Keep Rockland Beautiful Backs Lawmakers' Spending Plan: Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

The future of Keep Rockland Beautiful is caught up in the tug-of-war between the County Executive and Legislature. As it currently stands, KRB could lose a quarter of its funding – which would be a devastating blow to our county-wide cleanups and environmental education programs in our schools.

We believe the budget proposal put forth by the Legislature – which also features a property tax cut for everyone – is the better plan and would restore funding to non-profits, including KRB.

We know that non-profits like KRB provide essential services that would MUCH more expensive if the county and its towns and villages would have to assume those costs. Non-profits eke every drop out of every penny!!!

The amount KRB receives from the overall Rockland County budget is $50,000 – that’s a tiny investment. But the results of this investment are enormous.

Every year, over 3,000 volunteers come out for KRB’s Cleanup Campaigns like the “Great American Cleanup Campaign” in the spring. Can you imagine if all that volunteer energy had to be replaced by county employees? What the cost would be? What our neighborhoods would look like? What the impact would be on our waterways? Truly, the total cost to the county would be beyond measure – as we teach in our programs, there are always ripple effects.

Our work makes a visible difference in our communities, contributes to the economic value of our neighborhoods, quality of life, and environmental health – not to mention the thousands of volunteers and students we help inspire and energize to building cleaner, greener, more sustainable communities.

If KRB’s county funding disappears, so does the likelihood for additional grants and sponsorships. It is a downward spiral that is wholly unnecessary if the legislators opt to overturn the County Executive’s budget and choose the budget drafted by the County Legislature.

So if you believe in what we do and would hate to see this happen, you will have to speak up…now! As it looks right now, only one additional independent-thinking and community-spirited Legislator would need to vote to override the County Executive’s veto!

AND if you live in Bardonia, Congers, New City, Pearl River or Suffern and know any of these folks…can you please write an email or call them???

Please tell them how you feel, that they should override the veto and fund the non-profits! It will make ALL THE DIFFERENCE!!

• District 15 (Pearl River) Legislator Patrick J. Moroney MoroneyP@co.rockland.ny.us(845) 638-5754
• District 16 (Pearl River) Legislator Vincent D. Tyer TyerV@co.rockland.ny.us(845) 638-5753
• District 12 (Suffern) Legislator Charles J. Falciglia FalciglC@co.rockland.ny.us(845) 638-5751
• District 11 (Congers) Legislator Laurie Santulli SantullL@co.rockland.ny.us(845) 638-5751
• District 5 (New City) Legislator Lon M. Hofstein Minority Leader HofsteiL@co.rockland.ny.us(845) 638-5751
• District 9 (Bardonia) Legislator Christopher J. Carey CareyC@co.rockland.ny.us(845) 638-5754

Thank you so much! The Board & Staff of KRB

SEE ALSO:

• Rockland County Exec Vetoes Lawmakers' Budget Amendments
• Hofstein Says Rockland Could Lose Sain Building Buyer
• Rockland Lawmakers Amend 2017 Budget Plan