WE WON !!!!

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The results are in and our candidates have been elected! Rob Lagonia is our new Austerlitz Town Supervisor, Greg Vogler will join the Town Board, and Sharon Grubin is our new Town Justice. Congratulations to the candidates and all who worked so hard to support them!  



The vote counts so far, i.e. without the absentee votes counted, are:

For Town Supervisor:

Rob Lagonia [D] - 371
Jeff Braley [R] - 216

For Town Board (top two vote counts win):

Matt Verenazi [R] - 373
Greg Vogler [D] - 301
Carol Pinto [R] - 298

For Town Justice:

Sharon Grubin [D] - 387
Karen Kellogg [R] - 178

Of course, the over 100 absentee ballots have yet to be counted, but the numbers there are in our favor.  We are quite confident that the absentee ballots, when counted in two weeks, will add to our margin of victory.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE !!!!!

GET OUT THE VOTE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Our campaign signs are up and visible throughout town. Who's behind the signs: our well qualified, balanced and independent minded candidates: Rob Lagonia (Supervisor), Greg Vogler (Board), and Sharon Grubin (Justice), and that is what is going to win this important local election. Speaking to important local and county issues, the candidates are out campaigning door-to-door, meeting with key constituents from both parties, and our message is resonating. Most importantly, we have a balanced, energetic, well-qualified ticket.

We need your help with these efforts in these next few weeks:

~ The GOTV (get out the vote) effort is critical, especially in a non-national election year. In addition to voting yourself, we need your help with driving and calling lists, especially during the weekend before and up through Election Day (November 1-5th). Please contact Tobby (tcassuto@taconic.net) to sign up for this important support.

~ Send letters to the editor of our local newspapers to support our candidates; please add your voice (contact Eileen efusco1160@yahoo.com) for information).

And please remember to...
 ~ VOTE on November 5th! Elections in our town are own (or lost) by a handful of votes, so vote yourself and take a neighbor, and please call a few more.

 ~ Save the date for our Nov. 3rd chili bake, the culmination of the campaign and our show of support for our awesome candidates.

 ~ Donate to the Austerlitz Democratic Committee (PO Box 266, Spencertown; with street address please). Less than a month to go to electing a more independent, balanced local government representative of all of its constituents!

Thank you so very much, the Austerlitz Democratic Committee

AUSTERLITZ DEMOCRATS CHOOSE CANDIDATES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, AUSTERLITZ DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE

Contact: Eileen Fusco, Chair            

AUSTERLITZ DEMOCATIC COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES
SLATE FOR NOVEMBER 2013 LOCAL ELECTION

Today, Austerlitz Democratic Committee Chairwoman Eileen Fusco announced the Democratic slate for November’s local elections:  “Austerlitz Democrats selected a well qualified and bi-partisan slate of men and women who stand ready to work together and lead the town of Austerlitz forward.  I am proud to announce the following candidates for office: Robert Lagonia for Town Supervisor, Greg Vogler for Town Board, Susan Haag for Town Clerk/Tax Collector, Bobby Meehan for Highway Superintendent, and Sharon Grubin for Town Justice.”

“Rob Lagonia has a unique combination of experience in private business and public service, and I am confident Rob will bring the same level of professionalism to the town board as he did to the Town court, where he served for many years.  Greg Vogler has spent almost 30 years as an auditor and will bring his audit disciplines of fact based questions, unbiased analysis and inclusive, cost conscious solutions to Town board decisions.  The Committee also unanimously crossed endorsed Susan Haag in recognition of her outstanding service as Town Clerk.” Fusco continued.

“I am pleased to announce our support of Sharon Grubin for Town Justice.  As an attorney and former federal court judge, Sharon has the experience and knowledge necessary to ensure that Austerlitz town court continues to operate with the same professionalism the Town has come to expect of its judges.  Bobby Meehan is the incumbent Highway Superintendent and was selected again by the Austerlitz Democrats for re-election.” said Fusco.

Democratic County Committee Chair, Cyndy Hall, who attended the caucus along with Virginia Martin, Democratic Commissioner for the County's Board of Elections, stated at the end: "The Democratic process worked well today in Austerlitz. Although you had some difficult issues to work out, the caucus process was followed, everyone had their say and people were treated with respect. It was a pleasure to see democracy in action."

Election Day is November 5, 2013.  For more information or to complete an absentee ballot please email the Austerlitz Democratic Committee at AusterlitzDemocraticCommittee@gmail.com.

ABSENTEE VOTING - AVAILABLE NOW IN-PERSON !!!

There will be absentee voting before the Primary Election over-the-counter at the BOE.  (This is not same as "Early Voting" offered in other states.)

Columbia County BOE Over-the-Counter Absentee Voting

Any weekday from 8am-4pm

Thursday, Sept. 6th from 4pm-6pm

Saturday, Sept. 8th from 9am-noon

Any questions, please contact: 

Hilary Hillman

Democratic Deputy Commissioner

Columbia County Board of Elections

401 State Street

Hudson, NY 12534

Ph: 518-828-3115

Fax: 518-828-2624

PICS FROM MEET THE CANDIDATES AUGUST 30

Thanks to the Austerlitz Dems and George and Karen Jahn for hosting a candidate meet and greet at the Jahn's barn on Beale Road this week. A large and enthusiastic crowd was on hand to support Cheryl Roberts for State Assembly and David Cassuto for Austerlitz Town Justice.

From left, Judith Choat, Tobby Cassuto, Cheryl Roberts, Eileen Fusco and Austerlitz Town Justice Candidate David Cassuto

Cheryl with former Long Island state Senator and local resident John R. Dunne

AUSTERLITZ DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE HOLDS NOMINATING CAUCUS

On August 18, 2012, the Austerlitz Democratic Committee met to nominate David Cassuto as their candidate for Town Judge in the upcoming November election.  Mr. Cassuto, now a Professor of Law at Pace Law School in White Plains, is an experienced attorney and litigator.  Since 2003, he has been a full-time resident of Spencertown where he lives with his wife and son.  

Addressing the caucus, Mr. Cassuto emphasized his desire to serve the local community that he has been a part of for over thirty years and his commitment to the law and the legal system.  He looks forward to meeting and speaking with the residents of Austerlitz during the fall campaign.

The Caucus also formally endorsed Cheryl Roberts, a longtime resident of Spencertown, for New York State Assembly from the 107th District.  Ms. Roberts was elected three times to serve as Austerlitz Town Judge.  She is a prominent environmental attorney and advocate for local communities.  Ms. Roberts has been endorsed by both the Columbia County and Rensselaer County Democrats.  The Democratic Primary will be held on Thursday, September 13.

MEET YOUR LOCAL DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES - THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 2012

Meet, greet and support our Local Democratic Candidates:  David Cassuto for Austerlitz Town Judge and Cheryl Roberts for NYS Assembly, Thursday, August 30 from 5-7 pm (candidates to speak at 6:00). 

Wine and hors d'oeuvres will be served.  Come out and join your friends and neighbors to hear the issues and show your support in this important election year. 

Hosted by Karen and George Jahn, 299 Beale Road., Spencertown (1.4 miles from Route 203);  RSVP to tcassuto@fairpoint.net

Suggested Contribution: $25 for the Austerlitz Democratic Committee Treasury (by law, names and street addresses of contributors must accompany contributions, so please include this on your checks.

AUSTERLITZ CAUCUS set for AUGUST 18, MEET the CANDIDATES AUGUST 30

Greetings Austerlitz Democrats!  We will hold our caucus on Saturday August 18 at 9:30 in the Town Hall on Route 203.  Come meet your fellow local Democrats.

And on August 30 come meet David Cassuto, Esq., our 2012 candidate for Austerlitz Town Judge, and Cheryl Roberts, our neighbor running for the NY State Assembly. (event details to follow).   

David, a long time resident of Spencertown, received his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law.  He is a Professor of Law at Pace University and teaches in the areas of property, professional responsibility, environmental law, water law, animal law, and international comparative environmental law. He also directs the Brazil American Institute for Law and Environment (BAILE), a cooperative endeavor with the Getulio Vargas Foundation School of Law in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Prior to joining the faculty at Pace, David was in private practice, specializing in complex civil litigation.  He also clerked for the Honorable Rosemary Barkett on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.  He is widely published and a frequent speaker on issues ranging from corporate criminal law to environmental and cultural studies and literary criticism (David is a former professor of English specializing in literature and the environment).

David has been a member of the community since 1972 and currently lives in Spencertown with his family. His wife, Elizabeth Downes, teaches French; his son Jesse is in the eighth grade and a member of the ski team at Jiminy Peak, where David also teaches.

                            

For more information on David Cassuto’s professional career, please visit: http://www.pace.edu/school-of-law/faculty-0/full-time-faculty/cassuto-david-n

Contact:
dncassuto@gmail.com or 392-2318