Preserve Ramapo

www.preserve-ramapo.com

You are here: Home / 2017 / May / Archives for 9th

Archives for May 9, 2017

St. Lawrence trial: Two witnesses require arm twisting

by

Ramapo bond huckster

St. Lawrence trial, day 12. May 8, 2017

Resuming after the weekend break, Judge Cathy Seibel decided to resolve the problem of the reluctant witness Michael Reilly. Reilly has failed to provide sufficient medical reasons for not appearing when called as a prosecution witness, so the Judge has ordered a FedEx overnight notification of his required presence, and failing that, if he does not respond, U.S. Marshals will be sent to retrieve Mr. Reilly, and he will be charged with failure to appear.

Michael Klein arrived with two attorneys, and when seated, he refused to answer the first three questions posed by the prosecuting attorney. He cited his fifth amendment right to respectfully decline to answer. Judge Seibel stopped the proceedings, excused the jury, and then addressed Klein and the Prosecutors. She ordered Klein to testify but did grant him immunity, assuring him that if he didn’t lie, what he says could not be used in a criminal prosecution against him. If he were to lie, however, the order would be revoked and he would be prosecuted. [Read more…]

East Ramapo: Budget hearing draws crowd

by

Deborah Wortham and Yehuda Weissmandl Photo: Carucha L. Meuse/The Journal News

“Public-school parents in East Ramapo are urging voters to cast “no” ballots next week during the annual school budget referendum because they believe the $232.6 million spending plan favors private-school students.

The district plans to spend $1.4 million to fully restore busing to private schools when public ones are closed, but parents believe the school board should use that money to bring back other programs, activities and services that have been cut from public schools over the years. [Read more…]

Elia fails East Ramapo: Community View

by

Andrew Mandel Co-founder of Strong East Ramapo

State oversight should be focused on repairing past damage rather than contributing to it.

The New York State Board of Regents sought to protect public schools in East Ramapo by advocating for state oversight. It’s therefore shocking to see State Commissioner of Education MaryEllen Elia use that power to cut a sweet deal for the school board president and yeshivas, leaving the public to pay for it.

The budget proposal approved by the commissioner holds public school advocates hostage by voiding their state rebate checks and requiring a double dose of school taxes to restore 14 days of non-mandated, non-public transportation in exchange for a moderate increase in public school services compared with what has been lost. [Read more…]