Desperate Last Ditch Effort

Desperate people do desperate things. No doubt Mr Feiner is desperate. At the debate held in Hastings-on-Hudson last week between himself and his opponent Robert “Bob” Bernstein, we half expected him to start foaming at the mouth as his lips were quivering while Mr Bernstein recited negative facts and figures about Mr Feiner with confidence. Armed with only a small pad compared to Mr Feiner’s stack of documents, Mr Bernstein simply recited failure after failure within the Feiner Administration in general and Mr Feiner directly.

Prior to the Council of Greenburgh Civic Associations' debate and knowing that he would not be attending the scheduled event, Mr Feiner had previously instructed the Town Videographer to play a 30-minute political rebuttal commercial prepared in advance immediately after the Solo Debate! He had been invited several weeks earlier and never responded to their invitation per the written instructions from the President of the CGCA. Judith Beville finally replied the day before the event, saying they would not be attending. He claimed he made the decision at the last possible moment. Really? Then how did he happen to have his video ready for primetime and submitted to run on the Town’s cable access channel if his decision was so late? Obviously, he had no intent on participating in the debate.

The video of the debate was posted on the Town’s website. At a specially requested Town Board meeting, Mr Feiner asked the Board to allow him to put a second video online. Amazingly, the Board voted 4 to 0 to not allow Mr Feiner’s request! He stated that he was allowed to do this because Mr Bernstein had the debate online and election rules allow it. Actually, our understanding of Greenburgh rules only allow posting a debate if the League of Women Voters is moderating a debate. And, you can only post a certain number of videos online if they are for election purposes. Apparently, the Town Board didn’t agree (gasp!) with Mr Feiner. After the Hail Mary stunt he pulled by throwing Town Councilman Francis Sheehan under the proverbial bus when he challenged his ballot petition signatures in court, ABG is guessing Mr Feiner has some real butt-kissing to do to get back in the good graces of Mr Sheehan.

The Solo Debate video that had originally been posted on the Town’s public access channel has now been removed by Mr Feiner and the Town Board so as to not give Mr Bernstein’s campaign any edge against Mr Feiner. This decision to remove the Solo Debate video was authorized by an impromptu and secret vote of the Town Board to aid Mr Feiner’s campaign. Open government? This vote was executed before the second debate took place and seemed as though one decision would help Mr Bernstein and a reciprical one would assist Mr Feiner. ABG doesn’t believe Mr Bernstein should suffer because of another bad decision made in a last ditch effort by Mr Feiner to control the outcome of the primary election. ABG is now questioning the motives and ethical behavior of the entire Town Board regarding this secret vote. There are two debates that our readers can watch on YouTube if they are interested. The first link is to Mr Bernstein’s original “solo” debate and the second one is the two of them in the Hastings-on-Hudson debate.
Bob’s Solo Debate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeTu81fhmuE&feature=youtu.be

Bob and Paul Debate in Hastings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjkon6RXmbs

It’s ridiculous for Mr Feiner to think by removing the cable access video of only Mr Bernstein that he can stop people from viewing what he chose to ignore. Mr Feiner insulted the Unincorporated residents by not attending, as well as the Council of Greenburgh Civic Associations and the League of Women Voters. This Tuesday, September 10, is the Democratic Primary for registered Democrats only to decide who will be the endorsed Democratic candidate for the November election for Town Supervisor. 22-years of mismanagement, fiscal irresponsibility and questionable decisions is a long time under one rule. It’s time for Greenburgh to get real management skills, financial planning, open government and to have Town Hall returned to the residents. It’s time for developers to wait in line. It’s time for neighborhoods to be heard. It will come as no surprise that ABG is endorsing Robert “Bob” Bernstein and Sherron Brunson Fantauzzi in this race. It’s time for A Better Greenburgh.