Letters3/27/2008

Dear Editor,
Thanks, Mr. LaMonda for taking the time to respond to my initial letter of Feb. 14. While you are willing to bring out the "facts", Here are a couple of questions for you...
Isn't it true that the magistrate mediator you refer to in your letter, asked you and Berndt Liefeld if Masterpage attended another planning board meeting, would you approve its application? Didn't you respond to the judge/mediator that the answer was probably not? It was after this meeting the magistrate then suggested to Masterpage to pursue its Federal Court lawsuit as he saw that there was little chance of working with the town.
The factual truth is that the citizens of the Town of Olive could have had cell service without the lengthy court delay if the Town Board had just complied with all applicable laws and approved Masterpage's Special Use Permit. Two cellular phone providers had executed lease agreements with Masterpage for well over four years due to the site's unique ability to cover nearly the entire town with ONE tower. The taxpayers need to understand that the legal litigation would not have been necessary if the Board had abided by their own applicable laws. They must understand that the Special Use Permit SUPERCEDES local zoning regulations (which among other things, also states that no structure will be higher than 35 feet). The Tower Law also makes the Town Board LEAD DECISION MAKING BODY in this circumstance.
What remains is that most on the Town Board were consistent in delaying the advent of a cell tower - period. One hurdle after another - letters from a DEC official noting endangered flora and fauna. That letter later being retracted by DEC as not authorized. You can actually go back to the MANY moratoriums that almost resulted in a lawsuit before the application from Masterpage had ever been received... Yes - it goes back to the FACT that these services were waiting in the wings - waiting to be provided to the people of Olive PRIOR to 2000 - and yet here we are in 2008, just now getting started...
Oh, and by the way, Bruce, electricity may have come to you prior to the 30's but most of the 'ol'timers' in the Watson Hollow area remember electricity coming in after the 2nd World War - prior to that, there weren't many poles violating our view-shed at all.
Chris Johansen
West Shokan, NY

Dear Editor,
In Chris Johansen’s attempt to further his political agenda he has once again failed to address the facts of the issue. The Town Board made the only decision that was logical. They put the issue of the Waste Water Treatment Plant on a public referendum to let the property owners that would be in the proposed sewer district decide if they wanted it. After several public informational meetings (remember Chris you were there?),the resulting vote was 80 property owners in favor and 16 opposed, obviously an overwhelming majority. BY LAW ONLY PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE SEWER DISTRICT can vote or be financially impacted, . After studies by LAMONT ENGINEERING, a private engineering firm from Cobleskill, N.Y., the Town of Olive entered into an agreement with The Catskill Watershed Corp. with funding from The Catskill Watershed Corp, an advocacy organization for all the towns within the NYC Watershed, with funds that were obtained in the Memorandum of Agreement.
OOOPS wrong again Chris!
Olive Town Board Members
Supervisor Berndt Leifeld, Board Members, Helen Chase, Bruce La Monda, Henry Rank
(Councilman Freidel was not on the Town Board at the time of this issue)

Dear Editor,
As Chris Johansen took the time to ask the three questions concerning the meeting with the federal judge,( Ulster County Townsman, March 13, 2008) in regards to the cell tower, I think it is only courteous to answer. No, No and No and as Forrest Gump said in the movie : "That's all I have to say about that."
Bruce La Monda
Shokan, NY

Dear Editor,
I am writing to explain our views on potential constitutional violations of Article XIV, section 1, the "forever wild" clause presented by the proposed Belleayre Mountain Ski Center (BMSC) Modified Project and Unit Management Plan. We are very pleased that DEC has decided not to pursue the proposed Belleayre East ski lift and trails, especially those in Cathedral Glen.
ADK is deeply concerned about the proposal to create ski-in, ski-out trail access from the BMSC to the privately owned Belleayre Resort complex, especially the 19 high-level luxury homes on the Belleayre - Highmount Ridge. The Agreement in Principle (AIP, pages 4 and 20) proposes to construct a ski lift and ski trails on lands of the Catskill Forest Preserve for the purpose of connecting the privately owned facilities of the Belleayre Resort to the Belleayre Mountain Ski Center.
The Agreement also states that DEC and the privately owned and operated Crossroads Ventures Corporation will execute a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to: "memorialize collaboration in their respective improvements and future operations to maximize efficiencies and improve the visitor experience." (Agreement in Principle, p.14) We are especially concerned about the prospect of DEC constructing trails and lifts on Forest Preserve lands for the exclusive or predominant benefit of the owners of the Belleayre Resort complex.
ADK believes that DEC should request Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to address the Article XIV issue of whether or not the proposed tree cutting, blasting, rock removal, and slope alterations of the lands of the Catskill Forest Preserve at the BMSC can be legally undertaken for the purpose of providing an exclusive or predominant benefit to privately owned properties under Article XIV, Section 1 of the NYS as described in the AIP.
A May 2, 1947 Attorney General Opinion that interpreted the original constitutional amendment that originally authorized the Belleayre Ski Center stated, in pertinent part:
"Broadly speaking, if and when the proposed amendment is approved by the People, Article XIV, as amended, taken in its entirety, would not seem to authorize the construction on forest preserve lands of ski trails and appurtenances thereto intended primarily to supplement or complement an essentially private development located on adjacent privately owned lands."
Accordingly, we believe that Article XIV, section 1 forbids the construction of "ski in, ski out" trails and appurtenances on any existing or proposed lands of the Catskill Forest Preserve intended primarily to enhance the value or desirability of the privately owned lodging facilities of Crossroads Ventures
According to the Final Scope, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) proposes to acquire portions of the former Highmount Ski Center totaling approximately 78 acres to accommodate a westward expansion of Belleayre Mountain Ski Center. ADK questions whether DEC can legally use these newly acquired lands for the purposes of expanding the Belleayre Ski Center without an additional constitutional amendment to Article XIV, section 1 of the state constitution specifically and expressly authorizing these facilities on the Highmount parcel.
Since the proposed Highmount Forest Preserve acquisition was not part of the Catskill Forest Preserve in either 1947 or 1986, it is ADK's legal position that those respective amendments to Article XIV, section 1 can not support the cutting of trees, blasting, rock removal and alteration of the "wild forest character" of the "hereinafter acquired" Highmount property in order to expand the Belleayre Mountain Ski Center.
We assert that DEC must request an Attorney General Opinion to answer the question of whether the 1947 and 1986 constitutional amendments authorizing
the creation and subsequent expansion of the Belleayre Mountain Ski Center apply only to the lands that were part of the Catskill Forest Preserve at the time that each of the respective constitutional amendments were approved by the voters.
ADK asserts that the 1947 and 1986 Belleayre constitutional amendments could apply only to lands actually in state ownership and subject to Article XIV, section 1 at the time of each respective voter approval. Our review of the respective amendment documents and ballot questions reveals that neither the Legislature nor the voters were ever informed that amendment was intended to apply to lands that were not part of the Catskill Forest Preserve at the time of the legislative approvals and the voter referenda.
The voters in 1947 and 1986 could not have contemplated or authorized the cutting of trees and alteration of the wild forest character of lands that would not be added to the Catskill Forest Preserve until many decades thereafter. Under DEC's current interpretation of the 1947 and 1986 amendments, some future DEC administration could expand the ski center eastward to encompass the 1200 acres of the proposed Big Indian plateau addition to the Forest Preserve without the necessity of seeking either legislative or voter approval.
Clearly such a result was not contemplated or authorized by the state legislature or voters. Since the 1947 and 1986 amendments authorized activities and facilities at Belleayre that are wholly inconsistent with the "forever wild" principle of Article XIV, section 1, we believe the courts will strictly construe them to apply only to lands that were part of the Catskill Forest Preserve at the time that the amendments were approved.
Further, ADK understands that approximately 10 miles of new trails are proposed as part of the BMSC expansion. ADK believes that this trail expansion alone could expand the ski center to its full, constitutionally authorized build-out of 25 miles of ski trails. It appears that DEC has thus far not included the footprint and dimensions of the proposed ski lifts, the new snow-making reservoir, new Tomahawk Lift Base Lodge, expanded Sunset Lodge, new Visitor Center, new Amphitheatre, new sand/salt storage facility, expanded snowmaking infrastructure and other appurtenances in calculating the current Article XIV, section 1 footprint limits on tree cutting and wild forest character alteration.
ADK asserts that DEC must calculate the square footage and total cleared area associated with the new ski trails, lifts, and associated buildings proposed for construction on existing state lands. DEC must then determine whether or not these proposed facilities can be legally accommodated within the constitutional footprint limits currently set forth in Article XIV, section 1 of the NYS constitution.
ADK believes that the cleared area of the existing and proposed ski trails, buildings, reservoirs and appurtenances must be taken into account in calculating the permissible area of tree cutting and wild forest alteration authorized by the citizens of New York in 1947 and 1986.
It is legally inconsistent with the footprint limits of the 1947 and 1986 amendments for DEC to now assert that there are no constitutional limits whatsoever on the size of the footprint of the lodges, buildings, reservoirs, pumping stations, lifts and other "appurtenances" that can be constructed on Belleayre Mountain.
ADK believes that DEC's apparent decision not to count the cleared dimensions for the proposed additional ski lifts, new buildings and other appurtenances against the constitutional footprint limit is contrary to the letter, spirit and intent of Article XIV, Section 1 of the state Constitution. The ski lifts, buildings, reservoirs and any appurtenances that require tree removal, blasting and site alteration must be counted against the dimensional limitations of the 1947 and 1986 amendments to Article XIV, section 1.
ADK asserts that no new ski trails and facilities can be constructed on the proposed Highmount addition to the Catskill Forest Preserve without an authorizing amendment to Article XIV, section 1, approved by the voters specifically authorizing those improvements on this new parcel.
ADK is very concerned about the cumulative impacts of the construction of these new trails as well as the impacts of additional structures on these Forest Preserve lands. The amount of tree clearing for both the ski trails, ski lifts and buildings will result in a very substantial amount of vegetation removal. It is important for the DEC SEQRA scoping process to set forth the nature and degree of alteration of the wild forest character and number of trees to be removed that are in excess of 6 inches diameter at breast height (dbh).
The decision in the landmark case Balsam Lake Angler's Club v. NYSDEC , 199 A.D.2d 852 , (Third Dept. 1993) allows only those public facilities and public uses that are compatible with the character and preservation of wild forest lands and which do not involve any material cutting of trees. Moreover, the decision prohibits: 1) any public use or activity requiring a material degree of tree cutting and/or 2) activities that are incompatible with the wild forest character, even though they are recreational and do not require material amount of tree cutting and 3) any private use of the Forest Preserve.
ADK submits that Article XIV, section 1, read together with the McDonald and Balsam Lake cases preclude tree cutting, blasting, rock removal and terrain alteration on the proposed Highmount addition to the Catskill Forest Preserve in the absence of an authorizing constitutional amendment specific to the Highmount parcel. The said 1947 opinion of the Attorney General precludes the construction of "ski-in, ski-out" trails and appurtenances on Forest Preserve to primarily benefit an adjace
Neil F. Woodworth
Executive Director and Counsel
Adirondack Mountain Club

Dear Editor,
Dean Gitter (Crossroad Ventures) Paid Off the DEP. That’s right PAID OFF David Tweedy the man who took the top 6 most important issues off the 12 item list of the Belleayre resort project the last possible minute was paid to do so by none other than Crossroad Ventures (Dean Gitter). Dean Gitter hired George Arzt Communications, Inc. to lobby “pay off” DEP officials since 2004 and stop right before the announcement in Kingston by Gov. Spitzer this past September/07 to the total amount of $42.500. Does this go to the top office of New York?
Here is proof for all to see... http://www.nyc.gov/lobbyistsearch/search?lobbyist=Fred+Winters
This only shows that dirty business is going on between Gitter and Albany and we the people of Shandaken and surrounding communities have been sold for Personal Profit. There is no doubt now in my mind that government officials are and have been accepting bribes from Dean Gitter and in no way have THE PEOPLE in mind. This means that the offices of the DEP/DEC cannot be trusted or be allowed to be involved in the review process of the resort and must be investigated.
When a people raise voice to proclaim in ONE VOICE WE DO NOT WANT THIS PROJECT and the voice of the people is ignored by all including the governor himself and when the governor calls personally to strong arm anti resort groups with treats this means PAY OFF
We all know what Gitter wants ($) he does not care about our community and will do anything in his power to destroy Shandaken for his personal profit. Only one thing can truly send a message to NYC and Albany == force them to spend 40 billion dollars to build a water treatment plant by polluting the water. :Let’s say a big FU to our so called elected officials who only care about money and how much they got paid.
Like our ancestors who once lived where today the reservoirs are, who were evicted from their land without compensation to this day, whose lives were destroyed for the gain of the rich “genocide” -- let us not allow the same to happen to us.
Take to arms Shandaken and surrounding communities. This is a war for our town’s, for our lives.
Bonnie Grant
Shandaken, NY

Dear Editor,
The Belleayre ski area has more than doubled the number of visitors in the last few years. You can hardly claim that it is failing its mission to expand low cost, easily accessible recreation. However, opponents of the proposed Belleayre resort have been warning for years that Mr. Gitter's enormous resort project would hurt the popular ski area's opportunities for growth. Now we see it has. By competing for available water and space on the roads. By greatly adding to storm water and flooding problems. By sapping scarce government funds available to subsidize development. The developer claims that the 300 or so poverty wage jobs provided by the resort would use up the entire available labor pool in three counties, and concentrate all those poor people into a small area right around the thriving ski area. I don't see how this will help the local economy. It would certainly make it a lot harder to find people to work in small local businesses in the whole region. Mr. Bonacic's knee jerk response to the cutting of new ski trails is part of a rapidly dying dinosaur mentality, that Golfzilla will save us. Even Mr. Spitzer apparently had better things to do that night than show up to receive his award at the Belleayre Snowball. The Belleayre ski area was doing fine without the resort. I'm worried that because of heightened scrutiny around the resort, the ski area will lose funding that was previously assured. And that resort boosters will blame the messengers instead of the root cause, the grossly supersized resort project.
Dave Channon
Allaben, NY

Dear Editor,
Since the announcement by Governor Spitzer on Sept. 5, 2007 of the AIP to revive the long stalled development project at Belleayre, local and national community and environmental groups have been expressing disapproval with key elements of the governor’s plan. These groups, including the Sierra Club, the Catskill Heritage Alliance, Friends of Catskill Park, Pine Hill Water Coalition, Hardenburgh Association of Taxpayers and Residents and the Highmount Preservation Association have joined forces under the umbrella of Save the Mountain to expose the excesses of the AIP and to work toward a viable alternative. The governor personally brokered this agreement that has caused so much controversy. I believe that recent revelations of the governor’s erratic behavior and poor judgment place in sharp relief the fundamental flaws in the AIP.
The governor erred when he endorsed high-density development near and on the top of the ridge. The developer should not have been offered 3x the value of its Big Indian Plateau holdings. Ski area expansion and enhancement should not be entangled with the private development. The DEC cannot be a disinterested judge over its own development. The purity of Pepacton reservoir must not be jeopardized by an oversize development.
Now that Governor Spitzer is gone, we hope that common ground can be found so that these and other flaws in the AIP can be corrected and sensible, environmentally sound development can proceed.
Matt Frisch
Arkville, NY

Dear Editor,
Regarding yesterday's statement from Crossroads Ventures about the Belleayre Resort AIP... (sounds a bit defensive, as sent to me in the following statement: “Today's events are a personal tragedy for Governor Spitzer. Should he be forced to leave office, it will have no legal effect on the commitments the state made while he was its chief executive. The Agreement in Principle is a compact among the State of New York, the City of New York, seven prominent environmental groups and Crossroads Ventures. It is as valid today as it was when it was signed on September 5th, 2007. The compromise was the work of Judith Enck, Deputy Secretary for the Environment, who worked for nine months, not only with the parties, but also with several branches of state government: the DEC, the Attorney General's office, the DOH and Empire State Development among others.")
The Belleayre AIP deal was brokered in a questionable, secret process at the insistence of Governor Spitzer. The most often asked question is why? This would set a terrible precedent for development in the Park. The entire financial rationale for the project has been poorly vetted and was severely criticized by the August 2006 NY Comptroller's analysis. Why would this Governor trade away public assets, circumvent SEQRA and jeopardize reputations for such a speculative and potentially destructive private real estate scheme?
Now we see that similar plans have been announced for Gore Mountain in the Adirondacks. Albany's "best and brightest" in Governor Spitzer's office appeared to have some brainy plan to privatize our irreplaceable public assets. That's short term thinking.
Julie McQuain, Hardenburgh Rep.
Ulster County EMC

Dear Editor,
According to N.Y. State’s Education Web Site school Superintendents compensation and benefits vary far and wide in Ulster County for the 2007/2008 school year. Compensations range from a high of $175,000.00 plus benefits of $41,297.00 for the New Paltz Superintendent’s compensation to a low of $136,000.00 plus benefits of $40,324.00 for the Superintendent of Highland.
How does the Onteora School District compare to lets say a much larger district like the Kingston City School District? Onteora’s School Districts Superintendent is the second highest paid Superintendent in Ulster County. For the 2007/ 2008 school year the Superintendent’s compensation is $165,000.00 plus $40,468.00 in benefits.
Followed by Kingston’s Superintendents compensation of $161,717.00 plus $41,888.00, Saugerties Superintendent receiving $155,196.00 plus $38,511.00 in benefits, Marlboro’s Superintendent receiving $150,000.00 plus $11,475.00 in benefits, Rondout Valley’s Superintendent receiving $145,600.00 plus $36,147.00 in benefits, Wallkill’s Superintendent receiving compensation of $140,000.00 plus $33,381.00 in benefits and Ellenville’s Superintendent compensation is $137,516.00 plus $15,340.00 in benefits.
The Kingston City School District has eleven elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. There are approximately 8300 students in the Kingston City School District. The district has one Superintendent, five Assistant Superintendents and seven Principals. Collectively their total salaries including benefits are $1,613,815.00. No other administrator’s salaries are included in that cost. The Onteora School district has four schools with a total student population of approximately 1836. The district has one Superintendent, two Assistant Superintendents, one Director of PPS, and three Principals. Collectively their total salaries including benefits are $949,642.00. No other administrator’s salaries are included in that cost. You do the cost per student analyzes.
William Warnecke
Glenford, NY

Dear Editor,
I am writing as a concerned parent and taxpayer of the Onteora Central School District. On any given day in this district when there us a chance of flurries, the District closes school. However on this day, February 26, 2008 with imminent weather which started around 11am; the school did not have an early dismissal. Instead they chose to keep school in session for the day. Due to the inclement weather, the high school buses did not even get to the high school on time which delayed the entire Onteora School District busing to be delayed. Children from the Bennett Elementary school did not even get home from school until 5pm.
This is appalling to me and I point my fingers at the Department of Transportation, Dave Morraca and Superintendent of the School, Dr. Leslie Ford. How would they feel if they were waiting at a bus stop for their children and no-one showed up? Do they know the sick feeling in the bottom of all parents stomachs on a snowy day to NOT know where your children are? To think, "Are my kids safe? Did the bus get into an accident?" Would it have been too much of a burden for someone to call the parents and advise them that the buses left late?? As a parent, I am aware of the call list where a voluntary group of parents will call other parents to alert them to an early dismissal. Why I ask do we not have this in place for a situation like this?
Fortunately, I had one child home sick with me and I picked up my other child from school at 3pm. as I was off work. But not every parent had the opportunity that I had today. I was shocked to find out how many phone calls that I received from friends whose children did not get home from school unti 5pm. Did anyone stop to think about the parents whose children are driven to and picked up at a centralized bus stop? These poor parents could not leave the bus stop to find out what was going on in the glimpse chance that their children may show up but yet they just waited with no answers.
This is a poor system and I am ashamed of all involved. School should have been dismissed today at or around lunch time. The protocol that was followed today jeopardized the lives of many, our children, the staff that had to travel home from school and the good folks that drive our children to and from school, who we all take for granted. Did anyone stop and think about the bus drivers and what they went through making sure our children came home safe and what was waiting for them when they reached their destinations and had to explain to each and every concerned, upset and screaming parent?
I am sure next week when we have a 20% chance of snow; school will be closed. I am hoping that the Onteora Central School District's Department of Transportation thinks back upon this day and thinks about how many lives were at risk for their poor planning and lack of a descent protocol. Safety is the number one concern here and that was blown out of the water. How many children wore seat belts today or any day for that matter? Do the buses have chains? Do all buses have monitors so when these bus drivers are forced to drive in such weather and the children are being a bit distracting; is there an aide to help calm them? Think people, think!
Kimberly Angevine
Shokan, NY

Dear Editor,
As a school bus driver, parent and taxpayer in the Onteora district I feel compelled to address the total ineptitude of our Transportation Director and School Superintendent that took place on February 26th regarding snow. We as bus drivers are constantly reminded by our supervisors and by the number of safety meetings we are required to attend that we carry the most precious cargo in the world; other peoples children. And as school bus drivers we fully believe and understand that fact more then anything else we are taught. My question is this. Did Mr. Morraca forget this very principle that is the covenant of our profession?
Now, many people realize that school bus driving is not a very easy job. Most parents would be the first to say that they don't know how we do it! The answer is that most of us truly enjoy the children. When those children get on our buses they become "our" children for the ride and most times when they aren't on the bus as well. We truly care about them.
That is why I along with many others (who will remain nameless for job security reasons) are so upset about this debacle.
Why was it that every other school district either closed or dismissed early? According to Mr. Morraca in his comments made to us as we waited in pouring snow in the high school line up, " Sorry you gotta drive in this folks, but we only go on the information we're given. take your time and drive safe". Where was he getting his info from; the Jersey Shore? We had buses going off the road and parents having to drive to pick up their children because the buses couldn't get through. Was the info given to all of the other districts a secret? And drive safe?? Talk about pressure. How can we be expected to drive safe when he didn't think safe? It left many of us feeling like " well if something happens it's on the driver; after all they're driving the bus".
Now I realize that Mr. Morraca has a tough job and does a good job trying to pacify the taxpayers of our town, the bus companies and whoever else might come knocking on his door, but he blew this one.
In closing I would like to thank all of the parents who realize what a tough job we have and who appreciate the pride we take in the responsibility given to us reagrding the safety of your children. Believe me when I say it. If it was up to the bus drivers this situation would have never occured. We know our priorities. And to all of the parents who were able to muster a smile and a thank you through their anger, it made a tough day a little easier to swallow!
John Mocarski
Olivebridge, NY

Dear Editor,
As I sat down to write this letter to the Editor, intended to be about the next occupation in the Middle East, namely Iran, I tuned into Amy Goodman’s show about the “Winter Soldier” hearings, with testimonies from Iraqi war veterans uncovering the rules of engagement over the past 5 years.
While we were talking about Eliot Spitzer’s self destructive moves, along with uprooting race wars amongst ourselves, we’ve been completely ignoring the truly grueling events that are going on around the world in our names. Since no media is covering this story, I find it necessary to report on this event as we enter our 6th year of sending our young men and women to an illegal war that will damage their souls, and maybe ours, for the rest of our lives.
One soldier spoke of his first kill on April 18, 2006. “A man was walking to his house. I shot him in front of his friend and father. As he was dying he looked into my eyes. I had to kill him.” He went on to tell about being congratulated for his first kill by his commander. The commander went on to say that whoever gets their first kill by stabbing, will get a 4 day pass. He spoke about his 3rd kill, which was a man riding his bicycle. He explained that when they had reporters with them, they acted differently but the rules of engagement were: “If you feel threatened by an Iraqi, shoot them and don’t worry.” He said that until people hear what is going on in this war, it will continue. He ended with “I am sorry for what I did. I am no longer the monster that I once was.”
Another soldier spoke of watching a woman walking towards them who was carrying a bag. She was immediately shot to death. When they looked into the bag, they realized that it was filled with groceries, that she was trying to give to the soldiers.
Another soldier told of a roadside bomb that went off. One of the Marines took it as a excuse to shoot at all cars coming in the opposite direction. Another Marine watched a commander shoot 2 old ladies as he was explaining what would fall under protection of the present rules of engagement
Following Amy Goodman’s show, I realized that Barack Obama was going to speak on the scandal about his Pastor. I tuned in, and after hearing many more gruesome stories that had me weeping, everything changed. It became clear to me that Obama is the one, apparent leader that can take us out of this divisive state of being, and help us to realize that we all belong to the human race, and together we can salvage it, or together we can destroy ourselves.
I end this letter with a strong and urgent appeal to all who care about the United States, it’s Constitution, it’s Bill of Rights and everything that we are supposed to stand for: WATCH OR LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE SPEECH… It’s over an hour long. It will indeed give you hope. We have found our leader.
Jill Paperno
Glenford, NY

Dear Editor,
And so when over 30 million people are given from $300 to $600 apiece the country's economy will really get a boost! A boost like this is a bit on the silly side, isn't it? A genuine boost would be to end the war in Iraq, and reduce the cost of energy, gasoline, health care insurance and drugs. A decrease in any of these would be a real boost to all Americans. As it is now that booster money is going to be spent paying for all the things which are too high in price for us all. However don't lose out. Be sure you get the boost that is coming to you. Any one with an income above $3,000 year, which includes Social Security as well as earned income and some other benefits, is eligible and the way one gets it is by filing an income tax
The filing of your income tax return is the way you will get your allotment and you need no further action. There is no relationship between your tax refund nor what you will pay in taxes and this payment. There are millions who do not file and who won't get their boost unless they do so and by April 15. If you haven't been filing you need to get the forms and, if needed, help in filing. If you know folks who aren't keeping up with the news be sure to inform them.
Mescal Hornbeck
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
David Walker the comptroller general is an advocate of fiscal reason and has brought public attention to government waste and inaction on our financial crisis. He has announced his resignation, to join a foundation focusing on critical issues that are affecting this country.
Walker said: “I've accomplished all but one the objectives I set out for myself in 1998 and the last objective is to try to help get the Congress to make some tough choices about the challenges that face the future of America. Hopefully, I’m actually going to have more flexibility and more discretionary resources by partnering with the Peter G. Peterson’d new foundation.
Former commerce secretary, Peter G. Peterson is a long-standing advocate for fiscal prudence and has pledged at least a billion dollars over the next several years, which should make a difference.
Comptroller General Walker has sought to focus public attention on difficult issues. He has tried to analyze, understand and discuss with Congress unfunded liabilities, the infectiveness and waste in government. Walker has repeatedly pointed out that our government has
gotten us into a $53 trillion hole. About $9 trillion of that debt we already have, however $44 trillion are unfunded promises for Social Security and Medicare. The hole gets deeper by, as much as, $3 trillion a year by doing nothing.
Warren Buffett, one of the wealthiest men in the world, suggested that Congress increase the taxable base above the present $90,000, because he pays very little in the way of Social Security taxes.
The Congressional Budget Office states that our wars could cost $2.4 trillion through the next decade. That figure includes more than $700 billion in interest, since these wars are being fought on borrowed money and 70 percent of this money is going to the war in Iraq.
Jim O'Leary
Delhi, NY

Dear Editor,
George Pignatello, aka George Douglas and George the Wood Guy died July 3, 2007 in Shandaken. He became GTWG in the mid-80’s when he located his Wood N’ Trout enterprise in Boiceville following years of Weehawken NJ residence from where he traveled to building and design projects coast-to-coast, then drifted toward the fishing waters of New York state. George shared many homes with family, friends, and colleagues in the 40 years of our marriage and travels, always adding more friends and colleagues while relying upon the mutual love, devotion, support and sometimes rescue by his wife and family who survive him now.
He valued the camaraderie and revelry with Bob Johannsen and Ray Negron and the guys at Ronsen where he had his too active shop for more than 20 years. Agnostic as he was in all things, he depended on the caring and protection that so many offered him in return for his turbulent presence, varied skills and——oh yes—all that laughter and just plain fun. This was the George who turned his university years into useful knowledge;his time on the WVU Rifle Squad and his Army years on the Olympic Rifle Squad into attending country turkey shoots where he showed up wearing a can of cranberry sauce around his neck, won the turkey and gave it to someone.
George, my Duodecahedron, was a promethean man of great and good heart, egalitarian belief and practice. Throughout our 43 years together (including 5 days in the hospital preceding his death) George and I talked, laughed and planned the what next? While in the hospital he made his decision to have no one see him, thus spending phone hours conversing and consoling family and longtime friends speaking of adventures and events with them and with the perfected trout of the serene stream. He made plans having been given indications that there was time. Fishing loomed large.
Letters in the Phoenicia Times written soon after George’s death set forth that there is to be a memorial service for him on April 1st which is oh, so providently both the first day of trout season and April Fool’s Day. One letter announced a “fundraiser” for last October?
George would approve of the idea of the Trout Day fling. He always liked a party. He admitted that he was a fool for trout and the river. April Fool’s Trout Day.
In George’s final hours in Shandaken family members with him (at his request) spoke to him of “going on the river; being with the river.” In my 43 years with George I saw him one-last-casting on many rivers. We fell off the steep side of Maroon Bells outside of Aspen (in an SUV) because he just had to get to that pure mountain lake for the fish but forgot the 4-wheel part. George was brought to serenity and peace by the waters and the trout he perfected by putting them back smarter. These were perhaps the only moments of his life when his energy and arts turned him graceful and fluid, a beautiful (and rare) thing to witness.
George’s longstanding wishes were that he be only “baked and shaked” after his death. In keeping with his wishes and his lifelong avoidance of funerals and formal ceremonies, George’s family threw a memorial party for him called “See ya, bye…” last August in South Orange at George’s favorite party house—and home—where he celebrated holidays and family events including Easter 2007. The stories, tributes, laughter and tears flowed as we traded 50 years of tales of the edges George pushed us over, the skills and joys he taught us and all the days brightened by that prodigious energy, voracious curiosity, tough intelligence and the balls-to-the-wall insistence that life had better do it bigger and better.
In life, George seemed to be everywhere all the time: in several places at once, in different lives, on different planes. Everything for everybody. All of us who loved him long and knew him well became accustomed to missing him as he bounced through places and lives and creations. Always welcome;never expected. Now we miss him in a different way. Me most profoundly.
George James Pignatello aka George Douglas (easier to spell he said) aka GTWG was preceded in death by his parents, George and Marion Pignatello. He is survived by his wife, Rita Karen Douglas; a brother Richard Pignatello in Vermont; aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews including Vincent Pignatello of Caldwell NJ and Stowe,Vt.; Sean Pignatello in Maine father of 5; Juliet Pignatello Biederman in California; Amy Jane Douglas and Pamela Jill Douglas of The Oranges; Lee Martin of South Orange; Lisa D. Crumrine and Paul Maiello of Philadelphia; James Douglas of Elkins, West Virginia and a legion of friends and colleagues.
He would want you to smile now. And fish: barbless hooks with respect for the uncaught Trout. You never know…
In gratitude for all who befriended, protected and smiled with this lovely, loving man of complex nature.
Anyway…
Rita Karen Douglas (Pignatello)
South Orange, NJ

Dear Editor,
Having grown up in a poor rural working class family and actually tilling the land by hand for pay, selling vegetables, fruits and my mother's family hailing from Missouri Levon Helm's Dirt Farmer has struck a chord deep within my very soul. The other side of my family hailed from Europe at the turn of the century and they embraced the pioneer spirit based entirely on myths and family texts. As a youth my
grandfather worked first a boy shorting out the clink from the coal then a Expressway Clerk in the railroad mail car. Later he went down into the mines itself and many time barely escaped with his life. He was totally disabled by the time of the depression and died very young.
So it is this rich tradition that Helm's greatest contribution to American music to date has been made. I have always been a fan of The Band because each member made a contribution from their individual cultural backgrounds whether it was brother Dankos roots or Garth's classical training. The years spent on the road, the hard traveling, good, bad and ugly times each has been faced by life these "bad boys of rock and roll" are what makes me feel very proud they each made their homes and raised their children in these Catskill mountains.
I encourage everyone who is seriously interested in musicology or the true seekers of understanding the realities of our past and its transcendence as to where we are today here in America need to purchase this album. Many have mistakenly thought Levon's new contribution is a continuation of The Band. No this is Levon, his roots, a personal life struggle and a literal resurrection of American tradition folk music as it was and remains to be a reflection of rural America.
Dirt Farmer goes deeper than The Band ever could because this is Levon our brother singing his heart out for you and me. It is living music from a time when social human relationships were a lot easier to understand. A time when God and community was not confused by fundamentalism or the state. A time when working people knew where we stood in terms of the state and big corporations and why each of us needed to support each other in order to keep our democracy, freedom and liberty strong and alive. When the right to vote was finally extended to the workingmen and poor dirt farmers in 1827 a grass roots movement almost elected Thomas Skidmore Governor.
The abolition Indentured slavery was gradually outlawed in New York beginning in (1811). At the time no one ever thought It bring about a new kind of slavery based entirely on wage system and credit. Poor dirit farmers by then already thrown off the land ived in extreme poverty. Those of us who remained on the land had it tough going. Many poor farmers in 1845 from New York picked up stakes joining with many of their southern brothers abandoning their hard worked land. Entire towns and villages disappeared on the western side of the Hudson while the farmers migrated west to Ohio and later to the Indian Nation in Oklahoma.
These migrations cause conflicts between the northern and southern eventually leading to a civil war. America lost more young men in one battle than what we lost in lives in Vietnam. The migrations pushed the native people off their land, some who were dirt farmers from the south. These same remaining dirt farmers were later tractored out by the banks by calling in their loans throwing these farmers and their families off the land. This first attempt at corporate take over of all the farms in Oklahoma contributed to the development of Dust Bowl adding more poverty and serious depression of the American economy. By removing those dirt farmers from the land the corp[orations and banks had little or any respect for the soil and depleted it completely in a matter of years.
Today we can see this same struggle all over rural America as dirt farmers are losing their homes and being forced to sell because real estate corporate investment bubble exploded. Corporations today have more rights than those who work the land. We need to extend our
democratic rights back to where they should be. It appears the struggle of working people such as the mythical "Virgil Cane" who "used to ride the Danville Train," "farm boy Jesse James," "farm worker Tom Joad" or "Pretty Boy Floyd the farmer" and so many of the great movers
and resisters to corporate tyranny are beginning to ride again all over the United States. The struggle is going to be a lot longer road than all of us originally thought back in the sixties and thirties. This is true for every generation of Americans especially dirt farmers and other rural workers.
This what is identifying and calling to my heart as I listen to Levon Helm's Dirt Farmer. It is important to understand that when things get this "tough the tough get going" dirt farmers traditionally have done so while singing their way across America. This is what brother Levon has so clearly revealed as his greatest personal struggle. Levon is an inspiration to all of us. He never gave up. He stood firm and this what all of us can learn from Dirt Farmer. The ability to sing, play, work, project and resist hard times and severe deversity is what all of must face at one time or another in our everyday lives. This is a lesson that runs deep in the all of us who have touched or worked our sweet wonderful mother earth.
Thank you Levon Helm and may God bless you and your family with the all the best available and may your voice get stronger in the months and years ahead. Stay with us Levon we need you now more than ever. I have always listened to our wild birds as they greet us every morning. It is a new day coming and Levon Helm has just made it that much better for each of us.
Tom Siblo
Saugerties, NY

Dear Editor,
One of the hottest items on www.etsy.com and www.eBay.com these days is artist trading cards, or ACEOs. For those of you who would like to educate yourselves on the subject, the semi-official website is www.art-cards.org. There is also a useful tutorial and forum at the ACEO group homepage on eBay, for those of you who have active accounts there. Basically, the rule is, anything goes, but it MUST be 2.5 x 3.5 inches, the size of traditional trading cards. Horizontal or vertical is o.k., and they can be as "thick" as you like - assemblage is fine. At the Arts Upstairs, we are setting up a special section just for ACEOs. The submission fee will be a low, low $3. We will charge our usual commission of 30% on all sales. You can set any price you like, and all media are o.k., original work, photos, editions (limited and unlimited), printouts, found art, doodles, are all welcome - anything goes! Multiple submissions are fine. On the back of each submission, be sure to put your name, the title of the work, the medium, and the price (and anything else you think might be interesting or useful). This will be a regular feature of all our shows from now on. As always, the theme is optional. Remember, all ACEOs must be exactly 2.5 x 3.5 inches - no exceptions! Work can be dropped off and picked up at the regular time, the weekend of the second Saturday of every month. For the next show, that will be April 11, 12, and 13, during regular gallery hours. Join the fun, and please forward this email to anyone you think might be interested.
Your Friends and Neighbors
at the Arts Upstairs
Phoenicia, NY

Dear Editor,
My name is Sushma Subramanian, and I'm a student reporter at Columbia University. I am taking a book writing class through the graduate program in journalism and have chosen to write a short narrative work about the Rainmaker's Flood of 1950, when residents and businesses in the Catskills region were drowned by heavy rains that some believed were caused by a city-hired meteorologist. The meteorologist, named
Wallace E. Howell, was injecting clouds with silver iodide to try to induce rain during a long drought in New York. For my research, I am looking for anyone who might remember the flooding on Nov. 25 and 26, 1950 and the aftermath whom I can interview to gather research for the
project. Thank you for your help.
Sushma Subramanian
Email: ss3282@columbia.edu
Phone: 916-606-6732

Dear Editor,
I wish Governor Paterson the very best as he begins his first day in office as governor. I have known him for many years going back to my time in the State Assembly. David Paterson is a very capable person who I believe has the skills to unify the people of New York and lead us to better days.
Governor Paterson obviously comes into office under unusual circumstances, but I truly believe that he will help restore people's faith in their elected officials and their government. I am confident that the state legislature will work with him to pass and enact legislation that is critical to improving the quality of life for state residents. We are in good hands with David Paterson as our governor.
From our work to further establish New York as a national and international leader in solar energy research and development, to strengthening the upstate economy, to blocking unwanted and unnecessary new power lines, to protecting and enhancing our precious natural and historical sites, I look forward to working closely with Governor Paterson. I believe that the work my colleagues and I in the New York congressional delegation will achieve in Washington will compliment and further the great work Governor Paterson will accomplish in Albany.
Rep. Maurice Hinchey
Hurley, NY