GOSHEN – Two Republican Orange County legislators are criticizing Democratic colleague Stephen Hunter for voting to approve a property tax exemption that could benefit homebuyers purchasing properties through community land trusts, despite Hunter’s stated practice of abstaining from Legislature votes involving the Orange County Land Trust (OCLT), whose board he serves on.
Legislators Kathy Stenenga and Janet Sutherland voted against the resolution. Their criticism of Hunter from the pair followed a Mid-Hudson News story Thursday in which he said he abstains from County Legislature votes involving the Orange County Land Trust because he serves on its board.
“Stephen Hunter, along with his Democratic colleagues, continuously call for transparency and honesty, yet here we are,” Sutherland said. “Stephen’s yes vote on (State Real Property Law) 457A was clearly a conflict of interest, and he should have abstained. Stephen should hold himself to those same standards he expects of everyone else. His yes vote raises legitimate questions about consistency, accountability, and whether the rules apply equally to everyone.”
Hunter fired back at his critics.
“The Orange County Land Trust is not in the business of affordable housing, and the OCLT is not a nonprofit housing organization,” Hunter said. “As such, this legislation does not involve or apply to the OC Land Trust in any way, so there is no conflict. There is no conflict of interest, so an abstention was not required or appropriate. My Republican colleagues have not introduced a single piece of legislation all year, yet they are quick to manufacture controversy around my vote.”
The Legislature approved the local law, which provides a 50% exemption on the county’s portion of property taxes for eligible low-income homeowners, by an 11-9 vote at its Oct. 1 meeting. Every Republican voted against the proposal, with one GOP member, John Revella, abstaining.
The homes would have to be sold by a government entity, nonprofit housing organization, land bank or community land trust, such as the OCLT.
Stenenga said that she is “very disheartened but not surprised” that Hunter “forgot his ethical duty to abstain on any resolution that included the Land Trust.”
“The OCLT is one of the entities that can transfer property to a low-income project, which is why it was included in this resolution, creating this conflict,” Stenenga added.
According to Stenenga, half of the legislators requested that the motion be sent back to committee, so that they could gather the proper information and have a clear understanding of the proposed resolution before casting their votes. Stenenga said that Hunter cast a deciding no vote and then voted yes to approve the resolution.
“His desire to win took precedence over the concerns, questions and lack of clarity regarding this resolution,” Stenenga said. “All the taxpaying citizens of Orange County, whether this is a good resolution or a bad resolution, will be directly impacted.”
“I take my fiduciary responsibility seriously and will not be lectured about ethics by legislators more interested in political headlines than facts,” Hunter said. “Legislator Sutherland should also explain her decision to vote for herself to serve on the Human Rights Commission. Ethics cannot be invoked selectively to attack your colleagues while ignoring questions about one’s own conduct.”
Hunter, who is in his first year on the County Legislature, is also facing questions about his connections to Newburgh Votes, a voter-information initiative operated by Every Ballot Inc., and Kwill.io LLC, a technology company that markets website and social-media services to political campaigns.
Mid-Hudson News reported Thursday that Hunter and Kwill co-founder Joshua Huckabee are partners; the nonprofit lists a Newburgh property owned by Hunter and Huckabee as its address, and Kwill has identified Newburgh Votes as a client. Hunter said he has no ownership interest or formal role in Every Ballot or Newburgh Votes and is not involved in their operations.
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