ORANGE COUNTY, N.Y.—Orange County Democrat Laurie Tautel was elected as chair of the county Legislature on Jan. 6 in an 11–10 vote, becoming the first Democrat since 2009 to hold the position.
Tautel won against the Republican nominee, Barry Cheney. Republicans have held the chair position and majority for most of Orange County’s history, but Democrats have gained in recent years. The late Democratic politician Roxanne Donnery occupied the chair in 2009.
Tautel’s rise was made possible by the Democrats’ success in flipping several seats in the last election, reducing the Republican Party’s control over county government.
Tautel represents District 14, which encompasses parts of the towns of Cornwall, Highlands, Monroe, and Woodbury, and has been serving in the Legislature since 2018. Before that, she was a council member in Highlands and worked as the chief of staff for then-state Assemblyman James Skoufis. Tautel was chair of the Health and Mental Health committee in the Legislature.
The chair, chosen each January, is responsible for making sure that legislative sessions run smoothly. The chair sets the agendas for meetings, leads meetings, appoints representatives to committees, acts as the official spokesperson for the Legislature, and works with the legislative staff to run the government.
In her acceptance speech, Tautel said: “I am deeply honored by the trust you have placed in me today, and I don’t take this responsibility lightly. This moment is not about party labels or political advantage; it’s about the obligation we all share to govern thoughtfully, transparently, and in the best interest of the people of Orange County.”
Tautel highlighted that she is the only Democrat to hold the position since Donnery, whom Tautel called a friend and mentor. She emphasized bipartisan cooperation in addressing issues such as rising costs, aging infrastructure, and the alienation of residents from their political system.
County Executive Steve Neuhaus, a Republican, told The Epoch Times in a statement on Jan 7: “My record as County Executive has been highlighted by my bipartisan work relationship. A prime example of that is that most of my proposed budgets have been adopted with the unanimous vote of the Orange County Legislature. I will continue to work with all parties for the betterment of the County. I have known Laurie for a long time. We were both local elected officials together and we’ve always had a good relationship.”
Skoufis said in a statement on Jan. 7 that he believes Tautel’s leadership will help many feel more represented in the county government, and he said that he is confident in her abilities.
“Laurie Tautel has been a diligent and compassionate advocate for the town of Highlands for many years, and I’ve been proud to know and work alongside her in her capacity as a county legislator and, previously, as a local elected official and my former Assembly Chief of Staff,“ Neuhaus said. ”Her ascension to Chair of the Orange County Legislature is equally well-deserved and exciting.”
