Results from the Clarkstown Taxpayers general membership meeting

The Clarkstown Taxpayers general membership meeting Thursday 4/18 at the Nanuet Library featured guest speaker Tim Hoefer of the Manhattan Institute and drew a large turnout of interested and concerned Residents.

Frank Grandel, President of the 600 plus member non-political group, outlined the Group's mission and spoke of various Town Board approved (most unanimously) excesses, which contribute to our extremely high property taxes, discouraging young families from settling here, and driving out long time residents.

Among the items Mr. Grandel listed were Clarkstown's excessive Police Salaries, in addition to overtime and benefit costs, 24/7 use of town Vehicles, town employees cell charges, as well as hiring of political operatives to high paying patronage positions in the town. Residents were urged to pay attention, become more involved by attending Town Board meetings and voice disapproval of reckless spending by this board. The Taxpayer group distributed a handout with detailed figures on overtime including a listing of the 2012 top 10 employees salaries and overtime amounts. 

Mt Hoefer presented eloquent, factual documentation, and provided numerous papers the Institute has published related to NY State mandates and regulations indicating a $665 million shortfall in unfunded State healthcare benefits, plus millions of pension contributions owed by Towns and Cities all of which bode difficult financial times ahead unless changes are made NOW. Specifically the State Taylor law, Triborough Amendment, and Arbitration procedures all require updating that acknowledge the difficult and changed financial environment citizens and private enterprise face in today's economy. Tim recommended we call, email and write our State representatives to work on these items. The Triborough Amendment for example must be renewed every 2 years and is up for renewal again this year.

The Taxpayers organization invited our local NY State Representatives to attend but were advised they were in Albany, however to our dismay no one from their staff attended in order to take the message back.

Many attendees expressed serious concerns about seemingly unending tax increases and indebtedness of Clarkstown. One resident indicated Stockton California, which recently filed bankruptcy, has less total debt than Clarkstown--A frightening up call to action if there ever was one!! The message is clear ---without forceful-consistent action by local citizens imploring officials at the local and state level to recognize times have changed demanding the need to reverse trends caused by outdated rules enacted in far better economic times which have disappeared and are now history.

Join our group -Follow our exposés ---www.clarkstowntaxpayers.com