If you live somewhere in the towns of New Windsor, Newburgh, and Montgomery, how does it feel, to watch traffic build up on roads you travel every day, see woods and fields dug up for projects that will destroy the rural landscape, need services and more roads, read about warehouses that will need yet more water and sewer capacity and discharge trucks as well as more cars?
Meanwhile you see planning and zoning boards “go along” and approve projects, without any true community plan, defying local opposition.

Many start attending meetings and organizing to defend against, especially, warehouse projects that will destroy farmland, pollute streams, cause flooding, consume water and demand tax breaks of all sorts, including lowered assessments, if they are built, even as these projects lower surrounding property values and degrade neighborhoods.

That’s why this upcoming local election is so critical, because the outcome determines if our towns will deteriorate or be enhanced.

Many of our incumbent officials do not act in our best interests, and we are their constituents. There is a big “FOR SALE” sign on our still beautiful area of the Hudson Valley.

The only way to remove the sign is to vote for candidates who want to better our future.

In New Windsor, the Democratic slate, including Republican former supervisor George Meyers, has promised to slow down the mindless development of every inch of the community. You would be smart to vote for George Meyers, Stephen Bedetti, Kelly Allegra, and Sylvia Santiago.

In the Town of Montgomery, the Democratic slate has also promised to update the Master plan and even call for a moratorium on current building projects. You should vote in former supervisor Susan Cockburn, as well as Dennis Leahy, Krista Brown, and Lynda Mitchell, to protect the Town from rampant overdevelopment.

In the Town of Newburgh, there is a single candidate who is fighting for a seat on the all-Republican Board. Rich Steger should get your vote.

Nothing is perfect or guaranteed, but by voting for these concerned, thoughtful candidates, we should stem the mindless path to approval of every building proposal that comes our way.