Dear Editor,
Last month the Orange County Legislature voted for an up to 28% increase in salary for all attorneys working for Orange County. The annual cost is yet to be determined but will be in my estimation between 2 and 3 million dollars when you include the increase in their pensions.
This month the County Executive presided over the groundbreaking of the new County Medical Examiners building. The projected cost to the Orange County taxpayers will be $24,000,000.
In fairness to the County Executive, it is the County Legislature that controls (buys, sells, builds on) real property belonging to the County.
The County Legislature appropriated $24,000,000 for basically a morgue. Much needed, but not with 24 million tax payer dollars.
Orange County is now beginning the process of selling 30-plus acres of county property commonly referred to as the Goshen Quarry.
The air quality in Orange County as a whole is not the best. Air quality in the communities surrounding the Goshen Quarry is not good at all.
Should Tilcon, the current lease holder, be the successful bidder on the property, I suspect the air quality will get worse and expand to contaminate other communities.
The Orange County Legislature needs 14 votes to sell property. Please contact your County Legislator and ask them to vote NO on the sale of the Goshen Quarry.
Anyone with any questions, concerns, or wanting more information can contact me at 845-699-4882 or jodonnell@orangecountygov.com.
Sincerely,
James O’Donnell
Orange County Legislator
District 21
