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A
Letter from Mayor Pontieri...
addressing accusations about
village gas |
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The latest attack piece from my
political opponents has sadly
sunk to a new low in their most
recent letter that continues the
series of politically motivated
assaults against me. This one is
cloaked as a challenge to a “gas
policy” that has been an
acceptable practice for decades.
My
former running mates, Trustees
McGiff and Crean, have been
fully aware for years that I use
Village gas for travel related
to Village business, yet they
have never voiced any concerns
until
recently. In fact, Mr. McGiff
conveniently forgets that he
assigned “gas keys” to a public
safety
officer, a fire marshal and
approved a member of the
building department to take his
own son to
school in Riverhead using a
village vehicle and gas, all
without getting the required
Board approval or oversight.
Let’s be clear: these
accusations, by Mr. McGiff and
Mr. Crean, are conveniently
timed to intimidate and
discredit me in the furtherance
of their own distorted political
agendas. It is the worst kind of
political grandstanding to ask
you to accept skewed math and
half-truths. During my twenty
years in village government, I
have never seen such a
mean-spirited, mud-slinging,
shallow campaign.
If residents have concerns, I
welcome a discussion – a full
discussion—on our current
practices
and policies for the use of
municipal gas. Mr. McGiff failed
to mention that I am responsible
for
instituting the current key and
PIN oversight system at the
pump. He also failed to mention
that,
unlike some of my predecessors,
I refused an official Village
vehicle. By using my private car
and
village gas I also save the
village the costs of the
vehicle, accompanying wear and
tear, repairs
and insurance, while IRS mileage
reimbursements ($.555 per mile)
more than doubles the cost.
I assure you this has resulted
in significant savings to the
taxpayers.
I do believe that there should
be more accountability, and if
there is any error that I made
it was
that I should have put in for
reimbursement instead of using
the Village pumps. After a
thorough
policy review process, we will
put in place new procedures to
ensure the public that their tax
dollars are used for Village
purposes only.
Let me also assure you that the
Mayor’s work is not a part-time
job that can be done during
one’s “free time,” or on the
train coming home from a “real
job”, or by hiding behind a desk
at Village Hall. As anyone with
experience in both the public
and private sectors know, the
$150 million in government
grants and private investments
that have funded Patchogue’s
re-development did not find
their way to Village Hall on
their own. Patchogue is indeed
2.2 square miles, and the
sources for a vast majority of
that funding were located
outside our borders. It took
countless hours of hard work. It
took preparation for, and
attendance at meetings scheduled
during the day, the evening, and
on weekends. It took countless
hours and many miles behind the
wheel to convince those
controlling that revenue to move
it from greater Long Island, New
York City, Albany, and
Washington DC to Patchogue’s
downtown, neighborhoods, parks,
roads and waterfront, despite
the downward spiral of the
economy.
The job of Mayor is a 24/7
commitment, whether it is
dealing with Hurricane Irene and
its
aftermath, the multiple
snowstorms of last winter or
working to heal the community
after the
tragic death of Marcello Lucero.
The connection to the community
does not happen only at
Village Board Meetings, it
happens on the streets, in the
neighborhoods and at people’s
homes.
I am on the streets of Patchogue
everyday trying to make this
Village a place we all can be
proud
of. I apologize, to you the
residents, for what may be
perceived as taking advantage of
your tax
dollar, but I assure you that my
intentions are only to serve you
better.
I am excited at the prospect of
continuing on the road to
Patchogue’s revitalization and
serving
you, the residents of the
Village of Patchogue.
Thank you,
Paul Pontieri
Mayor
Incorporated Village of
Patchogue |
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