Hello Greenburgh,

Couple of topics for today's email but please make sure you read the last item even if you skip to the end.

Election Update

• Congress CD16- George Latimer thoroughly trounced incumbent Jamaal Bowman. Latimer won 64% of the Westchester vote and 59% overall.  It was a crushing defeat to Anti Semitism and ineffectiveness in Congress.   Bowman has announced he won't be seeking the Working Families Party Line in the upcoming general election.  We are all the better now that Bowman no longer represents us.

• New York State 92nd Assembly District- MaryJane Shimksy defeated challenger Tom Abinanti 60% to 40%.

• Westchester County District Attorney- After Adeel Mirza dropped out he still managed 9% of the vote(it's good to be listed first on the ballot) but Susan Cacace dominated with 61% of the vote defeating William Wagstaff and his 30%.

Land Use Drama
There was was some land use drama at the Town Board meeting this week with a resolution that passed 4-1(only Feiner voted no). Link to the resolution here.  Several members of the planning board including Chair Hugh Schwartz and Johan Snaggs spoke at Public Comment oppossing the measure. The Town Board meeting got fairly contentious with the Town Board responding to the criticism of the resolution. 

The resolution "prohibits members of the Town's boards and committees that render decisions on land use applications from being directors, officers or key persons or related parties of organizations whose primary function involves land use initiatives that may come before said boards and committees".  

Village Revolt
The 6 village mayors wrote a letter to the Town Board opposing the Odell House budget being put in the A,or Townwide budget that is funded by all 90k residents of the Town, TOV and village alike.  In their letter, I actually laughed out loud at the part where they said "The Town has repeatedly placed items in the A budget without any discussion or analysis with the villages", I spit out my coffee and I wasn't even drinking any.  If anything, villages have too much influence over Town matters.  That is because despite paying almost zero taxes, and having next to no vested interest in the Town, village residents still get to vote in Town elections, and since their population exceeds the TOV area, can overt an outsized influence on Town matters. Their complaint about not being consulted is laughably absurd.  The Town Board represents all residents, TOV and village alike, in all Town matters.  The people of Greenburgh were consulted, when they elected their Town Board to represent them.     

I've always viewed village opposition to the Town Board with a healthy degree skepticism. Their refusal to support funding the Theodore Young Community Center(which is not a park) is a moral outrage that is not new.  I remember working with Ken Jones back in 2018 to try and advocate for putting it in the A budget.  But anyway, The Department of Community resources mission statement is "to increase the potential of Greenburgh residents, their families, and the community to overcome institutional, social, and personal obstacles and to increase their capacity to generate economic, social, and personal resources needed to enhance the quality of their lives." This benefits us all, and should be paid for by all. 

Yes the rumors are true
So as many of you have heard the rumors are true, my family and I are moving out of Greenburgh at the end of the summer.  I was honored by the Greenburgh Town Board about 9 minutes into this interview and you can watch my comments/farewell address and June 27th 2024 was declared "Eric Zinger Day In Greenburgh".  We are set to close on our new house in Pleasantville sometime at the end of July and move shortly thereafter.  The last 11 years in Greenburgh have been great and while I am sad to be leaving I am also excited for the next chapter.  There are so many people to thank over the years, especially those who helped with my campaign in 2019, so I won't name individuals but you know who you are.  I also want to thank everyone who has read,shared, and responded to the newsletter.  So I'm not going too far so its not totally goodbye, more see you later. 

Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com

Hello Greenburgh,

Election day is coming, June 25th.  Early Voting is live so you can already cast your vote.  For early voting locations and hours click here.  To find your polling place on election day click here.  Please make a plan to vote.

Election Preview
TLDR:  I'm encouraging you all to vote George Latimer for CD16, Mary-Jane Shimsky for Assembly 92 and Susan Cacace for District Attorney. All 3 candidates I'm supporting are the endorsed candidates of Greenburgh Democrats.  Normally I try and be fair and balanced and present all sides of an issue, even if I disagree with certain perspectives but you should consider the below an "opinion piece" Let me go into a little more detail...

Congress CD16

THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIMARY WE HAVE HAD IN MY TIME IN WESTCHESTER.  Jamaal Bowman must be replaced. I have never seen such a stark difference in candidates in a Democratic primary.  My issues with Bowman began long before 10/7 (I have never voted for him. 2 years ago I supported Vedat Gashi and 4 years ago we were not in his district before the maps changed) but the last 8 months have only demonstrated just how fundmentally unfit he is to serve.  Whether its because he's a 9/11 conspiracy theorist, or because he denies that Hamas raped women during the 10/7 massacre, or because he praises people like Norman Finkelstein who celebrated the 10/7 attacks or because he lied about pulling a fire alarm (a felony) to delay a vote time and again he has demonstrated himself unfit to serve.  His recent retreat back into the arms of the DSA (which cheered in the streets to celebrate 10/7 in the days following the attacks) tells all. 

It isn't just that Bowman is so unworthy, its also that George Latimer is an amazing candidate on his own, with a decades long track record of progessive legislation(Banning Gun Shows at the County Center, protecting womens' right to choose, and putting in an all electric County bus fleet) while keeping the County tax levy flat for 5 straight years.  The attacks that Bowman has leveled at George calling him MAGA and a Republican are despicable.  I'm not old but I'm old enough to remember when Latimer took on Trump favorite Rob Astorino and defeated him to become County Executive. 

So I could probably go on for pages, but there is a reason every single Democratic Commitee in Greenburgh that made an endorsement did so for Latimer.  The people who know George and know Jamaal have all chosen George.  That is not an accident.  So please join them and me in supporting George Latimer to replace Bowman because if it is not now, its likely never and thats why it so important to vote.

New York State 92nd Assembly District-

I'm voting for Mary-Jane Shimsky for 92nd Assembly District.  Her opponent, Tom Abinanti holds dangerous views on vaccines and tried to pass legislation to allow philisophical exemptions(basically could say I don't like needles) for measles and mumps in school age children.  Here is the bill.  His supporters will say thats old news, but his 2024 campaign has received large donations from Anti Vaxxers like Mark Gorton and Mary Holland who leads the RFK founded Anti Vaxx Children Defense Fund.  His views are dangerous.

Shimsky has been a leader on infrastructure long before she got to Albany and even as a junior member of the Assembly she was able to get increased funding for roads and bridges in Greenburgh. Shimsky is endorsed by just about every elected official in in Greenburgh including the mayors of Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings, Irvington and Tarrytown and 4/5 Greenburgh Town Board Members(Feiner the exception).  Full list of endorsements here. She is 100% Pro Choice from Choice Matters and a Moms Demand Action 2024 Gun Sense Candidate.  I'm joining them and encouraging you to do so and vote Shimsky.

Westchester County District Attorney

This email is already long but I do want to mention the DA race.  I'm supporting Susan Cacace for District Attorney.  Adeel Mirza just dropped out(he'll still be on the ballot) so the only other active candidate is William Wagstaff.  Cacace was the longest tenured County Court Judge in Westchester County and has the experience required to lead this office.  She is endorsed by the current incumbent Mima Rocah, is the endorsed candidate of the Democratic Party, the party I belong to and I'm going to back the party line on this one. 

Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com


George Latimer Endorsements.

• Mount Vernon Democratic City Committee

• Mamaroneck Town Democratic Committee

• Harrison Democratic Committee

• Pelham Democratic Committee

• Scarsdale Democratic Committee

• Rye Town Democratic Committee

• Eastchester Democratic Committee

• Greenburgh Democratic Town Committee

• White Plains Democratic Committee

• Rye City Democratic Committee

• Yonkers Democratic Committee

• CSEA

• Westchester County Legislator Nancy Barr 

• Westchester County Legislator Judah Holstein 

• Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker 

• Westchester County Legislator David Tubiolo

• Westchester County Legislator Ben Boykin

• Westchester County Legislator Jose Alvarado

• Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Bill Ryan

• Mayor Sarah Bauer, Larchmont 

• Mayor Luis Marino, Port Chester

• Mayor Mike Spano, Yonkers  

• Mayor Thomas Roach, White Plains 

• Supervisor Gary Zuckerman, Rye Town

• Ret. Congress Member Nita Lowey

• Ret. Congress Member Eliot Engel

• State Senator Shelley Mayer

• State Assembly Member Amy Paulin

• New York Governor David. A. Paterson

• Westchester Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins

• International Union of Operating Engineers

• Laborers International Union of North America

• Italian American Democrats

• Mason Tenders District Council

• Moms Demand Action

• New York State Senator Peter Harckham

• Assembly Member Chris Burdick

• Assembly Member Jeff Dinowitz

• Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar

• ProChoice Voter 

• Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City

• NYC District Council of Carpenters 

• North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters

• DNY- Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York

• 5th District of the New York State Professional Firefighters Association

• New Rochelle UFFA Local 273

• Yonkers Firefighters Local 628

• Yonkers Council President Lakisha Collins-Bellamy

• Yonkers Council Member Corazon Pineda-Issac

• Yonkers Council Member John Rubbo

• White Plains Council President Victoria Presser

• White Plains Council Member John Martin

• White Plains Council Member Jeremiah Frei-Pearson

• White Plains Council Member Justin Brasch

• White Plains Council Member Rich Payne

• Americans4Hindus

Assessments
Many people are receiving large assessment increases in this years 2024 Assessment Rolls.  A few facts about assessments;

• Assessment increases on their own don't raise taxes. The town could triple everyones assessment and would not collect even $1.00 more in tax revenue.    Tax rates are calculated by determining the tax levy first, how much the municipality will need to fund their budget. Then they take that number, divide it by the total property values in the municipality and get the tax rate so that each property can pay their proportionate share. Scroll to the bottom of this blog for some examples.

• All re-assessments do is value everyones property at an updated price, and ensure people pay their fair share.  The pie of taxes doesn't get any bigger, but does shift around each properties % of the pie.  If the municipality raises taxes, thats part of the budget process and completely independent of assessments.

• If you think your propety is assesed too high, ask yourself, would you sell at the assessed price? If the answer is no(because the prices is too low), you really don't have much of a case. If its yes(its high and you'd be happy to sell), you can seek to challenge the assessment.  You should look at similar propreties in your neighborhood, recent sales, and gather as much information as possible.  Some people get an appraisal, others get letters from realtors, you want to build as strong a case based on facts(not, its up so much!!!, thats going to get rejected) as possible.

• Assessors Office Page has some good information as well https://greenburghny.com/168/Assessors-Office

• You have until June 18th to challenge your assessment if you wish to do so. You can hire someone to do this or do it yourself up to you. Most professionals charge nothing if your assessment isn't reduced and a % of your first year tax savings if they can reduce.

•  The assessors website has lots of good information including how to challenge your assessment, dates, market trend maps and more.

• I wrote this in 2021 but its still applicable.

• Here is a video I recorded for Hartsdale Neighbors Association with the Town Assessor. Again from 2021 but still lots of good info.

Election Preview
There are 3 major primaries coming up in the June 25th primary for Democrats in Greenburgh.  My next article will go into more detail on this but with absentee ballots distributed, I wanted to send something out.  Reminder election Day is June 25th and early voting begins Saturday June 15th.  More details here. 

All 3 candidates I'm supporting are the endorsed candidates of Greenburgh Democrats:

• Congress CD16- Jamaal Bowman(incumbent) versus George Latimer.  If you haven't heard about this race you've probably been living under a rock.  I've never felt this strongly about a Dem Primary since moving to Westchester 11 years ago.  This is the most important primary we've ever had.  It's not just that George Latimer is the far superior candidate its how awful Jamaal Bowman has been in almost every capacity. If you've ever considered listening to me about anything, voting for George Latimer is the #1 most important thing I've ever put in this blog.

• New York State 92nd Assembly District- MaryJane Shimksy(incumbent) versus Tom Abinanti. Abinanti holds dangerous views on vaccines and tried to pass legislation to allow philisophical exemptions(basically could say I don't like needles) for measles and mumps in school age children.  His views are dangerous, I'm supporting Shimsky. 

• Westchester County District Attorney- 3 candidates, no incumbent.  I'm supporting Susan Cacace.  William Wagstaff is being supported by the Working Families Party which is actively supporting Jamaal Bowman.  He hasn't endorsed Bowman but has made no effort to distance himself, any association at all with Bowman is too much for me. Anyone who supports Bowman, I'm automatically not interested in supporting other candidates they like. Adeel Mirza is also running, he has in the past been accused of Sexual Harrassment by a coworker.  I'll pass.  Cacace for DA.

Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com


First municipalities determine the "tax levy" or how much they are going to raise in taxes. Lets say that number is $1mm. Then they look at how much taxable property there is, lets say there are 10 properties, each worth $1mm for total of $10mm. So then the tax rate is calculated at 10%. Each $1mm property pays 10% taxes or 100k and $1mm total is collected. Lets now say that the town doubles everyones assessment to $2mm. Well they are still collecting $1mm in taxes (that number could change up or down but if it does that is based on the budget and has nothing to do with assessments).So they take that $1mm in taxes and now divide by $20mm, and get 5%. Each $2mm property pays 5% or $100k and the Town collects the same $1mm dollars even though assessments doubled. Lets say in that same scenario(with assesments up to $2mm each) the town says we need more money and need to raise taxes to $2mm. Well they take that $2mm, divide by $20mm(10 properties X$2mm each), and get a 10% tax rate or $200k per home. In that example, the extra $100k each property pays is because the tax levy went up, it has nothing to do with the assessment increase. Lets do another example where the budget calls for $1mm to be raised but instead of 10 homes all equal to $1mm, we have 9 worth $1mm and one that did a ton of renovations and upgrades and is now worth 11mm, for a total of $20mm. Well the $1mm tax levy is divided by $20mm(total property value) in property for a calculated 5% tax rate, again the tax rate is a derived figure based on the inputs, its not static.. Each $1mm property owner pays 50k for $450k total and and the $11mm property owner pays $550k for a combined total of $1mm. That the 10th property saw a massive assessment increase, does not result in any additional tax revenue collected.

Hello Greenburgh,

Two topics for today's email;

Edgemont Incorporation
Today at 7:00pm the Center for Governmental Research(CGR) will present its findings of potential impacts of the Edgemont Incorporation Committee's (EIC) proposal to incorporate Edgemont.  We don't need a government report to tell us that Edgemont Incorporation would be terrible for those remaining in Unincorporated Greenburgh, but it will be good to hear from impartial experts on the topic. 

The presentation will be at Greenburgh Town Hall if you'd like to attend today at 7:00pm and also can be viewed online. To view via zoom, email CGRmeeting@greenburghny.com and a link will be emailed to you.

More information here.

 Sustainable Westchester and ESCO Contract
Readers of this newsletter are very familiar with the Electricity Supply Contract the Town Board enrolled all residents in. Those residents who have not called Con Ed to opt out are paying at times double the cost of electricity in their utility bills.  According to David Wilson of Lohud, this has cost Westchester residents $48mm over the first 16 months of the 24 month contract.  He wrote an article today in which I am quoted and a short video of me talking about this issue.  If you haven't already opted out, you should consider doing so.  Link to Article(Subscription Required- Please support local news)

Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com

Hello Greenburgh,

Trying to have more frequent updates so here are a few news and notes:

Water District Advisory Board
3/8 of the members of the Water Advisory Committee including longtime chair Daniel Rosenblum are resigning on Wednesday at the Town Board meeting. Will try and find out more if there is anything to note.

CD 16
Greenburgh Democrats overhwelmingly voted at their recent Executive Committee Meeting to endorse George Latimer for CD16.  I was proud to be one of those votes and I think it was the most important vote I have made since joining the Executive Committee.  I hope you'll join me in voting for George in the upcoming June primary.


Congressional District Maps
The proposed maps for Congressional Districts from the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission has been rejected by the assembly. What comes next is very much up in the air.
Politico Link(Lohud has a good article but I know its paywalled)


Womens History Month Townhall Thursday March 7th at Greenburgh Library



Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Hello Greenburgh,

It has been over 3 months since my last email in November.  I apologize for the lack of updates but sometimes life just gets in a way.  With the recent suspension in publication of the Scarsdale Inquirer and Rivertown Enterprises, the lack coverage of local news has never been worse.  I'll continue to do my best to keep people informed on whats going on with a focus on Greenburgh.  If you know someone who may be interested please encourage them to sign up for my newsletter by emailing me.   

No main topic in this blog but a lot of small updates. 

Greenburgh 2024 Budget
My last email focused on the 2024 operating budet which has since been passed unanimously by the Town Board and contained an average ~6% tax levy increase. 

As of today, there has been zero formal communication of any kind about the actual tax impact residents will see.  Village residents have exclusively received information that their taxes are going down, when in fact they are increasing by 4% and TOV residents have been told falsely that taxes are increasing by 1.98% when in fact the real figure is over 6%.  

Again read my last email, for all the details.  In the months since the budget was passed I have literally begged the Town Board to put out useful information about the tax increases.  I have sent numerous emails, attended numerous Town Board meetings, privately and publicly pleaded with them as a group and individually. Their silence speaks volumes about what they want you to know.

Election Update
The 2023 general election has come and gone and we have a new Town Clerk, Lisa Marie Nero who defeated longtime incumbent Judith Beville and will serve a 2 year term.  Joy Haber was elected to the Town Board for a 4 year term filling the seat vacated when Ken Jones declined to run for a 4th term.  Gina Jackson was elected to her second 4 year term on the board.  Full election results including Greenburgh villages here.

Edgemont Incorporation
The topic I'm sure were all sick about hearing about.  This article does a better job then I could of summarizing what has happened recently.  If your interested in learning about the Albany back room dealings  I encourage you to read it.

Town Comptroller
Just today the town announced that longtime Comptroller Roberta Romana has resigned.  The Comptroller is a critical position in the town, even moreso then usual given Supervisor Feiners lack of any financial expertise.  Best of luck to whoever fills her shoes.  

Marijuana Dispensaries
There is a marijuana dispensary coming soon to Central Avenue directly opposite Shake Shack and Crumble Cookie.  While the Shake Shack side of the street is Greenburgh, the opposite side is White Plains.  The Greenburgh Town Board passed extremely restrictive zoning rules(overruling the reccomedation of the Planning Board) which effectively banned dispensaries from all but a small sliver of the Town(Not allowed on 119 or Central Ave).  White Plains however is allowing it anywhere zoned for commercial use.  So now we have what just about everyone with a clue expected, all of the "downside"(whatever that may be, for what its worth I don't see any) and none of the Tax Revenue(the real concern) which will all go to White Plains. 

Electricity ESCO
Reminder that the ESCO which the Town enrolled all residents in is charging nearly double for electricity supply then the current Town Rate.  If you have not already opted out and are looking to save on your utility costs I highly reccomend that you consider doing so.  More information about doing so in the link above.

CD16
This email is already long enough so I won't address the upcoming primary battle for the Greenburgh congressional seat.  All I will say for now is that I'm supporting George Latimer, and the difference in candidates for a primary has never been so stark.  You must be a registered Democrat to vote in the upcoming primary, if you are not it is not too late to register as a Democrat to help elect George.

Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com

Hello Greenburgh,

Greenburgh 2024 Budget
You may have recently received Paul Feiner's email indicating a Town Wide tax decrease and slight 1.7% tax increase for the Unincorporated area .  We all know that costs are increasing everywhere and inflation is hitting us from all sides. So a small 1.7% increase seems great! 

Unfortunately if not an outright deliberate lie, it clearly deliberately misleading.  The proposed tax levy is going up from $68.98mm to $73.10mm, a 5.97% increase. To send an email blast to voters telling them otherwise is outrageous.  Paul knows this because he did the same thing last year!.  He's telling you what the "tax rate" increase is, but as everyone knows, assessments have been exploding.  People care about what their tax levy(how much they will pay in taxes) will change.  This years budget will have a 4% increase in Town Wide and 6.28% increase in the Unincorporated tax levy.
 

So Feiner is highlighting the change in the "tax rate" to obscure the fact that the actual taxes residents are paying are going up significantly more.  His "example" of a $500k home is ludicrous because his example, where the assessments don't increase simply does not exist.  Nearly every property received large assessment increases for the assessments driving this budget.  Hiding a 4% Town Wide increase and calling it a decrease only because assessments have gone up significantly is dishonest, disengenous and deceitful. 

I've tried to illustrate what is happening by using the example below; according to Feiner, this would be a tax decrease(like he asserts in the Town Wide Budget) but every single homeowner is paying more in taxes then they did the year before. If you go from paying 1,000 in property taxes to paying 1,040, would you call that a tax decrease?

While not scheduled yet, the Public Hearing on the budget is likely to be held Monday 11/20.  I encourage you to attend if you can and share your thoughts.  You can also email TownBoard@Greenburghny to contact the Town Council if you cannot attend.  And look, I get it, costs are going up, Greenburgh is not immune to that.  I haven't gone through the budget in detail but I'm much less concerned about the size of the tax increase then I am the deliberate disinformation being put out by Supervisor Feiner and the worst part is, he knows exactly what he's doing.

Election Update November 7th General Election
There are important contested races in Greenburgh coming up for Town Clerk and Town Council. For Town Clerk I am supporting Lisa Maria Nero and for Town Council I'm supporting Gina Jackson and Joy Haber(2 open seats).  Make sure to vote for all 3.  Election Day is Tuesday 11/7 and early voting has already started.  Please make sure to vote.  There are also some contested village elections but I haven't followed those closely.  For questions about whats on the ballot and when/where/how to vote, you can go to the County Board of Elections.

Fire District Elections
Hartsdale, Fairview and Greenville are all having their fire elections on December 12th this year.  Fire Districts are governed by their own independent 5 person board. Candidates are required to collect 25 signatures and can begin doing so on 11/8 with the petitions due 11/22. There are two seats up in Hartsdale and 1 seat up in the other districts. Fire taxes make up almost the same amount as Town taxes so make sure to pay attention to these elections.

Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com

From May 17th

Hello Greenburgh,

Election Petition Update

An update to my prior email,  the now being circulated petition for Incumbent Town Clerk Judith Beville to appear in the November general election also has Manny Areces on it as a candidate for Town Council. So the June Democratic Primary will be uncontested for these seats but assuming this petition is accepted, they will be on the ballot in the November general election as Independents. 

Further, I was asked by Judith to post her response to the fact that the petition she was on was rejected by the courts for fraud.  I have published her response, unedited, in full here on my website.  These are Judiths words and do not necessarily represent the views of any of her other petition mates or myself.

A reminder- I am happy to publish relevant op eds from others as long as they are respectful.  I believe a diverse set of voices is key to a greater understanding of almost any subject.  If you would like to write about an issue or a topic that I will include in my email newsletters please reach out to me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Capital Budget Update
The next public hearing on the capital budget will be 5/24 at the regular Town Board meeting at 7:30pm at Greenburgh Town Hall.  I plan to attend that meeting and speak.  If you will be there as well please reach out as I'd love to hear your thoughts.  My last email has some of my thoughts on the proposal as is.  It is likely/possible it will be updated in advance of the 5/24 hearing. You can read the current proposal here:

Leaf Blowers
At the public hearing regarding banning all leaf blower usage between June 15th and August 14th, there was overwhelming citizen and business opposition.  Wil this matter? Probably not. We can all likely look forward to either fines and/or massively escalated landscaping costs when the Town Board passes this.

Just last night in their war against leaf blowers the Town pased a law limiting how leaf blowers can be used on a property.  Only 1 leafblower can be used at at time.  How this will actually be enforced(spoiler alert it won't be) and what the impact will be are still TBD but the TB is not finished yet with this topic. Thank you Town of Greenburgh board for this spring present.

Food Scraps
Supervisor Feiner has circulated a survey to gauge resident interest in replacing one of the trash pickup days with food scrap pickup.  501 people responded.  The head of DPW came to the Town Board Work Session and was extremely concerned about the proposal citing its impact on bulk pickups(possibly extended months), extra cost, and said more study is required.

Additional Items

• AssemblyWoman MaryJane Shimsky- As part of my role with Hartsdale Neighbors I'll be hosting a Zoom roundtable with our new Assemblywoman for the 92nd district Mary Jane Shimsky. This will be 5/18 at 8:00pm on Zoom.  More details and the zoom link to join here.   Email info@hartsdaleneighbors.org if you have topics you'd like to see raised. 

• School Budget Votes- 2 local districts voted down their School Budgets including Elmsford resoundingly 552-328 and Blind Brook as well which needed 60% approval because it was overriding the tax cap failed because it only received 55% support.  Those districts will have to put second budget proposals before voters or adopt contingency budgets, which require freezing the tax levy at this year's level.

Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com

Hello Greenburgh,

Election Petition Conclusion

So you can read all about the petition drama in my previous email  but one small update. I am told second hand that incumbent Town Clerk Judith Beville is circulating a new petition to run as an Independent for Town Clerk in the November general election.  It is too late for her or others to appear on the ballot for the June primary as a Democrat but not too late to run as an independent in the general election.  I am not aware of any efforts by either disqualified Town Council candidate to run in the general election.

Capital Budget Update
Tomorrow 5/10 there will be the first public hearing on the proposed 2023 Capital Budget at the Town Board Meeting at Greenburgh Town Hall at 7:30pm.  I have been told that the public record will remain open for a second hearing but obviously that cannot be guarenteed.  You can read the current proposal here:

• Overall there isn't too much of note or controversy. There is $2mm for road repaving, another $2mm for curb replacements and $1.3mm for unspecified pedestrian safety improvements. This is on top of $1mm combined for sidewalks on Hillside Avenue and W. Hartsdale Avenue.  Other larger items include 8 new vehicles for the Police Department, $1.5mm for a retaining wall at DPW and $3.8mm for replacing deteriated water mains.

• One interesting item of note is $575k for "Babbit Court Home Elevation" . Babbit Court is an area in Unincorporated Elmsford that has flooded in the past.  The Town has worked to apply for FEMA grants to help 6 homeowners raise their homes here to avoid the issues of frequent flooding and the total projected costs is $1.875mm.  My understanding is that the $575k contribution from the Town is required because the town has to front the cost of the project in order to receive the FEMA grant.  The question is will this $575k be paid back by the homeowners or is it an outright gift from the taxpayers to these private property owners.  I've reached out to Supervisor Feiner and the Town Boardto try and clarify this point.  I spoke to one Town Board member directly who said they would look into it. I certainly hope we get more clarity on this item before any spending is authorized

  • If its an outright gift, do you think public taxpayer money should be used to subsidize and improve private single family home property owners?  I don't.

Food Scraps
Supervisor Feiner has circulated a survey to gauge resident interest in replacing one of the trash pickup days with food scrap pickup.  The results will be used to inform the town board during a 5/16 work session whee the topic will be explored.   Click here to fill out the survey.

Leaf Blowers
I'm so sick of talking about Leaf Blowers but there is another public hearing also tomorrow on the topic.  This bill would ban all leaf blowers between June 15th and August 14th.  You can read the full detail here. Frankly if our Town Board spent 1/4th the time they spend on Leafblowers on good governance and actually doing the business of running the town we'd all be much better off.

Additional Items

• School District Update

  • This upcoming Tuesday is your local school board election and budget vote. Make sure to come out and vote. Check your local district for polling times and locations.  

  • Interesting drama at the latest Ardsley School Board meeting where a vote reccomending tenure for the Elementary School and Middle School Principal was taken with the School District BOE voting No 4-1 against granting tenure.  Surely that will shake things up in the district.

• AssemblyWoman Mary Jane Shimsky- As part of my role with Hartsdale Neighbors I'll be hosting a Zoom roundtable with our new Assemblywoman for the 92nd district Mary Jane Shimsky. This will be 5/18 at 8:00pm on Zoom.  More details and the zoom link to join here.   Email info@hartsdaleneighbors.org if you have topics you'd like to see raised. 

Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com

Hello Greenburgh,

BREAKING NEWS- THE COURT RULED IN THE PETITION CASE INVOLVING TOWN OF GREENBURGH CANDIDATES(SEE HERE FOR BACKGROUND)

Judges Conclusion below and Full decision here

Conclusion

On the basis of the evidence adduced at the hearing, the Court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the entire Designating Petition is permeated with fraud. In the alternative, the Court finds by clear and convincing evidence that Respondent Candidate Manuel E. Areces participated in fraud in the procurement of signatures by falsely attesting to having witnessed the signatures on Sheet 85, including a signature which the court finds is not genuine.

The Court thus declares invalid the candidacy of Mr. Areces and all 787 signatures witnessed by him. The Court further finds by clear and convincing evidence that Respondent-Candidate Bishop Wilbert Preston participated in fraud in the procurement of signatures, though without any nefarious motive, by falsely attesting to having witnessed the signatures on Sheet 72. The Court thus declares invalid the candidacy of Bishop Preston and all 14[ signatures witnessed by him.

The Court further finds by clear and convincing evidence that Respondent-Candidate Judith A. Beville is chargeablee with knowledge off raud in the procurement of signatures, and thus declares invalid the candidacies of all three Respondent-Candidates.

Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED that the verified Petition is granted, and the Verified Answer and the affirmative defenses asserted therein are stricken and dismissed; and it is further ORDERED and ADJUDGED that the Designating Petition designating the respondentcandidates Judith A. Beville, Manuel E. Areces and Bishop Wilbert Preston as candidates in the primary election to be held on June 27, 2023 for the Democratic Party as candidates for the public oftlces set forth therein is declared invalid, and the respondent Westchester County Board of Elections is hereby directed to refrain from placing the names ofthe respondent-candidates on the ballot for the said primary election.

The foregoing constitutes the Decision, Order and Judgment ofthe Court'


Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com

Hello Greenburgh,

Drama in Greenburgh??  It couldn't be but this one is certainly interesting.  I haven't seen any other reporting on this from any blog or local newspaper. This is why you subscribe to my blog!!

On 4/19 a case was filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York by Town Council Candidates Gina Jackson and Joy Haber along with Town Clerk Candidate Lisa Maria Nero in an attempt to disqualify the petitions of their competitors and deny them a spot on the ballot in the upcoming June Primary Election.  They allege numerous instances of fraud and disqualifying behavior.

Background
At the Feb 2023 Greenburgh Democrats Convention, District Leaders gathered to endorse candidates for elected office.  The endorsement means among other support, that the local party District Leaders will help gather the signatures required to be placed on the ballot.  Lisa Maria Nero was endorsed as the candidate for Town Clerk and Gina Jackson and Joy Haber were endorsed for Town Council.   The three of them, along with other endorsed candidates circulated a petition to gather signatures of eligible voters. 1000 signatures was required. 

Anyone else who wishes to run for these positions is eligible to do so and must gather the required signatures.  This is what I did when I ran in 2019 as a non endorsed candidate.  Anyone is able to do this who wishes to run.  Judith Beville (incumbent candidate for Town Clerk), Manny Areces and Wilburt Preston (candidates for Town Council) teamed up to combine their names on a second petition and circulated that petition to gather signatures to get a spot on the ballot and have a contested primary election.  They filed their petition with a total of 2185 signatures.  

Allegations
I have linked the full case below but the long and short of it is that they allege that an insufficient number of the 2185 signatures were valid either because they were invalid signatures, because proper procedure for witnessing the signatures was not followed, and/or because signatures were fraudulent.  The filing shows the candidates went line by line and objected to any signatures they felt were legally invalid and listed the reasons why.  They also identified instances where petitions were left out in open places, where the person signing as witnessing the signature, could not have actually done so.  Most egregiously, they also allege that pages of signatures were filled out fraudulently, not by the actual voter.  I'll quote from the case;

The subject designating petition included a total of 2185 signatures. The respondent candidates were required to submit 1,000 valid signatures for their names to be placed on the primary ballet. The attached particularized objections allege that 1167 signatures are invalid and if all objections are sustained, the respondent candidates would have a total of 1018 valid signatures, only 18 signatures above the 1000 signature threshold..

However, in addition to the particularized objections set forth in Exhibit 7, petitioners allege that there are additional bases which, in combination with this cause of action or standing on their own, are sufficient to invalidate additional signatures, entire sheets, or the entirety of the BEVILLE-ARECES-PRESTON designating petition, which are set forth below in further detail

The witness statement information at the bottom of sheet No. 72 of the respondent-candidates’ designating petition was completed and signed by respondent WILBERT PRESTON.  However, as the petitioners will show, PRESTON did not witness all of the signatures on Sheet No. 72, and at least eight signatures were falsely dated March 29, 2023.  As demonstrated by the affidavit of Rodney Lederer-Plaskett (Exhibit 1 to this petition), the affidavit of Mary Colon (Exhibit 2 to this petition), and the affidavit of petitioner LISA MARIA NERO (Exhibit 3 to this petition), a petition sheet was left unattended and available for members of the general public to sign at a drugstore known as Valuable Drugs, located at 417 Tarrytown Road, White Plains, NY for a period from March 21, 2023 (and perhaps earlier) to at least March 30, 2023 (and perhaps later). 13. While said petition sheet was left on the pharmacy counter for an unknown period, multiple signatures were placed on the petition, which were not personally witnessed, and yet the witness information statement was completed and signed by respondent-candidate WILBERT PRESTON and included with the volume filed with the Board of Elections.

The name of Gerald Jones, an enrolled member of the Democratic party, appears on four separate petition sheets involved in this Town of Greenburgh election............................... The only rational conclusion that can be drawn from the foregoing is that Gerald Jones’ signature was forged on Sheet No. 85 of the BEVILLE-ARECES-PRESTON and, therefore, the witness identification information on that sheet was fraudulently completed and signed by the respondent candidate MANUEL E. ARECES..................The petitioners herein submit that the conclusion that Gerald Jones’ signature was forged will be further reinforced by the line by line review of signatures purportedly witnessed by MANUEL E. ARECES, which contain numerous similarly printed names and other irregularities.

In the event that the Court’s rulings on the petitioners’ line-by-line challenges and/or the invalidation of signatures based upon fraud by WILBERT PRESTON and/or MANUEL E. ARECES leave any the respondent candidates with 1,000 or more otherwise valid signatures, the entire designating petition should be invalidated because it is permeated by fraud.

Information on the Case can be found here.
Main Case Document
Additional Documents Click Here- If it doesn't take you straight to the case fill out the "Captcha" and then then go to  Show E Filed Documents for Affidavits and Other Material.  If it asks you to search, you can search by defendant "Beville"

Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com

Hello Greenburgh,

Its April now, petitions for the June primaries are in and the weather is warming up.  Hope everyone is doing well.

Remember if there is a topic you think people should know about or wish to write about please reach out to me at eric@ericzinger.com.  Please forward to your friends and neighbors and encourage them to subscribe.

June Primary Election Update
Petitions are in and as expected it looks like there will be contested races for Town Clerk and Town Council with Supervisor Feiner uncontested for Supervisor.  Town Clerk will feature incumbent Judith Beville up against challenger Lisa Maria Nero.  Town Council will be contested by incumbent Gina Jackson and newcomers Manny Areces, Joy Haber and Wilburt Preston. I'm supporting Gina Jackson and Joy Haber for Town Council.

The primary is June 27th with early voting in the days preceding

Condo Taxation Update
In an earlier email I talked about the proposed change to taxation status for newly built condos and co-ops in the Town of Greenburgh and it's villages(a bill for a statewide change was veto'd by the Governor). The second, and final public hearing on this topic was finally held last evening after multiple postponements.  At that public hearing, not one person, including myself, spoke in support of the proposal.  This tax increase on developments that haven't even been built yet will result in development and investment dollars going away from Greenburgh and will result in less not more tax revenue being generated.  With Paul Feiner and Ellen Hendrickx recusing themselves due to their condominium ownership, the remaining 3 Town Board members will all need to vote yes in order for the bill to pass.  It looks like the vote will be held at a Town Board Work Session on Monday 4/17.  Hopes of the Town Board not passing this legislation are dim.

Other News Items

• Town Attorney-  Interim Town Attorney Joseph Danko was appointed at last nights Town Board to the full time Town Attorney position.  Congratulations to Mr. Danko who so far appears to be a great improvement over his predecessor.

• Board Appointments- Pauline Helen Mosely was appointed as an alternate to the Zoning Board.  12 members (including myself) whose terms had long expired were reappointed to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

• Leaf Blowers-  There is nothing that Paul Feiner loves more than public hearings on Leaf Blowers.  Another public Hearing on the Town Code for noise regarding Leaf Blowers is scheduled for Wednesday 4/26 at the next Town Board meeting.

• Water Tax Rates- At the same 4/26 meeting there is also a public hearing to consider rate increases for the Consolidated Water District.

• Dobbs Ferry Marijuana Referendum- The referendum for Dobbs Ferry recreational dispensaries was voted down by Dobbs Ferry residents. Retail dispensaries will not be allowed anywhere in the village.

• Electricity Supply Rates- The ESCO the Town Board automatically enrolled residents in continues to cost more money and raise residents utility bills.  If you haven't already opted out, you should review and decide if that makes sense for you.

Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com

Hello Greenburgh,

I hope everyone is doing well.  Remember if there is a topic you think people should know about or wish to write about please reach out to me at eric@ericzinger.com.  Please forward to your friends and neighbors and encourage them to subscribe.

June Primary Election Update
In my last email I let you know that the Democratic Party endorsed Paul Feiner for Supervisor, Lisa Maria Nero for Town Clerk, and both Gina Jackson and Joy Haber for Town Council.  Petitions are circulating for those candidates to get on the ballot.  In addition there is a second petition featuring incumbent Town Clerk Judith Beville and Town Council challengers Wilburt Preston and Manny Areces.  If you would like to sign either petition please let me know and I can get you in touch with the candidates.  If you are interested in carrying petitions to support the candidates even better and please let me know.  The primary is June 27th.

Condo Taxation Update
In my last email I told you how at the 2/8 Town Board meeting there was scheduled to be a public hearing on the proposed change to the tax status for newly built condos in Greenburgh(TOV and Villages).  The public hearing was postponed at the very last minute till March 8th.  The March 8th hearing was again postponed at the last minute around 5:00pm the day of the hearing.  That hearing will now occur 3/22.

How to Stay Informed
Besides reading my blog of course!  I obviously can't cover everything that is going on and there are a number of other good sources of news that I encourage you to check out:

• Newspapers- The 3 main local newspapers are The Journal News, Scarsdale Inquirer, and Rivertown Enterprises.  Of the 3, Scarsdale Inquirer(because of it's Edgemont Coverage) has the most articles about the Town of Greenburgh. There is also the Hudson Independent, which mostly focuses on Village News.

• Blogs-One of the best local blogs is Dan Weinfelds Manor Woods Blog which covers Town of Greenburgh politics and history.  

• Facebook Pages- 

  • Edgemont Unabridged-  Run by Hugh Schwartz Chair of the Planning Board, this covers Town news and is a good source of information on Edgemont Incorporation

  • Rivertowns Vote  Lots of good information about candidates, local elections and referendums.

Other News Items

• Route 9A TIF District- Positive news here as my long advocated proposal here is under consideration by the Town Board to return almost $300k in taxpayer revenue to the general rolls. This will help keep our property taxes down.  Watch the Work Sesion on this topic where I attended and continued to press for this change.  Discussion begins 23 minutes in.

• Board Appointments- Blase Spinozzi was recently appointed to another 6 year term as chair of the Board of Ethics.  His term had already been expired for 4 years so that term will run till 12/31/2024.  Leslie Davis was appointed to the Planning Board for a term to expire 12/31/2026.

• Dobbs Ferry Marijuana Referendum- Dobbs Ferry is scheduling a public vote on whether to allow recreational marijuana dispensaries in the village.  Link to Hudson Independent article.

• Electricity Supply Rates- The ESCO the Town Board automatically enrolled residents in continues to cost more money and raise residents utility bills.  If you haven't already opted out, you should review and decide if that makes sense for you.

Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com

Hello Greenburgh,

Nothing like a Friday afternoon news dump on a holiday weekend but I wanted to send out some important updates.  I hope everyone is doing well.  Remember if there is something you think people should know about or want to write about please reach out to me at eric@ericzinger.com.  Please forward to your friends and neighbors and encourage them to subscribe.

Greenburgh Democrats Endorse Candidates
Last night at the annual convention Greenburgh Democrat District Leaders voted on endorsing candidates to support and carry petitions for in the upcoming primary election. The following candidates were selected to be endorsed.  

Town Supervisor- Paul Feiner
Town Council- Gina Jackson and Joy Haber
Town Clerk- Lisa Marie Nero
Town Justice- Delores Scott Brathwaite
County Legislator District 8- Jewel Williams Johnson
County Legislator Distrit 12- David Imamura

Incumbent Town Clerk Judith Beville lost handily to challenger Lisa Marie Nero.  4 years ago Clerk Beville also lost the endorsement to a challenger but then carried her own petition, got on the ballot and won another 2 year term. She was uncontested 2 years ago. Town Council saw 4 candidates vying for two seats.  Incumbent Gina Jackson received the most votes while Joy Haber squeeked by Johnathan Campazano.  Manny Areces came in a distant 4th.  Incumbent Ken Jones has announced he is not seeking re-election.

Village Law Home Rule Request and Edgemont Incorporation
At the 2/8 Town Board meeting the GreenburghTown Board passed a request for a Home rule to change the way village incorporation voting works for Greenburgh and only Greenburgh in NY. The crux of the change would be that all residents of the Unincorporated area would be allowed to vote on the referendum. The current law states that only residents of the proposed incorporated village be allowed to vote.  If all TOV  residents could vote on a potential Edgemont Incorporation, that effectively kills any chance they have of forming a village.  A petition is also being circulated in support of the request which you can see here.

I am sharing the petition but in full disclosure I have not signed it because frankly I am torn about whether this is the best approach and would like to share the following thoughts;

• Just because I am opposed to this strategy does not mean I am wavering on my stance regarding Edgemont Incorporation in any way.  I am fiercely opposed to Edgemont Incorporation and think that if Edgemont were to incorporate, it would have devastating impacts on the remainder of Unincorporated Greenburgh. 

• One of the reasons for my hesitancy is that I don't like the idea of changing the rule for only Greenburgh.  Home rule requests should involve unique or specific circumstances as to why a change in state law should only apply to one small section of the state.  Any changes to village incorporation laws should be done state wide.

• I also think this request was poorly planned as it was not coordinated at all with either our Assembly Representative Mary Jane Shimsky or our Senator Andrea Stewart Cousins.  Given the realities in Abany, I think this request actually did more to motivate the Edgemont folks to incorporate than blunt their efforts. 

  • Mary Jane Shimsky on the proposal "“I was unaware of the Town Board’s intent to pass last night’s home rule message until after the fact,”

  • A spokesperson for Andrea Stewart Cousins said "“It’s an issue we’re well aware of, it’s something we take very seriously, but it’s much more complicated than just one locality, and we’re in the process of looking for a statewide solution. And we hope to move quickly,” 

  • The EIC hadn't sent out an email to their supporters in months, but on the back of this request sent several notices out within the same week.  Several propopents of the bill lobbed harsh criticisms at those seeking to incorporate.  Somehow calling Edgemont residents elitists and rascists didn't mend any bridges.  I think mending that relatinship is critical to future of the Town of Greenburgh.

You can watch comments from the public about this here about 20 minutes into the meeting.  The Town Board also had a resolution to study the impact of a potential incorporation, that was held over to the 3/8 meeting.

Condo Taxation Update

At the 2/8 Town Board meeting which I attended there was scheduled to be a public hearing on the proposed change to the tax status for newly built condos in Greenburgh(TOV and Villages).  The public hearing was postponed at the very last minute till March 8th. There was zero notice to the public this would be postponed.  At the previous evenings work session there was no mention of postponement nor was there was any mention in any of the social media postings by the Town and Supervisor Paul Feiner.  The agenda was updated mere hours before the meeting and no notice was sent to the public. Several individuals  showed up to the meeting to speak during this public hearing, unfortunately they did not receive the respect they deserve from the Town Board.  This pattern of a lack of respect for the community, last minute agenda items, last minute changes are unfortunately not the exception, but the hallmark and signature of the Government in Greenburgh. 

Back to the actual bill itself; you can read my full thoughts here where I have copied my comments from the first public hearing on this topic.  For the TLDR; I fear this proposal which is for Greenburgh only puts us at a disadvantage for seeking to attract development to our community.  As a result, rather than increasing future tax revenues this will actually reduce tax revenue.  This only impacts new development but it is basically making developing in greenburgh much less attractive. We need new developments to help bolster our tax base, this proposal I feel will have us lagging neighboring communities in attracting development.  It also limits access to moderately priced housing in the midst of an affordable housing crisis.  Simply put, the cons outweigh the pros.

Other Items

• Hartsdale Fire District- Anthony Frasca resigned both his seat and his Chairmanship of the Hartsdale Fire District as he sold his house and moved out of the distrct.  Commissioner Jason Muldoon replaced him as chair. The HFD Commissioners appointed John Vallarelli to fill his seat until the December election where the public will vote on a candidate to fulfill the remaining term.

• Lohud Article on Edgemont Incorporation- Link

• Leafblower law- The town board is working to revise and reintroduce the proposal.

• Hartsdale Public Parking District Raising Rates- Daily Parking at the train increased from $10 to $13, other rates increased as well.  Link

Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Hello Greenburgh,

I consider the below to be one of the most important emails I've sent so while I apologize for it's length, please read, forward and let me know your thoughts.

Town Tax Rate
On Wednesday evening, Paul Feiner sent out a GB List email and posted on social media with the subject "largest tax rate REDUCTION in memory 6% rate reduction". That headlines is deliberately misleading and Trumpian in it's level of misinformation.  The headline and message from Supervisor Feiner implies to the public that taxes are going down by 6%, but as you can see from the below screenshot of page 12/13 of the budget, taxes in both the A and B budgets are staying absolutely flat.  (Here is a link to the budget). 

Total taxes raised by the Town Board are going to be flat year over year, there is no tax decrease, only the tax rate is going down.  THERE IS NO MASS TOWN WIDE TAX DECREASE.  

Supervisor Feiner's email is not an outright lie, the tax rate is going down by 6%, however the only reason that is happening is because of the massive assessment increases applying to this years tax rolls.  This is the definition of misinformation and something I would expect out of the Trump organization.  To further explain if this is unclear, and it is complicated; let's start with a quick but necessary explanation of taxes and how the tax rate is determined. 

To start, the calculation has 3 data inputs, the dollar value of taxes to be raised by the municipality (I’ll use town as an example), the taxable value of your home, and the value of all other taxable properties in the Town. Once the Town has determined how much money needs to be raised in taxes, the tax rate is determined, and you pay your % of the overall property value in the town. So if there are 10 properties in the town each worth $1mm($10mm total), and the Town needs to raise $500k in taxes, the rate is 5% or 500k(taxes to be raised)/$10mm(total assessable value). Then each home pays taxes based on their assessment. So an individual would pay $50k in taxes or $1mm(home value)*5%(tax rate)=$50k.  Further details here in my blog post from 2019 on this same subject.

Nobody cares what the tax rate is they care about their tax levy, or how much they actually have to pay in taxes.  So to explain what is actually happening lets use an example.  See below, where similar to Greenburgh assessments increased by 10% in 2022 and taxes stayed flat.  In both 2021 and 2022 the town is raising 100k in taxes.  The tax rate is decreasing by 9% however because of the assessment increases.  Would anyone at all reading this advertise this as a property tax decrease!!  Of Course not! 

I am disappointed in Supervisor Feiner for publishing this blatantly misleading information and in the Town Board for not correcting him.  If you feel the same way, I encourage you to tell the tell the Town Board- TownBoard@greenburghny.com

Budget Shenanigans
I'll be writing more on this in the coming week but I encourage everyone to watch the Town Board meeting from Monday.  There are multiple allegations against Supervisor Feiner and the Town Clerk regarding untracked spending, secret accounts, and budget irregularities.  

I am calling for a fully independent and complete investigation into these allegations and an independent audit of how funds are spent and audited.  I believe this is only the surface of budget shenanigans at Town Hall.

Link to the meeting The budget discussion begins about 1 minute in.

Other Items

• Fire District Elections- Hartsdale Fire District's Bond Referendum Failed by a vote of No 149, Yes 63.

• Marijuana Zoning- The Town Board overrode the Planning Boards unanimous recommendation against the proposed zoning update regarding recreational marijuana dispensaries and passed unanimously a resolution on the new rules.  

Hopefully, you have found this informative.  Please send any questions and forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com

Town Councilman Ken Jones has announced he will not be seeking for a fourth term. Councilman Jones will serve the remainder of his 3rd term till Jan 1 2024. His full statement is below.

The Greenburgh Democratic Party is interviewing candidates interested in running in the June 2023 primary for the following positions. If you or anyone you know are interested in running for any of these please let me know by November 28th so you can participate in the process.

Westchester County Legislator District 8 & District 12

Greenburgh Town Supervisor

Greenburgh Town Council (2 seats)

Greenburgh Town Justice

Greenburgh Town Clerk

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Eric Zinger's Greenburgh Information and News

Hello Greenburgh,

Fall is here, the weather is turning, football is here and school has started. Its been a busy couple of weeks for me personally, my son started Kindergarten at Lee F. Jackson and I am so proud of him and how he is handling the transition. To all the parents out there whose kids are starting school I hope you are having good luck, great teachers and happy kids. While the summer was relatively quiet, things are beginning to heat up and I'm excited to share the following local news updates with you.

Reminder, if there is something you would like to see me write about, please email me at eric@ericzinger.com. If you are also interested in writing any Op-Eds, or letters, I would be happy to post them on my website www.ericzinger.com

Recreational Marijuana Dispensary Zoning
The Town Board has scheduled a public hearing for 7:30pm on Wednesday 9/28 regarding the proposed zoning rules for where marijuana dispensaries can operate in the Town of Greenburgh. The Town previously voted to allow retail marijuana dispensaries but not allow consumption lounges and will now work on finalizing where those businesses may legally operate. The current proposal would predominately limit these facilities to the northern part of Unincorporated Greenburgh and Fairview. It would not allow any locations on Central Avenue, the 119 commercial area, or anywhere at all in Hartsdale or Edgemont. The Planning Board unanimously voted to issue a negative recommendation to the Town Board saying they believe "substantive revisions to the local law are necessary" and that the zoning requirements are far too restrictive. They recommended allowing medical and recreational dispensaries by special permit along Central Avenue and other commercial locations throughout the town. Because the Planning Board issued a negative recommendation, the Town Board would need a minimum of 4 votes to pass the zoning rules as is. I agree with the Planning Board that the current proposal is too restrictive. I believe that marijuana dispensaries should be allowed anywhere a liquor store is(marijuana is safer than alcohol by every single statistical measure in existence) and there is no cause to treat it differently, nor only allow them in certain areas.

Mural Controversy
I'm not sure how many people are aware but there has been a fair amount of local coverage, including in the NY Post, News 12, ABC, and CBS of a controversy regarding a mural in the Fairview section of Greenburgh. The short version is that the Town Board authorized and funded a mural to commemorate Black History on the side of an underpass on Manhattan Avenue. The artist provided sketches of the mural and the images to be featured, deviated from that sketch without Town Approval and added several additional individuals. Most notably, he added the image of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. The Town Board has said that they will make sure his likeness is taken down, but so far the artist is refusing and there is an organized movement advocating to keep Louis Farrakhan on the mural.

New Police Chief
The Town of Greenburgh recently promoted Captain Kobie Powell to the position of Chief of the Town of Greenburgh Police Department. Chief Powell was raised and lives in the town of Greenburgh and has over 25 years of experience in the Greenburgh PD. Chief Powell was the first African American Captain in the G.P.D. and is now the the first African American to serve as Chief. With the major proposed infrastructure upgrades to the GPD along with the numerous public lawsuits, now is a critical time for the GPD and we wish Chief Powell great success in his role.

Election News
Last email I shared the wonderful news that Mary Jane Shimsky won the Democratic Primary for the 92nd Assembly District. This time around, I am letting everyone know that Jamaal Bowman won the Primary election for the 16th Congressional District. While he wasn't the candidate I was hoping would win, I certainly will be backing him in the general election and encourage all of you to do the same. In that election I also encourage you to support Kathy Hochul for Governor.

Additional Updates

• Farmers Market- New farmers market at Greenburgh Town Hall on Thursdays from 1:00pm-6:00pm. Join the FB group to learn more about it.

Hopefully you have found this informative. Please forward to your friends and neighbors. If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com

Hello Greenburgh,

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer, lets get straight into it.

Election News
Wonderful, wonderful news as Mary Jane Shimsky defeated incumbent Tom Abinanti in the Democratic Primary for the 92nd Assembly District. It was a close election as Shimsky defeated Abinanti taking home 55% of the vote with strong results in the Rivertown's to help her secure the victory.  For more information on the race, I encourage you to read Dan Weinfeld's blog which breaks it down in detail I couldn't possible attempt to match.  While the general election is still to come, it is all but a formality for Shimsky to take over as our State Assemblyman.  Thank you to everyone who voted for her and helped spread the word. 

We now look ahead to the Democratic primary for House of Representatives for the newly drawn 16th district which features a 3 way race between Jamaal Bowman, Catherine Parker and Vedat Gashi . That primary election will be August 23rd.  We also look ahead to the general election where all eyes will be on the Governor race as incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul squares off against GOP challenger Lee Zeldin.  The General Election will be on Tuesday November 8th.

Proposal for new $60mm Greenburgh Police HQ and 
The other big item is the newly proposed Police HQ which would be located behind the Driving Range on Dobbs Ferry Road in Unincorporated Greenburgh.  There has long been a need to update the existing facility and the Town Board looks to be moving ahead with a proposal to replace the existing HQ at the new site.  This Thursday at 7:30pm, the Town Board will hold a special meeting where they will sign a contract to purchase the property contingent upon voter approval in a special election on November 8th.  That meeting will allow for public comment and you can participate by emailing publichearing@greenburghny.com.  Public Comment is available for those attending in person and those who wish to participate via Zoom.

The proposal is to purchase the property for $2.05mm and then build a Police and EMS HQ for an estimated $55-$60mm.  The town would bond for this proposal so the actual cost with interest will likely be closer to $80mm.  The project splits the cost between the Town Wide and TOV budget and the plan will only go through if it receives a majority approval of all eligible Greenburgh voters when it is voted on. 

You can read all about the proposal and the details from the town here.  Expect lots more to come on this.

  Additional Updates

• Farmers Market- New farmers market at Greenburgh Town Hall on Thursdays from 1:00pm-6:00pm.  Join the FB group to learn more about it.

• At the July 13th meeting, the Town Board authorized another 25k in legal defense spending to defend the Town and the Police Department against the Kristen Stein lawsuit.

Hopefully you have found this informative.  Please forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com

Hello Greenburgh,

It has been 3 months since my last email so apologies for the lack of updates as I've been busy and just trying to keep up.  I apologize 

Election Day June 28th
It is primary season and there are important primaries for both political parties.  While election day is Tuesday June 28th, early voting has started and you can vote all weekend long.  If this email convinces you of anything, I encourage you to make sure to vote.  Reminder you can only vote in the primary election for the party you are registered for.

If you are a registered Democrat, I strongly encourage you to vote for Mary Jane Shimsky for State Assembly in the 92nd District.  Mary Jane is the ideal candidate to represent us in Albany with her dogged determination and long history of serving the community. This is reflected in her endorsement by the Democratic Party, the Working Families Party, the Hispanic Democrats of Westchester, and most importantly; me  .  Mary Jane has the experience needed to serve our community in Albany with 11 years on the Westchester County Board of Legislators, including two as majority leader. Mary Jane has been a leader on gun safety, helping to pass a county law requiring safety warning labels, and is a designated 2022 Moms Demand Action Gun Sense candidate. 

Additionally, our current assemblyman, Tom Abinanti, harbors extremely dangerous views about vaccines and has sponsored legislation to make vaccines like those for measles and polio virtually optional. He’s also sponsored past legislation that would have banned our current COVID-19 vaccines because they contain GMOs. Thank goodness these bills sponsored by Abinanti did not pass because if his views on vaccines were to translate to laws it could lead to an outbreak or even worse. His views on vaccines, which The New York Times has called “lunacy,” and are uniformly rejected by science are simply too dangerous.

If you have any questions about either candidate I'm happy to answer them but I will obviously be biased.  Here is a letter to the editor I wrote on the race that echoes the points above.  Here is another local blog that is covering the race and some of the details like fundraising, absentee ballots and campaign strategy.  http://manorwoodsblog.blogspot.com/

  Additional Updates

• W. Hartsdale Avenue Sidewalk There wasn't much publicity for this but there was a press conference yesterday at the W. Hartsdale Ave Fire Station where it was announced that the state has provided a grant for a sidewalk to be built on W. Hartsdale Avenue from Dobbs Ferry Road to the 4 Corners at Central Avenue.  I look forward to hearing more about this.

• Elmwood Country Club-  The Town Board and the private developer are moving forward at the conclusion of the FEIS report with option H for 113 single family homes at the site.  

• Farmers Market- Starting next Thursday June 20th, there will be a farmers market at Greenburgh Town Hall from 1:00pm-6:00pm.  Join the FB group to learn more about it.

• Assessment Update- By now you have received your updated assessment for the 2022 Assessment role.  The Hartsdale Neighbors Association recorded a video with the Town Assessor that many people found information about the assessment process and how to challenge your assessment.  It is too late this year to challenge your assessment but the rolls are released every year on 6/1, if you missed the cutoff put in a reminder to yourself now for May 2023 to begin looking into your situation.  Reminder:

  • Assessment changes have NO IMPACT ON THE TOTAL TAX REVENUES RAISED. All changes in assessments do is shift the proportionate share of the total tax pie. The assessor could triple the assessment of every single property in the Town and the Town would not collect even $1.00 more in additional taxes. Individuals may see an increase or decrease in their taxes, but the overall amount of taxes raised is not impacted by this process.

  • .  April 1st 2023, the first tax bill that will be impacted by your new assessment.

  • Since the 2016 Reassessment, the Town is required to maintain it’s 100% equalization rate, where they maintain the assessed value of properties at 100% of their market value. That is the reason this recurring reassessment is occurring, and all properties are receiving an updated review.

  • Condos and co-ops are valued differently due to NY state law and as a result end up with valuations about 60% of their market value.  So if you see an assessment for a condo and it appears much lower than the potential listing price, that is why.

• Leaf Blowers- The town has scheduled another public hearing for 7/13 to discus the proposed law that will regulate and restric the use of leaf blowers in the town.

Hopefully you have found this informative.  Please forward to your friends and neighbors.  If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com

Eric Zinger
www.ericzinger.com

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Eric Zinger's Greenburgh Information and News

Hello Greenburgh,

Right to the news but first a quick plug: I'm asking everyone of you to forward this email to an interested neighbor/colleague or friend, encourage them to subscribe, and help spread the word. I want everyone to know what is going on in the Town and want this newsletter to continue to grow. To do that I need your support. If you can't think of anyone who is interested, I'd ask that you consider a donation to help offset web hosting fees and the costs involved in running this page. Any amount would be greatly appreciated.

Elmwood Country Club Development Proposal
On Wednesday at the Town Board meeting, there is a public hearing regarding the long in the works proposed residential development at the site of the former Elmwood Country Club on Dobbs Ferry Road. Location Link. This is one of the largest residential development projects in the area in years with 175 proposed townhomes in the original proposal. The hearing is for the Town Board as lead agency to hear comments from the public on the Final Environmental Impact Statement developed by Ridgwood for various options for developing the property.
Part 1
Part 2
If you'd like to read even more about the proposal you can view additional documents here which include the traffic data as well as the Conservation Advisory Council report.

There are pros and cons to each of the 5 proposed options. Each proposal varies in terms of the number of units, types of units, and the differences are well summarized in the below graphic. I encourage anyone who wishes to speak on this topic to attend the meeting on Wednesday but also to make sure to read the FEIS first as it has a detailed analysis and applicant response in Part 2 to many of your likely questions. My main thoughts:

• It is truly sad to see that option I is the only option on the table that includes any affordable housing units. We all know that a housing crisis exists in Westchester and the cost of housing is devastating for people on the lower end of the economic spectrum. That we could have a proposal for hundreds of millions of dollars of new development and not have any affordable units including is unacceptable. My comments on Wednesday will focus specifically on this point.

• It should be noted that options G and options I are condominium proposals that would have condominiums taxed like single family homes or "fee simple". This is "a concession" from the developer because condominiums in NY are taxed at much lower rates then single family homes because of the way they are assessed which results in lower assessments Lower assessments equals lower taxes. I put concession in quotes because it is ludicrous to think that the second the ink is dry on the site plan permits that this wouldn't immediately be challenged in court and in my opinion would have no basis to stand. We just saw the town negotiate millions of dollars in tax refunds to "The Landing" in Dobbs Ferry. That was a development that wished to convert from Fee Simple to condo and the Town Board tried to block/delay that till they could pass a law saying any property converted to Condominium tax type would not have its tax status changed. The tax refund is a tacit admission by the Town Board that this proposal would never hold up under challenge and with millions in tax revenue at stake, anyone who thinks that this wouldn't immediately be challenged has their head in the sand. I'm not saying proposals G and I should be scrapped entirely, but they should be considered only with the expectation of condominium tax structure. This is the other key point I will focus on Wednesday.

• I'll also note under the single family home proposal 2.5x as many trees will be cut down, 506 as per the FEIS.

Mary Jane Shimsky For Assembly
The vast majority of the Town of Greenburgh is located within the 92nd Assembly District. Up until the recent redistricting, the entire town was within the 92nd district. Only through the likely political engineering of incumbent Tom Abinanti, was Edgemont (an area where unpopular doesn't do his status justice) and a portion of Hartsdale gerrymandered out of the district into the neighboring 88th. The 92nd District also includes most of Mt. Pleasant and now a tiny portion of Yonkers. At an organized convention of Democrat Party District Leaders, those DL's representing the 92nd district(those remaining after Edgemont was gerrymandered out) overwhelmingly chose to support Mary Jane Shimsky as the next Assemblywoman as the endorsed candidate. I was one of those District Leaders and I cannot overstate how important this race is and we rally around Mary Jane. Mary Jane also this week picked up the endorsement of the Working Families Party. Incumbent Abinanti is still running and will be on the ballot so its important to spread the word and tell all registered Democrats to vote Mary Jane Shimsky for Assembly in the June primary.

Additional Updates

• Capital Budget- The Town Board is set to approve the 2022 Capital Budget at Wednesdays Town Board Meeting

  • Notable items include a complete renovation of the basketball courts at E. Rumbrook Park, multiple new vehicles for the town police department, a new traffic light at Central Avenue and Lawton in Hartsdale, $1mm for pedestrian safety improvements, $2.5mm for road resurfacing and an additional $2mm for curb replacements.

• Lawsuits

  • Kristen Stein Case- We are now up to $175k in authorized legal defense spending for the Kristen Stein case.

    • In related news, the parent company of Lohud/Journal News is suing Greenburgh for failing to disclose police disciplinary records. Link "Greenburgh, located in Westchester County, denied the request for its officers' disciplinary files"

  • The Landing- The landing recently negotiated a massive tax rebate as a result of significantly lower assessable values of their properties as a result of their conversion to a condominium tax structure. This ends their lawsuit against the Town for refusing to lower their assessment.

Hopefully you have found this informative. Please forward to your friends and neighbors. If you have questions about any of the above, please email me at Eric@ericzinger.com