Hudson Common Council Defends the Voting Rights of 2nd Home Owners

The Hudson Common Council passed a resolution defending the voting rights of Columbia County voters tonight.

The resolution read in part:

WHEREAS, the plaintiffs in that litigation are attempting to suppress votes cast by absentee ballot by second home owners registered to vote in Columbia County...

WHEREAS, the City of Hudson recognizes the contributions that second home owners make not only to the property tax revenue of the City, the County, and the school districts in Columbia County, but also to the cultural institutions of the City and County.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Common Council of the City of Hudson supports the right of second home owners to choose to vote in the county where they maintain a residence...

Read the full resolution.

Voting yes were:
Council President John Cody
Aldermen Carole Osterink, Carrie Haddad (1st Ward)
Abdus Miah, Wanda Pertilla (2nd Ward)
Chris Wagoner (3rd Ward)
Sheila Ramsey, Ohrine Stewart (4th Ward)
Robert Donahue (5th Ward)
The lone Republican on the Common Council, Richard Goetz (5th Ward) voted no.
Ellen Thurston (3rd Ward) was absent due to a death in her family.

The resolution follows on the heels of a similar resolution passed by the Copake Town Board.  That resolution was passed unanimously, with Republican Supervisor Reggie Crowley joining two other Republicans and two Democrats on Copake's Town Board all supporting the resolution.

The Columbia County Democratic Committee's appeal of Judge Nichols' denial of their motion to dismiss will be heard on Wednesday December 16th, 1pm at the Robert Abrams Building in Albany.


Read more:
Copake Democrats Blog - Copake Town Board Passes Resolution on Rights of Second Home Owners
Register-Star - Board denounces county GOP voter challenges
Register-Star - City Follows Copake in Denouncing Challenges
Register-Star - My View: The election saga in Taghkanic (Check out the comments too) 
Register-Star - Ballot battle: Who is footing the legal bills?  



Learn More:
Video Report on the Republican Challenges Part 1 and Part 2
Reply Briefs for Appellate Hearing
CountryVote.org 
See also: boycottfingar.blogspot.com

Please contribute to the

Columbia County Voter Protection 

Legal Defense Fund 

on

 Or by check payable to CCDC

Columbia County Democratic Committee
PO Box 507
Ghent, NY 12075

Common Council Moves LWRP to Next Phase

At the Formal Hudson Common Council meeting tonight, the council passed a resolution to accept the Draft LWRP  (Local Waterfront Revitalization Program) and Draft GEIS (Generic Environmental Impact Statement).   

The resolution passed unanimously.

This moves the LWRP and GEIS into the next phase.

There is still much to work out. The next phase will be a Public Hearing on January 20 where comments, criticisms and alternatives will be solicited from the public. We will announce the meeting time and location as soon as it becomes available.

This is a major step forward for the revitalization program which has been in development in one form or another for decades.

Learn more: Draft LWRP,  Draft GEIS, Scenic Hudson - Waterfront Planning Principles

Scalera Supports Gay Marriage

In a recent article in the Register-Star, Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera indicated his support for the rights of same-sex couples to marry.
In the article which was about a film on the subject of same-sex marriage which played at TSL-Time and Space Limited, the mayor said that he did not always support gay marriage, and it took some serious thinking to change his position, but he is now firmly behind it.

“I don’t understand it, if two people love each other let them get married,” said Scalera, who considers himself one of the most conservative Democrats in the county. “I wasn’t always that way though, it took me some time to come around. I don’t have any problem with gay marriage. Once it’s legal, line them up, I’ll marry them.”

The New York State Senate recently defeated a bill to legalize gay marriage in NY. Local Senator Stephen Saland (R) voted no as did every other Republican in the Senate. The Assembly had previously passed the bill and Governor David Paterson, a major advocate of the bill, had promised to sign it.

More info at: Marriage Equality NY and Empire State Pride Agenda

Complete 2009 Hudson Election Returns

Hudson 2009 Election Returns