I was a registered Independence Party member for a few months, and for that reason I received in the mail the above pictured newsletter. I found the content very informative, so I scanned the four pages and posted them below for your reading pleasure.
– Jon Dogar-Marinesco
A Meet the Candidates debate organized by the Friends of Historic Kerhonkson took place on October 28. The local newspapers reported on the questions asked and the answers provided, even mentioned how a Town Board candidate declared himself confused, but didn’t stress enough the fact that the incumbent Supervisor Carl Chipman – who is also President of the Association of Town Supervisors and Village Mayors – dominated the debate with his knowledge of the issues.
The day after the debate a bunch of plywood popped up on Route 209 and somehow explained Tim Bunch‘s weak performance the night before: the guy spent all his energy hand painting unusually wordy electoral signs.
After losing the nomination at both the Conservative and Republican Caucuses, and making people wonder if he is still on the ballot, the candidate Bunch shows – in his diatribes against Carl Chipman – strong determination to maul the truth.
But why attack Lynn Archer – a candidate for Legislator – when you’re running for Town Supervisor? I will tell you why…
The ballot (below) shows Tim Bunch only once, on the Independence line offered by Len Bernardo for a price: bring as many votes as possible for Terry and attack her challenger, Councilwoman Lynn Archer.
That’s why Tim worked hard at painting signs, spreading rumors, distorting the truth and exploiting non-existing issues to Terry Bernardo’s advantage.
According to Len Bernardo‘s moral compass, smearing the challenger of his wife is all “clean politics” – while he cries “dirty politics” on Facebook, presumably because poor Terry was “attacked” with the truth…
– Jon Dogar-Marinesco
Archer vs. Bernardo Debate – Round 2
This evening, at the second Ulster County Legislative District 21 debate, I listened – appalled and in disbelief – to Terry Bernardo’s response when questioned about “The Great Ulster County Sales Tax Extension/Safety Net Takeover Debacle.”
Challenger Lynn Archer first answered the question sensibly, calling for greater cooperation and communication between all parties in solving the problem that could have been prevented in the first place. Then Bernardo took the question and proceeded to blame for the crisis both protagonists involved: County Executive Hein (D) and Assemblyman Cahill (D). Not once in her diatribe did she mention what she did or could have done as Chairwoman of the Ulster County Legislature to avert the crisis and loss of revenue for the county, towns, and the City of Kingston. It seemed that Chairwoman Bernardo was far more concerned with playing the blame game than she was with showing true leadership by working across party lines to solve this problem.
Bernardo then moved on to the subject of Safety Net Welfare, and expressed her concerns about the growing costs of Safety Net Welfare in Ulster County. I was totally floored when she pondered aloud that perhaps the costs would be lower with the county managing Safety Net instead of the towns. I don’t know what planet Terry Bernardo has been on while serving as our Legislator for the last four years and as Chair of the Legislature for the last two. Safety Net Welfare has been administrated by Ulster County Social Services with local costs charged to the towns and the City of Kingston since its inception under the Welfare Reform Act under the Clinton Administration. The towns have absolutely no control over the charges passed on by the county for Safety Net. We are the only county in New York State where this is done. The other 61 counties pay for the local share of Safety Net charges that they administer. I find it to be terribly wrong to having towns pay for charges that they have absolutely no administrative control over. I feel that the only way Safety Net Welfare costs will be reined in is when the county starts paying the bill for what it manages instead of the towns.
I have fought tirelessly for reform in this area as Supervisor of the Town of Rochester and as President of the Ulster County Association of Town Supervisors and Village Mayors. Our costs for Safety Net have skyrocketed during the last several years especially when New York State changed the funding formula from 50/50 to 71/29 local vs. state percentage cost split. This has led to a phased-in county takeover of Safety Net costs which began with the 2013 Ulster County Budget – proposed by County Executive Mike Hein – which Terry Bernardo voted against last year without regard to the financial burden Safety Net places on the towns she represents. I have repeatedly voiced my concerns about Safety Net impacting our town to Terry Bernardo. It seems, by her previous actions and by what she stated this evening, that my concerns have fallen on deaf ears. It’s time for a change!
Vote for Lynn Archer on November 5.
Carl Chipman
Supervisor – Town of Rochester
As Chair of the Legislature, Terry Bernardo deferred the three most important policy decisions to the County Executive:
As a Republican, Terry Bernardo…
As a taxpayers’ watchdog, Terry Bernardo…
As a political figure, Terry Bernardo played no role in…
– Jon Dogar-Marinesco
A present from the past:
Shawangunk Journal – December 13, 2012
Ulster Legislators Need Better Leadership
Daily Freeman – December 10, 2012
Failure at top of Ulster County Legislature
Blue Stone Press – December 7, 2012
(below)
Pride of Rochester?
Considering myself an “accidental” politician – way “too honest” according to a party leader – I thought that upon ending my 4-year term as Councilwoman, I’d be out of politics for good.
I was honored with a plaque recognizing my dedicated service to the Town of Rochester. During the same January 2012 ceremony, Terry Bernardo – freshly elected Chairwoman of the Legislature – received a specially created “Pride of Rochester” certificate.
A few days later it was painful to watch our own Legislator from Rochester voting against the opinion expressed by Town Supervisor Carl Chipman. Later in the year the Legislature’s budget for 23 legislators dwarfed the previous one for 33 legislators. Promises were broken. Ethics conflicts abounded. Finding solutions to important problems took a back seat to unnecessary partisan bickering.
Soon enough I realized how hard it is to keep out of politics when a power-hungry politician bent on taking over the county acts with selfishness, financial irresponsibility and an embarrassing lack of leadership. How long are people going to vote for somebody who casually breaks the laws, hires all her friends on people’s dime, and avails herself of $160,000 in taxpayers’ money, compliments of IDA (Industrial Development Agency)?
It’s time to stop being used for one’s political ambitions. Legislative District 21 needs a true public servant. Rochester and East Wawarsing deserve a Legislator who listens and truly represents them, able to find the best solutions to our local issues. If anybody is tempted to dismiss my concerns because I ran for the same Legislature seat as Terry Bernardo, here is proof of bi-partisan outrage:
William West, former Chairman of Ulster County Legislature wrote to Roger Rascoe, the Ulster GOP chairman: “I would urge that as quickly as possible you meet with Ms. Terry Bernardo and ascertain whose team she is on – is her goal the destruction of the party? In a short two months she alone has caused more damage to our Republican party than any of the 30,000 county Republicans have ever done.”
Jeanette Provenzano, the Democratic Legislator, made her opinion public: “We waited over thirty years for a woman to be a Chairperson. Bernardo has done a disservice to all women in Ulster County.”
The reorganizational meeting for the coming Legislative year will be held on January 2. Bi-partisan predictions were made on Ulster County blogs. From the left (Ulster County Cloakroom): “But when it comes to Bernardo being bounced from her leadership post, I’ll always wager on timidity and entropy. In other words, it’s far easier to chicken-out and do nothing than it is to do hard work.” From the right (Liberty Coalition): “Bernardo gets reelected because none of the Republicans have enough backbone or spine to challenge her even though they are sealing their own fate for next year’s elections.”
Look at the bright side: Terry Bernardo could recycle her 2012 inaugural speech.
Manuela Michailescu
Kerhonkson
This post is reproduced from the Liberty Coalition blog.
Earlier this year, Terry Bernardo became the self-declared local spokesperson for the anti-SAFE Act group. The SAFE Act was passed by the New York State Legislature in January 2013 and became one of the most stringent anti-gun laws in the country following the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT. The SAFE Act bans possession of “high capacity” magazines and restricts to seven the number of rounds that may be loaded into a magazine, among other restrictions.
The controversial law has many opposed to it – me included – but given that elected officials always need to do something rather than nothing even if what they do will not address the problem, they passed the SAFE Act in January.
You may recall that I chastised Bernardo and the County Legislature for the dog and pony show they put on at taxpayers’ expense back in February (after the SAFE Act was passed) to host the regular monthly legislative session at UPAC (Ulster Performing Arts Center) in Kingston. Bernardo’s rationale was that a lot of people wanted to come out and comment on a law that the New York State Legislature already passed (you’re following me here, right?). Since UPAC is not a county owned building, the County Legislature had to pay to use the facility so all the residents for and against the SAFE Act could come out and voice their opinions on a law over which the County Legislature has no control.
I recently obtained a copy of the invoice for the use of UPAC that night and it cost the taxpayers of Ulster County $1,200 for the gripe fest about an existing law. Now I wouldn’t have any problem with spending the money IF the Ulster County Legislature had the jurisdiction to pass or repeal the law or if they had any control whatsoever over legislation passed by the State Legislature, but this was nothing more than a headline grabbing initiative by both Bernardos. Think I’m wrong? Go ahead and ask around. Paying $1,200 for our Legislature to send a Memorializing Resolution up to Albany is total bull. Not that I didn’t say this before.
Those who watch the Bernardo Show regularly – like I do – may have also seen a photo op shot of Terry cozying up to Governor Cuomo while up in Albany for the NYSAC meeting. It was only a week later that she was standing in front of the Capitol with her anti-SAFE Act friends shouting “Cuomo’s got to go!” So which one is it? Are you for or against Cuomo?
Now here’s the new problem for Bernardo – word on the street is that the anti-SAFE Act people are spreading the word and handing out fliers instructing all of their supporters to vote no for ALL statewide ballot propositions. This includes Proposition 1 which authorizes up to seven casinos, one of which is slated for the Town of Wawarsing at the former Nevele site, which falls within Bernardo’s legislative district.
So what’s in the Bernardo playbook now? Distribute some of those anti-SAFE Act fliers calling for supporters to “stick it to the politicians” or vote in favor of Proposition 1 to support her constituents?
Robin Vaccai, Spokesperson
Liberty Coalition
nylibertycoalition@gmail.com
There are 13 differences between these two images. Can you find them all?
– Jon Dogar-Marinesco
Turn over the ballot. That was the main message Monday as a bevy of regional elected officials and business advocates converged at the Ulster County Government Center, asking voters to approve a casino gaming proposition that will appear on the back of ballots on Nov. 5. (Times Herald-Record)
Ulster County Executive Michael Hein and several other elected local officials urged voters on Monday to support the upcoming statewide referendum on casino gambling. (Daily Freeman)
Terry Bernardo, the Chairwoman of the Ulster County Legislature, did not attend the event, despite declaring – just a few days ago! – in Blue Stone Press:
What position was she talking about? Pilates Squat, of course!
She sent Tantillo at the meeting to spread this statement:
“Chairman Bernardo today urged Ulster County voters…”
No, she didn’t! But we knew that she’s a liar.
– Jon Dogar-Marinesco
Two years ago a dead person signed a petition on behalf of Terry Bernardo.
This past weekend – also on behalf of Terry Bernardo – dead people were asked to vote against Town Supervisor Carl Chipman (see the photo above).
There is no such thing as voting against a candidate.
What the sign in the cemetery plot really says is “Vote for Tim Bunch.”
Tim Bunch is the Independence Party candidate running against Carl Chipman.
The Independence Party’s Chairman is Len Bernardo.
Len Bernardo is the husband of Terry Bernardo.
The Bernardos hate Carl Chipman for his endorsing of Lynn Archer.
Lynn Archer is running against Terry Bernardo.
Go, Archer, go!
– Jon Dogar-Marinesco
Rochester Smoke Out 