Thanks John

GOP incensed over fliers
Says misinformation affected race outcome


By John Sullivan
November 10, 2007

Times Herald-Record
Woodbury — Supporters of the Republicans who were defeated in a close Woodbury election are alleging that misinformation about the candidates in fliers sent by their opponents swayed the vote's outcome.

An unknown number of the fliers blanketed homes in Timber Ridge, a development where residents have been fighting the town over increased assessments. The yellow leaflet states in large black letters that the two Republican incumbents, board members Lorraine McNeil and Michael Aronowitz, hired Town Assessor Roland Tiffany and approved the plan to increase those assessments.

However, assessors act independently of town government, and Aronowitz wasn't serving on the board when it appointed Tiffany.

The flier created a stir among Timber Ridge voters, who are still fuming about seeing their assessments jump by as much as 50 percent or more under Tiffany, said Mickey O'Brien, a McNeil and Aronowitz supporter who also organized the fight against the assessments last year. The controversy resulted in a slight decrease of the assessments, as well as a court proceeding still pending against the town.

It also placed a cloud over Tiffany's career, who declined to apply for reappointment this year. The Town Board recently appointed Laura Breslin, an independent appraiser and former account clerk for the Town of Warwick, to take his place.

O'Brien alleged that many Timber Ridge residents came out to vote against the incumbents after seeing the fliers. Democratic challengers Amidee Haviland and Carton Levine received the most votes of 666 and 618, according to unofficial results.

Their win, along with town Supervisor John Burke's unopposed re-election, gives the Democrats a 3-2 majority on the board.

But Aronowitz's close third, with 608 votes, has many of the incumbents' supporters wondering how much of a role the fliers played in the outcome. O'Brien said the Democratic candidates denied involvement in the fliers when he confronted them about it. However, Levine admitted that the misinformation had been approved by Burke.

"I was informed by John Burke that that was the appropriate language in terms of their (McNeil and Aronowitz) actions on the Town Council prior to the assessment."

Burke said he believed the allegation to be true, because the Town Board before him appointed Tiffany. Burke, however, apologized for including Aronowitz, who was not on the board at the time.

"I will take responsibility for our (the Democratic Committee's) mistake," Burke said.