twice.
Biography
Feiner graduated Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude from Fordham UniversityFordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
and holds a law degree from St. John's Law School
St. John's University (New York City)
St. John's University is a private, Roman Catholic, coeducational university located in New York City, United States. Founded by the Congregation of the Mission in 1870, the school was originally located in the borough of Brooklyn in the neighborhood of Bedford–Stuyvesant...
in New York. He is married to Sherrie Brown, an attorney; they have one daughter.
Feiner has been involved in politics since childhood: at age 12, he worked as a volunteer in the Congressional campaign of Ogden Reid; at 16, Feiner became Chair of the Teen Democrats of Westchester.
He was elected in 1983 as a County Legislator in Westchester County, and was first elected Town Supervisor of Greenburgh in 1991; he has held that post ever since. In 1998 and 2000 Feiner ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate for New York's 20th congressional district
New York's 20th congressional district
The 20th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in eastern New York. It includes all or parts of Columbia, Dutchess, Delaware, Essex, Greene, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties. It includes the...
, losing to the long-time incumbent Congressman, Benjamin A. Gilman
Benjamin A. Gilman
Benjamin Arthur "Ben" Gilman is a former Republican United States Representative from New York. Born in Poughkeepsie, New York, Gilman graduated from Middletown High School in Middletown, New York in 1941 and received a B.S. from the Wharton School Finance at the University of Pennsylvania in...
.
Feiner's campaign website describes his introduction of the concept of "Dial Democracy" where residents of Greenburgh can phone in questions and comments to Town Board meetings as they are in progress, televised live on the town's local Public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV channels. He maintains a blog for residents to comment on policy, events, and local issues.
Awards and recognitions
- 1982: Feiner named one of six national recipients of the Common CauseCommon CauseCommon Cause is a self-described nonpartisan, nonprofit lobby and advocacy organization. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican former cabinet secretary under Lyndon Johnson, as a "citizens' lobby" with a mission focused on making U.S. political institutions more open and...
Public Service Achievement Award. - 1997: C-SPANC-SPANC-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
profiled Feiner's Town Board Meetings in special report. - 2001: Spotlight Westchester Magazine called Feiner "most interesting politician in Westchester" in its Best of Westchester 2001 issue.