Team Talmage and the press

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Letters to the Editor

Milan should not exclude newcomers
If Hunter Thompson were still alive, he could write a story titled "Fear and Loathing in Milan." The contention and vitriol over the upcoming election and proposed comprehensive plan would give him plenty to contemplate. One of the many issues injected into this fray is one that disturbs me greatly: the "us" against "them" argument. Us meaning the people who have lived in town longer than the them who have not and especially weekenders, many of whom come from New York City.
"Us against them" is, unfortunately, a familiar theme in American history and the "them" have included the Irish, Italians, Poles, blacks, Hispanics, Asians and a host of others. Newcomers must be kept out, say the people who are already here. I would like to remind these people we were all newcomers at one time or another. If we want to follow this type of reasoning to its fullest extent, we should all get out and give Milan back to the American Indians.
I've lived in Milan for 31 years and admit I am, at times, not happy with the recent pace of development. Areas where I once hiked in the woods now have houses on them and the road I live on has more traffic. These things cannot be stopped, but they can be directed. All Milaners need to work together to zone intelligently and to preserve those things such as the rural atmosphere that make this town such a wonderful place to live.
Peter C. Goss, Red Hook
Tuesday, November 1, 2005

Coming to the surface in the continuing controversy over Milan’s Comprehensive Plan is an age old tension between newcomers and old-timers, country folk and city folk, insiders and outsiders. Being a fifth generation Californian who grew up on a ranch in Northern California, I understand why those who have lived in one place most of their lives feel they have a better understanding of how to run their “home turf” than those who have just arrived. But I also understand that this feeling is based on a primitive fear of the other, the stranger, who by their mere presence appears to threaten a way of life. In order for me to overcome my feeling of superiority, I had to first realize it was based on fear and then slowly understand that an individual’s worth is not based on how long they have lived in one place but on the soundness of their judgment, the quality of their character, and the reasonableness of their ideas. Today, more than ever, we need to shed our fear of the stranger and realize that we are all strangers to someone. We need the courage to see without labels and allow our town to become a true community for everyone.

Robert Trumbull

Support Talmage team in Milan
As usual, the Milan Republican Party looks to the past to justify its inadequacies. Money did not buy the 2003 election — issues did.

Today Milaners of all parties and no parties can choose leadership to ensure that democratic values and quality-of-life issues are addressed with balanced, considered judgment — qualities demonstrated by Ross Williams, Diane May and John Talmage. We again have an opportunity to reject the politics of exclusion and affirm the politics of inclusion by voting on Nov. 8 for Team Talmage.
Robert Trumbull

Milan GOP eschews state election laws
It should be noted both the Republican and Democratic parties in Milan did not meet all of the standards set forth under the election laws of New York state in the 2003 campaign. However, the Democratic Committee did file the required financial disclosure statements, thus the public record that the GOP relies on. There is no public record for the Milan GOP.

Regarding the current election in the Town of Milan, please be advised that the Republican Party has still not filed as a political entity nor has it filed any of the required financial disclosure statements, ever. The Democratic Committee has met all of the required filings and disclosures.
On Sept. 21, the Milan Democratic Committee filed a formal complaint against the GOP for its lack of compliance with the New York State Election Law. That complaint is now under investigation by the New York State Board of Elections.

I find it rather arrogant of the Milan GOP, Jim Jeffreys in particular, to raise any issues of campaign finance in light of what appears to be a continued disregard for the laws of New York state.

The Milan Republicans under the leadership of Jeffreys have not offered the citizens of Milan any plan or any ideas of how to take care of Milan. All that they have to offer is distorted facts and misleading information in the hope that the citizens of Milan will be distracted from the real issues before them on Nov. 8.

William W. May, Milan Democratic Committee

Revisions to plan
won't protect Milan
I don't support the way town board members George Campbell, Russell Baletto and Al Bruno have revised the proposed comprehensive plan for the Town of Milan, nor do I support how they have revised it.
They have taken a plan that was developed with considerable dialogue and thought, brought it into the backroom and privately created a cobbled-together document that will not protect Milan from sprawl and undesirable growth. The divisiveness evident in their procedures and amendments will only help those who wish to profit from uncontrolled development.
In addition, I do not support their proposed schedule to adopt the comprehensive plan prior to Nov-ember's elections. The town will be better served by postponing this important act until the townspeople have had an opportunity to speak at the voting booths and when a more civil and responsive town government is in place.
Since the revised comprehensive plan no longer represents the recommendations of the comprehensive plan committee upon which I served, I have requested my name be removed from the acknowledgements page and the endorsement page. I do not wish to be associated with Campbell, Baletto and Bruno's work. It is with regret that I make this request in that I am proud of the work the citizens of Milan have done to date on the plan and can only hope that work may continue in an open and inclusive way.
Phillip Zemke, Milan
Poughkeepsie Journal 9/09/05

To the editor:
Pauline Clark, a member of the Milan Town Board, is a career State Department employee who served her country and represented America overseas for more than 20 years, often at considerable personal sacrifice and risk. For George Campbell and Russ Balletto, the Republican members of the Milan Town Board, and Jim Jeffries, the chair of the Milan Republicans, to publicly question her patriotism because she does not recite the Pledge of Allegiance aloud is the height of despicable attack politics. Their criticism reveals that they are mentally stuck in the shameful 1950s era of McCarthyism and smear politics. True patriots know that ostentatious flag-waving is no substitute for inner love of country and real service to the nation.

Instead of hiding behind the smokescreen of personal attacks on an individual’s freedom of conscience, I suggest the elected Republicans apply themselves more diligently to the real issues that face the Town of Milan. I further suggest that Mr. Jeffries refrain from embarassing his party any further by spending some time rereading the Constitution, with particular attention to the First Amendment.

Sheila Buff
Milan

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