KJ interests pour $250K into Cuomo coffers days after veto of annexation bills - News - recordonline.com - Middletown, NY
A group of entities located in or tied to Kiryas Joel
deposited $250,000 in Gov. Andrew Cuomo's campaign account on Monday and
Tuesday, less than a week after the governor vetoed two bills spawned
by the Kiryas Joel annexation controversy that leaders of that community
strenuously opposed, according to the financial disclosure report
Cuomo's campaign filed this week.
deposited $250,000 in Gov. Andrew Cuomo's campaign account on Monday and
Tuesday, less than a week after the governor vetoed two bills spawned
by the Kiryas Joel annexation controversy that leaders of that community
strenuously opposed, according to the financial disclosure report
Cuomo's campaign filed this week.
Cuomo's
haul included eight $25,000 checks from four limited liability
corporations that listed the same address in Brooklyn and that appear to
be connected to Mayer Hirsch, a Kiryas Joel resident and former village
trustee who oversees the land development arm of Kiryas Joel's main
congregation. Three of the entities that made contributions listed
Hirsch's home address in Kiryas Joel when they were incorporated in 2012
and 2013.
haul included eight $25,000 checks from four limited liability
corporations that listed the same address in Brooklyn and that appear to
be connected to Mayer Hirsch, a Kiryas Joel resident and former village
trustee who oversees the land development arm of Kiryas Joel's main
congregation. Three of the entities that made contributions listed
Hirsch's home address in Kiryas Joel when they were incorporated in 2012
and 2013.
The remaining $50,000 came in a
single check from a limited liability corporation that listed the home
address in Kiryas Joel of Hirsch's son, Jacob.
single check from a limited liability corporation that listed the home
address in Kiryas Joel of Hirsch's son, Jacob.
The
disclosure of the donations has further infuriated activists who
supported the bills that Cuomo vetoed, one of which would have enabled
Orange County planners to recommend approval or rejection of two pending
proposals to annex 507 acres or 164 acres into Kiryas Joel from the
Town of Monroe. Emily Convers, chairwoman of the United Monroe citizens
group, called the sudden infusion of campaign cash an obvious payment
for services rendered by the governor.
disclosure of the donations has further infuriated activists who
supported the bills that Cuomo vetoed, one of which would have enabled
Orange County planners to recommend approval or rejection of two pending
proposals to annex 507 acres or 164 acres into Kiryas Joel from the
Town of Monroe. Emily Convers, chairwoman of the United Monroe citizens
group, called the sudden infusion of campaign cash an obvious payment
for services rendered by the governor.
"For
anyone to doubt for a second who Cuomo is working for and what
motivated him to veto, look no further than this blatant purchase of an
elected leader," Convers said on Friday. "When those opposed to an
environmental oversight bill are screaming 'anti-Semitism' and paying
off the governor, it's hard not to make that assumption. It's
despicable."
anyone to doubt for a second who Cuomo is working for and what
motivated him to veto, look no further than this blatant purchase of an
elected leader," Convers said on Friday. "When those opposed to an
environmental oversight bill are screaming 'anti-Semitism' and paying
off the governor, it's hard not to make that assumption. It's
despicable."
Cuomo spokesman Richard
Azzopardi responded on Friday that Cuomo "clearly laid out" his
objections to the two bills in his veto messages. The governor had
argued that the bill giving county planning departments a say in certain
annexation requests violated a clause in the state constitution that
stipulates counties may give consent to annexations only when it affects
their borders. Assemblyman James Skoufis, the Woodbury Democrat who
introduced the bill, has strongly disputed that reasoning, pointing out
that his bill would have left the annexation decision in the hands of
the two municipalities involved - in this case, the Kiryas Joel and Town
of Monroe governing boards.
Azzopardi responded on Friday that Cuomo "clearly laid out" his
objections to the two bills in his veto messages. The governor had
argued that the bill giving county planning departments a say in certain
annexation requests violated a clause in the state constitution that
stipulates counties may give consent to annexations only when it affects
their borders. Assemblyman James Skoufis, the Woodbury Democrat who
introduced the bill, has strongly disputed that reasoning, pointing out
that his bill would have left the annexation decision in the hands of
the two municipalities involved - in this case, the Kiryas Joel and Town
of Monroe governing boards.
The second
bill - which wouldn't have affected the current annexation clash but
could have played a role in future ones - would have let state officials
weigh the environmental records of municipalities vying to oversee an
environmental review, as Kiryas Joel and the Town of Monroe did for the
507-acre annexation request. Cuomo argued in his veto message that state
officials already had that ability, and that the bill could have
penalized municipalities for the environmental missteps of previous
administrations.
bill - which wouldn't have affected the current annexation clash but
could have played a role in future ones - would have let state officials
weigh the environmental records of municipalities vying to oversee an
environmental review, as Kiryas Joel and the Town of Monroe did for the
507-acre annexation request. Cuomo argued in his veto message that state
officials already had that ability, and that the bill could have
penalized municipalities for the environmental missteps of previous
administrations.
"As stated in the
Governor's veto messages, these bills were not approved because one was
unconstitutional and the other would have resulted in undue burdens
being placed on the municipalities it was intended to help," Azzopardi
said in an email.
Governor's veto messages, these bills were not approved because one was
unconstitutional and the other would have resulted in undue burdens
being placed on the municipalities it was intended to help," Azzopardi
said in an email.
Reached on his cell phone
Friday afternoon, Mayer Hirsch said he would have to look into the
contributions and couldn't discuss them until Monday. Vaad Hakiryah, the
landholding entity he oversees, owns almost a third of the 285
undeveloped acres included in the larger annexation request.
Friday afternoon, Mayer Hirsch said he would have to look into the
contributions and couldn't discuss them until Monday. Vaad Hakiryah, the
landholding entity he oversees, owns almost a third of the 285
undeveloped acres included in the larger annexation request.
Supporters
of the bills Cuomo vetoed on July 8 argued they would have strengthened
outside oversight of major annexation attempts and corrected
deficiencies in state law. Kiryas Joel leaders and their allies contend
the measures were intended solely to block the expansion of the Satmar
Hasidic community.
of the bills Cuomo vetoed on July 8 argued they would have strengthened
outside oversight of major annexation attempts and corrected
deficiencies in state law. Kiryas Joel leaders and their allies contend
the measures were intended solely to block the expansion of the Satmar
Hasidic community.