Dear Readers:
In a story in last weeks Journal News a young lady, attending high school in Burlington, Conn. writing and e-mailing to her classmates a criticism of her school officials off campus, meaning not on school grounds, about a decision canceling a popular event was denied her elected seat on the student council by those school officials because of those criticisms. She sued. She lost as a federal judge ruled that the school administrators did not violate her rights to free speech and equal protection. He ruled that off-campus speech can become on-campus speech with the click of a mouse and therefore school administrators could not be held accountable as they could not predict where the line between off-campus and on-campus will be drawn.
Apparently all these college graduates(administrators and judges) cannot see what any high school graduate can, and that is if you are not physically on-campus you must therefore be off-campus. Actually what you are seeing is a federal judge extending the reach of a governing body to stifle speech. What he is ruling is that if you as a student talk to other students via e-mail even from your home, you are considered on-campus and thus can be silenced. In this post-Clinton era where the word "is" can be ambiguous, so can the term "off-campus".
A federal judge must adhere to the constitution of the United States. That constitution places limits on the government in regards to speech. It purposely limited the governments ability to silence criticism. This ruling does the opposite, it expands governments ability to silence dissent. Even though this happened in Connecticut, as it is a federal case, it now can be used to silence student criticism in New York, which like Connecticut is a blue state. One thing all blue states have in common is that the only speech protected is the ruling parties, any dissent must be silenced by any means possible.
From our new president trying to discredit as recently as Friday radio host Rush Limbaugh, to congress' desire to enact the proposed "fairness doctrine" to silence talk radio, you are seeing a new push to silence dissent. Now I know that many of you would like to see right-wing radio silenced, however if you allow the government to do that, then your right to dissent will be in serious jeopardy. The first step to tyranny is the silencing of the people's right to disagree. If you cannot see that, then we as a free people are truly in trouble.
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A MESSAGE TO THE GRADUATING CLASS LAKELAND '73 & '74
Holiday Inn, Rt. 9, Fishkill, NY #845-896-6281
Saturday – August 1, 2009
DJ, Dancing/Open bar, hors d’oeuvres/Dinner
$75.00/person 7-12p.m.
Call and make your room reservations now $109 /night –
a block of rooms is currently being held.
Don’t drink and drive – enjoy the night. Hotel lounge available for more drinks & dancing after the reunion ballroom is closed. Relax and have fun the entire night – sleep well and on Sunday enjoy your classmates poolside to continue renewed friendships!!! A private gazebo building and other hotel amenities are available.
Class 74 : R.S.V.P to Phil by July 10, 2009. # 845-227-9172 Make checks out to : “ L.H.S.C.R.” Mail check to Phil Bisesto 46 Leo Lane, Poughquag, NY 12570 (If you have any contacts with LHS alum please forward info to Carol Stein …carol.stein@ae.ge.com or 610 Old Swann Point Ave. Rocky Point, NC 28457, 910-602-3433)
Class 73: R.S.V.P. to Linda Boniello Larsson by July 10, 2009 # 914-739-5917 Make checks out to : “Linda Larsson” and mail to 234 Lafayette Avenue, Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567. Questions: leapinlinda001@aol.com
PLEASE RETURN BELOW TO UPDATE YOUR H.S. INFORMATION:
Marital Status: ________ Spouse or Significant other’s name: ___________ # yrs. Relationship: ________
Email address: ___________________________ Home phone # ___________________________
Current ages of children and names: _____________________________________________________________
Your current interests/hobbies: __________________________________________________________________
Current occupation : _____________________________ Significant other occupation: ______________________
Comments to share that you have enjoyed since graduation: ___________________________________________
Tourism info: www.dutchesstourism.com Class info reply to : Carol email: carol.stein@ae.ge.com
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AN OBITUARY:
Sad Passing of a Famous Legend
Please join me in remembering a great icon of the
entertainment community. The Pillsbury Doughboy died
yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from
repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71.
Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of
celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs.
Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty
Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The grave
site was piled high with flours.
Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described
Doughboy as a man who never knew how
much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business,
but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not
considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on
half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times,
he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive
roll model for millions.
Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children:
John Dough, Jane Dough and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in
the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop
Tart.
The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.
P.S.: If this made you smile for even a brief second, please rise
to the occasion and take time to pass it on and share that
smile with someone else who may be having a crumby day and
kneads a lift.
*************************************************************************************A MESSAGE FROM ROB ASTORINO:
Re: New Direction for Westchester:
Dear Friend,
Please mark November 3, 2009 in your calendar. That will be the day when Westchester begins its turnaround. Because on November 3rd I plan to be elected Westchester County Executive, bringing with me into office a reform administration with an entirely new approach to the challenges we face. I don’t pretend to have all the answers. But I know the right questions to ask. And that is what will make all the difference.
For example, I want to know why our county government is so large. I want to know why we are providing services that easily could be provided by state or local governments. I want to know how we let property taxes get so out of control. And why patronage has gone unchecked.
I want to know why a county government is running an amusement park (which loses millions each year); why we don’t get our fair share of school funding from the state. I want to know why money hasn’t been set aside for a new Tappan Zee Bridge—and why the county refuses to participate in Indian Point evacuation drills!
These are the questions I will ask when I am elected County Executive. And I won’t stop asking them until I get answers and solutions. They will be the constant focus of my administration. Somewhere along the line these questions stopped being asked by the current administration. And when the questions stopped, stasis set in. Some of our government leaders forgot they were in office to serve the people, not themselves. County and state government have badly damaged the Westchester community in recent years. We have suffered long enough from wasteful, multi-layered, self-serving government. We can afford it no longer.
In 2005, I ran for County Executive and got well over 40% of the vote. This year I’m going to win. I don’t say that out of bravado. I say it because our mission to lower taxes, cut government waste and bring honest, open government back to this county is the right one for the people of Westchester. As long as we can communicate those ideals, we will be successful.
For that I will need your help. Running a campaign of this magnitude will take money. And as much as I dislike asking for it, I dislike more the direction in which our county has been moving. I need to do something about it. With your help, we can bring accountability back to Westchester. We can bring 21st Century efficiencies to a government that has grown tired and lackadaisical. Westchester is a beautiful place to live, raise a family and conduct business. It deserves better than it’s gotten in recent years. Westchester deserves accountability in its government.
I am enormously grateful for whatever support you can provide this effort to turn our county around. A contribution of $1,000, $500, $250, $50—or whatever you can afford—would be appreciated and put to good use. (The maximum individual contribution is $33,875.)
You can make a secure donation here or mail a check to:
Friends of Rob Astorino
P.O. Box 64
Thornwood, N.Y. 10594
I plan to make a formal announcement of my candidacy in the coming weeks and I will be sure to keep you apprised of it. In the meantime, if you have any questions, or if I can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to be in touch. I can be reached by email at rob@robastorino.com or by telephone at (914) 949-3020.
I cannot thank you enough for your friendship and support!
Sincerely,
Rob Astorino
P.S. Change is coming to Westchester. Thanks for being part of it!
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A MESSAGE FROM WILLIAM GOULDMAN:
RE: FROM ALBANY INC.:
The Coddled Sector
New York’s exorbitant spending and heaviest-in-the-nation taxes prop up one of the largest and costliest public payrolls in the U.S. New York ranked eighth in state and local government jobs per capita, 14 percent above the national average, according to 2001 Census Bureau data.Labor Department figures show that, for every 1,000 residents, New York has 71 state and local government employees, compared with California’s 61.
With about 6.5 percent of the nation’s population, New York employs about 7.5 percent of the nation’s government workers—who together are paid 9 percent of the nation’s total spending on government payrolls. All told, 70 percent of New York’s government workers are unionized—the most in the nation. Thanks to union power fortified by long-established collective bargaining rights, state government workers in the Empire State are the nation’s third-highest paid, earning about 18 percent more than the national average.
The difference between New York and other states is so dramatic that New York’s state and local taxes could be reduced by $14 billion a year if its public-sector workforce matched the national average—even if those workers earned slightly more than the national average.
Not only do New York’s government workers earn more than their counterparts in other states; they often earn more than the people who pay their salaries. The hourly earnings of the New York metro region’s private-sector workers average 15 percent less than what is earned by New York City employees, the Citizens’ Budget Commission has reported. This, the CBC notes, “undermines the long-standing myth that the public sector must provide unusually generous fringe benefits packages in order to compensate for higher private-sector salaries.”
Those fringe benefits—notably, health insurance and pensions—remain lavish compared with the typical private-sector worker’s. Consider New York City’s Transit Workers Union: after only 25 years on the job, TWU members can retire at age 55 at half salary—with cost-of-living adjustments. When the MTA tried to rein in these unsustainable pension costs in contract negotiations in late 2005—preposterously, the union wanted the retirement age lowered to 50—the TWU walked off the job in an illegal strike.
Taxpayer-financed public-pension contributions soared by over $3 billion from 2000 through 2004, and the increases continued in 2005. In New York City, the rise in pension costs from 2002 through 2004 was steep enough to consume every single dollar raised by Mayor Bloomberg’s record $1.8 billion property-tax increase.
Upstate taxpayers alone pay up to $6 billion a year more than taxpayers pay in a state with an average tax burden, such as Ohio. About two-thirds of that excess is attributable to excess spending on government payrolls. Of course, the state’s added tax burden soars even higher when high-tax downstate precincts like New York City, Long Island, and Westchester and Rockland Counties are considered.
To understand how bloated New York’s taxpayer-funded government sector is, compare two dissimilar areas: Buffalo-Niagara in western New York; and the Albany region. New York’s capital region has long been immune from the economic ups and downs afflicting the rest of the state, because it is home to one of the largest and bestpaid government workforces in the world. In the 14-year period ending in 2004, the Albany-Schenectady-Troy region enjoyed a payroll–job growth rate of 8.3 percent, far above the upstate average of 3.8 percent and the anemic statewide average of 2.9 percent. (The nation’s job-growth rate during the same period was 20.1 percent.) Buffalo-Niagara, in contrast, actually lost jobs during the same 14-year period, when it posted a job-growth rate of -0.1 percent.
“"Each year, unions spend millions on lobbying, political campaigns, and ad campaigns to sustain their privileges." Public-employee unions invest plenty of time, energy, and money to remain plump and happyduring private-sector hardships. These powerful public-employee unions spend millions each year on lobbying, political campaigns, and ad campaigns to sustain their unique privileges.
They are aided by state laws that effectively prevent state and local governments from reining in labor costs. Perhaps the most notorious of these is the “Triborough Amendment” to the Taylor Law, which gives negotiating advantages to New York public-employee unions that unions in other states don’t have. Under the amendment’s provisions, elements of existing labor contracts—annual pay increments, for instance—remain in force even after the contracts expire. Teachers and other government workers have little incentive to grant concessions in contract negotiations with school districts and municipalities, because their previously negotiated gains automatically remain in force. So, for example, public-sector workers typically have much better health-insurance benefits than their private-sector counterparts, since these benefits were awarded when health insurance cost less, and it’s now virtually impossible, thanks to Triborough, to get public-sector unions to make concessions to put these costs in line with the private sector’s. In the lead-up to their illegal December strike, for example, the TWU was outraged to be asked to contribute 1 percent of their salaries to their health-care plans, whereas private-sector workers typically pay between 10 and 20 percent of their health-insurance premiums, far more than 1 percent of the average TWU salary. The free ride for municipal employees has gone on long enough.
Union-Friendly LawsAcross the nation, union membership and influence have been dwindling steadily for years, but New York’s unions still benefit from state laws that directly or indirectly inflate taxpayer spending on government employees and construction projects. In addition to the Triborough Amendment to the state’s Taylor Law, New York inflates its taxes and costs with various shortsighted requirements:
The state’s antiquated Wicks Law requires at least four separate contractors on most construction and building-renovation projects. This makes it impossible for taxpayers to enjoy the cost savings and efficiencies that most private-sector projects realize from use of a general contractor. State laws and regulatory practices generally require schools and municipalities to pay “prevailing wages”—that is, union-level wages that, for construction jobs, are almost universally higher than those of nonunion workers. Many states have prevailing-wage practices; one national study ranked New York’s prevailing-wage requirements the second most burdensome among 31 states studied. Highway contractors say that they are forced by outdated contract rules to pay for union jobs made obsolete by modern equipment. This featherbedding is likely to continue, since 29 percent of New York’s construction jobs are unionized, compared with only 9 percent nationwide.All told, the Wicks Law and other mandates drive up construction and related costs for local governments and schools by over $1 billion a year. But state legislators reject strong annual appeals to repeal or reform the law because subcontractors and unions that benefit from it make substantial campaign contributions and provide get-out-the-vote workers for political campaigns.
So Albany, Inc. has done nothing to lighten the burden that these union-friendly laws impose on taxpayers. To the contrary, state officials have consistently acted to strengthen labor’s hand in organizing and contract negotiating, tightening their chokehold on taxpayers.
For example, with strong bipartisan support in the state legislature and enthusiastic support from Governor George Pataki, Albany passed a notorious union-friendly “labor neutrality” law in 2003. This union-driven legislation prevented employers who got state funds of any kind from saying anything about unions during organizing campaigns. A federal appeals court struck the law down in May 2005, but union leaders vowed to continue their quest for a law to gag employers. Small wonder this is such a high priority for them: after all, while public employees are forcibly compelled to pay union dues whether they like it or not, private-sector workers tend to turn thumbs down when they are informed of potential disadvantages of union membership.
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A MESSAGE FROM PATTY V.:
January 9, 2009
VIA FAX & REGULAR MAIL 518-474-8219
Hon. Andrew Cuomo, Attorney General, State of NY
Office of the Attorney General
The Capitol
Albany, NY 12223-0341
Re: Peekskill Business Improvement District (BID)
Request for investigation
Dear Mr. Cuomo:
I am a small business owner and commercial tenant in the Peekskill Business Improvement District. I am writing to urgently request that your office do an investigation and a forensic audit of the Peekskill BID, with a view towards compelling its Board of Directors to comply with the City and State laws that govern its operations. It has become necessary to ask for outside intervention since current and past City officials, including the Corporation Counsel, have exercised little if any oversight over the BID Board. They have given the BID Board of Directors free rein to operate outside the law, and the power to tax and spend our money with no accountability to anyone, including the taxpayers whose interests they are supposed to represent.
Background. The Peekskill Business Improvement District (BID) was established in 1996 under the NY Not-for-Profit Law and pursuant to Article 19-A of the General Municipal Law, to “manage activities that will promote and improve the Central Business District of the City of Peekskill.” “The BID has as its mission the development of programs that promote design and preservation, economic development, and that promote the business opportunities afforded by downtown.” (Article I of the BID Bylaws). The BID’s annual budget is $100,000 and it receives other funding through NY State grants, contributions and events. Since 1996, the BID has received over $1.2 million dollars of taxpayer money from property owners in the District plus hundreds of thousands in grants.
Financial Gain. Article I of the BID Bylaws states, “The corporation is not formed for pecuniary profit or financial gain, and no part of the assets, income or profit thereof shall be distributable to, or inure to the direct benefit of its directors or officers.” The Board of Directors has strayed far afield from these principles and has used the BID as a cash cow to obtain salaries, grants and other perks for themselves, their families and their own businesses. Thousands of dollars are spent on renovations, events and projects for the Divisions St. corridor where the Directors have their establishments, while little if anything is done for the rest of the District where the majority of property owners and stakeholders reside. Despite numerous requests by members for a cost/benefit analysis to justify these expenditures, the Board has refused to do so, and the Chairman stated that he will continue to “ignore” these questions. City officials, by their silence, have condoned this unconscionable behavior and possibly illegal spending practices.
Conflict of Interest. In 2007 and 2008, more than half the BID budget went to the former Executive Director and his other family members, one of whom still sits on the Board of Directors despite the provisions of the Bylaws, Peekskill’s Code of Ethics and the State’s Public Officers Law. The current President/ Chairman of the Board, is a principal of River Towns Realty, one of the biggest real estate firms in Peekskill, that represents most of the commercial properties and artists’ lofts that are bought and sold in the City. By virtue of his position on the Board, he like the other Directors, is privy to confidential “insider” information about grants, City projects, BID projects and the like that could conceivably “further his personal interest.” [Art. I- Code of Ethics, Sect. 48-3 (B)] It appears that this too may be a conflict, but since the City officials will take no position on this matter, we again seek your counsel to determine the legality of this situation..
Custody and Control of municipal Funds. Article 19-A of the GML governs the operation and financing of the BID. Section 980-I (a) provides that these funds may be paid out for district purposes “in accordance with the general procedures for payment of other municipal expenditures.” and (b) All contracts for improvements, goods or services to be provided in the district shall be subject to all applicable provisions of the law relating to the letting of contracts by the municipality.” According to the state Comptroller’s office, this includes “competitive bidding and audit of claims procedures. Accordingly, the municipality, and not the district management association, has custody and control of, and directly expends district charges.” [emphasis added} Such is not the case in Peekskill, however, where the Directors have been allowed to make decisions on budgets and expenditures without a vote of the their own board or members, and without input from the Comptroller.
More than half the BID budget goes to salaries for people who have no regular hours, no supervision or set location to perform their jobs, and who have no work product to speak of. Through the records that I obtained through FOIL, I discovered that BID employees submit vouchers that are paid without proof of where they worked, whether or not they actually performed their jobs, or the hours claimed on the invoices submitted. The BID website also contains the “BID Budget” that lists monthly revenue and expenses; however, upon information and belief, the items listed under “expenses” do not reflect the actual transactions that are contained in the financial records I have obtained through FOIL.
FOIL. The records of the Peekskill BID, although subject to FOIL, are not accessible to BID members or the public. The Board of Directors ignores document requests and refers them to the Corporation Counsel who imposes a 20 day waiting period to provide even the most mundane records that should be readily available to anyone. The process by which money is allocated to be spent is not transparent nor subject to review by BID members. The Board of Directors will not comply with requests for the even the most basic information such as copies of the Bylaws or a list of members and budget details. In order to obtain virtually ANY public records of the BID, we are required to file a FOIL request with the Comptroller and Corporation Counsel who have on occasion denied access to records, claiming that they don’t have the information. It was only after Mr. Robert Freeman of the Committee on Open Government gave his opinion that the information had to be supplied, that I was able to obtain the records I sought. However, in many cases the information that was supplied was either incorrect or incomplete and new FOIL requests (with 20 day waiting periods) had to be made, a situation that exists to the present day.
Conclusion. Given the economic crisis that has hit New York and the crunch that taxpayers and small business owners are feeling, it is outrageous that the BID taxing authority can extract money from us with no transparency, accountability or regard for the law. In many instances we are paying for duplicative services that are provided by the City through other agencies such as the Planning and Economic Development departments. I sincerely hope that your office will assist the taxpayers of the District by compelling the BID Board of Directors to comply with the appropriate laws that govern its actions.
Thank you for your cooperation and attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Patty Villanova, owner Side Effects/ NY, Peekskill
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Bazzo:
Here's some more info on the BID elections As you know, I am running for a seat on the Board. For the third time! Something has to be done about the BID-- it is a complete waste of taxpayers' money and should have been abolished 2 years ago. This is a perfect example of unnecessary duplication of services.
BTW- I loved your column in this week's NCN.
Patty V.
------------
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I thought by now that the election for the commercial tenant's seat on the BID Board was finally on track as the new ballots were apparently sent out by Chairman Lippolis on January 13, 2009. Unfortunately, I was wrong-- it seems as though there is a major problem with the date that the ballots are supposed to be returned to the City Clerk's office to be counted.
The Chairman's letter dated January 13, 2009 advises us to "cast your ballot and return to the City Clerk's Office no later than the close of business January 26, 2009." The BID website lists the Annual Meeting and the fact that new ballots were mailed out the weekof Jan. 13, 2009. It states "Ballots must be returned on the designated date." (presumably January 26th).
Here's the problem: Two legal notices have appeared in the Journal News and the North County News regarding the BID's Annual Meeting and the election. Both legal notices are the same and state in pertinent part: "Completed Ballots must be returned by Close of Business, January 23, 2009 to be counted in final tally." The legal notice that was in the NCN is in the edition dated January 21, 2009. The Journal News has the notice in today's paper which is dated Saturday, January 24, 2009. Besides the fact that the date is different than the one that is on the actual ballot, THERE IS NO MENTION OF WHERE TO RETURN THE BALLOTS ON JANUARY 23, 2009. All it says in the notice at the end is "Contact Peekskill BID at 914-737-2780. Peekskill BID 16 South Division St. Peekskill, NY 10566."
This very simple election process began last November and should have been over and done with by the second week of December. Instead, it's now almost February and there is a serious question as to the correct date the ballots will be accepted. The BID Bylaws provide for an Election Committee made up of the "three statutory members of the Board of Directors of the Association." In this case we were told that the Committee members are Joe Schuder, Howard Wessells and Jean Friedman. The Bylaws also state that "The Election Committee shall conduct the annual election......" so I don't understand how Chairman Lippolis, who himself is running for election, was allowed to actually be in charge of printing and distributing the ballots including those for his own election. If the members of the Election Committee were unwilling or unable to perform their duties, then another Committee should have been appointed to be responsible for running the election.
I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT IF SOMEONE IN AUTHORITY COULD CLARIFY WHAT IS THE CORRECT DATE FOR THE BALLOTS TO BE ACCEPTED IN ORDER TO BE COUNTED AND CONSIDERED VALID. IS IT JANUARY 23RD OR JANUARY 26TH? PLEASE ADVISE WHEN AND WHERE THE BALLOTS WILL BE COUNTED, PRESUMABLY ON MONDAY, JANUARY 26TH.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Patty Villanova
Still a candidate for BID Board of Directors, Commercial Tenant Seat
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A MESSAGE FROM ANDY POLAY:
Hello All,
I am pleased to announce our next show. We'll be playing at the Bean Runner in Peekskill on Friday, 01/30, at 7:00PM.
After playing opening night at this cool little slice of Soho, I look forward to doing it again. For those of you that attended, you saw the birth of a great place to meet people, enjoy the food, and the music. This time, we will provide you with a special musical experience, as I play a duet with Mr. Rahn Burton on the magical keys. On that evening, we will include a tribute to Herbie Hancock that I am very excited about. Of course, we will also play some of our fav's as we represent the music of Miles, Monk, Cannonball, Brubeck and original material.
I hope to see you there as we share jazz in this intimate setting.
As always, I respect your right to privacy and although I hope you are interested in my music, will understand if you want to be taken off this mailing list. If you would like to be taken off this list, please just let me know by replying to my email.
Thank you very much for your support and hope to see you at the shows!
Andy
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLMAN GREG BALL:
Gary Berntsen, Decorated 23 Year CIA Chief
Berntsen served as the Commander of all CIA forces in Eastern Afghanistan...
...and led the agency’s Jawbreaker team in Tora Bora.
FRONTLINE Interview: www.GballEvents.com
What: Dinner & Speech by Bernsten, Followed by Q&A Period & Book Signing:
When: February 12, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Where: Travelers Rest
http://www.gballevents.com
Rsvp: gball@ball4ny.com
Gary Berntsen is a decorated former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) career officer who served in the Directorate of Operations between October 1982 and June 2005. During his time at the CIA, he served as a CIA Station Chief on three separate occasions and led several of CIA’s most important counterterrorism deployments including the United States’ response to the East Africa Embassy bombings and the 9/11 attacks. He was awarded the Distinguished Intelligence Medal in 2000 and the Intelligence Star in 2004.
FRONTLINE Interview: http://www.gballevents.com
In December 2001, Berntsen served as the Commander of all CIA forces in Eastern Afghanistan and led the agency’s Jawbreaker team in Tora Bora. In his 2005 book, Jawbreaker, he alleges that Osama bin Laden could have been captured at Tora Bora if the US military (specifically United States Central Command) had devoted more resources to the operation.
In July 2005, Berntsen took the CIA to court alleging that they were violating his First Amendment rights and the Administrative Procedure Act by taking longer than the allowed 30 days to approve his Jawbreaker manuscript for publication. This delay caused him to miss the June 17 deadline for handing over the manuscript to his publisher and caused the book to miss its original October publication date.
From June 2007 to June 2008, Berntsen returned to Afghanistan as a civilian advisor on IED networks for Regional Command East (RC-East), within NATO-led ISAF.
Gary released his first piece of fiction in August 2008. The book is titled The Walk-In and tells the story of an American CIA case officer dealing with an Iranian defector from the Quds Force. The defector claims that a catastrophic attack is imminent and the American case officer must decide what to believe.
In November 2008, Berntsen published Human Intelligence, Counterterrorism, and National Leadership: A Pratical Guide. This book was written to serve as a manual for the incoming president and White House staff and includes highly specific recommendations and policy prescriptions for human intellgience and counterterrorism operations.
FRONTLINE Interview: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/darkside/interviews/berntsen.html
This event is being hosted by
GOPAC-NY and New Yorkers on the Ball
www.GoHudBlogs.com
www.GballEvents.com
www.Ball4NY.com
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A MESSAGE FROM GOPAC:
Change coming to Yorktown
Written by Christopher Arnold
Tuesday, 20 January 2009 10:08
Flanked by members of the Yorktown Republican Town Committee, Yorktown GOP Chairwoman Serafina Mastro and Westchester GOP Chairman Doug Colety promised a new beginning for Republicans in Yorktown this evening.
At a press conference outside Yorktown Town Hall, Mastro stated that the rebirth of the local Republican Party would begin with an open candidate interview and selection process, amongst the first of its kind in the county, to attract qualified candidates.
“With the swearing in of the first African-American President today, we are witnessing history,” Mastro said. “In Yorktown, our committee wants to make history of its own by bringing change to town government, for the promise of a better future. This begins with a selection process, to recruit dedicated candidates who will represent the diverse groups within the town.”
Mastro envisioned a local committee that would bring together Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and Conservatives to solve the serious challenges the town faces.
“Local government is not about partisan ideology,” Mastro said. “It is about having wisdom, thoughtfulness and restraint. The Republican Party is alive and well here in Yorktown, and we are serious about fiscal responsibility.”
Mastro later announced a series of public committee meetings, where all residents will be able to discuss their positions on important local issues, and hear from guest speakers including candidates, elected officials, and community leaders.
Colety, who has led efforts countywide to recruit candidates who espouse Republican principles, such as fiscal conservatism and smaller government, commended Mastro on the candidate search.
“The selection of qualified and capable candidates to run for office is a key component to rebuilding the Republican Party in Westchester County from the grassroots,” Colety declared.
Those interested in attending meetings of the Yorktown Republican Town Committee or running for office in Yorktown should contact the Yorktown Republican Town Committee at (914) 497 7460.
*****************
Andy,
Exciting new website, blogs:
Jim Coleman, Chairman of GOPAC-NY, has announced the launch of gohudblogs.com, a website dedicated to promoting "spin-free" news and opinion, with commentary and insight from Republican party members dedicated to rebuilding the party.
Http://gohudblogs.com
Check it out!
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MY LATEST GOPAC POST:
A PARTY OF IDEAS
by Anthony Bazzo on Jan.24, 2009, under Blogs
Dear Readers:
Mike Edelman has written an interesting post “What The Republican Party Needs To Do”. Simply said, The Republicans should no longer be about ideas in order to win elections, but instead should just be about winning elections. It should appeal to “hyphenated New Yorkers” instead of having a set of principals and then convince all New Yorkers that their ideas are better. Republicans have lost local, county, state and federal elections by trying to be Democrat-lite.
Instead of saying that the premise of Democrat arguments are incorrect, they accept the premises and then try to out Democrat a Democrat. Republicans accept the premise of “man-made global warming”, but say we will take less rights and money then the Democrats. What the Republicans should be arguing is their premise is a crock being used to remove freedoms, separate you from your money and grow government. There are enough credible scientists making this argument, Republicans need to do research.
Instead of accepting the premise of “a right to health care”, Republicans should be showing who it is without health care and why. They should be showing how tax and regulation in New York have driven up the cost of heath care in a effort to make people demand state run health care. Republicans should be showing how having the “Cadillac” of medicaid programs drive up the cost of health care for all of us. They should be showing how limiting who can sell health insurance in New York, removing competitive pricing dives up the cost of health care. They should be showing how the hidden taxing of hospitals and health insurance premiums drive up the cost of health care. They should be arguing that removing certain mandates and lowering taxes will lower the cost of health care an make it affordable again.
Instead of accepting the premise that public worker healthcare and benefits which are the major reason we are heading into bankruptcy because they are protected by the state constitution, should be arguing for a constitutional amendment to remove those unaffordable protections and bring those costs more in line to what the taxpayer can afford.
You get the idea. Stop arguing on Democrat terms and make them argue on Republican terms. The quest for power without principled positions is what has gotten this state into this mess. Republicans are just as guilty as Democrats. The problem lies in the fact that Democrats do not rely on principals, they rely on pander. Mr Edelman proposes that Republicans adopt the same play book. In the Senate they did, and have now lost their last base of power.
I do agree however with Mr. Edleman’s suggestion about stopping cross endorsements. Each party should run their own slate of candidates. The Working Families Party did that and eliminated the liberal party. Let the slate with the best candidates win. How ever, I believe it will be the Republican Party that loses if they stay on their present course of trying to stand for what people will fall for by being “Republicrats”. When a leading elected Republican, State Senator Leibell spends over $70,000.00 to help an endorsed Democrat defeat another Republican, Assemblyman Greg Ball, that is a recipe for defeat.
Twice Assemblyman Ball has fought his own party and a Democrat election tsunami to win his elections. The Republicans should study his play book on how to win elections. It works! He did not try to be Democrat- lite. Money and the arena of ideas are where elections are won. The Republican Party should again become what it once was, the party of ideas.
BAZZO 01/25/09
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A MESSAGE FROM YORKTOWN COUNCILMAN NICK BIANCO:
RE: THE UPDATED BRENNAN CENTER REPORT ON OUR STATE LEGISLATURE:
RE: "IT'S STILL BROKEN"
Go to www.brennancenter.org
Look for the NYS report and download.
Nick Bianco
*************************************************************************************
A MESSAGE FROM DOMENIC VOLPE:
RE: CABLE T.V. SHOW UPDATE:
The Volpe Report is pleased to announce that the special guest for January is Kathleen Fitzpatrick- the managing editor for the North County News. Listen to Kathleen as she speaks of the road that led her to the NCNews staff and the workings and pressure of deadlines, judgement calls, and articles that make the weekly paper so popular is the area.
The dates and times are as follows:
Yorktown/Putnam Valley Channel 74 Wednesday @ 6:00pm December 31, January 7, 14, 21 and 28
Peekskill/Cortlandt Channel 15 Thursday @ 8:00pm January 8, 15, 22 and 29
*************************************************************************************
THIS WEEKS "IN MY OPINION COLUMN" IN THE NCN:
Dear Readers:
This week I discuss "The MInd Of A Liberal".You can read my column on this topic exclusively on line(see link below)or in this weeks NORTH COUNTY NEWS on sale now. I am worth the seventy-five cents. Look for my column IN MY OPINION(page 10) in the editorial section. Better yet as this column is exclusive to the North County News on a regular basis and will be covering the local political scene, take out a subscription. Click on the North County News link below and go to Subscribe. Between this blog and The North County News you will have all the information to make a vote based on substance.
************************************************************************
FYI:ATOM TAXI INC. AIRPORT SERVICE:
Dear Readers:
This gives me a chance to plug my business ATOM TAXI INC. As you are planning your holiday or business or vacation travel? Instead of the headache of trying to find Airport parking, we do Airport Service to The Westchester County Airport(and ALL other airports) 24/7. Just call 1(914)879-6121 and my partner Tommy, will be glad to take you in our Airport Taxi. You will also be provided with a free copy of your local paper of record The North County News. If this is a business trip we also provide a professional receipt, just tell Tommy at the time of booking. The cost of a one-way trip to LaGuardia Airport the cost is Ninety dollars plus tolls. The cost to JFK and Newark Airports is one hundred-twenty-five dollars plus tolls. The tolls are $10.00 Westchester County Airport and Stewart cost $75.00. We do not take credit cards, sorry.
************************************************************************************
E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS:
Dear Readers:
It has come to my attention the difficulty in posting a comment on this blog. If you wish to comment, e-mail me at the link posted below, putting "Manifesto Reader" in the subject matter, and I will "cut and Paste" your comments myself. If you DO NOT wish your comments posted, but just wish to communicate with me, please make your wishes known in the e-mail.
LINKS: atom_taxi@yahoo.com(as this a yahoo address make sure you put an underscore (-) between atom and taxi)
For immediate reply: atomtaxi@aol.com
***********************************************************************************
SITES TO LINK TO:
JOHN G. TESTA: www.johngtesta.com
ON TOPIC W/ JOHN TESTA: www.ontopicwithjt.com
CARS & US: www.doverracing.com
THE WINERY AT ST. GEORGE: http://www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
PLAN PUTNAM: planputnam@googlegroups.com/
PEEKSKILL GUARDIAN: "http://peekskillguardian.blogspot.com/
NORTH COUNTY NEWS:"http://northcountynews.com/
THE JOURNAL NEWS:http://thejournalnews.com/
PEEKSKILL DEMOCRATS:http://www.peekskilldems.com/"
PEEKSKILLREPUBLICANS:http://peekskillgop.com/
YORKTOWN SUPERVISOR DON PETERS: http://www.donpetersforyorktown.com/
PUTNAM VALLEY SUPERVISOR BOB TENDY:http://www.bobtendyforsupervisor.com/
THE PEEKSILL NEWS:http://thepeekskillnews.blogspot.com/
CORTLANDT MANOR CIVIC ASSOCIATION: www.cortlandtcivic.com
GOPAC: gohudblogs.com
***********************************************************************************
CABLE SHOWS TO WATCH
ON POINT ON PEEKSKILL: Every Tuesday at 8PM channel 15 (Peekskill only)
Hosted by:DARREN RIGGER
DON PETERS AND YORKTOWN: Various day and times on chanel 20(Ykt.only)
Hosted by: SUPERVISOR DON PETERS
YORKTOWN WATCHDOG: Every Friday at 9:30 PM & Wednesday at 4:30PM on channel 74
Hosted By: ED CIFFON
LEGISLATORS REPORT: Saturday and Sunday at various times on chanel 20
Hosted By: COUNCILMEN NICK BIANCO AND LOU CAMPISI
THE VOLPE REPORT: Thursadys at 8PM chanel 15 (Peek. and Cort.) chanel 74 at 6pm (York.& Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Domenic Volpe
THE ISSUES: Thursdays at 9:PM chanel 74 Peekskill Mondays at 8PM chanel 15
Hosted by; Sam Davis
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA: Thursdays at 9:30PM chanel 15 (Peekskill & Cortlant)
Tuesdays in Yorktown & Putnam Valley 9:30 chanel 74
Hosted by: John Testa
CARS & US: Fridays 10 PM chanel 15(Peek. & Cortlant) 74(York. & Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Dennis Tate
SPEAK OUT WITH SANDY GALEF: Yorktown chanel 74 Wednesdays at 7:30PM..Ossining/Peekskill chanel 15 Wednesdays at 8PM
Hosted by: Sandra Galef
DEAR SANDY: Yorktown chanel 74 Fridays 7:30PM...Ossining/Peeksill chanel 15 Fridays
9PM
Hosted by: Sandra Galef
**********************************************************************************
EDITOR'S NOTE:
All articles re-printed in this blog from the North County News are with the permission of Bruce Apar Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
01/25/09
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES
Dear Readers:
It's your fault. It's all your fault. The deficit the state faces is your fault, and boy, are you going to pay! How do I know it's your fault? The answer lies in the remedies proposed by Governor Patterson to address the deficit. The Long Island paper, Newsday was kind enough to publish the list of new and/or increased taxes, fee, and surcharges last December 17. I got into writing about local, county and state politics because I knew these governing entities affected your life more then the federal government. The problem is that in my conversations with people in general, I held a minority view. The re-election rate of our state legislators is 98%. The only way you have a different person is either through death, re-districting, a successful inter-party primary or more recently incarceration.
If you use a computer, cell phone or land line, you will now pay a sales tax. Never mind the 10 to 20% different fees you already pay to the state, they don't count. You pay your taxes, expect a $10.00 processing fee. If you pay your taxes in installments you will now be charged a fee. If like most people, you hire a tax preparer , expect to pay to pay more as they will now be charged a fee for doing so. Three different new fees just to pay your taxes.
You want to travel anywhere by auto it will cost more. First is an increase in gas taxes. Followed by increases in drivers licence's and car registrations, and to make sure you pay right away, they are going to issue new licence plates which you must purchase at a higher rate. Plus, if auto insurance is not high enough, an increase in the auto insurance surcharge is on the horizon. You don't own a car, not to fear, the state has a tax for you. There will be a sales tax on bus, taxi or car services. Let's not forget the MTA lurking around the corner fighting for a 3% surcharge on you state taxes, the MTA surcharges on you phone(cell and land line), cable and electric bill don't count either.
You want to live a healthier life, a sales tax on your fitness center will make that cost more. You want to look better, there will also be a new sales tax on your massage, facials, nail salons, and barbers. You want to eat, you will pay more because of the aforementioned increase in gas taxes and the highway use tax. Plus an increase in food processing and fishing fees will be passed on to you. You want to drink, a sugar tax(18%), and a nickel deposit on non-carbonated drinks. Recreation and relaxation are not left out either. There will be an increase in fees for parks and a sales tax on movie, theatre and ballpark tickets.
These taxes and more are not taxes on the rich. These taxes will not only be paid by Republicans, but by Democrats also. These taxes will be paid by you. Governor Patterson is right. It is your fault. You did not pay much attention to you state elections, voting party line and allowing yourself to be bought off with your own money via grants and other means. You paid more attention to the presidential election. Elections have consequences, and now you will pay.
Or maybe not. If you speak out, you have a chance to stop this. Demand that Medicaid coverage match that of California's or even Texas'. Those two are more populace states than ours with a greater percentage of poor people and their Medicaid plans are less costly than ours. For every dollar in decreased payments to our county, or local governments or school districts, eliminate the same amount in partially funded and un-funded mandates so our local costs don't rise to make up the difference. Do not increase welfare payments. Do not increase the age and income of eligibility for free child health care. Stop trolling for food stamp and section eight recipients. There are more, but these measure alone can make up the budget shortfall. This is not rocket science, and you can make a difference. E-mail Governor Patterson, State Senator Leibell, Assemblyman Greg Ball and Assemblywoman Sandra Galef. Make yourself heard. Remember what radio host Bob Grant says "your influence counts, use it!"
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A MESSAGE FROM WESTCHESTER COUNTY LEGILATOR OROS:
Today’s State Budget Woes Make Mom’s Common Sense so Relevant
Several times a year our home would be visited by a favorite uncle. He would spend the day, usually a Sunday, telling tales of the old country. Just before he left he’d reach into his wallet and hand me a crisp, brand new, five dollar bill. My eyes would light up and my mind would race with thoughts of how many sodas or how much candy I could buy. Mom however would take Abe Lincoln’s picture from me. On Monday morning she would take me and Abe to the bank, give Abe’s picture to the teller, and then show me the latest entry in the worn, dog eared savings passbook whose cover read “Anna T. Oros I.T.F. George Oros.”
Mom is gone now, but New York taxpayers could sure use her now in Albany.
This week another favorite uncle came calling, but not to my childhood New Jersey home. Uncle Sam came calling in Albany. According to Governor Paterson and Senator Schumer the new federal economic stimulus plan includes millions of Lincolns, Washingtons and Jacksons to the state’s coffers. It appears that the Governor, Speaker Silver and Majority Leader Smith want to use this money to plug the current state budget deficit. The Paterson, Silver, Smith. Schumer consortium want to use a one-time windfall from our Uncle to fix a problem that lately recurs in the family every year. You, my Mom and I know that doesn’t work.
Folks you need to know that New York State government spending increased about 400% over the last two decades. No, that is not a typo – government spending in Albany grew by 400%. While some politicians talk of tax caps and spending caps, no one seems to have the courage or the common sense my Mom had. Whether it’s five dollars from your favorite uncle or five billion dollars from Uncle Sam, it’s still a windfall and it still needs to go in the bank and not to the candy store or the soda shop. If New York took the step of constitutionally capping its spending growth a decade ago, the 2009-10 State budget would be about $68 billion (that is not chump change by the way). The result: instead of facing a $14 billion deficit this year, the state would have a $4.6 billion surplus. That is without any new taxes or fees and without watering down STAR. It’s the “Law of Holes”. When you are in a hole – stop digging.
The answer to the current fiscal mess in New York, and many other states, is not more spending, but less. Schumer admits this is short term funding from Uncle Sam. The new federal money will stop in two years. Senator Schumer’s plan is: “by then, we hope the economy will have recovered.” Shoot! I hope I win the lottery. But you do not run your home or a state on hope. Nevertheless, the Schumer-Paterson plan for economic recovery of the Empire State is: We hope the economy will recover! What a great economic plan, based on hope - not based on logic, economic principles or common sense. Obviously at some point the state’s economy will recover. It will recover because of the working people of our state and country, not because of tax and spend or borrow and spend politicians. Unless we act now, our children will live in or be forced to flee from a bankrupt New York State. Leaders need to think more of the long term, just like my Mom. She tucked my uncle’s greenback into my bank account to be used when it was truly needed.
You don’t need be an economist (just maybe a Mom raising a family) to know that chronic out of control spending habits are stupid. Runaway spending is a structural problem for New York State. New York spends millions more on Medicaid, education and health care than states with greater populations.
Let’s take Uncle Sam’s money and put it to good use: Let’s reduce the deficit and cut taxes not spend and spend. Let’s impose a Constitutional Spending Limit Amendment that limits spending to a percentage of CPI. This amendment would mandate that any revenue surplus be split among the taxpayers (after all it is their money) and a tax stabilization reserve fund not spent. That fund would be just like that worn dog-eared passbook my Mom kept in the top of her desk. Safe, secure and not touched unless truly needed.
By the way I know just the person who should supervise that Fund: maybe she can send down a little common sense from heaven.
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN GALEF:
Assemblywoman Sandy Galef Hosts Nassau County Exec Tom Suozzi to Discuss the Final Report from the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief
Tax Cap Continues to Be Primary Recommendation coupled with School Mandate Relief
(January 9, 2008) Assemblywoman Sandy Galef invites the public to attend a follow-up conversation with Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi about property tax relief on Thursday, January 22, 2009, 7-9pm at Croton Village Hall, Croton Municipal Building, 1 Van Wyck, Croton-on-Hudson. Suozzi is Chairman of the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief. The Commission was charged with finding the root causes of New York State’s very high and rapidly escalating property taxes, which are verging on unaffordable throughout the state, and recommending ways to reduce the burden of these taxes.
“The Commission was given a very challenging task,” says Galef. “They were extremely thorough, holding hearings and soliciting feedback throughout the state. I believe they are on target with their recommendations. Now, the hard work is getting support within the Legislature and from the public to move forward with these recommendations. I look forward to the public joining me at this forum for a lively discussion and to get a better understanding of the thinking behind the recommendations.”
In June, the Commission released preliminary findings, which recommended a property tax cap as the initial step the state needed to take to rein in taxes. Other recommendations included reducing or eliminating certain state mandates which impact schools, and a circuit breaker tax relief program to replace the NYS STAR Rebate Program. The final report focuses more on the need to offer mandate relief and details ways to reduce costs for Special Education. According to Suozzi, “Our school districts also need to reduce spending, but to do so the State must enact the historically difficult to achieve changes in state laws and mandates.”
There will be an opportunity for audience questions.
For more information and/or directions, contact the Assemblywoman’s office at (914) 941-1111 or e-mail Dana Levenberg at levenbergd@assembly.state.ny.us.
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A MESSAGE FROM THE YORKTOWN REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE:
Yorktown GOP recruiting candidates
Special announcement planned for inauguration day
The Yorktown Republican Town Committee will be holding a press conference at Town Hall immediately preceding the Town Board session on January 20. Yorktown GOP Chairwoman Serafina Mastro will make a special announcement regarding local Republican candidates in 2009.
As the days’ inauguration of President-elect Obama signifies a huge change for the nation, so too will the committee seek reform-minded citizens dedicated to bringing real change to the Town Board and County Legislature. Mastro will be joined by special guest Westchester County Chairman Doug Colety, who has led efforts county-wide to recruit candidates who stand up for the principles of Republicanism, that is, fiscal conservatism, smaller government and family values.
WHO:
Yorktown GOP Chairwoman Serafina Mastro
Yorktown GOP Vice-Chair Larry Cassidy
Yorktown GOP Treasurer Jean Marie Klaus
Yorktown GOP Secretary Mark Ianucci
Westchester GOP Chairman Doug Colety
Members of the Yorktown Republican Town Committee
WHAT: Special Announcement from the Yorktown Republican Town Committee
WHEN: January 20, 2009 at 7:15 p.m.
WHERE: Outside Yorktown Town Hall
363 Underhill Avenue, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
CONTACT: Chairwoman Serafina Mastro, (914) 497-7460
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WHAT'S HAPPENING AT TWELVE GRAPES: N.DIVISION STREET, PEEKSKILL:
Thu, Jan 22, 8:00-10:30
Greg Aulden (Acoustic)
Greg is a talented singer/songwriter. He has a huge and varied set list and a comedic, energetic performance style that is a hit with audiences. We're pleased to have Greg return to 12 Grapes and look forward to the laughter, tears and joy he brings to every performance.
www.myspace.com/auldenmusic **Free admission**
Fri, Jan 23, 9:30-12:30
Teri Lamar & New Company
Voted "Westchester's Friendliest Band" by "More Sugar!" Magazine. This band's style moves from Pop & Jazz to Motown and R&B. We're excited to have Teri Lamar and her band here for the first time. Get ready to party!
www.terilamar.com **Free admission**
Sat, Jan 24, 9:30-12:30
Carlos Colina and the Straight Up Blues Band
12 Grapes has waited months to host Carlos and his band! Their diverse song list is entertaining, sensitive and dynamic. The band has performed as a unit or individually with renowned artists such as Steve Guyger, Detroit Junior, Carl Weathersby, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Bob Margolin and many more. If heard this band, you know what a fun night it will be!
www.ccblues.com **Free admission**
UPCOMING EVENTS--MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Fri, Jan 30, 9:30 - 12:30, The Geoff Hartwell Band
Sat, Jan 31, 9:30 - 12:30, The Blues Buddha
Mon, Feb. 9, The Westchester Swing Band
Sat, Feb 14, VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL w/ Duchess Di & the Distractions
Our first nine months at 12 Grapes have been incredible. Thank you to our friends and patrons for all of your support. We look forward to more great times in 2009, including a big, one year Birthday Bash on April 3!
Please check 12grapes.com to view our calendar of events and photo gallery and see what's happening at 12 Grapes this week and in the weeks ahead.
Thank you for your patronage and friendship.
Sincerely,
Rich & Jeannie Credidio
12 Grapes Music & Wine Bar
12 North Division Street, Peekskill, NY
(914) 737-6624
12grapes.com
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYMAN GREG BALL:
BALL: HANNAH’S LAW GAINS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT
2009 Legislative Session Kicks Off with Ball’s Bill Gaining Steam in Both Houses
Assemblyman Greg Ball (R, C, I – Patterson) announced that his legislation to enact Hannah’s Law has gained the sponsorship of State Senator John Sampson (D –Senate District 19: Brooklyn) as well as bipartisan support in the Assembly. Named after the 4-year-old daughter of Yorktown residents, Michael and Jessie Devane, Hannah’s Law would ensure that feeding formulas for individuals with eosinophilic disorders are covered through health insurance plans.
“Thanks to the hard work of the Devane Family, this bill has gained a lot of support from both sides of the aisle and in both houses. This is such an important issue for so many families and I am thrilled that my colleagues in the State Legislature are signing on to support this bill. Hopefully, with their continued support, we can move this bill through the committee process and bring it to the floor of both chambers this year to be voted on,” said Ball, who is the author of the bill.
Jessie Devane, Hannah’s mother, stated, “We need to pass this bill into legislation because it will help many children have a fighting chance at this disease. It will allow parents the opportunity to relax and take care of their children instead of worrying about how they are going to pay for their child's treatment.”
Eosinophilic disorders are a series of relatively new chronic health disorders that are increasingly diagnosed in children and adults that are caused by an excessive amount of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell. The disorders result in the body’s immune system attacking food and drinks when they are consumed.
While some with eosinophilic disorders are able to find certain foods their bodies will tolerate, this has unfortunately not been Hannah’s case. However, unlike many other patients with this condition, Hannah is able to safely consume and digest a special feeding formula without needing a feeding tube. Her family’s health insurance company, however, does not cover the cost of the formula, which is currently costing her family around $2,500 per month, unless given through a feeding tube. Using a feeding tube would result in Hannah having to visit the hospital daily for the rest of her life.
To further advance this legislation, Ball is hosting a legislative lobby day in Albany on February 10. Organizations, groups, and concerned members of the public are invited to attend and should contact the Assemblyman’s District Office for more information. You can email his office at ballg@assembly.state.ny.us or call at (845) 279-5301.
************************************************************************************* A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYMAN GREG BALL:
RE: NEW WEB SITE:
Andy,
Exciting new website, blogs:
Jim Coleman, Chairman of GOPAC-NY, has announced the launch of gohudblogs.com, a website dedicated to promoting "spin-free" news and opinion, with commentary and insight from Republican party members dedicated to rebuilding the party.
Http://gohudblogs.com
Check it out!
*************************************************************************************
A MESSAGE FROM YORKTOWN COUNCILMAN NICK BIANCO:
RE: THE UPDATED BRENNAN CENTER REPORT ON OUR STATE LEGISLATURE:
RE: "IT'S STILL BROKEN"
Go to www.brennancenter.org
Look for the NYS report and download.
Nick Bianco
*************************************************************************************
A MESSAGE FROM DOMENIC VOLPE:
RE: CABLE T.V. SHOW UPDATE:
The Volpe Report is pleased to announce that the special guest for January is Kathleen Fitzpatrick- the managing editor for the North County News. Listen to Kathleen as she speaks of the road that led her to the NCNews staff and the workings and pressure of deadlines, judgement calls, and articles that make the weekly paper so popular is the area.
The dates and times are as follows:
Yorktown/Putnam Valley Channel 74 Wednesday @ 6:00pm December 31, January 7, 14, 21 and 28
Peekskill/Cortlandt Channel 15 Thursday @ 8:00pm January 8, 15, 22 and 29
*************************************************************************************
THIS WEEKS "IN MY OPINION COLUMN" IN THE NCN:
Dear Readers:
This week I discuss my nominee for the next Senator from New York.You can read my column on this topic exclusively on line(see link below)or in this weeks NORTH COUNTY NEWS on sale now. I am worth the seventy-five cents. Look for my column IN MY OPINION(page 10) in the editorial section. Better yet as this column is exclusive to the North County News on a regular basis and will be covering the local political scene, take out a subscription. Click on the North County News link below and go to Subscribe. Between this blog and The North County News you will have all the information to make a vote based on substance.
************************************************************************
FYI:ATOM TAXI INC. AIRPORT SERVICE:
Dear Readers:
This gives me a chance to plug my business ATOM TAXI INC. As you are planning your holiday or business or vacation travel? Instead of the headache of trying to find Airport parking, we do Airport Service to The Westchester County Airport(and ALL other airports) 24/7. Just call 1(914)879-6121 and my partner Tommy, will be glad to take you in our Airport Taxi. You will also be provided with a free copy of your local paper of record The North County News. If this is a business trip we also provide a professional receipt, just tell Tommy at the time of booking. The cost of a one-way trip to LaGuardia Airport the cost is Ninety dollars plus tolls. The cost to JFK and Newark Airports is one hundred-twenty-five dollars plus tolls. The tolls are $10.00 Westchester County Airport and Stewart cost $75.00. We do not take credit cards, sorry.
************************************************************************************
E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS:
Dear Readers:
It has come to my attention the difficulty in posting a comment on this blog. If you wish to comment, e-mail me at the link posted below, putting "Manifesto Reader" in the subject matter, and I will "cut and Paste" your comments myself. If you DO NOT wish your comments posted, but just wish to communicate with me, please make your wishes known in the e-mail.
LINKS: atom_taxi@yahoo.com(as this a yahoo address make sure you put an underscore (-) between atom and taxi)
For immediate reply: atomtaxi@aol.com
***********************************************************************************
SITES TO LINK TO:
JOHN G. TESTA: www.johngtesta.com
ON TOPIC W/ JOHN TESTA: www.ontopicwithjt.com
CARS & US: www.doverracing.com
THE WINERY AT ST. GEORGE: http://www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
PLAN PUTNAM: planputnam@googlegroups.com/
PEEKSKILL GUARDIAN: "http://peekskillguardian.blogspot.com/
NORTH COUNTY NEWS:"http://northcountynews.com/
THE JOURNAL NEWS:http://thejournalnews.com/
PEEKSKILL DEMOCRATS:http://www.peekskilldems.com/"
PEEKSKILLREPUBLICANS:http://peekskillgop.com/
YORKTOWN SUPERVISOR DON PETERS: http://www.donpetersforyorktown.com/
PUTNAM VALLEY SUPERVISOR BOB TENDY:http://www.bobtendyforsupervisor.com/
THE PEEKSILL NEWS:http://thepeekskillnews.blogspot.com/
CORTLANDT MANOR CIVIC ASSOCIATION: www.cortlandtcivic.com
GOPAC: gohudblogs.com
***********************************************************************************
CABLE SHOWS TO WATCH
ON POINT ON PEEKSKILL: Every Tuesday at 8PM channel 15 (Peekskill only)
Hosted by:DARREN RIGGER
DON PETERS AND YORKTOWN: Various day and times on chanel 20(Ykt.only)
Hosted by: SUPERVISOR DON PETERS
YORKTOWN WATCHDOG: Every Friday at 9:30 PM & Wednesday at 4:30PM on channel 74
Hosted By: ED CIFFON
LEGISLATORS REPORT: Saturday and Sunday at various times on chanel 20
Hosted By: COUNCILMEN NICK BIANCO AND LOU CAMPISI
THE VOLPE REPORT: Thursadys at 8PM chanel 15 (Peek. and Cort.) chanel 74 at 6pm (York.& Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Domenic Volpe
THE ISSUES: Thursdays at 9:PM chanel 74 Peekskill Mondays at 8PM chanel 15
Hosted by; Sam Davis
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA: Thursdays at 9:30PM chanel 15 (Peekskill & Cortlant)
Tuesdays in Yorktown & Putnam Valley 9:30 chanel 74
Hosted by: John Testa
CARS & US: Fridays 10 PM chanel 15(Peek. & Cortlant) 74(York. & Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Dennis Tate
SPEAK OUT WITH SANDY GALEF: Yorktown chanel 74 Wednesdays at 7:30PM..Ossining/Peekskill chanel 15 Wednesdays at 8PM
Hosted by: Sandra Galef
DEAR SANDY: Yorktown chanel 74 Fridays 7:30PM...Ossining/Peeksill chanel 15 Fridays
9PM
Hosted by: Sandra Galef
**********************************************************************************
EDITOR'S NOTE:
All articles re-printed in this blog from the North County News are with the permission of Bruce Apar Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
01/18/09
It's your fault. It's all your fault. The deficit the state faces is your fault, and boy, are you going to pay! How do I know it's your fault? The answer lies in the remedies proposed by Governor Patterson to address the deficit. The Long Island paper, Newsday was kind enough to publish the list of new and/or increased taxes, fee, and surcharges last December 17. I got into writing about local, county and state politics because I knew these governing entities affected your life more then the federal government. The problem is that in my conversations with people in general, I held a minority view. The re-election rate of our state legislators is 98%. The only way you have a different person is either through death, re-districting, a successful inter-party primary or more recently incarceration.
If you use a computer, cell phone or land line, you will now pay a sales tax. Never mind the 10 to 20% different fees you already pay to the state, they don't count. You pay your taxes, expect a $10.00 processing fee. If you pay your taxes in installments you will now be charged a fee. If like most people, you hire a tax preparer , expect to pay to pay more as they will now be charged a fee for doing so. Three different new fees just to pay your taxes.
You want to travel anywhere by auto it will cost more. First is an increase in gas taxes. Followed by increases in drivers licence's and car registrations, and to make sure you pay right away, they are going to issue new licence plates which you must purchase at a higher rate. Plus, if auto insurance is not high enough, an increase in the auto insurance surcharge is on the horizon. You don't own a car, not to fear, the state has a tax for you. There will be a sales tax on bus, taxi or car services. Let's not forget the MTA lurking around the corner fighting for a 3% surcharge on you state taxes, the MTA surcharges on you phone(cell and land line), cable and electric bill don't count either.
You want to live a healthier life, a sales tax on your fitness center will make that cost more. You want to look better, there will also be a new sales tax on your massage, facials, nail salons, and barbers. You want to eat, you will pay more because of the aforementioned increase in gas taxes and the highway use tax. Plus an increase in food processing and fishing fees will be passed on to you. You want to drink, a sugar tax(18%), and a nickel deposit on non-carbonated drinks. Recreation and relaxation are not left out either. There will be an increase in fees for parks and a sales tax on movie, theatre and ballpark tickets.
These taxes and more are not taxes on the rich. These taxes will not only be paid by Republicans, but by Democrats also. These taxes will be paid by you. Governor Patterson is right. It is your fault. You did not pay much attention to you state elections, voting party line and allowing yourself to be bought off with your own money via grants and other means. You paid more attention to the presidential election. Elections have consequences, and now you will pay.
Or maybe not. If you speak out, you have a chance to stop this. Demand that Medicaid coverage match that of California's or even Texas'. Those two are more populace states than ours with a greater percentage of poor people and their Medicaid plans are less costly than ours. For every dollar in decreased payments to our county, or local governments or school districts, eliminate the same amount in partially funded and un-funded mandates so our local costs don't rise to make up the difference. Do not increase welfare payments. Do not increase the age and income of eligibility for free child health care. Stop trolling for food stamp and section eight recipients. There are more, but these measure alone can make up the budget shortfall. This is not rocket science, and you can make a difference. E-mail Governor Patterson, State Senator Leibell, Assemblyman Greg Ball and Assemblywoman Sandra Galef. Make yourself heard. Remember what radio host Bob Grant says "your influence counts, use it!"
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A MESSAGE FROM WESTCHESTER COUNTY LEGILATOR OROS:
Today’s State Budget Woes Make Mom’s Common Sense so Relevant
Several times a year our home would be visited by a favorite uncle. He would spend the day, usually a Sunday, telling tales of the old country. Just before he left he’d reach into his wallet and hand me a crisp, brand new, five dollar bill. My eyes would light up and my mind would race with thoughts of how many sodas or how much candy I could buy. Mom however would take Abe Lincoln’s picture from me. On Monday morning she would take me and Abe to the bank, give Abe’s picture to the teller, and then show me the latest entry in the worn, dog eared savings passbook whose cover read “Anna T. Oros I.T.F. George Oros.”
Mom is gone now, but New York taxpayers could sure use her now in Albany.
This week another favorite uncle came calling, but not to my childhood New Jersey home. Uncle Sam came calling in Albany. According to Governor Paterson and Senator Schumer the new federal economic stimulus plan includes millions of Lincolns, Washingtons and Jacksons to the state’s coffers. It appears that the Governor, Speaker Silver and Majority Leader Smith want to use this money to plug the current state budget deficit. The Paterson, Silver, Smith. Schumer consortium want to use a one-time windfall from our Uncle to fix a problem that lately recurs in the family every year. You, my Mom and I know that doesn’t work.
Folks you need to know that New York State government spending increased about 400% over the last two decades. No, that is not a typo – government spending in Albany grew by 400%. While some politicians talk of tax caps and spending caps, no one seems to have the courage or the common sense my Mom had. Whether it’s five dollars from your favorite uncle or five billion dollars from Uncle Sam, it’s still a windfall and it still needs to go in the bank and not to the candy store or the soda shop. If New York took the step of constitutionally capping its spending growth a decade ago, the 2009-10 State budget would be about $68 billion (that is not chump change by the way). The result: instead of facing a $14 billion deficit this year, the state would have a $4.6 billion surplus. That is without any new taxes or fees and without watering down STAR. It’s the “Law of Holes”. When you are in a hole – stop digging.
The answer to the current fiscal mess in New York, and many other states, is not more spending, but less. Schumer admits this is short term funding from Uncle Sam. The new federal money will stop in two years. Senator Schumer’s plan is: “by then, we hope the economy will have recovered.” Shoot! I hope I win the lottery. But you do not run your home or a state on hope. Nevertheless, the Schumer-Paterson plan for economic recovery of the Empire State is: We hope the economy will recover! What a great economic plan, based on hope - not based on logic, economic principles or common sense. Obviously at some point the state’s economy will recover. It will recover because of the working people of our state and country, not because of tax and spend or borrow and spend politicians. Unless we act now, our children will live in or be forced to flee from a bankrupt New York State. Leaders need to think more of the long term, just like my Mom. She tucked my uncle’s greenback into my bank account to be used when it was truly needed.
You don’t need be an economist (just maybe a Mom raising a family) to know that chronic out of control spending habits are stupid. Runaway spending is a structural problem for New York State. New York spends millions more on Medicaid, education and health care than states with greater populations.
Let’s take Uncle Sam’s money and put it to good use: Let’s reduce the deficit and cut taxes not spend and spend. Let’s impose a Constitutional Spending Limit Amendment that limits spending to a percentage of CPI. This amendment would mandate that any revenue surplus be split among the taxpayers (after all it is their money) and a tax stabilization reserve fund not spent. That fund would be just like that worn dog-eared passbook my Mom kept in the top of her desk. Safe, secure and not touched unless truly needed.
By the way I know just the person who should supervise that Fund: maybe she can send down a little common sense from heaven.
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN GALEF:
Assemblywoman Sandy Galef Hosts Nassau County Exec Tom Suozzi to Discuss the Final Report from the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief
Tax Cap Continues to Be Primary Recommendation coupled with School Mandate Relief
(January 9, 2008) Assemblywoman Sandy Galef invites the public to attend a follow-up conversation with Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi about property tax relief on Thursday, January 22, 2009, 7-9pm at Croton Village Hall, Croton Municipal Building, 1 Van Wyck, Croton-on-Hudson. Suozzi is Chairman of the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief. The Commission was charged with finding the root causes of New York State’s very high and rapidly escalating property taxes, which are verging on unaffordable throughout the state, and recommending ways to reduce the burden of these taxes.
“The Commission was given a very challenging task,” says Galef. “They were extremely thorough, holding hearings and soliciting feedback throughout the state. I believe they are on target with their recommendations. Now, the hard work is getting support within the Legislature and from the public to move forward with these recommendations. I look forward to the public joining me at this forum for a lively discussion and to get a better understanding of the thinking behind the recommendations.”
In June, the Commission released preliminary findings, which recommended a property tax cap as the initial step the state needed to take to rein in taxes. Other recommendations included reducing or eliminating certain state mandates which impact schools, and a circuit breaker tax relief program to replace the NYS STAR Rebate Program. The final report focuses more on the need to offer mandate relief and details ways to reduce costs for Special Education. According to Suozzi, “Our school districts also need to reduce spending, but to do so the State must enact the historically difficult to achieve changes in state laws and mandates.”
There will be an opportunity for audience questions.
For more information and/or directions, contact the Assemblywoman’s office at (914) 941-1111 or e-mail Dana Levenberg at levenbergd@assembly.state.ny.us.
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A MESSAGE FROM THE YORKTOWN REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE:
Yorktown GOP recruiting candidates
Special announcement planned for inauguration day
The Yorktown Republican Town Committee will be holding a press conference at Town Hall immediately preceding the Town Board session on January 20. Yorktown GOP Chairwoman Serafina Mastro will make a special announcement regarding local Republican candidates in 2009.
As the days’ inauguration of President-elect Obama signifies a huge change for the nation, so too will the committee seek reform-minded citizens dedicated to bringing real change to the Town Board and County Legislature. Mastro will be joined by special guest Westchester County Chairman Doug Colety, who has led efforts county-wide to recruit candidates who stand up for the principles of Republicanism, that is, fiscal conservatism, smaller government and family values.
WHO:
Yorktown GOP Chairwoman Serafina Mastro
Yorktown GOP Vice-Chair Larry Cassidy
Yorktown GOP Treasurer Jean Marie Klaus
Yorktown GOP Secretary Mark Ianucci
Westchester GOP Chairman Doug Colety
Members of the Yorktown Republican Town Committee
WHAT: Special Announcement from the Yorktown Republican Town Committee
WHEN: January 20, 2009 at 7:15 p.m.
WHERE: Outside Yorktown Town Hall
363 Underhill Avenue, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
CONTACT: Chairwoman Serafina Mastro, (914) 497-7460
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WHAT'S HAPPENING AT TWELVE GRAPES: N.DIVISION STREET, PEEKSKILL:
Thu, Jan 22, 8:00-10:30
Greg Aulden (Acoustic)
Greg is a talented singer/songwriter. He has a huge and varied set list and a comedic, energetic performance style that is a hit with audiences. We're pleased to have Greg return to 12 Grapes and look forward to the laughter, tears and joy he brings to every performance.
www.myspace.com/auldenmusic **Free admission**
Fri, Jan 23, 9:30-12:30
Teri Lamar & New Company
Voted "Westchester's Friendliest Band" by "More Sugar!" Magazine. This band's style moves from Pop & Jazz to Motown and R&B. We're excited to have Teri Lamar and her band here for the first time. Get ready to party!
www.terilamar.com **Free admission**
Sat, Jan 24, 9:30-12:30
Carlos Colina and the Straight Up Blues Band
12 Grapes has waited months to host Carlos and his band! Their diverse song list is entertaining, sensitive and dynamic. The band has performed as a unit or individually with renowned artists such as Steve Guyger, Detroit Junior, Carl Weathersby, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Bob Margolin and many more. If heard this band, you know what a fun night it will be!
www.ccblues.com **Free admission**
UPCOMING EVENTS--MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Fri, Jan 30, 9:30 - 12:30, The Geoff Hartwell Band
Sat, Jan 31, 9:30 - 12:30, The Blues Buddha
Mon, Feb. 9, The Westchester Swing Band
Sat, Feb 14, VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL w/ Duchess Di & the Distractions
Our first nine months at 12 Grapes have been incredible. Thank you to our friends and patrons for all of your support. We look forward to more great times in 2009, including a big, one year Birthday Bash on April 3!
Please check 12grapes.com to view our calendar of events and photo gallery and see what's happening at 12 Grapes this week and in the weeks ahead.
Thank you for your patronage and friendship.
Sincerely,
Rich & Jeannie Credidio
12 Grapes Music & Wine Bar
12 North Division Street, Peekskill, NY
(914) 737-6624
12grapes.com
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYMAN GREG BALL:
BALL: HANNAH’S LAW GAINS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT
2009 Legislative Session Kicks Off with Ball’s Bill Gaining Steam in Both Houses
Assemblyman Greg Ball (R, C, I – Patterson) announced that his legislation to enact Hannah’s Law has gained the sponsorship of State Senator John Sampson (D –Senate District 19: Brooklyn) as well as bipartisan support in the Assembly. Named after the 4-year-old daughter of Yorktown residents, Michael and Jessie Devane, Hannah’s Law would ensure that feeding formulas for individuals with eosinophilic disorders are covered through health insurance plans.
“Thanks to the hard work of the Devane Family, this bill has gained a lot of support from both sides of the aisle and in both houses. This is such an important issue for so many families and I am thrilled that my colleagues in the State Legislature are signing on to support this bill. Hopefully, with their continued support, we can move this bill through the committee process and bring it to the floor of both chambers this year to be voted on,” said Ball, who is the author of the bill.
Jessie Devane, Hannah’s mother, stated, “We need to pass this bill into legislation because it will help many children have a fighting chance at this disease. It will allow parents the opportunity to relax and take care of their children instead of worrying about how they are going to pay for their child's treatment.”
Eosinophilic disorders are a series of relatively new chronic health disorders that are increasingly diagnosed in children and adults that are caused by an excessive amount of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell. The disorders result in the body’s immune system attacking food and drinks when they are consumed.
While some with eosinophilic disorders are able to find certain foods their bodies will tolerate, this has unfortunately not been Hannah’s case. However, unlike many other patients with this condition, Hannah is able to safely consume and digest a special feeding formula without needing a feeding tube. Her family’s health insurance company, however, does not cover the cost of the formula, which is currently costing her family around $2,500 per month, unless given through a feeding tube. Using a feeding tube would result in Hannah having to visit the hospital daily for the rest of her life.
To further advance this legislation, Ball is hosting a legislative lobby day in Albany on February 10. Organizations, groups, and concerned members of the public are invited to attend and should contact the Assemblyman’s District Office for more information. You can email his office at ballg@assembly.state.ny.us or call at (845) 279-5301.
************************************************************************************* A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYMAN GREG BALL:
RE: NEW WEB SITE:
Andy,
Exciting new website, blogs:
Jim Coleman, Chairman of GOPAC-NY, has announced the launch of gohudblogs.com, a website dedicated to promoting "spin-free" news and opinion, with commentary and insight from Republican party members dedicated to rebuilding the party.
Http://gohudblogs.com
Check it out!
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A MESSAGE FROM YORKTOWN COUNCILMAN NICK BIANCO:
RE: THE UPDATED BRENNAN CENTER REPORT ON OUR STATE LEGISLATURE:
RE: "IT'S STILL BROKEN"
Go to www.brennancenter.org
Look for the NYS report and download.
Nick Bianco
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A MESSAGE FROM DOMENIC VOLPE:
RE: CABLE T.V. SHOW UPDATE:
The Volpe Report is pleased to announce that the special guest for January is Kathleen Fitzpatrick- the managing editor for the North County News. Listen to Kathleen as she speaks of the road that led her to the NCNews staff and the workings and pressure of deadlines, judgement calls, and articles that make the weekly paper so popular is the area.
The dates and times are as follows:
Yorktown/Putnam Valley Channel 74 Wednesday @ 6:00pm December 31, January 7, 14, 21 and 28
Peekskill/Cortlandt Channel 15 Thursday @ 8:00pm January 8, 15, 22 and 29
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THIS WEEKS "IN MY OPINION COLUMN" IN THE NCN:
Dear Readers:
This week I discuss my nominee for the next Senator from New York.You can read my column on this topic exclusively on line(see link below)or in this weeks NORTH COUNTY NEWS on sale now. I am worth the seventy-five cents. Look for my column IN MY OPINION(page 10) in the editorial section. Better yet as this column is exclusive to the North County News on a regular basis and will be covering the local political scene, take out a subscription. Click on the North County News link below and go to Subscribe. Between this blog and The North County News you will have all the information to make a vote based on substance.
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FYI:ATOM TAXI INC. AIRPORT SERVICE:
Dear Readers:
This gives me a chance to plug my business ATOM TAXI INC. As you are planning your holiday or business or vacation travel? Instead of the headache of trying to find Airport parking, we do Airport Service to The Westchester County Airport(and ALL other airports) 24/7. Just call 1(914)879-6121 and my partner Tommy, will be glad to take you in our Airport Taxi. You will also be provided with a free copy of your local paper of record The North County News. If this is a business trip we also provide a professional receipt, just tell Tommy at the time of booking. The cost of a one-way trip to LaGuardia Airport the cost is Ninety dollars plus tolls. The cost to JFK and Newark Airports is one hundred-twenty-five dollars plus tolls. The tolls are $10.00 Westchester County Airport and Stewart cost $75.00. We do not take credit cards, sorry.
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E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS:
Dear Readers:
It has come to my attention the difficulty in posting a comment on this blog. If you wish to comment, e-mail me at the link posted below, putting "Manifesto Reader" in the subject matter, and I will "cut and Paste" your comments myself. If you DO NOT wish your comments posted, but just wish to communicate with me, please make your wishes known in the e-mail.
LINKS: atom_taxi@yahoo.com(as this a yahoo address make sure you put an underscore (-) between atom and taxi)
For immediate reply: atomtaxi@aol.com
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SITES TO LINK TO:
JOHN G. TESTA: www.johngtesta.com
ON TOPIC W/ JOHN TESTA: www.ontopicwithjt.com
CARS & US: www.doverracing.com
THE WINERY AT ST. GEORGE: http://www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
PLAN PUTNAM: planputnam@googlegroups.com/
PEEKSKILL GUARDIAN: "http://peekskillguardian.blogspot.com/
NORTH COUNTY NEWS:"http://northcountynews.com/
THE JOURNAL NEWS:http://thejournalnews.com/
PEEKSKILL DEMOCRATS:http://www.peekskilldems.com/"
PEEKSKILLREPUBLICANS:http://peekskillgop.com/
YORKTOWN SUPERVISOR DON PETERS: http://www.donpetersforyorktown.com/
PUTNAM VALLEY SUPERVISOR BOB TENDY:http://www.bobtendyforsupervisor.com/
THE PEEKSILL NEWS:http://thepeekskillnews.blogspot.com/
CORTLANDT MANOR CIVIC ASSOCIATION: www.cortlandtcivic.com
GOPAC: gohudblogs.com
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CABLE SHOWS TO WATCH
ON POINT ON PEEKSKILL: Every Tuesday at 8PM channel 15 (Peekskill only)
Hosted by:DARREN RIGGER
DON PETERS AND YORKTOWN: Various day and times on chanel 20(Ykt.only)
Hosted by: SUPERVISOR DON PETERS
YORKTOWN WATCHDOG: Every Friday at 9:30 PM & Wednesday at 4:30PM on channel 74
Hosted By: ED CIFFON
LEGISLATORS REPORT: Saturday and Sunday at various times on chanel 20
Hosted By: COUNCILMEN NICK BIANCO AND LOU CAMPISI
THE VOLPE REPORT: Thursadys at 8PM chanel 15 (Peek. and Cort.) chanel 74 at 6pm (York.& Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Domenic Volpe
THE ISSUES: Thursdays at 9:PM chanel 74 Peekskill Mondays at 8PM chanel 15
Hosted by; Sam Davis
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA: Thursdays at 9:30PM chanel 15 (Peekskill & Cortlant)
Tuesdays in Yorktown & Putnam Valley 9:30 chanel 74
Hosted by: John Testa
CARS & US: Fridays 10 PM chanel 15(Peek. & Cortlant) 74(York. & Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Dennis Tate
SPEAK OUT WITH SANDY GALEF: Yorktown chanel 74 Wednesdays at 7:30PM..Ossining/Peekskill chanel 15 Wednesdays at 8PM
Hosted by: Sandra Galef
DEAR SANDY: Yorktown chanel 74 Fridays 7:30PM...Ossining/Peeksill chanel 15 Fridays
9PM
Hosted by: Sandra Galef
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
All articles re-printed in this blog from the North County News are with the permission of Bruce Apar Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
01/18/09
Saturday, January 10, 2009
THE MIND OF A LIBERAL
Dear Readers:
Governor Patterson in his "State of the State Address" stood before the legislature and said "It is has been reported that today's children will not live as long as us because of obesity. When parents find that out they will come to Albany and say why didn't you do anything about this?" Were I the governor, I would say, me? What did you do about this? It was you little rug rat, not mine. He said this as a justification for the ":sugar tax" he is proposing, plus the other "nanny state" regulations such as banning trans-fats and menu calorie counts to name a couple. He honestly believes you are too stupid to raise your child and will come running to the government to do that for you. On this, sad to say, he might be right.
This is the mentality of a liberal. Total control of our lives because they know better than us what's best. Even for the sake of argument, let's say they do (which looking at them and their lives I most certainly beg to differ), where is it written that they have the power to interfere, to save us from our follies. Freedom means the right to be wrong. To speak out against this new crisis of obesity, one runs the risk of the charge of being in favor of fat kids, or of the charge of being in favor of killing our children. That is a canard, a red herring to silence people who disagree. The only power the government has, if the people really cared about taking responsibility for their lives, is to educated and warn us against our follies. If for what ever reason people choose not to listen, that's their business, not the governments nor anybodies else's for that matter.
This is the mentality of a liberal. Divide and conquer. First it was rich vs. poor. Then smoker vs. non-smoker. Gas guzzler vs. "econo-cars". Men vs. women. Black vs. white. Gay vs. straight etc. Keep making victims. Divide them into smaller and smaller groups so they can't fight back. Bring envy in to the political process all in an effort to gain and retain power. If there is one entity that is truly the victimizer, it is not big oil, or big fast food, or even big banks, it is big government, and the liberal is using this "divide and conquer" method to victimize us even more and make government bigger. Talk about a "house divided against itself", the liberal has refined this to a fine art, and now we face the prospect of total loss of individual freedom.
This is the mentality of a liberal. Create crisis. From the hoax(yes I said hoax) of man made global warming, to the hoax(yes I said hoax again) of second hand smoke, to the mortgage and market melt down, to the energy crisis, and finally to this new obesity crisis. The liberal uses fear to remove more and more rights from the people by convincing them that only government control is the answer. Just surrender more of your freedoms, and your government will give you security. However as Ben Franklin said more than two hundred years ago, when you do that, you get neither freedom or security. What you get is tyranny.
In December, Governor Patterson gave his proposed budget. It changed the seasonal topic of "separation of church and state" to "separation of you and your money". It all comes down to the old adage, "follow the money". You see according to the liberal, whether you agree or not, we say these are real, and our way is the only way out. If you have the temerity to disagree, then you are a (pick your crisis du jour) denier, and must be shunned, your character assassinated and personally discredited. What all you have to do, in fact, what we will compel you to do, is surrender through 137 new or increased taxes, fees and surcharges, to the tune of another four billion dollars(or a little over $3,000.00 per person) and government will save you from all these boogey men.
It is time to stand up for yourself and tell your representatives, stop! You have done enough. In fact you have done too much! If you cannot run this state with a budget of over a 100 billion dollars, then go back to the drawing board and start over again. You will get no more money from us, we don't have it! If you remember last year, you spoke loud and clear and were able to stop then Governor Spitzer from giving drivers licence's to illegal immigrants. You can do it again, now, against this governor and his proposed budget.
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYMAN GREG BALL:
RE: NEW WEB SITE:
Andy,
Exciting new website, blogs:
Jim Coleman, Chairman of GOPAC-NY, has announced the launch of gohudblogs.com, a website dedicated to promoting "spin-free" news and opinion, with commentary and insight from Republican party members dedicated to rebuilding the party.
Http://gohudblogs.com
Check it out!
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A MESSAGE FROM YORKTOWN COUNCILMAN NICK BIANCO:
RE: THE UPDATED BRENNAN CENTER REPORT ON OUR STATE LEGISLATURE:
RE: "IT'S STILL BROKEN"
Go to www.brennancenter.org
Look for the NYS report and download.
Nick Bianco
*************************************************************************************
A MESSAGE FROM DOMENIC VOLPE:
RE: CABLE T.V. SHOW UPDATE:
The Volpe Report is pleased to announce that the special guest for January is Kathleen Fitzpatrick- the managing editor for the North County News. Listen to Kathleen as she speaks of the road that led her to the NCNews staff and the workings and pressure of deadlines, judgement calls, and articles that make the weekly paper so popular is the area.
The dates and times are as follows:
Yorktown/Putnam Valley Channel 74 Wednesday @ 6:00pm December 31, January 7, 14, 21 and 28
Peekskill/Cortlandt Channel 15 Thursday @ 8:00pm January 8, 15, 22 and 29
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A MESSAGE FROM BOB MEYERS:
Hi Folks,
sad to report that for now, the Wed. night Peekskill Jazz
Jam is NOT happening.
We are presently looking for a new venue & will let you all know
when it starts up again.
In the meantime:
There are 2 Ongoing Weekly Jam Venues to check out.
Wed Night Freddie Jacobs heads the jazz jam at the
Corner Stage
368 East Main Street
Middletown, NY 10940
(845) 342-4804
www.myspace.com/cornerstage.
from 8:30 to midnight.
no cover. 1 drink min.
Thursday, Joel Newton leads the jazz, funk, free etc. jam at the
Old Fashion Restaurant
81-83 S. Broadway, Nyack, NY
(across from Citgo Station)
(845) 353-8959
www.oldfashionrestaurant.com
from 8 to 11:30
admission is free.
I'll be playing both nights and hope to see you there.
thanks, Peace & Music,
Bob
www.bobmeyermusic.com
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A MESSAGE FROM WESTCHESTER LEGFISLATOR GEORGE OROS:
Contact: George Oros
Tel: (914) 995-2828
Goo6@westchesterlegislators.com
Time to Ask State for Tax Relief Not a Tax Hit
No reinstatement of the Commuter Tax; Sales Tax Renewal should not be automatic; volunteers need a break
The Minority Conference of the Westchester County Board of Legislators maintained today any movement by the Democratic majority to “automate” the County Sales Tax should be thwarted.
Minority Leader George Oros (R/Cortlandt) said the current system that requires County and State approval should be continued so that any taxing authority request is “fully justified and shown as necessary.” Current state law requires the County and State Legislature to vote every two years to extend the County Sales Tax. The County sales tax was first imposed nearly 20 years ago to provide real property tax relief. Since then not only has the current administration and Democratic majority on the board increased the sales tax, but property taxes too have increased nearly 50% over the past eight years.
“Majority Leader Martin Rogowsky's proposal removes an important check,” commented Oros.
"We should strive in this difficult economic time to relieve taxpayers of a burden, not saddle them with it forever," Oros said. “The Republican minority cannot support this proposal.”
However Oros left open the possibility of “entertaining” the Rogowsky proposal with the proviso that “all additional revenue from the sales tax be directly applied dollar for dollar to a reduction of the property tax.”
“Absent such a provision it must be rejected out of hand as a non starter," said Oros.
Meanwhile, Oros and fellow Republican legislators Jim Maisano (R/New Rochelle) and Gordon A. Burrows (R/Yonkers) expressed gratitude to County Executive Andrew Spano for joining their call upon the state not to place a payroll tax on Westchester commuters.
In September, Oros, Maisano and Burrows appeared together at a White Plains news conference to voice their disapproval of reinstating the “Commuter Tax” on nonresidents of New York City who work within the five boroughs.
The Commuter Tax, which was repealed in 1999 by the State Legislature and Governor George Pataki, would negatively affect approximately 200,000 commuters from the lower Hudson Valley during a difficult financial time.
“Government always makes the mistake of turning to taxpayers when times are tough,” Maisano said. “The MTA doesn’t need to nickel and dime people to survive. Let them figure out another way, like cutting expenses, to bridge their budget gap.”
The Commuter Tax, which is being considered by the New York City Council and was proposed to a blue ribbon commission studying the MTA’s finances, would cost the average Westchester commuter about $500 more a year in additional taxes.
Westchester residents already pay the MTA about $130 million annually from sales and mortgage taxes, including $37 million as a direct subsidy from the County Budget to the MTA.
“This reliance on taxpayers has to stop. Enough is enough already,” Burrows said.
In the Legislative Package being discussed by county lawmakers, Oros also made three other proposals:
o Requesting the State Legislature to approve legislation to pave the way to elimination of the Westchester County Tax Commission
o A law to allow Westchester to exempt volunteer firefighters/emergency workers from the automobile use tax
Legislation to allow the recently enacted property tax exemption for volunteer firefighters and ambulance corps be extended to all volunteers regardless of the number of paid professionals a department may have.
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN SANDRA GALEF:
Assemblywoman Sandy Galef Hosts Nassau County Exec Tom Suozzi to Discuss the Final Report from the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief
Tax Cap Continues to Be Primary Recommendation coupled with School Mandate Relief
(January 9, 2008) Assemblywoman Sandy Galef invites the public to attend a follow-up conversation with Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi about property tax relief on Thursday, January 22, 2009, 7-9pm at Croton Village Hall, Croton Municipal Building, 1 Van Wyck, Croton-on-Hudson. Suozzi is Chairman of the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief. The Commission was charged with finding the root causes of New York State’s very high and rapidly escalating property taxes, which are verging on unaffordable throughout the state, and recommending ways to reduce the burden of these taxes.
“The Commission was given a very challenging task,” says Galef. “They were extremely thorough, holding hearings and soliciting feedback throughout the state. I believe they are on target with their recommendations. Now, the hard work is getting support within the Legislature and from the public to move forward with these recommendations. I look forward to the public joining me at this forum for a lively discussion and to get a better understanding of the thinking behind the recommendations.”
In June, the Commission released preliminary findings, which recommended a property tax cap as the initial step the state needed to take to rein in taxes. Other recommendations included reducing or eliminating certain state mandates which impact schools, and a circuit breaker tax relief program to replace the NYS STAR Rebate Program. The final report focuses more on the need to offer mandate relief and details ways to reduce costs for Special Education. According to Suozzi, “Our school districts also need to reduce spending, but to do so the State must enact the historically difficult to achieve changes in state laws and mandates.”
There will be an opportunity for audience questions.
For more information and/or directions, contact the Assemblywoman’s office at (914) 941-1111 or e-mail Dana Levenberg at levenbergd@assembly.state.ny.us.
************************************************************************************
A MESSAGE FROM THE WESTCHESTER GOP:
New York Must Cut Taxes and Spending
Statement of Chairman Joseph N. Mondello
ALBANY, NY (01/07/2009; 1504)(readMedia)-- Governor David Paterson's State of the State Address is a recipe for economic disaster.
By calling for dramatic increases in taxes and ever higher state spending, the Governor seems set on driving our state right over the cliff into the abyss of unprecedented fiscal meltdown.
Rather than meeting this fiscal crisis by offering up warmed over versions of the failed economic policies that have driven the state to economic ruin, the Governor should have looked the people of New York square in the eye and admitted to them that decades of profligate spending, unrestrained borrowing and regressive taxation have left our state with only one clear path back to economic health.
The Governor should have been honest with the people of New York and stated that state government has no choice but to meet this unprecedented crisis by immediately beginning to unsnarl and unravel the vast state bureaucracy, rein in the ever expanding network of entitlement programs, and enact deep and across the board cuts in state spending.
The time for business as usual is over. New York must make deep cuts in wasteful state spending and once and for all relieve the oppressive state tax burden that is leading our state to economic ruin.
Wall Street's fiscal implosion threatens New York with economic challenges far graver than those that the national recession is imposing upon our sister states.
To meet this challenge our state's leaders must admit to the mistakes of the past, rather than, as the Governor's message today presages, seek to compound them with higher taxes and ever increasing spending.
These are extraordinary times that demand leaders who can make tough decisions. Senator Dean Skelos and Assembly Jim Tedisco are strong leaders who are ready to lead their conferences during the difficult days ahead.
I urge Governor Paterson to join them in a true bi-partisan coalition that will administer the tough medicine that is the only way to bring New York State back to robust economic health.'
************
STATEMENT FROM ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER
JAMES TEDISCO (R,C,I-SCHENECTADY-SARATOGA):
“In delivering his first State of the State Address today, Governor Paterson touched on many of the challenges facing New York as we navigate an economic recession, a $15 billion budget deficit, and our homeowners endure the highest property taxes in the nation.
The question is: will the Governor’s actions in the coming days match the lofty rhetoric we heard today?
The Governor’s speech was, regrettably, short on many of the specifics New Yorkers want to hear about fixing our economy and providing meaningful property tax relief. Now, more than ever, we need action, not words. In this sense, the Governor’s speech was a missed opportunity.
Let me be crystal clear: I am rooting for this Governor to succeed. All New Yorkers are hoping he succeeds. The stakes are too high for ‘politics as usual.’ Politics as usual is what got us in this mess.
We must invest in the economy so our best and brightest can stay right here. We must cut job-killing taxes to create more jobs. We must get back on the path of fiscal discipline by controlling spending and limiting the size, scope and reach of State government. We need to reduce the crushing burden on our homeowners – who pay the highest property taxes in the nation – by enacting a real property tax cap this session.
What we do not need – what New York cannot afford – is even more taxing, spending and borrowing. Unfortunately, contained within the Governor’s 2009-10 Executive Budget were 137 tax and fee hikes. The Governor’s 137 tax and fee hikes – on everything from non-diet soda to digital music downloads – would cost the average New York family $3,875.48 annually and is tantamount to declaring war on our state’s overtaxed middle class families.
I will work with Governor Paterson to achieve a State Budget that is balanced, responsible and meets the needs of New Yorkers – without raising taxes and fees.
This will require us – Republicans and Democrats alike – to roll up our sleeves and forge bi-partisan solutions that put New Yorkers back to work – and get our state back on track. There is much hard work ahead, but families have demanded, and deserve, change in how Albany does business.”
*************************************************************************************
THIS WEEKS "IN MY OPINION COLUMN" IN THE NCN:
Dear Readers:
This week I discuss Governor Patterson's proposed budget.You can read my column on this topic exclusively on line(see link below)or in this weeks NORTH COUNTY NEWS on sale now. I am worth the seventy-five cents. Look for my column IN MY OPINION(page 10) in the editorial section. Better yet as this column is exclusive to the North County News on a regular basis and will be covering the local political scene, take out a subscription. Click on the North County News link below and go to Subscribe. Between this blog and The North County News you will have all the information to make a vote based on substance.
************************************************************************
FYI:ATOM TAXI INC. AIRPORT SERVICE:
Dear Readers:
This gives me a chance to plug my business ATOM TAXI INC. As you are planning your holiday or business or vacation travel? Instead of the headache of trying to find Airport parking, we do Airport Service to The Westchester County Airport(and ALL other airports) 24/7. Just call 1(914)879-6121 and my partner Tommy, will be glad to take you in our Airport Taxi. You will also be provided with a free copy of your local paper of record The North County News. If this is a business trip we also provide a professional receipt, just tell Tommy at the time of booking. The cost of a one-way trip to LaGuardia Airport the cost is Ninety dollars plus tolls. The cost to JFK and Newark Airports is one hundred-twenty-five dollars plus tolls. The tolls are $10.00 Westchester County Airport and Stewart cost $75.00. We do not take credit cards, sorry.
************************************************************************************
E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS:
Dear Readers:
It has come to my attention the difficulty in posting a comment on this blog. If you wish to comment, e-mail me at the link posted below, putting "Manifesto Reader" in the subject matter, and I will "cut and Paste" your comments myself. If you DO NOT wish your comments posted, but just wish to communicate with me, please make your wishes known in the e-mail.
LINKS: atom_taxi@yahoo.com(as this a yahoo address make sure you put an underscore (-) between atom and taxi)
For immediate reply: atomtaxi@aol.com
***********************************************************************************
SITES TO LINK TO:
JOHN G. TESTA: www.johngtesta.com
ON TOPIC W/ JOHN TESTA: www.ontopicwithjt.com
CARS & US: www.doverracing.com
THE WINERY AT ST. GEORGE: http://www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
PLAN PUTNAM: planputnam@googlegroups.com/
PEEKSKILL GUARDIAN: "http://peekskillguardian.blogspot.com/
NORTH COUNTY NEWS:"http://northcountynews.com/
THE JOURNAL NEWS:http://thejournalnews.com/
PEEKSKILL DEMOCRATS:http://www.peekskilldems.com/"
PEEKSKILLREPUBLICANS:http://peekskillgop.com/
YORKTOWN SUPERVISOR DON PETERS: http://www.donpetersforyorktown.com/
PUTNAM VALLEY SUPERVISOR BOB TENDY:http://www.bobtendyforsupervisor.com/
THE PEEKSILL NEWS:http://thepeekskillnews.blogspot.com/
CORTLANDT MANOR CIVIC ASSOCIATION: www.cortlandtcivic.com
GOPAC: gohudblogs.com
***********************************************************************************
CABLE SHOWS TO WATCH
ON POINT ON PEEKSKILL: Every Tuesday at 8PM channel 15 (Peekskill only)
Hosted by:DARREN RIGGER
DON PETERS AND YORKTOWN: Various day and times on chanel 20(Ykt.only)
Hosted by: SUPERVISOR DON PETERS
YORKTOWN WATCHDOG: Every Friday at 9:30 PM & Wednesday at 4:30PM on channel 74
Hosted By: ED CIFFON
LEGISLATORS REPORT: Saturday and Sunday at various times on chanel 20
Hosted By: COUNCILMEN NICK BIANCO AND LOU CAMPISI
THE VOLPE REPORT: Thursadys at 8PM chanel 15 (Peek. and Cort.) chanel 74 at 6pm (York.& Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Domenic Volpe
THE ISSUES: Thursdays at 9:PM chanel 74 Peekskill Mondays at 8PM chanel 15
Hosted by; Sam Davis
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA: Thursdays at 9:30PM chanel 15 (Peekskill & Cortlant)
Tuesdays in Yorktown & Putnam Valley 9:30 chanel 74
Hosted by: John Testa
CARS & US: Fridays 10 PM chanel 15(Peek. & Cortlant) 74(York. & Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Dennis Tate
**********************************************************************************
EDITOR'S NOTE:
All articles re-printed in this blog from the North County News are with the permission of Bruce Apar Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
01/10/09
Governor Patterson in his "State of the State Address" stood before the legislature and said "It is has been reported that today's children will not live as long as us because of obesity. When parents find that out they will come to Albany and say why didn't you do anything about this?" Were I the governor, I would say, me? What did you do about this? It was you little rug rat, not mine. He said this as a justification for the ":sugar tax" he is proposing, plus the other "nanny state" regulations such as banning trans-fats and menu calorie counts to name a couple. He honestly believes you are too stupid to raise your child and will come running to the government to do that for you. On this, sad to say, he might be right.
This is the mentality of a liberal. Total control of our lives because they know better than us what's best. Even for the sake of argument, let's say they do (which looking at them and their lives I most certainly beg to differ), where is it written that they have the power to interfere, to save us from our follies. Freedom means the right to be wrong. To speak out against this new crisis of obesity, one runs the risk of the charge of being in favor of fat kids, or of the charge of being in favor of killing our children. That is a canard, a red herring to silence people who disagree. The only power the government has, if the people really cared about taking responsibility for their lives, is to educated and warn us against our follies. If for what ever reason people choose not to listen, that's their business, not the governments nor anybodies else's for that matter.
This is the mentality of a liberal. Divide and conquer. First it was rich vs. poor. Then smoker vs. non-smoker. Gas guzzler vs. "econo-cars". Men vs. women. Black vs. white. Gay vs. straight etc. Keep making victims. Divide them into smaller and smaller groups so they can't fight back. Bring envy in to the political process all in an effort to gain and retain power. If there is one entity that is truly the victimizer, it is not big oil, or big fast food, or even big banks, it is big government, and the liberal is using this "divide and conquer" method to victimize us even more and make government bigger. Talk about a "house divided against itself", the liberal has refined this to a fine art, and now we face the prospect of total loss of individual freedom.
This is the mentality of a liberal. Create crisis. From the hoax(yes I said hoax) of man made global warming, to the hoax(yes I said hoax again) of second hand smoke, to the mortgage and market melt down, to the energy crisis, and finally to this new obesity crisis. The liberal uses fear to remove more and more rights from the people by convincing them that only government control is the answer. Just surrender more of your freedoms, and your government will give you security. However as Ben Franklin said more than two hundred years ago, when you do that, you get neither freedom or security. What you get is tyranny.
In December, Governor Patterson gave his proposed budget. It changed the seasonal topic of "separation of church and state" to "separation of you and your money". It all comes down to the old adage, "follow the money". You see according to the liberal, whether you agree or not, we say these are real, and our way is the only way out. If you have the temerity to disagree, then you are a (pick your crisis du jour) denier, and must be shunned, your character assassinated and personally discredited. What all you have to do, in fact, what we will compel you to do, is surrender through 137 new or increased taxes, fees and surcharges, to the tune of another four billion dollars(or a little over $3,000.00 per person) and government will save you from all these boogey men.
It is time to stand up for yourself and tell your representatives, stop! You have done enough. In fact you have done too much! If you cannot run this state with a budget of over a 100 billion dollars, then go back to the drawing board and start over again. You will get no more money from us, we don't have it! If you remember last year, you spoke loud and clear and were able to stop then Governor Spitzer from giving drivers licence's to illegal immigrants. You can do it again, now, against this governor and his proposed budget.
************************************************************************************
A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYMAN GREG BALL:
RE: NEW WEB SITE:
Andy,
Exciting new website, blogs:
Jim Coleman, Chairman of GOPAC-NY, has announced the launch of gohudblogs.com, a website dedicated to promoting "spin-free" news and opinion, with commentary and insight from Republican party members dedicated to rebuilding the party.
Http://gohudblogs.com
Check it out!
*************************************************************************************
A MESSAGE FROM YORKTOWN COUNCILMAN NICK BIANCO:
RE: THE UPDATED BRENNAN CENTER REPORT ON OUR STATE LEGISLATURE:
RE: "IT'S STILL BROKEN"
Go to www.brennancenter.org
Look for the NYS report and download.
Nick Bianco
*************************************************************************************
A MESSAGE FROM DOMENIC VOLPE:
RE: CABLE T.V. SHOW UPDATE:
The Volpe Report is pleased to announce that the special guest for January is Kathleen Fitzpatrick- the managing editor for the North County News. Listen to Kathleen as she speaks of the road that led her to the NCNews staff and the workings and pressure of deadlines, judgement calls, and articles that make the weekly paper so popular is the area.
The dates and times are as follows:
Yorktown/Putnam Valley Channel 74 Wednesday @ 6:00pm December 31, January 7, 14, 21 and 28
Peekskill/Cortlandt Channel 15 Thursday @ 8:00pm January 8, 15, 22 and 29
*************************************************************************************
A MESSAGE FROM BOB MEYERS:
Hi Folks,
sad to report that for now, the Wed. night Peekskill Jazz
Jam is NOT happening.
We are presently looking for a new venue & will let you all know
when it starts up again.
In the meantime:
There are 2 Ongoing Weekly Jam Venues to check out.
Wed Night Freddie Jacobs heads the jazz jam at the
Corner Stage
368 East Main Street
Middletown, NY 10940
(845) 342-4804
www.myspace.com/cornerstage.
from 8:30 to midnight.
no cover. 1 drink min.
Thursday, Joel Newton leads the jazz, funk, free etc. jam at the
Old Fashion Restaurant
81-83 S. Broadway, Nyack, NY
(across from Citgo Station)
(845) 353-8959
www.oldfashionrestaurant.com
from 8 to 11:30
admission is free.
I'll be playing both nights and hope to see you there.
thanks, Peace & Music,
Bob
www.bobmeyermusic.com
************************************************************************************
A MESSAGE FROM WESTCHESTER LEGFISLATOR GEORGE OROS:
Contact: George Oros
Tel: (914) 995-2828
Goo6@westchesterlegislators.com
Time to Ask State for Tax Relief Not a Tax Hit
No reinstatement of the Commuter Tax; Sales Tax Renewal should not be automatic; volunteers need a break
The Minority Conference of the Westchester County Board of Legislators maintained today any movement by the Democratic majority to “automate” the County Sales Tax should be thwarted.
Minority Leader George Oros (R/Cortlandt) said the current system that requires County and State approval should be continued so that any taxing authority request is “fully justified and shown as necessary.” Current state law requires the County and State Legislature to vote every two years to extend the County Sales Tax. The County sales tax was first imposed nearly 20 years ago to provide real property tax relief. Since then not only has the current administration and Democratic majority on the board increased the sales tax, but property taxes too have increased nearly 50% over the past eight years.
“Majority Leader Martin Rogowsky's proposal removes an important check,” commented Oros.
"We should strive in this difficult economic time to relieve taxpayers of a burden, not saddle them with it forever," Oros said. “The Republican minority cannot support this proposal.”
However Oros left open the possibility of “entertaining” the Rogowsky proposal with the proviso that “all additional revenue from the sales tax be directly applied dollar for dollar to a reduction of the property tax.”
“Absent such a provision it must be rejected out of hand as a non starter," said Oros.
Meanwhile, Oros and fellow Republican legislators Jim Maisano (R/New Rochelle) and Gordon A. Burrows (R/Yonkers) expressed gratitude to County Executive Andrew Spano for joining their call upon the state not to place a payroll tax on Westchester commuters.
In September, Oros, Maisano and Burrows appeared together at a White Plains news conference to voice their disapproval of reinstating the “Commuter Tax” on nonresidents of New York City who work within the five boroughs.
The Commuter Tax, which was repealed in 1999 by the State Legislature and Governor George Pataki, would negatively affect approximately 200,000 commuters from the lower Hudson Valley during a difficult financial time.
“Government always makes the mistake of turning to taxpayers when times are tough,” Maisano said. “The MTA doesn’t need to nickel and dime people to survive. Let them figure out another way, like cutting expenses, to bridge their budget gap.”
The Commuter Tax, which is being considered by the New York City Council and was proposed to a blue ribbon commission studying the MTA’s finances, would cost the average Westchester commuter about $500 more a year in additional taxes.
Westchester residents already pay the MTA about $130 million annually from sales and mortgage taxes, including $37 million as a direct subsidy from the County Budget to the MTA.
“This reliance on taxpayers has to stop. Enough is enough already,” Burrows said.
In the Legislative Package being discussed by county lawmakers, Oros also made three other proposals:
o Requesting the State Legislature to approve legislation to pave the way to elimination of the Westchester County Tax Commission
o A law to allow Westchester to exempt volunteer firefighters/emergency workers from the automobile use tax
Legislation to allow the recently enacted property tax exemption for volunteer firefighters and ambulance corps be extended to all volunteers regardless of the number of paid professionals a department may have.
************************************************************************************
A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN SANDRA GALEF:
Assemblywoman Sandy Galef Hosts Nassau County Exec Tom Suozzi to Discuss the Final Report from the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief
Tax Cap Continues to Be Primary Recommendation coupled with School Mandate Relief
(January 9, 2008) Assemblywoman Sandy Galef invites the public to attend a follow-up conversation with Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi about property tax relief on Thursday, January 22, 2009, 7-9pm at Croton Village Hall, Croton Municipal Building, 1 Van Wyck, Croton-on-Hudson. Suozzi is Chairman of the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief. The Commission was charged with finding the root causes of New York State’s very high and rapidly escalating property taxes, which are verging on unaffordable throughout the state, and recommending ways to reduce the burden of these taxes.
“The Commission was given a very challenging task,” says Galef. “They were extremely thorough, holding hearings and soliciting feedback throughout the state. I believe they are on target with their recommendations. Now, the hard work is getting support within the Legislature and from the public to move forward with these recommendations. I look forward to the public joining me at this forum for a lively discussion and to get a better understanding of the thinking behind the recommendations.”
In June, the Commission released preliminary findings, which recommended a property tax cap as the initial step the state needed to take to rein in taxes. Other recommendations included reducing or eliminating certain state mandates which impact schools, and a circuit breaker tax relief program to replace the NYS STAR Rebate Program. The final report focuses more on the need to offer mandate relief and details ways to reduce costs for Special Education. According to Suozzi, “Our school districts also need to reduce spending, but to do so the State must enact the historically difficult to achieve changes in state laws and mandates.”
There will be an opportunity for audience questions.
For more information and/or directions, contact the Assemblywoman’s office at (914) 941-1111 or e-mail Dana Levenberg at levenbergd@assembly.state.ny.us.
************************************************************************************
A MESSAGE FROM THE WESTCHESTER GOP:
New York Must Cut Taxes and Spending
Statement of Chairman Joseph N. Mondello
ALBANY, NY (01/07/2009; 1504)(readMedia)-- Governor David Paterson's State of the State Address is a recipe for economic disaster.
By calling for dramatic increases in taxes and ever higher state spending, the Governor seems set on driving our state right over the cliff into the abyss of unprecedented fiscal meltdown.
Rather than meeting this fiscal crisis by offering up warmed over versions of the failed economic policies that have driven the state to economic ruin, the Governor should have looked the people of New York square in the eye and admitted to them that decades of profligate spending, unrestrained borrowing and regressive taxation have left our state with only one clear path back to economic health.
The Governor should have been honest with the people of New York and stated that state government has no choice but to meet this unprecedented crisis by immediately beginning to unsnarl and unravel the vast state bureaucracy, rein in the ever expanding network of entitlement programs, and enact deep and across the board cuts in state spending.
The time for business as usual is over. New York must make deep cuts in wasteful state spending and once and for all relieve the oppressive state tax burden that is leading our state to economic ruin.
Wall Street's fiscal implosion threatens New York with economic challenges far graver than those that the national recession is imposing upon our sister states.
To meet this challenge our state's leaders must admit to the mistakes of the past, rather than, as the Governor's message today presages, seek to compound them with higher taxes and ever increasing spending.
These are extraordinary times that demand leaders who can make tough decisions. Senator Dean Skelos and Assembly Jim Tedisco are strong leaders who are ready to lead their conferences during the difficult days ahead.
I urge Governor Paterson to join them in a true bi-partisan coalition that will administer the tough medicine that is the only way to bring New York State back to robust economic health.'
************
STATEMENT FROM ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER
JAMES TEDISCO (R,C,I-SCHENECTADY-SARATOGA):
“In delivering his first State of the State Address today, Governor Paterson touched on many of the challenges facing New York as we navigate an economic recession, a $15 billion budget deficit, and our homeowners endure the highest property taxes in the nation.
The question is: will the Governor’s actions in the coming days match the lofty rhetoric we heard today?
The Governor’s speech was, regrettably, short on many of the specifics New Yorkers want to hear about fixing our economy and providing meaningful property tax relief. Now, more than ever, we need action, not words. In this sense, the Governor’s speech was a missed opportunity.
Let me be crystal clear: I am rooting for this Governor to succeed. All New Yorkers are hoping he succeeds. The stakes are too high for ‘politics as usual.’ Politics as usual is what got us in this mess.
We must invest in the economy so our best and brightest can stay right here. We must cut job-killing taxes to create more jobs. We must get back on the path of fiscal discipline by controlling spending and limiting the size, scope and reach of State government. We need to reduce the crushing burden on our homeowners – who pay the highest property taxes in the nation – by enacting a real property tax cap this session.
What we do not need – what New York cannot afford – is even more taxing, spending and borrowing. Unfortunately, contained within the Governor’s 2009-10 Executive Budget were 137 tax and fee hikes. The Governor’s 137 tax and fee hikes – on everything from non-diet soda to digital music downloads – would cost the average New York family $3,875.48 annually and is tantamount to declaring war on our state’s overtaxed middle class families.
I will work with Governor Paterson to achieve a State Budget that is balanced, responsible and meets the needs of New Yorkers – without raising taxes and fees.
This will require us – Republicans and Democrats alike – to roll up our sleeves and forge bi-partisan solutions that put New Yorkers back to work – and get our state back on track. There is much hard work ahead, but families have demanded, and deserve, change in how Albany does business.”
*************************************************************************************
THIS WEEKS "IN MY OPINION COLUMN" IN THE NCN:
Dear Readers:
This week I discuss Governor Patterson's proposed budget.You can read my column on this topic exclusively on line(see link below)or in this weeks NORTH COUNTY NEWS on sale now. I am worth the seventy-five cents. Look for my column IN MY OPINION(page 10) in the editorial section. Better yet as this column is exclusive to the North County News on a regular basis and will be covering the local political scene, take out a subscription. Click on the North County News link below and go to Subscribe. Between this blog and The North County News you will have all the information to make a vote based on substance.
************************************************************************
FYI:ATOM TAXI INC. AIRPORT SERVICE:
Dear Readers:
This gives me a chance to plug my business ATOM TAXI INC. As you are planning your holiday or business or vacation travel? Instead of the headache of trying to find Airport parking, we do Airport Service to The Westchester County Airport(and ALL other airports) 24/7. Just call 1(914)879-6121 and my partner Tommy, will be glad to take you in our Airport Taxi. You will also be provided with a free copy of your local paper of record The North County News. If this is a business trip we also provide a professional receipt, just tell Tommy at the time of booking. The cost of a one-way trip to LaGuardia Airport the cost is Ninety dollars plus tolls. The cost to JFK and Newark Airports is one hundred-twenty-five dollars plus tolls. The tolls are $10.00 Westchester County Airport and Stewart cost $75.00. We do not take credit cards, sorry.
************************************************************************************
E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS:
Dear Readers:
It has come to my attention the difficulty in posting a comment on this blog. If you wish to comment, e-mail me at the link posted below, putting "Manifesto Reader" in the subject matter, and I will "cut and Paste" your comments myself. If you DO NOT wish your comments posted, but just wish to communicate with me, please make your wishes known in the e-mail.
LINKS: atom_taxi@yahoo.com(as this a yahoo address make sure you put an underscore (-) between atom and taxi)
For immediate reply: atomtaxi@aol.com
***********************************************************************************
SITES TO LINK TO:
JOHN G. TESTA: www.johngtesta.com
ON TOPIC W/ JOHN TESTA: www.ontopicwithjt.com
CARS & US: www.doverracing.com
THE WINERY AT ST. GEORGE: http://www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
PLAN PUTNAM: planputnam@googlegroups.com/
PEEKSKILL GUARDIAN: "http://peekskillguardian.blogspot.com/
NORTH COUNTY NEWS:"http://northcountynews.com/
THE JOURNAL NEWS:http://thejournalnews.com/
PEEKSKILL DEMOCRATS:http://www.peekskilldems.com/"
PEEKSKILLREPUBLICANS:http://peekskillgop.com/
YORKTOWN SUPERVISOR DON PETERS: http://www.donpetersforyorktown.com/
PUTNAM VALLEY SUPERVISOR BOB TENDY:http://www.bobtendyforsupervisor.com/
THE PEEKSILL NEWS:http://thepeekskillnews.blogspot.com/
CORTLANDT MANOR CIVIC ASSOCIATION: www.cortlandtcivic.com
GOPAC: gohudblogs.com
***********************************************************************************
CABLE SHOWS TO WATCH
ON POINT ON PEEKSKILL: Every Tuesday at 8PM channel 15 (Peekskill only)
Hosted by:DARREN RIGGER
DON PETERS AND YORKTOWN: Various day and times on chanel 20(Ykt.only)
Hosted by: SUPERVISOR DON PETERS
YORKTOWN WATCHDOG: Every Friday at 9:30 PM & Wednesday at 4:30PM on channel 74
Hosted By: ED CIFFON
LEGISLATORS REPORT: Saturday and Sunday at various times on chanel 20
Hosted By: COUNCILMEN NICK BIANCO AND LOU CAMPISI
THE VOLPE REPORT: Thursadys at 8PM chanel 15 (Peek. and Cort.) chanel 74 at 6pm (York.& Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Domenic Volpe
THE ISSUES: Thursdays at 9:PM chanel 74 Peekskill Mondays at 8PM chanel 15
Hosted by; Sam Davis
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA: Thursdays at 9:30PM chanel 15 (Peekskill & Cortlant)
Tuesdays in Yorktown & Putnam Valley 9:30 chanel 74
Hosted by: John Testa
CARS & US: Fridays 10 PM chanel 15(Peek. & Cortlant) 74(York. & Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Dennis Tate
**********************************************************************************
EDITOR'S NOTE:
All articles re-printed in this blog from the North County News are with the permission of Bruce Apar Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
01/10/09
Saturday, January 03, 2009
I NOMINATE FOR UNITED STATES SENATOR .....
Dear Readers:
What are the qualifications that the person who replaces our current Senator, Hillary Clinton, must posses? According to their spoken and voting records of the names mentioned they...
1) must be willing to spend tax dollars with abandon.
2) must be good a guilting the tax payers into paying a combined federal, state, county, and local (this includes school and property) tax burden of at least 50% of your income, and convince you it is still not enough.
3) must be part of the reason why our federal, state, city, county, and local governments are bloated with close to 40% of the population receiving some sort of government check.
4) must be on board with the desire to make that percentage go past 50% to make sure that the Democrat Party will be in control for the next 50 years.
5) must be part of the reason why those people and businesses that can relocate to other less taxing and regulating states do relocate.
6) must truly believe that the original premise of our founding, that government should have limited involvement with the people is obsolete.
7) must truly believe that a government that has bankrupted social security, medicare and medicaid. That has bankrupted the mortgage, banking, and auto industry. That a government that cannot adequately educate it citizens. That a government that cannot respond fast enough in national disasters. That a government that has transferred over three trillion dollars of wealth from the private sector since 1966 to fight poverty and still says that the levels of poverty are still the same can efficiently manage health care for everybody, manage the auto industry, run banks and the oil and coal industries.
8) must truly believe that a government that says it cannot build a wall across our boarders to stop illegal immigration. That has fought a war on drugs without much success. That tired prohibition without success. That cannot either stop or start hurricanes and tornados,can actually stop climate change just by bankrupting the energy industries to taxing animal flatulence.
9) must truly believe that history starts when you wake up in the morning and everything operates in a vacuum.
10)must truly believe that unlike God, who knew after seven day he was done, uses programs that were designed to be fiscal safety nets to now create a dependent class. Uses the idea of basic quality education to now boarder on indoctrination. That used the premise of government to provide basic safety of its citizens to now define safety into government control of our habits, movements, child rearing. To change the principal of equal opportunity to equal outcome, creating aceptance of mediocrity and the demonization of success. That has added the venial sin of envy to the political process.
These are the beliefs of all the "qualified" candidates names mentioned. I think it is time to nominate an "unqualified" candidate for the senate. We need an "unqualified" Senator that would believes in the market system. One that realizes that even though OPEC has cut production by two and a half million barrels a day to run up the price of oil has failed because people changed their driving habits and do not trust this present drop in prices.
We need an "unqualified" candidate that knows it was not deregulation that caused this recession, but pure corruption on a massive scale by those in government that turned a blind eye. That tried to social engineer the mortgage industry. That allowed their friends in "Fannie Mae" and "Freddy Mac" to make massive bonuses by cooking the books and totally ignored the basics of economics.
We need an "unqualified" candidate who knows you cannot tax or regulate your way out of this recession. One who knows that you can not make poor people rich by making rich people poor. One who will be loyal to the state they represent and not the ruling class that would be part of. One who can not only speak truth to power but also to the people.
We need an "unqualified" candidate who does not believe they are smarter than God, nor more powerful than nature. I have known financial success and failure. I have known corruption and honesty. I have know selfishness and compassion. I know history started before I was born and things do not operate in a vacuum. I am totally "unqualified". I nominate me.
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CABLE T.V. SHOW UPDATE:
RE: THE VOLPE REPORT:
Andy-
Greetings to all! Hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year during this holiday season.
The Volpe Report is pleased to announce that the special guest for January is Kathleen Fitzpatrick- the managing editor for the North County News. Listen to Kathleen as she speaks of the road that led her to the NCNews staff and the workings and pressure of deadlines, judgement calls, and articles that make the weekly paper so popular is the area.
The dates and times are as follows:
Yorktown/Putnam Valley Channel 74 Wednesday @ 6:00pm December 31, January 7, 14, 21 and 28
Peekskill/Cortlandt Channel 15 Thursday @ 8:00pm January 8, 15, 22 and 29
Dominec
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AN E-MAIL COMMENT ON MY NCN COLUMN "I'LD RATHER LIVE IN POTTERSVILLE"
Hey Bazzo:
I just read your blog additions and had to write and tell you how much I loved your mini Biography. It sounds like you and I must be contemporaries- hell, we probably were at the Paramount and the Hollowbrook Drive-in on some of the same nights. My parents moved to Lake Peekskill in 1955. Anywhere else I would be considered an Old Timer by now; not in good ole Put Valley where I think you have to have been here at least 100 years and more or less "be your own grandma" to not be considered a Washed Ashore. I remember going to Peekskill as a little kid and for me, it was as good as going to the Big Apple until I reached the age of maybe 15 when the Sixties hit the burbs full blast and I ended up in Manhattan's East Village every chance I got. Like you said, LP was a bungalow colony that emptied out after Labor Day. We and some other kids practically OWNED the lake and "the mountain" we lived on until June when the Summer Kids from the Bronx, Brooklyn and THe City came up to regale us with their tales of Mount St. Ursula, The Sands, Jimmy Bonga da Bong, The Corners and other urban legends. We worshipped those kids, they were so cool. It was so depressing when school started and everyone left-- no wonder there was so much alcohol and drug use (although there seems to still be alot of that today, what's their excuse?). But at least we had Peekskill, and for most of us, that did just fine for a long time. Thanks again for all your work and reporting. I tend to agree with most of what you say, even if it's politically incorrect.
Patty V.
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YHO said...
Your family owned Nino's? It's been 30 years, and I still say that Nino's pizza was the best pizza I ever tasted. It had a sauce with big chunks of fresh tomatoes, and a very thin crust with semolina on the bottom, as I recall.
Care to share the recipe? :-)
MY REPLY:
SORRY IT IS A FAMILY SECRET
A.B.
************************************************************************************
AN E-MAIL FROM PLUM-LINE FELLOWSHIP
Greetings Andy,
This is the email I sent to my network that included my favorite cabbie. I write to a distinctly Christian audience, the born again/ evangelical crowd so I refer much to scripture, church and the like. It is a handpicked audience I communicate with that includes many young adults I have mentored on the past or am currently mentoring. I cover theology, politics and current events that I think are educational putting my observations on it.
I hope you like it.
Kevin
Subject: He shoots, he scores, YESSSSSS
Greeting Beloved,
If you had an opportunity to speak directly to an influential Democratic operative, what would you say?
Yesterday I had an opportunity to do just that, speak truth to power. It was one of those occasions that you rarely if ever get to speak your mind to an influential person implementing policies that you think are wrong and harmful and trying to white wash it.
I was in a taxi going to my apartment from the train station in Peekskill. The Taxi driver is also a columnist in a local Westchester/Putnam county newspaper. He is a good conservative columnist who writes well and studies his subject. He hammers the Democrats every week exposing their policies and using his pen as a weapon. We have found much common ground in our conversations when I ride his cab to my apartment. I was in the front passenger seat. Behind me were two women in the back seat of the cab.
The conversation began with the Chicago events where the governor was arrested earlier this week. We were discussing which state has the most corrupt political machine, Illinois, Louisiana or NJ which are incidentally states with a heavily dominant Democratic political machine in control. I asked when we were going to get the data of who has more politicians behind bars, the Democrats or Republicans? The cabbie said it will never happen because the press is in cahoots with the Democratic party. Then he warned me that the lady sitting directly behind me was the head of the city of Peekskill Democratic party. She then spoke her mind implicitly acknowledging the problem of Democrats behind bars. She said it was likely due to their base is usually in cities where crime is more rampant. Not being satisfied with this lame excuse knowing that urban or rural setting don’t shape character but values taught and received do; I had to make a choice of being nice so she would like me or to speak truth to power. Having the situation of a captive audience in the cab with an ally driving the car, (I’m typically outgunned by a 20:1 margin in Brooklyn) I countered with another theory. I suggested that the demise of these Democratic politicians is because the party has embraced a corrupt ideology.
At this point my fellow conservative cabbie vociferously disagreed. He said it can’t possibly be corrupt ideology on the ground the Democrats don’t have any ethics or a sound definition of right and wrong. I had given them credit for having values by insinuating they had an ideology or world view. I countered that regardless of their moral bankruptcy, that their views are still based upon an ideology though one that refused to acknowledge possibility of the existence of absolute truths.
Changing the subject the cabbie said liberal policies are like having a venereal disease, it can be cured, it does not have to be fatal. He was very close to my feeling of the Democrats. I said they remind me of a whore that gives away what does not belong to them to stay in power (e.g. citizenship, social security, drivers licenses and education to illegals, stealing private property from the rich to buy votes, raping the constitution to get an immigrant elected to the presidency). The woman did not offer a defense and she could not because it is true. There is absolutely no moral equivalency between conservatives and the Democratic party. It’s not even close. Just look whose leaders are doing the jail time by large measure.
We arrive at this beleaguered woman’s home. As she left she asked for Christmas that the cabbies column would not hammer the Democrats. He said that was his intent, he would be nice to the Democrats for Christmas and that he had his sights on socialists instead. To me they are one in the same. It was a great day. I feel I was given an opportunity to cut through the smoke and mirrors and speak to a key Democrat and confront them on even terms and battle the constant stream of misinformation and confusion that this political party has taken to an art form.
Also, this is the second time I have watched this cabbie boldly speak truth to his customers. He gave an economic history lesson to another liberal rider who trashed the American economic mess as the worst since the great depression. He cited facts and figures to the Carter years in the 70’s that Reagan corrected by his conservative policies and values. The cabbie challenged this passenger to read a history book before spouting liberal propaganda. How I wish that moral courage existed in the church. I have seen too many pander for power and influence rather than speak truth to power no matter what may happen or where it takes them.
Kevin OReilly
Plumb-line Fellowship – Footwasher in training
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYMAN GREG BALL:
ASSEMBLYMAN BALL ANNOUNCES FORMATION OF ‘THE PUTNAM PIONEERS’
Local Republicans make New Year’s resolution to keep Putnam, and take back New York
Prior to being sworn in for his second term, State Assemblyman Greg Ball (R, C, I – Patterson), announced the formation of a new political action committee known as the Putnam Pioneers. This ‘by invitation only’ organization is committed to getting serious conservative candidates elected throughout the Hudson Valley.
At his swearing in ceremony at Primavera in Croton Falls, NY in Westchester County the Assemblyman stated, "[b]y supporting Putnam Pioneers, you are helping to lay a strong foundation for maintaining a Republican Majority and getting reform minded candidates elected throughout the county, and beyond," Ball told a crowd of supporters.
The committee has already recruited over 40 committed Republicans, Conservatives, elected officials, business owners, and even Democrats throughout the Hudson Valley. Each member has made a $2500 financial commitment to help recruit credible candidates who espouse a simple philosophy of cutting taxes, rooting out corruption and cracking down on illegal immigration.
"The Putnam Pioneers will provide direct financial assistance, independent expenditures, research, media consulting, Web networking, and training for candidates and staff," Ball added.
Ball, one of the few remaining elected Republican officials in the Hudson Valley, said the organization, "was dedicated to rebuilding the infrastructure of the Republican party by recruiting, raising money, and targeting these resources to support maverick candidates willing to support a fiscally conservative and socially populist message to win local, county and state races."
"We are beginning to recruit a tremendous group of Republican candidates for 2009 and 2010", Ball said. "While our party has always had strong grassroots enthusiasm, one thing we have lacked is an organized ‘farm team’ of conservative Republican candidates who are ready to intelligently speak on an anti tax, pro legal immigration and anti cronyism agenda while moving our party forward."
The founding members, several of whom include rising stars in the state party and local officials who have run efficient races, are working a blueprint for success that will provide financial training, strategic assistance and campaign tools to other candidates.
www.Ball4Ny.com
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BALL TELLS GOV. PATERSON “SPORTSMEN ARE NEW YORKERS TOO”
Urges Paterson to save Reynolds Game Farm for Upstate Economy
A budget recommendation from the state Department of Environmental Conservation to close the Reynolds Game Farm in the town of Dryden Tompkins County drew consternation from Assemblyman Greg Ball (R, C, I – Patterson) this week.
“While pheasant hunting continues to offer New Yorkers the ultimate and most popular upland game hunting experience and an excellent opportunity to introduce youngsters to the challenges and rewards of hunting birds with a trained dog,” Ball said, “Governor Paterson’s proposed budget effectively dismantles the only remaining pheasant farm left in the state.”
Ball delivered a letter on behalf of Hudson Valley sportsmen to the Governor asking if the present $750k annual cost of the program truly outweighs its benefits.
The letter emphasized the fact that the state pheasant program is not funded with taxpayer dollars, as funding to operate the Reynolds Game Farm comes exclusively from the Conservation Fund which is funded through license fees paid by hunters.
“Almost 600,000 hunters spend over $700 million annually on hunting and hunting related activities,” Ball said. “The alternative for many of these hunters who enjoy pheasant hunting is to spend their money in another state. What sense does that make?”
“While our state faces a financial emergency, the Governor’s proposals already produce $3.1 billion in new taxes and fee increases during a recession,” Ball added. “Meanwhile, as if the all-out tax assault on small businesses and working families wasn’t enough, the Governor’s plan contains no measures to help the upstate economy rebound.”
Figures provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation on DEC’s own website shows small game hunters spent approximately $600 per person per year on trip and equipment related expenses in 2006, contributing millions of dollars to the state economy.
“Budget reductions are a necessity and DEC must suffer along with other agencies,” Ball said. “However, a decision to close New York’s last remaining pheasant rearing facility, which provides millions in revenue to our economy, without seeking an input from the people who are paying for it – the sportsmen of New York – is disturbing at the least.”
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN SANDRA GALEF:
Assemblywoman Galef Announces Results of Constituent Survey on Ways to Reign in Property Taxes
89 Percent Favored a Tax Cap
(December 29, 2008) Assemblywoman Sandy Galef released the results of a constituent survey she conducted on property tax relief in the 90th NYS Assembly District. They were overwhelmingly in favor of change, with the vast majority supporting a property tax cap.
Following a seminar she held at Putnam Valley High School in June 2008 with Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, Chairman of the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief, she sent out a newsletter explaining some of the information about the Commission’s report, and asked constituents to weigh in with their opinions. Galef posed questions about a tax cap, local overrides to a cap, mandate relief and circuit breaker legislation.
“Many people said they felt that a tax cap would not be enough because it could only cap costs going forward,” said Galef. “We really need to approach this from both sides. It is critical that we look at ways to cut back on escalating costs as well as cap what we already pay. I have been focusing my attention on ways schools and municipalities can share services or consolidate areas of least impact. The Suozzi Commission’s latest report has some compelling recommendations, including working on mandate relief for school districts. We are all in this bad economy together. We need to take advantage of a bad situation to proactively overhaul our systems so that we can achieve good results.”
Over 500 respondents answered the questions as follows:
QUESTION Yes No
Are you in favor of a property tax cap? 88% 12%
If you favor a cap, do you think 4% or 120% of the Consumer Price Index (the lesser of the two) is reasonable? 62% 38%
The report calls for any school district that wants to exceed the cap to get approval by at least 55 percent of the voters and by 60 percent if the school district received a 5% or greater boost in state aid. Do you think this is reasonable? 70% 30%
Do you think a tax cap should be passed as its own legislation? 76% 24%
If not, would you support a cap in conjunction with a guarantee that school costs and state mandates for schools would be covered by state aid? 68% 32%
If you believe state aid is necessary to keep schools strong, would you be willing to have your income tax raised to support the aid? 32% 68%
Would you support circuit breaker relief in the form of a personal income tax credit against real property taxes paid in excess of a percentage of income? 64% 36%
If "yes" would you support replacing the current Middle Income STAR Rebate check with the new Circuit Breaker and use the state money that currently funds this STAR program to pay for the Circuit Breaker? 44% 56%
One constituent from Putnam Valley said “We need [tax] cap and [circuit] breaker, one without the other is no good.” Another constituent noted, “The cap will only work if the state pays for unfunded mandates and reforms the way teacher pensions are paid for…”
Galef will host a follow-up forum with Mr. Suozzi, Thursday, January 22nd from 7-9 pm at Croton Village Hall. For more information, contact the Assemblywoman at (914) 941-1111 or galefs@assembly.state.ny.us.
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THIS WEEKS "IN MY OPINION COLUMN" IN THE NCN:
Dear Readers:
This week I thank those who make my column possible.You can read my column on this topic exclusively on line(see link below)or in this weeks NORTH COUNTY NEWS on sale now. I am worth the seventy-five cents. Look for my column IN MY OPINION(page 10) in the editorial section. Better yet as this column is exclusive to the North County News on a regular basis and will be covering the local political scene, take out a subscription. Click on the North County News link below and go to Subscribe. Between this blog and The North County News you will have all the information to make a vote based on substance.
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FYI:ATOM TAXI INC. AIRPORT SERVICE:
Dear Readers:
This gives me a chance to plug my business ATOM TAXI INC. As you are planning your holiday or business or vacation travel? Instead of the headache of trying to find Airport parking, we do Airport Service to The Westchester County Airport(and ALL other airports) 24/7. Just call 1(914)879-6121 and my partner Tommy, will be glad to take you in our Airport Taxi. You will also be provided with a free copy of your local paper of record The North County News. If this is a business trip we also provide a professional receipt, just tell Tommy at the time of booking. The cost of a one-way trip to LaGuardia Airport the cost is Ninety dollars plus tolls. The cost to JFK and Newark Airports is one hundred-twenty-five dollars plus tolls. The tolls are $10.00 Westchester County Airport and Stewart cost $75.00. We do not take credit cards, sorry.
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E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS:
Dear Readers:
It has come to my attention the difficulty in posting a comment on this blog. If you wish to comment, e-mail me at the link posted below, putting "Manifesto Reader" in the subject matter, and I will "cut and Paste" your comments myself. If you DO NOT wish your comments posted, but just wish to communicate with me, please make your wishes known in the e-mail.
LINKS: atom_taxi@yahoo.com(as this a yahoo address make sure you put an underscore (-) between atom and taxi)
For immediate reply: atomtaxi@aol.com
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SITES TO LINK TO:
JOHN G. TESTA: www.johngtesta.com
ON TOPIC W/ JOHN TESTA: www.ontopicwithjt.com
CARS & US: www.doverracing.com
THE WINERY AT ST. GEORGE: http://www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
PLAN PUTNAM: planputnam@googlegroups.com/
PEEKSKILL GUARDIAN: "http://peekskillguardian.blogspot.com/
NORTH COUNTY NEWS:"http://northcountynews.com/
THE JOURNAL NEWS:http://thejournalnews.com/
PEEKSKILL DEMOCRATS:http://www.peekskilldems.com/"
PEEKSKILLREPUBLICANS:http://peekskillgop.com/
YORKTOWN SUPERVISOR DON PETERS: http://www.donpetersforyorktown.com/
PUTNAM VALLEY SUPERVISOR BOB TENDY:http://www.bobtendyforsupervisor.com/
THE PEEKSILL NEWS:http://thepeekskillnews.blogspot.com/
CORTLANDT MANOR CIVIC ASSOCIATION: www.cortlandtcivic.com
GOPAC: gohudblogs.com
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CABLE SHOWS TO WATCH
ON POINT ON PEEKSKILL: Every Tuesday at 8PM channel 15 (Peekskill only)
Hosted by:DARREN RIGGER
DON PETERS AND YORKTOWN: Various day and times on chanel 20(Ykt.only)
Hosted by: SUPERVISOR DON PETERS
YORKTOWN WATCHDOG: Every Friday at 9:30 PM & Wednesday at 4:30PM on channel 74
Hosted By: ED CIFFON
LEGISLATORS REPORT: Saturday and Sunday at various times on chanel 20
Hosted By: COUNCILMEN NICK BIANCO AND LOU CAMPISI
THE VOLPE REPORT: Thursadys at 8PM chanel 15 (Peek. and Cort.) chanel 74 at 6pm (York.& Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Dominec Volpe
THE ISSUES: Thursdays at 9:PM chanel 74 Peekskill Mondays at 8PM chanel 15
Hosted by; Sam Davis
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA: Thursdays at 9:30PM chanel 15 (Peekskill & Cortlant)
Tuesdays in Yorktown & Putnam Valley 9:30 chanel 74
Hosted by: John Testa
CARS & US: Fridays 10 PM chanel 15(Peek. & Cortlant) 74(York. & Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Dennis Tate
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
All articles re-printed in this blog from the North County News are with the permission of Bruce Apar Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
01/03/09
What are the qualifications that the person who replaces our current Senator, Hillary Clinton, must posses? According to their spoken and voting records of the names mentioned they...
1) must be willing to spend tax dollars with abandon.
2) must be good a guilting the tax payers into paying a combined federal, state, county, and local (this includes school and property) tax burden of at least 50% of your income, and convince you it is still not enough.
3) must be part of the reason why our federal, state, city, county, and local governments are bloated with close to 40% of the population receiving some sort of government check.
4) must be on board with the desire to make that percentage go past 50% to make sure that the Democrat Party will be in control for the next 50 years.
5) must be part of the reason why those people and businesses that can relocate to other less taxing and regulating states do relocate.
6) must truly believe that the original premise of our founding, that government should have limited involvement with the people is obsolete.
7) must truly believe that a government that has bankrupted social security, medicare and medicaid. That has bankrupted the mortgage, banking, and auto industry. That a government that cannot adequately educate it citizens. That a government that cannot respond fast enough in national disasters. That a government that has transferred over three trillion dollars of wealth from the private sector since 1966 to fight poverty and still says that the levels of poverty are still the same can efficiently manage health care for everybody, manage the auto industry, run banks and the oil and coal industries.
8) must truly believe that a government that says it cannot build a wall across our boarders to stop illegal immigration. That has fought a war on drugs without much success. That tired prohibition without success. That cannot either stop or start hurricanes and tornados,can actually stop climate change just by bankrupting the energy industries to taxing animal flatulence.
9) must truly believe that history starts when you wake up in the morning and everything operates in a vacuum.
10)must truly believe that unlike God, who knew after seven day he was done, uses programs that were designed to be fiscal safety nets to now create a dependent class. Uses the idea of basic quality education to now boarder on indoctrination. That used the premise of government to provide basic safety of its citizens to now define safety into government control of our habits, movements, child rearing. To change the principal of equal opportunity to equal outcome, creating aceptance of mediocrity and the demonization of success. That has added the venial sin of envy to the political process.
These are the beliefs of all the "qualified" candidates names mentioned. I think it is time to nominate an "unqualified" candidate for the senate. We need an "unqualified" Senator that would believes in the market system. One that realizes that even though OPEC has cut production by two and a half million barrels a day to run up the price of oil has failed because people changed their driving habits and do not trust this present drop in prices.
We need an "unqualified" candidate that knows it was not deregulation that caused this recession, but pure corruption on a massive scale by those in government that turned a blind eye. That tried to social engineer the mortgage industry. That allowed their friends in "Fannie Mae" and "Freddy Mac" to make massive bonuses by cooking the books and totally ignored the basics of economics.
We need an "unqualified" candidate who knows you cannot tax or regulate your way out of this recession. One who knows that you can not make poor people rich by making rich people poor. One who will be loyal to the state they represent and not the ruling class that would be part of. One who can not only speak truth to power but also to the people.
We need an "unqualified" candidate who does not believe they are smarter than God, nor more powerful than nature. I have known financial success and failure. I have known corruption and honesty. I have know selfishness and compassion. I know history started before I was born and things do not operate in a vacuum. I am totally "unqualified". I nominate me.
************************************************************************************
CABLE T.V. SHOW UPDATE:
RE: THE VOLPE REPORT:
Andy-
Greetings to all! Hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year during this holiday season.
The Volpe Report is pleased to announce that the special guest for January is Kathleen Fitzpatrick- the managing editor for the North County News. Listen to Kathleen as she speaks of the road that led her to the NCNews staff and the workings and pressure of deadlines, judgement calls, and articles that make the weekly paper so popular is the area.
The dates and times are as follows:
Yorktown/Putnam Valley Channel 74 Wednesday @ 6:00pm December 31, January 7, 14, 21 and 28
Peekskill/Cortlandt Channel 15 Thursday @ 8:00pm January 8, 15, 22 and 29
Dominec
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AN E-MAIL COMMENT ON MY NCN COLUMN "I'LD RATHER LIVE IN POTTERSVILLE"
Hey Bazzo:
I just read your blog additions and had to write and tell you how much I loved your mini Biography. It sounds like you and I must be contemporaries- hell, we probably were at the Paramount and the Hollowbrook Drive-in on some of the same nights. My parents moved to Lake Peekskill in 1955. Anywhere else I would be considered an Old Timer by now; not in good ole Put Valley where I think you have to have been here at least 100 years and more or less "be your own grandma" to not be considered a Washed Ashore. I remember going to Peekskill as a little kid and for me, it was as good as going to the Big Apple until I reached the age of maybe 15 when the Sixties hit the burbs full blast and I ended up in Manhattan's East Village every chance I got. Like you said, LP was a bungalow colony that emptied out after Labor Day. We and some other kids practically OWNED the lake and "the mountain" we lived on until June when the Summer Kids from the Bronx, Brooklyn and THe City came up to regale us with their tales of Mount St. Ursula, The Sands, Jimmy Bonga da Bong, The Corners and other urban legends. We worshipped those kids, they were so cool. It was so depressing when school started and everyone left-- no wonder there was so much alcohol and drug use (although there seems to still be alot of that today, what's their excuse?). But at least we had Peekskill, and for most of us, that did just fine for a long time. Thanks again for all your work and reporting. I tend to agree with most of what you say, even if it's politically incorrect.
Patty V.
********************
YHO said...
Your family owned Nino's? It's been 30 years, and I still say that Nino's pizza was the best pizza I ever tasted. It had a sauce with big chunks of fresh tomatoes, and a very thin crust with semolina on the bottom, as I recall.
Care to share the recipe? :-)
MY REPLY:
SORRY IT IS A FAMILY SECRET
A.B.
************************************************************************************
AN E-MAIL FROM PLUM-LINE FELLOWSHIP
Greetings Andy,
This is the email I sent to my network that included my favorite cabbie. I write to a distinctly Christian audience, the born again/ evangelical crowd so I refer much to scripture, church and the like. It is a handpicked audience I communicate with that includes many young adults I have mentored on the past or am currently mentoring. I cover theology, politics and current events that I think are educational putting my observations on it.
I hope you like it.
Kevin
Subject: He shoots, he scores, YESSSSSS
Greeting Beloved,
If you had an opportunity to speak directly to an influential Democratic operative, what would you say?
Yesterday I had an opportunity to do just that, speak truth to power. It was one of those occasions that you rarely if ever get to speak your mind to an influential person implementing policies that you think are wrong and harmful and trying to white wash it.
I was in a taxi going to my apartment from the train station in Peekskill. The Taxi driver is also a columnist in a local Westchester/Putnam county newspaper. He is a good conservative columnist who writes well and studies his subject. He hammers the Democrats every week exposing their policies and using his pen as a weapon. We have found much common ground in our conversations when I ride his cab to my apartment. I was in the front passenger seat. Behind me were two women in the back seat of the cab.
The conversation began with the Chicago events where the governor was arrested earlier this week. We were discussing which state has the most corrupt political machine, Illinois, Louisiana or NJ which are incidentally states with a heavily dominant Democratic political machine in control. I asked when we were going to get the data of who has more politicians behind bars, the Democrats or Republicans? The cabbie said it will never happen because the press is in cahoots with the Democratic party. Then he warned me that the lady sitting directly behind me was the head of the city of Peekskill Democratic party. She then spoke her mind implicitly acknowledging the problem of Democrats behind bars. She said it was likely due to their base is usually in cities where crime is more rampant. Not being satisfied with this lame excuse knowing that urban or rural setting don’t shape character but values taught and received do; I had to make a choice of being nice so she would like me or to speak truth to power. Having the situation of a captive audience in the cab with an ally driving the car, (I’m typically outgunned by a 20:1 margin in Brooklyn) I countered with another theory. I suggested that the demise of these Democratic politicians is because the party has embraced a corrupt ideology.
At this point my fellow conservative cabbie vociferously disagreed. He said it can’t possibly be corrupt ideology on the ground the Democrats don’t have any ethics or a sound definition of right and wrong. I had given them credit for having values by insinuating they had an ideology or world view. I countered that regardless of their moral bankruptcy, that their views are still based upon an ideology though one that refused to acknowledge possibility of the existence of absolute truths.
Changing the subject the cabbie said liberal policies are like having a venereal disease, it can be cured, it does not have to be fatal. He was very close to my feeling of the Democrats. I said they remind me of a whore that gives away what does not belong to them to stay in power (e.g. citizenship, social security, drivers licenses and education to illegals, stealing private property from the rich to buy votes, raping the constitution to get an immigrant elected to the presidency). The woman did not offer a defense and she could not because it is true. There is absolutely no moral equivalency between conservatives and the Democratic party. It’s not even close. Just look whose leaders are doing the jail time by large measure.
We arrive at this beleaguered woman’s home. As she left she asked for Christmas that the cabbies column would not hammer the Democrats. He said that was his intent, he would be nice to the Democrats for Christmas and that he had his sights on socialists instead. To me they are one in the same. It was a great day. I feel I was given an opportunity to cut through the smoke and mirrors and speak to a key Democrat and confront them on even terms and battle the constant stream of misinformation and confusion that this political party has taken to an art form.
Also, this is the second time I have watched this cabbie boldly speak truth to his customers. He gave an economic history lesson to another liberal rider who trashed the American economic mess as the worst since the great depression. He cited facts and figures to the Carter years in the 70’s that Reagan corrected by his conservative policies and values. The cabbie challenged this passenger to read a history book before spouting liberal propaganda. How I wish that moral courage existed in the church. I have seen too many pander for power and influence rather than speak truth to power no matter what may happen or where it takes them.
Kevin OReilly
Plumb-line Fellowship – Footwasher in training
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYMAN GREG BALL:
ASSEMBLYMAN BALL ANNOUNCES FORMATION OF ‘THE PUTNAM PIONEERS’
Local Republicans make New Year’s resolution to keep Putnam, and take back New York
Prior to being sworn in for his second term, State Assemblyman Greg Ball (R, C, I – Patterson), announced the formation of a new political action committee known as the Putnam Pioneers. This ‘by invitation only’ organization is committed to getting serious conservative candidates elected throughout the Hudson Valley.
At his swearing in ceremony at Primavera in Croton Falls, NY in Westchester County the Assemblyman stated, "[b]y supporting Putnam Pioneers, you are helping to lay a strong foundation for maintaining a Republican Majority and getting reform minded candidates elected throughout the county, and beyond," Ball told a crowd of supporters.
The committee has already recruited over 40 committed Republicans, Conservatives, elected officials, business owners, and even Democrats throughout the Hudson Valley. Each member has made a $2500 financial commitment to help recruit credible candidates who espouse a simple philosophy of cutting taxes, rooting out corruption and cracking down on illegal immigration.
"The Putnam Pioneers will provide direct financial assistance, independent expenditures, research, media consulting, Web networking, and training for candidates and staff," Ball added.
Ball, one of the few remaining elected Republican officials in the Hudson Valley, said the organization, "was dedicated to rebuilding the infrastructure of the Republican party by recruiting, raising money, and targeting these resources to support maverick candidates willing to support a fiscally conservative and socially populist message to win local, county and state races."
"We are beginning to recruit a tremendous group of Republican candidates for 2009 and 2010", Ball said. "While our party has always had strong grassroots enthusiasm, one thing we have lacked is an organized ‘farm team’ of conservative Republican candidates who are ready to intelligently speak on an anti tax, pro legal immigration and anti cronyism agenda while moving our party forward."
The founding members, several of whom include rising stars in the state party and local officials who have run efficient races, are working a blueprint for success that will provide financial training, strategic assistance and campaign tools to other candidates.
www.Ball4Ny.com
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BALL TELLS GOV. PATERSON “SPORTSMEN ARE NEW YORKERS TOO”
Urges Paterson to save Reynolds Game Farm for Upstate Economy
A budget recommendation from the state Department of Environmental Conservation to close the Reynolds Game Farm in the town of Dryden Tompkins County drew consternation from Assemblyman Greg Ball (R, C, I – Patterson) this week.
“While pheasant hunting continues to offer New Yorkers the ultimate and most popular upland game hunting experience and an excellent opportunity to introduce youngsters to the challenges and rewards of hunting birds with a trained dog,” Ball said, “Governor Paterson’s proposed budget effectively dismantles the only remaining pheasant farm left in the state.”
Ball delivered a letter on behalf of Hudson Valley sportsmen to the Governor asking if the present $750k annual cost of the program truly outweighs its benefits.
The letter emphasized the fact that the state pheasant program is not funded with taxpayer dollars, as funding to operate the Reynolds Game Farm comes exclusively from the Conservation Fund which is funded through license fees paid by hunters.
“Almost 600,000 hunters spend over $700 million annually on hunting and hunting related activities,” Ball said. “The alternative for many of these hunters who enjoy pheasant hunting is to spend their money in another state. What sense does that make?”
“While our state faces a financial emergency, the Governor’s proposals already produce $3.1 billion in new taxes and fee increases during a recession,” Ball added. “Meanwhile, as if the all-out tax assault on small businesses and working families wasn’t enough, the Governor’s plan contains no measures to help the upstate economy rebound.”
Figures provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation on DEC’s own website shows small game hunters spent approximately $600 per person per year on trip and equipment related expenses in 2006, contributing millions of dollars to the state economy.
“Budget reductions are a necessity and DEC must suffer along with other agencies,” Ball said. “However, a decision to close New York’s last remaining pheasant rearing facility, which provides millions in revenue to our economy, without seeking an input from the people who are paying for it – the sportsmen of New York – is disturbing at the least.”
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN SANDRA GALEF:
Assemblywoman Galef Announces Results of Constituent Survey on Ways to Reign in Property Taxes
89 Percent Favored a Tax Cap
(December 29, 2008) Assemblywoman Sandy Galef released the results of a constituent survey she conducted on property tax relief in the 90th NYS Assembly District. They were overwhelmingly in favor of change, with the vast majority supporting a property tax cap.
Following a seminar she held at Putnam Valley High School in June 2008 with Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, Chairman of the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief, she sent out a newsletter explaining some of the information about the Commission’s report, and asked constituents to weigh in with their opinions. Galef posed questions about a tax cap, local overrides to a cap, mandate relief and circuit breaker legislation.
“Many people said they felt that a tax cap would not be enough because it could only cap costs going forward,” said Galef. “We really need to approach this from both sides. It is critical that we look at ways to cut back on escalating costs as well as cap what we already pay. I have been focusing my attention on ways schools and municipalities can share services or consolidate areas of least impact. The Suozzi Commission’s latest report has some compelling recommendations, including working on mandate relief for school districts. We are all in this bad economy together. We need to take advantage of a bad situation to proactively overhaul our systems so that we can achieve good results.”
Over 500 respondents answered the questions as follows:
QUESTION Yes No
Are you in favor of a property tax cap? 88% 12%
If you favor a cap, do you think 4% or 120% of the Consumer Price Index (the lesser of the two) is reasonable? 62% 38%
The report calls for any school district that wants to exceed the cap to get approval by at least 55 percent of the voters and by 60 percent if the school district received a 5% or greater boost in state aid. Do you think this is reasonable? 70% 30%
Do you think a tax cap should be passed as its own legislation? 76% 24%
If not, would you support a cap in conjunction with a guarantee that school costs and state mandates for schools would be covered by state aid? 68% 32%
If you believe state aid is necessary to keep schools strong, would you be willing to have your income tax raised to support the aid? 32% 68%
Would you support circuit breaker relief in the form of a personal income tax credit against real property taxes paid in excess of a percentage of income? 64% 36%
If "yes" would you support replacing the current Middle Income STAR Rebate check with the new Circuit Breaker and use the state money that currently funds this STAR program to pay for the Circuit Breaker? 44% 56%
One constituent from Putnam Valley said “We need [tax] cap and [circuit] breaker, one without the other is no good.” Another constituent noted, “The cap will only work if the state pays for unfunded mandates and reforms the way teacher pensions are paid for…”
Galef will host a follow-up forum with Mr. Suozzi, Thursday, January 22nd from 7-9 pm at Croton Village Hall. For more information, contact the Assemblywoman at (914) 941-1111 or galefs@assembly.state.ny.us.
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THIS WEEKS "IN MY OPINION COLUMN" IN THE NCN:
Dear Readers:
This week I thank those who make my column possible.You can read my column on this topic exclusively on line(see link below)or in this weeks NORTH COUNTY NEWS on sale now. I am worth the seventy-five cents. Look for my column IN MY OPINION(page 10) in the editorial section. Better yet as this column is exclusive to the North County News on a regular basis and will be covering the local political scene, take out a subscription. Click on the North County News link below and go to Subscribe. Between this blog and The North County News you will have all the information to make a vote based on substance.
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FYI:ATOM TAXI INC. AIRPORT SERVICE:
Dear Readers:
This gives me a chance to plug my business ATOM TAXI INC. As you are planning your holiday or business or vacation travel? Instead of the headache of trying to find Airport parking, we do Airport Service to The Westchester County Airport(and ALL other airports) 24/7. Just call 1(914)879-6121 and my partner Tommy, will be glad to take you in our Airport Taxi. You will also be provided with a free copy of your local paper of record The North County News. If this is a business trip we also provide a professional receipt, just tell Tommy at the time of booking. The cost of a one-way trip to LaGuardia Airport the cost is Ninety dollars plus tolls. The cost to JFK and Newark Airports is one hundred-twenty-five dollars plus tolls. The tolls are $10.00 Westchester County Airport and Stewart cost $75.00. We do not take credit cards, sorry.
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E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS:
Dear Readers:
It has come to my attention the difficulty in posting a comment on this blog. If you wish to comment, e-mail me at the link posted below, putting "Manifesto Reader" in the subject matter, and I will "cut and Paste" your comments myself. If you DO NOT wish your comments posted, but just wish to communicate with me, please make your wishes known in the e-mail.
LINKS: atom_taxi@yahoo.com(as this a yahoo address make sure you put an underscore (-) between atom and taxi)
For immediate reply: atomtaxi@aol.com
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SITES TO LINK TO:
JOHN G. TESTA: www.johngtesta.com
ON TOPIC W/ JOHN TESTA: www.ontopicwithjt.com
CARS & US: www.doverracing.com
THE WINERY AT ST. GEORGE: http://www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
PLAN PUTNAM: planputnam@googlegroups.com/
PEEKSKILL GUARDIAN: "http://peekskillguardian.blogspot.com/
NORTH COUNTY NEWS:"http://northcountynews.com/
THE JOURNAL NEWS:http://thejournalnews.com/
PEEKSKILL DEMOCRATS:http://www.peekskilldems.com/"
PEEKSKILLREPUBLICANS:http://peekskillgop.com/
YORKTOWN SUPERVISOR DON PETERS: http://www.donpetersforyorktown.com/
PUTNAM VALLEY SUPERVISOR BOB TENDY:http://www.bobtendyforsupervisor.com/
THE PEEKSILL NEWS:http://thepeekskillnews.blogspot.com/
CORTLANDT MANOR CIVIC ASSOCIATION: www.cortlandtcivic.com
GOPAC: gohudblogs.com
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CABLE SHOWS TO WATCH
ON POINT ON PEEKSKILL: Every Tuesday at 8PM channel 15 (Peekskill only)
Hosted by:DARREN RIGGER
DON PETERS AND YORKTOWN: Various day and times on chanel 20(Ykt.only)
Hosted by: SUPERVISOR DON PETERS
YORKTOWN WATCHDOG: Every Friday at 9:30 PM & Wednesday at 4:30PM on channel 74
Hosted By: ED CIFFON
LEGISLATORS REPORT: Saturday and Sunday at various times on chanel 20
Hosted By: COUNCILMEN NICK BIANCO AND LOU CAMPISI
THE VOLPE REPORT: Thursadys at 8PM chanel 15 (Peek. and Cort.) chanel 74 at 6pm (York.& Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Dominec Volpe
THE ISSUES: Thursdays at 9:PM chanel 74 Peekskill Mondays at 8PM chanel 15
Hosted by; Sam Davis
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA: Thursdays at 9:30PM chanel 15 (Peekskill & Cortlant)
Tuesdays in Yorktown & Putnam Valley 9:30 chanel 74
Hosted by: John Testa
CARS & US: Fridays 10 PM chanel 15(Peek. & Cortlant) 74(York. & Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Dennis Tate
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
All articles re-printed in this blog from the North County News are with the permission of Bruce Apar Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
01/03/09
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