Results Of Clarkstown Referendum Vote Anticipated by Supervisor

By almost the same margins, Clarkstown voters on Tuesday supported one town wide referendum and opposed a second.  Almost 16,000 voters made the yes or no decision for each proposal. They supported department consolidation but rejected changing the highway superintendent to an appointed position. 

“It went exactly as I thought would be,” said Town Supervisor Alex Gromack of the voters’ response to the .

The referendum authorizing the elimination of the Receiver of Taxes office and consolidating its powers and duties with the Town Clerk’s office passed with 12,031 yes votes to 3,889 no votes.  The percentage in favor was 75.57 percent of the 15,920 who voted and against was 24.43 percent.

Gromack said the consolidating of the departments will be phased in and take effect on January 1, 2014. The town will save several hundred thousands dollars on the merger. 

The referendum to change the superintendent of highways from an elected position to an appointed one was soundly defeated.  The number of voters opposed was 11,460 or 72.44 percent. The amount in favor was 4,361 or 27.56 percent of the 15,821 votes cast.

“I’m certainly very comfortable with (the) office staying elected,” said Gromack.  “Certainly they (voters) spoke loud and clear on it.”