Dennis Bonesteel Announces Candidacy for NG Receiver of Taxes

Dennis Bonesteel of Thomas Drive in Wynantskill has announced his candidacy for Receiver of Taxes for the Town of North Greenbush. Bonesteel is 48 years old and was born and raised in North Greenbush. He is married to Kerry Bonesteel and has two sons, Garry-Paul and Jason, both of whom are attending SUNY Colleges.

Dennis was recently endorsed by a new political party called the Greenbush Party, which was largely responsible for his decision to seek this service oriented office. “I was concerned that political leaders in North Greenbush were attempting to deny voters a choice by attempting to endorse the same candidates for several key positions including Supervisor and Highway Superintendent. As Receiver of Taxes, I will apply the same service oriented skills I use caring for my customers as a Territory Manager for NAPA for over 27 years and keep partisan politics out of this office.”

Bonesteel noted that he is not registered in any political party and that the duties of the office he seeks cannot be allowed to let politics interfere with public service. When you need information from the Receiver of Taxes, you are neither Democrat nor Republican, you are a taxpayer with a concern, stated Bonesteel. As such, I will seek the Democratic Party nomination at their caucus along with Mark Premo, our town’s outstanding Highway Superintendent, who is feeling the wrath of some party leaders who want to inject partisan politics into his important elective office. The Democratic Caucus is Wednesday September 5th 7PM at the Troy Elks, RT 4 N. Greenbush.

I am especially grateful to my wife whose encouragement to take this step for the good of our community was instrumental in my decision. Kerry serves on the town’s Comprehensive Plan Committee, which has dedicated hundreds of hours gathering community input for a town wide master plan for our future growth and development. This Committee of volunteers will help determine our town’s future and hopefully improve our tax base and quality of life using smart growth supported by our neighborhoods.

I look forward to the campaign ahead and to meeting with my neighbors as we work for a better North Greenbush and one that brings pride back to our government.

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 46 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.

Brian Dwyer Candidate N.G. Council

Brian Dwyer, 43, of Laura Lane North Greenbush has announced his candidacy for the N. Greenbush Town Council. Dwyer is a member of the Town Planning Board and a strong supporter of the Comprehensive Plan Committee and its efforts to bring about a community supported blueprint for growth and development.

My family has been a part of North Greenbush for more than 50 years and we have seen the results that too often occur when there is a lack of constructive planning for a community’s future. As a Planning Board member I have tried to make sure that the concerns of residents are a part of the process by which a project is modified, approved or rejected. As a business professional and manager of a national retail store with 15 years of experience Dwyer is responsible for 33 employees in a multi million dollar corporation. Customer service is job one in the business world and it must be job one in public service.

Last June, Dwyer received the endorsement of the Working Families Party and hopes to win the Democratic nomination at their caucus Wednesday September 5th at the Elks Lodge on RT 4 at 7PM. As a strong supporter of the Democrats 2005 Platform, I believe I can provide the commitment that was lost by some Town Board members who ran on that platform only to reject it, creating chaos and acrimony. This has caused the voting public to loose faith in town government.

Dwyer stated another reason he is running is to ensure voters a choice in November and his belief that efforts by Democratic leaders to endorse the GOP slate for Supervisor, Council and Highway Superintendent violates the public trust. I strongly support Mark Premo as our Highway Superintendent and efforts to remove him by the current Democratic leadership ignore the outstanding job he has done.

Recently Democratic Chairman Jeff Spain stated “I would love to see Route 4 become another Wolf Road, I think that would be a wonderful thing.” I believe this concept to be irresponsible and contrary to smart growth polices designed to preserve the quality of life in our town. I also oppose the Supervisor’s plan to force the entire town to bail out the overspent, mismanaged contract in Water 14. I oppose the proposal to borrow $830,000 to pay for over runs at the public referendum scheduled this October. I want government to represent the every day hard working resident, and will do this if elected.

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 45 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.

Josephine Ashworth Seeks a Seat on NG Town Board

My name is Josephine Ashworth and I am running for North Greenbush Town Board. During the eighteen years I have lived in North Greenbush, I have watched many changes happen in our town. Much of that change has resulted from development. This has caused division in our community.

Recently, I see another real threat to our community that could have a lasting impact for generations to come. We are witnessing the take over of our political process by a group of people determined to take away choice in November. They have put forward the same candidates in the local Republican, Conservative and Independence party lines. They plan to have them endorsed on the Democratic line as well. As a member of the Democratic Committee, I, along with Highway Superintendent Mark Premo and others, will step forward and challenge their slate of candidates. If Democrats attend the Caucus and vote for our slate, we can join in opposing those who want to take away our democratic process and right to determine our future.

I am new to the political arena, but bring with me administrative,leadership and mediation skills that will stand me in good stead on the Town Board. Most importantly I bring a passion to see that our town's development is in line with our community's wishes and is carried out in a way that enhances our quality of life.

I believe that the Comprehensive Plan should guide our community. We should support smart growth and be thoughtful as to what constitutes smart growth. We should be aware of what generates taxes for our community and realize that projects that receive a multitude of tax breaks are not the answer to increasing our tax base. We should be responsive to the needs of all the community. We should work to make us one community with common goals.

I grew up in Albany and graduated from Cornell University. When I came back to the Capital District, I worked for the State and then owned a consulting and leadership training business. My husband, Chip, and I have a blended family of four children and seven grandchildren.

With great pride, I have received endorsement from the new Greenbush Party and the Working Families Party. Remember, when November comes, you will have a choice. By voting for me and our slate, you are saying: I care about having a choice, I care about our town, I care about promoting smart growth that preserves the values of my community.

Editor's Note: We will continue to offer any endorsed candidate use of the North Greenbush Pipeline to publish press releases. Simply e-mail your release using the address posted on this page.

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 45 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.

Josh Sabo Candidate for NG Supervisor

Like most residents, I am unhappy with what is happening in North Greenbush. The political attacks and counterattacks are embarrassing. The Town Board can not seem to function. How many people are embarrassed to say that they live in North Greenbush because of politics? How many more are tired of reading about the fighting in the newspapers?
I know there is an overwhelming feeling that something is seriously wrong with the government and politics in Town and that many people are feeling a sense of despair that anything can be done about it. Those of us who have lived in North Greenbush for a long time know that there have always been unsavory characters involved in politics, but for a long time we could count on Supervisors like Bill Dedrick and Jim Flanigan to provide hard working honest leadership for the Town no matter what else was occurring politically. The Town has not had that kind of leadership in a long time and we miss it.

Once it became clear that political insiders were working together to provide the incumbent Supervisor with a 'free ride' to re-election by handing him the nomination on every party line, many people asked me whether I would run for Supervisor. I always hesitated because running for public office in North Greenbush subjects you to personal attacks. There are many people involved in politics here who want to destroy their rivals so badly they will do and say almost anything to make them look bad. My kids are 9, 7 and 6. The older ones can read the Advertiser and will be able to read the lies that politicians will say about me because I am running for office, but I am going to run any way. The final straw was when my friend Mark Premo asked me to run so that I could do for Town Hall what he has done for the Highway Department.

I have one overriding goal for the Town – to become boring again. Not boring because nothing is happening, but because problems don't become a crisis that is worthy of newspaper coverage, because the Supervisor isn't making personal attacks on others, because all parts of the Town feel that they have a voice that will be heard and responded to. The Democratic Caucus will be held soon. I encourage all Democrats to come to the caucus and vote for the Democrat in the race for Supervisor.

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 44for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.