Citing continuing weakness in Westchester's economic climate, the Westchester County Association announced today that it  is forming a broad-based private-sector economic development task force designed to identify current issues and conditions and develop public policy recommendations to rejuvenate the County's economic base.

President of the Westchester County Association (WCA), Bill Mooney, said the decision to form the taskforce followed months of discussion among the group's members and Board of Directors.

The latest poll in the New York State Senate 37th District race finds Republican candidate Bob Cohen gaining ground on longtime State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer (D,WF).

The RNN-TV/Westchester County Association Poll taken by Iona College  found Cohen closing in on Oppenheimer's lead from 10 to 6 percentage points since the previous poll that was taken October 13.

When asked whom they would vote for in the election, 48% of likely voters questioned said Oppenheimer, 42% said Cohen and 10% remain undecided.

Poll Coordinator with Iona College, Dr. Jeanne Zaino says "Given the margin of error of plus or minus 4% and the seeming trend of previously undecided voters moving towards cohen, we may wind up with closer race than first expected."

The poll included over 10,000 calls to registered voters on October 27.

A second poll taken in New York's 35th State Senate District race finds incumbent Democratic Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins maintaining a seven point lead over Republican challenger, Liam McLaughlin.

The latest  RNN-TV/Westchester County Association poll taken by Iona College finds among likely voters, 45% of people questioned said they'd vote for Stewart-Cousins, while 38% said McLaughlin.

17% remain undecided.

Dr. Jeanne Zaino, coordinator of the Iona College poll and professor of political science at the school, said "The large undecided proportion on this question indicates that there is considerable uncertainty in the voters' minds, which means both campaigns have a lot of convincing to do."

The Iona College poll has a margin of error of plus/minus 3.9%.

A new poll released today finds Democratic Westchester County Legislator Michael Kaplowitz gaining ground on Republican Greg Ball in the hotly contested 40th District State Senate Race.

A second RNN-TV/Westchester County Association poll taken by Iona College shows Kaplowitz cutting Ball's lead by 5 points from a poll taken two weeks ago. With the election two weeks away, Ball is leading Kaplowitz by just five points.The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5%.

Iona College pollster Dr. Jeanne Zaino says 17% of likely voters, however, remain undecided.

The survey included calls to over 10,000 registered voters on October 18. The 40th Senate District is regarded as one of the key races in determining the future blanace of the State Senate.

The District includes parts of northern Westchester, all of Putnam and parts of Dutchess.

A new poll taken by Iona College and sponsored by the Westchester County Association and RNN-TV finds New York State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer (D,WF) leads challenger Bob Cohen (R,C,I) in the 37th District race by 10 percentage points.

The poll also showed 16% of likely voters questioned were undecided.

The 37th District is regarded as one of the key mid-term races in determining the future political balance of the New York State Senate. The disterict includes, Rye, New Rochelle, White Plains, Harrison, Mamaroneck New Castle, North Castle, Ossining and Scarsdale.

The poll has a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.

A new Iona College/Westchester County Association/RNN-TV Poll finds the two candidates in the 19th Congressional District Race are in a dead heat.

The poll, taken October 6, questioned more than 10,000 likely voters and found 42% planned to vote for incumbent Democratic Congressman John Hall, while 42% supported his Republican/Conservative challenger Dr. Nan Hayworth. 16% were undecided. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.75%. Among those undecided, 34% are Democrats, 38% Republicans and 23% have no party affiliation.

The 19th Congressional District is regarded as one of the key mid-term races in the U.S. Congress. It includes Northern Westchester and parts of Dutchess, Orange and Rockland Counties.

Hall and Hayworth are scheduled to participate in a debate sponsored by the Westchester county Association and RNN-TV on Wednesday at 800 Westchester Avenue in Rye Brook.

The two candidates in the hotly contested 40th State Senate race debated each other in Yorktown Heights tonight.

The debate was hosted by the Westchester County Association and held at the Yorktown Stage.