Recently Paul Rinaldi wrote a letter to the editor expressing his concern over the Republican chairman’s use of name calling and lack of a platform in his ongoing series of columns (“Saugerties Republican Committee News”). Rather than address the content of Mr. Rinaldi’s letter, Mr. Roberti attacks him and attempts to dismiss the letter as irrelevant because Paul is a relative. Mr. Rinaldi’s letter should not be dismissed and his letter raises many valid points.

After months of editorials the Republican chairman has yet to offer Saugerties residents a platform with plans for the future of our community. For example, do the Republicans have a plan for economic development or do they simply expect residents to trust them because Mr. Roberti has been critical of our efforts? Does the Republican Party have a plan for controlling taxes or do they simply expect residents to trust them because Mr. Roberti used half-truths to misrepresent the town’s budget? Does the Republican Party have a plan to manage town affairs or do they simply expect residents to trust them because Mr. Roberti slings wild accusations against the current Town Board? The Republican Party’s answers to these questions and its proposals for improving town services, improving town parks, maintaining town facilities, protecting community resources, improving our quality of life and many other issues would be useful in creating a meaningful debate between now and November.

Given the poor performance of the last Republican majority, having a meaningful debate is especially important to this election cycle. As a member of the Ulster County Legislature’s ruling Republican majority for more than a decade, Mr. Roberti and his party lacked a plan for economic development and watched as surrounding counties improved their economic fortunes as Ulster county fell behind. Lacking fiscal discipline, under the last two years of Republican leadership UC residents were forced to endure a record 39 percent increase in property taxes and then an 18 percent increase a year later. Lacking proper oversight, Mr. Roberti and his party mismanaged the approval and construction of the Ulster County Jail which cost residents millions of dollars. Paul Rinaldi is right; instead of spending time calling people names, the Republican chairman should present his plans for the future of Saugerties.

P.S. Since Mr. Roberti felt compelled to bring up family homes and cars in his editorial, just for the record, a member of the Roberti family drives a Cadillac SUV as well and Joe has a pretty fancy house too.

Fred Costello Jr.

Deputy supervisor