Open letter to the Sullivan County Legislature

In light of the 21 September 2023 unanimous jury verdict finding that Chairman Doherty defamed Legislator Alvarez, your urgent action is needed on behalf of all county residents. 

Remove Doherty from chairmanship now 

Voters will decide in a matter of weeks whether Doherty returns to this body, but failing to remove him from leadership now would send the message that this legislature remains unwilling to hold itself accountable while indifferent to the liability Doherty poses for all of us.

Post jury verdict to county website 

That Doherty’s vile and defaming 22 January 2021 press release, which he posted to the county website, was eventually removed after mass public outcry is no excuse for failing to post the jury’s findings on the same public assets he abused in furtherance of his aim to smear Alvarez.

 Doherty should reimburse taxpayers

Because the jury verdict makes clear Doherty’s conduct had nothing to do with the duties of his office, he needs to reimburse county taxpayers for saddling us with thousands of dollars in legal fees associated with the litigation. 

Public deliberation

Because the jury verdict is now a matter of public record, proceedings pursuant to these actions shouldn’t be shrouded behind executive sessions. With elections for county legislators just weeks away, voters must have information for informed decisions well in advance of their vote, including where all candidates stand on these and related actions. 

Dave Colavito

Rock Hill, NY 

On Zelenskyy’s meeting with U.S. Senators

It was an honor to hear from President Zelenskyy about the strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people in the face of tragedy. 

We have a duty to stop Vladimir Putin and any other autocratic leaders who threaten the security of a sovereign nation. 

The United States must remain fully committed to ensuring Ukraine has the resources to fight and win against Vladimir Putin and his military. 

Members of Congress have a choice to make: either you support the people of Ukraine and democracy, or you support Putin and autocracy. 

This is not a moment to back down to Putin; this is the time defeat him.

Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA)

Washington, D.C.

Voucher plan will make upstate housing crisis worse

Counties across the state are already struggling to help residents find affordable housing, and the plan announced by New York City to expand its rental assistance voucher program to be used statewide will make that task even more challenging. 

The New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) is also concerned that it will further strain county services—such as safety net, mental health, public health and education—that are already stretched thin.

This is simple supply and demand: more people competing for a small number of affordable units will make it harder for local residents to find housing they can afford. I know that in Albany County, over 37 percent of the vouchers we have for eligible households can’t be used because there isn’t enough housing.

With a sudden increase in competition, that percentage will only get larger.

We recognize that New York City is facing a crisis, but so is every other municipality throughout New York State when dealing with housing shortages. This shift compounds the problem across our state. With no coordination or communication, it just creates more problems.

We need leadership from our state and federal partners to address what’s really driving this crisis: a broken immigration system and a lack of affordable housing that’s impacting almost every community in New York—not just New York City. 

Dan McCoy

President, NYSAC

Albany, NY