News | Government

Janis Castaldi, Rep. Candidate for Senate in Westchester, Rockland

Castaldi is a former Ossining mayor.

Posted by Sarah Studley (Editor), August 17, 2012 at 03:51 am

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General Information

Name: Ms. Janis Amy Castaldi
Also known as: JJ
Age: 59
Place of residence: Ossining, NY

Education

College

Attended college: Yes
College: Mercy
Degree: Paralegal
Year of graduation: 1984

Employment Information

Job titles held: Business owner, Lizz-Fitness
Employers: NA

Political Information

Party affiliation: Republican

Running for a: State office
Running for position: Senate
Chamber/district: 38th District
Incumbent: No
Previous elective offices: Village Trustee/Ossining Deputy Mayor/Ossining
Unsuccessful bids for elective offices: None

Party HQ

Address 172 South Main Street
New City
NY
10956

Campaign Manager

Name: Peter Tripodi IV
Title: Campaign Manager

Name: Sandra Lepore
Title: Co-Campaign Manager

URLs

Website: www.janiscastaldi.com
Facebook: janiscastaldiforny

Other facts

I have a record of fiscal discipline and am an expert in efficient government. I own two successful businesses and am active in the local community. I will always be accountable to the people I serve and like you, I never forget that a good Senator works in Albany not for Albany

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Ladies and gentleman, please be very cautious. Does anyone who lives in Briarcliff know anyone…Read More named Herman Sexton or McKey Rivers. Vote FOR Jon and SAL tomorrow. The choice is clear.

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W Obermeyer May 20, 2013 at 02:58 pm

What a record! I do not favor personalized targeting, but it seems the chickens have come home to…Read More roost. Perhaps attendance is optional?

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McKey Rivers May 20, 2013 at 02:40 pm

Is there a style manual or other guidance addressing the random use of capital letters in posts on…Read More this web site? Has anyone figured why Mr. Valenti capitalizes certain words and for what purpose? Mr. Ranno's post contains relevant, objective facts without the varnish of partisanship. The State Education law and School District policy address attendance by school board members at Board meetings, including provisions when a board member is disqualified from office due to poor attendance. Does anyone on the current Board have the fortitude to address Mr. Maglietta's miserable attendance record? Does Mr. Maglietta have the moral compass to realize that for whatever reason he is unable to fulfill the most basic requirement of a school board member, i.e., attendance at board meetings? My guess is the answer to both questions is NO and that it is now up to the voters to take matters into their own hands.

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W Obermeyer May 20, 2013 at 03:04 pm

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The Real Herman Sexton May 20, 2013 at 11:45 am

Valenti- go away and leave us alone. You failed to win when you ran, you failed to get yourself…Read More appointed to the board for a vacated seat. You are the least respected resident in town and walk around as a self important genius. Were not you arrested a short time ago? Please back off and perhaps the election will be decided by intelligent residents. VOTE NO for whatever Valenti says to vote for

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McKey Rivers May 20, 2013 at 10:48 pm

I should also point out that Ms. Agona's "insights" are wrong on so many levels that it is…Read More frightening a) that she has a vote and (b) that she was able to be selected for school board trustee.

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McKey Rivers May 20, 2013 at 10:32 pm

Ms. Agona, Wasn't your career as school board trustee distinguished by (i) your working in concert…Read More with other board members to illegally withhold fund reserves from use for the school budget; (ii) violating your duties as school trustee by approving illegalities with respect to district finances as reported by the State Comptroller; (iii) failing in your duties as school trustee to maintain appropriate oversight of district finances by condoning the false reporting by the District's audit committee of its review of the District's finances; (iv) participating in the preparation of and advocating voter approval of several years of school budgets that overtaxed the public, as determined by the State Comptroller, and which propelled Briarcliff to the top taxed district in Westchester and Putnam Counties; (v) engaged in a midnight hour, secret formulation of an arrangement with a school district official already scheduled to retire to unnecessarily pay him for a no show job and unnecessarily and with no benefit to the school district substantially enhanced his benefit package in violation of school district policies, which official was the architect of the plan determined to be illegal by the State Comptroller; and (vi) engaged in numerous other abject failures in performance of the duties and responsibilities of a school trustee? It's incredible that you would tout your status as a former trustee in opining on anything concerning the Briarcliff School District and readers should consider your performance as trustee in evaluating your comments above.

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The Real Herman Sexton May 20, 2013 at 02:57 pm

oh wow, let's relive the attempted election of Mike Valenti several years ago. We went through…Read More this, proved I was a resident, etc. Anyway, does anyone know anyone in Briarcliff more annoying than Mike Valenti

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Does anyone personally know anyone in Briarcliff named Herman Sexton? Be careful folks. Too many…Read More phony names and email addresses seem to surface in support of candidates this group forwards and supports for school board.

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McKey Rivers May 20, 2013 at 04:47 pm

Does anyone other than crackpots like Mike Valenti and sycophants aligned with current School Board…Read More members think that it is healthy for the current effective school taxes in Briarcliff to be in excess of 2% of market values (2.0106%) while the school taxes on a home with equal value in communities like Chappaqua (1.8611%), Tuckahoe (1.8600%) Eastchester (1.7360%), Scarsdale (1.5471%) and Bronxville (1.3791%) are significantly lower? Real estate professionals will tell you that tax rates in excess of 2% of market value present substantial obstacles to entry to market for many potential buyers. This factor is a big part of the reason for declining enrollment in Briarcliff where families with school age children are deterred by tax affordability from even looking, never mind buying a home, when other area communities with excellent school districts have taxes that are much more affordable for an equal value home. The negative market impact of tax unaffordability can result in a downward spiraling effect when home prices are pushed lower to attract market interest. To worsen the tax unaffordability situation in Briarcliff by passing a tax cap excessive budget is in nobody’s interest especially when there are reasonable tax levy compliant alternatives that have been demonstrated to have no negative impact on educational programs, sports, clubs, music or staff. If Briarcliff voters want to preserve their lovely community, the school district and home values, they must defeat the proposed budget and vote for Paul Wasserman and Sonny Linder for school board.

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W Obermeyer May 20, 2013 at 02:51 pm

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McKey Rivers May 20, 2013 at 12:41 pm

According to data on file with the NYS Comptroller’s office, the current effective school tax…Read More rate in Briarcliff Manor is 8.32% higher than the effective school tax rate in Chappaqua, 8.39% higher than the effective school tax rate in Tuckahoe, 16.13% higher than effective school tax rate in Eastchester, and 46.18% higher than effective school tax rate in Bronxville. Last time I checked (on Friday), none of those communities are suffering from plummeting home values or perceived to be engaged in educational suicide. What distinguishes Briarcliff from those school districts? All the other school districts have adopted tax levy cap compliant budgets. None of the other school districts have proposed to increase public relations expenses by 45%, expenses related to the superintendent of schools by 42.45%, nor expenses for the board of education by approximately 65%. None of the school boards in Chappaqua, Tuckahoe, Eastchester, and Bronxville have campaigned for voter approval of their proposed budgets by using school district resources to scare voters into believing bogus claims that a No vote will require draconian cuts in educational programs and staff. Obviously, if Briarcliff voters adopt the tax excessive proposed budget, the disparity in effective tax rates between Briarcliff and these other school districts will be even greater than it is now. Are potential homebuyers likely to disregard the wide differences in school taxes among these and almost every other community in Westchester County as compared with the school tax rates in Briarcliff? As a proponent of giving the Briarcliff Board of Education a second opportunity to get the school budget right and not overburden Briarcliff property owners with higher than necessary property taxes, I can only hope that voters will decide how to vote based on the reputation of David Venditti versus Mike Valenti.

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Gargamel May 20, 2013 at 09:07 pm

the key to understanding a failed candidacy of Mike Valenti's is having to suffer through endless…Read More repetition of his failed logic. Really folks, the only one imploding here is Mike. For Sal and Jon: please tell us that you do not encourage him? I hope not because I has to hurt.

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Mike Valenti May 20, 2013 at 11:35 am

It's no wonder Linder and Wasserman's campaign is imploding. Just listen to the blend of venom and…Read More bile spewed by their desperate supporters. This election is as much about respect and civility as any other issue. It has been made clear throughout this campaign that Wasserman, Linder and their supporters will reverse us back to the troublesome place we were a few years ago. The desperation in your viscious and unbecoming attacks is palpable. And, ladies and gentleman, it it ain't broke don't fix it!!

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The Real Herman Sexton May 20, 2013 at 10:26 am

First off, I am the real Herman Sexton. I am not the fraud who wrote his stupid comments earlier in…Read More this blog. I am the man who destroyed Mr. Valenti's campaign several years ago. OK so let's start by laughing at the request by Mr. Valenti for transparency. He backs Mr. Satran who was a part of the team that secretly imposed a tax hike and appointed a new superintendent. How could you Mr. Valenti ask for transparency? OK, so Mr Linder makes dumb points, he is clearly Mr. Wasserman's puppet and yes Mr. Nadler did see this and point it out. The real Herman Sexton is OK with Wasserman and Linder since I do believe that they would be transparent. Linder simply wants to discuss on a more personal level. He and Wasserman are down to earth, warm and enjoy face to face. You, Mr. Valenti once again prove to be the biggest thorn in the side of Sal and John. You Mr. Valenti constantly pontificate upon BS. Your lack of understanding comes through each and every stroke of your keyboard. Don't back the CIA and ask them to release their files to the public. Reality, if we elect a group of board members, we should be notified of their inner workings. Make all decisions public and allow us a voice in our schools. Only one point makes sense, A TAX INCREASE HURTS OUR PROPERTY VALUE AND DOES NOT IMPROVE SCHOOLS. Let's use Edgemont as a model, small school, similar demographics and much less spending per student, yet they perform at a higher level. LETS FIX THIS NOW!

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Mike Valenti May 19, 2013 at 02:53 pm

Mr. Linder, This is YOUR post folks are responding to and your ideas. I find it curious at best…Read More that you began a public forum comment blog but advocate throughout your responses that the discussion should be taken off-line and out of public view. this really doesn't position you well as an advocate for transparency.

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CORRECTION TO LAST POST: The last sentence should read: "Let's continue to share, but…Read More face-to-face." Thx - Sonny

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