The views and opinions expressed in our letters section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Hudson Valley One. You can submit a letter to the editor here.
Vote for CPF
I write today to voice my strong support for and to urge New Paltz voters to vote yes for the Community Preservation Fund ballot referendum. A 2018 Regional Plan Association-SUNY New Paltz study documented the value of and threat to open space in our region, providing considerable evidence of the many values of open space preservation — environmental, social and economic — and the need to act sooner rather than later to protect not just land, but the many ecosystem benefits that land preservation provides.
Wetlands help regulate water and climate disturbances. Forestland cover balances and stores carbon while supporting pollinators. In total, Ulster, Dutchess, Orange and Putnam counties’ open space contributes about $3.5 billion in annual avoided costs in infrastructure, healthcare and built substitutes in six areas: gas and climate regulation, disturbance regulation (e.g., fires, floods), water regulation, water supply cleansing and protection, pollinator support and habitat/biodiversity. Without proper protection, these valuable assets are at risk of being degraded or diminished. In 2018, only 24 percent — about 400,000 acres — was protected. Meaning that, as we grow, as much as $2.64 billion in ecosystem services provided by unprotected land is at risk.
Increased development pressure is inevitable and already happening in 2020. Unless we act now, there will almost certainly be negative impacts on the quality of our land, air and water Commitment is needed to protect open space, including productive farmland that creates economic and environmental synergies, and forested buffers around streams and wetlands that provide natural filtration to drinking water sources that can only be replaced — if at all — by expensive treatment. To do this we must make land protection for adapting to a changing climate a priority.
Thank you to leaders like state senator Jen Metzger who pushed for legislation to make it easier for local governments to adopt local funding mechanisms like the real-estate-transfer tax. Given the economic climate we are now experiencing, I contend that a local real-estate-transfer tax is an excellent mechanism that is both economically and politically palatable because it does not add to the property-tax burden of existing property owners as it is a onetime tax collected only at the point of sale, thereby only impacting new purchases. And recent numbers about home purchases in our area are clear, a 1.5 percent tax is not going to dissuade buyers in this economy, or any time soon.
Many thanks to the Community Preservation Task Force, in particular Cara Lee, for their excellent work here. We are so fortunate to have such dedicated and talented volunteers helping us make New Paltz better every day.
Kt Tobin
New Paltz
Vaccine for the Trump Flu
On February 7 between golf games, Trump confidentially claimed the coronavirus would weaken “when we get into April, in the warmer weather — that has a very negative effect on that, and that type of a virus.” He had been reminding everyone he is “very smart with this stuff.”
It didn’t. He isn’t
On July 2, he said the pandemic is “getting under control.” As the country’s daily cases doubled to about 50,000, a higher daily case count than seen at the beginning of the pandemic, but now in the South and the West, much of it because of Trump’s disinformation on mask-wearing and other tools that could have helped prevent the spread.
In early July he proclaimed “99 percent” of Covid-19 cases are “totally harmless.” Ignoring that even as an infected person with mild symptoms, you still spread it, directly causing sickness and death for others.
By July 6, Trump claimed, “We now have the lowest fatality [mortality] rate in the world.” The U.S. has neither the lowest mortality rate nor the lowest case-fatality rate.
As a new school year inched closer, Trump exacerbated the situation, claiming children are “virtually immune” to Covid-19. A dangerously irresponsible claim. Imagine being one of those hundreds of families with a dead child that were supposedly immune? Although children are less likely than adults to be infected and have mild symptoms, they can spread the virus to their family members and others.
In August, Trump celebrated a gain of nine million jobs as “a record in the history of our country,” forgetting to note that during those early critical months from February to April when Trump was mostly golfing and blaming Democrats and the WHO for crying wolf, the country lost more than 20 million jobs.
As Trump continues to try and assign blame to China and the Democrats, Obama and the weather, it’s clear that somebody (almost anybody) would have done better at protecting America’s children, adults, economy and future. Instead, he has directly allowed the “invisible enemy” to kill more Americans than World War Two.
Let history remember this time in America as “The Trump Flu.” There is a vaccination available to everyone on November 3.
Collin Douma
Boiceville
Safety first, parking second
As you turn onto Millrock Road from Main Street in New Paltz, you notice a car coming down the street. A quick look and you see cars and trucks on both sides of the street with few spaces to pull over to let the other car go by. You spot a vacant driveway and pull your truck over to let the car go by. The oncoming car races down the street, driven by a woman who gives a quick look in your direction, a scowl on her face.
Inching back into the center of road, you suddenly spot another car way down at the end of the street and its coming in your direction. You find that there are no free spaces to pull into on your side. What to do? You take a deep breath and wait, staying as close to the parked cars as possible. But what does the other car do? Will they pull over? No. The car comes straight towards you without slowing and passes you with just inches to spare. Again, a woman driver with an angry look on her face as she nearly takes the mirror off your truck.
Another deep breath, you’re shaken by two near misses on a quiet residential street. Is this just a one-off situation, a random thing where you just happen to be there at the wrong time? Hardly. It’s a common occurrence, and it makes me angry. Cars and trucks parked on both sides of the street reduce the actual driving space. It doesn’t have to be this way. Not only the 35 m.p.h. speed limit is unofficially replaced by a 45 m.p.h., but drivers in such a hurry make the local roads unsafe.
Do I expect the police to monitor the street and flag down speeders 24/7? Probably not. Do I expect drivers to be more safety conscious and pay attention to other drivers? Probably not, not in the day where people rush to get wherever they are going.
Do I think our village is less safe for pedestrians as well as drivers? Absolutely. Just try walking the back streets of the village and town and see how fast folks drive. You’d be surprised at how vulnerable you feel without your own car surrounding you.
So, I am giving a shout-out to our elected officials to make parking on Millrock Road an alternate sides of the street. Give folks more room to maneuver and make the streets safer. I know parking is a problem in our town and village, but I’m through having my street be a parking lot. I watched a FedEx truck race down the street with a clearance of five feet on either side. Good thing a fire engine wasn’t coming the other way to assist with a fire. There would have been a tie-up on the street.
Helise Winters
New Paltz
Hair weave
All the beards on earth could theoretically be weaved together.
Sparrow
Phoenicia
Cows don’t go to school
With the Town of New Paltz considering the adoption of a Community Preservation Fund (CPF) as part of this year’s ballot, I encourage voters to look at the profound and undeniable success of these programs in towns such as Red Hook; where it’s been in place for years. Since 2007, the CPF has produced funding that’s been matched by county, state, federal governments and land trusts to protect scenic and working landscapes. This important preservation tool, which replaced our property-tax-funded Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program, allowed new buyers the opportunity to contribute towards the collective efforts that residents had already started. Thousands of acres preserved for future generations, contributing to the quality of life, pride and welfare of our residents.
Predictably, without disclosing their identity, the New York State Board of Realtors will again flood mailboxes with their propaganda, trying to suggest that a CPF fee will discourage buying or make houses less affordable. The reality has been quite the opposite here; having a terrific product to sell is key for all industries, including real estate. As a former broker myself, I can attest to the fact that new homebuyers stretching to make a purchase want and need to have confidence that their single largest investment is being made in a community that will work to protect and enhance that investment. Red Hook real estate, for example, fared much better during economic downturns than surrounding communities. As for the alternative, most folks already know that increasing development leads to increasing demand for services; ultimately leading to higher property taxes. Cows don’t go to school.
New Paltz leaders have smartly structured the program so that the buyer’s surcharge doesn’t kick in until after the first $245,000 of the purchase price. With a diverse stock of housing, what we’ve found in our town is that purchasers of the few multi-million-dollar properties are making the overwhelming majority of the contribution while we continue to have record sales of affordable homes year after year.
One of the many lessons Covid has underscored is that our immediate environment is key to health and happiness. Red Hook residents have benefited immensely from the purchase of recreational lands, including trails, rolling hills of farmland that will never become tract housing, and protected scenic viewsheds that continue to inspire. The Community Preservation Fund has been a home run for Red Hook, and I would encourage New Paltz residents to consider supporting this enormously successful program.
Robert McKeon,
Town Supervisor
Town of Red Hook
Exploding trees
Trump doesn’t believe in science. Well, one candidate has made it clear that he doesn’t believe in science. Trump continues to deny climate change is real. He says, “It will start getting cooler” and “I don’t think science knows.”
These are yet more statements from Donald Trump that reflects his disdain for those that have dedicated their lives to scientific atmospheric research in order to understand how the planet functions. Once again, science is in a battle with conjecture and mad theories to determine policy. Exploding trees and forest mismanagement are the problems and solutions in his twisted thinking. He actually seems to believe that denying scientific research on a problem will make it go away. Scientific facts matter — If only Trump focused on fires as much as he does on college football!
Again, I’m confused. According to Trump, he knows more about the climate than climate scientists, more about the pandemic than epidemiologists, more about the economy than economists, more about foreign policy than diplomats and national security experts, more about military strategy than generals and admirals. So why is he such an utter failure in each and every area in which he knows more than everyone. and why is everything getting worse on his watch?
Fires are a natural part of our landscape, but climate change has made it much worse than before. Trump believes more in his ego than he believes in science. Sixty percent of the forests in California are federal government property. Unfortunately, the stable genius in charge, a president babbling utter nonsense, doesn’t realize our forests are national forests which are his responsibility. Then again, he’s the no-responsibility president. Trump can’t distinguish climate from weather. By November and when winter is upon us, he’ll be crowing that he was right about it getting cooler.
The man is a complete fool, as he doesn’t trust science experts. Again as a result, we witness him wrapped in utter failure. But he is also giving a bold “f-you” to the states where the fires are blazing. More specifically, it’s an “I don’t give a crap” to the citizens there who are probably composed of at least 33 percent of his Republican voting bloc.
In general, his ridiculous rebuking of scientific facts does not lower the metaphorical temperature which reflects bad global warming decisions or climate change policies. Trump demonstrates to the USA and world that he’s a dishonest broker of information, and he and his administration lacks a cool headedness or calm to address issues concerning our future.
Neil Jarmel
West Hurley
We need Frank Capra now
“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” “State of the Union.” Jimmy Stewart. Spencer Tracy. If you remember them, you remember the good old days when Hollywood portrayed the honest young man with starry eyes who became a politician to do good and was shocked by … and stood up to … money in politics.
Money and politics still festers as an issue today. Now we need a biopic of Jen Metzger, a real-life Jimmy Stewart. Jen Metzger is working to get money out of politics. She introduced a bill in the New York State Senate to ban all corporate campaign contributions (S1013A). She introduced the “Clean Budget Bill” (S8212) to get budget politics out of the process of legislating. And she co-sponsored legislation to create an independent ethics commission that holds corrupt politicians accountable for their crimes.
Best of all, Senator Metzger walks the walk. She doesn’t take a single cent from corporations or lobbyists. All the money she accepts is from her constituents.
Re-elect her. She is a truly a good one
Kathy Adorney
Gardiner
Brace for economic insecurity
In America today, millions of jobs are dying every week due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Trillions of dollars. New York State’s budget gap by the end of the year will be billions of dollars. Ulster County is projecting millions of dollars less in tax revenue will be collected this year. In New Paltz, some businesses have permanently closed. and many are bordering on insolvency.
Yet, through all this, the governments of New Paltz are willing to pay out-of-town contractors over two million dollars to build a bike path less than two miles long so a kid can get a slice of pizza.
Maybe it’s time for New Paltz to step away from this project that was based on optimistic assumptions from the past and begin bracing ourselves for the economic insecurity looming on the horizon.
Paul Bishop
New Paltz
Let the past be the past
Trump was right to downplay Covid-19. Let the past be the past. Many others (including Democratic representatives in Congress) downplayed the issue at the time and even criticized the president for his early actions in banning flights from China.
The issue is how the administration has handled the pandemic since its effects became clear and obvious and more importantly, what is being done today, as we enter the cold season. Seems to me there is no way to give the White House a pass on that.
Yochanan Kushnir
Shokan
Get out and vote
Voting is power. It is one of the most impactful things we can do as citizens. We must not take for granted that voting is how we get to choose leaders who will make decisions that affect our daily lives. It is easy to think my one vote won’t make a difference. Tell that to Al Gore, who lost the State of Florida and thus the 2000 presidential election by a 537-vote margin — out of almost six million votes cast. Closer to home, the 2019 Ulster County district attorney’s election was won by a margin of 78 votes out of a total of 52,596 votes. The decision of only a small percentage of us to stay home can and does matter as to who gets elected.
Many of us are rightfully concerned about the safety of voting during the Covid-19 pandemic. We are fortunate that in addition to voting in person on election day, New York State has given us two alternate ways to vote in the upcoming November 3 election:, voting early in-person and by mail.
Voting early: Voters can go to designated early polling sites and vote in person from October 24 through November 1. There are five early polling sites in Ulster County. I believe this is the best and safest method of voting. The polling sites are not likely to be crowded, there are many dates to choose from and you know your vote will be counted on election day. (Absentee ballots are not counted on election day). The board of elections asserts that poll workers will enforce social distancing and the use of personal protective equipment. Hence, the health risk of early voting will be no greater (and probably less) than going to the store.
Voting by mail: This election cycle any individual in New York may obtain a mail-in ballot due to Covid-19 by requesting a mail-in ballot from the board of elections by October 27. This can be done in-person, online, by email, phone, mail or fax.
You are now fully informed about your 2020 voting options. Make sure you vote. It is easy, free and your civic duty. It also feels good to exercise this important right. The success of our great democratic experiment depends on each and every one of us taking this small step.
David Gandin
New Paltz
Metzger’s a tireless advocate
I am writing to enthusiastically support the re-election of my state senator, Jen Metzger. I have been following the work senator Metzger has done over the last two years. She has been best known for her focus on the environment, reproductive rights, lowering burdensome property taxes and criminal justice reform.
However, I am most impressed by her focus on improving the process of government. She has been a tireless advocate of and leader in the fight to bring about meaningful campaign finance reform and increase transparency in government. Senator Metzger is one of the only state senators in New York who does not accept a single penny of corporate or lobbyist money and she never will. She has sponsored a bill that would ban political fundraisers in Albany while the legislature is in session — a way for big special-interest donors to funnel cash to politicians.
Another focus has been her belief that New Yorkers are better served when laws are not made through the budget process, but through the regular legislative process. This means debating and passing individual pieces of legislation rather than dumping everything into huge budget bills. That way politicians can be held accountable for their individual decisions to vote for or against a law and not use the excuse of needing to pass a budget chock full of lots of individual changes in the legal code. This means more transparency from our lawmakers. Her “Clean Budget Bill” (S8212) will accomplish this needed reform.
Senator Metzger is fighting corruption in government. New York’s government ethics investigative body (JCOPE) has a really terrible track record of rooting out real corruption in Albany. The senator co-sponsors legislation that would create a truly independent ethics commission with real power to hold corrupt politicians accountable for their actions. This will strengthen our democracy and blunt the impact of rich special interests.
We can’t go backwards. Senator Metzger’s opponent is a multi-millionaire Trumpist who is self-funding a very negative fear-based campaign against her. His election would likely result in a Republican rollback of important government reform laws passed this session and increase the power of special interests.
Don’t let that happen! Vote for Jen Metzger for State Senate on November 3!
Tom Kruglinski
Gardiner
Apathy in Woodstock
About two months ago at a Woodstock Town Board meeting, Bill McKenna, our part-time supervisor, and his board all agreed that the yellow police “do not cross” caution tape, the plethora of signs, the 55-gallon drum, and the other items blocking the entrances to the Big and Little Deep visually were “pretty pathetic.”
Why is it then that, after all this time, the condition still exists? Why is it they have to be constantly reminded to do what they were elected to do and that often, even then, they don’t?
Howard Harris
Woodstock
DuBois bike lanes
I support preservation of the character of Henry W. DuBois (HWD). Adding bike lanes on two sides plus a separate pedestrian sidewalk, is overkill, though I doubt this is a Trojan horse for a four-lane road as some thoughtful critics suggest. The one does not easily lead into the other. They contradict.
Some thoughtful critics also seemed to cherry-pick from a 2006 report. I admit I have only scanned, not really read every word of the 2006 report let alone the more recent planning documents (only so much time in a day), but a lot already changed since 2006.
That said, HWD is a good place for a bike lane. How about a four-foot-wide bike lane downhill, westbound, a five-foot-wide pedestrian/bike sidewalk on the mostly uphill, eastbound? Maybe some of each could be carved from existing road width. An alternate road for bikes one way, with HWD bike lane only one way as well, is a good idea but maybe too late due to constraints of the (virtually 100 percent funded!) grant money. The federal and state grant money saves us locals and is fair since we are providing a real service.
On a separate note, the 2006 report seemed to push for another Wallkill River bridge. I would rather allow the river to cause traffic issues — facilitating everyday travel across means suburbia between the river and the ridge and filling open space and clogging the town center with folks looking for services. I’ve seen beautiful places where intermittently, traffic sucks, but which remain lovable and livable most of the year because the traffic self-limits expansion of both tourism and residences.
Let’s think about that, and like Saugerties, grow gracefully.
Matt Burd
New Paltz
Information suppression
The “Fight For the 19th” article in the September 23 edition saw fit not to make even a one line mention of Steve Greenfield’s Green Party Campaign for that Hudson Valley One congressional seat. What does a hometown boy have to do to get into his local weekly paper?
I am assuming that this was policy from the top. Democrats like to vilify the GOP for voter suppression. This suppression of information to the voters, coupled with the rescinding of Greenfield’s invitations to every candidate debate, smells very similar.
Margaret Human
New Paltz
Metzger the better choice
Jen Metzger is a hard-working New York state senator seeking a second term. She obtains grants for local projects and passes bipartisan supported bills. One of her bills helps farmers and their workers. She is approachable and takes seriously everyone’s concerns without regard for party. She is what every public servant should be and a rarity in this climate.
Her opponent made a fortune running a school bus company infamous for cutting safety precautions and putting children at risk. He appears to have little in the way of a platform, but definitely wants to financially aid the school-bus industry. He regards himself as a law-and-order man and espouses standard Republican ideology.
If you want things done in Albany, Metzger is clearly the better choice. Her opponent is what we are clearing out as the state legislature works to become a better functioning body.
Hal Chorny
Gardiner
Jen Metzger is everywhere
I first met state senator Jen Metzger about ten years ago. Our families were part of an informal group of motley locals who met once a week to play soccer together. Sometimes the teams were mixed and sometimes it was parents versus kids, with ages ranging from three to 40 plus. Family Soccer, as it was known, was a rare opportunity for a diverse, intergenerational, outdoor gathering — just for the fun of it. Jen stood out as a warm, dedicated parent who, as busy as she was, knew it was critically important to set regular time aside to be with her kids and neighbors.
Over time, I came to know of her extensive involvement in local government, her passion for access to high-quality education, her extensive work for environmental protection and her commitment to economic development in our community. Jen’s concern about balancing funding for public education while keeping property taxes affordable is a pillar of her work in Albany.
As the director of Citizens for Local Power and a member of the New York State Clean Energy Advisory Council, she fought for environmental protection and promotion of green jobs. She has worked tirelessly to protect our water and the air quality of our beautiful Hudson Valley ecosystems on the local Environmental Commission and the Climate Task Force. Jen’s commitment to quality of life for families and small business has driven her to fight for property-tax relief and strategic revitalization of our small and rural towns.
The one thing that stands out most when I think of senator Metzger is her accessibility. She is everywhere in the small towns where her constituents live, work, and play — listening and striving to bring our concerns back to Albany. Jen represents us all.
Dr. Susanrachel B. Condon
Gardiner
Woodstock Library research
In a recent letters to the editor, some good tough questions about the Woodstock Library board’s proposed new library building have been asked. These types of questions are exactly the type that the library’s board of trustees have been asking themselves throughout our process.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to give the complete answers to her questions in a letter to the editor — there simply is not enough space. As a service to those people who might want answers to these questions, we have answered them in detail on our website at newlibrarywoodstock.org/questions-answered. People can also find more information about the proposed building and answers to other questions on the website.
Building a new library is an important decision. It is not one that the Woodstock Library board of trustees takes lightly. We have spent years examining the options, consulting experts, holding information meetings with the public and debating the options at our board meetings. The outcome of all of this work is our proposal for a new library building, We understand and respect that people have questions. We are more than happy to answer these questions. Please feel free to contact us, our email addresses are all posted on the library’s website (woodstock.org).
Jeffery A. Collins
Woodstock Library trustee
Woodstock
Vote yes on open space
I am writing my fellow New Paltzers to ask you to vote yes for Local Law 1 — Water Quality, Working Farms, Wildlife Habitat and Natural Areas Preservation Fund (a proposition on the back of the ballot this November). As New Paltz becomes more developed, I have long dreamed of residents getting together as a community to purchase parcels of land to keep as shared open spaces.
To preserve our community character, clean land and water, not to mention our economic future, we really need to find a way to protect our natural resources and the natural beauty of our town. This plan and fund could do just that, also taking the burden off current residents by funding it through new real-estate sales instead. Ingenious! When someone decides to move to New Paltz, a huge reason is because they love our beautiful woods, farms and fields and the hiking, biking, rock-climbing and swimming they enjoy in the area.
With this small transfer tax (only placed on house sales amounts above the median Ulster County home price, so therefore excusing lower-income buyers), new residents would be investing back into the New Paltz of the future, protecting all the reasons we love it here. Seems like a small price to pay to me.
Some of our brightest minds have provided the plan with science-based information on how to best protect our natural resources and land connectivity. Only willing landowners will have their land protected. And even though people may worry about paying a bit more on a new house, open space has been proven to reduce real-estate taxes in the long run. For people, animals, and our natural habitats alike, this is a win-win. Please approve the law needed to bring it to life! Vote yes to Local Law 1!
Laura deNey
New Paltz
Ugly truth about McConnell
The George Floyd justice and police law bill has been on the desk of Mitch McConnell for a long time, but he acts like he doesn’t have the time or the desire to bring it up in the Senate. The bill would pass, and our country could begin to take real steps to fix the broken systems that have led us to scenes of police brutality and a deep mistrust of the police.
Black people deserve the same protection under the law as white people. Right now they are not receiving that real protection. It’s totally fixable, and we could begin to heal old wounds and work toward reclaiming trust in our police as protectors of the peace. But McConnell has no time to get a law passed that could help our country heal from the years of racism.
Instead, McConnell finds all kinds of time to be working toward pushing a Supreme Court nominee right through the confirmation hearings, in record speed, so the Supreme Court could be stacked with a strong conservative leaning before the November 3 election. The seat became available 45 days before the election, due to the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
But let’s not forget that just a few years ago McConnell totally refused to allow Merrick Garland, the choice of then-president Barack Obama, to even come before Congress with the chance of receiving approval for a Supreme Court position. That was with over 300 days before the 2016 election. 300 days! Can you believe it?
Something is so rotten in America right now, and McConnell’s flagrant use of power is at the core. He is up for re-election in November. He deserves to be replaced. And those who are still willing to vote for McConnell are exposing their own racism, their hypocrisy, as well as their complete disrespect for what once made our country such a great place to be.
Marty Klein
Woodstock
Hudson Valley needs Metzger
I first met Jen Metzger when her three boys enrolled in the gymnastics gym I ran. In person, she is warm and easygoing. At the time I was unaware of the warrior side of her nature, nor her long and inspiring resume of political service.
Jen accomplished an impressive amount during her first term in our State Senate — including (but certainly not limited to) sponsoring 21 bipartisan bills that were signed into law. With the momentum of her first term at her back, it only stands to reason that her second term will see a further uptick of concrete steps to protect small business (especially local farms), ease property taxes and promote excellence in our public-school systems. Jen’s history in town politics continues to inform her decisions going forward at the state level. She is exactly the advocate we, the residents of the Hudson Valley, need.
Richard Condon
New Paltz
Yes for community preservation
I got a fake-news postcard from an Albany PAC telling me to keep New Paltz affordable. Right there, we know they’re not local. New Paltz affordable? Maybe for absentee landlords.
How do I know this is not from our local brokers? The card says, Don’t increase the real-estate transfer tax.
Guess what, fake-news PAC. New Paltz doesn’t have a RETT. Can’t increase something that doesn’t exist.
Homes are selling in record time, often days, often well over the asking price.
I’m voting yes for community preservation.
David Smith
New Paltz
Join the family! 
