Greenburgh residents rightfully feel betrayed by Assembly member MaryJane Shimsky. Her most recent actions reflect her feeling of vulnerability but, regretfully, not her remorse.
On June 10, 2023, Ms. Shimsky voted for Assembly Bill A7761, which she sponsored, exempting the Edgemont section of Greenburgh from New York State laws which protect every other New York town.
In response to the anger directed at her by her constituents, this week Ms. Shimsky published a statement on her official Assembly webpage and issued a second statement to the press which falsely describe her record. Clearly panicking, she denies her support of Edgemont’s incorporation and falsely accuses community members of “lying” about her record.
In her statement she said that she “never supported an exemption for Edgemont from the new laws” and “never sponsored legislation to that effect.” That is blatantly false. Public NYS Assembly documents show that Ms. Shimsky voted for and sponsored Assembly Bill
A.7761 which effectively excludes the village-incorporation efforts of Edgemont residents from tough new state requirements for the creation of a village.
This Shimsky-sponsored law paves the way for Edgemont’s third attempt at incorporation. It exempts Edgemont from mandated state commission review and, most importantly, final approval. It exempts Edgemont from the requirement that a proposed village have no serious detrimental impact on the fiscal condition, services, and taxation of residents in the rest of the town.
Ms. Shimsky’s direct actions have placed the entire Unincorporated Town of Greenburgh in great jeopardy. Her failure to take any action to support her constituents during their struggle against an Edgemont incorporation has generated justifiable anger. Now, as she faces a potential challenge in the June 2024 Democratic Party Primary, she is suddenly decrying the legislation she herself sponsored and is lying about her record.
Ms. Shimsky’s credibility is in serious question when she cannot own up to legislation she sponsored.
