To listen to Joe Meyers' comments, candidacy announcement, and a question from Channel 12 click audio here. 

The full text of Joe's announcement of his candidacy appears below.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY JOE MEYERS OF HIS CANDIDACY FOR COUNTY LEGISLATOR COVERING THE 12^TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT

I want to thank those legislators who tonight courageously voted to affirm the recommendation of the local democratic committee for the 12^th district and to support me for appointment to the legislature.

It is regrettable that the overwhelming choice of the local democratic committee in a 28-2 vote was not affirmed here tonight. This is a breach of longstanding precedent. I think that the legislature made a major mistake tonight in deciding that the views of the people of the 12^th district don’t matter.

I thank the many dozens of residents of the 12^th legislative district who called and e-mailed the legislature and wrote to the JN to support my appointment. I’m told that upwards of 100 phone calls and e-mails poured into the legislature over the last 10 days in support of my appointment and the important issues we stand for.

I agree with many who have said that a special election should have been called so that the people could decide who they want to represent them. Unfortunately, the legislature has decided tonight that they, not the people, should decide who will represent us.

As you know I have been outspoken regarding environmental, zoning, land use and code enforcement issues in the Town of Ramapo that are negatively impacting Suffern, Airmont, Chestnut Ridge and the rest of the Town of Ramapo. I know that my outspokenness on these matters has scared some of the legislators who are supported by a special interest bloc vote which disagrees with my positions on these matters.

But these issues are real and they must be addressed for our Town of Ramapo to survive as a suburban enclave. These issues can no longer be swept under the rug or masked by a barrage of name calling designed to intimidate good people to be silent and compliant.

The people must decide who should represent them on these and other important issues. This is the cornerstone of our democracy.

The people must decide whether and how these important issues should be addressed and whether a voice for reason on these issues should serve in this Legislature.

Accordingly, I announce that I will be a candidate in the upcoming September democratic primary for Legislator to represent the 12^th Legislative District. I will bring to every home in this district my message of environmental sanity, protection of our suburban quality of life and getting costs of government under control and real property tax reform enacted.

I ask for the support of reasonable people throughout the district so that our voices can be heard throughout the Town of Ramapo and the County of Rockland.

Thank you.