Thank you to the people of Red Hook and Tivoli for sending me back to the County Legislature for another two year term. The final margin after absentees were counted was a 642 vote margin (59%-41%).
Munn fought to protect our Corrections Officers’ health and safety
On Halloween, my opponent sent a mailer trying to scare voters, paid for by the New York State Republican Committee, with numerous lies and smears and misleading statements about my record and actions in the legislature. He even attacked me for listening to the concerns of a decorated veteran.
One of the absurd charges was that I tried to add “10 county employees” that weren’t needed and would cost taxpayer money.
Apparently, my opponent has little regard for our dedicated corrections officers (COs) that staff our county jail and whose lives have been disrupted and families stressed by excessive mandatory overtime and unsafe working conditions.
Then again, if he had cared enough about county government to attend ANY of our county legislative meetings over the past two years, he’d might know better.
I take my job very seriously. Below I share with you a video of my standing with our COs and my attempt to better their unsafe / dangerous working conditions.
Because of poor long-term planning at the jail by the current administration, our corrections officers at the Dutchess County Jail have been forced to work incredible amounts of overtime for years, much of it mandatory. Mandatory overtime can create unsafe working conditions as sleep-deprived and stressed officers are pressed into duty putting themselves and those being held at the jail at risk.
During budget season I proposed adding ten more full-time Corrections Officers to the staff to help relieve that burden. As I explained at the time, the net cost of hiring WOULD BE ZERO since overtime costs would drop and make up both the training cost and salary cost in the first year. In the second year, it would have saved taxpayers money. Even one of the Republican legislators on the floor agreed that it would cost nothing to try.
In the end, the administration believed that there were not enough qualified people to hire and didn’t want to try. They said that they would hire lots of part-timers to reduce overtime (SPOILER: that didn’t make a significant dent in the problem) and they had the Republican legislators vote down the amendment.
My opponent should have more respect for the hardworking men and women that make our county government work.
FACT CHECK: Munn stood with Nelson Eddy Rivera and county veterans
On Halloween, my opponent sent a mailer, paid for by the New York State Republican Committee, with numerous lies and smears and misleading statements about my record and actions in the legislature.
Normally I would not dignify such trash with a response, especially coming from someone who has not bothered to attend a single legislative meeting.
However, one claim in particular – that I should have ignored the concerns of a highly-respected veteran and that I am anti-veteran – is so disgusting I cannot let it go unanswered.
Nelson Eddy Rivera (USN, Retired) served our nation and county with honor and distinction. For 18 years he served as the Director of Veterans Services in Dutchess County until his retirement in early 2017. In all my discussions with leaders in our community and the county, I never heard a bad word about Mr. Rivera.
When Mr. Rivera contacted some of us in the legislature and strongly recommended AGAINST the appointment of the young veteran that had been put forward as his successor, I listened. He told us that he had expressed his concerns to the administration during the search process for his replacement and been ignored. He told us that other, far more qualified and experienced candidates were available yet this young man had been chosen for the top spot.
I urged my Republican colleagues to delay the vote so they could also hear from Mr. Rivera and so we could all have more time to consider the situation. They refused even a short delay to consider further what might be best for our veterans and forced an immediate vote, appointing him.
While I wish the new director nothing but success and will offer him nothing but support in his efforts to help our veterans, I stand by my decision to vote NO on his appointment given the circumstances.
And shame on my opponent to claim Mr. Rivera’s concerns should not have been heard and to suggest that anything other than the best interests of our county’s veterans was in my heart. I would suggest that those who refused to hear out Mr. Rivera are the ones who should be asked these questions.
Independent Redistricting to go before the voters in 2020
I fought all year to get true Independent Redistricting for Dutchess County, to end the corrupt gerrymandering of our legislative districts. With today’s signing, the change will go before the voters in November 2020 for an up-or-down vote. It would have been far better to have it before the voters THIS November but our work was delayed to make sure that didn’t happen. 10 years ago Independent Redistricting was passed and then repealed by the Republicans after the elections were over. We must not let history repeat itself.
Good News / Bad News on our proposal for Independent Redistricting Commission
Good news, bad news! Bad news is that Gregg Pulver kept our law off the agenda in June for no good reason. Good news is that the so-called independent advisory group on redistricting has reversed course and endorsed a commission instead of just a committee.
Munn votes NO as legislature votes 13-12 to hike elected official salaries
On Monday, June 10, the Dutchess County Legislature voted 13-12 to provide 12.5% raises to county-wide electeds and 6% raises for county legislators, passing a resolution put forward by Chairman Gregg Pulver (R-Pine Plains).
When asked on Thursday how the 3% per year number was arrived at despite inflation being below 2%, Chairman Pulver admitted that “The 3% number came up quite frankly because we’re now giving a county-wide elected official a 3% salary [increase] next year and the year after which would be the comptroller. We voted two years ago to raise the comptroller’s salary… So that’s where the 3% came from.”
“There is no reason cited for the amount of the raises aside from the fact that they gave the comptroller that raise back in 2017 and there haven’t been raises in awhile,” said Legislator Kristofer Munn. “I would want to see a cross-county comparison on total compensation before considering raises.”
Current compensation packages including medical, insurance, pension contribution, car allowance:
- County Executive: $191,973.41
- Sheriff: $182,113.20
- County Clerk: $149,558.87
- County Comptroller: $126,526.53
“I only regret we did not have one more vote to oppose this baseless measure,” said Munn.
Like term limits and his local law to weaken disclosure rules, Pulver put forward the salary legislation without any warning or discussion across the aisle.
Salary increases will take effect beginning January 1, 2020.
Munn votes NO in committee on Pulver’s raises for elected officials
On Thursday, June 6, the Budget & Finance committee of the Dutchess County Legislature considered and passed a resolution from Chairman Gregg Pulver (R-Pine Plains) to provide 12.5% raises to county-wide electeds and 6% raises for county legislators. The vote was 8-4.
When asked on the floor how the 3% per year number was arrived at despite inflation being below 2%, Chairman Pulver admitted that “The 3% number came up quite frankly because we’re now giving a county-wide elected official a 3% salary [increase] next year and the year after which would be the comptroller. We voted two years ago to raise the comptroller’s salary… So that’s where the 3% came from.”
“There is no reason cited for the amount of the raises aside from the fact that they gave the comptroller that raise back in 2017 and there haven’t been raises in awhile,” said Legislator Kristofer Munn. “I would want to see a cross-county comparison on total compensation before considering raises.”
Current compensation packages including medical, insurance, pension contribution, car allowance:
- County Executive: $191,973.41
- Sheriff: $182,113.20
- County Clerk: $149,558.87
- County Comptroller: $126,526.53
Voting in favor of the measure were legislators Pulver, Will Truitt (R-Hyde Park), Don Sagliano (R-Pleasant Valley), Joe Incoronato (R-Wappingers Falls), Donna Bolner (R-LaGrange), Tom Keith (R-Town of Poughkeepsie), Barbara Jeter-Jackson (D-City of Poughkeepsie) and John Metzger (R-East Fishkill).
Opposing the salary hikes in committee were legislators Munn, Hannah Black (D-Hyde Park), Randy Johnson (D-City of Poughkeepsie) and Nick Page (D-Beacon).
Like term limits and his local law to weaken disclosure rules, Pulver put forward the salary legislation without any warning or discussion across the aisle.
The resolution moves to the full 25-person board on Monday, June 10 for final passage.
Munn receives Independence Party nod
Incumbent legislator Kristofer Munn has received the endorsement of the Dutchess County Independence Party as their chosen candidate as he seeks re-election as Red Hook and Tivoli’s representative in the Dutchess County Legislature.
“After 16 months in office and compiling a track record of hard work and results, I am pleased that the Dutchess County Independence Party has chosen me as their candidate,” said Munn.
In 2017, Munn sought and won the nomination of the Independence Party in his first run for office.
Those registered in the Independence Party can cast their vote of support for Kris in the primary on Tuesday, June 25, 2019.
Please consider a donation to our campaign.
Munn introduces law to end corrupt practice of politicians drawing their own districts
Every 10 years, the majority party in the Dutchess County Legislature draws district lines to favor their members and disadvantage the opposing party in an attempt to entrench their power and make themselves immune to the will of the voters.
On May 13, 2019, Democratic members of the Dutchess County Legislature put forward a local law to change how the county legislative districts are drawn after each census. Instead of having the politicians in power draw their own districts for maximum political advantage, an Independent Redistricting Commission would be formed with no politicians, no officers of any political party and no county employees. They would take public input thru hearings, create a map and approve a final plan with five votes out of seven. The plan would have the force of law. Once the law is passed, it will go to a public vote this November.
We need your help! Please sign the petition to support passing the law and ask the legislature to pass it as soon as possible so the voters can approve it this November in time for the next census!
Munn strengthens leaky ethics and disclosure proposal
In March 2019, a new local law was proposed revamping the ethics and disclosure rules in Dutchess County. The Republican leadership put it forward without sharing it with most of the legislators for review.
After examination, it turned out this so-called improvement was reducing the disclosure rules for some family members. When asked on the floor, it appeared that neither the sponsors of the law nor the low-level staffers could answer questions about the new holes they were opening in the disclosure rules. Amendments were made the following meeting to fix those gaps.
