Letters to the Editor Sept. 12

Thankful for a great Pound Ridge event

To the Editor:

From one nonprofit to another, both who serve the Pound Ridge Business District, the Vintage & Artisan Flea Market on Labor Day put on by the Pound Ridge Business Association hit it out of the park! Lisa Miller (owner of The Cottage) and her PRBA team brought awareness to our beautiful little town, encouraging commerce and prosperity to the business owners and all of our residents. Great weather, great event! Thank you!

James Best Pound Ridge Partnership

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Supervisor Hansan responds to McCown

To the Editor:

John McCown’s latest letter is another attempt to rewrite history. John McCown, Peter Avellino, and Ron Asaro claimed previously that the Pound Ridge Party was never involved in lawsuits against the Town Board or town officials. The record says otherwise.

After the 2023 election, Mr. McCown filed a lawsuit against Board Member Diane Briggs because, two months earlier, she commented on a social media post about his campaign of lies and misinformation. Rather than respond to the post with facts, he tried to retaliate through the courts in an effort to silence her voice.

The lawsuit was dismissed by the judge based squarely on the law, and again on appeal. Twice, the judiciary confirmed his accusations had no merit. These were decisive rulings.

It is troubling that Mr. McCown now distorts this history while denying his role in the lawsuit. This pattern of resorting to litigation and misrepresentation when confronted with the truth should concern every voter. That is not leadership, it is distraction.

Why distract? It’s because he doesn’t want to debate our actual record. We’ve revitalized Scotts Corners, and everyone sees it. We’ve balanced our budget every year and more than tripled our town’s savings since taking office in 2018. We’ve held the line on taxes and obtained more than $10 million in grants to improve the town without burdening our residents, and we’ve watched Pound Ridge property values grow as our town has become more desirable to homebuyers.

Diane Briggs, Dan Paschkes, and I remain fully committed to serving all residents of Pound Ridge with integrity, accountability, and most importantly, respect.

Kevin Hansan Supervisor, town of Pound Ridge

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Asaro: Why did town’s school tax jump 9.1%?

To the Editor:

After opening my September school tax bill, I was left with a question every Pound Ridge resident truly deserves answered: What due diligence did Supervisor Kevin Hansan perform regarding Pound Ridge’s 9.11% school tax increase?

According to the approved Bedford Central School District budget, the districtwide levy rose 2.99%, yet apportionment shifts made our local increase far larger. For 2025–26, tax changes at neighboring towns moved far less: North Castle decreased 10.07%, Mount Kisco decreased 3.99%, Bedford increased 2.61%, New Castle increased 3.19% and Pound Ridge increased 9.11%.

The Pound Ridge Party analyzed the equalization rate, the key factor in how school taxes are allocated, and believes an error unfairly shifted the burden to Pound Ridge. Our review identified 10 actual sales in the relevant period that were not included in the state’s calculations. If those sales had been counted, the increase in Pound Ridge’s levy would have been cut by more than half.

We presented these concerns to Supervisor Hansan last month in a detailed five-page letter and are still waiting for a response. As calculated, this apportionment will have Pound Ridge residents paying roughly $3.5 million more in school taxes this year. With millions riding on the state’s methods, it is incumbent on the supervisor, as the town’s chief financial officer, to inquire, verify, and, if necessary, challenge the numbers.

Our town needs a course correction: accurate tax apportionment, on-time financial reporting, and disciplined financial analysis and planning so we anticipate and fund projects responsibly instead of lurching from one surprise to the next.

It’s time for a change. This November, vote for the Pound Ridge Party to restore fiscal integrity, insist on transparency, and put a disciplined plan in place for what’s coming down the pike.

Ron Asaro Candidate for Pound Ridge Town Board