PHILLIPS BLASTS DAY OVER RCIU COMMENTS

Dear Editor,

I am responding to the comments of Legislator Ed Day that appeared in the Journal News on March 30 regarding Rockland County Intelligence Unit funding. Mr. Day stated that 50 percent of the arrests come from Haverstraw. We get the insinuation. That would be like someone saying that all the larcenies from the Pyramid Mall are by Clarkstown residents. His statement is elitist and foolish at best. The luxury cars coming into the Village of Haverstraw partaking in illegal activity are not village residents. Where does he think the drugs come from? The County Intel Unit benefits every resident in Rockland.

These comments come from a person who has sat by allowing the county to overestimate its sales tax by approximately $10 million a year for the last five years. The county now finds itself in a $70-80 million deficit. But the greatest hypocrisy is his frivolous statement saying that we don’t want to “play in his sandbox.” Instead of funding one of the most effective law enforcement tools in Rockland, the county has budgeted $3.3 million to contract agencies with approximately another $1 million in other areas in the county budget.

Here is an example of county government. On Main Street in Garnerville there is a hole by the county bridge. For over two years the county has placed cones and poured asphalt in as the solution. Where do you think the asphalt goes? In the Minisceongo River. My advice to Mr. Day, “Keep fiddling while Rockland continues to burn.” I guess this is acceptable to Mr. Day.

Howard T. Phillips Jr.

Supervisor of the Town of Haverstraw

  editorial, garnerville, philips, rockland county