A Failed Last Chance

Thursday night’s meeting at the Seely School saw about 150 people in attendance. The crowd appeared to be split for and against incorporation. Last night's meeting may have been Mr Feiner's last chance to derail Edgemont’s incorporation. He had requested the NAACP to host a meeting, advertising how Edgemont’s Incorporation would affect the entire Town of Greenburgh. Then he invited Wespac, a social activist and anti-Israel group that we believed would be used to disrupt the meeting if all else failed. By pointing this out in a previous article, we believe we helped to derail that strategy. 

The event was moderated by NAACP President Lena Anderson who was seated at the mid-point of the dais, separating the Edgemont Incorporation Council (EIC) and the Town and anti-Edgemont Incorporation group. At 7 o'clock Ms Anderson laid out the ground rules, including once again the absurd use of 3x5 index cards for questions. We've already witnessed their failure at the "informational meeting" held at the Theodore Young Community Center on Tuesday night. She said this was not a “political” night and there should be no shouting or applause from the audience. That didn’t work out very well as some occasionally shouted from the audience and applause also took place. 

She then asked everyone to join her in song before introducing the participants at the dais. While we know Ms Anderson to be a nice and congenial person, her commentary throughout the evening frustrated many who were there to hear and discuss issues. Like the beginning of Town Board meetings crafted with presentations, poetry, awards and such designed to wear down the public’s participation, so too do we believe that this second forum meeting, with the promise by Ms Anderson of more, was another attempt by Mr Feiner to have others obfuscate and shield the Town’s lack of preparedness should Edgemont incorporate.

The EIC presenters typically quoted facts when questions about how they arrived at their conclusions were raised. They usually followed by saying that they have posted this information on their website (http://edgemont2017.org) and urged everyone to go there for even more information or meet with them directly. There is no web presence for the anti-incorporation contingency. When the anti-incorporation representatives spoke, they cited few tangible numbers and insisted that should the incorporation happen, things were going to be bad and many people would suffer. But they were unable to substantiate their rhetoric with facts. Michael Schwartz occasionally mentioned numbers but was so disjointed that following any rationale from him was difficult. Don Cannon, who moderated the event on Tuesday night at the Theodore Young Community Center, was almost incoherent at times. Hugh Schwartz, a member of the Greenburgh Planning Board, appointed by Mr Feiner, is against the incorporation. He stated numerous times why he felt incorporation would cost Edgemont residents more than remaining part of the Town. He also countered that Edgemont would not be able to create any affordable housing compared to the Town, which has much more developable space compared to Edgemont’s minimal available space, if any. He seemed the most lucid, also citing the EIC’s contradictory statements about housing. What he failed to mention was that he was a proponent of “Corner Modules” during the Comprehensive Plan’s Steering Committee developmental process, an idea originally proposed by former Planning Commissioner Thomas Madden. However, most residents that spoke at the assorted “Comp Plan” hearings vehemently protested them – specifically on Central Avenue – and throughout the entire Town, not just Edgemont. The idea, favored so much by Mr Schwartz, was eventually scrapped and removed from the Comp Plan because it was an idea most people did not support.

Ms Anderson has promised more forums to inform the public as to the pros and cons of incorporation. The EIC has put all of their cards on the table and been forthcoming with information. The Town and the anti-incorporation proponents have not. While we are disappointed that the Town has taken this route, sadly, we expect it. Why tell the truth when you will be reelected regardless of what you say?

We wish the anti-incorporation supporters would come to the next forum with specific information and not innuendo and fear mongering. We believe the next forum should truly seek voter enlightenment and allow each side to present their case with facts and figures and explain how those figures were secured. Next, there should be a podium set up that residents can utilize to ask direct questions. If something is unclear or not explained properly, the speaker should have an opportunity for clarification. It should be held at Town Hall so that it could be broadcast on the public access channel and truly inform everyone interested. The fact that it is not proves this roadshow is disingenuous. There should be a moderator who listens more and speaks less; let the event cover as much of the time as possible.

The theatrics surrounding these forums are nothing more than just that, theatrics. As we exited the meeting, we asked several people if they were for or against incorporation. They said they didn’t know and that’s why they attended, but that they were disappointed because no real information was given, no cogent arguments made and it seemed like a waste of time. The informational process can work for both sides. Currently, however, it’s extremely lopsided and unlikely to get better any time soon. It could be an excellent opportunity for the anti-side to make their case. They should make a concerted effort to keep focused and present real information. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.

Edgemont Destiny Continues

Our previous article discussed the meeting Mr Feiner crafted as his unofficial anti-incorporation event. It's no secret that Mr Feiner is against the Edgemont Incorporation although in the next breath claims to not have a position. The last meeting utilized Councilman Ken Jones as Mr Feiner's understudy, making several comments that can only be interpreted as being against the incorporation. Regardless, there is another meeting tonight that promises to be interesting, if not informative.

We believe the tactic for tonight’s meeting will be orchestrated by Mr Feiner, even if he is not present, to somehow accuse the Edgemont Incorporation Group of discrimination. It's not about discrimination. Rather, it is to get out from under the Town’s mismanagement and control. Regardless, once it is refuted by the Edgemont Incorporation leaders, he will need something else to deflect away from his cavalier approach to the incorporation and the Town’s lack of preparedness. He has arranged for Wespac to be present. WesPac, a social activist and anti-Israel group, will give him the added conflict and deflection he desires once the discrimination issue is eliminated. The meeting held Tuesday night is the exact representation of why Edgemont residents are looking to incorporate.

Tonight's meeting begins at 7PM at the Seely School. We urge you to attend. It will make for A Better Greenburgh.

The Questions Were Well Written, But The Answers Were Not

The meeting at the Theodore D. Young Community Center (TDYCC) was billed as one of providing information to the Town’s residents regarding the impact on Town operations should the Edgemont Community incorporate and become a Village within the Town. The dais was represented with commissioners from each of the Town’s departments as well as the Town Attorney, Tim Lewis and Town Board member, Ken Jones. The consensus in the audience was that as Mr Feiner’s appointees, they were instructed to be there. Chairs were set up in the gymnasium for about one hundred or so people. Many of the seats remained unused.

André G. Early, the Commissioner of the Department of Community Resources, welcomed everyone and turned the microphone over to Don Cannon, a Feiner-sycophant, who has obediently served his padrone in several capacities. Tonight, his apparent task would simply be to spread misinformation, false facts and obfuscate any discernable information to the Town residents, a task he executed well. And, when he didn’t know how to answer a question, or it was specific to one of the department heads, they were offered the microphone to give the seemingly agreed upon answer, “I don’t know.”

The short presentation made by Mr Cannon regurgitated information Mr Feiner has touted but never verified, qualified or detailed beyond his typical sensationalism. Those who follow Town affairs know Mr Feiner typically throws out unrealistic numbers and bogus information, hoping something “sticks”. Here, it was a rehashing of the anti-incorporation numbers that he has maintained as accurate. We might believe him if he would explain and quantify how he arrived at them. But, he never does…

That leaves us with the numbers he’s created. At every opportunity Mr Feiner has said the Edgemont incorporation would mandate drastic cuts throughout the Town. He claims that Edgemont’s incorporation, parroted by Mr Cannon, will cause the Town budget to lose $17.5 million dollars, increase taxes to Unincorporated Greenburgh residents by 30%, layoff 30% of Town employees and cut services by 30%. Our first question, read last, asked how they arrived at these numbers? Our second question was if the new Village of Edgemont contracts all of the same services with the Town, how do the numbers change? Mr Cannon answered the question with a technically correct but invalid answer. He said, “I got those numbers from the Town budget.” The second question’s answer was brushed aside with the standard answer, “We don’t know, we’ll have to wait and see.”

The numbers are important for several reasons. First, the standard answer was always, “We don’t know or we’ll have to wait and see.” Councilman Jones, an attorney, seems to have studied at Mr Feiner’s “dance” school. When he didn’t have a tangible answer, he said an awful lot of “um’s and ah’s” and just kept dancing around not providing any answers, eventually just turning off the microphone. Second, the 500 pound elephant in the room was simply: how can you tell us we’re going to lose $17.5 million dollars, increase taxes to Unincorporated Greenburgh residents by 30%, layoff 30% of Town employees and cut services by 30% and then claim you’re unable to substantiate how you arrived at those numbers? And, since the proposed Village of Edgemont representatives have consistently stated they always planned to purchase services from the Town, which they will be paying for, how will these numbers be changed? “We don’t know, we’ll have to wait and see.”

In speaking with former Justice Herb Rosenberg after the meeting, he stated, “The questions were well written, but the answers were not,” referring to the 3x5 index cards that residents and attendees were required to fill out with their questions. Sadly, because this meeting was not about sharing and presenting facts to the residents, the evening turned into a colossal waste of everyone’s time. Many residents left early as they slowly realized they were being pandered to and not getting any real information. Many began shouting questions from the floor, obviously frustrated by the card-controlled questioning process. In fact, the Journal News reporter who was at the meeting left about halfway through it.

As we were leaving, we passed Mr Feiner in the lobby area and overheard him asking someone how the evening went? They asked why he hadn’t been here for the meeting and his answer was that he was at another meeting. We don’t know if it was about Edgemont Incorporation or not, but we believe he accomplished his goal of limiting transparency and obfuscating information against the Edgemont Incorporation effort. The outcome would have been the same had Mr Feiner been present, so it’s no loss that he wasn’t in attendance. Again, people wanted to know why no action had been taken by the Feiner Administration for the Town to be ready should incorporation proceed long before this meeting. The answer given by Mr Cannon was that a Citizen Task Force was being formed to address the incorporation. What’s next, using interns?

There is another meeting this Thursday night at the Seely School. We hope this will provide real, forthcoming information. The Town officials claim to be neutral in this entire episode – but they obviously are not. Mr Feiner has invited WesPac, a social activist and anti-Israel group to the meeting. He’s done this before with them. Last time caused Town Hall to be shut down earlier in the day about a year ago after Mr Feiner allowed them use of Town Hall for free, costing taxpayers a lot of money for police overtime and allowing Mr Feiner to subsequently create phony cause to keep neighborhood organizations from utilizing Town Hall for meetings. Why do we mention this? 

We believe the tactic for this Thursday night’s meeting will be orchestrated by Mr Feiner to somehow accuse the Edgemont Incorporation Group of racial discrimination. We honestly do not believe they are doing this to keep anyone out of Edgemont. Rather, it is to get out from under the Town’s mismanagement and control. Regardless, once it is refuted by the Edgemont Incorporation leaders, he will need something else to deflect away from his cavalier approach to the incorporation and the Town’s lack of preparedness. This meeting at the Theodore Young Community Center had a specific intent. It could not be recorded or televised as it should have been and is why it was not held in Town Hall – which we know was available since no one is allowed to use it any more. Regardless, WesPac will give him the added conflict and deflection he desires once the discrimination issue is removed. The meeting held Tuesday night is the exact representation of why Edgemont residents are looking to incorporate. This type of bad behavior from Town leadership needs to end. Only then will we see A Better Greenburgh.

Secret Negotiations Exposed with Trans-Pacific Partnership for NYS

Representatives from the community will hold a People’s Town Hall style event to provide information on the effects the TPP would inflict on everyday average Americans. The event will include an expert on trade, a panel made up of Labor, Faith, Community & Environmental organizations and an opportunity for local elected leaders to explain what they have learned from and to the public.

WHERE: Greenburgh Town Hall 177 Hillside Ave, Greenburgh NY
WHEN: Tuesday, April 22th, 6:45pm

Currently, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is being negotiated in secret between the United States and Pacific Rim countries including Malaysia, Mexico, Japan, and Vietnam, which are 40% of the world economy. The massive proposed agreement would destroy jobs, eliminate regulatory protections, and allow international trade tribunals to overturn American laws. An example would be the Investment State Disput Settlement. In short, any law passed by state or federal government to protect the environment or jobs in America could be considered a barrier for free trade. This would allow foreign corporations to sue not for damages but for potential lost profits – making the ceiling for damages open to astronomical numbers with no recourse for those being sued!

Fast Track legislation, which would create a process to ram the agreement through Congress, was introduced in the Senate and House on January 9th. Fast Track legislation surrenders Congress’ Constitutional rights with respect to trade policy. Among other limitations to Congress’ authority, Fast Track forces an up-or-down, unamendable vote with limited debate on a final deal, preventing meaningful consultation or input, and straightjacketing opponents to the deal.

NAFTA and WTO, which like the TPP mostly cover issues not directly related to trade (such as tariffs or customs and border crossing), were pushed through using the Fast Track process. Fast Track legislation is vital to concluding the 12 nation negotiations on the TPP.

Politico and The New York Times have detailed growing bi-partisan opposition in Congress, with ideologically diverse groups and interests opposing Fast Tracking the negotiation process. To date, no House Democrat has been willing to co-prime-sponsor the legislation, which closely tracks 2002 legislation rejected by the large majority of Democrats.

Wikileaks recently released leaked details of the secret agreement, covering intellectual property rights and Rx drug pricing and environmental issues. The leaked drafts confirm opponent’s fears. The TPP would destroy jobs, eliminate food safety standards, benefit Wall Street banks, and over-ride U.S. laws. 

Representative Nita Lowey will be on hand to discuss what good trade should look like for America. Assembly members Shelley Mayer, David Buchwald will respond to the implications TPP will have to NYS. Present will also be representatives from Senator Latimer and Stewart-Cousins offices, Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Body, Concerned Families of Westchester, Mount Vernon United Tenants, WESPAC, Lower Hudson Valley Chapter of Sierra Club, Food & Water Watch, Hudson River Presbytery Peru Partnership, Westchester MoveOn.org