FEATURED PRIORITIES
ONE GOVERNMENT FOR ALL OF NEW PALTZ
For decades, New Paltz has wrestled with the inefficiencies of running both a Town and a Village government. Two boards, two sets of offices, two tax structures only means more cost and confusion. Tim Rogers believes it’s time for one streamlined government that serves everyone fairly.
The Village and Town have been studying reorganization scenarios for nearly two decades. In the past ten years, key hurdles have already been addressed: we now have town-wide fire service, a new firehouse, and a joint police/court facility. Today, a formal consolidation would qualify New Paltz for the $1 million annual Citizen Empowerment Tax Credit (CETC). On top of that, shared services have reached their limit — it now takes two sets of boards, two attorneys, and two fiscal teams just to maintain agreements that could be managed more efficiently under one roof.
What Tim Has Done
As Mayor, Tim has proven consolidation can work. Police, fire, and courts already operate out of joint facilities. He has overseen years of intermunicipal agreements to extend water, sewer, and recreation services beyond the Village. He has also built strong partnerships with SUNY New Paltz, our school district, and neighboring towns, laying the groundwork for a single government that reflects how residents already live and work.
What Would Change
Under consolidation, the Village and Town would be governed by one board and one chief executive, eliminating overlapping layers of government. Offices like Building, Zoning, Finance, Public Works, and Clerks would be unified, empowering staff with clearer responsibilities and better support. Services such as snowplowing, paving, and code enforcement would be streamlined under a single chain of command.
What Stays the Same
Core services people rely on would continue without disruption. Fire protection, police services, justice courts, and assessment would all carry on town-wide. The Town would create dedicated water and sewer districts to ensure users in and outside the Village pay their fair share, while Village employees would transition into equivalent Town roles with protections under state civil service law.
Opportunities
A unified government means one zoning code for smart growth across the entire community. Stronger capacity for grant-writing and capital planning. Streamlined decision-making without two boards negotiating every shared service. Greater stability in staffing and governance through a larger organizational structure. And, more effective leverage as a SUNY host community and as a partner to our K–12 district.
Fiscal Impacts
Consolidation offers real savings for taxpayers. Current modeling shows Village property owners would see property tax reductions of up to 17.5%, depending on CETC application. For a median Village home assessed at $216,400, that’s over $500 in annual savings. Even without CETC, property owners would save hundreds each year. Meanwhile, Town-outside-Village taxpayers would see only modest shifts, and in many scenarios their bills would decrease as well once CETC funds are applied. Importantly, 70% of CETC funds are required by law to go directly to tax relief, guaranteeing residents see the benefit.
Roadmap Forward
In January 2025, the Village Board voted to begin the board-initiated dissolution process under Article 17-A of New York’s General Municipal Law. This process requires a detailed dissolution plan, public hearings, and ultimately a referendum where residents vote yes or no. If approved, the new unified government would take effect by the end of 2026, with a steady and organized transition period to ensure services are uninterrupted.
What’s Next
As Town Supervisor, Tim will lead the implementation of consolidation. He’ll secure CETC funding, protect Village employees as they transition to Town staff, and ensure residents are fully engaged throughout. With one unified government, New Paltz can finally put an end to costly duplication and build a stronger, more resilient community together.
CLEAN WATER & RELIABLE SEWERS
Clean water and reliable sewer systems are the backbone of any thriving community. For decades, New Paltz relied on century-old pipes that broke down too often. Tim Rogers has made replacing and modernizing this infrastructure a top priority.
What Tim Has Done
Since taking office in 2015, Tim has secured over $7.65 million in sewer grants — including nine major grants from HUD’s CDBG program. His administration has overseen the replacement of failing water and sewer mains, introduced trenchless slip-line repairs to reduce costs, and upgraded the Village’s filtration plant with state-of-the-art microfiltration membranes. These improvements have reduced turbidity, cut sludge hauling costs nearly in half, and made drinking water noticeably better.
Tim has also tackled emergency repairs head-on, from tree root infiltration in mains to brown water caused by tuberculated cast iron pipes. And he has kept the public informed every step of the way with clear, detailed updates on projects and water safety.
Recent upgrades have included $166,000 invested to improve ammonia removal at the sewer plant, engineering studies funded by state grants to prepare for stricter DEC regulations, and ongoing efforts to reduce Inflow & Infiltration (I&I) to protect system capacity. Tim’s administration has also pursued new groundwater wells to increase local water sourcing and reduce costly reliance on the NYC DEP aqueduct.
What’s Next
As Supervisor, Tim will continue to modernize New Paltz’s water and sewer systems with an eye on climate resilience and long-term savings. He’ll press forward with engineering studies to prepare for stricter state environmental standards and pursue new grants to keep costs down for ratepayers. His goal is simple: a safe, efficient system that serves residents and businesses without burdening taxpayers.
AFFORDABLE AND ABUNDANT HOUSING
Housing costs are squeezing families, seniors, and young people across New Paltz. Tim Rogers has a record of delivering real results — and a plan to keep going.
What Tim Has Done
Since 2015, Tim has championed the Village’s Affordable Housing Law, requiring set-asides for affordable units in new development. Over the past five years, New Paltz has added 25% more housing units — far outpacing state targets for “Pro-Housing Community” designation and ensuring that growth includes affordable homes. Developers are required to set aside at least 15% of new units in larger projects, guaranteeing that as we grow, no one is left behind.
Tim has also fought to keep projects fully taxable, without giveaways like unnecessary PILOTs (Payment in Lieu of Taxes), so that new housing strengthens schools, services, and infrastructure. He’s pushed for annexation agreements that guarantee revenue for all taxing authorities, while insisting on high standards of zoning, design, and affordability.
What’s Next
As Town Supervisor, Tim will bring Village-level housing policy to the entire community. He’ll strengthen affordability requirements, expand zoning tools to support smart growth, and protect existing neighborhoods while making room for the next generation. And he’ll keep fighting to ensure that new developments contribute their fair share to schools, services, and infrastructure — so taxpayers aren’t left footing the bill.
FAIR, ACCOUNTABLE TAXATION & BUDGETING
Over the last nine years, the Town of New Paltz tax rate has increased by 78%, including a 6.4% hike for the 2025 budget. These rising costs are making it harder for people to afford to live here. Tim is dedicated to managing this ongoing tax burden and promoting fair, responsible budgeting that puts the community’s needs first.
What Tim Has Done
During Tim’s decade as mayor, the Village tax rate has stayed flat for nine consecutive years. His administration has paid down debt early when possible, borrowed responsibly at low rates, and aligned costs with revenues to maintain stability. The State Comptroller gave the Village a fiscal stress score of just 8.3 — a single-digit mark that earned the “no designation” rating, the best possible outcome.
Meanwhile, the Town’s tax levy has continued to climb year after year. Tim has been candid about these differences, pushing back against false budget narratives and emphasizing the importance of accurate, honest financial planning. The Village has borrowed strategically, recently securing $3.855 million at 3.42% — far below the 2022–24 peak rates — aligning borrowing with anticipated Fed rate cuts to save taxpayers money.
What’s Next
As Supervisor, Tim will bring the Village’s record of fiscal discipline to the entire Town. He’ll focus on fair taxation, transparency, and ensuring that every dollar is spent wisely. Taxpayers deserve a government that keeps services strong without constantly raising the levy — and Tim has already proven he can deliver it.
EMPOWERING STAFF & VOLUNTEER BOARDS
Tim is committed to supporting and strengthening full-time employees and individuals appointed to our various volunteer boards. By optimizing services and staffing, we can better meet the needs of our community, improve efficiency, and ensure that every resident’s voice is heard and valued.
What Tim Has Done
Tim has prioritized succession planning, encouraging senior staff to mentor their successors to ensure smooth transitions. His administration has also worked to support volunteer boards like zoning and planning, where residents contribute countless hours to guide community growth. These efforts show his belief that strong governance requires both professional staff and empowered citizen voices.
What’s Next
By optimizing services and staffing through consolidation, Tim will ensure that resources are deployed more efficiently, staff are better supported, and volunteer board members have the tools and training they need to succeed. This commitment means:
Investing in professional development and succession planning.
Streamlining redundant processes so employees can focus on service delivery instead of bureaucratic hurdles.
Providing volunteer boards with clearer support and communication from town staff.
Elevating transparency and accountability so every resident’s voice is heard and valued.
Tim’s goal is simple: a more resilient, responsive local government where the people who serve—both paid and volunteer—are supported to do their best work on behalf of the entire community.
FIGHTING FOR OUR FAIR SHARE (OF GRANTS)
New Paltz residents deserve a fair return on the taxes they send to Albany and Washington. As Village Mayor, Tim Rogers has worked tirelessly to bring back funding, grants, and resources that would otherwise bypass small communities like ours, and he’ll do the same as our next Supervisor.
What Tim Has Done
Federal support to villages is minimal, and shrinking. Cuts to federal programs threaten to drive up the cost of capital projects or delay them entirely. Yet Tim has made it a priority to aggressively pursue grants, even without staff dedicated to writing them. Over the last five years alone, these efforts have brought in more than $9.2 million to New Paltz — all from federal sources funneled through state or county programs. That includes $4.9 million for the new fire station, $3.9 million for sewer line replacements, and $425,000 for water line upgrades.
On top of that, state transportation programs have delivered over $1 million for local roads and sidewalks since FY21, helping maintain the infrastructure that residents and businesses rely on daily.
What’s Next
As Supervisor, Tim will keep New Paltz at the front of the line for competitive grant dollars and ensure our community has a seat at the table when federal or state leaders make funding decisions. He’ll push for a stronger local share of sales tax and cannabis revenue, defend against unfunded mandates, and make sure New Paltz never gets shortchanged.
SERVICES THAT KEEP US SAFE
From SUNY’s bustling campus to our rural roads, New Paltz relies on strong emergency services to keep people safe. Tim Rogers has fought to secure resources, strengthen partnerships, and make sure every resident can count on timely, professional response.
What Tim Has Done
Under Tim’s leadership, the Village secured over $1.5 million in SUNY Impact Aid since 2018, choosing to share all of it townwide to support police, the volunteer Fire Department, and the Rescue Squad. He helped deliver $40,000 in new state operating funds for NP Rescue and the Fire Department, easing the burden on taxpayers. And he worked with state and federal partners to secure $5 million in grants for the new Fire Station, designed with innovative green features and long-term energy efficiency in mind.
The results speak for themselves: NP Rescue’s 99.7% response rate, one of the highest in the region; a Fire Department with modern equipment and facilities; and a stronger, more resilient emergency network across the Town and Village.
What’s Next
As Supervisor, Tim will continue fighting for state and federal resources to sustain emergency services. He’ll ensure consolidation plans protect first responders and enhance coverage, and he’ll keep investing in the people and equipment that make New Paltz safe.
CLIMATE ACTION & CLEAN ENERGY
Climate change is the defining challenge of our time. From flooding and extreme heat to rising energy costs, New Paltz is already feeling the impact. Tim Rogers knows we can’t afford half-measures or delays — we need urgent, local action to protect our community and lead by example.
What Tim Has Done
As Mayor, Tim has put climate action at the center of local government. He invested in energy-efficient fire and plow trucks, secured millions for sustainable infrastructure, and made sure Village buildings reduce emissions rather than add to them. Under his leadership, the Village issued an RFP to install a solar array on the Fire Station to offset nearly all of its annual electricity usage. And Tim has tied climate priorities directly to economic development, embedding clean energy and climate resilience into proposals like the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), which also advances affordable housing and safer Main Street infrastructure.
What’s Next
As Supervisor, Tim will bring the urgency of the climate crisis to every decision. He’ll expand renewable energy projects, pursue state and federal funding for decarbonization and adaptation, and ensure that every infrastructure investment makes New Paltz more resilient to flooding, storms, and heat waves.
SAFE STREETS & TRAILS
Safe streets are essential to a thriving community. For too long, New Paltz has struggled with unsafe crossings, speeding traffic, and outdated infrastructure. Tim Rogers has been a consistent voice for safer roads and stronger pedestrian protections.
What Tim Has Done
As mayor, Tim zeroed in on the most dangerous corridors—Main St/299, S. Chestnut/208, and the half-mile Middle School stretch with no crosswalks—pressing state and county partners to fix what puts kids and seniors most at risk. He delivered a safer network, including the new Empire State Trail connection from Henry W. Dubois to the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, a state-funded $350,000 project that gives walkers and cyclists a protected, direct route instead of mixing with fast traffic. He’s advanced ADA—not just paint—by pushing upgrades to sidewalks, ramps, and crossings so people using wheelchairs, strollers, carts, and canes can move through downtown year-round. He backed automated safety tools like Ulster County’s pilot speed-camera program focused on school-adjacent danger zones, and worked through NYCOM to make a 25-mph community-wide limit doable without costly red tape. In every funding ask—from DRI to local capital—he baked in crash reduction, accessibility, and climate-friendly design so Albany dollars build safer intersections, not just smoother asphalt.
What’s Next
As Supervisor, Tim will keep pressing state and county leaders to prioritize safety on Main Street and other state roads, while leveraging grants to make local intersections safer. Every resident — whether walking, biking, or driving — deserves safe, accessible streets.
A MAIN STREET FOR US ALL
New Paltz’s downtown is the heart of the community. Tim Rogers believes it should be vibrant, safe, and sustainable — a place where residents, students, and visitors all feel welcome.
What Tim Has Done
Tim has spearheaded multiple applications for the state’s \$10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative, taking New Paltz to final interviews twice. Each proposal has centered on housing, clean energy, Main Street safety, and infrastructure upgrades — and included strong local contributions to leverage state support. His 2025 DRI proposal highlights transformative public and private projects, from housing to decarbonization, that embody New Paltz’s core strengths: a walkable Main Street, world-class recreation, a vibrant SUNY campus, and a deeply engaged community.
What’s Next
As Supervisor, Tim will keep pushing for state investment in downtown, while ensuring private development pays its fair share. He’ll focus on housing, decarbonization, safe streets, and infrastructure that support both the local economy and residents’ quality of life.