Council Candidates Propose a 'Contract with Southeast'

At a Monday, June 22 press conference, Southeast Councilman candidates Matt Neuringer and Joe DePaola signed what they called a "Contract With Southeast" at the Brewster train station. The two candidates are running under the "Save Our Southeast" banner against Elizabeth Hudak and Sgt. Robert Cullen. The contract includes seven promises to voters, including tax and spending reductions, the institution of term limits, increased penalties for DWI, a consumer affairs department, and the consolidation of Town and Village governments. The two candidates pledged to cut taxes by 10 percent or cut their own salaries by 20 percent.

The Bronx-born DePaolo, who is running for public office for the first time, promised to set term limits of 8 years, or two terms on Town Board members. He also proposed a third party forensic audit of the Town's expenditures. "We're not looking for acts of malfeasance … just to throw someone in jail, " DePaola said, "we are working to promote open government."

Perhaps the most innovative and controversial aspect of their plan is to dissolve the Village of Brewster government. "The Village of Brewster government is the single largest impediment to change," Neuringer said. Under a revised law passed in Albany last month, all that is required to consolidate governments are signed petitions from 10 percent of registered voters, and a 51 percent majority in referendum.

While explaining the need to crack down on "contractors and slumlords," Neuringer invoked the Friday night robbery and stabbing of a man on Michael Neuner Boulevard, and the DWI tragedy that took the lives of a mother and child the week before. "I don't envision Brewster as a place where you get stabbed on a Friday night. This should be a place where people can go out to dinner after work, or have a few drinks with friends," the candidate said. Neuringer criticized the Village government for focusing on tangential issues, "the Village has decided to ban skate boarding," Nueringer said. "We are committed to enforcing the laws, not protecting a black market economy, based on exploitation and greed," Neuringer said. The two candidates' plans include putting Village cops on foot patrols, rather than have them ride in patrol vehicles.

Neuringer and DePaola promised to modernize the Southeast government. "We still have a town board that doesn't post anything of substance on the internet," Neuringer said. He suggested that board meetings could be broadcast over the internet, and allow residents who could not attend, to call in with their questions or suggestions. "We do not have all the answers." Neuringer said, "but we will work with the people to find them."