Wilkins’ campaign signs returned after removal by Town of Wallkill employee

TOWN OF WALLKILL – The State Police returned some of Republican Supervisor candidate Jill Wilkins’ campaign signs on Sunday after she accused Wallkill Supervisor Frank DenDanto of directing a town employee last week to remove about 15 of them, including some criticizing his proposed 64% property tax increase for 2027.

Wilkins said she plans to have the signs back at locations throughout the town by the end of Monday. However, some of the returned signs were damaged, and several others have yet to be returned, potentially costing her about $800.

“I feel vindicated that I have my signs back,” said Wilkins, a real estate broker and minister. “What Frank did was an abuse of power. It was theft. He just doesn’t want to be held accountable for the 64 percent tax increase that he proposed.”

DenDanto announced earlier this month that he could be forced to raise property taxes by 64 percent in the town next year due to what he asserts was financial mismanagement by the previous administration. He now maintains the hike will not be as large.

Removing political signs can be punishable as a misdemeanor under state Penal Law and Election Law, although charges are not expected in connection with the incident.

DenDanto denied orchestrating the removal of Wilkins’ signs and said Sunday that “the town actually has ordinances governing where signs may be placed.”

“Creating drama around town employees doing their job is a distraction from the real issue of fiscal malfeasance leading to the disaster the town must now clean up,” added DenDanto,.

DenDanto was referring to Chapter 249 of the Town of Wallkill Zoning Code, which establishes rules governing the size, placement, number, and safety of signs. However, due to a federal court ruling, the town’s authority to regulate political signs is limited by the First Amendment, which protects political speech from unconstitutional government restrictions.

In a 2002 federal court case involving Risa Sugarman, a Democratic candidate for Orange County district attorney, a judge ruled that portions of the Town of Wallkill’s sign regulations unconstitutional, along with restrictions adopted by other municipalities in the County. Several attorneys have told Mid-Hudson News that the federal ruling takes precedence over the Town of Wallkill’s ordinance.

Ray Merriman, a Republican Town Board candidate, said he saw a building and code enforcement worker driving a town SUV filled with Wilkins’ signs on Tower Drive between 2 and 3 p.m. Thursday. Merriman said the worker confirmed that DenDanto or other superior had directed him to remove the signs. Merriman filed a police report with the town, which Wilkins said referred the matter to the State Police.

Town Building Inspector Al Vance joined the State Police to give Wilkins the signs back on Sunday at Town Hall. Vance previously did not return a message seeking comment about this matter.