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Let's talk about the issues

I believe our county is adrift. We have:
  • the worst air quality in the Hudson Valley
  • the highest gasoline prices in the Hudson Valley
  • median home prices twice what the typical family can afford
  • county-wide ground-water contamination
  • the 30th worst traffic congestion of the 3200 counties in the United States

Our current County Executive has:
  • raised property taxes over 40% in the last 3 years
  • increased sales taxes by 25%
  • enacted a new $6,000,000 mortgage tax
  • vetoed a well-water testing law
  • vetoed a county-wide electrical contractor licensing law
  • refused to appoint members to the Dutchess County Human Rights Commission

HERE ARE SOME OF THE SPECIFIC ISSUES FACING DUTCHESS COUNTY:

Groundwater Protection

I believe our groundwater is one of our most precious resources. That is why I recently proposed, and the Town of Wappinger became the first town in the county to pass, a mandatory well-testing law. I am pleased to see that the towns of Fishkill and East Fishkill followed my town's example. This is not a partisan issue, but a matter of public health. One of my first initiatives as County Executive will be to propose a county-wide well-testing law so we can begin protecting the health and safety of all county residents. Unfortunately, as we wait, approximately 35,000 private wells today go untested and unprotected.

Affordable Housing

Dutchess County is experiencing a housing crisis. The dream of home ownership is now out of reach of most of our county residents who are being driven out of the county by high home costs. The median price of a home in Dutchess County is twice what a typical county household can afford. Although this housing crisis impacts our younger workers and senior citizens most, it affects all of our middle-class residents. The rising costs of homes, along with rising property taxes, means many of our residents will be unable to retire in our County.

I believe our county government must take the lead in finding ways to provide more affordable housing. The quality of life of all our residents depends on it. The county must partner with towns, cities and villages as well as with non-profit organizations to make affordable housing available to more county residents.

Property Taxes

In the last three years alone, county property taxes have increased forty percent. At the same time, the incumbent county executive has increased our sales taxes by twenty five percent and added a new mortgage tax that will cost six million dollars per year. These ever-increasing taxes are unsustainable.

I believe that another way must be found to balance our county budget. Simply raising taxes or creating new ones is not good enough. The County must do as any family must do when their expenses increase: find more efficient ways of spending money and implementing the kind of financial controls that any $400,000,000 organization should have and which are currently lacking in Dutchess County.

Economic Development

I believe we need to bring back good-paying jobs to Dutchess County, jobs like those at IBM that are still leaving this county under the present regime. The lack of high-paying local jobs has forced many of our workers to travel outside the county and forced other workers to move out of Dutchess.

We must partner with employers, potential employers, regional organizations and government agencies to seek the kind of jobs that will benefit our growing population. Our county government must cooperate with all levels of government — local, state and federal — to bring private and public investment to attract high-tech industry.

The Environment

As Wappinger Town Supervisor, I passed the most protective wetlands law in the county and drew up a forward-looking comprehensive plan that will guide future growth in the Town of Wappinger. As County Executive I will propose a countywide wetlands ordinance and I will instruct the County Planning Department to work more closely with our towns, cities and villages to assure that the decisions they make are based on sound planning principles.

I will also require the use of more efficient, environmentally-friendly technologies in our auto and bus fleet and further require that environmental impact be one of the factors considered in all county purchases.

To see archived photos of May 22, 2007 — Joseph Ruggiero announces his candidacy for Dutchess County Executive


Copyright 2007 Joe Ruggiero for Dutchess County Executive

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