County employees’ jobs could be on the chopping block and a double-digit property tax increase could be in the offing after the Rockland County Legislature voted 9-8 Tuesday night to reject the county executive’s budget proposal, which would have temporarily increased local sales taxes by a half percent. Despite the tremendous loss in sales tax revenue, the majority called the proposal “premature” and a burden on families that have seen their jobs cut back or cut entirely. In a statement, Legislature Chairman Alden Wolfe said the focus should be on economic development and finding ways to keep shoppers from crossing the border into Bergen County where the sales tax is lower. Rockland County Executive Ed Day slammed the vote, saying in a statement yesterday that hundreds of county employees’ jobs are now at risk, and a double-digit property tax increase could be next. The legislature also shelved any movement on the Sain Building and property, which Wolfe said would be on a future legislature agenda.
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South Nyack Hires Consultant for Potential Village Dissolution; Police Investigating “Zoom Bombers”
The South Nyack village board yesterday hired a consulting company for up to $15,000 to study what it would take to become a part of Orangetown or remain a village. The village still has a few weeks to set a public referendum on the issue. In an email to residents, South Nyack mayor Bonnie Christian said the Zoom board meeting held yesterday is being investigated by South Nyack Police after it was interrupted several times by “Zoom Bombers” in which the participants used racist and anti-Semitic language, and threatened village employees and residents. The potential dissolution of the village comes amid concerns over rising taxes and the future of Nyack College. We reached out to the mayor and police chief for additional comment but we did not hear back.
Judge Rules Petitions Invalid, Stony Point Voters Won’t Get Chance to Decide Fate of Golf Course and Letchworth Land
An attempt to put the future of the Stony Point golf course and about 26 acres of former Letchworth Village property has fallen short of its goal of being put before town voters. That’s according to supervisor Jim Monaghan who says the judge ruled this week the petition was invalid…
George Potanovic is president of the Stony Point Action Committee for the Environment, and says the judge threw out the petition on a technicality…
Monaghan says he and the board are working on locking in a contract with the builder who is looking to add a hotel and conference center to the property. Any plans would still have to go through environmental review and the planning board’s procedures. The contract would preserve the golf course for town residents to use, include a community center and other items.
MTA Threatens to Cut West-of-Hudson Rail Service Without Federal Assistance
Area lawmakers are up in arms after the Metropolitan Transit Authority proposed eliminating west-of-Hudson rail service, in addition to 50 percent cuts throughout their service area, as sweeping budget shortfalls loom without federal assistance. Metro-North ridership is down 83 percent, and MTA chairman Patrick Foye says they need the feds to kick in 12 billion dollars to get through the rest of the year…
Rockland assemblyman Ken Zebrowski said the proposal would decimate the local economy. Rockland County Executive Ed Day says while he understands the need for reductions due to the pandemic, eliminating all west-of-Hudson service should not even be an option…
North Rockland and Orange County Assemblyman Colin Schmitt called it an “unacceptable, boneheaded budget proposal.” North Rockland and Orange County state senator James Skoufis says the region could leave the MTA and contract with NJ Transit instead, if it comes to that. The MTA says cutting west-of-Hudson service would save at least $25 million and avoid more than $1 billion in planned capital expenses.
Valley Cottage Teen Arrested, Charged in Fatal Nyack Shooting; Nyack Mayor: “May Have Been an Accident”
A Valley Cottage teen is accused of killing an Illinois man Sunday night in a shooting in Nyack. Orangetown police arrested 18 year-old Collyer Goodman. He faces second degree manslaughter and other charges. Captain James Brown says Goodman and 21 year-old Darien Brydie were in a car at Nyack Plaza when the shooting occurred around 8:24 Sunday night. Brydie had reportedly driven himself to Nyack Hospital. The circumstances that lead to the shooting are under investigation, but Nyack’s mayor told the Journal News it appears to have been an accident. Goodman was arraigned and sent to the Rockland County jail on $250,000 bail. If you witnessed the incident or have additional information, call the Orangetown Police Department at 845-359-3700.