Abinanti Refuses To Meet With Constituents

Sunday was not your typical Father’s Day. Yes, barbecues still happened. Families still traveled to visit loved ones. Lawns were mowed. Presents were exchanged. And, like any other Father’s Day, savings were still to be had at most retail stores.  What was unusual was that in one town in America, the Town of Greenburgh, the Supervisor and Town Board who acted illegally and immorally, abruptly ended all the festivities. Let’s recap.

Under the cover of a holiday weekend and a lazy Friday afternoon, the 24-year incumbent supervisor got arrogant. He decided to hold a special meeting, claimed it was a public meeting and in one minute and thirty-one seconds, it was done. No public notice to speak of was given. The Town Clerk said that she was notified of the meeting on Thursday and put the notice on her Bulletin Board. It wasn't sent on the Town's email list or put on the Town's web site. But once we exposed what had taken place, Mr Feiner and his Board scrambled to hold a public meeting in a “CYA” attempt to undo the illegal meeting held on Friday. Why?

Because his plan to have Albany introduce this oppression of voter rights had already started. And if they didn’t have the official vote on record, the bill would die. We imagine Mr Feiner making a few phone calls, saying, “Screw the families and Dads in the Town who were celebrating. Hey, screw the residents. Lets make it so hard to incorporate that it’ll never happen in Edgemont. I need you to come to Town Hall Sunday night to hold the special meeting at 8:30PM. Nobody will show up, we’ll vote and go home.”

Used to not having to justify his actions, have any accountability or perish the thought, remorse, Mr Feiner decided to eliminate Greenburgh residents right to vote. That’s right. He’s so upset. embarrassed or simply annoyed at Edgemont for wanting to incorporate, he’s trying to change the NYS law regarding incorporation by having his friends in Albany introduce a bill that will change the voting rights for only Town of Greenburgh residents. And, we’re told that no assembly legislator will go against the bill as they don’t want to go against one locales “home rule”, no matter how illegal, oppressive, immoral or negative it might be. It’s the only thing that will keep this bill alive.

This horrible bill was masterminded by Mr Feiner and is being executed right now in the NYS Assembly by his close political friend, Democrat Assemblyman Thomas Abinanti. As the TV commercials say, “But wait, there’s more!” Mr Abinanti may not be the only one complicit here. The NYS Senate version is being championed by Democrat Andrea Stewart-Cousins! Many in Greenburgh considered both the legislators their friends and never believed they could do such a horrible thing like voter suppression to them.

Several Greenburgh residents went to Albany in response to these two bills, which had been introduced a week ago. That means that Mr Feiner and his Board asked these two legislators to work on this for him quite some time ago. The web of deceit, usually contained within the Town’s unincorporated district, has now spread its corrupt tentacles to Albany. A phone call to several of the representatives offices yielded this comment from one, “You know, we’ve been getting a lot of calls about this bill. That usually means there really is something bad with it.” Indeed.

The cornerstone of America is the right for all to vote – except in Greenburgh. His Town Board, complicit in every way, vocally condoned his actions when they cowardly went into executive session and voted to support elimination of voter’s rights only in the Town of Greenburgh. Residents went to Albany today to speak with the various legislators involved All of them agreed to meet with our neighbors. All but one. Assemblyman Thomas Abinanti refused to meet with Greenburgh residents! It’s bad enough that taxpayers have to put up with Mr Feiner and his Boards bad, illegal and sometimes immoral behavior. But now Mr Feiner’s reach has extended to Albany. It has to stop. Only then will we get A Better New York and a Better Greenburgh!

Call your state elected representatives and voice your opposition to these two bills. But hurry - votes are scheduled for later today!

Senate: refer to bill S6728 sponsored by Sen. Stewart-Cousins

• Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins 914-423-4031 518-455-2585 
• Sen. John Flanagan
  He's president of the state senate and head of the rules committee 518-455-2071
• Sen. George Latimer
  He's the Dem nominee to run for county Supervisor against Astorino this fall 518-455-2031

Assembly: refer to bill A8423 sponsored by Tom Abinanti

• Tom Abinanti  914-631-1605
• William Magnerelli
  Chair of Local Govt committee that meets today  518-455-4826
• David Buchwald
  Rep from Mt Kisco who sits on Local Government comm  518-455-5397