Reader says Mr. Sareceno personally gave the tickets to the council, it is even stronger evidence of an improper gift
Now it is reported that Sareceno personally gave the tickets to the council. If that’s true, it is even stronger evidence of an improper gift.
Perhaps it is one thing for a “committee” in town to invite public officials to an otherwise private event so they can learn what other Villagers are saying and thinking. I still think that is wrong and violates the policy as well as the values of common sense and decency that have been the hallmark of Village life.
But here, it is now claimed the developer of the proposed massive Ridgewood projects — projects that will come before the Village council and threaten to change the fabric and character of the Village forever — is the one that gave the tickers. That is even more obscene than a pro forma invite from a “committee” in town.
Think about it — tickets to a private fund raising political event for which folks purportedly had to pay between $1,000 to $25,000 were given to our Village council members.
There is no spin, no explanation, no excuse that justifies this. At least the council members should have the decency to admit the mistake.
These are good folks on our council who seem to be sticking their heads in the sand when it comes to the issue of over-development of the Village and destruction of the environment in which we live and have staked our livelihoods, our savings and our children’s, and our own, futures. The bottom line is, have they no sense of decency??
At long last, have they no sense of decency??
If you want to bang up Saracano for being a developer fine, show up at the planning meetings and disagree with the project on the merits. Don’t think that you’re somehow going to stop a revitalization effort downtown because of a cocktail party for some political hacks in a vacant bank. It looks petty and the rest of town sees it that way.
yeah…
We only have to obey the laws that we like.
you think there’s been a law broken here?!? five local pols (and a few dozen county pols, and some village officials) attend an event with no intrinsic value whatsoever and you think that somehow allowing them in the room violates the law? what law is that? the one against being bored out of your mind while drinking a light beer and eating a pig in a blanket?
Sunshine go away today
I don’t feel much like dancing
Some man’s gone, he’s tried to run my life
Don’t know what he’s asking
He tells me I’d better get in line
Can’t hear what he’s saying
When I grow up I’m going to make it mine
But these aren’t dues I been paying
(Chorus)
How much does it cost, I’ll buy it
The time is all we’ve lost, I’ll try it
But he can’t even run his own life
I’ll be damned if he’ll run mine, Sunshine
Sunshine go away today
I don’t feel much like dancing
Some man’s gone he’s tried to run my life
Don’t know what he’s asking
Working starts to make me wonder where
The fruits of what I do are going
He says in love and war all is fair
But he’s got cards he ain’t showing
(Chorus)
Sunshine come on back another day
I promise you I’ll be singing
This old world, she’s gonna turn around
Brand new bells’ll be ringing
The rest of the town does NOT see this as petty. People are utterly disgusted with the inappropriate behaviour of Aronsohn, in particular, and his two buddies Pucciarelli and Hauck as well. One event is not the sum total of their messy business.
No it’s not petty or aimed at people personally at all then you go on to only name three of the five council people that were there. On this subject either you are utterly disgusted with the inappropriate behavior of all of them or none of them. Sorry but it’s morally vacant to pick three of five. And by the way “Politicians attend political event” is not a very interesting headline — and that’s the story here.
Three of the five council people have done the lion’s share of the mess in the past year. yes, they all went to the political fundraiser. But only three of them have been involved in the inappropriate antics of the last few months.
“Have they no sense of decency” posted as a rhetorical question on this blog.
Most. Irony. Ever.
Nailed it!
All bullshit.
Good job 1,3,5!….at least someone get’s it!
#1 People do show up at the meetings and bang the merits. But you miss the point. If the conduct was improper, it was improper. Moreover, if I read the Patch’s comments accurately, people showed up at the last council meeting to note their concerns.
The conduct is not and could not ever be improper. There is no question of propriety here.
And for the record the only people that spoke didn’t have to go out of their way to show up to the meeting because they were already there. They are always there. Three or four people constructed this conspiracy-theory fantasy, stood at an open mic at a council meeting and got some ink based on a slow news week. Other supporters of the past mayor are only too happy to parrot those comments for their own parochial interests.
The real story here is how four people sitting in the audience continue to do everything they can to eliminate meaningful progress on important issues in our village. That’s the story here and it should run on page one.
Get your facts straight, please.
No “conspiracy theory” was voiced at the meeting. The only thing voiced at the microphone was a question; and that question was: “Was the acceptance of comp tickets to a $1000 per head political fundraiser from the principal of a company with a pending application before the Planning Board a violation of the Village’s gifting ordinance.”
Again, no conspiracy theory was voiced at the meeting. The conspiracy theory surfaced on this blog and on Patch.
Check your facts before you write.
Maybe you should read The Record today. Seems that there is widespread dismay with The Council.
I personally am grateful to the people who go to the meetings. I spend over $20K in taxes on my home each year. I cannot usually go to the meetings because I have three children who are in all sorts of activities. I am glad someone is watching how my money is being spent. We usually have the meetings on the TV while we are taking care of our evening routine in the house. The people who go to the microphone often say positive things or offer constructive suggestions. One of the regulars, an older gentleman, often speaks about national news stories and relates them back to Ridgewood business. Yes, there times when some people (sometimes a lot of people) question and protest some of the councils actions…..and hats off to them. What is it you are suggesting, #12, are you suggesting that the five people on the council should be able to do whatever they want without any questions every being asked? Makes it sound like you are one of those five. Sorry, but it doesn’t work that way.
“The conduct is not and could not ever be improper. There is no question of propriety here.” – whoever wrote this is in a cloud.
It look like Mayor Paul Aronsohn has his apologist working overtime on this blog. No need the Mayor scrubs the internet clean of any neg publicist. Try goggling his name. None of this comes up . A real carpetbagger politician.
Those who attend council meetings regularly would more than welcome additional voices there.
# 12 and other apologists, perhaps its worth spelling out:
The tickets to the event reportedly went for the price of $1,000 to $25,000 each. It was not an event open to the public for free (like the parade the next day where we expected and intended our public officials to meet and greet the Governor on our behalf.) The party was a private fund raising event. People gave money to a cause in exchange for a meal, drinks and private time with a very important and engaging person. Nothing at all wrong with that event.
One or more Village council members accepted free tickets. They were not obligated to pay for the tickets. That means the Village Council members were granted access to something denied to all other Village residents. Village residents who wanted access needed to pay between $1,000 to $25,000 in order to obtain the tickets. So, the Village council members who accepted the rather expensive tickets for free, received access to an event that other people in town had to pay for. The council members received a benefit.
The person who reportedly handed the Village Council members the tickets valued at $1,000 to $25,000 each is apparently the same person who is trying to change the laws of the Village of Ridgewood to allow him to make a greater profit for his business. The folks who vote on the change of the laws are on the Village council.
So, combining these points, we see that elected officials who were reportedly given $1,000+ tickets by someone who wants to change the laws to make more money for himself, will now be asked to vote on that change in the laws that will enable him to do so.
Clearly we would all be up in arms if the council members were given $1,000 bills, or watches or other items of value by a man who wants to change Village laws to make a profit for himself. And while I am fairly certain the Village council members had good intentions and meant no harm by going to the private party, I wonder why should we be complacent over $1,000 tickets??
#20 well written and explained. Now who is going to call the attorney general’s office special investigation squad if no one does this go away like the Tom Richie incident.
The undue influence of money is wrong and these candidate did not just hide the fact that they even pledged and ran on it…..So this is a HUGE HUGE issue. These elected officials must resign, they did wrong, what’s even worse is they went out of there way in the past
To make this a big big issue
The question now is WHEN will they resign?