Gilleo, Russo Seek to Represent Legislature Dist. 2
By Holly Crocco
Democrat Maia Gilleo and Republican Christian Russo are running for Putnam County Legislature, District 2, which represents the Town of Putnam Valley.
Maia Gilleo
For more than 22 years, Maia Gilleo has served the Putnam Valley community as owner and operator of a personal service business.
“Maintaining a local business for more than two decades has given me the opportunity to build lasting relationships with residents, hear their concerns firsthand, and develop a broad understanding of the needs and priorities of our community,” she said.
Gilleo has served as vice chairperson of the Neighborhood Business Committee, where she represented the interests of small businesses and supported efforts to strengthen the local business environment.
The candidate has maintained a longstanding commitment to charitable and volunteer service, over the years raising more than $10,000 for not-for-profits including the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and the American Heart Association. She has organized food drives to assist individuals and families experiencing food insecurity, helping to direct community support toward those in need. In addition, she has assisted the SPCA by establishing a collection area at a local business for donations of dog and cat food.
If elected to the Legislature, Gilleo said she would bring a practical, accountable approach to budgeting, planning, and constituent service – while also ensuring Putnam Valley receives equitable access to county resources and responsive representation.
“I support revising the county’s comprehensive plan to better assist towns and villages with zoning and economic development while preserving the character of their communities,” she said.
Gilleo said the county should use its large fund balance to take a measured, responsible approach that preserves adequate reserves while investing in priorities that have long been underfunded, including expanded domestic violence prevention and mental health services on the western side of the county.
The county should also strengthen food-security programs including Second Chance Foods and local food pantries, enhance services for veterans, and improve transportation for vulnerable residents, she said.
“Investing in a local trade school would provide practical career training, help employers meet workforce needs, and create opportunities for younger residents to build their futures in Putnam County,” she added. “In addition, a portion of the fund balance should help towns address financial pressures by funding infrastructure and capital improvements that are straining municipal budgets.”
The candidate, who earned an MBA in both business management and international business by age 50, said her experience with continuing education strengthened her knowledge of finance, organizational leadership, strategic planning, and responsible decision-making. “I am also proud to have operated the longest-standing woman-owned business in Putnam Valley,” she said.
The candidate said more can be done to connect local farmers with the county and the people who live here.
“Stronger partnerships could make it easier for residents to find and purchase fresh, locally grown food while helping farmers reach more customers,” she said. “The county should also look at offering larger tax incentives and other practical support to help farms manage costs, remain competitive, and continue operating for future generations.”
To support local businesses, Gilleo said she would work to make Putnam a place where they can open, grow, and create good local jobs.
“That means listening directly to business owners, improving county planning, supporting workforce and trade education, and helping towns and villages pursue responsible economic development without losing the character that makes our communities special,” she said.
The candidate supports the creation of a mental health crisis center in Putnam County.
“Residents experiencing a crisis should be able to receive timely, professional care close to home rather than having to travel long distances or rely on emergency rooms as their only option,” she said. “The county should also expand access through a mobile mental health unit that can respond throughout Putnam and bring services directly to residents in their own communities.”
Gilleo said she’d like to see a western county service hub established where residents can access mental health care, veterans’ assistance, food-support programs, and other county resources closer to home.
“The county must recognize that residents on the western side deserve the same access to essential services as every other community in Putnam,” she said. “I will advocate for a clear implementation plan, dedicated funding, and measurable timelines, and I urge county leaders to act now so that a resident’s location never determines whether they can obtain the help they need.”
Christian Russo
Putnam Valley Town Board member Christian Russo was elected in 2011, and appointed deputy town supervisor in 2025. He also serves as a liaison to the Putnam Valley Climate Smart Task Force.
Since January 2025, Russo has also served as a volunteer member of the board of directors of the Putnam County Housing Corporation. “This is a position I am proud to hold because I recognize the need for affordable and attainable housing in Putnam County – particularly for our senior citizens who are finding it increasingly difficult to afford to remain in New York,” he said.
Russo, a self-proclaimed fiscal conservative, decided to run for Legislature to give the town a strong and consistent voice at the county level. “Too often, I believe the western side of the county can be overlooked when county decisions are made,” he said.
As the owner of a local chiropractic business, Russo said he has experience managing a budget and determining the difference between a need and a want. “If the funding is not available and something cannot be accomplished in a financially responsible manner, I believe it should be delayed until the county is in a stronger financial position,” he said.
When asked about the county’s hefty unassigned fund balance, the candidate said a portion of it may be responsibly spent down over a period of several years to provide meaningful tax relief to residents, while still maintaining a healthy reserve.
“If the county has a major project that needs to be completed, having sufficient reserves can allow the county to pay for that project without having to borrow money or raise taxes to finance it,” he explained. “Maintaining a responsible reserve is therefore important.”
The candidate said he is proud to have helped bring professional grant-writing assistance to the town, securing $7 million over a four-year period. “This helped offset costs that otherwise would have fallen on Putnam Valley taxpayers – particularly because our town has a very limited commercial tax base,” he said.
The councilman also helped identify additional sources of revenue for the town, by renting town property to Netflix for a filming production, and renting the Putnam Valley Town Camp to Kingdom Faire for a renaissance festival.
“We also enacted a short-term rental law that requires applicable short-term rentals to collect an occupancy tax, with that revenue coming back to the town,” said Russo. “These efforts, combined with responsible budgeting, helped Putnam Valley produce four consecutive budgets below the state-mandated property tax cap.”
Russo is also proud of his advocacy for public transportation on the western side of the county, including his efforts to bring the Putnam on Demand transit service to Putnam Valley.
“It is a reliable and affordable form of transportation that is used as needed, as opposed to fixed bus routes which may have buses running that are being underutilized and would waste taxpayer dollars,” he said. “This will provide an important service for our senior citizens and residents with disabilities who may otherwise have difficulty getting to doctor appointments, grocery stores, work, or social activities.”
Russo said he supports policies that allow agricultural operations to remain economically viable, including appropriate agricultural tax exemptions.
“We need to make sure farmers are not priced out of their land by an ever-increasing tax burden,” he said. “I would also support farming by helping preserve our open space and protecting the agricultural character of Putnam County.”
The candidate also noted that, whenever practical and consistent with competitive bidding requirements, the county should look to businesses within Putnam first when purchasing goods or contracting for services.
Russo said he is open to considering a dedicated mental health crisis stabilization center, but the location must be appropriate and take into account the concerns of local residents and the local planning board.
“As we saw with the proposed stabilization center in Carmel, the location generated significant controversy among residents and the project was unable to move forward at that site,” he said. “We need to recognize the importance of providing mental health services while also working collaboratively with the communities where these facilities are proposed.”
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