We appreciate input from our readers, and we publish letters to the editor without charge. The letters should be written by the person who submits the letter and not be “ghost written” by someone else. While open speech and responsibility are encouraged, comments may be rejected if they are purely a personal attack, offensive or repetitive. Comments are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Orleans Hub. Although care is taken to moderate comments, we have no control over how they are interpreted and we are unable to guarantee the accuracy of comments and the rationality of the opinions expressed. We reserve the right to edit letters for content and brevity. Please limit the length of your letter (we suggest no more than 500 words) and provide your name, telephone number, mailing address and a verifiable email address for verification purposes. Letters should be emailed to news@orleanshub.com.

Editor:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, who endorses a sexual predator for President, recently claimed, in a TV ad, that “The invasion at our Southern Border is an existential threat.” Despite this threat, Ms. Tenney refuses to push her colleagues to bring the $118 billion Senate bipartisan border bill to the floor for a debate, let alone a vote. This legislation addresses all of Ms. Tenney’s immigration concerns.

Conservative Senator James Langford, (R-Ok), stated that this bill, if passed, there would be “No more massive caravans of migrants flowing over the border,” and “allows law enforcement in America to control the border.” If the migrant issue at our Southern border is an “existential threat” as she claims, then she is actively working against our national security interest.

More importantly, why is Ms. Tenney using this scare tactic of an “invasion at our Southern border” which she has no interest in solving, for her re-election campaign. The obvious answer is that she has no other issue to run on.

She opposed the Pact Act which provides health care to our veterans who defended and served this country. She voted against capping medication, like insulin, at $35. She wants her constituents to pay exorbitant amounts for needed medication.

She voted against the infrastructure bill that provides jobs in Western New York. She voted against the Chips and Science legislation that moves micro-chip manufacturing from China to the U.S.

Ms. Tenney’s only hope is to scare people to vote for her. She even endorses a sexual predator and grifter for President. Her record shows she is opposed to the financial and security interests of her constituents.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

NYS is up to its old tricks – using the budget process to quickly pass legislation.

The Transportation, Economic Development and Environmental Conservation (TED) Bill found under FY2025 Budget Article VII Bills, specifically Parts O and P, include the RAPID Act (Renewable Action Through Project Interconnection and Deployment Act) and the Affordable Gas Transaction Act. These acts deserve individual debate and vote – not as part of an unrelated budget bill.

When the Governor and Legislature use the massive annual budget process with its looming deadline to pass non-budget legislation, the citizens of New York and democracy lose.

There are many topics and issues included in the budget and the timeline for debate and passage is short. Oversight, analysis, public debate and comments are limited. It is a terrible venue for making dramatic changes that impact municipal authority, private property rights and utility access.

The Climate Act became law in June 2019 in a regular legislative process where debate on the bill was extensive.  Since then, much of the legislation that implements the law has been quietly tucked into amendments to the budget and passed.

The Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) was established through a budget amendment in 2020 called the Accelerated Renewable Act (‘’94-c’’) to expedite the permitting of industrial renewable energy projects. Stringent timelines and removal of local government involvement tilted the process towards the State bureaucracy and the developers and it was done under the guise of the budget.

In next year’s budget, currently being debated, the governor has proposed the RAPID Act (Part O of the TED bill) to enable ORES to also expedite transmission projects. It will have the authority to “promulgate regulations on an emergency basis…absent any finding of an emergency.”

In a similar fashion to the 2020 budget amendment, municipalities have few options when projects do not comply with local laws and regulations. This act offers limited recourse for landowners who do not sign a right-of-way agreement with the developers.

The eminent domain procedure law is being amended to add electric transmission facilities. The bill specifically names “open spaces and scenic beauty” of the Adirondacks and Catskill parks to be considered for protection but fails to recognize and protect the natural beauty enjoyed by rural communities across the state.

Lastly, in terms of gas usage in the state, the governor proposes the Affordable Gas Transaction Act (Part P), where a commission of five people appointed by the governor will determine how and when to discontinue gas service.

Individual property rights are being trampled, precious agricultural land, open space and scenic rural beauty are being industrialized, municipalities are losing their ability to advance the needs of their citizens while New York energy policy is running into the brick wall of reliability.

The State Legislature must not abdicate its responsibility to look at the whole picture and long-term consequences of its implementation of the Climate Act.

Pamela Atwater

Barker

Editor:

Thank you to the Lyndonville residents that came out to vote on Tuesday. Thank you for re-electing me to the Village Board for another term.

I look forward to working with and for you for the next four years.

Danny Woodward Jr.

Lyndonville

Editor:

Something that has always been perplexing to me: the taxpayers in the Village of Albion lose out on tax revenue for all the properties of the Orleans County government and services and yet those offices handle all services for the residents of the entire county of Orleans.

As a result of this we continually lose property tax dollars that are not being collected for those properties. The Village of Albion has the same bills to pay that other villages have, but the others do not have to lose out on property tax revenue for the County Office Building, Treasurer’s Office, County Courthouse, County Clerk’s Office, County Highway, County Jail and County Mental Health.

How is it that the towns are not reimbursing the Village of Albion to at least recover that tax revenue that we lose out on.

Now with the purchase of the GCC college campus and the old Norstar Bank, again the village loses out on that property tax revenue. Albion taxpayers should not be covering losses of the tax dollars we are losing for these county-owned properties. These services are shared and therefore the tax loss should be shared.

It only makes sense to me and perhaps the Village of Albion government that we would fight to have the other towns reimburse us a percentage of what we lose in County Office spaces and those exemption dollars. Those towns should share the loss that we suffer and reimburse that loss on a percentage basis.

What’s fair is fair – every town should pay its share.

Maureen Bennett

Albion

Editor:

Here are my reasons to vote for Jeff Holler and they should be yours as well.

He has coached the youth here for 20-plus years. Whether it was football or baseball, helping to shape the young people which has been and is a passion of his. Besides fundraising for AYSAP and the Summer Parks Program he assists in numerous community events such as serving over 200 for Thanksgiving dinner, 2,000 chicken barbecue dinners at the Que-in for Christmas, assisting in stocking the two community refrigerators and preparing meals for both, helping to provide presents and breakfast with Santa for Christmas, all at no cost to the community.

He has been a business and homeowner here in the village. He also has ties to our local Masonic Chapter. Since joining them over 20 years ago he has held several positions from treasurer to trustee to master. Most recently he achieved his goal of bringing  back the community involvement while leading the lodge as Master.

With being business-minded he will do what’s best for our community and not be pushed into a yes vote without doing his research.

Nicole Horn

Albion

Editor:

Dear fellow citizens of Albion, for those who may not already know me, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Faith Smith and I have lived with you in this great community of Albion for over 25 years.

My husband, Michael, and I have raised our three children alongside you, and currently we have three beautiful grandchildren who attend the Albion schools. I have a small business and am a member of the Albion Merchants Association.

Since 2010 I have served our fellow residents in need of food, fellowship and other basic needs, first as Director of the Community Kitchen and now as Director of the Orleans Koinonia Kitchen. In connection with that role, it was my honor to receive the 2022 Community Service Award from the Albion Chamber of Commerce.

I care deeply about the needs of the people in our community, and recognized early on that you don’t have to be homeless to need a little help and care. And now I come to you to ask for your help.

I would like to officially announce my desire to be considered as a write-in candidate for the March 19 trustee election for the Albion Village Board.

As a business owner, I feel we need to do a better job to bring the community and the businesses together. We need to bring our downtown, with all its vintage charm, back to life.

As a member of Harvest Christian Fellowship, I would love to see more collaboration between our local churches and the community. As a parent and grandparent, I would love to see a vibrant, thriving community that meets the needs of families, both young and old, to live, work and play in a safe and caring environment.

I believe that I have the passion and vision to help bridge the gap between community members and the village officials, and will work tirelessly toward these goals.

I like to think I can make a difference in the community and fight for the needs of our neighbors. If you believe in these things too, please write in my name, Faith Smith, when you visit the polls on March 19.

Sincerely yours,

Faith Smith

Albion

Editor:

To the voters of the Village of Lyndonville my name is Danny Woodward Jr. I am asking for your vote on March 19 for re-election to the Village of Lyndonville Board.

I have been a member of the board for the past 12 years with the last 8 years as Deputy Mayor. I was born and raised, grew up in and attended school here where I graduated in ’92.

I have lived in Lyndonville my whole life, and love our little village. I am currently a 31-year active member of the Lyndonville Joint Fire District were I have held the ranks of Chief, Assistant Chief, Captain, Lieutenant, President and Vice President.

So please exercise your right to vote by coming out on March 19 from noon until 9 p.m. at the village office and vote to re-elect a home grown and current community resident, Danny Woodward Jr., to the Village Board.

Danny Woodward Jr.

Lyndonville

Editor:

Tuesday is election day! If you are looking for a candidate that is hard working, motivated, and is a man of values, write in Justin Edwards for village board trustee.

If elected, I will immediately start addressing the issues of our sidewalks, roads (specifically the deterioration of West Ave between Dobbins and Mizkan), and our growing stray cat problem.

I will work diligently with the other board members on current issues being addressed as well. Along with the issues I have stated, my main focus will be on ensuring our village tax does not unnecessarily increase.

My military experience and work ethic make me an ideal candidate to represent the residents of Lyndonville.

Justin Edwards

Lyndonville

Editor:

One of the most challenging things parents face is finding affordable child care, which is why I have been working on a comprehensive plan on this essential issue with fellow colleagues.

Our plan, “A Blueprint for Childcare,” is a three-prong reimaging of child care in New York with the goals of making day care more affordable for families, helping providers grow and expand their facilities and services and expanding access to early childhood education.

It is essential that children are safe and well cared for while their parents are at work. Compared to previous decades, parents must now rely on day care providers to care for their children while they are at work. According to data in the New York State Child Care Market Rate Survey Report of 2022, these costs can run parents more than $400 a week for an infant at a day care center to $325 a week for children aged 3-5 in a family day care home or group setting.

Costs for special needs children are higher. This means a family with two young children could be spending well over $20,000 a year in child care expenses.

To make child care more affordable for families, I am calling for a variety of tax credits that will help parents keep more of their paycheck and save the average family an additional $2,300 per year. For example, our plan to increase the state Earned Income Tax Credit amount from 30% to 45% (A.9258) should save parents a collective $386 million and increasing the Empire State child credit amount to 45% of the federal Child Tax Credit amount (A.9257) should save another $299 million. Additionally, I am calling on the federal government to permanently reinstate the Enhanced Child Tax Credit. On top of that, because we know not every parent works a weekday schedule anymore, our plan will allow providers to increase child care availability to hours outside of the traditional models such as nights and weekends (A.9126).

Because the first eight years of a child’s life are the most critical for their brain development and learning capacity, it is important to me that our plan helps child care providers offer the best services possible for families in our state. This is why our plan creates a new $250 million Child Care Facility Capital Improvement Tax Credit to help child care providers enhance and update facilities (A.9264) and allows local taxing entities the option to offer an exemption from real property taxes to licensed child day care centers further helping providers keep more of their money to invest into their business (A.8579).

And, this is why ensuring greater access to early childhood education is an important part of our plan. My colleagues and I are calling for a Universal Pre-K (UPK) aid increase and program improvements (A.9128) as well as an increase in the state reimbursement rate to school districts for UPK students and expanded collaboration between school districts with child care agencies.

These are the building blocks of our plan as child care is essential and must be made more affordable for hardworking families in order to keep them in our state.

Assemblyman Mike Norris

Lockport

(Norris serves as the chairman of the Assembly Minority Conference. He represents the 144th Assembly District which includes portions of Erie and Niagara counties. His district formerly included part of Orleans County.)

Editor:

The Village of Medina is thriving, with a great deal of projects in the works:

• We are currently waiting to hear which projects will move forward in the $4.5 million NY Forward Grant, aimed at revitalizing downtown Medina.

• We are anxiously awaiting work to begin on our beautiful canal, thanks to a $10 million investment by the NY Power Authority and Canal Corporation.

• We will be celebrating the 200^th Anniversary of the Erie Canal in 2025, where Medina will host its first major Art Triennial.

• The Medina Business Park is shovel-ready to welcome new businesses to Medina.

• Important restorations are needed in the fire station to house the larger fire apparatus in the future.

With that being said, the Village of Medina will be holding its elections on Tuesday, March 19, from 12 p.m. until 9 p.m. in the Senior Citizens Center. It is important that residents come out to vote for candidates with integrity, experience, and dedication to our beautiful village as we continue to move forward.

I have served 10 years on the Planning Board and 10 years on the Village Board, performing the duties of Deputy Mayor this past year. I pride myself in my ability to be objective and thoughtful in my decisions, always keeping the interests of the taxpayers in the forefront.

I worked as a special education teacher in Medina for 31 years, served as President of the Mustang Sports Boosters, have been a member of the Orleans Community Health Foundation, and remain a member of Holy Trinity Parish in Medina, currently serving as a reader at Mass.

I am running for mayor because I truly care about our Village. As a board member, I have worked alongside Mayor Michael Sidari for many years to make Medina a better place to live. There are so many wonderful things happening in our village; yet there is so much work to be done.

I want to keep the momentum going and am willing to dedicate my time for the betterment of the Village of Medina.

I would sincerely appreciate your vote on Tuesday.

Marguerite Sherman

Medina

Editor:

I am asking the voters of the Village of Lyndonville to vote for me, Steve Colon, on the Taxpayers Party during the March 19 election from noon to 9 p.m.  I’m running for village trustee.

I have lived in Lyndonville since 1999. I have taken notice to the bridge on Main Street and various parts of the sidewalks in Lyndonville that get flooded and some in need of repairs. I am concerned about the antique waterlines.

I am concerned about taxes, cost and spending – also the possibility of illegal immigrants being forced upon the community. Before anyone goes screaming Steve Colon is a racist,  I am not. I am referring to the persons violating US law.

I believe and support the H2A agricultural workers who do things legally. There is a difference. I will look to offset both the tax issues and the illegal persons being forced upon the people of the United States, taking tax dollars from the people of the United States.

I will look for ways to fix the bridge and sidewalks through grants or assistance from State and Federal governments. I will try my best to spare the Lyndonville taxpayers.

I will try to assist the local fire company getting grants and equipment if I can. I ask for the chance to serve the people of Lyndonville.

I encourage the voters of Lyndonville to write in whoever they think is best qualified for the job of being the Lyndonville mayor. He or she could be your dad or mom. He or she could be you, who just needs some extra income and am willing to do a good job. You the voter can write in whoever you want. The door is wide open.

You the voter can even write in yourself or your aunt or uncle for a Village of Lyndonville trustee. However, I ask that you select me to help you in serving the Lyndonville community.

The rules for the March 19 village election allow any write-in candidates for the trustee and mayor positions. I will stress that myself and Danny Woodward Jr. took the time to go door to door meeting the different people of Lyndonville and followed the rules to be placed on the ballot for the election.

I now humbly ask the Village of Lyndonville voters to take that into consideration. We took wanting to serve the People of Lyndonville and the positions seriously. I can’t speak for Mr. Woodworth Jr., however by him taking the time to meet the petition requirements, I can see by his actions he wishes to continue to serve the Village of Lyndonville.

Make things change, get out and vote on March 19.

Steve Colon

Lyndonville

Editor:

In recent weeks and months there have been many letters published here regarding the ever increasing tax burden on our community. The pace of these tax increases over the last few years has been very concerning to me.

Motivated by this, I’ve decided to offer myself as a write-in candidate for the Albion Village Board. The election is this coming Tuesday, March 19.

Involvement in this community has been an important part of my life going back many years. My siblings and I grew up participating in Orleans County 4-H programs, including various clubs, the Orleans County 4-H Fair, and other community activities throughout the year. After aging out of the youth program, I’ve remained actively involved as a volunteer with different programs and activities, especially the fair. After my beneficial experiences growing up in Orleans County 4-H, my wife and I wanted to put down roots where our family could continue to be involved.

We bought our house in the Village of Albion in 2021. While we’re very happy with our community and the experience of living here, the drain of aggressive tax increases over recent years has been a growing concern and disappointment.

Just since 2022, our combined town and county tax bill has increased almost 25%. Village taxes have increased just over 7% in the same time, and with the notice on the village website regarding a public hearing to exceed the property tax limit, I expect 2024-2025 will see another increase. Since billing for water service was re-structured, our quarterly bills are up nearly 50% from what they were originally.

These increases have fed a growing concern about the affordability of living in Albion. If the village and the county as a whole are going to be a place that people can afford to live, all  levels of local government need to pursue consolidation and shared services.

Pursuing increases in AIM funding, and an increase in sales tax revenue distributions from the county are also important. I’d be honored to have the opportunity to help advance these priorities and work for the good of the village community overall.

Write in William Gabalski for Albion Village Trustee on March 19.

William Gabalski

Albion

Editor:

As you may have heard by now, I am a candidate for Trustee in the Village of Medina Elections to be held on Tuesday, March 19. I am included on the “Village Party” ticket with Marguerite Sherman as Mayor and Tim Elliott as Trustee.

I always said I would never run for a political office. Politics is not my thing, but the Village of Medina is. I was awakened from my almost three-year retirement slumber after receiving a substantial increase in the school and town/county taxes. With this, and the prospect of a major expenditure, I spent a few sleepless nights wondering how the upcoming budget would look for our Village.  I felt the need to get involved – again.

I worked practically my entire adult life in the Village of Medina Clerk’s Office, most of that time as Deputy Clerk-Treasurer to the iconic Peggy Crowley. Having started the job at 19 years old, I learned a lot from her, both personally and professionally.

Upon her retirement, I continued in her footsteps as your Clerk-Treasurer for the next eight years, serving the Village Board. I often gave them advice on Village issues, even when not asked, and always tried to keep our Village on a healthy fiscal path and within state and federal guidelines.

The new reassessments have created tax increases for some of us that are not sustainable.  It’s time to cut the budget and re-examine how we provide services.  We need to put Medina first when negotiating rates and services with outside entities.

Medina taxpayers can no longer afford to absorb the cost of providing services at discounted rates to outside entities while not receiving the relief from the towns and the revenue from the county that is rightly and justly due!

Medina has become a destination for many outside of our community, thanks to the dedication of many volunteers, and the relationship they have had with past boards. It is important that this work continues, but it is also important that our residents find it pleasurable and affordable to live here.

I don’t claim to have all of the answers, but I do have: Passion for the continued success of our Village; Dedication to providing an affordable tax rate; Commitment to keeping Medina first; and 41 years of experience in Village government.

I have never been afraid to voice my opinion, if I have one, and always lead with my gut.  Open communication is key in any situation and feel common sense should always prevail.

Please exercise your right to vote for Mayor and two Trustee positions, and be an active participant in your community’s future.  Thank you for your support.

Deborah Padoleski

Candidate

Village of Medina Trustee

Editor:

The AIM debate is an important one, but at its core, seeking an increase in AIM funds is nothing more than a futile attempt at redistribution of wealth, which is at the core of the State of New York’s problems – the state captures revenue generated in the local municipalities, and then decided how much to give back.

It has created both an unhealthy dependence on state lawmakers, and a scapegoat for county governments that decide to spend recklessly on pet projects, sell-off important assets such as a nursing home, or hoard sales tax revenue.

Even though Representative Hawley’s Tier 1 and Tier 2 proposal is severely flawed because it simply shifts the majority of AIM funds to less populous regions and flips the burden, resulting in less per capita for anyone who happens to live in areas with high population density- at least he has done something tangible.

It should be noted that Hawley sponsored a bill on January 3, number A01985, which called for an increase in AIM funds, and included the Tier 1, and Tier 2 components spelled out in his editorial. The editorial that launched this debate appeared more than a month later and stated “Our elected representatives in the state government have failed us in Orleans County with this issue. They don’t speak out about such a glaring disparity in state aid to our villages and towns, compared to small cities in the state.” That seems like an unfair criticism in retrospect.

Moreover, Hawley submitted a letter to the editor, and while it was not posted to The Hub’s social media page so it did not have nearly as large an audience as the original AIM editorial, Hawley is the only elected official that made any effort to make his case with specifics, beyond saying “we want more money.”

There is a viable solution, and that is to eliminate AIM and replace it with a program that allows counties to keep a larger portion of sales tax revenue. Currently it is a 50/50 split, with 4% going to the State of New York and Orleans keeps 4%. Some jurisdictions have a 7% sales tax, and some are slightly over 8%, but if the State decreased the amount they capture to 3.8% and gave the rest back to the counties.

Assuming Orleans County collects $22 million a year, which would result in an increase of $550,000 in sales tax revenue that would be distributed back to towns and villages. It would make counties have more skin in the game and more of an incentive to grow the tax base, as opposed to a fixed amount doled out by the State.

In addition, the state could add a portion of each county’s income tax, which would also encourage municipalities to grow their workforce.

A per capita plan sounds good on paper, but the reality is that there is a substantial difference in the cost of living in different regions. For example, in 2022, the median sales price of a house in Orleans County was $150,000, in Monroe County it was $204,000, in Erie it was $226,000 and in Westchester County it was $770,000.

Ultimately, the State needs to move away from their role of gatekeeper of tax funds, and restore local accountability. AIM is a small portion of the money states funnel back to localities, but they are unrestricted funds, so there needs to be some scrutiny involved.

The only other proposed solution is to sign a letter penned by NYCOM, which says “If the State truly wants to ensure affordability and public safety for all New Yorkers, now is the time for an increase in AIM funding for cities, villages and towns.”

Which sounds great, but has zero specifics other than to ask for “an increase.” So the only thing that letter provides is an opportunity for a press release.

Thom Jennings

Oakfield

Editor:

To the voters of the Village of Medina, I would like to express how important this upcoming Village Election is on March 19. As a former village resident, we have gone far too long without having true contested elections with a candidate pool as strong as the current choices.

One candidate in particular I would like to voice my support for is Mark Prawel, my father. My father was always meant to serve his community. He wanted to give back to the community so much that he first got into law enforcement over three decades ago on a volunteer basis with the Orleans County Auxiliary Police and eventually transitioning into a Special Deputy Role with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.

When former Police Chief Jose Avila asked my father to join the Police Department in 2007, my father knew it wouldn’t be easy; he was 37 years old. He put himself through the part-time police academy while juggling a young family at home and managing a business. Take it from me, someone who went through the very same academy at age 23, the fact that he did what he did at the age of 37 is truly remarkable, but it isn’t a surprise to anyone that really knows my father. Even when told he couldn’t do something, my father fought through the blood, sweat, and tears and proved his doubters wrong.

He proudly served the Village of Medina for over 16 years working over night shifts every Friday and Saturday night (and Thursdays in the beginning of his career) all while balancing the business and our family. My father never looked for any thanks or recognition for this, he was just honored that he could do his part. My father retired from Medina Police Department in 2023 at the age of 52 years old and, at the time, being in the top three oldest road patrol officers serving in the county.

On top of serving the community in the law enforcement roles, my father has continued to carry forward the precedent set by my grandfather with running a fair and honest vehicle repair shop for the last four decades; while also being a trustworthy person that people can talk to and feel heard.

At the end of the day, Mark Prawel truly embodies the spirit of Medina; someone who puts Medina before himself and wants to give back in any way that he can. He has lived in Medina his whole life and given back to the community in one way or another his whole life. He knows Medina as much as anyone possibly could. He is my role model that has inspired me to give back to my community and I know that he will serve you all well as a Trustee if given the opportunity.

I ask that you consider supporting Mark Prawel on Election Day, March 19, and keep Medina going in the positive direction that we all know it can. Thank you!

Matthew Prawel

Gaines (formerly of Medina)