Protect our Farms and Open Space

Most of us love our farms and open space and how Red Hook and Tivoli have worked to preserve them over the last 20 years. I am proud to have helped get these policies passed, as a supporter and activist in the early years when farms were still at risk for McMansion style development.

As our county legislator, I continue to protect our farms, expand opportunities for farmers and preserve our open space. Despite our love for our programs, that love is not universal and there are groups that would still like to chop up our farms into development. We must remain vigilant and ensure we don’t lose what we’ve already achieved.

Opioid and Drug Addiction

The abuse of heroin, opioids and other drugs have spread into our communities, a poison and a plague on our community and families. While we cannot force anyone into treatment we need to make sure we expand the opportunities for those facing addiction problems to seek treatment whenever they need it. Our justice system needs to be a partner in this – incarceration for non-violent addicts is not the answer and is only a drain on taxpayer resources that could be used to fight this epidemic.

Our friends and families are counting on us. As county legislator, I am working to make sure our community has the resources we need here so when one of our neighbors needs help, we have something to offer.

Vibrant Villages

What our small businesses need most is more customers. We get more customers by allowing more people to live within walking distance of our village centers. The new sewer system in the Village of Red Hook will increase housing density. More housing units will mean the rent increases will be slower.

Dutchess County took ownership of the Tivoli water system during my tenure allowing for expensive but important improvements.

Taxes and Tax Reform

I was one of the early members of the Tax Reform Effort of Northern Dutchess (TREND), part of a state-wide coalition of groups that have pushed to cap local property taxes with a income-based “circuit breaker” to help our seniors and those on a fixed income, and people who run into tough times, from being impoverished by local property taxes. While our current, so-called “2% tax cap” is a start, a real cap would reduce our taxes, not just make them rise a little slower.