Too often we use the "Albany excuse" when it comes to adopting meaningful ethics reform. As the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara said, "[w]hat's going on in New York State government lately is simultaneously heartbreaking, head–scratching and almost comic." Even though we aren't the ones laughing, why do we continue to wait for Albany to do something — anything — on the topic when we can at least start the process here at home? The waiting game needs to end today.

Bharara's recent convictions of two of New York's three most powerful political leaders isn't so much about the misgivings of Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos, but rather the culture of abuse and entitlement that has plagued our capitol, as well as our state and country. While most of our animosity and distrust is focused on Albany when it comes to ethical issues, we sometimes fail to realize that we can also do our fair share on a municipal level to help regain the trust of the public.

Why not take this opportunity to institute sensible updates to Ulster County's ethics code? Present local law fails to reasonably preclude — and could actually enable — county officers and employees from accepting an overabundance of questionable gifts, skirting campaign contribution limits through the use of the LLC loophole, abusing their offices and taxpayer funded items to freely self-promote their personal names and images (or "brand"), and awarding contracts to those vendors who unabashedly "pay-to-play" in county government.

As Ulster County's "watchdog" and a general proponent of good government, I know that we can do better and actually lead the way. That's why I prioritized a review of our ethics code and have collaborated with members of the Ulster County Legislature to foster tangible change. I applaud legislators Jonathan Heppner and Tracey Barthels for their steadfast dedication to this issue by promptly introducing legislation that would make our county's gifting limitations among the strictest in the state. It may just be the beginning, but it's a step in the right direction and lends optimism for the good work that lies ahead.

Local municipalities played a pivotal role in the larger ban on fracking in New York by prohibiting the practice in their own backyards. Our County takes enormous pride in being a proactive force to be reckoned with — a so-called "disrupter." We were the first county to ban fracking brine, the first county to be net carbon neutral, and one of the first counties to tackle veteran homeless housing. Now we need to lead the way when it comes to real ethics reform... so why not disrupt the rotten status-quo?

Elliott Auerbach
Ulster County Comptroller

This week our Hillary for President sign was stolen from our front lawn during the night. I'm not surprised. The type of person that would support Donald Trump — liar, traitor, bigot, draft dodger, racist, sexist, tax evader, atheist, xenophobe, bully, adulterer, hater, the most execrable candidate for public office in 200 years — is obviously also the type of person whose idea of America is to assert his "rights" by taking away everyone else's, illegally and by dead of night. Who never knew or has forgotten what democracy means.

Stay off my property, and keep your hands off my right to express my opinions. I'm watching you and will defend my rights, to quote a great American, "By any means necessary."

Jane S. Wood
Wawarsing

Kevin Cahill (D) has been the 103rd NYS Assembly district representative since 1999....that's 17 years. Jack Hayes (C) is challenging Cahill for the seat, and we think it's about time and overdue. Jack is a big proponent of term limits in most elected offices. The Assembly in NYS has a 2 year term, with no term limits, and Cahill is well past his shelf life. The 103rd district is most of Ulster County (except Saugerties), and includes Red Hook and Rhinebeck on the other side of the river.

Restricting the amount of time one can be in any one office is a way to prevent the amassing of power by politicians, who spend more time focusing on politics versus policies. "Career" politicians spend too much time pandering to constituents to get re-elected, versus working on their behalf. My personal opinion is that 12 years total is the right amount of time for anyone to spend in one office.

Jack Hayes has spent his entire career in public service. However, his service spans the military (Navy), State Police, Gardiner Town Supervisor, and Ulster County Legislator, where he served without making a career out of any one office.

Let's get off our laurels and work to elect someone new, who is not jaded in the office and indifferent to constituents needs. Elect Jack Hayes on row C on November 8. You may learn more about Jack and his ideas at his "Jack Hayes for the People" Facebook page.

Pamela O'Dell
Gardiner

I recently read an article on court fines with a few points missing. Yes, revenue is received by municipalities as a result of adjudicated tickets. However, the primary purpose of traffic enforcement, and tickets, is to educate the public when they are improperly following the rules of the road.

One could argue that more tickets should be issued as drivers seem to be getting worse. Driving in the passing lane, improper positioning when stopped at intersections, tailgating and improper lane usage are just a few. People seem to gloss over the number of drivers, passengers and pedestrians killed every year on our roads. It has come down over the years but is still unacceptable.

The phrase "traffic accident" is a misnomer, because in the overwhelming majority of cases it is due to driver inattention or error. That is not an accident or error. Those are identified training needs. Traffic enforcement is the primary way to address that. Revenue is a byproduct.

Daniel M. Ricci
Newburgh

He is amazing! He is a doctor (able to diagnose and prescribe at a distance), a bomb expert (able to analyze explosives instantly), a Sherlock Holmes-like FBI agent (able to solve cases at-a-glance); he is a terrorist evaluator (knows instantly if something is caused by terrorists and usually it is), he "knows more than the generals" so he must be a five star general, he is a foreign policy expert (well, maybe not that since he thinks Russia did not invade Ukraine) and a psychiatrist (able to psychoanalyze on-the-spot). Is he also able to leap tall buildings in a single bound? What he really is... is a PSYCHO! And a politician (able to lie out of both sides of his mouth at the same time).

Lee Augustine
Wawarsing

Until three months ago, I had never met anyone in need of an organ transplant. However, recently, I gained the acquaintance of a Hudson Valley based medical practitioner who has spent the past three decades healing injured bodies. He is on a transplant list, waiting for a new heart.

While 95 percent of Americans favor the concept of organ donation, only 52 percent are registered organ donors. Thus, the demand for organ, eye and tissue donations far exceeds the number of available donors. As a result, 22 people die every day. A total of 8,000 deaths occur in the USA each year because no organs are available. Currently, 120,000 men, women and children are waiting to receive new organs. Every 10 minutes, another person is added to the national transplant waiting list.

I am making an appeal to those who are not already organ donors, to please consider becoming one. A single donation has the potential to save up to eight lives with organs, corneas and tissues. It is understandable that we feel the need to protest against the genetics that assign defective organs to some unfortunate individuals who are prevented from living full lives. That reaction is even more acute when organ failure falls upon a medical professional who has dedicated his life to healing his patients, and who must now rely upon the generosity of others to help him.

Jenny Chrisinger
Wallkill

The close race for president is no laughing matter, but that seems how we're treating it with only two months to go. So, I'd like to show you some quotes from the Republican candidate for President of the United States.

In 2004 TRUMP said: "People are surprised by how quickly I make big decisions, but I've learned to trust my instincts and not to overthink things." He added, "The day I realized it can be smart to be shallow was for me a deep experience."

He has expressed thoughts this summer such as he will remove 11.3 million undocumented immigrants through mass deportations and will pressure them to leave on their own will. He also said that he would not support NATO's allies that were against Russia. Former NATO ambassador R. Nicolas Burns, who served under GW Bush and Bill Clinton, replied: "It was a shocking statement. It was reckless and deeply unwise." Both Mitch McConnell and Lindsay Graham rushed to rebuke Trump's stance against NATO and stated that the U.S. "has their backs." Burns also said Trump's comments on NATO "maybe the most reckless thing he's said in the entire campaign, and he has said a lot of reckless things." He added that "Trump's remarks highlight how unprepared he is to be president."

Trump also plans to reduce taxes on business owners from 35 percent to 15 percent. I wonder if the rest of ours are going up?

Now, on to his bankruptcies: The Trump-tied bankruptcies have all been filed under Chapter 11, a provision allowing troubled companies to stay in business while restructuring their business model or reducing their debts. Apparently, those filings are far less disastrous than Chapter 7 bankruptcies, in which companies are liquidated to satisfy debts. His defense is: "Four times I've taken advantage of the laws, and, frankly, so has everybody else in my position."

Looking into bankruptcies for individuals, I see that you have to give up almost everything you own, except for your house and a car, but I'm going to guess that his advisors have a way around "everything" since he will not reveal his tax returns.

I know that Hillary may not be your favorite choice, but after attending the recent Teachout Rally in New Paltz, with guest Bernie Sanders, he made it clear that the movement for the future will happen only after Clinton wins.

Please vote for Hillary Clinton and not for an alternative that only increases Trump's chances.

Jill Paperno
Glenford

This mobile app to promote the Town of Wawarsing is just another handout to Eric the IT person and was developed with help from Tim Distel. $12,000 is a lot of money for starting an app and then keeping a percentage of fees. This should be done by the Chamber of Commerce. Government should not be less.

Also, Leonard Distel and Dan Johnson have pulled the rug out from under code enforcement officer Dan Pollan and want to hire private fire inspectors for Camp Chaviva. Leonard can't run the town and now bullies the building department. Leonard strikes a gong and always has special interests on his mind. If I was on the Gong Show with Chuck Barris, Leonard and Danny Johnson would be outta there. Too many conflicts of interest!

Victor Markowitz
Ellenville

The edgy feel of democracy being human
Is complicated by the American Dream
trans warning representatives to pose
between sharp edges
Entering pits of wormish politics.

Anger in ourselves is normal.
What isn't us, is banker-investor worms.
Their anger invests in our anger bringing
forth from a four-century brink of
Jamestown elites.

The historic Now at brink of four-hundred
years can never working-man tromping
on him.
Anger-up, the investor-bankers
And turn demographics finally political.

The gimmick of Trump is lost in emotion
With Reagan's Welfare Queen and his
launch in Mississippi and his quote, "
some don't know us."
Now must know our human whole.

1619 is the first slave-ship in America. The free slaves and Indentured Brits caused a mixture of high courage in the battalions of the 1676 Bacon War against Natives in Jamestown, Virginia. That scrap of words were passed to elites of the Revolution and the Civil War and Jim Crow and Movements of Civil Rights. Maybe Mr. Trump can celebrate the 2019 Settlement of all distinguished Minorities, now prepared to worm their anger through the eyes and eyes of each working man shorn of worming inequality, then in Now Equality Plan for Election in 2019 from preamble of Nixon's Southern Strategy deed.

Tom Gale
Cragsmoor