SOS win raises doubts, concerns in Putnam
By MARCELA ROJAS
THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: September 20, 2007)

SOUTHEAST -A segment of the town's population was stunned yesterday by the results of the Republican primary, pondering what gave Save Our Southeast candidate Michael Rights a lofty victory over his two opponents, one of them endorsed by the GOP.

Many agreed it was SOS's dogged focus on illegal immigration coupled with sizable campaign expenditures that gave Rights the edge over committee-backed town Councilwoman Lorraine Mitts and Brewster Mayor John Degnan.

Opinions, however, varied on the team's approach in delivering its message and whether the candidates could make good on their promises.

SOS Town Board candidate Dwight Yee was the top vote-getter in that race, garnering more than a 1,000 votes, while SOS candidate Matt Neuringer trails Roger Gross, the party's pick for Town Board, by six votes.

"I was surprised at the outcome," said Greg Wunner, who owns a business in Brewster and lives in Southeast. "He (Rights) was up against the odds and people were still willing to give him a chance. They want change."

A need for change is exactly why Southeast voter David Heer said he supported Rights.

"For many years, the good ol' boys have been moving our town's center up to what I call Leplerville," said Heer, 61, referring to Route 22 and the developer Harold Lepler. "The center has turned into a cancer. He's (Rights) interested in revitalizing the village and bringing back our center."

Residents have for years complained about the Hispanic day laborers who wait along Main Street looking for work. Their presence, many say, has contributed to a rise in crime and destroyed the quality of life and economic vitality of the village. From the start, SOS appealed to residents' fears and frustrations and charged local leaders with being inept at controlling the issue.

The team sent a flurry of glossy mailers and left numerous computerized phone messages claiming that "illegal aliens" were sullying the town beach, using town services without paying taxes and bringing a violent gang to Brewster. SOS accused Degnan and Mitts of issuing ID cards to illegal immigrants and relentlessly hammered away at stopping a plan to create a day laborer work station in Brewster, a proposal that stalemated more than a year ago.

Some pointed to SOS's campaign finances as a key component to the team's partial victory. Neuringer is awaiting the counting of the absentee ballots, which is scheduled for Tuesday. There are 111 outstanding absentee ballots in the race, according to Putnam County Board of Elections' figures.

As of early September, SOS had spent more than $96,500 on the campaign, according to financial reports filed with the state Board of Elections.

The reports showed that Rights loaned the team $93,500 between January and Sept. 3.

"I know a candidate should not be able to spend over $100,000 of his own money to buy the election," said Richard Honeck, chairman of the Southeast Republican Party and a Southeast councilman. "There's no doubt in anyone's mind that illegal immigration, along with taxes, are the paramount issues of today. But how to deal with them is crucial. The racism and fear-mongering that they used struck a chord with many voters. But I believe they did the electorate a disservice."

Honeck said the Southeast committee would regroup soon to consider its options, but added that he could never support SOS.

Rights said yesterday that Honeck's charge that he bought the election was "entirely unfounded."

"My team won on hard work and because people are tired of the failure of the incumbents regarding Brewster's revitalization, widening New York state Route 22 and implementing property-tax fairness in Southeast," Rights said. "The incumbents who failed the town for decades and generations have their heads in their hands right now."

SOS mounted an Independence Party write-in campaign against Mitts and her Unite Southeast ticket, which includes Gross and James DiBella. Results of that primary will not be available until today or tomorrow, officials with the Putnam County Board of Elections said. A Conservative Party caucus will also take place tonight.

Degnan, a registered Republican who came in third in the three-way primary race, has the Democratic line.

"We're certainly disappointed in the (primary) results, but remain committed to a victory in the general election," Degnan said.

Some along Brewster's Main Street yesterday expressed disappointment over the primary's outcome.

Southeast resident Doug Scolpino, the town's former supervisor, estimated it was newcomers who wanted change and "old-timers" upset over taxes who voted for Rights.

"I'm in total shock," Scolpino said from Jack & Jill Billiards Cafe. "They bought their story. They were telling lies throughout the campaign, and it's hard to defend lies. Any changes are not going to be any different than what's going on now."

Brewster's Hispanic liaison, Victor Padilla, said the town could be setting itself up for lawsuits if SOS wins, referring to the team's plans to push out illegal immigrants through various methods.

"Bigotry will get the votes right now,"http://www.nynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070920/NEWS04/709200383 Padilla said. "People are upset and they are looking to the wrong people to be leaders."

Reach Marcela Rojas at mrojas@lohud.com or 845-228-2271.