fbpx
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Print Edition
    • Get Home Delivery
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Submit Your Event
    • Customer Support
    • Submit A News Tip
    • Send Letter to the Editor
    • Where’s My Paper?
  • Our Newsletters
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial
Hudson Valley One
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s UP
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Subscribe to the What’s UP newsletter
  • Opinion
    • Letters
    • Columns
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Log Out
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s UP
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Subscribe to the What’s UP newsletter
  • Opinion
    • Letters
    • Columns
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Log Out
No Result
View All Result
Hudson Valley One
No Result
View All Result

Hugh Reynolds: All aboard

by Hugh Reynolds
April 14, 2016
in Hugh Reynolds, Politics & Government, Voices
3

Last week’s legislative assault on the IDA and its board by some members was more about staking out future campaign props than about reversing current events. As legislative protests go, it was loud and ultimately futile. Everybody voted for the three new IDA members, while either 15 or 14 legislators, depending on abstentions, voted to reappoint the four incumbents, including the chairman.

For this they argued for half an hour?

Horodyski, who succeeded Dave O’Halloran as IDA chairman last winter when The Big O all of a sudden quit, says he hopes to be re-elected chairman in September when the IDA meets to reorganize. Sounds as though he has the votes.

Meanwhile, the year-long controversy over tax treatment for the student housing project seems to have left many a scar. The college foundation, which says it badly needs additional dorms and owns the land, is understandably on the side of developers. Community leaders, led by Town Supervisor Susan Zimet, see college support as a betrayal of taxpayers.

Horodyski says he can appreciate why hard-pressed taxpayers would resent out-of-town developers getting huge tax breaks, but doesn’t seem of a mind to change the IDA’s stance. “The choice isn’t to leave it in the hands of [local] politicians,” he said stoutly. In the fullness of time the courts, perhaps after several appeals, will decide. Restoring relations between town and gown may take longer.

Flagging New Paltz

I don’t know whether Susan Zimet’s nominating petitions will withstand formal scrutiny, but it will be close. (Editor’s note: Zimet’s petitions were ruled invalid Monday, July 28.) Incumbent Assemblyman Kevin Cahill has no such worries.

Kevin Cahill. (Photo by Dan Barton)
Kevin Cahill. (Photo by Dan Barton)

Zimet filed just under 650 signatures on nominating petitions last week. Cahill came in with something over 1,700. A minimum of 500 valid signatures is required. Without sufficient signatures, there is no name on the ballot.

The fact that Cahill filed almost three times as many signatures from enrolled Democrats should not suggest the nine-term incumbent is at least twice as popular as his challenger, though he beat her at convention by a similar margin. As the party’s unofficial nominee, Cahill enjoys the advantage of county committee members carrying his petitions. Zimet had to depend on a small cadre of supporters.

It is one of the unwritten rules of petition-gathering, particularly against an incumbent, that one needs to secure at least twice the minimum in order to withstand challenges. Zimet’s 30 percent extra may not be enough. In any case, Cahill’s crew is carefully checking every signature. A decision is expected Friday.

Early this week, Steve Auerbach (no relation to the county comptroller), Zimet’s husband and campaign manager, accused Cahill of attempting to deprive Democrats of a choice in the Sept. 9 primary by knocking his opponent off the ballot. Well, duh, or as a former assemblyman liked to say, “That’s poli-biz, baby.”

If Zimet had exercised due diligence, collecting at least 1,000 signatures, we probably wouldn’t be having this conversation.

Meanwhile, Republican hopeful Kevin Roberts, having virtually disappeared from public view after the June nominating conventions, has filed something like 20 percent more signatures than Zimet. In the likelihood that Roberts’ petitions survive challenge, he could be Zimet’s last best hope of unseating Cahill.

Page 2 of 2
Prev12
Tags: catskill mountain railroadelection 2014kevin cahillKevin Robertsmike heinSusan Zimet
Join the family! Grab a free month of HV1 from the folks who have brought you substantive local news since 1972. We made it 50 years thanks to support from readers like you. Help us keep real journalism alive.
- Geddy Sveikauskas, Publisher

Hugh Reynolds

Related Posts

Local rallies draw large crowds
Community

Local rallies draw large crowds

June 15, 2025
Ryan plays ball with GOP
Politics & Government

Ryan plays ball with GOP

June 12, 2025
Sarahana blocks the box
Politics & Government

Sarahana blocks the box

June 12, 2025
Reported threats of violence punctuate rail-trail debate  
Politics & Government

Reported threats of violence punctuate rail-trail debate  

June 11, 2025
Kingston mayor Steve Noble wants 200 new apartments in the Rondout
Politics & Government

Kingston moves toward financing its own housing stock

June 11, 2025
Suddenly summer
Columns

Suddenly summer

June 11, 2025
Next Post

Ulster County Fair in New Paltz, 7/29-8/3

Please login to join discussion

Weather

Kingston, NY
66°
Cloudy
5:18 am8:34 pm EDT
Feels like: 66°F
Wind: 4mph S
Humidity: 68%
Pressure: 30.16"Hg
UV index: 4
MonTueWed
73°F / 59°F
70°F / 63°F
84°F / 66°F
powered by Weather Atlas

Subscribe

Independent. Local. Substantive. Subscribe now.

  • Subscribe & Support
  • Print Edition
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
  • Our Newsletters
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial

© 2022 Ulster Publishing

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Art
    • Books
    • Kids
    • Lifestyle & Wellness
    • Food & Drink
    • Music
    • Nature
    • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Contact Us
    • Customer Support
    • Advertise
    • Submit A News Tip
  • Print Edition
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
    • Where’s My Paper
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Log In
  • Free HV1 Trial
  • Subscribe to Our Newsletters
    • Hey Kingston
    • New Paltz Times
    • Woodstock Times
    • Week in Review

© 2022 Ulster Publishing