Edgemont Incorporation On Hold Due To Ruling

This story has been updated.

The Decision:

MATTER OF BERNSTEIN v FEINER

In a hybrid proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78 to review a determination of Paul Feiner, Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh, dated May 5, 2017, which, after a hearing, determined that a petition for the incorporation of the proposed Village of Edgemont does not comply with the requirements of Village Law article 2, and action, inter alia, for a judgment declaring that the petition for the incorporation of the proposed Village of Edgemont complies with the requirements of Village Law article 2, Paul Feiner appeals, Nancy Blank, Thomas Blank, Robert P. Cerrato, Lloyd Cort, Mona Fraitag, Joan Gardner, Glenroy Gordon, Tracy C. Mairs, John M. Martin, Edward Massena, Martin Payson, Helene M. Orce, Sylvia Simon, Donald Siegel, Joanne F. Siegel, William Stanton, Alice Strauss, and Steven J. Willard separately appeal, and Janet Linn and Hugh Schwartz separately appeal, from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Westchester County (Susan Cacace, J.), dated February 1, 2018. The judgment granted the petition, annulled the determination, declared that the petition for the incorporation of the proposed Village of Edgemont complies with the requirements of Village Law article 2, and directed the Town Clerk of the Town of Greenburgh to take all necessary actions to schedule an election to determine the matter of incorporation of the proposed Village of Edgemont.

ORDERED that the judgment is reversed, on the law, with one bill of costs payable to the appellants appearing separately and filing separate briefs, the petition is denied, the proceeding is dismissed, and the matter is remitted to the Supreme Court, Westchester County, for the entry of an appropriate amended judgment, inter alia, declaring that the petition for the incorporation of the proposed Village of Edgemont does not comply with the requirements of Village Law article 2.

In this hybrid proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78 and action for declaratory relief, the Supreme Court granted the petition pursuant to CPLR article 78 to annul a determination of the Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh, which determined that a petition for the incorporation of the proposed Village of Edgemont does not comply with the requirements of Village Law article 2, and declared that the petition for incorporation complies with the requirements of Village Law article 2. The Town Supervisor found that the petition for incorporation failed to include a description of the territory to be incorporated that was “sufficient to identify the location and extent of such territory with common certainty,” as is required by Village Law § 2-202(1)(c)(1). That finding was not illegal, based on insufficient evidence, or contrary to the weight of the evidence (see Matter of Barnard v St. Lawrence, 44 AD3d 1037, 1038; Matter of Incorporation of Vil. of Viola Hills, 129 AD2d 579, 580).

The Town Supervisor also found that the petition for incorporation did not include an accurate list of the regular inhabitants of the proposed village, as is required by Village Law § 202-2(1)(c)(2). That finding also was not illegal, based on insufficient evidence, or contrary to the weight of the evidence (see Matter of Bernard v St. Lawrence, 44 AD3d at 1038; Matter of Baker v Heaney, 15 AD3d 577, 578; Matter of Elevitch v Colello, 168 AD2d 681, 682; Matter of Luria v Conklin, 139 AD2d 650; Matter of Incorporation of Vil. of Viola Hills, 129 AD2d at 580).

Accordingly, the Supreme Court should have denied the petition pursuant to CPLR article 78, dismissed the proceeding, and declared that the petition for incorporation does not comply with the requirements of Village Law article 2 (see Village Law § 2-210[1]; Matter of Bernard v St. Lawrence, 44 AD3d at 1038; Matter of Baker v Heaney, 15 AD3d at 578; Matter of Elevitch v Colello, 168 AD2d at 682; Matter of Luria v Conklin, 139 AD2d at 650; Matter of Incorporation of Vil. of Viola Hills, 129 AD2d at 580). Since this is, in part, a declaratory judgment action, we remit the matter to the Supreme Court, Westchester County, for the entry of an appropriate amended judgment, inter alia, declaring that the petition for the incorporation of the proposed Village of Edgemont does not comply with the requirements of Village Law article 2 (see Lanza v Wagner, 11 NY2d 317, 334).

RIVERA, J.P., CHAMBERS, BARROS and BRATHWAITE NELSON, JJ., concur. ENTER:

Aprilanne Agostino Clerk of the Court

Clerk of the Court

Abinanti Legislation Removes Greenburgh Residents Right To Vote - Again

There is no shame in politics. Mr Feiner proves that regularly. Now his Albany cohort and co-conspirator has re-introduced legislation hastily requested by Mr Feiner to remove the right of Greenburgh residents to vote should they desire to secede from the Town and incorporate as a village. This was brought about as Mr Feiner desperately tried to stop the Edgemont Incorporation Council (EIC) from succeeding.

At first, Mr Feiner played down the movement, believing it would never gain any traction. But this was big news and the lifetime supervisor was caught off guard as momentum and interest swelled. Mr Feiner wasn’t the only one against the incorporation. His Town board was most likely instructed by him to be against it as well, however Ken Jones was the only one who would speak openly against it.

When pushed at several community meetings as to why the Town leaders were not sitting down with the incorporation leaders to discuss contingency plans and the possible charging for services as presented by the incorporation proponents, Mr Feiner continued to say he didn’t believe the referendum would go through, should it come to that. He was convinced there would be no incorporation!

Next he took it upon himself to illegally hire a judge to be his scapegoat under the guise of providing advice on the ballot petition signatures to the tune of an unauthorized $50,000! His Town Board would later push through another $50,000 for the judge. On behalf of Mr Feiner, the judge engaged private investigators to go out into the Edgemont neighborhood with a new petition to get the incorporation petition signatories to sign which would unknowingly invalidate their original incorporation petition signatures! You can’t even find these kind of corruption twists in Hollywood!

Once exposed by a pro-incorporation resident’s home security/nanny-cam system, and the defecation began hitting the ventilation, Mr Feiner realized he could really lose this and decided to double-down. That’s when he reached out to his career politician friend, Assemblyman Abinanti* and asked him to push through legislation in Albany that would help him stop the incorporation. Probably a bit concerned about what he was being asked to do and his political future, Mr Abinanti was no doubt aware that former Town Councilwoman Sonya Brown had publicly stated at a Town Board meeting that Mr Feiner had told his running mates (her included) not to bother campaigning in Fairview because those residents were not intelligent. Could this come back to bite him? We’re sure if this did take place Mr Feiner instructed him not to worry and just do it.

So, once word on the street reached the Edgemont Incorporation Council (EIC), they decided to take a road trip to Albany. Once in Albany, they sought out Mr Abinanti who refused to meet with them! Phone calls and emails to other legislators were enough to slow the out-of-control Abinanti freight train from submitting the bill for a vote at one of the infamous 3AM votes. That bill, essentially the same as what’s being offered now, was to negatively affect Town of Greenburgh residents by taking away their right to vote for incorporation! Pressure mounted and the bill was withdrawn.

Like most diabolical plots hatched from the corner office, bad ideas and/or proposals don’t go away. Rather, they return repackaged as something different with the more objectionable portions sanitized and made to seem like a benefit to those about to get screwed. Such was the case with Mr Abinanti’s previous bill. First, while his original bill was Town of Greenburgh specific, the second one is for all Towns in New York State – with a voluntary “opt-in” by any Town government. Now, while most Towns throughout the state will not care about this, Mr Feiner will and will instruct his Town Board to opt-IN. So with a little massaging, one hurdle was eliminated. As an aside, no other legislator was willing to vote for the first iteration as most believe they shouldn’t be voting on what is considered Greenburgh’s home rule. Mr Abinanti obviously does not care about constituents, his own or those of other jurisdictions.

Next up in Mr Abinanti’s Eliminating Voter Right’s legislation are numerous roadblocks that force residents seeking to incorporate to perform numerous studies, which ironically the EIC had provided, among other requirements. But if one requirement is good, then two is better, and three is, well, you get the idea. The new bill is essentially the core of the hastily authored original bill. Although Mr Abinanti claims he is not attempting to affect the petition process or invalidate the Edgemont Incorporation Council petition, those in the trenches who have been following this entire process know this is too convoluted to believe. He has increased the number of steps, designed to wear-down those seeking incorporation, by putting numerous hurdles in the way.

Several requirement’s in the new bill are designed to make incorporation incredibly difficult and cumbersome for those seeking to incorporate. In the earlier version the Town Board would have had approval to authorize an incorporation referendum, under the guise of whether or not incorporation would have “significant impacts on the rest of the area.” This is blatantly specific to Edgemont! How do we know? It’s the  argument Mr Feiner has been making all along about Edgemont's incorporation. Huh? Still don’t see the setup? We believe Mr Feiner concocted the elements of Mr Abinanti’s bill that he would need and began the argument before the introduction of the bill so when the bill passes at 3AM in Albany, he’ll be able to continue his argument against it and say, “No!” to the EIC. 

This is similar to the sidewalk to no-where when the Stop and Shop on Rt 119 near the Marriott Hotel was proposed. No one understood why he was letting them build a sidewalk there, instead in front of the supermarket. Two years after the supermarket was built, he and his Board approved the Brightview Assisted Living facility to be built immediately behind the sidewalk. Who knew? Only Mr Feiner and his Boards...

Another requirement is that this updated version will change New York State law to include “group think,” providing the rest of a given town the ability to vote against a community’s incorporation. This is one of the key points Mr Feiner so desperately needs to thwart the Edgemont incorporation. Just like the referendum for the GameOn 365 “deal” that promised to hurt the Worthington Woodlands neighborhood should the referendum pass, Mr Feiner knew he could get his faithful followers to approve it – and they did.

So Mr Abinanti, well along into his professional career as a politician, also knows to mention certain buzzwords for those not in the know to think his concerns are genuine. He uses words like “fairest approach” and “require community impact statement.” This legal change, should it happen by June as he has planned is anything but fair. It takes away voting rights of some and allows them to be controlled by others. It heightens the argument in the book 1984. What’s next, meet us in the Ministry of Love’s Room 101? 

This legislation is nothing but a blatant attempt by Messrs Feiner and Abinanti to help Mr Feiner get his way and stop the Edgemont incorporation. It is wrong. Both of these politicians are proof of why term limits are so necessary. It’s time for them to go. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.

* Mr Abinanti had lived near the Fortress Bible Church property that was purchased by the church with hopes of building a school and church for their congregation. We believe once Mr Feiner was found guilty of discrimination against the church, lying under oath and destroying evidence in a Federal trial among other charges, Mr Abinanti tried to distance himself from this by relocating his home to Pleasantville and office in Tarrytown.

Appeal of Court Decision No Surprise

It’s been apparent from the beginning that Mr Feiner has always been against the Edgemont Incorporation Committee (EIC) proponents to incorporate and become a Village within the Town. Election after election has emboldened him to care less and less about what his constituents think, feel or want. And yet, despite this cavalier attitude he has toward them, the electorate has a similar one, reelecting him by the thousands even though he runs unopposed for a position he has held for 14 terms!

Mr Feiner set himself up for the current legal battle which had been anticipated by the EIC leadership for refusing to allow their petitioned referendum. But this is Mr Feiner’s modus operandi to garner attention, media exposure through controversy and more email addresses he can use later for campaigning purposes down the road. – regardless of whether he should need them or not. Again, Mr Feiner ran unopposed in the last as well as a good number of past elections and  “won.”

While Mr Feiner decided to refuse to allow the EIC petition to follow it’s natural course, he also plotted against these residents. And, while he plotted against them, he concurrently plotted against the rest of the Unincorporated Greenburgh residents. He used unauthorized Town funds to hire a judge whom in turn hired a private security firm who in turn sought to get a new petition signed by those residents who supported incorporation by signing the EIC petition. Once the sham was exposed, Mr Feiner pointed fingers at his newly-hired judge. Some say the judge was bought and paid for by Mr Feiner using illegally gotten funds. No matter, the judge was there to do exactly what Mr Feiner had orchestrated!

Once Mr Feiner began the charade of not wanting the Edgemont incorporation, he was stuck. Regardless of the arguments, rationale or answers provided, he was forced to continue down the fruitless path he created. It’s like the kid that lies and has to keep the lie going with more lies no matter how many times he is caught. It should always be remembered that the EIC frequently reached out to Mr Feiner and his Board asking to meet to discuss the possible Village of Edgemont utilizing Town services contractually should they incorporate. Mr Feiner refused. So did Councilman Jones. Their public reasoning was that the EIC was not an official or recognizable legal entity and incapable of entering into a legal or binding arrangement. Why wouldn’t they meet with Town residents/taxpayers/constituents on general principle and discuss any of it with them? No contracts needed to be signed, no official attorneys were needed simply to have a conversation.

The EIC and others followed Mr Feiner’s advice, “If you don’t like what I’m doing, sue me!” They did. After some legal back and forth maneuvers that were nothing more than additional stall tactics by Mr Feiner, Judge Susan Cacace finally ruled that Mr Feiner was wrong and the petitions were valid. She also mandated a limited timeframe for Mr Feiner to hold the referendum. Not one to admit defeat in the face of it, Mr Feiner announced that he would appeal Judge Cacace’s decision dragging this out even longer. The EIC paid the Town $6,000 to file the petition seeking the referendum. That money is to be used to pay for the special election.

$6,000 already paid to the Town sits unused because of Mr Feiner pig-headed behavior. $50,000 of unauthorized Town funds was urinated away by Mr Feiner and his Board to rent a judge as a scapegoat. But that wasn’t enough! At a Special Town Board Meeting, on February 13, 2018, a resolution was passed to give Judge Spolzino another $50,000 to review and evaluate the EIC petition*. Unknown court fees were also flushed down the toilet because of Mr Feiner’s arrogance coupled with other unknown expenses. If Mr Feiner truly cared about the well-being of the Town he would resign! Since that’s unlikely, we urge him to start the dialog with the EIC proponents to ensure that they ultimately do contract with the Town for services instead of turning to either another municipality or a private entity for their village. That would begin to show a modicum of concern for the Unincorporated taxpayers, whom he has saddled with a $6.5 million judgement with the Fortress Bible Church discrimination guilty verdict.

Mr Feiner would also do well to stop trying to drive a wedge between the community by using the Theodore D. Young Community Center (TDYCC) as a political football – something else Mr Feiner is well-skilled at doing. A court decision a number of years ago already mandates that the TDYCC must be paid for by the Unincorporated taxpayers whether they like it or not. The EIC has expressed interest in supporting the TDYCC should their incorporation come to fruition. This is a bit different from the other Villages whose residents don’t want to pay for the operation of the TYDCC even though they are allowed to use it.

Let’s hope that this appeal is expedited (or better, dropped) and we can move on with the referendum and see how things flush out. This has festered as another ugly blemish inflicted on our Town by Mr Feiner and it’s time for it all to end. A decision via a referendum is long past due. Either way this goes, it will make for A Better Greenburgh.

*AT 3 - 2/13/18
Resolution authorizing the continued retention of Robert A. Spolzino, Esq. of Smith Buss & Jacobs, LLP in connection with the review and evaluation of a petition for village incorporation submitted by residents of the Edgemont section of the Town, for an amount not to exceed $50,000

Play The Race Card When All Else Fails

We’re no longer surprised at the depths Mr Feiner is willing to succumb to get what he wants. You’ve read here that he has gone out of his way to thwart the Edgemont residents and their attempt at an incorporation bid. You’ve also read that the 14-term incumbent – a fact that in and of itself is a political tragedy – has stooped to new lows by hiring a retired judge to use as a deflection scapegoat once he decided to refuse the Edgemont Incorporation Committee's (EIC) petition requesting a referendum for incorporation. The judge in turn hired a private investigation company to try to invalidate the petition signatures of Edgemont residents who signed the petitions.

We also recently wrote about the decision that Judge Susan Cacace rendered regarding the EIC petitions that Mr Feiner invalidated, forcing the EIC to sue the Town. This lawsuit was warranted as the residents’ rights were being violated by Mr Feiner and his Board. Had Mr Feiner not tried to politicize the EIC’s incorporation petition and done his job, or due diligence if you will, the taxpayers would not be saddled with additional court fees on top of the already unauthorized $50,000+ fees used to hire the retired judge. But this is Greenburgh, where the king can simple tax his serfs and announce, “Good news! The Town has a Aaa bond rating!” A face-value statement that plays well with the uninformed but really doesn’t much matter for the Town.

Now the latest political football to be dished out by Mr Feiner is that of class warfare between the EIC and what Mr Feiner claims is their bias against the Theodore D. Young Community Center (TDYCC). Having attended just about every EIC public meeting, ABG can attest to several facts: they have always been open to questions and provided answers when asked; have always said that they wish to continue supporting the TDYCC should incorporation go through; that they prefer to control their locales zoning destiny and that they are seeking to self-govern. In fact, the poor behavior Mr Feiner has exhibited during all of this has highlighted exactly why they seek to jettison their community from the Town and become a Village.

In an interview with Dave McKay Wilson, Mr Feiner said “…that some Edgemont residents, whom he declines to name, have complained to him for decades about paying property taxes to support the Town’s Theodore D. Young Community Center.” This is a typical ploy used by Mr Feiner when frankly, he’s got nothing to back his arguments. Another tactic is to throw out numbers that haven’t been calculated, vetted or studied with proof to back them.

The TDYCC is located in Fairview and provides social services and recreational and arts programs. The Finneran law was passed specifically for Greenburgh and requires that recreational programs be funded by property taxes from the town’s unincorporated area and user fees. The biggest problem with this is that the village residents can use them while Unincorporated residents cannot avail themselves of Village programs.

Mr Feiner also said, “One of the underlying reasons they want to incorporate is that Edgemont doesn’t want to pay what they’ve been paying for the Theodore Young Center,” Feiner told Tax Watch. “I’ve talked to people in Edgemont over the years. It has come up hundreds of times. And I think it’s a class issue."

Edgemont Incorporation Committee leader Jeff Sherwin said Feiner’s allegations were without merit. “He’s making baseless allegations, but referring to unknown people,” said Sherwin. “He did it to cover up a policy of more than 30 years that supports the very allegation he is making against us. It’s deplorable he'd make those allegations against his own residents without any data to support it.”

Couple this with Mr Feiner’s stranglehold over Democratic State Assemblyman Tom Abinanti, who is once again seeking to introduce legislation (along with State Senator Stewart-Cousins in the Senate) to steal Greenburgh residents rights to vote to help out his friend. In one of his classic moves, Abinanti tried introducing legislation at 3AM before the Albany break, to make the Town of Greenburgh Board the ONLY municipality in New York State with the power to reject the incorporation petition based on the adverse effect a new village might have on the Town. 

You’ll recall Mr Abinanti asked Mr Feiner to not approve the Fortress Bible Church land use development in his backyard when he lived next to their recently purchased property. Mr “Not-In-My-Back-Yard” Abinanti subsequently moved to the Village of Tarrytown to enjoy the protections afforded that villages residents. Mr Feiner was subsequently sued and found guilty in federal court of lying under oath, destroying evidence and discrimination against a church! The fine for Mr Feiner accommodating Mr Abinanti was $6.5 million. Here’s a class issue if ever there were one! (Ironically, a total lack of class).

What Mr Feiner never mentions, except to say, “No!” is what can be done to offset the budget “crisis” that an Edgemont incorporation might bring. The EIC has consistently said they wish to contract services from the Town. Mr Feiner said, “No!” Residents have asked if the Board has come up with any contingencies should incorporation go through? “No!” At a Town Board meeting residents asked specific questions to see if the Board had sat down with the EIC? “No!” Asked why, Mr Jones parroted Mr Feiner saying the EIC is a non-legal entity and that’s why. Why not just stick out their tongues and say, “Na, na,na-na na!”

The Theodore D Young Community Center, perhaps a recreational center, perhaps not, has a $4 million budget. A successful Edgemont incorporation might affect its ability to operate as it currently does. Unfortunately, Mr Feiner is making it a political football as he did with the Greenburgh Town library. You’ll recall he withheld money to use as leverage over the library Board forcing its closure on weekends – the time when most kids who would need the library are available to go to it. 

He’s doing that again with the TDYCC and trying to create a class war that isn’t real between two communities. Shame on him! We too are concerned about the negative effects on Unincorporated Greenburgh should the EIC prevail. Yet, we envy Edgemont’s ability to try to get out from under the horrible management of this administration. Edgemont is the first real crack in the Feiner infrastructure while Rome is burning. It needs to change town-wide, only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.

HNA Sponsors Tax Watch Columnist Presentation

The Highview Elementary school auditorium saw about 50 people attend the Hartsdale Neighbors Association meeting which featured David McKay Wilson as the guest speaker.

Prior to Wilson speaking, there was a brief presentation about food scrap recycling. The two women showed a small scrap container you can use in your kitchen for daily recycling and then a slightly larger one that would collect about three weeks worth of scraps. Lined with biodegradable liners, these would accumulate in the larger container that you would bring and drop off at a location at Anthony Veteran Park. Flyers were also handed out explaining the program along with an email sign-up sheet.

Wilson gave a brief description of himself and recounted a good number of stories he had worked on in and about Greenburgh. After being away from Greenburgh for about seven years, he returned to write his first story exposing the contaminated landfill that was installed at the Woodlands High School. That story ultimately led to an investigation which resulted in a jail sentence for the offender as well as remediation of the field. Town Attorney Tim Lewis, the Town's defacto environmental faux-expert, was not involved with cost-analysis with this event. Wilson also discussed the WestHelp debacle created initially by then HUD Chairman, current governor Andrew Cuomo. He talked about the scheme cooked up for the Town to get the lease money from those apartments and the illegal payoffs that Mr Feiner was making to the Valhalla School Board.

The night was to be a discussion of taxes. So, after Wilson completed his introduction, he proceeded to talk about what he had learned from various experts about what was on the horizon. He commented that 27% of the Town Taxes were from Edgemont. And, now that the judge has ruled Mr Feiner's decision to not allow the elections as incorrect, the vote for Edgemont incorporation can proceed. While good news for Edgemont residents, it may not be so good for the rest of the Unincorporated Town.

This discussion renewed talk of a Hartsdale incorporation as well. Since Mr Feiner has positioned himself in favor of the Villages, something we don't believe would be the case with the Village of Edgemont, he would have major budgetary issues in the Town should Hartsdale also look to control their own destiny in a similar fashion.

One comment that Wilson made was that the new IRS tax plan should not negatively affect most people in Greenburgh and Hartsdale. He clarified this by saying that the polarized political pundits are saying how bad it will be but the experts he's been speaking and meeting with are saying the opposite. He seemed to feel that the greatest impact with it will be in the real estate market.

Ultimately, the high-end market could suffer the most as the property tax deductions will change, allowing for only the first $10k in taxes to be deducted. As such, it will probably make selling a high-end home more difficult. It may also find sellers lowering their asking price to be able to make the sale. This same scenario could force an increase in the rental market. Consequently, the incentive to own might be less.

The discussion turned toward affordable, low income and Section 8 housing. It is also believed that affordable housing could suffer as the tax incentives most developers utilize will not be as great. An unrelated example that Wilson mentioned was illegal housing and that Governor Cuomo, who lives with his girlfriend Sandra Lee, never filed or paid for renovation permits to their home in Chappaqua. The irony is that the Town Tax Assessor revalued their home to a higher value.

Wilson finally discussed the taxation schemes that our current crop of legislators are trying to implement both to attack President Trump and to help people who might be severely and/or negatively impacted by this tax plan. He reiterated that most people are probably not going to be negatively impacted by it. What was never discussed were any plans by these same legislators to lower NY State taxes to help keep people here, to help keep businesses here and to help to make New York competitive again. It would behoove the Town to be leaders and start to lower fees(taxes), regulations(taxes), and taxes to make Greenburgh more competitive for businesses. We don't need more low income, affordable, Section 8, workforce and other housing that will not change the paradigm. We need creative ideas from different people. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.

The Village of Edgemont Edges Closer To Incorporation

After being unnecessarily delayed, the seekers of an Edgemont incorporation may finally get their chance to vote for just that: incorporation. Judge Susan Cacace issued a decision against Mr Feiner’s decision that disqualified the resident’s petition signatures to incorporate. Once he issued his original decision and invalidated their petition, Mr Feiner did what he always does to attract publicity and delay the inevitable. He said what he always does, “If you don't like what I’m doing, sue me.” And, once again, they did.

This lawsuit, while considered frivolous by Mr Feiner’s supporters, was far from frivolous. Had Mr Feiner adhered to the law, he would have reviewed the petition signatures, returned his judgment that everything was in order and scheduled the referendum. Instead, he chose to politicize the request from the Edgemont residents and force them to play his games. Before he disqualified the petition, the incorporation momentum didn't stop and he enlisted the “help” from a retired judge. However the real goal behind hiring the judge for $50,000 unauthorized Town dollars was to be able to point a finger at him when the defecation hit the ventilation. And, it did and he did.

The judge, on Mr Feiner's behalf, hired a private investigation firm to scour the Edgemont community and acquire residents' signatures that would actually invalidate their original petition signatures. This seemed like the move of a desperate man - and rightfully so. Numerous attorneys, practicing attorneys, kept explaining to Mr Feiner, his Town Board, supporters and those not fully informed with what was going on, that what he was doing was not only reprehensible, but legally wrong. As he always does, he ignored their advice, refusing to sit down and discuss any of this.

Numerous groups also called upon Mr Feiner to “do the right thing” to no avail. In fact, we cannot recall a time when Mr Feiner actually did the right thing. Unfortunately, his bad behavior and unethical actions cost the Unincorporated taxpayers a fortune unnecessarily. It would be nice to have a Supervisor and Board that was actually looking out for us, the beleaguered resident - sort of like what Edgemont residents are seeking. He now has 45-days to hold a special election for Edgemont.

While Mr Feiner played his games, the Edgemont Incorporation Council (EIC) continued to try to move the equation forward. They drafted a second petition and sought more signatures than they garnered the first time. This time they also dotted their “i’s” and crossed their “t’s” with a renewed vigor and perceptible scrutiny. This time when they submitted the second petition – if required – there would be no wriggle room for Mr Feiner’s games.

Regardless, Mr Feiner took to the media again, having already positioned himself that he was probably going to lose. As an aside, the resident taxpayers have already lost because of him. It’s not just the filing fees, or the unauthorized $50,000 paid to the retired judge. Rather, it’s the fact that so many residents asked him and his Board what they were doing to plan for the Town’s finances should Edgemont be successful and incorporate. Nothing! He and Councilman Jones were vociferous in posturing that they would not do anything and only admitted that layoffs and a loss of services would be the solution. It is not. If the Town contracts services with the new Village of Edgemont, the budget could theoretically remain close to the same as it currently is without layoffs or loss of services. It just would not garner the publicity Mr Feiner graves. 

Many residents throughout the Town asked if they would contract services with the new Village of Edgemont, they arrogantly insisted, “No!” Rather than look to maintain the well-being of the overall Town, they played their selfish games. And, for what reason? It’s hard to say. Obviously the saying about absolute power corrupts can easily be applied here. So now that so much time, money and trust has been wasted, it’s time to finally learn what the entire Edgemont population will do when they vote on the referendum. It’s also time to see if Mr Feiner and his Board will ever “step up to the plate” for the entire Town should the Edgemont incorporation succeed? We hope so; it’s way past time for Mr Feiner and his Board to help to make A Better Greenburgh.

The Edgemont Kobayashi Maru Scenario

Star Trek fans will recognize the Kobayashi Maru scenario reference instantly. For non-Star Trek fans, the Kobayashi Maru scenario was an infamous no-win scenario that was part of the curriculum for command-track cadets at Starfleet Academy in the 23rd century. It was primarily used to assess a cadet’s discipline, character and command capabilities when facing an impossible situation, as there is no (legitimate) strategy that will result in a successful outcome. The protagonist of the show, Starship Enterprise Captain James T. Kirk, played by actor William Shatner, was the only cadet in Starfleet history to ever beat the Kobayashi Maru — by reprogramming the simulation so that it was possible to win. This should sound familiar to Greenburgh residents.

While we never would expect Mr Feiner to be torn between an ethical or moral dilemma, he has repeatedly tried to bend, change, alter and scrap the rules. When the Edgemont section of the Town began openly discussing the possibility of incorporating into a village to pursue their goal of self destiny and better financial control, Mr Feiner worked feverishly behind the scenes to thwart their efforts. And, throughout it all they continued to post their thoughts, findings, questions, points and counter-points online and express them at many assorted meetings. At no point did it appear, at least to ABG staffers, that there was ever anything “going on” or any ulterior motives. 

Many of Mr Feiner’s sycophants, committee appointees and supporters as well as Mr Feiner himself claimed that the Edgemont Community Council and Robert Bernstein were behind this move that would cripple the Town's budget and services. While operational changes could certainly happen to Greenburgh, there were far too many people stepping up, becoming involved and seeing Mr Feiner’s attacks as hollow. His public reasoning for not being willing to meet with the incorporation members was that the group was not an official entity and could not enter into a binding contract with the Town. We believe the real reasons are quite different.

By refusing to meet with residents, taxpayers and constituents of the Town regardless of their philosophies, intent or goals, Mr Feiner was already taking a position against incorporation and intentionally alienating some who may have been on the fence about incorporation. His steadfast anti-incorporation position very definitely worked against him. Mr Feiner, who as Supervisor is supposed to remain neutral according to NYS law, continued to rail against incorporation going out of his way to make his anti-incorporation position well-known through other media outlets friendly to him. In fact, emails publicized by many residents and civic associations from Town Hall repeatedly proved this point out time and again.

Once the petitions were finally accepted at Town Hall, another in a series of calculated missteps by Mr Feiner's crew, probably under his orders, he waited until the end of the allotted time period to render his incorporation decision, saying, “No!” Undeterred, the incorporation members forged ahead. But next would be the unauthorized expenditure of Town funds to hire a retired judge so he could shift any ownership of decisions Edgemont incorporators found unfavorable away from himself saying, “It was the judge’s decision, not mine.” Next were the subsequent private investigators sent to homes to invalidate the petition signatures that had been submitted even while NY State law says these expenditures were illegal. Even though Mr Feiner’s illegal position and actions were trying to win a no-win scenario, albeit Kobayashi Maru, he forged on – continuing his alienation of others who may have been amenable to his view but had now changed sides.

An Article 78 is a form of objection for the public against a municipality's decision they believe unfair, unjust or wrong. The Edgemont Incorporation Council (EIC) filed an Article 78 against Mr Feiner once he said no to their incorporation referendum request. On October 31, 2017, New York Supreme Court Judge Susan Cacace rejected Mr Feiner and the Town's motion to dismiss the suit. In the Dromore Road case it was also no surprise when Judge Cathy Siebel referenced the Fortress Bible federal discrimination case, noting Mr Feiner and the Town’s guilty verdict for federal discrimination, lying under oath, destroying evidence and more!

With each apparently hapless misstep, and we know each move was very calculated by Mr Feiner, both sides seemed to dig their heels in deeper. Now Mr Feiner has a new ploy. He has offered the Edgemont community the ability to control its own zoning and planning without incorporation to thwart their movement. The argument from the EIC has always been about having better control over their own destiny. Mr Feiner has claimed incorporation will cause the Town budget to have a $17 million shortfall. While that number is questionable, other residents in the Unincorporated Town have pressed Mr Feiner and his Board to explain why they are not doing everything possible to ensure minimal budget disruption? Their answers are hollow as they follow Mr Feiner’s mantra that incorporation will fail and there’s no need to plan ahead. This lack of planning, whether over incorporation, sidewalks, infrastructure, or flooding, etc., is another on the list of hallmark shortcomings of the 24-year tenure of the Feiner Administration.

Mr Feiner’s latest idea of allowing only Edgemont to have control over its planning and zoning is not the only issue at play. ABG believes this latest offering to placate the EIC is just another desperate and illegal move to segregate Edgemont from the rest of the Town by Mr Feiner. It smacks of spot-zoning – illegal, yet still practiced with impunity by Mr Feiner and his Board. This move harkens back to his other discriminatory practices in the Fortress Bible Church discrimination case which we are all paying for to the tune of $6.5 million dollars (of which $1 million was paid by the insurance company). Instead of trying to work in good faith with everyone, Mr Feiner has chosen to alienate just about everyone - the EIC, most of Edgemont, the Unincorporated taxpayers, and the courts. This must end. 

Whether you are for or against the incorporation, this haphazard method of governance calls to mind of the same old political games that turn people away from participating with their government. Maybe that’s what Mr Feiner is hoping for. But, these kinds of shenanigans, back room deals, subterfuge, lies, discriminatory efforts and Kobayashi Maru scenarios have no place in our Town and must end. Only then will we see A Better Greenburgh.

Candidates Skate Real Issues

Being an incumbent candidate has its advantages, especially when it comes to being re-elected. Except in the Town of Greenburgh. In Greenburgh, as we’ve been witnessing almost forever, the incumbent’s position is a guaranteed-for-life position unless the candidate or Mr Feiner chooses otherwise as in “being Sonya’d”. Such is the case with Francis Sheehan and Diana Juettner.

The Hartsdale Neighborhood Association, which prefers to not be known as a civic association, hosted a meeting for its neighbors at the St. Paul’s United Methodist Church’s basement on Central Park Avenue. It was known that the two Town Board candidates would be there “campaigning” as well as other topics being discussed. As usual, the candidates arrived late. We wondered if it is because they are running unopposed or just felt entitled enough to not worry that they might lose their seats, again as they are running unopposed?

Regardless, an update briefing regarding the status of the Edgemont Incorporation began the meeting. One member spoke as to the incorporation effort, the Article 78 appeal by the EIC, the latest Article 78 by “another group” which we interpret as Feiner sycophants, in hopes of negating the EIC Article 78 appeal. Apparently, even though this second appeal is underway, the EIC is prepared to address it as well. There wasn’t much subsequent discussion at this point about incorporation – although it remained the 800 pound elephant in the room.

Next, a discussion took place about the planned upcoming “Hartsdale Day” event. Many residents had questions while others had suggestions about what should be done. Some questioned why a more widespread effort to encompass more of Hartsdale wasn’t being done. The response was that this was the first attempt and that the hope was to build off of the initial effort and have it grow year after year. A future goal was to turn this into the event that Dobbs Ferry does every year. What we didn’t hear was more than one or two people offer to help with it. We wish them well and are happy to advertise it here if they choose to send us information.

Finally, we got to what some believed was the main event. The first candidate to speak was Councilwoman Diana Juettner. She decided to discuss various properties throughout the Town and infrastructure. When you speak about things that are not the topics many wish to discuss, and are allowed to go on unencumbered with questions, you can spin an effective tale about how difficult these issues are and why it is such a challenge for the Town Board to address and what she is specifically doing about it. What she didn’t discuss is the Edgemont Incorporation or why she participated in the voter suppression effort spearheaded by Mr Feiner and his friend Mr Abinanti. Smug and content, she sat down to a faint smattering of applause.

Mr Sheehan decided to take a different tact and relate how he had moved to Greenburgh and slowly gotten involved in an issue of zoning. This tale took about ten minutes as he discussed several particulars, making him the hero and champion of the people. While we admit Mr Sheehan is knowledgeable about zoning issues, he too avoided the pachyderm in the room and did not mention the Edgemont incorporation and his vote to suppress voter rights either!

One audience member asked why the Town was so unfriendly to businesses. Ms Juettner remained silent and Mr Sheehan did a Feiner-like rope-a-dope. He also obfuscated his answers enough to make it difficult to stay on topic. We’re sure if one of his students did this they would be chastised for it. But this is Greenburgh politics and the goal of this administration is to not provide information or answers. Mr Feiner would be proud of his two semi-independent appearing minions.

Mr Sheehan also took the lead when they were finally asked why they endorsed the Feiner created, Abinanti and Stewart-Cousins’ sponsored, voter-suppression bills in Albany. An audience member pointedly mentioned that the administration claimed the bills were not directed against Edgemont. And, almost everyone was against it, but according to Mr Feiner, the bills were directly aimed at Hartsdale residents as it was suggested numerous times that they might also be interested in incorporating. Mr Sheehan claimed that was not true and his political answer almost made it sound like the voter suppression move by these two candidates and their co-conspirators was a good thing! Fortunately, the audience knew better and grew restless.

Know that the 800 pound elephant was in the room and out in the open. Several informed audience members began to vociferously pepper the candidates answers with interruptions, facts and real information. Several Feiner-friendly people tried to quiet them and encourage the candidates to answer. But the damage had been done. Fortunately, the clock would save them. So while the two candidates didn’t need to be there, the real issues were avoided with fluff. No matter. Both candidates will be re-elected as the Democrat party condoned their actions of voter suppression, as did its members. If things do not change, we may never see A Better Greenburgh.

A Call For Civility, A Call For Democracy- You Decide

As we were writing an article about Mr Feiner's email blast, hard-copy mailing to follow, we received a rebuttal email from the Edgemont Incorporation Council (EIC). While we refuse to print Mr Feiner's press releases for numerous reasons, we felt it fair to print it in its entirety with the EIC rebuttal. As we have followed this entire process, we believe the EIC has been forthcoming, forward with their answers to any questions and tried to provide an honest and open discussion. The same cannot be said about Mr Feiner and his Board. With the exception of the special Sunday night "CYA" meeting, his Board has seemed to distance themselves from him and this event. No matter, they know you will re-elect them in November. In fact, the Democrat party has already nominated them and is carrying petitions to that effect.

Regardless of the election outcome and stalemate of ideas, creativity, new or better thinking the residents will not be receiving come this November, the real effort by Mr Feiner should recognized for what it is, voter suppression and control. Simply, Edgemont residents should be allowed to vote. They followed the rules to do so. They gathered the signatures, they put their money ($6,000 fee) up while Mr Feiner has bent, manipulated and disregarded the rules. This argument is broken down by both of the sides below. Once again the EIC has provided links to back up their position and share information. 

Eventually, usually at taxpayer expense and in the courts, this will be decided. Allowing the community to vote without Mr Feiner strong-arming the process to achieve his goal,even though its usually served for him before, should be the outcome in court. It's the right thing to do even if you don't want it. Why? Because like it or not, it will help to make A Better Greenburgh.

A Call For Civility

As many of you may have experienced, the debate related to Edgemont’s proposed incorporation has produced a level and intensity of rhetoric which has inflicted real damage on every segment of the Town’s population and staff, as well as the outside world’s view of both our Town and its Hamlet of Edgemont.

At this time, the attacks on the Town Board, our staff and on me have become increasingly personal and in many cases cruel and hurtful.  I have not reacted previously to the ever-mounting, non-stop barrage of vicious commentary, as I believed that acceptance of criticism comes with the “turf” when you choose to be a public servant.  However, this process, which I truly believe is an orchestrated plan by the pro-incorporation group to discredit every aspect of the Town, comes with a severe cost.  Residents, both pro and con, are at “each other’s throats.”  Words like racism and elitism are being tossed about outside and within a community which previously had been seen as a bastion of acceptance of diverse opinions.  The results of this campaign will clearly live on beyond the Edgemont referendum, both in the form of our residents’ perception of each other’s values and in the manner in which the Town of Greenburgh and its Villages are viewed by the outside world.  In addition, the effect of this nasty rhetoric on our staff, who fear for their jobs and whose spirits are being broken by the constant criticism of their commitment and ability to professionally fulfill their responsibilities, is wrong and unacceptable.

I am the elected Town Supervisor for approximately 90,000 residents of the incorporated Villages and unincorporated Town of Greenburgh.  In conjunction with a Town Board comprised of individuals I trust and respect, we endeavor to do the best job we can, for all residents.  The Town Board and I oversee  434 full time and 268 part time Greenburgh employees, who are dedicated to serving Greenburgh’s residents and have proven their competence and commitment, over and over again.  The Town Board and I have great pride in these individuals and respect for each and every one, on a personal and professional level.  They are the best of the best and provide the highest level of service anywhere.

At some point Edgemont voters may cast ballots in a referendum to determine whether Edgemont will become a Village.  Let us be clear, the potential loss of nearly $17,000,000 in revenue will absolutely have a devastating effect on many of the more than 42,000 residents of unincorporated Greenburgh.  As Supervisor of “The Town of Greenburgh,” not just any single entity, I will do my best to ensure the fairest outcome for my entire constituency.

I appeal to those Greenburgh residents on both sides of this debate, to our local newspapers and media outlets, to pursue their objectives, as is their right and responsibility, to their fullest, but to utilize restraint in their tone and presentation.  Our community and our children are watching, and regardless of the outcome, it is my fervent hope that Greenburgh’s reputation for civility and acceptance can remain intact.

PAUL FEINER, Greenburgh Town Supervisor

Open Response to Supervisor Feiner on Civility 

The EIC completely agrees that the discussion on Edgemont's incorporation should be civil and respectful.  

Since it began, the Edgemont Incorporation Committee has conducted a fair, open, information-based, transparent process. The thousands of Edgemont residents who have attended the dozens of meetings, forums, open houses and petition-signing events over the past year can attest to the depth of the discussion, the sincerity of the views held (on all sides), and the genuine spirit of civic engagement that has animated the entire process. Thousands of visitors have examined, analyzed and debated the detailed information assembled by Edgemont volunteers and experts on our website.  

Edgemont's residents are not "at each other's throats" -- we are discussing, debating and challenging each other to build a better community.  What we are attempting -- with no help from you and your regime -- is to exercise our rights under state law and under the constitution.

But let's be clear about what Edgemont has gotten in return from you, your board, your hired investigators and some of your anti-incorporation supporters: 

- a consistent pattern of obstruction, deception, and delay at every step in the process.
- a secret and outrageous scheme (revealed through emails to which you were a party) to organize and support an opposition campaign, including false allegations of intimidation. 
- vulgar gestures directed at Edgemont residents in a public meeting
- the active solicitation of false objections to Edgemont's legitimate petition. 
- the use of Town funds for private investigators to deceive petition signers into disowning their signatures.
- and most recently, an attempt to thwart democracy with an unconstitutional home-rule bill.

The EIC endorses any call for civility in this process. But even more importantly: 

We call for DEMOCRACY.  After months of assurances that you were merely trying to follow the law, it turns out you could only pretend to care about the law as long as you were winning. So last week, you decided if you couldn't win an Edgemont vote, you would try to have Edgemont's right to vote taken away altogether - by ramming a "home-rule" request through the legislature in Albany on the last few days of the legislative session. With no notice, no debate, and then a sham last-minute meeting on Father's Day, you had your Board of Supervisors rubber stamp your anti-democratic end-run in Albany.  It was only thanks to the very civil appeals of hundreds of Edgemont residents to their legislators in Albany that your scheme was halted. 

We call for HONESTY.  Don't hide behind your hired guns to disclaim responsibility for the private investigator fiasco.  It was your responsibility and your decision. Don't tell us, with a straight face, that the home-rule legislation you tried to ram through the legislature had nothing to do with the Edgemont incorporation effort. 

We call for RESPECT.  The Edgemont community has expressed its clear will to hold a vote on incorporation.  The EIC has expressed its clear intention to promote a fair and cooperative process between the Village of Edgemont and the Town of Greenburgh. You have rejected the community's petition based on fabricated technicalities and outright falsehoods, and you have rejected any possibility of a constructive, cooperative dialogue with the Village of Edgemont. 

The Scarsdale Inquirer's editorial page this week called you "a desperate man" and said your latest attempt to stop Edgemont was "manifestly desperate," seeking "new, totalitarian authority to keep [Edgemont] and their money right where they are." This week's Lohud article calls your "failed effort to change the rules in the middle of the game seems desperate, if not vindictive."

We agree.

Mr. Feiner - the CIVIL thing to do would be to honor the will and the right of Edgemont's citizens to hold a vote on incorporation and to accept the outcome.  If you insist on fighting, do so on the facts.  Argue the merits. Accept the voters' will.  That's civility. 

One more thing:  
It is not a fact (as you continue to state) that Greenburgh will lose $17-million in revenue when Edgemont incorporates. The EIC has consistently, repeatedly, emphatically laid out many scenarios in which the Village of Edgemont might find it advantageous to contract with the Town of Greenburgh for a variety of services.  What is a fact is that after Edgemont incorporates, you - Paul Feiner -- will lose your personal control over that $17 million in revenue.  You will no longer be free to use that money, among other things, to pay multi-million court judgments for your unconstitutional actions (Fortress Bible) or to hire private investigators to come into our homes and trick us into surrendering our constitutional rights. 

Sincerely, 
The EIC.

Abinanti & Stewart Cousins’ Voter Suppression Bill Suppressed, Until Today?

In a most typically secretive way, Mr Feiner, a democrat, spoke and/or met with NYS Assemblyman Thomas Abinanti and Andrea Stewart-Cousins, also democrats, to change the 100 or so-year old state law on incorporation in another futile attempt to stop the Edgemont community residents from incorporating into what would be Greenburgh’s seventh village. It would also curtail any other area in the Town from thinking about incorporation.

Ironically, the attempt in Albany also failed, albeit until today, even though Mr Feiner had enlisted his Albany buddies to change the law. Both Abinanti and Stewart-Cousins submitted the voter-suppression bills in their respective branches of the NYS legislatures, but their attempt to sneak this unincorporated Greenburgh specific bill through was met with resistance. In fact, on June 20th, several Edgemont residents traveled to Albany to meet with the Greenburgh representatives. Stewart-Cousins met with constituents. Abinanti refused to meet with his constituents. However today is a critical day as Governor Cuomo has ordered the legislature into a special session to pass through other legislation that he and others believes is critically needed. Does that include the Abinanti/Stewart-Cousins/Feiner Voter Suppression bill? Let’s hope not.

Abinanti’s refusal to meet with constituents speaks volumes and lets residents know how he feels about representing them or anyone else. It’s a shame that constituents who travel two and a half hours are thought so little of that their unchallenged representative, conspiring in cahoots with unchallenged Mr Feiner to take away voters’ rights, thinks he can treat people this way. In spite of Mr Abinanti’s rude and bad behavior, Greenburgh residents did meet with other more receptive representatives. They discussed the legality and ethical conundrum created by Mr Feiner, Mr Abinanti and Ms Stewart-Cousins. They all know it’s okay as they are democrats and their seats will never be challenged by anyone else in Westchester. Or will they?

The Greenburgh Town Democrats have nominated Mr Feiner, Mr Sheehan, Ms Juettner, Ms Beville and Ms Povella (collector of taxes) for re-election. They put their names on petitions, and Democratic District Leaders started obtaining signatures, allowing the usual suspects to run (likely uncontested).  A vacancy then opened up on the Town Court and Bonnie Orden was nominated to fill the void. The Greenburgh Democrats came up with another petition, not one just for Bonnie Orden, but one that included Mr Feiner, Mr Sheehan, Ms Juettner, Ms Beville, Ms Povella and also Ms Orden. 

So now the Democrats will be trying to get more signatures. How will they be monitoring to ensure that people do not sign both, and duplicate signatures?  Will voters even remember if they already signed a duplicate petition?  Has the Democratic “leadership” made any effort to warn petition carriers to take steps to avoid duplication? Of course, if someone were running against Mr Feiner, someone such as Mona Freitag would be double checking for duplicate signatures.  

The Greenburgh Democrats will do everything possible to support a totalitarian regime. They criticize Trump, Putin and North Korea. They protest gerrymandering. Now it appears that they support removing voting rights for unincorporated Greenburgh. Mr Feiner’s latest attempt to block the ECC, the EIC, Bob Bernstein, Jeff Sherwin and others from Edgemont and Hartsdale in Albany, may have seemingly failed. What will be next? ABG was surprisingly caught off-guard when we learned of the bill that he had concocted in secret with Abinanti and Stewart-Cousins against Greenburgh residents. Yet, even so, this latest maneuver continues to re-enforce all the reasons we believe this administration should be removed. Between law suits with guilty verdicts, fines and penalties being charged to unincorporated Greenburgh residents, unethical and discriminatory behavior, it’s time. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.

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