Rockland County Legislature Chairwoman Harriet Cornell, D-West Nyack, has issued a proclamation to call attention to the issue of domestic violence. She signed and affixed the county seal to the actual proclamation, which was witnessed by the Legislature’s clerk, Laurence O. Toole.

The Rockland Family Shelter is among the places to turn for help when confronted by domestic violence. Contact the shelter at 845-634-3344.

Here is the proclamation:

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH

October 2008

WHEREAS, Rockland County recognizes that any community member, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, age or economic status, may become a victim of domestic or sexual violence; and

WHEREAS, Rockland County is committed to serving and supporting victims of domestic and sexual violence; and

WHEREAS, Rockland County is committed to holding perpetrators of domestic and sexual violence accountable; and

WHEREAS, Rockland County recognizes that it is through community collaboration and participation of all Rockland leadership that we will succeed in ending the ongoing social patterns of domestic and sexual violence; and

WHEREAS, the Rockland Legislature recognizes the hard work and dedication of volunteers and advocates working to make every Rockland family safe; and

WHEREAS, observing Domestic Violence Awareness Month is an opportunity to highlight and emphasize the importance of this work for the well being of our entire community; and

WHEREAS, this Legislature has an historic commitment, starting in October 1987, to acknowledge the importance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the work to increase public understanding and collaboration; and

NOW, therefore, I, Harriet Cornell, Chairwoman of the Rockland County Legislature, on behalf of the entire Legislature, take this occasion to proclaim the month of October 2008 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH in Rockland County.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have caused the seal of the County of Rockland to be affixed this 1st day of October 2008.

Members of the Rockland County Legislature have issued a statement regarding the proposed 2009 county budget submitted by County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef.

The plan increases spending by about $30.3 million, from about $684.2 million this year to about $714.5 million next year.

The proposal increases the amount of money to be collected via the county property tax by about 9.85 percent, from about $54 million this year to about $59 million next year.

Here is the Legislature’s statement:

New City, NY (October 24, 2008) – Rockland County Legislative Chairwoman Harriet D. Cornell, Vice Chairman William L. Darden, Majority Leader Michael M. Grant, and Budget and Finance Chair Ilan S. Schoenberger made the following statement today regarding County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef’s 2009 Executive Budget:

“While we certainly recognize that difficult times call for difficult choices, as elected officials we have a responsibility to ensure that the choices that are made are the right ones.  Over the coming days and weeks we will continue the budget review process that we began several weeks ago and further analyze departmental spending and revenues in an effort to pass a balanced budget that is both fiscally prudent and financially sound.

With a cloudy economic future ahead of us, it is more critical than ever that the budget we received from the County Executive contains accurate projections when it comes to the generation of revenue. We are all aware that sales tax revenues, upon which the county depends, have slowed considerably.  We will closely scrutinize the budget and ascertain how the spending cuts that were proposed affect the delivery of vital services and programs to Rockland County residents.  Knowing that Rockland taxpayers are already struggling to make ends meet, we will closely examine the property tax increase that was proposed by the County Executive.

Today’s turbulent economy has put the county in a tenuous financial situation, yet with a balanced and pragmatic approach we can help chart the right course, steer our county’s finances back on track, and protect Rockland families.”

The good bye is for me. This is my final post on Inside Rockland and my last day at The Journal News. Thanks everyone for reading. I’ll look forward to checking back to see what kind of shenanigans are captivating Rockland.

The look back is for a certain elected official in Rockland. Not too long ago, columnist Bob Baird showed me a newspaper from July 14, 1976 and asked me if anyone on the front page looked familiar.

Do you guys recognize her?

Legislator Ed Day’s proposal to request the State Legislature suspend state and county taxes on gasoline during the summer hasn’t been referred to the full Legislature.

The proposal died in committee last week with four “ayes” and three “nays.” Proposals need six “ayes” to make it out of committee.

Day, R-New City, also the Legislature’s minority leader, had faced criticism for the proposal. The county executive and county finance commissioner said it would end up costing Rockland about $1.5 million in lost revenue that would need to be made up through an increase in property taxes.

Day said he would try to get the item put on tomorrow’s full Legislature agenda as a new business item, but Chairwoman Harriet Cornell, D-West Nyack, said she wouldn’t support it.

Day, she said, is welcome to make a motion to do so, but if it is going to be considered it needs to go through the proper channels, i.e. the committees.

Legislator Gerold Bierker, C-Bardonia, has a penchant for really going to bat for causes he feels are not only worthy, but not getting the attention they deserve.

During budget season you often hear him trying to wrangle more money out of the budget for certain organizations, most notably the Hi-Tor Animal Care Center and Project Turning Point.

He helped honor the latter last night before the Legislature meeting when he and Chairwoman Harriet Cornell, D-West Nyack present the group and it’s leaders with the Legislature’s Distinguished Service Award.

Operating out of Spring Valley since 1985, the group has provided services to thousands of homeless and runaway teens from every town in the county.

Having faced budget cuts from the federal, state and local levels, Project Turning Point currently operate a six-bed shelter as part of St. Agatha’s Home.

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Legislature Chairwoman Harriet Cornell, D-West Nyack, has made a few changes in the committees and their leadership.

She created one new committee on economic development to be headed by Majority Leader Michael Grant, D-Garnerville. The committee will deal with the “stimulus, development and revitalizaton of Rockland County’s economy” according to a new release issued by Cornell.

Newly returned Legislator Alden Wolfe, D-Suffern, has been named chair of the Government Operations Committee, a spot formerly held by Grant. And Legislator Jay Hood Jr., D-Haverstraw, will replace former Legislator David Fried as the chairman of the Public Safety Committee.

Returning to their posts are:

Legislator Ilan Schoenberger, D-Wesley Hills: Budget and Finance

Legislator Connie Coker, D-South Nyack: Environmental

Vice Chairman William Darden, D-Spring Valley: Rules

Legislator VJ Pradhan, D-Nanuet: Planning and Public Works

Legislator Philip Soskin, D-Monsey: Multi-Services

That leaves two Democratic legislators, Joseph Meyers from Airmont and Jacques Michel from Spring Valley, without leadership positions. The two are new to the Legislature this year.

The County Legislature at last night’s meeting honored four of its members who won’t be returning next year: Legislators Patrick Withers, D-Suffern, Bruce Levine, D-Montebello, David Fried, D-Spring Valley, and Theodore Dusanenko, R-Valley Cottage.

While the contributions of Levine, Withers and Fried were appropriately noted, the farewell was notably geared toward Dusanenko, also fondly referred to as “Teddy” and “The Dus.”  As Chairwoman Harriet Cornell, D-West Nyack, said his name, the Legislature and audience responded by giving him a standing ovation, upon which Teddy waved and took a deep breath.

He also left the meeting with a lot more stuff than he came in with. In addition to the Legislature’s certificate and portrait, given to all four outgoing members, Dusanenko was also given a certificate of mert from Clarkstown — he was a supervisor there in the 1980s —  plaques from the county Democratic Party and the county Solid Waste Management Authority and the 2007 Ramapo Freedom Award for excellence in community service.

Dusanenko was first elected to the Legislature in 1969 and has served since save for a four year break in the late 1980s when he ran for county supervisor. (NOTE: That should read county executive, not county supervisor.) Fried was elected in 2003. Levine was first elected in 1985 and served for 10 years, including as chairman, and was re-elected in a mid-term election last year. Withers was appointed in January.

The new Legislature, with 12 returning members and four new faces, will be sworn in Jan. 3.

The Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic Action Fund endorsed the following candidates for Rockland County Legislature:
—Michael Diederich, D, District 1
—Legislator Ilan Schoenberger, D-Wesley Hills, District 4
—John Fellas, D, District 5
—Legislature Vice Chairman William Darden, D-Hillcrest, District 8
—Legislature Chairwoman Harriet Cornell, D-West Nyack, District 10
—Legislator VJ Pradhan, D-Nanuet, District 14
—Legislator Connie Coker, D-South Nyack, District 17

For the time being, at least.

The County Legislature was scheduled to hold a public hearing and a vote on Legislator Ed Day’s proposal to give county employees one extra personal day for donating blood at least four times in a year. The public hearing was held last week, but the vote has been postponed.

Day, a New City Republican, said Chairwoman Harriet Cornell pulled him aside before the meeting and told him that it wouldn’t be voted on then. Four legislators were absent that night and there were several questions legislators needed answered, Day said of Cornell’s reasoning.

“She assured me it would be coming back,” he said.

His proposal was met with mixed reactions. Some people were of the thought that any incentive to get people to donate blood was a good thing. Others were concerned about the legal and cost ramifications.

Stay tuned…