AMSTERDAM ON THE HUDSON LIBERTARIAN BILL SCHMIDT REVEALS HIS PLANS FOR OUR CITY

On the Peekskill First website they identify themselves as libertarians. On his web blog, Bill Schmidt identifies himself as a libertarian.
http://www.blogger.com/profile/16842195779507844780 So we at the Peekskill Guardian decided to look into what Libertarians believe. On drugs, Libertarians believe, "We have addicts today despite drug criminalization. We also have the violence that is caused by drugs being illegal. Let's decriminalize drugs. " http://www.faqs.org/faqs/libertarian/faq/ On prostitution Libertarians believe, " Criminal penalties do not stop prostitution. They just create real problems. One study showed it costs taxpayers two thousand dollars every time a prostitute is arrested. Let's respect people's right to control their own bodies." http://www.faqs.org/faqs/libertarian/faq/
This was not a casual choice made by the Schmidt Team. It can not be down played as an attempt to appear on as many lines as possible in the voting booth. The Schmidt Team had to carry petitions and gather signatures. According to a source at the board of elections in White Plains this is the first time in recorded history anyone has run for a Mayorship in Westchester County on the libertarian line. To see the other cast of clowns running on the LIbertarian Platform in New York State, you can go to their website. http://www.ny.lp.org/ The Schmidt Team must not be allow to make excuses. A Political Parties Platform is not a chinese menu, you can not pick one issue from column A and one from Column B. This was a conscious decision based on strongly held beliefs. If it wasn't, then maybe Bill Schmidt is the one who will say anything to be elected.

We at the Peekskill Guardian will defend an individuals right to habor whatever beliefs they choose to hold. However, we have to draw the line somewhere. That line appears for this author when Bill Schmidt campaigns on make drugs and prostitution more available to my children. We know that if elected Mr. Schmidt can not legalize prostitution and drugs in Peekskill, but a Mayor Schmidt with a libertarian minded majority can cutoff enforcement funding to the Police Department. There are some parts of the Schmidt Teams agenda we would be willing to consider. We feel his plan to extend benefits to same sex partners of city employees has merit, but this could be done without embracing the Libertarian Platform. With that said, we at The Peekskill Guardian must stand up and with one voice loudly declare, Bill Schmidt and Peekskill First are wrong for our city.

ALL ABOARD THE HYPOCRITE EXPRESS

We know a certain local blogger and would be Journalist fancies himself a "King Maker." But shouldn't he get his facts straight? He has bent over backwards to help 4th string candidate Bill Schmidt become mayor of Peekskill, but he doesn't even know Schmidt's position on immigration. He happily attacks Gov. Spitzer for wanting to issue a Drivers License to illegal immigrant. Ignoring the fact that providing them with a photo ID would make it easier for police to identify dangerous individual and act accordingly. His candidate Bill Schmidt would go much further and offer them much, much more. This is an excerpt from the March 7th, 2006 issue of Newsday. http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usimmi074653228mar07,0,7870205.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-print
Bill Schmidt, a councilman from Peekskill, feared the guest-worker program would create a tier of second-class citizens. "If there is a labor shortage in the United States that can't be filled by American citizens and we want to bring people from other countries to fill that void, why wouldn't you want to do it in such a way as that they would ultimately become citizens so they fully integrate with our country's values and lifestyle?" Sounds like someone who supports immigration to us. Similarly, prior to his running for mayor Mr. Schmidt supported Jan Peek House.


Mr. Schmidt, for what do you stand? Do you only hate immigrants and homeless veterans now that you are running for mayor? Do you have one ounce of integrity in your body? Is there anything that might jump start your conscious and cause you to shut down your hate machine and win or lose this election based on the merits of your record and ideas?

The short answer is no, and it's just one more reason that Bill Schmidt is running at break neck speed away from his record and courting the Libertarians and Independents of Peekskill First.

Now that Schmidt has been abandoned by his republican base he has been forced to cozy up to the nouveau riche, we got ours, to hell with yours, newcomers of Peekskill First. These people are easily frightened. A scratch to their artsy, liberal, compassionate veneer reveals their insecurity, distrust and contempt for anyone different, less fortunate or browner than them. Yes, yes, we know, you have a hispanic and an african american member. We bet you brag about knowing them at cocktail parties.

What their over producted and factually flawed 7 page mailer does not tell the citizen of Peekskill is that all but three of these would be erudites live within three blocks of each other on Nelson Ave. in their giant Queen Anne Victorians. They don't care about the rest of us. One of their founding members, Barbara LoPrete even admits, "Sure, progress in Peekskill is slow." But is she willing to bid farewell to a council majority that has constantly shortchanged the majority of Peekskillians, NO! Lemmings like continuity, even if it means taking the entire city over a cliff with them.

THE FACE OF PEEKSKILL FIRST

This small group of newcomers is proof positive that a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. While ignorance is not a defense in a court of law, we at The Peekskill Guardian are more forgiving. By virtue of proximity they fell into orbit around one of Peekskill's more corpulent couples. From our mole within the organization we know many attempted to avoid the bile they spew, the crushing gravity exerted by this portly pair allows few to escape.

As for his plan to destroy a world that has shun him, Schmidt decided he would start with "Peekskill First" and destroy the rest later. In the style of his evil mentor he has manipulated the Huts with promises of keeping a no show job at city hall, only a short slither from home. They simply needs to continue anonymously attacking their former friends on Mr. Schmidt's blog (Peekskill Guardian) and LOHUD. But beware Peekskill Firsters, these people turn like milk in the sunshine and it's only a matter of time before they turn on you.

The following are some of the lies being peddled by Schmidt and friends. They support smart development and long-term growth???? Do they mean the smart development that lead to them giving prime main street property away at rock bottom prices to companies like CPC? A company that Peekskill will now have to sue to get the property back. Our city hall insider informs us that legal costs will exceed the amount of money CPC paid for the property in the first place. Thank you Bill Schmidt for rubber stamping that deal for John Testa, we hope you got your cut. The only smart growth decision made on that project was when Claxton voted no to it from the beginning.

Through Bill Schmidt's hate site, "Peekskill Guardian" he has suggested that Democratic Councilmembers have preformed a white wash. If you want to see a real white wash take a look at the gateway townhouse project. Before the last election there was a rush to erect several jumbo glossy signs, which were featured on Republican campaign literature. Along with now faded images the signs screamed, "coming in 2006." For those of us keeping track it's 2007 and the only thing that changed on the lot is the sign, "in 2006" has been painted out or should we say, white washed. Another project rubber stamped by Bill Schmidt, we hope he got his cut.

As far as quality of life enforcement for health and safety, many of you have written in to let us know that it's not true at Mrs. Diaz's house, where she was cited for a fence whose height exceeded allowable limits. Sources informed us that she received a lot of thank you notes from would be slum lords who were happy she helped devalue the neighborhood and make it more enticing to set up shop.

As an aside, we would like to thank everyone for their submissions. We expected to find skeletons, you guys gave us the catacombs. Special thanks goes out to the former Mrs. Bid and also to the twins. And as far as what the custodian saw, and the e-mail we received amusingly entitled, "Here Comes the Judge," look for those stories on our spin off blog, "Testa Watch." We feel it's important to keep an eye on this guy just in case he tries to slither back onto the public scene.

The one assertion made by Peekskill First that made us nearly wet ourselves is that Bill Schmidt will, "continue keeping taxes low." Since you people are new to the city let us catch you up to speed. During Mr. Schmidt's tenure on the Republican dominated council taxes went up over 40% in the City of Peekskill in a period of less that 6 years. It wasn't until Democrats began being elected to the council and providing oversight that taxes where held to zero. If you want to thank someone for zero percent tax increases make it the Democratic candidate for mayor, Mary Foster.

WHY DOES BILL SCHMIDT HATE OUR TROOPS?

We guess as far as Bill Schmidt is concerned, don't ask don't tell also applies to his plans for our homeless veterans. Jan Peek House is just one of the many issues that Schmidt ignored during his tenure on the council. As councilman, Schmidt was happy to sit back, collect his share of our tax payer dollars, and rubber stamp whatever John Testi wanted. Now as he grasps at straws looking for an issue he is more than happy to attack the weakest among us. Real leadership means solving problems, not passing them off on others.