A Community Newsletter

STATE "LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR"

Greg was honored as the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Assemblyman of the Year for his dedication toward advocating for outdoor sports and sportsmen’s rights. The Assemblyman was chosen because of his efforts in defense of Second Amendment rights for the people of New York State.

PASSED CIVIL CONFINEMENT
Greg promised to fight for Civil Confinement to protect our children from sick sexual predators, and true to his word, Greg delivered! Civil confinement is now the law of the land in New York keeping thousands of demented and evil predators confined and away from our families.

"NO" ON EVERY TAX INCREASE

Greg has launched collaborative efforts to spur comprehensive school tax reform and to end the practice of unfunded mandates. A fiscal conservative and taxpayer watchdog, Greg has voted against billions of dollars in tax increases this year alone. He was also the only State Legislator in our region to vote against the 2% real estate transfer tax.

DELIVERED FOR VETERANS
As Minority Ranker of the Veterans Affairs Committee Greg recently announced historic legislation expanding the eligibility for thousands of veterans to receive tax exemption benefits, including the exemption of real property owned by certain disabled veterans from property taxation.

FOUGHT FOR REFORM

Greg delivered Workers’ Compensation reform that will save thousands of employers 10 to 15 percent in just the first year. Greg has also sponsored bills to limit the term of legislative committee chairs to 4 consecutive years as well as limiting the overall legislative term limit to 5 two-year terms. Greg received statewide attention when he stood up alongside the Governor and demanded that the Comptroller be chosen on the basis of qualifications rather than backroom deal-making.

BROUGHT HOME THE GRANTS
Greg has delivered dozens of vital grants for organizations throughout the 99th Assembly District, including: American Red Cross of Greater New York, Southeast Museum, Putnam County Office for the Aging, Putnam County Land Trust, Office of Putnam County Historian, Putnam County Humane Society, Village of Brewster, Village of Carmel, Mahopac Sports Association, Reed Memorial Library, Green Chimney's School, Putnam Associated Resource Center, Putnam Arts Council, VFW Post 672, and Putnam County Sheriff’s Department. Learn more inside!

Recent photos from around our community (from top to bottom): Presenting grant to Brewster VFW Post 672, Brewster Flag Day celebration with Boy Scouts, Judging lifestock at 4H Fair with Green Chimney's School, With Mahopac American Legion, Presenting grant to Putnam County Historian’s Office at Pow Wow held at Lakeside Park in Pawling.

STRENGTHENING LOCAL BUSINESS

As a lifelong area resident, Greg Ball knows the importance of improving the local business climate. Through his work in the State Assembly, he has supported enhancement projects to local "Main Streets" across the state and, recently, he awarded a $5,000 grant to the Town of Carmel to help assist their business district improvement project spur economic development. A stronger local economy means lower taxes and increased options for working, shopping and doing business.

HONORING THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF LOCAL NATIVE AMERICANS

Greg awarded a $2,500 grant to the Putnam County Historian’s office to help build a monument honoring Chief Daniel Nimham, a Wappingers Indian and American Revolutionary War hero who sacrificed his life in order to ensure America’s independence from Britain. The monument, which is already underway at Putnam County Park in Kent, will, once completed, honor all the tribes of Native Americans from our area as well as honor the important role of Native American Veterans in our nation’s history.

PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

Greg Ball has always been an avid outdoors enthusiast, which is one reason he chose the Putnam County Land Trust to receive two grants, totaling $5,000. Specifically, the grants will assist the trust in expanding their building and constructing a handicap accessible nature trail. Established in 1969, the Putnam County Land Trust is one of the oldest land trusts in New York State. The organization is dedicated to preserving and protecting natural resources through ownership of sensitive lands, easements, planning strategies, and environmental education. To date, nearly 2000 acres have been preserved by the group and its volunteers.

CRIME & ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: BALL HOSTS A COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

After Greg Ball learned about a local resident’s recent home invasion by an illegal alien, he set out to help make the public aware of this growing danger here in our area. Other areas around the state with large illegal alien populations, such as Long Island, have also noticed an increase in crimes such as home invasions. This was the topic of discussion at a community forum, hosted by the Assemblyman and featuring the expertise of Michael Cutler, a nationally recognized expert on homeland security, immigration and terrorism.

GIVING BACK TO LOCAL SENIORS

Greg is a popular visitor at the local senior centers around our area. That’s because he enjoys visiting with, learning from and giving back to the elderly in our community who have given us so much. Recently, he awarded a $2,000 grant to assist Putnam County Office for the Aging in purchasing new computers in order to help assist their daily operations so that they may more effectively and efficiently help the seniors throughout the county. "Being able to play a small role in this process gives me tremendous pleasure. I know that the Putnam County Office for the Aging will make the most out of this grant and I can’t wait to see the positive effects this has on the entire county," said Greg. "Hopefully, this grant will help more people take advantage of the many wonderful resources the office has."

Recent photos from around our community (from top to bottom): Presenting Ryan McElroy Children’s Cancer Foundation with grant, Presenting grant to relocate Pawling’s veteran’s monument, Presenting grant to Putnam County Office of the Aging, On business tour at Ace Endico Corporation, Presenting grant to the Town of Carmel for business district improvements.

You are invited to Greg Ball’s School Tax Reform Convention

Saturday, October 20, 2007
At Mercy College in Yorktown Heights
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

MISSION: To build a consensus of opinion on how to equitably fund education and hammer out a broad piece of legislation that changes the way education is funded, based on the findings of this forum.

Dear Neighbor and Fellow Taxpayer!

Aiming to reform and create alternatives to our current property tax based school funding, I have put together the School Tax Reform Task Force, a coalition of local residents and civic leaders, to help reduce the burden of outrageously high property taxes, without compromising the excellent quality of our schools.

The Task Force members and I cordially invite you to a public forum and work session on Saturday, October 20, 2007 at Mercy College, 2651 Strang Blvd., Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 for a full day (registration begins at 8:30 am, lunch will be included) to contribute your ideas for a meaningful strategy to address these issues via round-table discussions. A casual networking event will close the day’s events.

Our goal is to find solutions to the numerous public school funding issues which have caused property taxes in New York State - particularly in Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties - to rise exponentially the past few years. Join round-table discussions that will yield innovative solutions to unfairly distributed state aid and rising property taxes that will ultimately make public school funding more equitable.

We look forward to your acceptance of this invitation and your help in building consensus, gaining non-partisan support from our legislators and, ultimately, creating legislation which will solve this issue once and for all.

Please RSVP by calling my district office at 845-225-5038. We hope you will be part of a solution that will allow future generations the right to an exceptional and affordable public school education.

Sincerely,

Greg Ball
Member of Assembly
99th District

***Click here for printable view.***

Yes! I support your efforts to ensure our children have the best education, while also helping to lower our outrageous property tax burden. Please keep me updated on your efforts!

Please fill out this card and return it to:
Assemblyman Greg Ball, 110 Old Route 6, Bldg. 2, Carmel, NY 10512

Name
Address
City	, NY	Zip
Phone	E-mail

STOOD UP AGAINST BONDI’S TAX HIKE

When County Executive Bob Bondi unveiled plans to hike the County Sales Tax and attach to it a 40% property tax hike, Greg Ball was the only state elected official to stand up and say "No." Ball stood up for seniors, working families and taxpayers by demanding an independent and forensic audit of the county’s finances to include line-by-line accounting of the Putnam County Budget to take account of Putnam National Golf Course, Tilly Foster Farm and other questionable and expensive proposals hidden deep in the county’s budget.

HONORING LOCAL VETERANS

A former United States Air Force Captain, Greg Ball is passionate about supporting our troops and fighting for our veterans. He recently awarded a $5,000 grant to the Brewster Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) Post 672. The grant was presented at their annual Installation event.

ASSEMBLY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Greg Ball is now accepting applications for both high school and college student interns for his hands-on 99th Assembly District Internship Program, held at his local office in Carmel. A former White House intern himself, the Assemblyman’s program helps provide students with direct government experience and leadership skills they need to jump-start a career in public service. For more information or to apply, please e-mail the Assemblyman at ballg@assembly.state.ny.us or call his Carmel office at (845) 225-5038.

BUILDING A FUTURE FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Greg works hard to protect our children and to ensure they have the best opportunities. Accordingly, he awarded a $5,000 grant to the Putnam Associated Resource Center (PARC). One of fifty chapters of NYSARC (formally New York State Association for Retarded Children, Inc.), PARC is at the forefront in providing advocacy and programming for children and adults with developmental disabilities. "PARC is a wonderful resource for our children and persons who live with disabilities. The wonderful people at PARC have done so much over the years to help encourage understanding of disabilities and to promote their rights," said the Assemblyman.

PROTECTING PETS - A pet owner himself, Greg Ball is passionate about helping animals. As such, he awarded a $3,000 grant to support the Humane Society’s "Tagging Each and Every Pet" program at their annual dog wash. In addition to helping wash pets, the Assemblyman discussed the importance of tagging your pet.

Back