Getting Piped By Eddie

The story so far:

New York State's and New York City's environmental agencies (The DEP and the DEC) have not yet issued permits to the Village of Kiryas Joel to build their pipeline to hook the Village into NYC's water feeder system, but Orange County has has already issued them a permit.

Last Friday the County Legislature passed a resolution directing the
County to halt work until the DEP and DEC issues their permits.

County Executive Ed Diana is claiming that he resolution isn't binding on him.

Meanwhile KJ is already excavating on 7 Springs Mountain Rd, just west of Forest Rd.

What You Can Do:

Assemblyman James Skoufis is calling on county residents to call and email Ed Diana (ceoffice@orangecountygov.com, 845-291-2700) and tell him you want tohalt work pending those permits.

According to Skoufis, callers to Diana's office immediately get transferred to the Legislative Clerk (the old "Don't bother me, it aint my problem."), so start the conversation with "DON'T TRANSFER MY CALL!"  Then be prepared for them to be rude to you or to hang up. They'll still know that you called.

You can also go join James Skoufis, Roxanne Donnery and others on site.

Skoufis has put out the following:
Due to the fact that there's no parking at and around the pipeline construction site, I and others are planning to organize buses to take people up and make their voices peacefully heard. Things are moving fast and I'm asking you to please make a small contribution at this link to help us pay for the costs of buses and other expenses:
https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/entity/29340


Chris Mckenna
Times Herald-Record
Published: 11:38 AM - 04/10/13
MONROE - A protest against Kiryas Joel's construction of a pipeline that would allow the village to tap the Catskill Aqueduct was suspended Wednesday afternoon, when work crews installing the pipeline quit for the day.

Orange County Legislator Roxanne Donnery had initiated the demonstration Wednesday morning, parking her car in the path of construction along County Route 44 in an attempt to slow or halt work on the pipeline. She was joined by Woodbury Supervisor John Burke and state Assemblyman James Skoufis a few feet from crews who were preparing lengths of pipe to be installed in the ground.

Police agencies responded to the scene, but no one appeared to have been charged with any wrongdoing. The protest ended about 2:30 p.m. when crews stopped working for the day.

Donnery said she was protesting County Executive Ed Diana's failure to enforce a resolution the county Legislature passed Friday to block the construction until the village secures permits it needs from the state and New York City for its planned Catskill Aqueduct connection. Donnery, who has announced she is running for county executive, said that Diana has not returned numerous phone calls.

The county had already issued a permit allowing the pipeline work on county roads before the resolution was passed. Kiryas Joel recently began building the pipeline, which is planned to run 13.5 miles through Woodbury and Cornwall and tap New York City's water tunnel in New Windsor.

Waiting for Go Know

From the 1/17/13 meeting minutes:




John Smith asked what the plan was to fill the vacant seat on the Board. Supervisor Burke stated the vacant seat expires December 31, 2013. The Board can either fill the seat by appointing someone or leave it vacant and allow the pubic to decide in the election later this year. At this time he feels the Board functional with just four members. If it appears that a fifth person becomes necessary, then it will be considered. He stressed that the Board feels the public should choose the person rather than them appointing someone. Mr. Smith then asked if the Board has considered repealing the Initiative Law that was adopted at the urging of former Councilman James Skoufis. Supervisor Burke stated the Board has not discussed the issue at all. Mr. Smith then asked that the Board consider taking action on its repeal.

Please Have Your Pet Rock Spayed or Neutered!

Lost Dog

Jack Russell Terrier

White with tan ears

25 pounds

Last seen on Ridge Road and Seven Springs Mountain Rd.

on 1/11/13

If seen please call:

845-417-2108

Throw The Bums Out! Again And Again!

Way back in the distant past (about 6 years ago???) Sue Kelly was our Congresswoman. Then she decided that KJ's votes were more important than those from the rest of us. We bounced her out of office and voted in John Hall.

Then Hall made the same mistake as Kelly so we bounced him out of office and voted in Nan Hayworth.

Hayworth decided that voting with her party was more important than voting for her distrrict. After Irene she voted against FEMA funds that we desperately needed.

On taxes, jobs, equal pay and most other issues she's ignored the district and looked to her caucus instead. 
It's time to bounce her.

Does that mean that Sean Patrick Maloney will do a better job? Dunno. But we do know that if he doesn't we can bounce him too.

We have to make the point that we demand accountability and that we will bounce every single Congressman we get unless and until the message gets through.

Incumbency only means that you have a record that we can grade.

And we plan to grade harshly!

Ralph Of The Living Dead

Ralph Walks.

And talks.  And lies.

Yay!

Welcome back Ralph.

For those of you who have missed Ralph's last minute lie,  it's back!!!!

Here it is:

It's truly lovely.  At least one lie per paragraph.  Let's take a closer look:

Don't be fooled by James Skoufis‘ color brochures and commercials. He can afford them because he accepted $72,000 from Sheldon Silver for his campaign. So if he is elected to the Assembly, what do you think he is going to vote for  . Whatever Sheldon Silver tells him to. He is just using Woodbury as his stepping stone to Albany

So, James has the support of the Democrats.  How'd that happen?  Is Ralph claiming that Roddey doesn't have the support of his own party?  But that's the small one,  the wonderful point here is Ralph has figured (all by himself?) that James is running for the Assembly as part of a secret plan to get to Albany.  Holy Hambones!

Most importantly, over the last three years, Skoufis has voted for a resolution to dissolve the Village of Woodbury. The Village is our sole protection that prevents the hasids or any other groups from establishing their own village within the town. If elected, he will continue to try to dissolve the village.

Actually, James, along with Ralph's own buddies on the Town Board, asked Albany to make the Town and Village a single political unit.  This would still pervent any new villages in Woodbury.

Skoufis also forced the lnitiative Law on the town. Briefly, in order to bring an issue to the town board for a second time, you need to collect hundreds of signatures and petition the board in order for them  to consider for a second time. This useless and senseless law was introduced by Skoufis as a payback to the independence Party for listing his name on their ballot line duringa previous election.

OK, this one is sooooooooooo stupid it proves this letter came from Ralph.  The Town Board has always had the right to introduce  any resolution it likes once, twice, seventeen times.  But the public has only been able to beg the Board to consider its issues.  What the Initiative law does is give the public the power to demand (by petition) that the board consider something the public wants.  It gives the public a way to get the Board's attention.  Or as Ralph calls it "useless and senseless."

Skoufis has preached increasing the hourly wage, decreasing taxes, but has no plan as to who will pay for the cost. You will pay for the shortfall in higher taxes and prices.  

I love the idea that you will pay for tax cuts by paying high taxes.

While taking credit for helping victims of Hurricane Irene, it actually was the the Woodbury Community Association that raised most of the money.

How dare more than one group help people in need!?!

Skoufis claims to scrutinize the town budget line-by-line, but the town budget is actually prepared by the Town Supervisor and his department heads. He has little, if any, input on the budget.  

Ralph was actually once on the Town Board (quite briefly), but why assume he paid any attention to what his job was.  Yes, the budget is PREPARED by the Supervisor.  The Supervisor then must submit the budget to the members Town Board, who look at it (line by line if they're doing their job responsibly) and then vote whether or not to accept it.  Sleep through that part, Ralphie?

Finally, in desperation, he continues to bash Assemblywoman Calhoun and Senator Larkin over collecting.their salaries and pensions which the law entitles them to. But on August.16, 2012Skoufis voted to authorize the Supervisor to submit a Section  211 waiver to the NYS Civil Service Commission so that the new Woodbury Police Chief could double-dip as well collecting his NYC pension and his salary as chief.

     

OK Ralph, listen closely (or ask the Ankle Biter to explain):  Your boss, State Sen. Bill Larkin, is collecting his State Senate salary and his State Senate pension at the same time.  He's getting paid for the same job twice.  Legal?  Yes.  Ethical?   Less certain.  The Chief worked for the NYPD for decades.  He retired.  He gets a pension.  He took a new job here.  He gets paid.  Follow?  Two different jobs.

l strongly urge you to vote for Kyle Roddy for the NYS Assembly on the Republican line. He has real municipal experience in public administration and will diligently represent our Town in Albany. 

 

Geez Ralph, at least learn how to spell Roddey's name!

The Clam Before The Storm

Caruso Denounces Larkin

Ralph Caruso, in a daring break from his meal ticket, has made a pursuasive argument for kicking State Senator, and reknowned double-dipper, Bill Larkin, out of office.

In this week's Woodbury Gazette Caruso argues that we must judge candidates by the endorsements they accept.  For years the political leaders of Kiryas Joel have endorsed Larkin.  Caruso himself has denounced those same KJ leaders.

The implication is unavoidable.

Kudos Ralph!

Assembling A Split Ticket

So, here are the first two of the Uncle’s endorsements (fat lot of good it will do the candidates).

For the Assembly in the 97th AD we’re going with Annie Rabbitt. She actually has been available to constituents and actually listens (or does a damn fine job of faking it). This matters. Of even greater importance this time around, she’s not Gerry McQuade – if you have any difficulty understanding the import of that, listen to the recording in the post below.

In the 99th AD, the Uncle smiles upon Woodbury’s own James Skoufis. He’s been a terrific member of the town board (to the degree that that board allows terrificness to flourish). His newsletters have actually been informative (as well as being a wonderful substitute for our actually writing something original for this blog). From the start he understood that constituent services meant actually doing stuff for townspeople. Wow, now that’s a concept!

If we want to encourage responsive office holders and discourage the other sort, voting for these two folks seems like a good idea.

Assemblers Dissemble!

Gerry McQuade, Democratic candidate in the 98th Assembly District, promises the Kiryas Joel community that he is with them on all their issues and will be their voice in Albany: