- February
- 17
Don’t get me wrong, I understand that the March village elections generally lack much drama. Often several are uncontested and with the staggered terms and several other villages holding their election contests in the fall, just a few villages hold an election each March.
But, really, this was a bit much: Of the six villages running elections next month, not a single seat is contested.
The filing deadline for candidates to get on the ballot was Wednesday.
And file the did, in Grand View, Hillburn, New Hempstead, South Nyack, Upper Nyack and Wesley Hills. Thing is, only one person filed for each open seat. Virtually all are incumbents, either having been elected previously or appointed to replace someone who left the seat early.
But not a single challenger signed up to get on the ballot in any of the six villages. Read more of this entry »
Posted by Amy Vernon on Sunday, February 17th, 2008 at 2:55 pm |
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- January
- 16
Raphael Ziegler, chairman of the Rockland County Taxi and Livery Coalition, said he’s disappointed that legislators once again tabled a proposal to make Rockland County the sole licensing agency for taxis, limousines and the like.
Legislator Ilan Schoenbeger, D-Wesley Hills, and Vice Chairman William Darden, D-Hillcrest, said at last night’s meeting that more time was needed for discussions with Spring Valley, which does not want the county’s plan to mean a crush of new taxis operating in the village.
“I think Spring Valley had plenty of time to work this out,” Ziegler said. “I think they should have done this a long time ago.”
The plan was first introduced in the spring of 2006. To become the county’s sole licensing agency, the county needs home-rule legislation from the state. Currently, state law allows towns and villages to license livery service companies on their own.
Posted by Sarah Netter on Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 at 5:50 pm |
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- August
- 27
The latest piece of campaign literature to come out of the District 12 County Legislature race contains an error that some say really isn’t an error at all.
Sent out by Preserve Ramapo in support of Airmont Trustee Joseph Meyers, the back side of the glossy mailing talks of Legislator Patrick Withers’ support from Ramapo Town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence, former Assemblyman Ryan Karben and Legislator Ilan Schoenberger, D-New Square.
D-New Square?
Schoenberger has never lived in New Square. He lives in Wesley Hills and has since the early 1980s. The village of New Square is included in his legislative district.
That was not a mistake on the mailing, he said.
“I think it’s an attempt on their part to appeal to the people who are anti-Semitic,” he said.
I’ve tried to reach Preserve Ramapo Chairman Robert Rhodes, but my phone message wasn’t immediately returned. I’ll update once I hear from him.
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UPDATE: Rhodes said that he knows Schoenberger lives in Wesley Hills, “but he has always been the representative from New Square.”
When I told him about Schoenberger’s comments that the mistake appealed to anti-Semitic supporters, Rhodes said he was “full of [doody.]” Except he didn’t say “doody.” Sorry- it’s a family newspaper.
Rhodes also said that Schoenberger has made a career out of calling his opponents anti-Semitic.
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Withers, D-Suffern, and Meyers are vying for the Democratic nomination for District 12. The primary is Sept. 18.
Posted by Sarah Netter on Monday, August 27th, 2007 at 3:38 pm |
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- March
- 8
Legislators Ilan Schoenberger, D-Wesley Hills, and Bruce Levine, D-Montebello, could have some thinking to do the Legislature approves a proposal to prohibit county legislators from being employed by the county or a Rockland town or village. Schoenberger is the Ramapo finance director and Levine is the Spring Valley village attorney.
The proposal, introduced by Legislator Patrick Withers, D-Suffern, isn’t aimed at any one legislator, but would eliminate the appearance of impropriety that comes with legislators holding both positions. The county already has a “two-hat” rule that prohibits legislators from also holding elective office in a Rockland town or village.
The proposal calls for the amendment of the “two-hat” rule to take effect in January 2008 so that anyone seeking election or re-election could make a decision before mounting a campaign.
Schoenberger, for one, agrees with Withers and is supportive of the idea. Levine, who had not heard of the proposal until he heard of it from The Journal News, said he thought Withers was proposing this on behalf of the political structure in Ramapo.
This structure, is said is threatened “because I present a challenge, a daily challenge to the system, to the way the county has operated,� he said.
Levine already has one person gunning for his spot next year—former Legislator Alden Wolfe. Levine soundly defeated Wolfe in last year’s primary. Wolfe recently announced his campaign to get his seat back and among his chief concerns was the fact that Levine is answerable to both the people of Rockland County and the village of Spring Valley.
Posted by Sarah Netter on Thursday, March 8th, 2007 at 5:33 pm |
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