Time to block new slaughterhouseLetter to The Journal News July 26, 2010
Now that the federal government has forced the permanent closure of the existing New Square chicken slaughterhouse after many health and safety violations as well as the failure of the owners to submit to state and federal oversight requirements, it is time to close the loop by preventing the same owners from building a much larger slaughterhouse now under consideration by the Village of New Square. Last October I proposed a resolution in the Rockland County Legislature calling for the revocation of the New York state taxpayer-funded grant to finance the new project. My legislation has been improperly bottled up in committee in violation of the Legislature's own rules of procedure, which require consideration of any measure brought by a legislator within three meetings of the appropriate committee. That date passed about seven months ago, and still no action on my proposal. I was told by legislative leaders that my proposal was too controversial to consider. Huh? The leaders of New Square should voluntarily and permanently reject the proposal for the new slaughterhouse based on the applicant's track record with the prior facility and to protect the health and safety of New Square residents as well as the health and safety of the surrounding community residents. New York taxpayers should not be expected to fund a huge chunk of this project, which has received a negative recommendation by our county's own Planning Department and the Town of Clarkstown Planning Board. Joseph Meyers
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