With Election Day approaching, the race for Orange County executive is intensifying – and both candidates are offering sharply different visions for the county’s future.

Republican incumbent Steven Neuhaus, who has held the county’s top post since 2014, is seeking a fourth term. He says Orange County is in one of its strongest financial positions yet, pointing to record growth and conservative fiscal management.

“The county’s value has doubled in the last 10 years, so that means the county is richer and stronger because of the investment,” Neuhaus said.

The county executive also highlighted investments in emergency management and redevelopment as examples of how the county is reinvesting in residents.

“We're investing heavily in redevelopment in the City of Newburgh and in Middletown. We’re using our community development funds and we’ve had success – but we have to continue to do more,” he said.

He argues that his administration has kept services strong while cutting taxes.

“What really matters is the dollars. How much are you taking out of your mortgage payment every month to pay the county taxes? It’s gone down with us,” said Neuhaus. “I think I have the voters’ back. I’ve been with you through times of crisis. I’ve been with you through economic development. Our record stands for itself,” he added.

Challenging him is Michael Sussman, a longtime civil rights attorney from Goshen who first ran for county executive nearly two decades ago and lost. Sussman says he’s running again because residents are being overtaxed and need leadership that focuses on working families instead of political insiders.

“He’s lied about the numbers. He acts like we have this great situation. We don’t. We are overtaxing people,” Sussman said.

Sussman’s platform centers on affordable housing, fair taxation, and reforming county governance. He says Neuhaus’ administration has neglected major public needs, including the redevelopment of the long-vacant Camp LaGuardia property, which he believes should be used in part for mixed-income housing instead of park land.

“We’ve had Camp LaGuardia for 13 years under his control — nothing’s happened. We don’t need another park. We need places for our children to live,” said Sussman.

He argues that the county’s $200 million surplus should be used to ease the tax burden on residents and invest in affordable housing, transportation and child care.

He’s also proposing the creation of an elected county comptroller and a restructured Industrial Development Agency that prioritizes small businesses and local housing projects over large corporations.

Sussman says the county needs earlier intervention programs to address mental health and youth issues before they escalate.

“We have to find out where the real gaps are in the system. We have to have a consistent, clear set of interventions. We don’t have that. We can’t ignore it,” he said.

He also says restoring trust in government is a top priority.

“I know I can run a clean government that’s not corrupt and people deserve that,” said Sussman.

The campaign has turned personal at times during each candidate’s interviews with News 12. Neuhaus has publicly said that “only losers endorse” Sussman and argued that the attorney should “stick to defending rapists and murderers” – a reference to Sussman’s decades of courtroom work as a civil rights litigator. Sussman, in turn, has called Neuhaus a “career politician” and says the county needs “ethical, transparent government that answers to the people, not to political donors.”

Sussman is also calling on the county executive to agree to a public debate before Election Day, saying voters deserve to hear directly from both candidates about their policies and records.

Following a recent state court ruling, county executives will serve a three-year term this election cycle instead of the usual four. The change is part of the state’s effort to move local elections to even-numbered years. Whoever wins this race would have to run again in 2028 for a full four-year term.

Voters will decide on Nov. 4 whether to give Neuhaus another term or elect Sussman as the county’s next executive.

News 12 is taking a closer look at two key issues shaping this race, including a controversial lawsuit over alleged illegal development in Gonzaga Park and the county’s proposal for the future of Stewart Airport. Stay with News 12 for continuing coverage.