A heated political dispute erupted in Ulster County after County Executive Jen Metzger used her line-item veto authority to block a proposed pay raise for Department of Public Works (DPW) employees, prompting criticism from the Republican minority in the Legislature.

In a press release, Minority Leader Kevin Roberts (R-District 12) condemned Metzger’s veto, accusing her of undermining hard-working county employees just before the holidays. “The Legislature, in a bipartisan vote, attempted to right a wrong created by ambiguous contract language and correct these employees’ salaries,” Roberts said, adding that political pressures thwarted their efforts.

Deputy Minority Leader Craig Lopez (R-District 14) echoed the sentiment, calling Metzger’s decision “disingenuous” and criticizing the timing of her veto. “This issue has been on the table since fall 2023,” Lopez said. “Instead of working with the Legislature to find a solution, the County Executive’s veto demonstrates a lack of empathy for the very employees who keep our county running.”

In response, Metzger issued a sharp rebuttal, accusing the Republican caucus of political grandstanding. “The Republican caucus is being disingenuous and should be ashamed of themselves,” Metzger said in a statement. “They are fully aware that this proposal violates the Charter and the NYS Public Employees Fair Labor Act and undermines the ability of the County and labor unions to negotiate fair contracts.”

Metzger defended her veto as a necessary action to preserve the integrity of the collective bargaining process and noted that a majority of legislators agreed the amendment should not have been passed. “They have chosen the low road, taking no responsibility for their actions, rather than the high road taken by the majority of legislators,” she added.