Carlucci says Dagan “La-Can”

BY MICHAEL RICONDA

New City – State Senator David Carlucci (D – Ossining, Rockland) publically announced his support for Suffern Mayor Dagan LaCorte’s bid for Rockland County executive during a press conference at the Rockland County Courthouse at noon on Monday, July 22.

“When we sent David Carlucci to Albany in 2010, the people of Rockland sent a clear message that they wanted someone who’s gonna stand up to the special interests and deliver independent, progressive leadership for Rockland,” LaCorte said in response to the endorsement. “That’s why I am so thrilled to have the endorsement of Senator Carlucci in my campaign for Rockland County executive.”

Carlucci explained he chose to endorse LaCorte to galvanize voters with a grassroots candidate who he believes would show discipline with county finances, enact reasonable tax policies and resolve dysfunction in county government with “hard decisions” and cooperative efforts with Albany.

“I believe that Dagan has been able to stand up to special interests, has done what’s right in his tenure as mayor of Suffern by attracting businesses to Suffern to do business, by keeping within the tax cap while still investing in infrastructure and with healthy programs for seniors.”

Given criticism of Rockland County’s government-and in particular its legislators’ past passages of budgets which overestimated sales tax revenues-Carlucci framed his support as a matter of fiscal responsibility.

“We’ve seen that Rockland County has overestimated its revenues by over a quarter of a billion dollars in just seven years,” Carlucci explained.

In the past few years, LaCorte garnered attention with active revitalization projects including infrastructure improvements and new construction projects to improve Suffern’s Main Street. Both LaCorte and Carlucci pointed out that the candidate pursued the projects while simultaneously keeping the village’s property tax within the state’s two percent cap.

LaCorte also has significant financial assets to assist his campaign, with $300,351.29 in his campaign war chest as of his periodic state report in July.