Ramapo at a Crossroads

This year could be the most important local election ever in Ramapo’s long history.

Ramapo is at a crossroads and the future of our suburban communities is in jeopardy.  As a Trustee and now Deputy Mayor in Airmont for the last five years, we have worked to defend the quality of life in our suburban neighborhoods by defending our zoning in court, refusing to down-zone properties, rejecting multi-family housing requests, instituting a building moratorium and initiating an open space program.  With Preserve Ramapo, I have insisted on accountability regarding the failures of our Town’s sewer system and sought to limit the overdevelopment in the Town of Ramapo that is overburdening our roads and our water capacity.

As the Democratic, Preserve Ramapo and Independence Party candidate for County Legislature in District 12, I have over 22 years of legal land use experience to put to work for the people.  I have made specific policy proposals for the County to help prevent overdevelopment.  Those proposals include a County-wide land use plan, strengthening the County Planning Department’s role in local land-use approvals, and assistance to cash-strapped local municipalities who are fighting RLUIPA in court.  The County needs to be the honest watchdog for Towns like Ramapo which are riddled by special interest influences that result in down-zoning and proliferation of unfair zoning variances.   Both of my opponents refuse to be part of the solution.  One says that the County can play no role in land use matters.  The other- my opponent in the Democratic primary- parrots the St. Lawrence campaign line that the Town of Ramapo is “not the problem with overdevelopment”. 

The political establishment at Ramapo Town Hall opposed my candidacy because I am not afraid to speak out against the policies of Mr. St. Lawrence and his Town Board.  With the help of 1,200 voters, I fought back and won the September Democratic primary by a 2 to 1 margin. 

In the legislature I will fight for our reform agenda to save our communities and I will never be influenced by the special interests.

Joe Meyers
Airmont