Investing in Infrastructure

Joe Ruggiero believes elected officials have a fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers. Joe has the experience to provide relief to county taxpayers that won’t be a gimmick in the long run.

When Joe first came to the Bridge Authority:

The Authority was in the midst of its own fiscal crisis, burning through available reserves and having less than $5 million in bridge maintenance reserve funds for $1.5 billion in assets. Joe initiated a complete overhaul of the Bridge Authority’s financial management to right-size the ship by undertaking the following actions:

  • Maintained the lowest tolls in the nation for a tolling authority and the only public authority not to receive any subsidies from either the federal or state government. This helped to reaffirm the Bridge Authority’s strong bond rating.
  • Refinanced the Bridge Authority’s debt and saved the authority millions over five-years.
  • Initiated and expanded upon alternative revenue sources to offset expenses, including leasing broadband fiber over the bridges. These efforts have generated millions in non-toll revenue for the Bridge Authority.

When Joe was Assistant Comptroller for the State of New York:

  • Worked to establish a compliance unit for the retirement system to insure greater pension integrity and established new pension rules and regulations for elected officials.
  • Worked with local governments across New York State encouraging them to partner for shared services and increased efficiencies.

When Joe was Wappinger Town Supervisor:

  • Created a shared services agreement with the Town of Fishkill for a shared assessor for ten years, which saved taxpayer dollars.
  • Maintained the town’s strong bond rating and updated the town master plan for better development planning.
  • Was able to pass tax breaks for seniors and veterans based on income as well as enhanced tax breaks for seniors allowing them to deduct medical costs to lower their respective income for further deductions.
  • Cut through the red tape by passing the shed amnesty law that gave relief to hundreds of residential property owners going through mortgage refinancing.

    Environmental Stewardship
    Our quality of life depends on our environment.
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    Ensure Public Health and Water Protections
    Protecting the public is government’s first priority.
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    Tax Relief Through Responsible Fiscal Management
    It’s time to provide tax relief we can feel, NOT gimmicks.
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