Poll Results: RCT Readers in Favor of South Nyack Dissolution

The results are in! 75 percent of our poll participants were in favor of dissolving the village of South Nyack, while 25 percent favored leaving the village intact.

The most common rationale for a yes vote was maintaining the character of South Nyack. Multiple respondents expressed concern that preserving the village and its zoning codes would allow the new owners of the former Nyack College to open a boarding school on the property, prompting fear of overdevelopment. It was commonly believed that reabsorption into Orangetown would provide residents more and better resources to block the opening of the school. Other respondents were enthused that a vote to dissolve would lower taxes in an area infamous for its high cost of living.

Those who voted against dissolution were wary of losing political autonomy. Some responders also expressed skepticism toward projections that suggest being reabsorbed into Orangetown would lower taxes. “Keep our village safe, the taxes will be increasing anyway,” said Rossano Giannini. Some respondents dismissed fears of overdevelopment as reactionary when speaking against dissolution. “These people bought that property for a religious school,” said Yehuda Zorger, of Airmont. “These people are not here to change South Nyack, they’re not here to do any of that.”

The referendum vote is being held today at the Living Christ Church on South Broadway and polls are open until 9 p.m. Absentee ballots will also be counted.

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