Office Hours: Poverty Shaming Edition
Where in a candidate for New York State elected office tries to poverty shame their opponent, and garbage pick-up is still a sore spot for many Woodbury residents.
Pictured Above: 3 College Drive in Woodbury. Residents of Highland Lake Estates allege that the zoned residential home is being used as a schul, complete with a basement mikvah and a Hatzolah command center.
My friends, we did it.
It’s the end of the week. As you know, The Monroe Gazette does not post on the weekend. Unless, of course, something stupid happens.
This week … Has been particularly stupid.
Let’s recap:
-Der Fuhrer, Town of Monroe Supervisor, Tony Cardone, Dorey Houle, and Sal Scancarello outed themselves as fascists who condone violence against women. Unfortunately, that seems to be a feature, and not a bug, of today’s Republican Party. As a former Republican and someone who is a huge fan of Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt (both Republicans!), I think it’s a shame what’s become of this political party.
-Not that the Democrats are any better. They suck too. Just look at the latest BS perpetrated by Woodbury Village Trustee James Freiband, a Democrat. He slandered Woodbury Village Planning Board Chair Christopher Gerver and may have intentionally tried to entangle the Village of Woodbury into a lawsuit with the New York State Thruway Authority.
So, in the name of bipartisanship, I hope you’ll join me in declaring loudly and proudly, “They all suck.”
The thing is, only one of those two parties is actively trying to turn America into a fascist dictatorship:
-A big reason why “Everyone Sucks ” is the out-of-control power exercised by the wealthy and corporations in our political infrastructure. In South Blooming Grove this week, we saw what happened when a wealthy developer took over an entire Village Board.
When that happens, local government employees say it’s not their job to uphold the federal Fair Housing Act … During a hearing on the Village’s commitment to uphold the Fair Housing Act.
You get Village Trustees, like Trustee Guttman, who says it’s not his job to tell private property owners what to do.
Yes. I wish that were a joke. But that’s what happened.
If you want to fix things, we must remove money from politics. But let’s get to your questions this week.
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Now, let’s get to the questions …
What’s going on with 3 College Drive?
We’ve covered this one before. The short answer is: There’s a new Building Inspector in Woodbury. Thanks, in no small part, to the reporting of The Monroe Gazette.
I’ve been told the new building inspector and his new assistant will investigate some of the issues involving Highland Lake Estates, including 3 College Drive.
Stay tuned.
Ok, But What About The Garbage Issue?
This is a bigger story than one might think.
What appears to be happening at 3 College Drive and other locations throughout Woodbury is that some people are getting extra garbage service without paying for it.
The garbage issue was twice raised during public comment in this otherwise uneventful June 20th Woodbury Town Board meeting (above).
Supervisor Luciani has also received emails about this issue. However, since the supervisor is likely the one behind the extra garbage pickups, nothing will change unless more people ask her to knock it off.
You can email Supervisor Luciani, respectfully, please, at supervisor@woodburyny.us
Since I was copied on one of these emails, I can confirm that Supervisor Luciani was made aware of this issue on June 5th. Almost twenty days later, she said nothing when asked about it last night during public comment.
Why is this an issue?
We are currently living through the Second Gilded Age.
When one group of people is getting something another isn’t, that breeds anger and resentment. Especially during times of great inequality.
And that anger and resentment can, and often do in our area, transform into antisemitism.
The solution during a time of great inequality is not to give one group of people something another does not.
The solution is to treat everyone fairly and equally under the law.
The solution is to work together to end that inequality for the benefit of everyone.
If extra garbage pickups are needed, then that’s something everyone should receive.
Otherwise — while I think the Supervisor’s actions are well-intentioned — you’re ultimately creating a much larger problem by accidentally fueling antisemitism in the community.
Why Is Dorey Houle Poverty Shaming People?
I’ve been clear about my New York State 42nd District choice. I think Senator Skoufis sucks, but people should hold their nose and vote for him. Give the little, weasely bastard one more chance at the wheel, but make sure someone is ready to primary his ass next time.
I must stress this because I don’t want to give the impression that I’m endorsing Mr. Mitts. I also want to stress that, although he’s terrible on significant issues, Skoufis has also done some good for the community on others.
I’m much more interested in highlighting how dangerous Dorey Houle is.
There’s no way to discuss that without discussing the June 25th Conservative Party Primary between Dorey Houle and Timothy Mitts.
If he wins the primary, and I suspect he will, Mr. Mitts will play spoiler and keep Dorey from beating Skoufis in the Fall. That’s excellent news as far as I’m concerned.
Why?
As mentioned at the start of this post, Dorey Houle is a fascist.
-Despite claiming she’ll answer questions from the press (I have a recording of her saying that she’ll be happy to answer any questions I have), she then NEVER answers any questions. Then she claims she’s being persecuted and that the media is out to get her.
Below is the email I sent to her back in March, the day after she said she’d answer any question I have. It’s now June 21st, and she still hasn’t answered these questions.
-She is running an antisemitic campaign, which I have notified both the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburgh and North Brooklyn AND Agudath Israel of America. Both organizations have previously been up in Southern Orange County business claiming antisemitism on behalf of Mr. Stern and Mr. Ekstein but went completely silent when I asked if they would condemn Dorey Houle’s antisemitic campaign. Phone calls and emails to both men went unanswered.
Above: A Fake Tim Mitts account on Facebook attempts to link Mr. Mitts with the Satmar majority town of Palm Tree.
Something to remember the next time Rabbi David Niederman or Rabbi Yeruchim Silber appear to claim antisemitism on behalf of a wealthy developer in our area.
Only Councilwoman Richardson and Councilwoman Bingham have condemned Dorey Houle’s antisemitic campaign against Mr. Mitts. I asked Councilwoman Bingham, Will you, as elected representatives of the Town of Monroe, condemn Dorey Houle's campaign of antisemitism and the insinuation that Jewish Votes Don't Matter?”
In a statement to The Monroe Gazette, Councilwoman Bingham said:
As an elected representative, I can tell you all votes matter regardless of the person's race, ethnicity, sexual persuasion, disability, or religious beliefs. To state votes from any community should be disregarded as "their votes don't matter", in my opinion, means they do not understand or want to understand, the concerns of that community. Therefore, I can understand that the residents of the district would feel disenfranchised. In my opinion, any form of discrimination is not tolerable.
-Despite not witnessing the event, Mrs. Houle joined the Fuher and his Friend in the sanctioning Councilwoman Richardson. This even though Councilman Sal Scancarello, verifiably assaulted Councilwoman Richardson. (I can say verifiably because I’ve talked to the State Troopers about it, there’s medical documentation of it, and Councilwoman Richardson is pressing charges.)
These mailings you see above are problematic for a few reasons, little of which concerns Mr. Mitts.
-They’re illegal. It’s not clear who produced them or paid for them.
-The New York State Conservative Party will likely endorse Donald Trump this Fall. Mr. Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts and will be sentenced this July.
How can you say the legal system is rigged in one breath and then loudly tell people not to vote for a convicted felon in the other?
I’ll remind you that Mr. Trump’s attorneys participated in the jury selection process and were approved by the jury. Mr. Trump received far more leeway than you or I would have received under similar circumstances.
Telling people that the legal system is untrustworthy keeps America marching toward fascism.
Right, Dorey?
That’s Not The Disgusting Part Though
I know Mr. Mitts is polarizing, so I will encourage you to forget about him briefly.
Both campaign ads, sent on behalf of Dorey Houle, criticize her opponent for filing for bankruptcy and having a property foreclosed.
Do you know who else filed for bankruptcy four times? Donald Trump.
In 2023, 434,064 people filed for bankruptcy.
That’s almost 35,000 people more than everyone who lives in NY’s 42nd District (Orange County.)
That number increased from 374,240 people who filed for bankruptcy in 2022.
Together, that’s almost a million people in two years.
“The growing number of households and businesses filing for bankruptcy reflects the mounting economic challenges they now face,” said Amy Quackenboss, Executive Director of the American Bankruptcy Institute. “Debt loads are expanding as the prices of goods and services have risen with inflation, and the cost of borrowing continues to rise. While pandemic relief efforts have largely expired, the haven of bankruptcy is continually available for financially distressed businesses and consumers.” (Source)
There is absolutely nothing wrong with filing for bankruptcy.
Even Der Fuher Tony Cardone did it.
Attacking someone for filing for bankruptcy is disgusting.
It’s a form of poverty shaming, and people who do that kind of thing are uniquely unqualified to hold any office. They’re on the side of the corporations, not the people.
We shame poor and middle-class people into not filing for bankruptcy because it’ll fuck up the bottom line of the banks and credit card companies. Meanwhile, wealthy families like the Sacklers — who brought pain and misery to millions by peddling opioids — use bankruptcy as a legally acceptable method to protect themselves from any responsibility.
During the Great Recession, millions of Americans had their homes foreclosed on, a number often pegged at 10 million.
That’s over nine million more people than those who died during the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
So, yeah, Tim Mitts did file for bankruptcy and have a home foreclosed on.
But I dare you to find someone who hasn’t had to do either among the people Dorey Houle is running to represent.
That’s all I got for today. Ask your questions below!