HIGHEST paid local government in OC —> Newburgh Town Council - give themselves an 8% salary increase.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AN ENTIRE TOWN GOVERNMENT IS RUN BY ONE PARTY and it goes unchecked for decades.

Proposed 2026 salaries: Town Supervisor: $ 145,431 Town Council - each (4) $ 44,850 Town Clerk: $ 93,642 Receiver of Taxes: $102,731 Town Justice – each (2) $84,537

At a recent public hearing - - one resident got up and asked "What is the percentage increase for the elected officials' salaries. The Supervisor stated that they are giving themselves a 3.5% increase plus $1 / hour. (he said that the 3.5% increase is in-line with the town employees who are in unions)

Another resident got up and challenged the math saying that the increase for the town council members is an 8% increase – not 3.5%. (Their salaries are going from $41,324 to $44,851 - - which is an 8% increase).

This is when the Supervisor doubled down and said the increase is 3.5% plus an additional ONE DOLLAR per HOUR. The supervisor also stated several times during the discussion that the town council works 30 hours / week. Side note: that is a lot of hours for a part time position! A town council member from a neighboring town said it’s probably more like 30 hours / MONTH. AND that these are salaried jobs / not hourly.

Even with this explanation – the math is not correct. And no matter how you break it down or try to explain it. They are still getting an 8% increase.

Let’s look at the math that they put forward to the public at the hearing: Current Salary of a Town Council member is $41,324 A 3.5% increase would bring you to $42,771 Since the newly proposed salary for 2026 is $44,851 - that leaves a $2,080 delta. Well – 2080 is the number of hours an employee would work in a year based on a 40 hour work week. So (on top of the 3.5% increase) they are giving themselves an additional $1 / hour based on a 40 hour work week – NOT a 30 hour work week like they stated. (and I don’t even think a 30 hour work week is accurate - - its probably more like 30 hours / month.)

NET NET – the Town Council is giving themselves an 8% increase and they are trying to disguise it as a 3.5% increase.

The other thing to consider here is that the Newburgh Town Council members’ salaries are already significantly higher than in surrounding towns.

Warwick - $12,250 * Woodbury - $12,265 Cornwall – $15,353 Montgomery – $18,945 Wallkill – $19,063 * New Windsor – $21,054 * Newburgh – $44,851

• Warwick, New Windsor, and Wallkill have the same population as the Town of Newburgh

Elected officials should be paid a proper wage. It is a tough job and the salary should reflect that - and our surrounding towns should probably be paying more.

That being said – it is not really about HOW MUCH the town council is being paid in Newburgh - it is the fact that they are giving themselves an 8% increase in a time when everyone is struggling, and MOST OF ALL it is how it is being presented to the public. They are misleading the public – saying it is a 3.5% increase + $1 an hour more - - - instead of saying it is an 8% increase.

And they are either lying or again misleading the public when it comes to how much a town council person works per week. It is most likely NOT 30 hours per week and it is definitely NOT 40 hours per week like they their math would indicate.

The people of the TOWN of NEWBURGH definitely need to be aware of what the town council is doing. If they have the power to increase their own pay - - they NEED TO BE HONEST & TRANSPARENT about it – and not mislead the public. Everything should be above board and there should be justification for it.

If they are so bold as to lie and mislead the public AT A PUBLIC HEARING at town hall…. What are they doing when no one is looking?? Or when no one is asking questions….??

Paul Ruggiero & Jim Politi are current Town Council members - and both are up for re-election. Both are complicit in this.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AN ENTIRE TOWN GOVERNMENT IS RUN BY ONE PARTY and it goes unchecked for decades. We need to elect Democrats to the Town Council in Newburgh.

I strongly urge you to vote for: Mary Lou Carolan for Newburgh Town Council Mary McLymore for Newburgh Town Council