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How can you help Change Newburgh? Here are 3 Ways for you to Get Involved:
1. Call our Elected Officials in Albany, and tell them its time for Albany to Step in Now. Tell them:
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“The City of Newburgh needs Albany’s help. We support Senator Larkin’s proposal for a Municipal Assistance Corporation (MAC). In addition to a MAC, Newburgh needs a strong Financial Control Board in order to provide more direct oversight of the city’s budget, finances operations. Together, a MAC and a Financial Control Board will provide the financial aid and oversight necessary to get Newburgh back on the right track.”
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Call:
Senator Larkin: (518) 455-2770,
Assemblyman Kirwan: (845) 562-0888 / (518) 455-5762
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo: (518) 474-8390
2. Tell City Hall You’ve Had Enough. Call the Mayor and the City Council and tell them:
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“Dear Mayor and City Council,
I’m a Newburgh citizen and I can not afford any additional tax increases. Newburgh’s residents and businesses are suffering as a result of the 71% tax increase the City Council approved last year. The City can not continue to balance its budget on the backs of its hardworking residents.
It’s time to pass a local ordinance to cap all future tax increases. As my local elected official, I ask that you introduce and pass a local property tax cap this year.”
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Here’s a list of people to call or email with the above message
(You can cut and paste the above into your email):
Mayor Nick Vallentine: (845) 569-7300 nickvalentine@verizon.net
City Council Member Regina Angelo:
(845) 569-7300 rangelo@cityofnewburgh-ny.gov
City Council Member Curlie Dillard:
(845) 569-7300 cdillard@cityofnewburgh-ny.gov
City Council Member Christine Bello:
(845) 569-7300 cbello@cityofnewburgh-ny.gov
City Council Member Marge Bell:
(845) 569-7300 mbell@cityofnewburgh-ny.gov
3. Make a Donation.
We can’t Change Newburgh alone. Please make a donation and help us
to continue to make Newburgh’s voices heard in Albany. Funds will be
used for mailings, website maintenance, video and sign production.
You can make an online donation here:
Or, mail your check (made out to “Change Newburgh”) to:
Change Newburgh
P.O. Box 269
Newburgh, NY 12551
Want a free lawn sign to put on your lawn and show support? Email
your name and address to info@changenewburgh.com with “SEND ME A LAWN SIGN” in the subject line. We’ll get back to you and drop off a
free lawn sign to display in front of your home!
4. Need Additional Information on why Newburgh needs Albany? Click here for 7 reasons why we believe Newburgh needs receivership now.
“Terrific video! Great job at making the plight a human one, and hammering the ineptitude. It is so obvious to me that the 20%-80% split in owner-occupied vs. slum-lord is the crux of problem in Newburgh, and the fiscal
mismanagement is only going to drive ownership lower. But that’s ok with the City Council!”
James Hartford,
River Architects
“I will write to everyone you listed and that is a promise.
Thanks for the good work all of you are doing!”
Sincerely grateful for people like yourselves,
- Mrs. Melick
Inspiring message! Listening to all the voices in this video make me proud of my home town, Newburgh. Albany needs to HELP Newburgh!! What truly makes a leader is someone who serves others. We cannot change what we tolerate. Newburgh has had poor leadership since I was a kid and it’s depressing. These officials making such poor decisions really don’t care about serving the community who elects them. I recall, as a kid, walking down my porch steps of Dubois Street. I always felt so lucky to be from such a wonderful city, empire of a state, in the greatest country on earth. I would look to my left and would feel so proud that Geraldine Ferraro was from the same place. For so long Newburgh has suffered because the wrong people have been chosen. During elections they all promise to improve our decaying community. Then they treat residents so disrespectfully. The treatment of Newburgh residents by city officials is sickening! Shame on these city representative warmongers!! If we want to pull out the valueless weed we have to start at the root of it, let’s pull out these phony leaders or else they will forever have us on our knees. We need new leadership; we also need programs for children that will teach them to love their community, respect human life, and how to attain career skills that will help them succeed.
Hugo Quinonez
Great video from the heart! I’m a Newburgh homeowner that lives in my home. I just requested a sign and made a donation! Myself and my family are aboard! We the people need to stick together and help each other. Newburgh didn’t get like this overnight but little by little with some help it can and will change for the better!
When are you going to have a meeting at the Wherehouse again? Sorry I missed this one. Would you invite me? I’d like to see what this is all about and who’s involved. Count me in!
Hi Mark – To be informed about when / where our next meeting is, please sign up for the mailing list by emailing info@changenewburgh.com (put “TELL ME ABOUT YOUR MEETINGS” in the subject line). Hope to see you there!
“Wow! What a great video! Production and message were
great. ” – EW
I just got a response from the NYS Comptroller’s Office. Why didn’t anyone do research on this before wasting our time?
The State Comptroller’s Office was recently presented with a petition, signed by
residents of the City of Newburgh, requesting additional State fiscal management beyond the
oversight defined in the City of Newburgh Fiscal Recovery Act, which became effective in July,
2010. Specifically, the petition requests that the State Comptroller reject tax increases enacted
and planned by the City, reject the three year financial plan submitted by the City and take direct
control of the City’s financial management and operations. Comptroller DiNapoli has asked me
to respond.
The State Comptroller’s Office has had extensive involvement with City of Newburgh
officials since we became aware of the City’s financial difficulties in 2009. In December 2009,
we met with City officials and their State Legislative delegation to discuss issues and provided
guidance on how they should begin to address their problems. In March 201 0, we issued a report
on the City’s 2010 budget and identified areas that needed immediate action so that the City
could avoid a budget shortfall for the 2010 year. Throughout the spring and summer of2010, we
met with City officials, their Legislators, various Legislative Committees and the State Division
of Budget to discuss the City’s financial problems and provide technical assistance.
In July 2010, the State Legislature passed and the Governor signed the City ofNewburgh
Fiscal Recovery Act. This Act authorized the City to borrow up to $15 million to address its
accumulated deficit and required additional actions by the State Comptroller’s Office to oversee
the City’s finances. For example, the State Comptroller’s Office is now required to:
• Certify the City’s deficit – after completion of the City’s independent audit for the 201 0
fiscal year, the State Comptroller will determine the exact amount that the City may
borrow (up to $15 million) to address its accumulated deficit.
• Examine the City’s Annual Budget – the State Comptroller will examine the City’s
proposed budget for each of the next 15 years. The purpose of this review is to determine
whether proposed revenues and appropriations are reasonable. Our review of the City’s
proposed 2011 budget was completed and issued to City officials on November 10,2010.
• Review Quarterly Budget Reports – at the end of each quarter of the fiscal year, City
officials are required to submit budget reports showing actual revenues and expenditures
compared to budgeted amounts. We will review these reports to determine whether the
City is staying within their budget and will make recommendations for action if material
variations occur.
• Review Multi-year Financial Plans – City officials are required to submjt a multi-year
financial plan, with their proposed budget, to the State Comptroller for each year that
deficit financing is outstanding. These multi-year plans cover the next three fiscal years.
We have reviewed the City’s most recent multi-year plan and have recently offered
assistance to City officials to improve the plan.
• Provide Comments on Further Debt Issuances – during the period in which deficit
financing is outstanding, City officials must provide the state Comptroller with notice of
their intent to issue any bonds or notes, or their intent to enter into an installment
purchase contract. We will review such debt issuances and comment, as necessary, on
whether the City can afford to pay for such borrowing.
• Oversee the Special Debt Service Fund- the State Comptroller is authorized to intercept
City revenues (including State Aid and real property taxes) in such amounts as are
necessary to pay for the City’s debt service for the succeeding 12 month period. The
State Comptroller then authorizes the scheduled debt service payments from this account.
As you can see, the .State Comptroller has had and will continue to have significant
involvement with the City’s financial activities. There are, however, limitations to our
involvement. For example, the submitted petition calls upon the State Comptroller to reject
previous and future real property tax increases. The State Constitution gives the City authority to
levy taxes and does not provide the State Comptroller with authority to change or reject tax
levies. Likewise, the petition calls for taking direct control of the City’s financial management
and operations. Such control, usually in the form of a control board, can only be accomplished
by an act of the State Legislature. The State Comptroller has no authority to impose such control
over the City. Finally, the petition asks that the State Comptroller reject the City’s three year
financial plan. As stated above, we have reviewed the plan and have offered assistance to City
officials to improve it.
I hope this addresses your concerns. If you have additional questions or concerns, please
feel free to contact Christopher Ellis, Chief Examiner of our Newburgh office at (845)567-0858.
Everyone who signed the petition got a response back. Please note that Change Newburgh was not the lead in the petition drive. On February 28, 2011, prior to the petition, Change Newburgh reached out to the Comptroller’s office. You can find our letter on the homepage of this site and under the “downloads” section.
It is important to have an active community and drive the message that City of Newburgh residents want to engage administrators (at all levels of government) to help our City move forward.