Cuomo Screws Us

Cuomo vetoes annexation bill that could have affected

Kiryas Joel plans

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced late 

Wednesday night that he had vetoed a 

closely watched bill that could have 

potentially affected Kiryas Joel's expansion 

plans.

Assemblyman James Skoufis, D-Woodbury, who introduced 

the bill, issued a statement in response.

"I am extremely disappointed that Governor Cuomo has decided 

to play politics with the Hudson Valley by vetoing both 

annexation oversight bills," the statement read. 

"This bipartisan legislation would have provided significantly 

increased scrutiny of the current Kiryas Joel-initiated bids as 

well as all future controversial annexation proposals throughout 

the state."

The bill, approved by large majorities in the state Senate and 

Assembly last month, would have enabled county planning 

departments to review and recommend approval or rejection 

of any annexation requests that might later require county 

approval for water or sewer service or require the annexing 

municipalities to provide those services.

The legislation would have given Orange County planners a say 

over two pending proposals to annex 507 acres or 164 acres of 

Monroe into Kiryas Joel, but leave the decision in the hands of 

the Monroe and Kiryas Joel boards.

Times Herald Record