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Health & Fitness

On the Brink

Today the New York State Comptroller's office released a report detailing the municipalities in financial distress. Across New York's 62 counties, Rockland stands alone...as the worst.

We have the largest budget deficit, now more than $125,000,000. We have the lowest credit rating, just above junk status, according to Standard & Poor's. Since last year's Comptroller report on municipal fiscal health, other municipalities have improved – they have leaders like Ulster County Executive Mike Hein, who have brought people together and shown the willingness to make the tough decisions.

Here in Rockland, we have more of the same. Bipartisan blame, eight-figure loans to stay afloat, and handwritten budgets with fuzzy math are just some of the solutions the people have been offered. To make paper budgets add up, revenues have been inflated while expenses are grossly underestimated. But when reality catches up to these paper budgets, the status quo's solution has been to pass the buck. The same people decrying unfunded mandates by the state and federal government are doing the same to the towns, sending Rockland's towns and villages out-of-nowhere bills for millions of dollars, all in an effort to hide from their own mistakes.

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We can turn things around. Other counties have done it. It's the lack of leadership and political willpower that's holding Rockland back. When I'm Rockland County Executive, I will take immediate and long term steps to improve Rockland's current and future financial health:

  • Restructure County Government: County government has grown too top heavy, burdened by an excess of well-paid upper and middle management administrators. As County Executive, I will audit every county job, making sure government spends tax dollars wisely and efficiently.

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  • Encourage Smart Growth: My opponent talks about implementing "pro-growth" policies. While that may sound good, it's too vague. Patrick Farms is growth, I'm against it. The Ramapo Ballpark is growth, I'm against it. The Hudson River Water Desalination plant is growth, I'm against it. When I'm County Executive, I will implement "pro-smart growth policies", encouraging sustainable economic growth that breathes new life and new jobs into our economy, like the Bloomberg Data Center in Orangeburg and the Shops at Nanuet in, you guessed it, Nanuet.

  • Lead by Example: For too long, county government has asked taxpayers to do more with less, all the while government never makes any sacrifices themselves. When I'm County Executive, I will immediately take a 20% pay cut, along with salary reductions for all County Commissioners. Additionally, I will have a public referendum to shrink the size of the County Legislature from 17 to 11. Government needs to lead by example, and in doing so, regain the public trust.

Turning Rockland around isn't going to be easy and it's not going to happen overnight. Just voting 'no' isn't going to solve our $125,000,000 deficit; cutting wasteful spending, and streamlining government will. An endless series of press releases filled with generic platitudes and vague rhetoric isn't going to restore Rockland's near junk status credit rating; working with, not against, Rockland's towns and villages to attract smart economic growth will. Personal political attacks won't restore the people's faith in public service; offering new ideas and innovative solutions will.

My campaign has and will continue to be one of ideas, where no suggestion is unworthy of discussion and debate. I will continue talking about the critical issues facing Rockland – a budget deficit that threatens this generation and future ones; a school district in crisis, with a generation of students being handicapped by the very people entrusted to safeguard their education; and rampant, unchecked over development that threatens our way of life.

We have an opportunity to change Rockland's destiny, to restore Rockland's finances and credibility with the people, to bring smart growth to our downtowns, and to lead Rockland forward. On November 5th, after 20 years of Republican rule, together, we will lead Rockland forward.
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