New York State Assemblyman George Latimer filed the following report with MyRye.com after his Saturday "Cup of Joe" session with Rye citizens:
by New York State Assemblyman George Latimer
Coffee with Judy and George Saturday, March 3, 2012 Recap
This past Saturday morning (March 3), over 40 people – a record crowd – packed into Ruby's Oyster Bar on Purchase Street for coffee and conversation with "George and Judy" – a/k/a State Assemblyman George Latimer and County Legislator Judy Myers. Also in attendence were Mayor Doug French and City Councilwoman Catherine Parker, and a few former Council members.
The topics were wide ranging, each deserving of a full paragraph of update on their own. On the State level, there was discussion over the Governor's proposal to establish a new Tier 6 pension system, including a 401 (k) option, for new hires; hydrofracking (with David Hood and Bert deFrondeville offering very different views on the subject); plans to modify the Triborough Amendment and the Taylor Law, to name a few topics. Virgil Rios raised the lack of action of fixing "The Last Mile" of the NYS Thruway – from Midland Avenue to the Connecticut border, and the hazards causing fatalities there; Steve Abbott asked about the state-imposed 2% Tax Cap.
On the County level, Arthur Stampleman and Bill Lawyer asked about the likelihood of #76 Bus service to Milton Point; Sis D'Angelo decried the deterioration of Theodore Fremd – a County road; many others inquired about Playland's future. Holly Kennedy, Bernie Althoff and Carolina Johnson inquired about a flood mitigation update from the State (SUNY campus retention), and the County (more grant money, and Airport runoff). The traffic conditions on the North St./Old Post Rd. bridge over Playland Parkway was raised by Linda Lefkowitz.
And…Pat Iorillo asked for changes in the STOP sign design and wording to gain greater compliance from drivers; Pat Sales thought students could be used to educate on quality of life infractions.
Later in the day, Latimer and Myers met with 75 people, also a record, in Mamaroneck. The "Coffee with…" format now in its 8th year (Latimer also books similar meetings in Port Chester) is most unusual – very few legislators in Westchester do anything like this. Latimer put it succinctly: "In reaching out to listen to people's ideas, and talking with them directly, we are simply doing our jobs".
http://www.lausdeo10580.com/lausdeo10580/2012/03/we-want-youopen-government-citizens-forum-thursday-march-8th-730-listen-learn-and-participate-in-the-discussion-as-mr-ro.html
* WE WANT YOU *
Open Government Citizen’s Forum
Thursday March 8th, 7:30
Please join us this Thursday evening, March 8th at the Rye Free Reading Room as Mr. Robert J. Freeman, Executive Director of the NYS Committee on Open Government, visits for a free exchange of ideas and dialogue on the facts, fallacies, rules and regulations regarding Freedom of Information Requests (FOILs) and Open Meeting Laws–and executive sessions in particular. City Councilpersons, Committee members and all are welcome!
OPEN GOVT CITIZEN’S FORUM: Thursday March 8, 2012 @ 7:30pm at the Rye Free Reading Room
Anonymous robo calls started again slamming George as responsible for all of westcheser county’s property tax increases. Absurd. Of course, the sponsoring org doesn’t have the decency to identify itself. Bob Cohen, I hope this isn’t you. FYI call came to me from is (518) 426-9933.
Bob are you registered with a party or independent? Just wondering if it’s a mass blast or more focused. We’re unlisted and independent so haven’t had a chance to hear this stuff.
Phone number is listed and our registration is split. One of us is a libertarian and I’m not at liberty to discuss the other.
I suspect voting registration matters and bet it conditions the “buy” scope that these snakes employ. I think it does actual damage if it’s repeated over and over. But the backlash effect can be put to good use by the targets of trash.
Received a truly constructive, positive piece of campaign literature day from … guess who … that’s right, George Latimer. No lies, no spinning of principled stands. What’s the message? That George is working for us on tax and mandate relief. Nice to see someone actually trying to do something as opposed to just complaining and slamming others to try push ahead. [and yes, I support George in the race for NYS senate].