“Acting Supervisor Yitzchok Ullman made the request Friday in a press release, justifying his pitch that the stadium has become a top tourist draw in Rockland and generates an estimated $250,000 in sales tax annually through sales of tickets, concessions and other items.
Plus, Ramapo needs the money after financial problems and corruption convictions.
Ramapo acting supervisor Yitzchok Ullman seeks a share of estimated $250,000 in sales tax revenues generated by Palisades Credit Union Park. Rockland County Executive Ed Day says he’s not supportive. [Read more…]
Archives for August 2017
Cuomo signs bill for Ramapo Central schools to change name
The Ramapo Central School District will now be known as the Suffern Central School District.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the law Tuesday that allows the state education commissioner to change the school district’s name. The bill was co-sponsored by state Sen. David Carlucci and Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee and unanimously passed both houses of the state Legislature in June.
The name change was meant to clear up confusion with the neighboring East Ramapo school district and set the two districts apart. [Read more…]
Oral Argument for Ward Referendum Appeal Scheduled for Sept. 5th
The Appellate Division Second Department has calendared the oral arguments for the Ward Referendum Appeal on Tuesday, September 5th, 2017, which happens to be the day after Labor Day. This opens up the possibility that a revote on the Ward Referendum might take place on the upcoming general election to be held on Tuesday, November 7th. That likelihood is, in truth, hard to predict and will ultimately depend upon how and how soon the Court rules. Nonetheless, the September 5th date for Oral Arguments does open the door for the possibility of a Referendum revote on the November 7th general election. [Read more…]
Four Thousand Shades of Ramapo Gray
Rockland Legislator Charles Falciglia
The writer is a member of the Rockland County Legislature
The two properties commonly referred to as the Matterhorn Nursery and Minisceongo Golf Course represent approximately 175 acres in the Town of Ramapo targeted for development. The Matterhorn property was purchased through a foreclosure auction for 5.1 million by deed dated August 22, 2014. The purchaser was Summit Hempstead LLC; or in other words, John Doe one through ten at the time of purchase.
The Minisceongo property was a straight buyer/seller transaction for $32 million consummated in January of 2016. The majority purchaser is Mount Ivy LLC, with a minority purchaser, Lindifrim Pomona. The Minisceongo purchaser’s are floating plans for hundreds of townhomes. [Read more…]
CUPON Meeting Tuesday: Ed Day on Ramapo Overdevelopment
There is an important meeting sponsored by the Cambridge Heights community and CUPON New Hempstead to address the possible future overdevelopment in the villages of New Hempstead and Pomona.
The meeting will be held Tuesday August 15th, 2017, 7pm, at the Fire Training Center, 35 Firemens Memorial Drive, Pomona, NY 10970 [Read more…]
Eruvs didn’t create Ramapo’s problems, bad zoning decisions did: JN Editorial
The following editorial appeared in The Journal News on August 11, 2017
“Many have been worried about a recent expansion into New Jersey of a Ramapo-area eruv — a near-invisible boundary that allows Orthodox Jews more freedom of movement during the Sabbath.
Some say the boundary would extend eastern Ramapo’s chaos and crowded conditions into their backyard.
But Ramapo’s mess can be blamed on policy, not PVC piping; ill-planned zoning and lax building code enforcement caused the issues in Ramapo, not eruvs attached to utility poles. [Read more…]
Ramapo seeks operator for money-losing Spook Rock golf course
Spook Rock Golf Course Lohud file photo
“With the town golf course losses estimated upward of $800,000 annually, town officials are looking to save money by hiring a company to operate and maintain the facility.
The Town Board approved a request for proposals with hopes of drawing an operator for the town-owned 150-acre, par 72 course Spook Rock Golf Course. The request for proposals allows officials to negotiate with firms, as opposed to seeking bidders, acting Supervisor Yitzchok Ullman said Thursday.
“The issue is the town is losing approximately $800,000 annually,” Ullman said. “We want to see what’s out there.” [Read more…]
Spring Valley Tax Insanity
Steve White
Three Spring Valley trustees have caused a tax catastrophe for the village.
Almost 2,000 taxpayers had a double-digit increase in 2017! Over 700 got a 50% increase in one year, and for 200 unlucky homeowners taxes more than doubled!
How did this happen? Trustees Grossman, Fonvil and McGill abolished the Assessor’s Office, and gave the job to the towns of Ramapo and Clarkstown.
This was done over the objections of village trustee Emilia White.
Last November, The Journal News quoted trustee Emilia White: “I don’t know how anybody in their right mind would think of giving the town of Ramapo the job of assessing the village’s property while the town itself is under investigation for fraud.” [Read more…]
Tax Watch: Spring Valley tax mess gets messier
Spring Valley homeowner Steve White says the loss of the village’s assessor has led to a shift in the property tax burden from commercial property owners to homeowners. (Photo: David McKay Wilson/The Journal News)
“The property-tax mess that has engulfed Rockland County’s biggest village this summer just got messier.
It’s a mess that involves inaccurate tax bills sent to every Spring Valley property owner, a consolidation of assessor services encouraged by the Cuomo administration that went horribly wrong, and unprecedented tax breaks available to just one part of the village.
It’s a tale of two villages.
Those living in Spring Valley’s Clarkstown section will absorb the full tax impact of increases caused by the consolidation effort, with some seeing their village taxes double or even triple to as much as $4,600. [Read more…]
Ramapo illegal housing cleanup must continue: JN Letter
Justin Schwartz
The following letter was published in The Journal News August 2, 2017 — The writer is Rabbi Justin Schwartz, Chairman of the Rockland Illegal Housing Task Force
Re “Ramapo ex-inspector Anthony Mallia gets no jail time, won’t pay restitution in plea deal,” July 31 article:
The Rockland County Illegal Housing Task Forcewas created in response to unlawful and dangerous housing conditions and its goal has always been to eliminate illegal and unsafe housing in Rockland by all legal means. The removal of Anthony Mallia as the chief building inspector of Ramapo and his felony conviction is a step in that direction. [Read more…]