Owego Mayor comments on observations

Dear Editor,

I feel compelled to comment on recent [erroneous] observations in letters to the editor and ads in the press regarding the state of our village government. Our village remains in a good financial position despite our present economic conditions.

My opponent suggests that there is a need to "reform village government." This was attempted by the previous administration, led by my opponent, when they introduced the idea of a Village Administrator so that the Village would have someone devoting their full-time attention to Village matters. This change was not well received by our residents. Our party offers an excellent option in a full-time mayor. In addition, three of our six trustees are full-time retirees and available on a daily basis to work with me to keep our village operating efficiently and moving in a positive direction.

My opponent is also campaigning for "restoring fiscal responsibility and keeping taxes in check." Our fiscal responsibility speaks for itself. Throughout our administration we have not resorted to economic tricks such as bonding for general maintenance. The prior administration found that bonding was the easiest way to keep taxes low … but in essence, our residents pay significantly more over time because of interest. Bonding is simply borrowing from the future. We have engaged in the policy of "pay as you go" for everything, thus not incurring future debt. We firmly believe in absolute responsibility and accountability to our residents.

We have also been criticized for terminating volunteers from the fire department. The Village Board addressed this issue following a determination that we were over our legal limit for active members, many who lived outside the state. We are working closely with the current Fire Chief, Assistant Chief and individual department officers to resolve these issues and move the Fire Department forward in a positive direction.

Finally, regarding "smart growth economic policies and maintaining a high quality of life," I openly opposed Patriot Water’s proposal to locate on Taylor Road in the town of Owego. An estimated 96 trucks a day over village roads, carrying hazardous water waste traveling on Front Street and East Front Street, was not something that I saw as begin in our best interest. I appreciate the opportunity to address these issues.

Respectfully,

Mayor Ed Arrington

Village of Owego

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