After 15 years of public service, Orange County Legislator Mike Anagnostakis announced his retirement, effective at the end of the month. Representing the 17th Legislative District, which includes parts of the Towns of Newburgh and Montgomery and the Village of Walden, “When I ran for office as a political outsider, I vowed to always fight for what was best for the people, not the political insiders,” Anagnostakis said. “I did just that — even if it meant challenging my own party.”
Anagnostakis highlighted key accomplishments during his tenure, including:
• Blocking Central Hudson from imposing a $20 million “storm fee” on customers after a 2010 winter storm.
• Ending free health insurance for elected officials and county management, saving taxpayers millions.
• Helping to save the Stewart Post Office and Orange County’s DMV office from closure.
• Leading efforts to preserve the Valley View Center for Nursing Care, ensuring it operates without taxpayer funding since 2016.
• Writing and passing “Rocky’s Law,” one of the nation’s toughest measures against animal abuse.
• Exposing hidden county finances, including over $50 million related to Valley View.
• Fighting corporate tax breaks for Amazon and Medline warehouses already established in the area.
Despite often opposing the political establishment, Anagnostakis consistently won broad support from voters, achieving landslide victories in three contested elections, including a 2021 race in which he defeated challenger Patricia Maher in a Republican primary and later changed his registration to Democrat. “An elected official’s job should be more than just voting on government business and going home,” he said. “The well-connected have plenty of representation — someone needed to fight for the rest of the people.”
His efforts to halt the 2010 “storm fee” and end taxpayer-funded health insurance for county officials exemplify his advocacy for fairness. Anagnostakis also described his fight to save Valley View as a defining moment of his career. “Almost 300 seniors, including 78 World War II veterans, depended on Valley View at the time. It was outrageous to consider closing it based on false financial claims,” he said.
Anagnostakis declined to comment on his future plans but expressed gratitude to his constituents. “I consider it an honor to have served my community,” he said. “I could not have been successful without your overwhelming support. I wish each of you health and happiness always.”
A joint meeting of the Newburgh and Montgomery town boards will determine his successor. Leigh J. Benton, the legislature’s majority leader, said no special election will be held, as all seats are up for election in November. He added that he hopes the interim appointee will be qualified to run for a full term.