In the 1970s, a massive subdivision was planned for southern orange county. County planners, recognizing water needs, envisioned The “Water Loop,” a $213 million, 65-mile pipeline scheme to supply water to the enormous project, rerouting water from (among others) Florida’s and Goshen’s reservoirs for it. The scheme was scuttled, and the “Moodna Watershed Intermunicipal Council” (of which I was a founding member) was later created to study solutions. The “Water Loop” scheme seemed like a bad memory, until 2013, when County Executive Neuhaus suggested “eminent domain” to take over municipalities’ water districts. Neuhaus’ election win was the result of a huge bloc vote by that same sprawling subdivision.
Today, water is more valuable than oil, and housing subdivisions are sprawling closer to Goshen and Florida, developed by that same voting bloc.
Then, unbelievably, Orange County redistricted the legislature, creating a new District 2 “coincidentally” comprised of Florida and Goshen, which hold the county’s most productive reservoirs, and sit next to a new sprawl project from that voting bloc.
One candidate for this curious new district - Aaron Ubides - in unending photos with Neuhaus’ arm around him, stated: “I am in favor of allocating funds to complete the Water Loop.” (Warwick Advertiser, July 9).
Candidate Jonathan Redeker states Goshen and Florida’s water belong to those municipalities’ residents. Period.
This race is about WATER, and choosing either: Ubides, a County-controlled candidate that will SELL YOUR WATER OUT to the subdivisions, or Redeker, a teacher fighting for YOUR water.
Jay Westerveld
Glenmere Conservation Coalition
Sugar Loaf