Such a nice place to live and raise
a family
From the 2014 Town Budget with love and kisses from all the
“Petronites”:
11/8/2013
- Board Approves Petrone’s 2014 Budget Proposal [1]
“The
Huntington Town Board has approved Supervisor
Frank P. Petrone’s 2014
Operating Budget, a $185.2 spending plan.... By the same vote, the Board
approved the $8.8 million Capital
Budget” [1]
Two very separate numbers that bring into play the
exempting of borrowing in the Capital Budget. This was stated in proposition #5
as being solely for the Sewer District. Don’t bet that you were told the entire
story on that one.
“Planned initiatives for 2014 and
beyond include: the completion of Coral
Park, the reconstruction of the Gerard
Street Parking Lot, a new bulkhead at the Halesite Town dock, the construction of a new rowing facility, funding for
technology initiatives and for protection of our environment.” [1]
This all comes under the “Capital Expenditures”
category, which is separate from the main Budget. I didn’t know that everyone
in the Town of Huntington was into rowing. The Gerard St. parking Lot make-over
is going to yield perhaps four (4) more parking spaces; probably two.
Technology initiatives and protecting our environment are gray areas where the
spending can be easily hidden from the Public’s view, hence an increased
possibility of misuse. I dare anyone to try to find out just who’s going to be
doing all this “construction”.
There exists a rather long-standing, insidious, corrupt history of “crony-ism”
in this Town that will probably ensure that, for these projects, the correct
construction company gets the job.
“…authorized sending a letter to the
Zoning Board of Appeals supporting the Huntington YMCA’s plan for a new
building and the construction of new parking facilities on Town land.” [1]
Remember the ballot proposal #7 on the back side of our
paper ballots? No? I didn’t think you did. For those of us who did take a peek
at the back side of our ballots, the ink wasn’t even dry before the special
“eminent domain” kicked in for another expansion of the YMCA (on land the Town
owns, or has the developmental rights to).
Here’s another example of the Petrone administration
wasting no time exercising that #7 ballot proposal to deed land that the Town
owns, or has the development rights to, over to private business instead of the
stated public services option.
“The Huntington
Station-related resolutions set December 10 public hearings
on zoning measures related to two Huntington Station revitalization
projects: the Columbia Terrace
housing development at Railroad Street and Lowndes Avenue and the possibility
of a hotel
across the street, as supported by the community in the recently adopted
Huntington Station development strategy. If adopted, the resolutions would
change the zoning
to a more appropriate category for the envisioned 14-unit Columbia Terrace
proposal and adjust the zoning on the property that is now a municipal parking
lot to allow for construction of a hotel. Sitting as the board of the Community
Development Agency, the Board also approved hiring Jeffrey
A. Hartman, P.C., for design and engineering
services for the Columbia Terrace development. [1]
And, the lack of transparency never ceases to amaze.
“…set a public hearing for 9 a.m.
December 6 on a proposed local law that will grant one-time property tax relief
for homes damaged by Super Storm Sandy.” [1]
December 6th is a Friday. And, who in their
right mind set a 9 AM as a time for a homeowner to grieve on relief of anything?
Come on, folks, they are treating this as a joke!! I find it unfortunate that folks in
Huntington didn’t have the foresight to check into this before the elections
last week. Perhaps, next year (2014) we can get the word out with sufficient
lead time to educate the population of Huntington, our “All-American Town”.
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