Molinaro: "I can't think of a more insulting thing to say to folks..."

[Music] Welcome to another episode of Mark My Words where we discuss all sorts of fun things and some sometimes not so fun things throughout Duchess County and the state of New York. The fun things are always Duchess County and so when we leave Duchess County then you know they are issues. That's right right stay in Duchess and all things are good. My name is Brodigan and I'm joined as I am each and every week by the Duchess County Executive Mark Mollonaro welcome. Well thank you thanks for having me back on. I should say welcome home because I know you're in Cleveland meaning with a bunch of like all of the Republicans throughout the state of New York how that go. You know it's not often you get all of the New York state Republican leadership and advocates and activists from across the state in one place in one time but I guess we had to go out to state to have that happen but it was a great experience you know it was an opportunity for me to get to know these party leaders better these activists better and it was a great chance for them to learn a little bit about me and the work that we're doing in Duchess and whatever the future may hold. Which I'm sure by now everyone's read the articles are in the paper and we all know what your answer is going to be if I ask you about them so we're just going to move on to other things. I do your job well and they'll consider you for a promotion. Excellent quote. So actually speaking of doing your current job I know you recently stood with Senator Murphy and others about the issue with the Coast Guard wanting to have barges go down the Hudson River and while I'm going to have you talk about that I also wanted to get your thoughts on one quote yeah this is from Edward Kelly the executive director of the Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey and I quote these people bought developed these properties over the past 100 years while the Hudson has been an active commercially navigated channel where do people think these tugs and barges have been anchoring all this time tell us about the press conference and who do you think he means by these people. I'm not quite sure who he means by these people I can't think of a more insulting thing to say to folks apparently if you move in a place and live there for a hundred years or more you have no right to question what has is or will happen along the Hudson River. I found the quote to be insulting and it does by the way embody what the what the Coast Guard and the federal government is really doing at this moment. So while his was an independent organization it really does reflect how we feel in the Hudson River Valley because of the actions being taken by the federal government and I have the utmost respect for the men and women of the United States Coast Guard but what the federal government is considering as as many as 12 new anchoring permanent anchoring points in and along the Hudson River from Kingston New York south into Westchester and near Yonkers in West chester County and you know this is you know sort of standard operating procedure for the federal government. They float an idea that we'll have long standing impact. They give the public 60 days to comment only by the way through navigating a maze of a website where you can submit your public comment and then they'll get back to you and you know I think that's what offends us the most. These anchoring points will have long lasting impacts on the Hudson River. We have serious concerns about public safety, about the ecological and economic impacts that will occur and the fact that the federal government does not invest in the revitalization and growth of the Hudson River like they do in other waterways across the country and our concern remains that this is a central environmental economic cultural asset really to America. We've seen communities revitalized along the Hudson River as we've set the standard of cleaning and improving the environmental condition and the quality of the Hudson River and there's been great economic and cultural revitalization that we don't want hindered and we certainly don't want to go backwards so our concern of course is that anchoring these large barges with oil in them you know pose a great deal of risk but the arrogance of the federal government in proposing something giving limited access for public comment and then by the way suggesting well we should just all you know be happy that we had at least this opportunity and it won't be so bad because maybe it won't be 12 points it'll be less than that if the burden of democracy is too great then maybe you should find a different line of work our position is very simple the public has a right to be heard there ought to be a robust dialogue there ought to be opportunities for public hearings for those who live along the impacted areas to to voice their concern to ask questions have those questions answered and for the Coast Guard to explain the need for these proposed anchoring points the way in which they intend to mitigate the impacts and and then we have a dialogue about it but the federal government just like at times the state government you know acts in a vacuum without being accountable without being responsible and without being accessible the people it's supposed to serve we work for the people who live and pay taxes in our community we are their employees it is our responsibility to ensure they have every opportunity the public I'd have their concerns heard and their questions answered and I don't think that that is a standard that is all that high in a democratic society and actually you know speaking of government arrogance and something's going on with the state usually when I'm when I'm getting ready for the podcast I'll just I'll scroll through like a week's worth of your what you've discussed on Twitter just to get a sense of you know any issue I might want to bring up the have you yeah going in death and this week alone we've had this we've had to start up New York hearings we we we we we mentioned the the poison water and who's it falls assemblyman Murray's push to fix the law concerning child predators which didn't get fixed and organization donation where we've apparently raised a lot of money for organizational donation that we're not spending on organ or tissue donation what the hell's going on where do you begin right uh. listen this is i think the constant frustration for New Yorkers and and for many of us who who you know are earnestly trying to serve the public and and that is the ineffectiveness the inefficiency and and at times of the lack of responsiveness of the state government and you know that continually frustrates uh. taxpayers and it does you know make it difficult to write to uh. to affect change in and improve the quality of life in condition for the people who live here i i don't know where to begin on all of those but to say to you that it is okay in a democratic society and it should be encouraged in a state as diverse as ours that legislators should be able to ask questions and the public should be able to see the effectiveness of signature programs at any level of government uh. in my case i want the public to know what we intend to accomplish in a particular program have a measurement and a tool to measure the success of that particular initiative or program and then and then we should be very confident comfortable going out to uh. the legislature or the public and other stakeholders and and having them ask questions so i don't think that that's too much uh. to ask the the water quality and who sick falls is a major concern it really speaks to whether or not uh. we have it within ourselves as an institution to effectively protect the public's health and and to understand what the problem was how uh. did the uh. uh. uh. the impact how how is that allowed to happen and where did government fail if at all and it would seem to me that there is significant areas of improvement and for the sake of these residents there is a need that every aspect of that the unearthed uh. that every uh. decision uh. be considered uh. and that there be a thorough review so that so that there is improvement so there is some justice and so that there is the guarantee that mistakes won't be replicated and others won't be hurt the public health uh. is the single most important concern for uh. for for government public safety and and public health so that's one area right now i mean i don't know what i guess we could take you know the whole list but we don't have enough enough time today but at the point being though that that from my perspective we really do have to invest uh. a great amount of attention time and resource and ensuring that the institutions of government are effective that the programs that we want uh. to put in place to help people are actually working and if they're not you know we shouldn't be uh. afraid of simply saying they're not abandoned them uh. and and move forward uh. i'm i'm often reminded actually on my uh. my desk or a few quotes uh. but uh. there are there are couple that that i always like to remind myself there is no greater evil than men's failure to consult and to consider that was softly's my point being that you know it's okay to spend some time identifying where we where we may have gone wrong to consider the ramifications and and to improve you know the the uh. you know the the old saying about pride right uh. before the fall but nevertheless uh. you know i i i'm hopeful that uh. that we can create a state government and all of us in government uh. our humble and honest uh. and concerned enough uh. to really make sure that uh. the institutions of government are helping people and that we are more effective and the delivery services and if we are not and we want not f taxpayers to support certain efforts and uh. when it comes to uh. to efficient uh. efficient and effective services i know one that you have going in touches and we've talked about in the show the you know that think that is right encourage people to think that is when it comes you know the business development and my career jobs and it was just came out this week apparently your torrent's tourism spending is way up so congratulations thank you and and to be clear this is the these are tourists spending not i mean while dutchis county's committed more money in in tourism and tourism promotion uh. we've seen a a terrific return on that investment uh. we've seen consistent growth in uh. the number of visitors coming uh. to dutchis county and the amount of money they're spending which of course benefits of the economy and by the way helps to diversify the economy throughout thoughts and valley in dutchis county you know additionally our unemployment rate is among lowest uh. in the state it's not the most uh. how shall i say honest indicator of economic conditions but it is one that that's used uh. and our unemployment numbers are down we just in fact to saw federal uh. workforce numbers that suggest last year uh. some somewhere close to six thousand jobs were created again uh. not you know i were not doing we're not doing good enough in the state of New York and we're not doing well enough in in dutchis county for anyone to claim victory but we are seeing the indications of growth and rebound slight uptick and sales tax receipts uh. it was like growth and assess valuation county wide so you know we're welcoming some new businesses from from other parts of the state and the country couple small manufacturers moving to the city of piquet see so we have we have these these uh. glimmers of success but we're still swimming against the stream and that is the you know the major burden of living and working uh. in new york the high cost of doing business insurance cost energy cost uh. as they say health care cost workers compensation cost tax cost just too high uh. and i think uh. not i think i know that uh. uh. that uh. the high cost of living in the high cost of doing business in the earth state stifling what should be a healthier rebound and the other thing you're you encourage people to do is think differently and i do we had mentioned uh. the new statewide initiative and this week there was uh. met that there was a articles about how uh. trolley syracuse lake george and uh. about a few other areas are starting to either develop their own think differently programs or are heavily looking into it uh. just your thoughts on that the support of our think differently initiative has been so overwhelming and i am so personally gratified is uh. you know i this is an effort by our county to encourage all residents all businesses all organizations everyone and everywhere to think differently about how we interact with those with special needs and we focus uh. on on everyone's abilities and in this county uh. it's been embraced and through uh. my service on the new york state association counties uh. board directors uh. we've embraced uh. we've embraced this as a county wide excuse me a statewide effort and uh. as you mentioned actually at this point i think we're we have two dozen communities across the state that have already adopted think differently resolutions and are starting to think differently about how they provide service and encourage the support of those so with special needs and every day a new new community is uh. embracing it we're very grateful for that and most importantly there are countless individuals living uh. with some uh. special ability some special needs somewhere in the state of new york that uh. are having their voice heard in that communities at all levels are just embracing this concept that everybody has uh. inherent uh. ability and beauty every life has purpose in meaning in that if we just uh. provide the right access the right support in the right respect to those of all abilities uh. everyone can achieve their god-given potential and and i think that that is an important call uh. i think it's an important initiative and uh. it is just overwhelmingly gratifying to see the the amount of support we've had uh. uh. so far statewide and and uh. you know uh. every day more and more embracing it and uh. actually over the next couple months i'll be visiting some other cities and towns across the state to talk about the thing differently initiative and and uh. hopefully we come up with some new i new ideas and encourage communities to take on some uh. new opportunities uh. to truly support every one of the residents regardless of ability and just to wrap up it uh. because uh. you know all politics all the time this makes people miserable to be around and most likely spent too much time on facebook i think people have have noticed a commented on uh. uptick on zack brownband references on your social media contrary to popular belief is not me uh. you are actually a big fan if i if i'm not mistaken i am i'm a big zack brown fan in fact uh. you know my wife and i uh. uh. my wife's from Richmond, Virginia so i i have been influenced a little bit some of those southern leanings but uh. i was uh. what's that nothing wrong with that nothing wrong with that at all so zack brown is uh. we'll we'll we like the band that we've been to several concerts and uh. you know uh. they the band's got some good songs that fit well with uh. you know some of the things we're doing and especially i know um. you talk about you know think differently i know they they've opened at least one camp you know state of the art to look into like autism research and other like developmental disabilities and they haven't and actually it's uh. you know it it's i didn't know that when we start you know when i started going to concerts and uh. listening to what their music but uh. yes uh. they have invested a great deal of time and interest and in fact by the way that the the zack brown band is really cold on all of us to look past disability and embrace people's ability and it's something that they they talk about every one of their concerts and uh. have been investing in uh. and continue to expand their reach and maybe just maybe we can get them to duchess county uh. for a think differently concert let's see if i can pull that one off but uh. maybe just maybe if not i'm just as happy to have them uh. you know really being champions for those uh. individuals especially kids uh. regardless of ability and it's a very gratifying thing to actually pay the ticket to see a concert in a band uh. that embraces uh. some of the same things that uh. that i feel so strongly about and and so it's just so people know as as you travel the state talking about think differently and we used a hashtag i play the road uh. yes that is actually your ideas it's it's not just me doing a cheesy social media thing every now and then i have a good idea well at county executive let's end there thanks for joining us i'm happy to be here and i'll i will uh. we'll record another one in a week or so and uh. thank you for everyone for listening this has been not the episode of mark my words uh. you follow that the county executive on facebook on twitter on instagram on itunes we'll talk to you next week (upbeat music)