Candidate Profile: Greenberg Seeks Clarkstown Supervisor Post

CLARKSTOWN, NY - In 2021's general election, residents of the Hudson Valley will be voting for local officials. In anticipation, Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Jeffrey Greenberg is challenging George Hoehmann for the post of Clarkstown Town Supervisor. A businessman and designer in the textiles industry, the 42-year-old is CEO and founder of heshisocks.com.

Learn more about him on his campaign website.

Check out Patch's full Q&A with Jeffrey Greenberg:

Why are you seeking elective office?

First and foremost I have a blessed life. I was born into a family that never had to worry about food, clothing or shelter. This privilege has provided me with opportunities that many do not have, and through these opportunities I have been able to challenge myself and build toward greater understanding of my self, my family and my neighbors. With some skill and some luck – and plenty of support from those around me – I have been able to accomplish my goals of attending top universities, building a business, and creating a beautiful family and home for my children.

That is the micro of my life and I recognize the fragility of it all. The macro of the world around me, around us, is a different story. Currently, Americans are at the mercy of the polarizing forces of left wing and right wing politics. I personally believe in the horseshoe theory, which states the points of the horseshoe (representing the extreme left and extreme right) have far more commonality with each other, than with the people in the "middle." Our society is being high jacked by constant noise from bad actors, all for the sake of clicks. This causes a perpetual state of gridlock that only benefits the powers that be. There is always profit in chaos, after all, and the news is happy to frame every issue under the guise of these two poles - but it simply isn't reality.

I constantly tell my daughter that, "chill is in the middle." This is not the "moderate" that the news tries to represent, but rather the actual citizens of this country that tend to respond to most pressing issues with a 66-75% approval towards a reasonable and rational solution. I have shaken hands with thousands of registered Republicans during this election cycle and I can clearly state, they are not my enemies, and I am not theirs. There is no position in my platform that isn't bi-partisan and in favor of real sustainability for our town and government. I know there is no magic sentence that will ever get 100% of voters to agree with me. There will always be those who are on the opposite side of the issues, and I want them to know I'm ok with it. But at the end of the day, I am seeking office because I didn't want to be the old man screaming at the sky - mad at myself for not trying.

The single most pressing issue facing our town is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

THE CONTINUED APPOINTMENTS BY CURRENT LEADERSHIP OF UNQUALIFIED SUPPORTERS AND FRIENDS TO LOCAL BOARD POSITIONS HAS PROVEN TO YIELD SEVERE CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

Planning and zoning boards should not be filled with unqualified individuals who are put in place to fast-track visionless, multi-unit construction projects in single-unit residential neighborhoods. These decisions not only fail the community by acting as a deterrent to future growth, they are also simultaneously putting undue stress on our environment and infrastructure. These boards decide what is built in your neighborhood and require knowledge and expertise - not simply loyalty to the sitting administration. We have seen this play out with the endless construction of "55 and over developments" at the expense of our public lands and green spaces. The current administration entered office under a fear-based campaign on "preserving" the community. It is my belief that the special zoning for senior development was an easy way to pass these projects along with no intention of maintaining them as senior living. Senior living developments would in theory keep a certain group of individuals out; but with a community that desperately needs young families to replenish our rapidly decreasing public school enrollment, the current administration has done this at the expense of growth and prosperity. In doing so, they have sped up the process of contraction, thereby making us even more vulnerable. Furthermore, the economics of the new projects simply makes no sense to those who these developments would purport to attract. While some Clarkstown seniors are dependent on social services (the people who truly need affordable living options), many have done well with their investments and don't depend on the equity of their homes. And for these citizens, there is no comparing the monthly tax bill of a mortgage-free home ($1200 - $1400 in monthly taxes) to what is being proposed for a "market rate" one-bedroom apartment ($2500 - $3000/month rental). The Clarkstown senior who tells me they are excited to move into one of these complexes at these prices will be the first.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

First and foremost, I plan to actually be available to the town and our employees during Town Hall hours of operation. Mr. Hoehmann has spent the last three years teaching classes out of state on multiple weekday mornings each semester. This has added up to half a years’ worth of "no show salary." I fault no person who has side pursuits and methods of income - but not on town time. In talking to community members, it is safe to say that they are often frustrated at the inefficiencies related certain departments (I have heard a similar frustration from town employees as well). So when the boss isn't there, it creates a culture of indifference and apathy. The award ceremonies, ribbon cuttings and handshaking 'on Main' are the icing on the cake, but the real 'work' is done day-to-day, by being present to lead and support the dedicated employees of town hall who show up every day to serve the community.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community?

In 2015, the NY Post provided evidence that Mr. Hoehmann was misrepresenting himself and his educational achievements by claiming to have an MBA from Notre Dame on several resume sites (He had no such degree). In years past, this kind of misrepresentation would have been disqualifying. However, the incumbent at the time was embroiled in his fair share of scandals, so Mr. Hoehmann's offense was subsequently ignored by the community in favor of change. At the same time, Mr. Hoehmann was actively involved in a campaign finance scandal that has so far cost this town a $1,000,000 settlement for retaliation against one of our police sergeants, as well as another lawsuit which is in litigation regarding the illegal firing of our Police Chief – a suit which is estimated at $3-4 million dollars in damages when all is said and done. For years, Mr. Hoehmann skirted accountability and hid behind these cases being in litigation. But now, with a jury ruling 8-0 in favor of the plaintiff based on evidence that Mr. Hoehmann spied on our police officers, our town employees and our local citizens through their email correspondence, he must be held accountable. The judge even stated in court documents, "his defense cannot be used to justify the plainly incompetent and those who knowingly violate the law." For a community that passionately defends and supports our officers, this kind of violation can be seen as nothing less than a colossal failure of ethics and leadership.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

Last month at the Congers Civic Association debate, a citizen asked our panel, "how do you feel about masks in school for our children?" Despite the recommendations from NIAID, the CDC and the DOH that students should be wearing masks indoors - especially those 12 and under who are not able to get vaccinated at this time - Mr. Hoehmann still chose to state, "I think it should be left to parents to make that decision" while also throwing our County Executive under the bus by stating "there was a lack of leadership coming from the county and state early on." I wholeheartedly disagree with Mr. Hoehmann's position on masks and stated so that evening. This is yet another example of poor leadership that ignores facts and science by putting people in harms way for the sake of satisfying one's base. Our school year is now finishing up our second full month of classes and fortunately, Clarkstown is yet to report any new large-scale Covid outbreaks in school. Requiring every faculty and student to wear a mask has been proven to work. https://www.livescience.com/ra...

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

We are actually the only campaign that has put forth a proposal to actually reduce your taxes. In 2016, my opponent grabbed millions from our reserves to present the community with a "tax break." Since then our taxes have increased every year since 2018. Not one policy decision by Mr. Hoehmann has led to a reduction in your taxes. In fact, we are continually over budget every year.

Our proposal states: For all future real estate development projects, 60% of all taxes collected will be placed in a fund to reduce property taxes for all homeowners. We believe that homeowners must share in the benefit of any future development with a tax break. And to reiterate, we are not proposing multi-unit projects in single-unit residential zones. What we are proposing is a revitalization hybrid (residential/retail) model in our commercial and warehouse districts so that we can stabilize our retail sectors through living opportunities right outside our mass transit hubs (Nanuet Rail Line, Palisades Mall, Shops in Nanuet).

Additionally, we are very concerned about the troubling developments with our water supply and oversight of our public lands. Whether it is the theft and destruction of these public lands at West Hook Mountain by contractors and a private homeowner, or the elevated and dangerous levels of PFAS in our local drinking water, it is imperative that we take control of regulating the corporations and officials responsible for these misdeeds and unlawful actions. Establishing our own water district is something we will be working towards so that we can gain control of our water supply and hold those accountable who do not have the best interest with regards to our personal health and environment.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am the ultimate facilitator. I obsess endlessly on methods to save time, money and energy. I have spent my life developing efficiency systems for the entertainment, hospitality and textile industry. I have been responsible for designing, manufacturing, distributing & developing millions of dollars worth of goods and services while also coordinating logistical controls across multiple continents. The ability to understand data is paramount to running a successful business and these theories are no different when applied to town governance.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

When you focus on your past, that’s your ego. When you focus on your future, that’s your pride. When you focus on the present, that’s humility.

So be present and know who you are. The rest will all fall into place.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

The sentiments expressed during this campaign are solely my own. From day one, I have run my own campaign, without high-priced consultants telling me what the town wants to hear and how I can be “relatable.” There are no attorneys or developers donating to my campaign. My platform is MY platform - one that is bi-partisan and truly for the people. I presented my vision to the Clarkstown Democratic Party in February and earned their endorsement as a complete outsider and have continued to work hard to earn the trust and respect of that committee and the citizens of this town. I’m a business owner looking to clean up the rot and actually fix things. I could not be more thankful to the great people I’ve met along the way and who have worked side by side with me to spread this message (supporters from all parties).

I’m here to WORK & LEAD!
I want to EARN your vote and EARN the Town Supervisor position.
And on November 2nd, our victory will be BI-PARTISAN!

Editor's Note: Mr. Greenberg's name was misspelled in the original version of this article's headline. Patch regrets the error.