To the Editor,
David Schroedel recently praised Unite Sleepy Hollow (USH) as the “competent” alternative to TAG. But the record shows otherwise. What USH has delivered is reckless spending and a pattern of misleading residents.
In December 2020, the USH-led village government and the Local Development Corporation issued more than $25 million in bonds for the East Parcel, a figure that has since grown to $33 million. There were no dedicated existing revenues to repay this debt beyond the existing tax base. When the first balloon payment came due in 2024, the only way to pay was to raise taxes. Sleepy Hollow has not had a balanced budget since 2021, and today’s higher taxes are the direct result.
What do residents have to show for it? The East Parcel was approved over seven years ago without any full cost analysis or discussion of long-term tax impacts. Major items like the Department of Public Works facility, the amphitheater, and park infrastructure remain unfunded, and there is no plan for future maintenance costs.
This lack of accountability extends elsewhere. USH trustees recently voted against a tax revaluation that would have ensured fairness. They shelved the Continental Street bridge, which would ease congestion in the village and help connect Edge on Hudson in favor of proposing another $25 million bond for the DPW building. And they promote the $11.5 million General Motors settlement as a budget windfall, when in fact it was intended for improvements in neighborhoods most affected by Edge-on-Hudson.
USH budgets rely on optimistic revenue projections that only materialize if Edge-on-Hudson is fully built and sold out without delays or downturns. That is not sound planning. Spending money we do not yet have on non-critical projects is a recipe for future tax hikes and financial stress.
It is time for leadership that faces the hard numbers honestly. Marjorie Hsu, Cory Krall, Jared Rodriguez, and Jairo Triguero deserve the chance to untangle the mess USH has left behind.
Sincerely,
Rod Salguero
Sleepy Hollow, NY
