Don't Vote for Democrats, Former Bloomingdale Councilwoman Says

To the Editor:

I am at again this year, as I was last year and the year before aghast by the Bloomingdale Democrats’ misleading flyer.  Obviously, the only way they believe they can win is by twisting the truth and vilifying their opponents, yours and their neighbors. I am going to provide facts you can view with your own eyes.

Expenses 2013 – $10,173,177  increase $349,460          Democrat control

Expenses 2012 - $9,823,717    increase $258,518          Republican control

Expenses 2011 - $9,565,199    increase $280,611          Republican control

Expenses 2010 - $9,284,588    increase $518,032          Democrat control

Expenses 2009 - $8,766,556    increase $156,146          Democrat control

Who is spending out of control, the Republican controlled council or the Democrat controlled council? It is obviously the Democrat controlled council.

The supposed lost revenue in the police department was due to two officers being injured and on disability, no one weakened the Police Department

The so-call politically appointed attorney had the responsibility for dealing with binding arbitration for the police department contract that the Democratic Council of the previous year did not properly address.  Additionally, the mayor wanted to keep the prior attorney on to help.

There were no fees for rejecting the green acre funding, only less interest to be paid for the lights.

The Moody’s downgrade was due to years of issues not just when the Republicans had control, again look at who has a spending problem.

The feasibility study for the river walk was funded by the county open space taxes, and the resultant river walk will be the towns in an area that does not flood.

The supposed lost shared services with Riverdale was going to cost the town more than it was going to earn.  

There were no lost shared services with the BOE.

The supposed underfunding for expenses by more than $205,000 is not true. If it was, why does it not show up in the budget for 2012? The budget appeared to be underfunded by $30,000, which was due to 2012 expenses that the Treasurer charged to the 2011 budget. In the audit report for 2011 it is stated: (on page 159): “Our audit revealed that January 2012 health benefit payment was charged to the 2011 budget when paid.”  If there was money to pay 2012 expenses in 2011, the budget was not underfunded.

Authorized $2.5 million in debt in 2011; $1.8 million was for flood mitigation, which the mayor has been trying to take credit for, $0.4 million for drainage and $0.4 million for the lights for Walter T Bergen School.

The PILOT Program, let us all see what the democrats really do with that money….

No one voted NO to state aid, however, the democrats did vote to reject a $360,000 grant for sidewalks.

The ROSE fund referendum did not risk higher salaries. The ROSE fund however does include DPW salaries, which the Mayor did not believe should ever be taken from the ROSE fund, until it was for his benefit.

This year Halloween’s public event was cancelled and the council never even voted on it.  This decision was made by the mayor and one council member.

Bloomingdale has an ethics ordinance, which is the state’s ordinance.

The Democratic flyers are full of innuendoes. Vote for the individuals who are not concerned with the mayor keeping his $84,000 job but who will try to do the right thing for Bloomingdale.

Linda Huntley   

Former Bloomingdale Councilwoman