Kiryas Joel, NY – Assemblywoman Calls for Investigation of Public Monies Spent on Women’s Health Care Center

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    Kiryas Joel, NY – Assemblywoman Nancy Calhoun announced today that she has asked State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to look into the public monies of over $10.5 million spent by the Village of Kiryas Joel to build a Women’s Health Care Center.
    The facility was designed for mothers and their newborns.

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    The price tag on the facility was just over $3 million when the plan was first presented to the state in 2001 in a competitive grant request based on the needs of “low income” women. Calhoun represented the village at that time.

    “I believe that there must be a complete audit of all monies received and spent by Kiryas Joel and a full accounting given,” she said. “For one small village to receive over $10 million of taxpayer money for a 56 bed women’s health center, which is utilized only by the women of that community, seems outrageous to me and many others.”

    Assemblywoman Nancy Calhoun 96th Assembly DistrictIn 2001 the center was valued at $3.5 million with KJ paying 75 percent if the Pataki administration would put up $750,000, Calhoun said. The village has yet to pay any of that state money back, she said.

    And since that time, the project cost has risen to $105 million, with all but $600,000 being funded at the state level by Pataki, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and other lawmakers. She said Pataki was responsible for over $5 million to the community including over $1 for a road to the facility.

    To add insult to injury, Calhoun said while the facility was originally meant for low income women, Medicaid will not cover the $200 daily cost.
    “As a mother, I think a proper place and time to rest after giving birth is important for all women, but I do not think that rest and spa facility should be paid for by the taxpayers of New York State just because Kiryas Joel has political allies,” Calhoun said.

    The Blooming Grove lawmaker said she had already spoken to DiNapoli and he told her he would take a look at her concern.


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    40 Comments
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    MY OPINION
    MY OPINION
    15 years ago

    Nancy Calhoun IS TRYING TO GET BACK ON KJ FOR NOT VOTING FOR HER

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Well If it would be Local tax payers I can understand it. But What percentage of Kiryas Yoel Population pays tax??

    lebediger
    lebediger
    15 years ago

    I hope that kj will only charge 50 for a night there, 200 dolars is unheard of

    do you know what $200 is,$ 200 is a lot of money

    $200 is CHUTZPAH

    Joseph
    Joseph
    15 years ago

    Stuff it old lady. They got money like every other town in the nation. Old fashioned pork barrel politics.

    No different, no worse.

    some ruv
    some ruv
    15 years ago

    I agree with Nancy she is 100% right. After getting 10.5 Mill from the government, it shouldn’t cost $200 a night

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Can only Aaroni ladies use it, or Zalmoni ladies also?? How about outsiders? Or do they have to pledge allegiance to a faction?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    FYI even if they charge $350.00 it still wouldnt cover for each and every person there , its a money loosing proposition , if they made money at ecen $300.00 there would be several of these complexes in the private sector , and there is a reason there are non , becuase they all loose money ,

    lebediger
    lebediger
    15 years ago

    NO Aroini and NO Zali can use it for this price I really don’t understand why they got money from the gov. if they are going to charge $200

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Better be careful otherwise the O.U. will pull their HECHSHER like on Rubashkin and organize the Unions and go national telling all Newspapers of their wonderful DEEDS and Maasim Toivim!

    Then we all yoiledes will be oif Gehakte Tzures. How will we eat there?

    Lock & Load
    Lock & Load
    15 years ago

    Why only the Woman get a Care Center….

    We Men can use some Care too……

    Lock & Load

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Once they start digging you can be sure they’ll find some stuff neither group wants getting out. This is what greed can do for you. I work in the not for profit sector. Don’t scam & don’t cheat. Keep great records & do what you are supposed to do with the $$. Or you’ll have to give it back.

    I’ve seen that happen.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    this looked fishy from the start. they talk about it for years now, and it’s not even open yet.

    123
    123
    15 years ago

    How much less does Lakewood charge?

    Anon1
    Anon1
    15 years ago

    She is not alleging any fraud, she just wants oversight. The governor knows how much he has given them. The fact is that those connected get money, and those not don’t.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    They all charge much. Lakewood & New Square bet. 120-170. realy not for everege woman.

    Fluffy Dan
    Fluffy Dan
    15 years ago

    I think they should open an investigation on federal money given to other towns upstate, lots of state grants are missused. Funny how Palins little town in alaska got over a hundred mill in federal funding, K.J. has a bigger population, so why is this skank picking on KJ???

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    if it is for low income families and that is why they got it paid for how do these low income families have $200 for a night in EY I think rhe most it cost is 200 Shekels a bit of a diffents better not such a fancy place but an affordable price

    Some Ruv
    Some Ruv
    15 years ago

    To Annon 2:13

    Do you know why other complexes don’t make money? BECAUSE THEY PAID FOR THERE BUILDING AND THEY HAVE A BIG MORTGAGE CAPISH?

    They got a free lot, Building, Taxes, E.T.C all they have to pay is employees and some big shots from KY thats it…. Now don’t ask for 200 a night becouse 100 a night will cover the wages from these low paid KY Viblech

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    If they did nothing wrong what are they or you guys worried about. If you believe that everything was on the up on up you and they should be happy they are being auditing this faculty. This could once and for all show the politician and the world that the chassideim can chassideim are honest people who do not scam the government. and use money given to them honestly for the good of many and for the very reasons the money was granted for.

    I would be overjoyed to show the world how honest we are how holy we are how people of the book we are. Come open our books we have nothing to hide.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    How much does a hospital charge a night? This place will have registered nurses and visiting doctors.

    Who said they will charge $200.00 per day? I know for a fact that they will charge as much as the other facilities.

    The place is just beautifully decorated with the most beautiful linen and furniture.

    Lets face it this will be the best place for a new mother to relax.

    samuel
    samuel
    15 years ago

    Assemblywoman Nancy Calhoun (R,C-Blooming Grove)

    this may be of interest to you!

    See article in: Washington post of 9/2/08

    Sarah Palin ( R ) Helped Secure Earmarks for Town

    Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin ( R ) employed a lobbying firm

    to secure almost $27 million in federal funds for a town of 6,700 residents while she was its mayor, a practice that Sen. John McCain has railed

    against in his campaign for president. (read article)

    Kiryas Joel is the fastest growing municipality in N.Y. it has 20,000+ residence mostly peaceful young and large families, Ms Calhoun your county is ridden with serious crimes (see below) almost none from kiryas joel why wouldn’t you spend some time and energy to eradicate real crimes not spend taxpayers monies on perceived bogus crimes,

    Your county had this year so far:

    40 murders

    46 rapes

    27 robberies

    51 assaults

    35 properties

    38 burglaries

    53 larcenies

    15 car thefts

    And numerous others

    danny
    danny
    15 years ago

    Note that all the federal grants KJ gets are legal and available to any other communities who apply, just like the “entitlements” the rest of the country gets from the federal and state grants, thru “free education” elementary, high school and college funds and different grants, which orthodox jews also pay for and not receiving any benefits of it, by the way most people settled in monroe woodbury area came after KJ was established and the reason was the Monroe-Woodbury school district which has a high rating which in turns drives up all real estate in that district, that happened in great part because of the KJ residents who pay large sums of public school taxes and other taxes but benefit very minimum of it, so “they” the none orthodox jewish, benefit a larger proportion of the available benefits, also think of it See statistics on crimes committed in all orange county (Narcotics, Hate crimes, Sex offenders, Homicides, Suicides etc. etc.) vs. KJ proportional (which costs the taxpayers in police, investigators, courts, jails, rehabilitation, and other costs for which KJ people are also paying for, so its fair to say think before you act!

    machem
    machem
    15 years ago

    THEY ARE ONLY GOING TO HAVE REGISTER NURSES AND THIS COST A LOT OF MONEY AND IT CANOT COVER WITH $200. A DAY

    destro613
    destro613
    15 years ago

    I warned about this when the 1st article about the center came up. Finally KJ is going to be shown what they are, a black hole for tax dollars

    Yoelish
    Yoelish
    15 years ago

    This women is just looking to secure her reelection by puffing hate in KJ’s direction. In fact, each politician is trying to ‘outhate’ the other, trying to show I’m ‘hatier’ than thou. It’s common practice for all politicians in the KJ area. She’ll indeed go on to win reelection and keep quite for four more years.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    when is this place finally going to open? It’s taking ages.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    I heard they will be accepting outsiders (non-Satmars) as well. I really hope so. It’s definitely something I’d save up money for as a baby gift for myself.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Another chilul HaShem. To have to ask for oversight means she’s suspects something and is looking for answers.

    abi gezunt
    abi gezunt
    15 years ago

    while the other towns and villages spend their money on crime fighting and public aducation and drug & domestic abuse programs.and battling gangs &murder and rape. all kj is doing with that money is building a womens center.and they cant take it.LET THEM PLOTS!!!!

    NY
    NY
    15 years ago

    They could have built it for much less. If it weren’t so lavishly furnished, it wouldn’t cost so much to maintain.

    This place looks like a five star hotel. The cost will definetly be higher than $200.

    They should have built a practical building with comfortable accomodations. Not everyone (especially the low income village residents) needs or can afford a five star hotel.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    $200 for a night is big chutzpa

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    She’s right. My tax dollars should not go for a kimpaterin home I cannot afford to go to. I work, I pay taxes, I have five kids, i came home from the hospital and dealt with it. those women are on medicaid, section 8, welfare and food stamps and they get to go there and somehow come up with $200 cash per night for up to two weeks. I am an RN and tried to open up a place like this in my area – once I looked into it, I realized there was no way to do it legitimately and still be in the $200 range. something funny is going on there…

    johnny
    johnny
    15 years ago

    NANCY INHALE!

    Medical Marijuana Bill Passes in Assembly

    June 14, 2007

    Mid-Hudson News

    Albany The State Assembly has passed a medical marijuana bill that would allow patients suffering from HIV/AIDS, cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and other life-threatening or debilitating conditions to be able to legally use marijuana to alleviate the pain associated with their symptoms.

    Assemblywoman Nancy Calhoun (R-Blooming Grove), who supported the legislation, said the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine concluded in a 1999 report that nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety due to serious illnesses can be relieved by the medical use of marijuana.

    “Legalizing the medical use of effective medicine does not undermine the message that non-medical use of illegal drugs is wrong,” said Calhoun. “However, medical marijuana must be made available to those patients who have life-threatening or debilitating diseases and cannot alleviate their pain through other means. It is the humane thing to do.”

    Calhoun pointed out that there are many controlled substances, such as morphine, valium and steroids, are legal for medicinal use but illegal on the open market. “It’s hypocritical to forbid physicians to prescribe marijuana while permitting them to use morphine and risperidone to relieve extreme nausea and pain,” said Calhoun.

    McCain-Palin 08
    McCain-Palin 08
    15 years ago

    Calhoon is nothing but another typical communist Democrat.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    You guys are worried about $200 a night? Nothing to worry about. By the time it will open $200 will be peanuts. By they open you will probably be paying $50 to cross the GW bridge.

    Houlihan
    Houlihan
    15 years ago

    I’m with you, 11:32pm. I won’t even give tzedakah to a kimpaturin home. Just deal with it, like everyone else.

    Avraham Abba
    Avraham Abba
    15 years ago

    If the citizens of Kiryas Yoel would try to make their homes and streets look neat, and if they greeted people “bsayver panim yafos” the entire surrounding communitieS would have a respectable view of them.

    Unfortunately, these uneducated boors think that being dirty looking and unkempt is a sign of humility.

    Of course the non Jews are going to try to get these outcasts in trouble(and the Christians are not anti Semites). They would prefer to live with mutual respect, not with mutual distrust.

    Tzaddik Ben Torah
    Tzaddik Ben Torah
    15 years ago

    We Yiddden are going to be in deep trouble (R”L)in the next generation for these types of projects. How can a group of people,make a village private and have the other taxpayers pay for their living expenses? Are the Satmar or Squer Jews royalty in USA? If a non-chassidc frum,or any woman gave birth,would SHE be allowed to use this facility? If these people are wealthy enough to buy nice homes,wear expensive clothes,send their many children (B,H.) to private yeshivos,how come they are getting Medicaid? What about the hard-working ben- Torah who gets up early every day to learn and daven,then WORKS all day and has to support his frum family with limited funds? This is looking bad in the eyes of our (good) non-Jewish and secular neighbors and is NOT a tz’nius or golus way of behaving! The Torah is supposed to teach and guide us how to properly live ,not to be arrogant show-offs and thieves!!!

    A Yiddene
    A Yiddene
    15 years ago

    The Seagate kimpeturin home is about $100/night. its not fancy but the food is great. I was there after 2 babies and loved it.

    Anon
    Anon
    15 years ago

    “McCain-Palin 08 Says:

    Calhoon is nothing but another typical communist Democrat.”

    I hate to break it to you pal, but Calhoun is a Republican.