Did Ralph Get The Message?

Just kidding.

Of course he didn't.

The Common Sense - Independence slates swept.

Big time.

David Sutz beat Ralph two to one.

And Ralph knows exactly who's to blame.

Manny Mangual, who wasn't able to stop the Democrats from nominating someone to run against Ralph.

So, at this very minute, Ralph is planning his come back.

As soon as he can arrange to run unopposed again.

                           To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here.

What's At Stake

Tomorrow we vote for the Town and Village Boards.

I'm guessing you knew that.

You may already know the rest of this, but let's review anyway. OK?

The Town Board

Caruso is running for re-election.  

The only difference from last year was that he couldn't arrange to run unopposed. 

The best laid plans of mousy men...

Caruso currently controls two votes on the board, his own and Lyn Prestia's.

Why Lyn, a seemingly intelligent and well-spoken person, would give up independent thought and vote with Ralph on everything, including things she opposed before he became Supervisor, is a mystery.

However the other three members of the Board, Republican Tim Arone, Democrat Bob Hunter and independent Frank Palermo, have denied Caruso's moves to consolidate power.

So, even if, heaven forfend, Ralph wins reelection, he will continue to be impotent.

The Village Board

Of far greater importance is the Village election.

First of all, villages can over-rule towns on matters such as zoning.

Second, under New York State law, village mayors have far more independent power than town supervisors.

This hasn't come up before in Woodbury, because Mayor Queenan and majorities on both boards have worked sanely together.

Ralph's chosen candidate for mayor could change that.

"Working sanely" isn't Ralph's strong point and Tommy Burke will do as Ralph says.

And what makes me call Tommy Burke Ralph's pawn?

First of all, Ralph's proxies and Manny Mangual's proxies control the Democratic Committee.  That's how Tommy was chosen.

Then, as soon as he had the Democratic nomination, Tommy Burke carried petitions for Ralph's Perversion of Woodbury Party for himself and for opponents to his Democratic running-mates.  

Petitions notarized by Ralph.

And now Ralph and Tommy are walking, hand-in-hand, campaigning together through Woodbury.

If Tommy becomes Mayor, Ralph will have more control over Woodbury then he's ever had.

This stuff matters.

                           To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here.

The Democratic Committee's Auto-Colonoscopy

Based on reports from the Pieman:


At last Monday night's meeting of the Woodbury Democratic Committee (theoretically separate from the Woodbury Republican Committee) Swiller (theoretically sweet as pie) pointed out to the committee members that Tommy Burke (theoretically the Democratic candidate for Mayor) was walking door to door in Strawtown with Ralph Caruso (theoretical friend to all and prince among men) campaigning against David Sutz, (actual Democratic candidate for supervisor).

Willa Frieband (theoretically chair of the Democratic Committee) wasn't at all concerned.  "We're not interested in personalities. We're only interested in five issues."

If the party isn't interested in personalities, why does it have candidates (some of whom may actually have personalities)?

And as to those "five issues."

Robin Crouse asked what they were.

Willa couldn't say.

As Rick Perry would say:  "oops"

                            To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here.

Robots Come To Woodbury

The Uncle just got a robo-call advising a "vote for Row A all the way."

Democrats were never mentioned.

Ashamed?

When it comes to the Democrats' candidates for the Village a robo-call is most appropriate.

Tommy would definitely be Ralph's robot all the way.

This Weekend at the Movies

The Last Supper

The candidates' Q and A was not terribly well attended.

As it began there seemed to be more candidates on stage then folks in the audience.

By the end there were about 75 people there.

It is doubtful that anyone who went didn't have their votes decided before-hand.

"Highlights" might be too strong a word, but here are a few noticeable moments:

Jim Freiband told us "I've been attending Town and Village Board meetings."  He didn't name the town and village he was talking about, but it hasn't been Woodbury.  

Matt Higgins thinks that we can make money by putting ads on the channel 22.  Could someone please explain Public Access channels to him?

Richard Mednick wants the Village to fix Route 32.  Apparently the town planning background he touts never covered that towns and villages can't repave state roads.

Lyn Prestia said "I am not associated with unknown, questionable leadership."  True enough.  Caruso is known, questionable leadership.

Tommy Burke told us "I am not beholden to anyone."  One hopes that Ralph gave him permission to say that.

In his closing statement, Bo Haviland said: "I am fortunate to be running with a team who work well together."  Considering that his running mate, Tommy Burke, is campaigning for Bo's opponents, this has to be the funniest line of the night.

                                           To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here.

Early Reportage From the Q and A

While, due to unforeseen circumstances and the World Series, the Gazoo was unable to attend the candidates Q and A, we are pretty sure that Ralph Caruso was the best one there, that his answers were perfect, brilliant and beautifully sung and that he was the handsomest looking man on the stage.

More as this story develops.

Ralph’s Good Little Boy

Ralph wants control

It's slowly (oh so slowly) dawning on him that, as the Town Supervisor lacking a majority of votes on the Town Board, he's not going to get it.

Time for plan B.

That's B as in Burke.

Well, to be honest we're far beyond plan B.  

We're past Q and R and S.  Ralph has tried so many times to take over Woodbury.

So let's call it plan T as in Tommy.

Tommy isn't even pretending that he's not Caruso's boy.

The two of them are knocking on doors together.

Tommy suffers from delusions of adequacy.

He may actually think that he's going to be Ralph's partner, but that's not the way things work in Carusoworld.

Give the boy a lollipop.

Just don't give him anything dangerous.

Like a vote.

                         To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here.

What We Don’t Know and What We Do

So far we don’t know why the Town Board suspended Police Chief Vasquez and so we have no way to evaluate the move.

However, the Chief’s release of a recording that he made during a meeting some months ago with Ralph Caruso does give us a great deal of information about how Caruso acts as Supervisor.

The tape can be heard in its entirety here:

https://soundcloud.com/vasquez4sheriff/woodbury

Starting at around 6 minutes in and then again at about 28 minutes Ralph attempts to force the Chief to give police vehicle repair business to McKenzie motors stating repeatedly that as Supervisor he wants work to be given equally to all town vendors.

In and of itself this would be quite laudable.

However the Chief explains that McKenzie has not only been ripping off the police department, but has done dangerously shoddy work on the police cars.

Amazingly, Ralph states quite plainly that he doesn’t care.

“I want it done, plain and simple,” he says.

For some reason Ralph is willing to allow tax money to be wasted and police officers to be put at risk in order to enrich Glen McKenzie.

Ralph says: “I’m the guy with the ultimate responsibility.” But if something goes horribly wrong it’s Woodbury tax payers who’ll be on the hook.

Also, Ralph doesn’t get that he isn’t the guy with ultimate responsibility.  Ultimate responsibility lies with the Town Board as a whole.

If a town board wishes to give a supervisor special powers it can vote top do so.

During the town reorganization Ralph repeatedly asked for more power and the board repeatedly said no.

Ralph doesn’t understand that. 

He’s never understood that. 

And as long as he’s Supervisor he will refuse to understand that.

                                        To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here.

OK, Now It Matters

Ten more days until the election, so the Uncle will stop binge watching Netflix and pay attention.

Among other things we've got the Chamber of Commerce sponsored Q and A on Tuesday, and with all the various Town and Village candidates invited it will look like a Republican primary debate.

Can we borrow that nifty Air Force One from the Reagan Library?

As the Uncle understands it (which may well be wrong) the event will take place October 27th at the Central Valley Elementary School starting at 6:15.

SIX FIFTEEN?  

Can that be right?

OK, we'll double check that.

Alan Kula's Odd View Of Free Speech

It seems that the Pieman has returned to the Burma Shave type signs that he previously used in 2004 when OCEAN supported Bonnie Kraham in Monroe for the State Assembly.

What are Burma Shave signs?

They look like this:

Great poetry it ain't, but it does seem like a pretty straight forward sentiment. 

Yeah, so?

Well, a fellow named Alan Kula has a problem with it.

Here's what he posted on Facebook:

Anyone in touch with someone from the Town Clerks office in Woodbury? On Ridge Road heading toward RT105 someone put up small signs sending some sort of message that makes no sense. Unless these were approved by the Clerk's office I would like them removed first thing Monday.

I will be calling.

so?

Well, first of all, does it really make no sense to suggest that you should know the facts before you vote?

But more to the point, let's say that Alan Kula honestly can't get his mind around that.

Why does that mean that the signs should be removed?

Is there a new Kula test for free speech?

If Kula doesn't understand, then you don't get to say it?

Mistreating Ralph

The Uncle has been accused of being just a Caruso bashing site.  

How unfair!

We bash so many others as well.

Actually there is a different site that appears to go out of its way to create the impression that Ralph is a lying megalomaniac.  

I'm not recommending them, they're filled with rumors and out right lies.  

But if you're going to accuse us of painting a terrible picture of Ralph, you should see who's really doing that.

For What It's Worth

The Uncle's new blog (this one) has passed 15,000 page views.

That's either 15,000 different people reading it once

or one terribly lonely and bored person reading it 15,000 times

or some mix in between.

What should that mean to you?

Not much, I guess.

Ordered To Volunteer?

So, now that Caruso's own district (the folks who know him best, perhaps?) have voted him off the Republican Committee, which sitting member of that happy group will Ralph order to resign so that Don (the Ankle Biter) Siebold can appoint Ralph to the vacancy?

Switching Gears

With the primary done and almost two months until the election, the Uncle is switching from sprint mode to marathon.

The posts will keep coming, 'though not necessarily on a daily basis.

But, whatever the pace, keep your eyes on the prize.

If you're interested, this might be a good time to catch up on previous posts.

To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here.

The Invisibles

In November the Republican line will carry six names for the Town and Village Boards.

Town Supervisor - Ralph Caruso, Town Council - Lyn Prestia and Tim Arone.

Mayor- Mike Queenan, Village Trustees - Tim Egan and Tom Flood.

The thing is, Ralph Caruso only wants Lyn and himself on that line.

He's running four other candidates on the Perverse Woodbury ticket for the other seats.

He very much wants Queenan, Arone, Egan and Flood to lose.

So...

It will be quite interesting to see what signs the Republican Committee will put up.

Who appears on their website.

Who is mentioned in their ads.

Stay tuned, this is going to get interesting.

To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here.

We All Remember

Caruso: “I've always depended on the blindness of strangers”

Tim Arone is on his way.  Ralph Caruso Isn't.

In the Republican Primary for Town Council Tim pulled in 284 votes.

The second nomination went to Lyn Prestia with 253 votes.

Doc Cooper finished out of the running with 220 votes.

This puts a major crimp in Ralph Caruso's plan to take over a majority of the Town Board.

Now he's got to hope that Cooper, still running on the Woodbury Perversion line, can win, despite having been rejected by a large number of Republicans.  

But the cherry on top was Caruso getting kicked off the Republican Committee.

The Republicans of Ralph's own district, the people who know him best, voted to replace him with Arone and Queenan.

Didn't Caruso learn the lesson from last year's election?

The only way he can win is if he runs unopposed.

Ralph had hedged his bets by running no one in District 9,  so now he can have Don Siebold appoint him to a vacant seat.

Now, Ralph has to tell one of the current Committee members to take a hike so Don can appoint Ralph to that seat.

That's got to be embarrassing. 

"Hey Donny, I got locked out, lemme in!"

But here's what you have to keep in mind.

Taking over the Town Board would have been nice for Ralph, but the real prize is the Village Board.

And now he's seen that people who know who he is and what he's doing don't want to vote for him and his puppets.

So he is going to have to rely on those Woodbury voters who have no idea who he is and what he does.

People who have no idea that Ralph's number one puppet in the November election is Tommy Burke, who is on the Democratic line.

Our job will be to convince those voters to take the time and make the effort to learn what's going on.

To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here.

Trump Explains

The Pieman reports that The Donald The Trump has released the following:

When I talked about Fiorina's face, I wasn't talking about her face. Only a perverted Mexican rapist would think that I was talking about her face. I was talking about her PMS.

The networks all called me to apologize for misquoting me.

Fiorina called me and apologized for her face.

I love women, I cherish them. They all tell me I'd make a wonderful woman. I'd be the best woman.

I'd be so much better looking than Bruce Jenner. I have super models calling me, telling me I'd be beautiful. And my breasts would be so much better. They'd be yooge, yooooge!

Arone or Stay Home

If you're planning to vote for Tim Arone, what are you waiting for?

Get up.

Get Dressed.

Go to the Polls.

If you're running late, skip getting dressed.

If you're not voting for Tim, it's a great day to sleep in.

bullet voting

Bullet voting, voting for a single candidate despite having the option to choose two or more, can be a very powerful tool.

For example, voting in the Republican Primary for only Tim Arone doubles the power of your vote, and that ain't gechate lebe*, to coin a phrase.

If you happen to agree with the Uncle's choices in the Republican Primary (and, since you are all very smart people, I must assume that you do agree) than the most powerful way to vote would be:

For the Town Board Tim Arone and neither Prestia nor Cooper (both Caruso choices).

And for the Republican Committee

    Only Carol Herb in District 1.

    Only Tracy Maggio in District 3.

    Both Tim Arone and Mike Queenan in District 5 (we are lucky enough to have two good people running there and if they both win then Ralph Caruso will lose his seat on his own committee).

    Only Cliff Ader in District 6.

and

    Only Tom Flood in District 7.

If these folks win Tim can continue to keep Ralph from grabbing unlimited power and maybe the Republican Committee will start having announced meetings open to the public.

You gotta hope.

*chopped liver

To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here.

Meanwhile, Over In Monroe

Tonight (Tuesday, 9/8) at 7 PM the Monroe Town Board will vote on KJ's two annexation petitions.

The Board will be meeting in KJ at the Bais Rachel Paradise Banquet Hall ( 5 Israel Zupnick Drive).

All are welcome.

Let's hope they have a really good air conditioning system.

A little More Specific Please

After the previous post, Anonymous (catchy name, that) commented:
From what I've read, this is a Ralph Caruso and allies bashing site. Yes, it's a blog and subject to opinions, but I caution readers to beware -- not everything you read or hear is true. Some of the people doing the bashing haven't even lived in town long enough to know what's really going on. Do your homework and get both sides of the story, something this blog does not give you. Vote based on facts, not on what your friend, Facebook, Uncle Betty or anyone else tells you. Be informed!

Dear Anonymous #1 (Lord, I wish you folks would make up names for yourselves), four things:

1. "not everything you read or hear is true" 

Would you be a little more specific?  If you think something is incorrect, point it out. Otherwise, you're not really saying anything.

2."Some of the people doing the bashing haven't even lived in town long enough to know what's really going on." 

Since everyone seems to prefer anonymity, I have no idea if that's true or not. But then again, neither do you. What do you base that on?

3."get both sides of the story, something this blog does not give you" 

While the Uncle has a definite point of view, the comment section is here to present opposing views and facts. As yet, you haven't presented either, merely vague aspersions. 

Say whatever you want here. Make your case. Be specific. Everything, except baseless accusations of felonies (the Uncle would prefer to avoid lawsuits), will be left up for all to read.

By the way, none of Ralph's websites (Republican Committee, Committee for the Perversion of Woodbury) seem to allow comments.  

4. "Vote based on facts" 

Precisely what the Uncle has been saying. There are a hell of a lot facts up here, which of them do you dispute? Did Caruso run anyone against Burke? Did Manny run anyone against Caruso? Were there invisible candidates we somehow overlooked? Come up with your facts!

To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here

The Single Most Important Point

The most important point to understand about Woodbury politics is that we don't have political parties.

At least not in the conventional sense where there are Republicans and Democrats putting forward opposing candidates and positions with smaller, independent parties representing other views.

What we have, instead,  are candidates who are controlled by Ralph Caruso and those who aren't.

And there are people wearing all different party labels in each of these camps.

As noted before, The Republican Party, the Conservative Party and the Preservation Party are directly controlled By Ralph and the Democratic Committee is controlled by a union of Ralph's puppets and Manny Mangual's puppets (which is to say, Ralph's puppets once removed).

So who stands against Caruso?

Honest members of both major parties and honest independents.

For the Village Board there are Republicans Michael Queenan, Tom Flood and Tim Egan.

For the Town Board there are Democrats David Sutz and Michael Essig and Republican Tim Arone.

The largest problem may be those people who don't know the truth about Woodbury and will just vote their party's slate.

Let your neighbors know the facts.

Vote the candidate, not the party!

To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here

21st Century Supervisor Timeline

There are some points the Uncle is going to make repeatedly in the run-up to the election in November.

First, there is a reason that Woodbury politics seem so confusing. 

Confusion is one Ralph Caruso's favorite tools.

If transparency would unmask Ralph's unending quest for total power in Woodbury, then he's going to muddy the water.

Second, Ralph controls the town's Republican Party, Conservative Party and the Woodbury Perversion Party, and, through Manny Mangual, he holds sway over the Democratic Party.

If you think that Manny has left Woodbury you should attend the Democratic Committee meetings.  Manny is still a member of the Committee and his control of the majority, by way of proxies, continues.

Third, because of the above, parties don't matter in Woodbury. Candidates matter.

The following timeline is one illustration of Caruso's control and methods:


2001
Sheila Conroy ran, for the first time, for Town Supervisor.  She ran as a Republican and with the backing of the local Republican Committee.

She was surprised to see that her Democratic opponent ran no real campaign against her.

She won and a week after taking office she received a phone call from Ralph Caruso "instructing" her on how she was to vote.  

She explained to him that she would make her own decisions.

She never again had the backing of the Republican Committee.

2003
Ralph Caruso and John Burke decided that John should run against Sheila as the Democratic candidate.  However, when John reached out to the Conservative Party for their endorsement without first clearing it with then Democratic Committee Chairman Charlie Serra, it put Charlie's nose out of joint.  

Charlie stopped John from getting the endorsement and he himself ran instead.

The Republican Committee refused to endorse Sheila and she had to walk petitions to get on the ballot.

Despite having no backing from her party, Sheila won.

2005
Ralph's man Bob Donnelly had become Democratic Party Chairman.  He saw to it that John had the nomination.

Again, the Republican Committee refused to do a thing for Sheila.

On the day before the election a flyer was distributed anonymously throughout Woodbury filled with lies about Sheila's record.   

John Burke won.

2007
John Burke runs as a Democrat and Ralph's Republican Committee allows him to run unopposed.  

2009
John Burke runs as a Democrat and Ralph's Republican Committee again allows him to run unopposed.

2011
John Burke runs as a Democrat and, yet again, Ralph's Republican Committee allows him to run unopposed.

2013
John Burke runs as a Democrat and Ralph's Republican Committee once more allows him to run unopposed.

Sensing a pattern here?

2014
After John's death a special election was run to choose a Supervisor to fill out his term.

The Republican's nominated Ralph.

This time it was the Democrats, now under Chairman Manny Mangual, who refused to run anyone against Ralph.

David Sutz ran as a write-in candidate and came close to beating Ralph.

2015
A major outcry by Woodbury Democrats has forced the Democratic Committee to endorse David Sutz.

For the first time in a decade we have an actual choice!

To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here

A Brief Note

Uncle Betty Is Back is back.  Had to take a brief jaunt out of town.

Do remember, you can email the Uncle at WoodburyyUncleBetty@gmail.com and note that there are two "y"s at the end of Woodburyy.

And now, back to our story.

Dear Ralph

Have you happened to notice that there isn't an endless stream of people getting up at Town Board meetings to lie about you?

You know, the way you and John Burke and Carol Mullooly and Don Siebold and Bo Haviland and Hank Sullivan would get up to lie about Sheila Conroy and the rest of her board.

Have you ever wondered why?

The fact is, not everybody sees lying as an appropriate political tool.

Perhaps you see that as a weakness.

We see it as a strength.

To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here.

Republican Primary 9/10 -- The Republican Committee

Democratic Committee ( artist's rendering)

Republican Committee (artist's rendering)

So, Ralph Caruso controls most of the political parties in Woodbury.

It doesn't have to be that way.

Perhaps you are saying "Oh my, Uncle Betty, what can I, one lonesome individual, do about all these terrible things happening in our town?"

Well, first of all, you can leave my name out of it and, second, if you happen to be a registered Republican you can, in fact, do something.

Honest Republicans and honest Democrats are trying to take back their parties.

On the Democratic side a number of good people have applied to fill the vacancies on their committee.  Unsurprisingly, Ralph's puppets on that committee voted no.

But this year the Republicans have a different route to follow. Seats on their committee are up for election.

On Thursday, September 10th, you can do your bit to take your party's committee out of Caruso's control.

Depending on where you live, you just might have the chance to put honest people in place.

Here's a link to a handy dandy, hard to read, election district map.

If you live in District 1 vote for Carol Herb.

If you live in District 3 vote for Tracy Maggio.

If you live in District 5 vote for Tim Arone and Mike Queenan. This is Ralph Caruso's own District, so if both Tim and Mike win, Caruso loses his seat on the Committee.  Yay!

If you live in District 6 vote for Cliff Ader.

And if you live in District 7 vote for Tom Flood.

And, If you're in Districts 2,4,8,9 and 10 you're on your own.

An honest Committee is up to you.

To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here.

Woodbury Gazette; Local Paper or Caruso Mouthpiece?

We've heard from Swiller the Pieman that he asked Ben Meyers, editor, publisher and reporter for the Woodbury Gazette, why he printed an article by Caruso's Ankle Biter attacking Tim Arone in the final issue before the primary without giving Arone the opportunity to respond.

 Ben had two interesting, if utter bullshit, things to say.

One, he said it's not an article, it's a letter 

Two, he said it didn't attack Arone.

This is what Meyers normally calls a letter.

It's on a page labeled "Opinion" and, like all letters, it's signed at the bottom.

This is what he calls an article.

It's on the "Community" page and the writer has a byline at the top.

So what's this?

As to whether this so called "letter" did or didn't attack Arone.

It totally misrepresents Arone's vote to move the Highway Department to the village, ignoring that this was made necessary by the creation of the Village, which Caruso and Siebold scared us into doing with false claims that it would prevent annexation.

It also claims that Arone voted against putting "a policy and procedures in place that would have restricted town department heads from spending unlimited amounts of your taxpayer money."

Actually what he voted against was Caruso's attempt to take power from the full Town Board to oversee expenditures and to give that power to himself alone.

It was one of many votes by the majority of the board to prevent Caruso from giving himself total power over the town.

This is the real reason Caruso wants to replace Arone with a puppet who will do whatever Boss Ralph says (as Prestia does already).

Bear in mind, Ben Meyers was Caruso's running mate when they tried to take over the first Village Board.

The Gazette may be many things: useful, free, occasionally informative.  

Honest it ain't.

To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here.

Siebold Endorses

"To Know the facts as a well informed voter, it is the most important element in local elections town and village elections." Don Siebold

After interviews with the three applicants the Republican Committee endorsed Doc "Sneezy" Cooper and Marilyn "Yeah, What Ralph Said" Prestia.  We believe they have the best skills to remember what Ralph told them to do.
The committee did not endorse the current Councilman Tim Arone due to his inability to allow Ralph to grab as much power as possible.
Last year he voted to transfer the Highway Department from the town to the village using the flimsy excuse that now that we have a village (which Ralph and I fooled you into creating) state law says that the village owns all the roads.
This will probably raise your village taxes (by an amount equal to the decrease you should get from the town).
Tim Arone also voted to stop Ralph's attempt to take power from the Department heads so that he alone could decide who spends the budgets that they are allocated by the Town Board.  That's just mean.
The Republican Committee takes its responsibilities serious.
We are not just rubber stamps.  
         Ha, ha!  Just kidding.

To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here.

Proposed Cost Savings

If we gave two votes to Town Supervisor Caruso and then Marilyn Prestia stepped down, the results would be exactly the same and we'd avoid having to pay one unnecessary salary.

Just a thought.

Republican Primary 9/10 -- The Town Board

A brief pause in our nostalgic look at Woodbury’s recent political past to look two weeks into the future.

As we’ve been attempting to show, political parties in Woodbury are a rather vague concept.

Ralph Caruso runs the Republican Party.  And the Conservative Party.  And to a large degree the Democratic Party.

Also he has the Preserve Woodbury/Woodbury Preservation/Woodbury Committee to Preserve the Preservationists of Woodbury Party. 

And while Caruso controls the apparatuses of these parties, he doesn’t control all the members of those parties.  In the case of the Republican and Democratic parties he doesn’t even control all the members of their committees (just the majorities).

And he doesn’t control ALL the elected officials from those parties.

For example, three members of the Village Board are Republican, one is a Democrat and one has submitted paper-work to become a Democrat.  AND NONE OF THEM ANSWER TO RALPH!

On the Town Board, along with Caruso there are two Republicans, one Democrat and one Independent.  One of the Republicans, Marilyn Prestia, echoes every position Ralph puts forward.   She has even reversed her previous positions on various issues now that Ralph is leading her, something that she has never been willing to explain.

But the other three councilmen have stood up to Ralph and prevented his repeated attempts to take powers from department heads and the Town Board itself and give those powers to himself.

Those three are Robert Hunter (Democrat), Frank Palermo (Independent) and Tim Arone  (Republican) .

That fellow Republican Tim Arone has stood in the way of Caruso’s power grab is especially galling to Ralph.

And Ralph doesn’t accept being told “no.” 

Ralph tried to keep Arone from being reelected by denying him a place on the Republican ballot, but Arone carried petitions and won the right to primary for the nomination,

So on Thursday, September 10^th, Woodbury Republicans will have to choose among Tim Arone, Lyn Prestia and Raymond Cooper.

If you want Caruso to have three votes on the board you will vote for Prestia and Cooper.

If you want an independent Town Board that doesn’t act in lock step with Ralph you'll vote for Arone.

I hope you will vote for Arone, and neither of Ralph’s choices.

To read other posts by Uncle Betty click here

You Can't Tell The Players Without A Scorecard (2005)

Bob Donnelly was the Democratic Committee chair.  He was an overt follower of Ralph Caruso.  It didn’t really matter much in 2005 because Woodbury was in the habit of only electing Republicans.

Back then the Woodbury Town Board was made up entirely of Republicans, but Caruso's control was tenuous.  Two board members Supervisor Sheila Conroy and Councilwoman Lorraine McNeill, were completely independent.

Two more, Colleen Campbell and Gerri Gianzaro, who had up ‘til then voted Ralph’s way, were breaking away from him.  This left Ralph with only one puppet on the board: Michael Aronowitz.

So Ralph, Donnelly and John Burke agreed that John should run for Supervisor as a Democrat.

John's running mates were Darlene Reveille and Amidee (Bo) Haviland.  They knew they could tell Darlene what to do, but Bo was a loose cannon, all over the place in his positions. So Ralph hedged his bets by having Henry (Hank) Sullivan run as an independent. 

Despite the fact that Bo shared the Democratic ticket with John, John put Sullivan's sign on his lawn.  

When Democrats complained John took down Sullivan’s sign leaving only his own and Darlene's.  If he put up a sign for Bo it wasn't visible.

The day before the election Ralph and John put out a flyer lying about Sheila Conroy's record (see link).

John won, but independent minded Republicans Gianzaro and Mike Queenan beat Ralph’s candidates, leaving Ralph with only Burke and Aronowitz on the board.

Next: 2006.

Ralph Caruso, Party Guy (part 2)

Woodbury Democratic Committee

This is the real joker in the deck.  

Under Democratic Chairmen Bob Donnelly and then Manny Mangual, Caruso has had tremendous influence over the Democratic Committee.

With new Chairwoman Willa Freiband things may change.  That will depend in large part on how she is able to deal with Ralph's puppets on the committee and the large number of shadow members who never show up, but give their proxies to Ralph's people.

In the next few posts we'll present some highlights from the past ten years.