One person was hospitalized in serious condition yesterday evening after a crash in Orange County in which one was killed. That’s according to News 12. State police said at least two vehicles were involved in the accident on Route 6 near the Thruway overpass. No other information was available.
Breaking News
East Ramapo Budget Passes, Summer Classes Shut Down Due to Safety Concerns
It was close, but the East Ramapo Central School District has a budget for the next school year. Based on the in-person, absentee, and early votes by mail, there were a total of 2,332 ballots cast, the unofficial results have 1,245 for the budget, and 1,082 against it, a difference of 163. There were 11-hundred fewer votes cast this time around compared to last month when the budget failed to pass in the financially-struggling school district. East Ramapo parents, meanwhile, rallied last night with representatives from the New York Civil Liberties Union after some summer programs were cancelled after asbestos was found in some school buildings. That’s according to News 12. This comes after reported lead contamination in some district water systems and the finding of mold at Spring Valley High School.
Feds Grant Final Approval to Temporarily-Shelved NYC Congestion Pricing Plan
The Federal Highway Administration gave final approval Friday to the MTA’s now on-hold congestion pricing plan. This, as groups on both sides are in court or threatening to be in court to either get the plan re-started or cancelled altogether. President and CEO of the Rockland Business Association, Al Samuels, told “The Morning Show” Friday that 64 percent of New Yorkers are against the plan, but he’s not sure whether the governor’s decision to stall it was political or not…
Whether it is political or not, Rockland County Executive Ed Day prefers to see it shelved entirely, because Rockland commuters have too few, reliable public transit options…
Congestion pricing became state law five years ago, and it had been scheduled to begin June 30th. Governor Kathy Hochul’s “indefinite pause” leaves a $15 billion hole in the MTA’s Capital Program. Under the plan, cars would be hit with a $15 toll when they drive below 60th Street into the so-called Congestion Relief Zone during peak hours. Officials projected it would eliminate 100,000 vehicles from entering the zone each day, resulting in less traffic and cleaner air in the city, and help finance maintenance and new projects for the MTA.
East Ramapo School District Voters Try a Second Time to Pass Budget Tuesday
Voters in the East Ramapo school district tomorrow will go to the polls again to try to get a budget in place for the upcoming school year. After the last budget plan was turned down by residents last month, the board came back with a new $331.9 million spending plan that increases taxes one percent instead of two percent. Assemblyman John McGowan of the 97th district, covering Orangetown and portions of Ramapo, says a state-run fiscal control board isn’t the best option…
The state fiscal control board bill introduced last month by Rockland Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski ended the legislative session without a Senate sponsor. Meanwhile, the Senate has its own bill, but it ended the session stuck in the Rules committee. The polls in each Ward are open from 7am to 9:30pm tomorrow for in-person voting.
Rockland Assemblyman Prepares to be Called Back to Capital to Deal with Congestion Pricing
State lawmakers could be called back to Albany for various pieces of unfinished business, and at least one Rockland Assemblyman has a bag packed and at the ready if called. Assemblyman John McGowan of the 97th district, covering Orangetown and portions of Ramapo, says legislative leaders are trying to come up with alternatives for the now on-hold congestion pricing plan…
McGowan says alternatives to get the money that’s been lost, now that the congestion pricing plan has been temporarily shelved, include an MTA payroll tax or adding a new tax to businesses in Manhattan.