To the Editor:
My successful run on the conservative party line has proven one thing: Nearly 50% of the people in this community want change that came out and were able to vote. This is up from 5% when I ran for state senator countywide.
We all remember the debacle with RFK Jr. when he was removed from the New York State ballot to run for president. Even the United States Supreme Court upheld the law that removed him for an incorrect address on his ticket to be on the ballot.
The Orange County Board of Election has chosen to look the other way as the ticket for Cardone & Company moves forward. Cardone’s ticket provides that he must be removed from the ballot, but the Board of Election refuses to do it.
What’s more important here is to know what’s going on in our community.
Both Cardone and Richardson had played a big part in our 11% tax increase.
Both Cardone and Richardson have played a big part in our increase in debt since 2022 by over $30 million.
Both Cardone and Richardson played a big part in us having to pay $1.5 million a year in interest payments for this money. This interest payment is 8% of our budget which is currently at $18 million.
Now Cardone and Richardson both agree that we need to build a new Highway Department at a cost of $4 million today. What’s the real price tomorrow?
These scenarios are no different than the sewer system that we are currently witnessing. The devastation of its inability to even handle the population’s needs. In 2016 we were advised that it would cost $54 million to rehab the Harriman waste station. We were told several years ago by Orange County legislator Touhy. We’ve got another $235 million to address the problem. Now they’re talking about another $185 million with a huge tax increase to correct the problem.
Monroe’s problems are no different than the problems we suffer in the county, continuing over-development and lack of leadership has clearly made our community horrible.
The reality is neither of these people have the ability or knowledge to run a $18 million budget. In fact, Cardone hid from us since June 2019 that he actually had a deal to buy the property for $17 million. Somehow it jumped to $19 million. The property is roughly $20,000 per acre over value without even considering the worthiness of the wetlands located on the property.
Richardson on the other hand was nowhere to be found when the budget was voted on.
It is time in 2025 to take back Monroe. Monroe is no longer for sale and I’m still in the fight.
Tim Mitts
Monroe