Meyers supporters blast Withers mailing

(Letters appeared in the Journal News  August 20, 2007)

I feel compelled to respond to all the mean-spirited, untruthful flyers that I have been receiving in the mail recently from the so-called "Friends of Pat Withers." I am appalled at the attacks on Airmont Trustee Joseph Meyers alleging his support for overdevelopment in our community. ("Rockland Legislature candidate sues incumbent over campaign mailings," Wednesday Journal News article.) Unlike most citizens in Airmont, I, along with a handful of other people, regularly attended the Airmont village meetings for the last couple of years. Because I was there at 95 percent of these meetings and paying close witness to what was being said, I feel as though I can be an authority on what transpired there.

These flyers from the "Friends of Pat Withers" are blatant lies. I never once saw or heard Pat Withers at any Airmont Village Hall meeting. There have been many contentious meetings where the public would show up, and Meyers always, consistently defended our community against developers and overdevelopment.

I firmly believe that Pat Withers should put a stop to these lies, publicly apologize to Joe Meyers and move on with the campaign. here is no place in our local politics for more and more lies. We have been witnessing this for years from a number of incumbents, and we all really need a change.

Next time you see a mudslinging flyer from a politician such as Pat Withers, ask yourself, "Where has Pat Withers been in the last several years?" Certainly not at any Airmont meetings protesting developers. I can attest to that.

Peter Strasser
Monsey

I moved to Suffern back in 1998 from the suffering Village of Spring Valley. I became a community and environmental activist saving trees, fighting a proposed huge Stop and Shop supermarket on Route 59 and Airmont Road, fighting proposed power plants in Torne Valley, worked with the late Bernie Weiner to save Stonegate Park from development and stopping extra condominium property taxes, among many other issues.

When I heard that Joe Meyers, deputy mayor of Airmont, was running for District 12 county legislator, I checked out his credentials with some good friends in Airmont. They all said that he had done a great job during his five years in village government in turning the Village of Airmont to the right path. I later had a chat with Joe Meyers and I am thoroughly convinced that he is the best candidate for District 12. Of prime importance in our area is the continued overdevelopment in the Town of Ramapo, the over-use of water resources and the tax-exempt properties. It is time for all of us to back a man with guts to fight the Ramapo-Suffern machine.

I ask all Democrats to look into their heart of hearts and on Sept. 18, Primary Day, pull the lever for Joe Meyers.

Bill Pamm
Suffern