Dear Neighbor:

We hope your summer is going well.

We know it is early in the season to speak about Village elections, but we have much to say that is important and affects this Village. We feel very strongly about conducting a positive, respectful campaign, but we do have to review the record of Croton United and show you how they have not lived up to their campaign goals and promises. This is not a personal attack, but rather a frank review of the Croton United government.

1. 1. Fiscal Responsibility. In 2015 Croton United stated, “It will take some time to get Croton’s financial house in order, and it will not be easy. But it must be done. And we pledge to do it as quickly and painlessly as possible.”  The Croton United majority has been so focused on not borrowing more money that it has stalled important capital projects like the planned upgrades to Croton Point Avenue and the approach to the train station, and the replacement of two fire department vehicles that are over 20 years old. We would not let our homes fall into disrepair, and we would not have our family members drive 20 year-old cars. Let’s take care of our responsibilities and do it wisely.
   2. Transparency & Ethics in Government. Croton United pledged, “When we take office, we will keep you informed, in a timely manner, regarding the actions your village board is taking in your name. We will institute a policy of proactive disclosure of public documents.”  Instead of doing this, the Mayor cancelled the monthly newsletter, on his own, and made it more difficult to obtain Village documents.  In addition, the current majority approved a payment of taxpayer dollars to their largest donor as “settlement” for a claim rejected by our insurer. Now, Croton United has even go so far as to nominated the spouse of the Associate Village Justice as a candidate for Trustee in this year’s election.

• Economic Development: In their 2015 campaign, Croton United stated, “We will revive the Business Development Committee…developing new relationships and nurturing the existing ones.”  The Business Development Committee was never reconvened nor has the Croton United majority developed a plan to attract new businesses to Croton, support existing ones, or capitalize on the influx of visitors we have for events like the Blaze. Meanwhile, Croton has numerous empty storefronts and continues to miss opportunities. The Village should also work creatively with entrepreneurs to turn unused spaces into viable businesses that will benefit the entire community.

In our next letter, we will talk about some specific ideas for improving our wonderful Village.

Candidate for Mayor Amy Attias for Trustee   Sherry Horowitz for Trustee