Rockland Lawmakers Trade Accusations

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — The Rockland Board of Legislators is expected Tuesday night to consider a law regulating how outside entities can start residential programs in the county, which set off election-season politicking that reached public proportions in the past week.

Legislator James Foley accused Legislator Alden Wolfe of keeping the bill from consideration last week in order to push lawmakers into spending county money on sidewalks in Ramapo.

More than that, he said local Democrats are opposed to protecting Rockland from "migrant dumping." He created a meme on Facebook linking Wolfe, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and NYC Mayor Eric Adams.

The Democrats "caucus with the corrupt and dishonest Ramapo members," he said on Facebook. "This destructive caucus needs to shrink in number, and you will have your opportunity as the polls are opening soon."

The chairman of the Legislature, Jay Hood, Jr., issued a statement firing back over what he called multiple erroneous claims.

"It is not surprising that Legislator Foley has no idea what he is talking about because Legislator Foley has had zero involvement in any of the discussions regarding this law and no involvement in developing it," Hood said. "The legislators he is attempting to 'call out' are the very ones who have been involved and worked to develop this law."

Hood also said Foley’s "demand" that a special meeting be called was absurd because Hood had scheduled a special meeting for Oct. 24 — so a vote could be conducted — the day before Foley called for one.

Hood said the Legislature has steadfastly backed the county's fight against New York City's plan to temporarily house 340 asylum-seekers in a hotel in Orangeburg, because while migrants are just seeking to build better lives, the current migrant crisis has an "incredible" cost for housing, food, medical attention, emotional support, education and social services.

"What we don’t need is another municipality — in the case, New York City — transporting hundreds if not more people to a county that is simply not set up to address such overwhelming demand. Nor should local taxpayers have to bear the brunt of what is clearly a national crisis," Hood said.

As for Foley's accusation, "the sidewalk issue is separate and involves establishing a sidewalk safety program for all county roads in Rockland — not just Ramapo," Hood said. Foley has created numerous negative memes of elected officials from the town of Ramapo before, Hood said.

Foley, in a response on Facebook, doubled down, attacking both Ramapo and Hood. "The chairman knows this 'quid pro quo' was stated, and his stating differently proves how the Ramapo owned machine can influence an otherwise civil, decent, and community minded person who I typically enjoy the company of while in Legislature.

"The chairman speaks as if I have some proclivity to speak about Ramapo. I am in good company. The FBI, SEC raided Ramapo Town Hall, not me. When a school district was taken over and looted by persons that don’t use public schools, tearjerker documentaries, painful NPR stories, and incisive New York Times articles were written about these injustices. Are these FBI Agents, authors and filmmakers also pulling some political stunt?" he said. "So pay attention people, these are your elected’s, if the Rockland County Legislature Ramapo/Democratic caucus will treat an elected official this way, I think you can surmise how much respect they have for you taxpayers of Orangetown and Clarkstown."