Part 7: Rampant patronage and corruption under Gromack

As we have asked about former Supervisor Holbrook, we now ask the same question about Town Supervisor Gromack: what can one say about the honesty, transparency, and quality of his governance, having been Town Supervisor since 2004, and having now been re-elected?

The answer, sadly, can be found in nearly two dozen recent actions, all of which smack of patronage and corruption, none of which are to the benefit of the taxpaying public.

This list is taken, in large measure, from a recently-created site —https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clarkstown-What-They-Dont-Want-You-To-Know/146207698912716, with numerous additional examples of patronage, corruption, conspiracy, and related illegal actions of Clarkstown officials being fully documented within our web site, www.townofclarkstownvgoldberg.org.

All of these corrupt actions are within the public realm, and all have occurred within just the past two years. How many more will come to light is anyone’s guess. This is the first of a two part article on patronage and corruption under Gromack.

“The road to Stockton [a town that has declared bankruptcy].” Just days after Gromack was re-elected to a sixth consecutive term of office, the Facebook page ‘Clarkstown: What-They-Don’t-Want-You-To-Know’ reported that “the Clarkstown Town Board unanimously voted to override the state property tax cap, which allowed them to pass a budget that will increase taxes for homeowners by 3.5%, while taxes for business owners will go up “by 16% to 17%.” For 2013, average actual residential property taxes increased by 6%. Good for Town businesses and taxpayers, Mr. Gromack?

Also reported is that “over the past five years home prices in Clarkstown fell by just under 25%.”  Who’s minding the store, Mr. Gromack?

“The Town that lied?” Former Bronx GOP Chairman and Tax Certiorari Attorney for Clarkstown Jay Savino, hired with the blessings of Supervisor Gromack, pleaded guilty to FBI charges of corruption. Savino, it was reported, has “close ties to the Republican Party leadership such as Frank Sparaco, Clarkstown Highway Department’s part-time $75,000 “constituent representative”, and he represented Sparaco’s mother-in-law after she was accused of forging nominating petitions for Sparaco's run for State Assembly.”  Sparaco’s mother-in-law pleaded guilty to perjury and fraud associated with election petitions, and served a prison sentence. “Numerous citizens repeatedly questioned the Clarkstown Board about the Savino hiring, beginning with his first appointment in December 2011 which did not undergo competitive bidding. In December 2012, four months before he was arrested, Savino was reappointed by the Clarkstown Town Board in a series of explanations which defied belief.”  In April 2013, he was arrested on corruption charges and in November 2013, he pleaded guilty to bribery charges in Federal District Court in White Plains. Just one of many political heavyweights on Gromack’s payroll. Good for the public, Mr. Gromack?

“Puppet on a string?”  “Guy Gervasi, former President of the Clarkstown Taxpayers Group noted that there were numerous political party leaders employed by the Town and pointed to the hiring of Jay Savino as one of the most egregious cases. The history of patronage in Clarkstown is legendary; Marsha Coopersmith, who headed the local Independence Party and gave the party’s endorsement to the incumbents, had a high paying job in Clarkstown until she lost the Independence Party leadership to Debra Ortutay, Sparaco’s mother-in-law, and then she was let go.  Ed Lettre, co-chair of the local Conservative Party, has a high paying job in Clarkstown and Mary Loeffler, the other co-chair, also had a high paying job in the town. A Deputy Town in the town is the son of Harriet Cornell, the former head of the Rockland County legislature.  And of course County Legislator Frank Sparaco was given a $75,000 part time job by Wayne Ballard to answer the telephone in "hurricanes and snowstorms" which the taxpayers pay for.”  Good for the public…or good for Mr. Gromack?

”Ed Lettre, while a Town of Clarkstown employee making $174,000, was a top party official in the Conservative Party and was involved with providing the Party Line to Supervisor Gromack."  Good for the public…or good for Mr. Gromack?

"From 2009 through 2010, Mary Loeffler, Conservative Party chairperson, was not at work and yet was still compensated by the Town. A Town Board Resolution of March 2010 indicated that the Board was required to grant additional 'sick time' for Loeffler after it was revealed that Loeffler was in Florida and not in New York and was still being paid by the Town of Clarkstown at taxpayers' expense. Loeffler was involved in extensive political activities during the time that she was supposedly at work being paid by the Town $127,000 per year plus pension and benefits” Good for the public…or good for Mr. Gromack?

“The son of the other leader of the Conservative party, Ed Lettre, had a job with the Town until he and another Town employee used a Town truck in a burglary.”  Who’s minding the store, Mr. Gromack?

“The Independence Party is the political wild card. Not surprisingly, there have been many messy battles for the chairmanship of the Independence Party. The Party has a sorry history of leadership. Marsha Coopersmith was an employee of the Town of Clarkstown until December 2011 earning approximately $127,000 plus benefits while Chair of the Party and allegedly provided Supervisor Gromack that line. She was ousted from the Chairmanship by Debra Ortutay and Ortutay then allegedly supplied the line to Gromack and the rest of the Town Council.”  Good for the public…or good for Mr. Gromack?

“Ortutay, resigned under indictment for perjury and fraud and the law firm representing her was that of Joseph Savino, the above-mentioned Bronx Republican Party Chairman. Coopersmith, who no longer could provide a party line, was fired and her work was outsourced by the Board to Savino, for an annual 'retainer fee' of $87,000.”  Who’s minding the store, Mr. Gromack?

“Clarkstown Highway Superintendent gives legislator $75,000 part-time job.” The “lucky recipient” was County Legislator Frank Sparaco, a politician who, according to a local reporter, has “virtual control of two, if not three, political parties in the County.” In fact, the appointment could not have been made without Gromack’s blessing, and the timing—shortly before his re-election bid—clearly smacks of patronage. Sparaco’s new job title is Highway Department “Constituent representative.”  Good for the public…or good for Mr. Gromack?

“Officials allegedly lack transparency with private meetings.” When Ed Lettre, executive director of the Rockland Conservative Party called a “secret meeting” involving major players from all five Rockland County political parties, who was in attendance? Gromack, Town Attorney Amy Mele, and liberal-progressive Town Board members Stephanie Hauser and Shirley Lasker. When asked by Guy Gervasi, President of the Clarkstown Organized Taxpayers Association to respond to questions and comments, all refused.  Good for the public…or good for Mr. Gromack?

Ed Lettre, upon whom “the supervisor of Clarkstown and the board members are reliant to win their elections,” enjoyed a 70% salary increase as Clerk of the Works; meanwhile, the Town imposed a 1% “processing fee” on local school districts through the districts’ own tax rates, raising taxes by an additional $2 million.  Good for Town businesses and taxpayers, Mr. Gromack?

“In Clarkstown, “numerous employees, mostly in the police department, earn over $200,000 per year performing functions that in private industry would be paid one half of that amount…” In fact, police officers make up all of the top 50 salaries.  Good for Town taxpayers, Mr. Gromack?

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          Next week, we'll have lots more on patronage and the rampant corruption under Gromack the Great. If you like what you’ve read, please take a moment to cut and paste www.townofclarkstownvgoldberg.org into your browser. You’ll find numerous fully documented articles on the malignant, deceitful, conspiratorial, contemptible, unethical, and illegal actions of Town of Clarkstown officials, Town and State judges, and others who have played with the Rule of Law and ethics like a child plays with putty. Within a few weeks, this site has more than 900 hits.