Fellow Republicans:
Maybe I'm alone on this one, but I don't think the Republican-led Ulster
County Legislature needs to hire Legislative Counsel that, first of all,
lives in Orange County and second, has two other paid jobs. I know Langdon
Chapman and while he's very capable and smart, he already draws a $90,000
per year salary from the NYS Senate AND is an Associate Attorney
with Bonacic, Krahulik, Cuddeback, McMahon and Brady, in Middletown.
Since Langdon is a member of the Independence Party and also holds two other
paid positions, perhaps the new Legislature should appoint a Republican who
lives in the County as Legislative Counsel. Besides, how many full-time jobs
does one guy need? I am guessing that the Legislative Counsel position pays
at least $50,000 and I would think that we have plenty of worthy, smart
Republican attorneys who live and work right here in Ulster County who could
use that position.
I am told that Fawn Tantillo (Vice Chair of the Ulster County Independence
Party) has already been appointed as the Confidential Secretary to the new
Chairwoman of the Legislature. Fawn, who was appointed and has been serving
for the last six months on the Charter Revision Commission, will have to
step down from that post if she accepts this position because County
employees are not permitted to serve on the Charter Revision Commission.
If you don't know it, Terry Bernardo, whose husband, Len, ran unsuccessfully
for County Executive against Mike Hein in 2008 and has since become the
appointed Chairman of the Ulster County Independence Party, was elected at
an unofficial meeting of the new Republican caucus to serve as the next
Chairwoman, although the entire Legislature must vote to elect the Chair and
Republicans hold a less than slim one-vote majority. Terry has chosen
Langdon and Fawn to fill these two appointed posts.
I'm sure Roger Rascoe, County Republican Chairman, whose wife, Jane (a very
nice woman), works for Senator Bonacic and thus with Langdon, will have
little if anything to say. Since the Legislature must vote on the
appointments of Legislative counsel, pick someone else. Speak up people,
please, and call or email your Legislator!
Robin Vaccai Yess, CFP
ryess@hvi.net
Current Legislators can be contacted here, but note that the site is not
updated yet for incoming Legislators whose term begins in January.
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