Preserve Ramapo

www.preserve-ramapo.com

Judge sets up trial about East Ramapo voting that could alter how school board is elected

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“A federal judge today (Nov 20, 2019) denied the East Ramapo Central School District’s attempt to dismiss a lawsuit challenging how the district elects its school board members.

The ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Seibel sets up a two-week trial in February that could alter how votes in May’s school board elections are tallied.

The lawsuit filed in 2017 by the Spring Valley chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and several black and Latino voters sought a dramatic change in the district’s election process. [Read more…]

State comptroller audit questions payouts to East Ramapo bus contractors

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In 2017-18, the district’s transportation tab was $30.5 million and in 2018-19 $31.4 million, the audit notes.

“A state comptroller’s audit released Wednesday questions why the East Ramapo Central School District paid more than $800,000 to bus hundreds of private school students to yeshivas over the past two years even though they were not registered.

The audit by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said it discovered about $496,000 in payments for 717 students not registered with the district for the 2017-18 school year and another $337,085 in district payments for 455 students the following year.

Additionally, a sampling of 300 private school students raised questions about whether district money went to transport students who may not even live in the district, the audit noted.

Or even exist at all, it noted. [Read more…]

Rockland elections: Foley wins Low-Hogan’s legislative seat after absentee and affidavit ballot count

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“Republican James Foley won Democrat Nancy Low-Hogan’s legislative seat by 69 votes after a count of absentee and affidavit ballots in the race to represent parts of Orangetown and Clarkstown.

Foley led after an Election Day count of machine ballots by 66 votes, picking up three additional tallies with Wednesday’s counting of 160 absentee ballots and 25 affidavit votes. The final tally: Foley with 2,514 votes to 2,445 for Low-Hogan, according to the Rockland Board of Elections. [Read more…]

Ramapo Town Clerk Christian Sampson is retiring; Town Board will name Osherovitz

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“Town Clerk Christian Sampson is retiring after more than two decades, with the Town Board  tonight expected to name Supervisor Michael Specht’s top aide as his successor.

Sampson, known for his involvement in civic organizations, had been the appointed town clerk for 23 years — the only one appointed among the five town clerks. He’s a former East Ramapo Board of Education member, ousted after nine years in 2006 when the Orthodox Jewish community moved to elect its members to the school board. [Read more…]

Nov 2019 Election Results

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Election Results banner

These are the unofficial results from the Rockland Board of Elections.

Ramapo Supervisor
Michael Specht  18,109   W
Deborah Munitz  6,814

Ramapo Town Board
Brendel Logan-Charles   18,855  W
Michael Rossman             19,747  W
Sherry Scott                       5,470

Ramapo Supt. of Highways
Fredric Brinn       18,688   W
Patrick Damiani    5,235

Rockland District Attorney
Thomas Walsh    44,585   W
Mike Diederich    16,482
Ken Zebrowski      7,209 [Read more…]

Vote Row H and I on Tuesday Nov 5

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Election day is on Tuesday and we want to urge those that have not already voted to make adjustments to your daily routine to ensure that you will find the time to cast your ballot at your polling place. The polls are open from 6 am to 9 pm.

Of course, the most important instructions for this election are very simple: Wherever you live vote for everyone you find on the SAM Party line Row H from one end of the ballot to the other. You can’t go wrong. Then drop down to Row I and vote for Michael Diederich for District Attorney who is the clear choice for fair and impartial administration of justice in Rockland.

The races for the county legislature are particularly important because we need to gain control of the legislature to ensure the redistricting of the county legislature is done in a fair and equitable manner for all communities of interest. Wherever you are in Rockland you can safely vote for your legislator on Row H. However, there are several legislative races close to home here in Ramapo that we will mention. [Read more…]

Early Voting has Begun—Absentee Ballots Must be Postmarked by Tuesday Oct. 29

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Early Voting began Saturday October 26th and continues through November 3.
Preserve Ramapo is endorsing Michael Diederich for Rockland County District Attorney. Diederich is the clear choice in this very important election if you want fair and impartial administration of justice in Rockland.
The last day to postmark an application for an absentee ballot is this Tuesday Oct. 29. if you will be out of town on election day.  If you have children in college who want to vote, remind them to send in their absentee ballot application by the deadline.
You can download an application for an absentee ballot from the Board of Elections here.
Thank you,
Robert Rhodes
Chairman
Preserve Ramapo

Early Voting Begins Tomorrow—Saturday Oct. 26

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Beginning Saturday, October 26, Rockland County voters can cast their votes for this year’s November elections. Avoid the crowds and parking mess that often show up on Election Day by selecting one of the nine days before November 5. Click on the “Read More” link below for the Board of Elections Schedule. AND PLEASE SUPPORT THE CANDIDATES ON LINE H AND LINE I. [Read more…]

Michael Diederich for Rockland County District Attorney

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When you go down to ROW H on the ballot to vote for our 27 SAM Party candidates don’t forget to vote for MICHAEL DIEDERICH who is on ROW I, Box 5, the next line down from Row H.

Mike is opposed by a candidate who Is a political hack who will owe his office to the corrupt developers who worked hard to make sure he would be able to run unopposed.  But our county’s political leaders did not know that Mike Diederich was willing to go to great lengths to oppose this highly undemocratic steamroller. [Read more…]

“Anti-Semitism,” Racism, and Growth in Ramapo

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Commentary from Robert I. Rhodes, Ph. D., Chairman, Preserve Ramapo

Ramapo has a hero in the county legislature.  His name is Aron Wieder.  A man of great courage, he has taken on the burdensome defense of our Hasidic community.  Whenever it is suggested that high density housing is overwhelming Ramapo’s resources he goes on the attack.  This argument, he charges, is an anti-Semitic slur directed against his community.

But Wieder is not a hero, he is a racist.  He knows that much of the housing that has been built in recent years for his community was built on land formerly occupied by modest homes owned by Black and Brown families.  They were block busted out of their homes.  Most of the rest of the high-density developments in Ramapo were built on vacant land that had been drastically down-zoned as a gift to Hasidic developers. [Read more…]