 |
| May 11, 2025 |
Welcome! Click here to Login
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Click to visit the
Official Town Site
|
|
|
|
|
|
January 22, 2009
Letter to the Editor:
Having lived in this community for 36 of my 43 years, I never thought I would so seriously be considering leaving. I find I am ashamed to be part of a community that shows such lack of respect towards those who put their lives on the line for others whether paid or volunteer.
The Cornwall-on-Hudson village board has set about making up deficits and alleviating debt by cutting the budgets of our police department and VOLUNTEER fire department.
Where does safety count when considering cost? Children no longer deserve the full attention of an appointed crossing guard, instead we should use a police officer and hope that someone is not truly in need during school opening and closing hours. They expect the police department to provide adequate security while taking away necessary funds to keep officers protected and prevent them from wanting to leave for greener pastures.
As the wife and mother of volunteer firefighters, I am insulted that the board has such total lack of consideration for the time and effort they have put in to protect the lives of every member of this community. I have had many family functions ruined or interrupted so that others can be attended to. I have watched my husband emerge from many homes that were fully involved with fire. I have seen the devastation on his face when he had to carry a dead child out of a burning structure. His life meant nothing at the time, his concern was for those whose lives and home were in danger.
The village board is now asking these VOLUNTEERS to please keep providing this service, but at a lower cost to the taxpayers. They want to cut pagers, radios, chiefs cars and other equipment to save money. They are forgetting that the VOLUNTEERS have obtained grants for much of the equipment and have their own fundraiser in order to keep the department going.
The Storm King Fire Engine Company does not throw money around and they are a much lower cost department than those around us providing the same services. I am not looking to have my taxes increased but I do not want to see them kept down by risking the lives of the community members or those whose job it is to serve and protect.
I strongly urge all community members to think about the gravity of these cuts and show up at the next board meeting to support the police department and VOLUNTEER fire dept. Those of you who have needed their assistance know how important it is and for those who have not, and hopefully never will, please think about the ramifications of cutting the budgets of these two departments.
Sincerely,
Susan Armitage
Cornwall-on-Hudson
Comments:
|
Very well put!!
posted by Kristi VanDuzer on 01/22/09 at 3:34 PM
|
|
It appears that some of these spending cuts are being driven by the premise that all village debt needs to be repaid; that the village should have no debt - that having debt is irresponsible. This is, in my humble opinion, a poor assumption. Debt is not neccessarily bad. It is appropriate for an entity (i.e., a village) to have debt, as long as it is properly balanced relative to the cash flow (taxes) an entity is generating. Long term debt should be used to purchase long-lived assets. Let's make sure we truly need to cut expenses before potentially dangerous decisions are made.
Joe McDonald
posted by Joe McDonald on 01/23/09 at 9:55 AM
|
|
I don't believe anything I wrote is in conflict with what the most recent post. I am simply advocating thoughtful balancing of revenues, debt and expenses. Some of the proposed cuts have come across as having the potential for more thought; and less emotion.
posted by Joe McDonald on 01/28/09 at 7:17 PM
|
Add a Comment:
Please signup or login to add a comment.
|
 |
|
|
|
