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.

The Uncle Plans To Enter The 21st Century

At the suggestion of a favorite nephew the Uncle is hoping to figure out how to move this blog to Facebook.

Samantha Koyak Armstrong, expect a phone call.

Where's Part 2?

Sorry for the delay, but as I review the past ten years of Woodbury politics I am reminded (stunned) by how convoluted and corrupt it's been. In pretty much all cases that's due to Ralph Caruso.

I've been spending time double checking the facts and coming up with proof. 

Also, it should be worth hearing from the Woodbury Democratic Committee which meets tonight (Monday) at 7:45 in the Senior Center.  Try to come.  It will be interesting to listen to Tommy Burke and Bill Mullooly try to explain double crossing their own party.

Ralph Caruso, Party Guy (part 1)

In the previous post (see below) I said that Caruso controlled three and a half of Woodbury's political parties.

What does that mean?


# 1. Woodbury Republican Committee
When he became Town Supervisor Ralph gave up the chairmanship and installed his first lieutenant Don Siebold.  Ralph still controls the majority of the members and makes all the decisions.

# 2. Preserve Woodbury
aka
Citizens to Preserve Woodbury
aka
Committee for the Preservation of Woodbury
aka
The Perversion Party
Chairman: Ralph Caruso

# 3. Woodbury Conservative Party
Years ago, under Hank Sosa, the Woodbury Conservative Party was an independent group that refused to do Caruso's bidding.  But Hank is gone and Warren Martin is now the chair and the party exists merely to give Ralph's Republicans another line on the ballot.


But what's that "half" party all about?

Ah, tune in tomorrow

The Reign Of Confusion

This might get a little confusing.  

That's not an accident.  

The harder this is to follow the happier Ralph will be, so we're going to have to go slow.

In September there will be a Republican primary to choose two candidates to run for the town council and members of the Woodbury Republican committee.

In November we'll all go to the polls to elect a town supervisor, two town council members, a village  mayor and two village trustees.

There will be seven different parties running candidates.

Ralph Caruso controls three and a half of them.

Pay attention, there'll be a quiz.

Lovely Nap, But Time To Wake Up

The political beasts of Woodbury are starting to act up again, so it's time the Uncle got out of bed and got back to work.

Now, where are those coffee filters?

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