My favorite fake bumper sticker reads: “Vote for John Doe. Thank You for Not Paying Attention.” Judging by Josh Wojehowski’s and Scott Teresi’s campaign literature, perhaps that is what they are counting on. You must believe that our county roads are a “menace”; Main Street is full of vacant storefronts that must be fined into productivity and Cornwall must “revitalize or die”: only believable if you are not paying attention. They must be ignorant, dishonest or simply careless; none are desirable in public officials.

Their vision hinges on growing the tax base by promoting residential or commercial development, using the windfall to reduce property taxes. However, this is unlikely to materialize; larger tax bases imply larger budgets. They are not a “free lunch.”

So, a town like Wallkill, with a commercial base larger than any we could imagine, needs a $4 million bailout, the prospect of a 65% property tax increase and two decades of threatened service cuts. Or, examine our largest project under consideration: the Amato Parcel/Cornwall Commons. A rough calculation suggests this will yield a tax “windfall” of only $4-5/month per household because it will only generate revenues (Tax Levy & Foundation Aid) for ten more students than it adds to the district. The danger is not the current tax level, but the fiscal gap their policies create if these revenues do not materialize.

So, when things don’t make sense, you should look at where the dollars come from. In 2025, over half (56%) of Josh Wojehowski’s campaign contributions, many with clear development interests in the community, came from outside Cornwall. Similarly, over half of the Cornwall Democratic Committee’s support came from just four households – a tenth of one percent of our community.

Fortunately, we have a choice. In Helen Bunt and Angelo Schembari we have candidates who understand that leadership is rooted in stewardship; whose vision of Cornwall is not the next hip, river town destination, but a caring community to raise families anchored in quality schools; who know that the value of our farms and forests is not their commercial value; who know that politics is not about knowing all the answers, but in investing in relationships among people.

There is no doubt that there are some good people in all parties; the question is always if there are enough. I am a Democrat, and so are my neighbors. Join us in voting for Bunt and Schembari.

(Sources: Political Contributions: NYS Board of Elections Public Reporting System. School District Impact: NYSED Report Cards, US Census Small Business Builder)