Preserve Ramapo

www.preserve-ramapo.com

Fonvil sentenced, but Spring Valley still seeks responsible governance

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Vilair Fonvil at his sentencing Photo: Ricky Flores/The Journal News

The following editorial from Nancy Cutler appeared in Thursday’s Journal News.

“Another public official in Ramapo — Spring Valley this time — got time for abusing the public trust.

Former village Trustee Vilair Fonvil was sentenced on Sept. 17 to a year in the county jail — he faced up to 15 years in prison — for pocketing some $11,000 in precious village taxpayer dollars. He spent two days there until he was released pending an appeal.

A conviction is another stumble along the troubled path of Ramapo and Spring Valley’s ruling class: Remember when the village’s former mayor and deputy mayor got popped for taking separate, unrelated bribes on the same development project? Or when the state installed a monitor to ensure the local school district, East Ramapo, provide even the most basic education for children? Or when former town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence’s securities fraud trial was closely watched in hopes it would shed some light on the town’s mysterious and sinking finances? [Read more…]

Ramapo looks to sell about 75 acres for yeshiva campus

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View of some of Striker property

An abandoned building is on part of about 75 acres off Route 45 that Ramapo is looking to sell as a campus for yeshivas. (Photo: Peter Carr/The Journal News)

“Town officials are facing criticism for their vision of a campus for multiple yeshivas on nearly 75 acres of town land along Route 45. 

Officials believe such a campus will improve safety and the property sale would provide millions of dollars for a town facing a potential multimillion-dollar budget deficit. [Read more…]

Primary Election Returns

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The following candidates were winners of the Primary here in Rockland:

David Carlucci    NYS Senate
Ernest Buonocore  Suffern Village Justice
David Fried         Ramapo  Village Justice
Andrew Cuomo  Governor
Kathy Hochul      Lieutenant Governor
Letitia James       Attorney General
For specific counts, visit the LoHud returns list here.

Also read Steve Lieberman’s coverage in LoHod in his story
Carlucci defeats Goldberg in Democratic primary for 38th Senate District.

Our Endorsements–Primary Election Thursday Sept. 13

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Candidates in the 2018 Primary Election

Julie Goldberg
First and Foremost we are endorsing Julie Goldberg for New York State Senate in the 38th District. (Our endorsement follows below, and Julie’s website is Juliefornysenate.com.

Cynthia Nixon
We are endorsing Cynthia Nixon who is challenging the incumbent Governor Cuomo for the Democratic nomination in the primary. (Our endorsement follows below, and the candidate’s website is Cynthiafornewyork.com.

Zephyr Teachout
We are endorsing Zephyr for Attorney General for the State of New York. She is in a four-way contested primary for the Democratic nomination. (Our endorsement follows below, and the candidate’s website is Zephyrforny.com.

Vivian Street
There is also a contested race for the female Member of the State Committee of the Democrat Party in the 97th Assembly District. We are backing Vivian Street of Spring Valley for that position. If Ellen Jaffee is your Assemblywoman then you can vote for Vivian Street in the Democratic primary at your regular polling place.

ROBERT ROMANOWSKI FOR RAMAPO TOWN COUNCIL
Bob is conducting a opportunity to ballot write in campaign for Ramapo Town Council in the Green and Reform Party primaries. If you are a member of the Green or Reform Party you can vote for Robert in your party primary on Thursday September 13th by filling in the oval on the Write In box on the ballot and then writing Robert Romanowski inside the space provided.

It is important to point out that registered voters who have no party affiliation, designated “NOP” by the board of elections, and generally known as “independents”, are permitted to cast ballots in the Reform Party primary.  This being the case, “NOP” s, aka independents, can vote for Robert Romanowski in the Reform Party primary on Thursday, September 13th, again by filling in the oval on the Write In box on the ballot and then writing Robert Romanowski inside the space provided in that same Write In box.

ERNEST BUONOCORE FOR SUFFERN VILLAGE JUSTICE.
We are endorsing Ernest Buonocore for Suffern Village Justice. Candidates for judicial office are permitted to run in any party primary they wish regardless of their own party affiliation. Ernest and his opponent have a contested primary for every party ballot line including Republican, Democrat, Conservative, Green, Working Families, Independence, Women’s Equality and Reform Party.
Again, it is important to note that registered voters who have no party affiliation, designated “NOP”s by the board of elections, and generally known as “independents”, are permitted to cast ballots in the Reform Party primary.  Such being the case, any registered voter can cast a ballot for Ernest in their respective party primary, or as an independent “NOP”, in the Reform Party primary. [Read more…]

New York State must take responsibility for children of East Ramapo public schools

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The following is a letter by John H. Lang published in The Journal News Aug. 29, 2018:

“Re “Rockland: How good are the high school graduation rates?” July 5 article:

There was a time when the East Ramapo School District was academically at its very peak in Rockland County.

All that changed with continued downzoning and a rapid change in the population, as East Ramapo has come under the domination of an ultra-Orthodox community that does not use public schools and has shown no interest in ensuring fair funding. [Read more…]

Ramapo tech scam: Monsey businessman once cited as a NYC slumlord

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Peretz Klein photographed during the 2016 FBI raid

Peretz Klein during 2016 FBI raid Photo/The Journal News

“A Monsey businessman charged in a $14 million scheme to rip off a federal program to provide computers to yeshivas was once cited as a New York City slumlord.

Peretz Klein, who ran the Bridgestone Group LLC, in 2012 and 2013 faced 144 infractions of the New York City health code for a 46-unit apartment building at 1645 Grand Ave. in the Bronx, according to the New York City Public Advocate’s Office.

The company is no longer listed on the office’s “NYC Worst Landlord Watchlist” for 2017. The company’s corporate address is Klein’s home at 44 Ellish Parkway. [Read more…]

Ramapo: FBI, Rockland DA make 7 arrests from 2016 E-Rate computer raids

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“Authorities today arrested seven people – including six Ramapo residents – who are accused of fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars through a federally subsidized program to provide electronic equipment to local yeshivas.

The arrests of Peretz Klein, 64, of Spring Valley, Susan Klein, 57, of Spring Valley, Ben Klein, 39, of Monsey, Simon Goldbrener. 55, of Monsey, Moshe Schwartz, 45, of Monroe in Orange County, Sholem Steinberg, 39, of Monsey and Aron Melber, 42, of Monsey resulted from a series of raids on multiple Ramapo businesses and schools in 2016.

They were all charged with various counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The statute sets a prison sentence of 20 years for the crime, though a judge has discretion under federal sentencing guidelines. [Read more…]

Feds Arrest Seven, Including some Rabbis, in $14M Monsey/Kiryas Joel Funding Scam

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Shield of the Dept of JusticeBy Jonathan Dienst  NBC 4 New York

Published 46 minutes ago | Updated 9 minutes ago

Seven Monsey and Kiryas Joel residents – including some rabbis – were arrested Wednesday in connection with an alleged $14 million dollar rip-off of a federal school technology funding program, federal prosecutors said. The FBI arrested the seven for allegedly stealing money meant to help underprivileged children.

Prosecutors said the suspects lied to claim they were serving as independent consultants and vendors to help obtain and provide telecommunication services to private religious school students across Rockland County. Federal dollars would come from the federal E-Rate program which is funded by the FCC. But investigators said the services were never provided with the seven allegedly stealing much of the money from 2010-2016. [Read more…]

Julie Goldberg for State Senate–Sept 13 Primary

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Hello Folks,

The September 13th primary is rapidly approaching and you can be sure that we will be making candidate endorsements across the political spectrum for all of the different parties holding electoral contests on that day.

For now, however, we want to draw your attention to the Democratic Primary for State Senate in the 38th district, which includes most of Rockland and a small piece of Westchester.

We strongly endorse Julie Goldberg for state senate in the 38th District. Her website is www.juliefornysenate.com Please check it out and join the energy and excitement of her campaign. [Read more…]

Pascack Ridge plan would benefit one community, burden all of Ramapo, Assemblywoman says

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Ellen Jaffee Re “Ramapo’s Pascack Ridge housing plan continues amid opposition,” Aug. 17 article:

As an elected official, my job is to listen to those I serve and to alleviate, not impose hardships. Many of my constituents have expressed a broad range of concerns regarding the proposed Pascack Ridge development.

There are those who might justify the need for such a massive project to address the shortage of housing in the Town of Ramapo and the growing number of families with children. However, that is not the intent of this project. The proposed development is not a response to the Hillcrest community as a whole, but rather a proposal to create segregated housing in one of the most diverse communities in Rockland County, a community I am proud to represent. Any justification for a project that will benefit only some residents, while imposing an enormous burden on the entire community is nullified. [Read more…]