In a recent Journal News op-ed, Tri-State answered the false claims of Rockland Business Association CEO Al Samuels, who called the members of the broad coalition advocating for transit on the Tappan Zee Bridge’s replacement “pure obstructionists.” The Village of Nyack Board of Trustees also took issue with the label, and criticized the business association for excluding local elected officials from the event where Samuels made his announcement. The board answered Samuels with the following:

It is interesting to note that none of the elected officials on either side of the river who live near the bridge were invited to attend this event. What could be gained by willfully ignoring the elected officials who represent the communities that will be most highly impacted by this project and by ignoring the environmental and other community organizations that have raised legitimate concerns and questions about the lack of process and information that has surrounded this sudden rush to construction? It is in these communities that people will lose their homes because of this project.  It is in these communities that people will be forced to endure years of construction noise, pollution and disruption. It is in these communities that tax dollars for schools and communities will be gutted.  It is people from these communities that will be faced with tolls of perhaps as high as thirty dollars making travel to work almost impossible. It is also interesting to note that those demanding this hastily produced bridge are primarily those who will personally benefit from it or on whom the project will have minimal impact. Why, when the “build the bridge now” lobby is looking only after its own profit margins does the Rockland Business Association believe it appropriate to brand local public officials and organizations on both sides of the river who are trying to best protect the needs of those that will be directly and negatively impacted by the proposed project as “obstructionists?”

By disregarding the elected officials who represent the communities that will be most highly impacted by this project the BuildTheBridgeNow lobby assured itself of a friendly and complacent reception at its event yesterday. But it’s easy to preach to the choir, and from the press accounts of the event—that’s all we have to go on since we weren’t extended the courtesy of an invitation to attend despite it being held in Nyack and on our waterfront—this pep rally provided no factual or other information to buttress any of the claims made by the BuildTheBridgeNow organization. Facts and answers are what is in short supply, but evidently the BuildTheBridgeNow lobby can serve up only pablum to the converted and lob baseless accusations at those whose motivations do not align with theirs.