George Latimer, a third generation Westchester native was born Nov. 22, 1953 in Mt. Vernon to the late Stanley and Loretta (Miner) Latimer. After attending Mt. Vernon public schools, George graduated with a B.A. from Fordham University in the Bronx as well as a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from New York University’s Wagner School.
Since completing his education, George by profession is a marketing executive, who has gained first hand business and economic experience over 20 years at major corporate subsidiaries of Nestle, and ITT, with on-site responsibilities for projects with AT&T, IBM and Shearson Lehman. During that time, Latimer had direct involvement with project development in numerous sites nationwide.
A resident of the City of Rye for nearly 30 years, George successfully ran for the Rye City Council, spending the next four years combining his business experiences with his background in public service, eventually leading him onto the Westchester County Board of Legislators, while simultaneously keeping a steady portfolio with Benchmark Management. During the 13 years that George was a member of that chamber, he served as the Minority Leader and then as the first Democratic Chairman of the Board of Legislators in Westchester history.
From 1998 to 2001, while George was the Chairman of the County Board of Legislators, property taxes decreased in three consecutive years by nearly seven percent. Additionally, Latimer oversaw the passage of groundbreaking legislation such as the creation of the Human Rights Commission, Smoke Free Workplace Laws, and the Waste Haulers Laws. George was regarded as bipartisan and transparent during his tenure, appointing Republicans to chair committees, facilitating a fair redistricting plan that involved members of the chamber’s minority party and outside “good government” groups and establishing the first cable TV coverage of Board of Legislators meetings.
Elected in 2004 to the State Assembly, George Latimer has established a solid record of accomplishment, sponsoring legislation and advancing funding for environmental issues (including protection of the Long Island Sound), housing, transportation, healthcare, lower property taxes and a myriad of other issues. In the Assembly, he is the author of over 20 new laws in topics as diverse as establishing provisions to allow Freedom of Information requests (FOIL) to be requested and responded by e-mail, launching a program to increase organ donations, and preventing radio piracy.
He has received public recognition and awards from numerous Westchester and Hudson Valley organizations for his work in these areas, and has been cited with awards from the Sarah Neuman Center, the Washingtonville Housing Alliance, Congregation Anshe Sholom in New Rochelle, the Port Chester/Rye Brook Chamber of Commerce, the Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce, LMC-TV, Council of Community Services in Port Chester-Rye Town, Helping Hands and the NY State Association of School Psychologists.
George Latimer’s sound business experience, his record of public service and his dedication to the county community have been the driving force behind his effort for the last 25 years in both the public and private sector. In public office as a city councilman, county legislator and assemblyman, George has always fought for what his Westchester residents and neighbors need. He is routinely cited as the most open and accessible of representatives. Latimer was elected to the State Senate, representing the 37th District in November of 2012. The 37th district is comprised of Bedford, Bronxville, Eastchester, Harrison, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Port Chester, Rye, Rye Brook, Tuckahoe, White Plains and Yonkers.
