Veteran v. Greenberg Appendix
Public Court Documents
January 25, 1989

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Brief Collection, LDF Court Filings. Veteran v. Greenberg Appendix, 1989. 75404604-c89a-ee11-be36-6045bdeb8873. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/88f64025-9a4e-48e4-b755-9cb55422d860/veteran-v-greenberg-appendix. Accessed July 12, 2025.
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89 In The United States Court of Appeals For the Second Circuit In re A n t h o n y F. V e t e r a n and Su s a n T o l c h i n, Petitioners. APPENDIX IN SUPPORT OF PETITION FOR A WRIT OF MANDAMUS Pa u l A g resta Town Attorney Town of Greenburgh P.O. Box 205 Elmsford, New York 10523 (914) 993-1546 Attorney for Petitioners TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Docket Sheet in Matter of Greenberg v. Veteran, 89 CIV• 0591 (GLG) (S.D.N.Y.) *••••••••••••••*••• 1 Notice of Petition, dated December 14, 1988, with Request for Judicial Intervention .......... 3 Verified Petition, sworn to December 28, 1988 .... 34 Exhibit - Decision of Town Supervisor Veteran, dated December 1, 1988 ............... ...... 50 Memorandum of Law, dated December 13, 1988 ........ 62 Verified Petition for Removal from State Court, dated January 25, 1989 ................... 79 Exhibit A - List of Additional Respondents (Reproduced at Pages 5 to 30, this Appendix) .................................... 94 Exhibit B - Notice of Petition, Verified Petition, and Petitioners' Memorandum of Law (Reproduced at Pages 3, 34, and 62, respectively of this Appendix) ............. 95 Opinion and Order, dated April 17, 1989 in 89 Civ. 0591 (GLG) (S.D.N.Y.) ................ 96 Notice of Appeal, filed May 11, 1989 .............. 129 Complaint, dated November 1, 1988, in Jones v. Deutsch, 88 Civ. 7738 (GLG) (S.D.N.Y.) 132 Exhibit 1 - Map of Proposed Village of Mayfair-Knollwood .................. 155 1 DfV R 23 MAG. COUNTY JURY DEM. 6698- 36119 DEFENDANTS ^ro\ IVETERArl/ AwlriGNY F., Supervisor TOLCnTH, SUSAN/ Town Cleric, et al W3TRJCT , OFF. 0208 07 DOCKET NO. YR. NUMBER 89 0591 OR FtUNG DATE MO. DAY YR. 01 25 89 PLAINTIFFS GREENBERG, MYLES ana MULLIGAN, FRANCES f-i. ) ) ] .i # )' Related to 88 CIV. 7738(GLG) CAUSE (<?lT f.,T= l U S’ C,V,L STATUTE UNDER WHICH THE CASE 28 'S PILED AND WRITE A BRIEF STATEMENT OF CAUSE)za U.S.C. SECT. 144o(b). Removal from State Court. LOVETT 5 GOrJLD, ESQ. 180 E. Post road ’Unite Plains, N.Y. 106-31 (914; 423-8401 ATTORNEYS ; PALL AGRESTA, Town Attorney i P.C. Box 205, Elnsford, NY 10523’ (914) 993-1546 I : 2 NR 1 2 3 4 PROCEEDINGS FLD. PETITION UNDER 28 USC SECT. 1446(b) FOR REMOVAL OF ACTION FROM STATE COURT. Fid. LETTER to Hon. G.L. Goettel from Paul Agresta/ town atty, dated 1/26/83 Fid. AFFIDAVIT OF PERSONAL SERVICE submitted by Ronald Pietrowicz Fid. NOTICE OF REMOVAL. You are hereby notified that on this date Anthony F. Veteran, Susan Tolchin, and additional respondents in the above-entitled proceeding, brought pursu. to New York CPLR Article 78, have filed in the USDC for the SONY a verified petition for the removal of said proceeding to that Cour: from the Supreme Court of the STate of New York, Westch. Cty. Fid. NOTICE TO ADVERSE PARTIES. Fid. VERIFIED PETITION FOR REMOVAL OF ACTION FROM STATE COURT. 7 8 9 FLD: CONFERNECE MEMORANDUM OF THE REMOVING RESPONDENTS IN SUPPORT OF REMOVAL. Fid. MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF REMOVAL submitted by Paul Agresta, Town Atty of Town of Greenburgh. Fid. ADDITIONAL MEMORANDUM OF THE REMOVING RESPONDENTS IN SUPPORT OF REMOVAL. 10 11 12 Fid. NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT of Related case. E/n Fid. OPINION #89,0006 W.P. See Document. . . .Assuming the general removability o Article 78 proceedings, the instant matter involves a federal question and may oe removed pursu. to 28 USC S. 1441(b). Consistent with Ardra Insurance, however, and because we would abstain from deciding the issues here presented under familiar jurisprudential considerations, the instate proceeding is remanded to the court from whence it was removed, the New York Supreme Court for Westch. County. SO ORDERED: GOETTEL, J., dated 4/17/89 c/m/n. Fid. NOTICE OF APPEAL. Please take notice that respondents appeal to the USCA for t 2nd Circuit from the order dated 4.17.89 and entered on 04.18.89. Mailed copy to Paul Agresta, Esq. Town of Greenburgh, P.O. Box 205, Elmsford, NY 10523; Lovett & Goulc,"l80 E. Post Rd. White Plains, NY; Ruth E. Roth, Esq. 90 Maple Ave., White Plains, NY 10601; Paul, Weiss, Rifkinc, Wharton & Garrison, 1285 Ave., of the Americas, NY, NY; FEES PAID; Forwarded copy of Notice of Appeal to J. Goettel and copy of Notice of Appeal and docket entries to U.S.C.A. for the 2nd Circuit. 13 Fid. LETTER dated Feb. 10, 1989 to Hon. G.L. Goettel from atty Jonathan Lovett. 3 SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER ---------------------------------------- x In the Matter of the Application of MYLES GREENBERG and FRANCES M. MULLIGAN, proponents of a petition to incorporate the Village of Mayfair Knollwood, T O W N CLERK T O W S ' OC C.T TTN'BURGH \ ELMoFORD. N. Y. _ J • J - — j | ; '3 i i I i \ 1=3 ^ L=3 l i U L t3 j • o 13S8 AV PW 7ic ^ ’Ml,‘?ili2i3i4j5i6 Index No, 88 Petitioners, NOTICE OF PETITIONFor a Judgment pursuant to CPLR Article 78, Judge Assigned: , -against- Hon. fUteTprll ANTHONY F. VETERAN, Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh, New York, SUSAN ORAL ARGUMENT TOLCHIN, Town Clerk of the Town of REQUESTED Greenburgh, New York, and (See annexed list of additional Respondents), Respondents.---------------------------------------- X PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that upon the annexed petition of Myles Greenberg and Frances M. Mulligan duly verified the otp day of December 1988, and the exhibit annexed thereto, an application will be made to the Supreme Court, at an IAS Part, held in and for the County of Westchester, at the Court-house thereof, 111 Grove Street, White Plains, N.Y., on the 3 0 day of January 1989, at 9:30 o'clock in the forenoon or as soon thereafter as counsel can be heard, for a judgment inter alia nullifying a December 1, /1988, decision of the Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh, New York which decision rejected as legally insufficient a petition for the incoporation of the Village of Mayfair Knollwood, 1 4 sustaining said petition, awarding reasonable attorney's fees, costs and disbursements, and such other and further relief as to the Court seems just and proper. Dated: White Plains, N.Y. December 14, 1988 LOVETT & GOULD, ESQS. Attorneys for Petitioners 180 E. Post Road White Plains, N.Y. 10601 914-428-8401 TO: Anthony F. Veteran Supervisor, Town of Greenburgh Susan Tolchin Clerk, Town of Greenburgh All purported objectors of record / 2 Hr. Thomas Carnecelia 14 Old Country Road Elmsford, NT 10523 Ms. Sara C Kaplan 907 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Dorothy Smolian 1701 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Madeline Misuraca 505 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Guild Fetridge 507 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Bernard Blacksberg 39 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Alfred Barbour Payne Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Edna Y Clark 65 Payne Street Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Fernando Bartley 188 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. William Bartley 188 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 o Ms. Josephine Pecora 1415 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Josephine Lester 404 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Robert Misuraca, Jr. 505 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Christine Picciano 506 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Naomi Gillard 503 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Janette Kenner 166 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Levi Clark 65 Payne Street Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Annie Allen 155 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Linda Howell 185 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Melvin Kaplan 907 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Helen Perkins 1213 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Robert Misuraca 505 0-d Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Michael Picciano 506 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Benjamin Smolian 1701 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Mary Williams 179 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Paulette Hinton 158 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Roosevelt Hinton 158 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. William Allen 155 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Jay L Howell 185 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 s, Grade McLee 1 Lawrence Avenue Imsford, NY 1052 3 -s, Evelyn Dixon 5*North Lawrence Avenue Imsford, NY 1052 3 lx. Wallace Demond i North Lawrence Avenue i'lmsford, NY 10523 Is. Allene Street L34 Cabot Avenue ilmsford, NY 10523 Lionne D Jones 118 North Evarts Avefiue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Georgia Williams 248 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Edna Barbour 195 Payne Street Elmsford, NY 1052 3 Ms. Clara Battle 155 N. Lawn Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Jean Tolbert 168 No. Lawn Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Barbara Butler 170 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Barbara McLee 21 Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Murriel Woodson 9 North lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Alfred Barbour 195 Payne Street Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Rebecca Graham 134 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Charlie Crisp 256 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Edward Eller • 262 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Marilyn Lighty 104 N. Lawn Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. John Stewart 186 No. Lawn Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Penny Hilliard 155 No. Lawn Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Mary C Brown 176 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. April McLee 21 Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 St. Clair Woodson 9 North lawrence Avenue _ Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Robert Cooper 17 North High Street Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lilliam Lewis 200 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Eloise Crisp 266 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Harvey R Merritt 22 North Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Virginia Mitchell 93 North Lawn Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 K. Morrison 176 No. Lawn Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Alicia Taylor 26 Maryton Road White Plains, NY 10603 Mr. Lorenzo P Brown 176 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 7 Mr. Aaron Daniel 175 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Wendy St. Val 175 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Elsi Daniel 175 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Alexandrina Daniel 175 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lola D Hunter 171 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Melvin Dixon 15 North Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Barbara Robinson 23 N. Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Gertrude Gilham 23 N. Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. James Rutledge 13 North High Street Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Elizabeth Rutledge 13 North High Street Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Mento Conaway 16 N. Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Gloria Richardson 126 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Thomas L Green 103 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Richard Williams 179 Sears Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Herman Bennett 18 North Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Nellie Bennett 18 North Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Sharon Gilham 23 Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. John F Baker 9 High Street Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Samuel Marable 10 North Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Francis Brooks 134 Winthrop Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Alfred Peterson 141 Winthrop Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mrs. K. Miller 129 Winthrop Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Booker Gamble 122 Winthrop Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Joyann Gamble 122 Winthrop Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 / Ms. Thelma Robinson 103 Winthrop Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Floyd Palmer 151 Winthrop Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Ada Palmer 151 Winthrop Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Peggy Maniscalco 159 Winthrop Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Evelyn Roett 153 Winthrop Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 >Mr. Bruce McLee 21 Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Bernadette Brown 176 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lillie Davis 122 North Evarts Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Corey Davis 122 North Evarts Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Linda Kohn 137 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. James Davis 76 North Evarts Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 its. Lola R Skeete 126 No. Evarts Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Rhonda Tirfagrehu 128 North Evarts Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Rebecca E Rivers 125 No. Evarts Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Anthony Lewis 106 No. Evarts Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 A.C. Barrett Wright 106 No. Evarts Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Joseph Hollis 119 Evarts Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Vendell Shaw 121 Evarts Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Marie Cassavecca 109 N. Lawn Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Peter Cassavecca 109 N. Lawn Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Ralph McCracken 80 Payne Street Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. David Kohn Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Iris Campbell 118 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Carlos McClendon 114 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Joe Knight 106 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Sharon Reed 106 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Brenda Funny 101 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Ruby McCalla 77 Payne Street Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Henry McCalla 77 Payne Street Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Violet Morris 77 Payne Street Elmsford, NY 10523 / Mr. Leo Morris 77 Payne Street Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Alvis Stewart 77 Payne Street Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Danee' Baskin 89 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 •- . ■» Clezie Stephens 151 North Evarts Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Margaret Hargrove 151 North Evarts Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 • Ms. Jc^elyn Valentine! 130 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 SP5 £ Ms. Shirlee Kennie 130 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. James Hall, Sr. 130 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Ezzard C Sabell 112 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Ivy Darling 102 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Ray Hayward 81 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Naomi F Jones 69 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. William H Jones 69 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Kent C Jones 69 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Lester Riley 45 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Mary Ann Spencer 40 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Samuel Washington 95 Payne Street Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. MaryLou Washington 95 Payne Street Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Delrose Jones 165 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Bernice Jamison 137 North Lawn Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Pariz Chitsazan 220 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Mary E Scott 205 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Fred Scott 205 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. John E Moss 289 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Garrett W Conaway 97 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 S . Stephen Funny 101 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lori A Fullenweider 111 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Joan Fullenweider 111 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Frances Middleton 115 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Alexis Edwards 115 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 / Mr. Nathaniel Middleton 115 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 M.E. Baskett 21 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Derek Williams 129 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Richard Lewis 131 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Ruth 0 Sumner 132 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Elizabeth Wright 214 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 10 ms . Joanna Macon 214 Endicott Avenue Elms ford, NY 10523 Mr. Lawrence Pina 212 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Susie Blanshaw 223 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Clyde Hilliard 225 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Sandy Martin 234 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Jameela R White 259 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Vera Gibbs 248 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Sarah L Smith 293 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Ann Bhagirath 253 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 ■ Cecile Grasty 227 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. John Pina 214 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr.- Alfonso Dixon 203 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Ron Blanshaw 223 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Cassandra Hilliard 225 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 21s. Harriet Burton 255 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Willie J Brooks 267 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Mary T Lewis 293 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Blonnie Jones 256 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Eddie Pace 278 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Cecil Lazarus 231 Bryant Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Wanda Macon 214 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 21s. Gail Dixon 203 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 21s. Julia Hilliard 225 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 21s. Elsie 21artin 234 Endicott Avenue Elmsford, 2TY 13523 Mr. William H White, Jr 259 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 21s. Lina Eller 262 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 21r. Mark Lewis 293 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 21s. Bernice Romeo 253 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Wayne Bass 292 Abbot Avenue Elmsford, 2JY 10523 Mr. Caryl Lazarus 231 Bryant Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 11 Ms, Sharon Baylock 11 Bryant Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Lawrence Baylock 11 Bryant Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Edna Murrell 225 Bryant Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Oscar S Jones, Jr. 200 Bryant Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Helen G Jones 200 Bryant Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Inell Alston 212 Bryant Avenue Exmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Levi Alston 212 Bryant Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Mary F Martin 208 Bryant Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Earnest Martin 208 Bryant Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Frank A DeLorenzo 228 Bryant Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Carmelita Lazaros 231 Bryant Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Edith Bethea 1 Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Alfred Nisbett 5 Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Phyllis L Nisbett 5 Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Buerina Lampley 7 Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. James Calloway 14 South Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Kathryn E Howard 15 S. Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Marvin K Howard 15 S. Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. James A Edwards 8 Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Cindy L Edwards 8 Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Halcourt Tynes, Jr. 19 Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Montisa Johnson 9 So. Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Clarence Johnson 9 So. Lawrence Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Shirley Cooper 43 Orchard Lane E.~sford, NY 10523 / Mr. Harry Cooper 43 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Herbert 0 Kruger 40 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ruth Roth, Esq. Cuddy & Feder, Esqs. 90 Maple Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Robert Martin Company 100 Clearbrook Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Baker Properties 485 Washington Avenue Pleasantville, NY 10570 Keren Developments, Inc Old Saw Mill River R&ad Tarrytown, NY 10591 '■'vonna D. Jones :ACP „ . ,Shite Plains-Greenburgh One Prospect Avenue White Plains, NY 10607 ~ .. 1 2 Ms. Judith Reed 21 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. David Davis 21 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Harry Weinick 1402 Old Country Road Elms ford, NY 10523 Mrs. Harry Weinick 1402 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Board of Managers Westchester Hills Condom 1800 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Robert Jean 1002 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Jay Auguste 1307 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Mary Tobias 1401 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Richard Schlesinger 707 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Donna Chambers 1301 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Allen Bender 1302 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Lee Bender 1302 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Sandy Mitchell 1314 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Katherine A Burdick 1314 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Robert J Burdick 1314 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Joyce Eshet 1312 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Raphael Eshet 1312 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Michelle Zappavigna 1214 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. JoAnne Brown 1306 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Eddie Brown 1306 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Patty Dube 1306 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Rose Holton 1317 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Juanita Webb 1318 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 / ^ • Clifford Webb 1318 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Marilyn Frankel 1218 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Marcia Finsmith 1501 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mark Finsmith 1501 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Reginald Rogers 1511 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Grace W Schuttenberg 1514 Old Country'Road Elmsford, NY 10523 13 Mr. Igmazio Fazio 1502 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Diane Fazio 1502 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Phyllis Serraino 1515 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Philip Serraino 1515 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Helen G Harper 1517 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Peter G Papineau 1507 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Gerald Newman 1207 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Thomas E Llewellyn 18 Hartsdale Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Maria Schuttenberg 1508 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Susan Schuttenberg 1508 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Erika M Tobias 1401 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Louis Warnick 1402 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Paul Kerlee 1404 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. James Ennis 1413 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lori Anne Ennis 1413 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Dina M Murray 1405 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Walter Murray 1405 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Sarah Lidu 1407 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Pam Pecora 1415 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Urania Messing 1405 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Carolyn Vollrath 1414 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr Joe Follick 704 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Richard Atkins 375 Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Amos Fair 376 Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 / Ms. Mary Royster 375 Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 C. Hailey 375 Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 J. Hailey 376 Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 P. Hailey 375 Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Debra Brown 376 Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. George Harris .% ■ 376 Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 14 Jix. Richard Royster 376 Saw Ki.ll River Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. James Hays 376 Saw Mill River Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Robert Day 376 Saw Mill River Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Robin Brabham 376 Saw Mill River Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Patricia Miller 376 Saw Mill River Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Vinod K Dhar 706 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Basanti Dhar 706 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. William Picker 708 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Barbara Rissman 708 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Robert J Liggio 709 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Eleanor Liggio 709 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Janine Nicolich 709 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Barbara Jacobs 702 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Irving Jacobs 702 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Robert F Kelly 701 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Katie Koulianos 705 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 T. Pappas 703 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 C . Pappas 703 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 A. Pappas 703 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 C.B. Kelly 701 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Alberta Taylor 1704 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Ann Pira 1702 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Sylvia Rivera 1702 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Manfred Klein 1709 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 / Ms. Ruth Castore 1703 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Nina Santostasi 1705 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Nick Santostasi 1705 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Marie V Buschel 1707 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Richard Buschel 1707 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Anthony Santostasi 1705 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 15 Ms. Patricia Seacord 1706 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. James Seacord 1706 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Tricia Seacord 1706 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Philip R Johnson 102 Old Country Road Elms ford, NY 10523 Ms. Shirley Johnson 102 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Thomas Fagan 103 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Cynthia Fagan 103 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Eric Chou 106 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Michelle Chou 106 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Claire Distasio 105 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Ethel Distasio 105 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Ann Distasio 105 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Victor Fusella 107 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Rita Fusella 107 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lorraine R Fusella 107 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Emily Arceri 109 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Domenick Arceri 109 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. John Coram 108 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms . Estella Thomas 108 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Anthony Blanchard 811 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. E. Blanchard 811 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. Patrick R Blanchard 811 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Oymie H Martin 801 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Mr. William A Martin 801 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523/ Mr. Donald Boyle 814 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Nancy Boyle 814 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Hilde Llewellyn 803 Old Coukfcry Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Nial A Llewellyn 803 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Ms. Patricia Smyth 804 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 Francis Smyth 804 Old Country Road Eimsford, NY 10523 1 6 Mr. Harvey Kahn SQ2 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Gilda Penn 812 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Nancy Leeming 818 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Irwin Stahl 818 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Sal Pocoroba 913 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Donna Laino 905 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Louis Laino 905 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Deone Carene 906 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lela Major 908 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Otis Major 908 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Mel Kaplan 907 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Peter T McCauley 915 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Veronica McCauley 915 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. John Poniros 917 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Mary Poniros 917 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Louis Markowitz 912 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Theresa Markowitz 912 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. John Halton 1317 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Mary Auguste 1307 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Diane Halton-Schmid 1308 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Stephen J Schmidt 1308 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Pat Russell 1104 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Rosemary A Collins 1103 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Joyce Kleiman 1006 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 / Mr. Donald Leone 303 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lilliam Leone 903 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Ginny Doyle 904 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Danny Doyle 304 old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Leona R Simmons 918 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. JoAnne Ensly 501 Old Country Road-.. Elmsford, NY 10523 17 Ms. Linda Fetridge 507 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Evelyn Cohen 509 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 G. Fetridge 507 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Irving Spiro 1105 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Michael J Madden 1107 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Gerianne Madden 1107 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Tom Kazimir 1108 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Sylvia Kazimir 1108 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Tom Dilworth 1109 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Sharon S Dilworth 1109 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. James Lyons 1201 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Nick Lyons 1201 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lillian Lyons 1201 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Salvatore DeSalo 1202 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Joe Zappagna 1214 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Howard S Pamkin 1212 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Charles White 1211 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lucy Valerio 1416 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Ellen Jean 1002 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Kristin Hein 1003 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Maria Lannon 1003 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Dolores J Bartlett 1004 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Stevens Kleimant 1006 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Melvin W Neal 1008 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 •/ Ms. Joyce D Neal 1008 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Barbara Rose 1101 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Ernest Rose 1101 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Kevin Kennedy 1102 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Candy Kennedy 1102 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Henry. Collins 1103 Old CO'ffntry Road Elmsford, NY 10523 18 Ms. Caroline Spiro 1105 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Charles Gebbia 1608 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lena Gebbia 1608 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Gary Belkin 1606 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Steve Astone 1615 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Rose Astone 1615 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lynne Tannen 1603 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Lauri Tannen 1603 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Debra Lee 1602 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Thomas Lee 1602 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Carol Lee 1602 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Irene Albonetti 1601 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Al Albonetti 1601 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lisa Kor-Marano 1618 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Richard Marano 1618 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Toni Kakos 1604 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 M. Scherquist 1315 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Jeff Jackson 1315 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 J. Challa 203 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 M. Rozie 206 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 K. Rozie 206 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 N. Desai 204 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Anil Desai 204 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Annie M Robinson 207 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 / ;/-s • Juanita Thomas 207 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Edward Gansalves 209 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 — • Ms. Carol Gansalves 209 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 •;s' Nancy Hnat 604 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Shirley Arcnsin 609 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Donald' Aronsin 609 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 19 Mr. Lawrence Valerio 1416 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Arthur Crawfort 307 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Melissa Lupi 305 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Leonard Wohl 315 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms • Debbie Lupi 318 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Gertrude Brown 317 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 M.B. Moure 304 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Carrie Whittle 301 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Aaron Shapiro 408 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY. 10523 Mr. Anthony Lazzaro 416 Old Country Road Slmsford, NY 10523 Jean Fabi 1009 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Susan Fabi 1009 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Elayne Crawfort 307 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Daniel Lupi 305 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 J.L. Adamson 306 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Charlotte Bomma 308 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Anita Wohl 316 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Della Bryant 315 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Ann Lupi 318 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Donna Lupi 318 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 J.A. Prusak 1216 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Kohi Meinon 303 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Karen Kelly 302 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Jean Sypher 311 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Violet R Leone 313 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. June Nassau 312 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 / Ms. Elisa Shapiro 408 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Joseph Lazrara ♦17 Old:Country Road Elmsford*—*® 10523 Ms. Madana F Cartaina 418 Old Country Elmsford, NY 10523 Louisa M Cartaina 418 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY, 10523m - *t* 20 jtr. Ernest P Beremann 414 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Patricia Cowles 411 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. George Cowles 411 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Xr. Martin Abramowitz 413 "Id Country Road Elmsiord, NY 10523 Ms. carol Abramowitz 413 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Michael L Schwartzman 415 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 H. Weinfeld 406 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Helen Rose 1616 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Ned Rose 1616 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Kenneth Kakos 1604 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Anne Nancy Kupersmith 1604 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. John Tuttle 1614 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Suzanne Fedeyko 1605 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Anna Mangini 1605 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Marilyn Molloy 1612 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. John P Forman 405 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Charles D Jefferson 401 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Agnes Jefferson 401 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Maryann Gromisch 403 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Noel C Buckle 412 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Shirley Irvine 1708 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 • G. Moore Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 M.E. Gromisch 403 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Carol Newman 1207 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Stacey Irvine 1708 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mrs. G. Moore 376 Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Charles Lester 404 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Viola Stefani 101 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Cathy Tobias 1401 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. David Carter'- 376 Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 21 Ms. Martha Kennie 376 Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Patricia Thomas 376 Saw Mill- River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Beth Stauffer 1401 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Tom Carnevalla 1417 Old Country Road Elms ford, NY 10523 Ms. Rosemarie Carnevalla 1417 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Jack Astley 1418 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Mary Astley 1418 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Stephen Winston 806 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Malcolm McRae 808 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 W. Corker 813 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Rich Ciocca 815 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Melissa Ciocca 815 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Aaron Slavin 817 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Estelle Slavin 817 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Raymond Schuttenberg 1508 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Steve Rabinaw 1504 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Jane P Rabinaw 1504 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Judith Shannon 8 Leaf Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Manny Klein 1709 Old Country Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Ella Preiser 23 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. John Apicelli 3 Westward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Barbara Apicelli 3 Westward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Dominick Campagna 1 Westward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Loretta Campagna 1 Westward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 / Ms. Marge Arone 4 Westward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 R.L. Arone 4 Westward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Marguerite C Arone 4 Westward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Kathleen McDonnell 6 Westward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Laura LiMarzi 300 Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Peter LiMarzi 300 Saw Mill River Road Elmsford, NY 10523 *• ,vr, Roy Carmen ]5 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Valalla 25 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Andrew Preiser 23 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Diane M Serra 6 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Ethel Lagana 5 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 D. Montagnoli 11 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Barbara Zachensky 15 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Bobbi Zachensky 15 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. William F Rice 24 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Harold Brennan 22 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Albert Carmen IS Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 22 W. Kirkstadt 29 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Josephine Serra 6 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Carmelina Douai 7 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 G. Montagnoli 11 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 J . Tatta 13 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Stephen Zachensky 15 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Marie Pasquel 26 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Olive P Loftus 24 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lisa Arceri 10 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Carolyn Griffithe 17 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. William Preiser 23 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Joe Douai 7 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 W. Montagnoli 11 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Roseann Variano 19 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Marima Zachensky 15 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Olive P Rice 24 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Domenica Brennan 22 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 • . Mr. Gregory Arceri 10 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Judy Weis 19 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Raymond Shannon 8 Leaf Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Tim Puff 3 Leaf Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. William Cassese 2 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Charles Reynolds 3 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Eve S Allen 6 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lisa Ann Palmieri 1 Leaf Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Linda M Reynolds 3 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. James Hornby 8 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Thomas Calandrucci 9 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Stephen Weis 18 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 23 Ms. Evelyn P Lathrop 5 Leaf Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Brian Puff 3 Leaf Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Vincent J Iaconis 4 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Margaret Reynolds 3 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Mary Joyce Carroll 2 Leaf Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. John Puff 3 Leaf Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Laurie A Smith 5 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Carole Calandrucci 9 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Claire Gulkis 6 Leaf Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Nicole Weis 18 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Amos W Lathrop 5 Leaf Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Adrienne Cassese 2 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Michele Iaconis 4 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Sigrio Allen 6 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Vincent J Carroll 2 Leaf Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. John Reynolds 3 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. George R Smith 5 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Kimberly Calandrucc 9 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. John J Puff 3 Leaf Place Elmsford, NY 10523 24 ms. Helen Puff 3 Leaf Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Linda Hornby 8 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Brenda Horecky 1 Acqueduct Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Hr. Scott Horecky 1 Acqueduct Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Stephen Horecky 1 Acqueduct Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Ed Thompson 5 Acqueduct Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Mary Thompson 5 Acqueduct Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Lorraine Koleda 6 Acqueduct Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Donald J Rizzo 11 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Beverly McLean 4 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. William McLean 4 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Joseph R Carlucci 3 Acqueduct Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. John T Bock 9 Hillview Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Theresa S Bock 9 Hillview Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Maria del Carmen Sanchez 7 Hillview Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Andres Sanchez 1 Hillview Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. John Twohig 8 Hillview Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Grace Carlucci 3 Acqueduct Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Dominick Carlucci 3 Acqueduct Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Rosamond Wynn 8 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms . Ida Lengyel 12 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Harold Maxwell 99 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Todd Maxwell 49 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Alice Maxwell 49 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 / Ms. Jane Elber 17 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Dennis Elber 17 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Thomas Burns 6 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Roger Burns 0 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Edith Burns 6 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Charles K Rohl 2 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 25 Ms. Caroline G Rohl 2 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Diane Rizzo 11 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Margaret E Kruger 40 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Madelyn Mancinelli 42 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Louis R DePalo 47 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Bette L DePalo 47 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Denise DePalo 47 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Rocky DePalo 47 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Cynthea R Blacksberg 39 Bever Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Christopher Pados 35 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Maria Pados 35 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Stephen Pados 35 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Maryjane Chambal 6 Hillview Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Joyce Greenwood 4 Hillview Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Joseph E Chambal 6 Hillview Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Stephen Weis, Jr. 18 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 V .T . Moody 20 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Ann Moody 20 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Steve Brennan 8 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Mark Jurcic 8 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Joanne Chiocchi 14 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Gordon Meredith 14 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Nick Tarzia 12 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Anna Tarzia 12 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 / Ms. Mazie Mancinelli 16 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Pam Dudley 20 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Claire S Twohig 8 Hillview Place Elmsford, NY 10523 • Ms. Giovanna Maxwell 13 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Harold Maxwell 13 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 • *. » ■ • Ms. Janice. Pazienza 48 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 ' fir. Alfred Pazienza 48 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Amelia Shurak 15 Catskill Place Elms ford, NY 10523 Ms. Valerie J Mahoney 36 Beaver Hill Road Elms ford, NY 1052 3 Mr. Kenneth M Venezia 38 Beaver Hill Road Elms ford, NY 1052 3 Mr. John H August 34 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Kevin Morgan 1 Hillview Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Charles D Chase 28 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Margaret McGilligan 29 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms R o sar ia Marano ^ Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 M-1' Ralph Guar no 7 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Mike Pazienza 48 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 26 Ms. Elda San Marco 3 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Frank J Venezia 38 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Msa. Arlene Napurski 44 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Arlene August 34 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Istvan Pados 35 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Dorothea D Chase 28 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Patricia Flynn 39 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Alberto J Pakozde 47 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Rose Guarno 7 Eastward Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Robert J Koleda 6 Acqueduct Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Vincent San Marco 3 Catskill Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Pearl Venezia 38 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Robert Napurski 44 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Michael C Resta 50 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Nancy Morgan 1 Hillview Place Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Eileen Fungiello 32 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Leonardo Marano 45 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Gary Michell 49 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Cecil Scantlebury 133 Augustine Road White Plains, NY 10603 Ms. Jameela Adams White 259 Abbott Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Anita Jordan 290 Tarrytown Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Anna Ramos 123 East Post Road White Plains, NY 10601 Gabriel Ramos 123 East Post Road White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. Thomas Myers, Jr. 290 Tarrytown Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Odell A Jones 19 Van Buren Place White Plains, NY 10603 National Coalition for the Homeless c/o Pauli Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison 1285 Ave. of the America New York, NY 10019 Mr. Francis Y Sogi 1 Payne Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Larry J Nardecchia 21 McKinley Place Ardsley, NY 10502 Mr. Daniel J Kraus 1 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 27 Cameron Clark, Esq. Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison 1285 Ave. of the America New York, NY 10019 Ms. April Jordan 290 Tarrytown Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Lisette Ramos 123 East Post Road White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. Thomas Myers 290 Tarrytown Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Linda Myers 290 Tarrytown Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Geri Bacon 16 Adams Place White Plains, NY 10603 Mr. Luvaghn Brown 66 Old Tarrytown Road White Plains, NY 10607 Mr. Franklin R Kaiman 18 Barclay Road Scarsdale, NY 10583 Ms. Jean S Huff 31 Balmoral Crescent White Plains, NY 10607 Ms. Elaine C Kraus 1 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Ms. Yvonne Jones 118 N. Evarts Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Latoya Jordan 290 Tarrytown Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Vanessa Ramos 123 East Post Road White Plains, NY 10601 Ms. Lisa Myers 290 Tarrytown Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. Shawn Myers 290 Tarrytown Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. James Hodges 51 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Sarah M Sogi 1 Payne Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Mr. William G Hillman 7-12 Granada Crescent White Plains, NY 10603 Mr. Daniel J Kraus President Sharon Farms Civic Assoc 1 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10S02 Mr. Paul Haber 77 Secor Road Ardsley, NY 10502 ys Wendy Whittle-Haber T, Secor Road Ardsley, NY 10502 Ms. Deborah Boddato 5 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Mr. Gary S Roboff 1 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Ms. Karen Rios 11 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Ms. Suresa Shah 17 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Mr. Bruce Schwartz 16 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Mr. Manuel Fragoso 20 Melissa Court Ardsley, NY 10502 Mr. David Taweel 19 M elissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Harol M Pesuit 10 M elissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Shari Melomed Melissa Drive •Ardsley, ny 10502 28Mr. Greg Farrington 3 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Mr. Robert Boddato 5 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Roni Danziger 9 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Jerry Levine 15 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Mr. Shoken Sabe Shah 17 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Mr. Albert San Fillippo 18 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Ms. Marie Fragoso 20 Melissa Court Ardsley, NY 10502 Dr. Smital Pasricha 14 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Mr. John T Pesuit 10 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Ms. Susan Shapiro 3 Benjamin Court Ardsley, NY 10502 Ms. Allison Farrington 3 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Farron Roboff 7 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Mr. Vincent J Rios 11 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Ms. Phyllis Levine 15 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Ms Andrea Weiss 16 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Ms. Ellen San Fillippo 18 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Ms. Elaine Taweel 19 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Dr. Vijay Pasricha 14 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NT 10502 Mr. Steve Kaplan 8 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Mr. Jack Shapiro 3 Benjamin Court Ardsley, NY 10502 29 Mr. C. Gregory Cunnion 5 Benjamin Court Ardsley, NY 10502 Hr. Nick Trantafillou 4 Benjamin Court Ardsley, NY 10502 Ms. Ann R Yerman 31 Sheridan Road Scarsdale, NY 10583 Mr. Glenn Preiser 23 Orchard Lane Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Nancy W Cunnion 5 Benjamin Court Ardsley, NY 10502 Ms. Simone Towbin 4 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Mr. William Davis 122 North Evarts Ave. Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Catherine Arceri 10 Beaver Hill Road Elmsford, NY 10523 Ms. Patricia Trantafilio 4 Benjamin Court Ardsley, NY 10502 Mr. Mark Towbin 4 Melissa Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 Pat Lewis 106 North Evarts Ave. Elmsford, NY 10523 10523 Isabelle Sabell 112 Cabot Avenue Elmsford, New York Oscar Jones, Sr. 200 Bryant Avenue filmsford, New York 10523 Helen Perkins 1213 Old Country Road Elmsford, New York 10523 Nancy Kupersmith 1611 Old Country Road Elmsford, New York 10523 Mrs . Judith, Shannon 8 Leaf. Place Elmsford, New Yor3c 10523 Harry Cooper 43 Orchard Lane Elmsford, New York 10523 Shirley Cooper 43 Orchard Lane Elmsford, New York 10523 Herbert Kruger 40 Beaver Road Elmsford, New York 10523 Barbara Rissman 708 Old Country Road Elmsford, New York 10523 n *rraut x l k i m *. 31a 399—1 SUPREME coart, WESTCHESTER Coant7 Full atie of action MYLES GREENBERG and FRANCES M. MULLIGAN, Petitioners, For a Judgment Pursuant to C P L R Article 7 8 , 8* Pennoner(s) against ANTHONY F. VETERAN, Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh, New York, SUSAN TQLCHIN, Town Clerk of the Town of Greenburgh, New York, and (SEE ATTACHED LIST OF ADDITIONAL RESPONDENTS) X2t#xdbu£3) Respondent (s) j u u u a fc a i iM C P ia . i* c _ m »«t» armr. Mn> Index No. / g g Date P ^ c ^ e c e m b e r 2 7 , 1 9 8 8 REQUEST FOR JUDICIAL INTERVENTION F o r Out 0*7 IAS entry date Nunc of assigned judge Date of assignment □ Issue joined (date . □ Bril of particulars served (check if applicable) . ) (check if appliedii ImthetCfty. of New York only: Q^QwCity of New York is a party to this action. jQ^TTieUjansit Authority (or MABSTOA) is a party to this aom NATURE 0E7JUDICM □ Request for preliminary conference C - □ Note of issue and/or certificate of readiness C \■ • Notice of motion (return date Relief sought________________ INTERVENTION (check) □ Other ex parte application 3 Notice of petition (return date__l/3_Q ZiL2________ — I .Reliefsought H a v e r a a l . .o f . 1 2 / 1 Z 8 8 dg g il^ new v i l la g e . Order to show cause (Clerk will enter return date Relief sought______________ □ Notice of medical malpractice action □ Notice of dental malpractice action □ Statement of net worth □ Writ of habeas corpus ”□ Other (specify):____________________ NATURE OF ACTION OR PROCEEDING (check) Tort □ Motor vehicle □ Medical malpractice □ Dental malpractice □ Seaman □ Airline □ Other tort, including but not limited to personal injury, property damage, slander or libei (specify):------------------------- Special Proceedings ' □ Tax certiorari / □ Condemnation □ Foreclosure □ Incompetency or conservatorship Other special proceeding, including but not limited to: □ Article 75 (arbitration) □ Article. 77 (express trusts) S c Article 78 □ Other (specify):— ------------------------------- _ — ■ — Matrimonial (contested) G Matrimonial (uncontested) OTHER ACTION □ Contract □ Other (specify):— ......... — ......... .......... instructions: -utacn nder sneets if necessary to provide required miormauon. # If anv partv u appearing p ro >e iwithout an attorney), the reuuircd information concerning such partv is 10 be entered ;n provided lor attorneys. Attorneys) for plaintiff(s)/peutionerts) Name LOVETT & G O U LD , E S Q S . 32 PhoneAddress 180 E. Post Road, White Plains, N.Y.10601 428-8401 Attorneys) for defendants)/respondent^) Name Address Phone v »i£-„ L». -T ^ Name of insurance carriers (if appiicabie and available) RELATED CASES (if none, write “NONE" below) Title Index X Court Coalition of United 3316/88 S.C.Westchester Peoples et al v. Veteran et al. Jones v. Deutsch 88Civ7738 (GLG) USDC, SDNY** Nature of relationship In prior filing Plaintiffs challenged as illegal propose housing for homeless in Town Greenburgh. In instant actio: Town Supervisor rejected petition to incorporate new village on, inter alia,* I affirm under penalty of perjury that, to my knowledge. other than as noted above, there are and have been no related action* or proceedings, nor hat a request for judical intervention previously been filed in this action or proceeding. December 27, 1988 * 1 Lovett & Gould, Esqs. Anorneyfs) for 1 a a Office A P.O, Add re* _ .J-20 East Post Road, White Plains, name bdev.Jonathan Lovett N.Y.10601 *claim that new village was sougr to exclude housing for homeless. **see attached sheet. 33 SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER MYLES GREENBERG and FRANCES M. MULLIGAN, RJI(Attached Sheet) v. ANTHONY F. VETERAN, Supervisor, et al. Related Cases, addendum: Jones v. Deutsch Nature of Relationship Action purports to be civil rights suit and alleges that three natural persons and Coalition of United Peoples Inc. conspired to violate 42 U.S.C. 1985 (3) by associating together, expressing their opinions and petitioning for the creation of a new villi: All defendants have moved to dismiss on tin grounds that defendants' alleged activities! are absolutely privileged under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. 34 SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER — -- ----------------------------------- X In the Matter of the Application of MYLES GREENBERG and FRANCES M. MULLIGAN, proponents of a petition to incorporate the Village of Mayfair Knollwood, Index No. /88 Petitioners, For a Judgment pursuant to CPLR Article 78, -against- ANTHONY F. VETERAN, Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh, New York, SUSAN TOLCHIN, Town Clerk of the Town of Greenburgh, New York, et. al., Respondents. ---------------------------------------- X MYLES GREENBERG and FRANCES M. MULLIGAN, by their attorneys LOVETT & GOULD, ESQS., respectfully allege as and for their petition herein: VERIFIED PETITION Judge Assigned: Hon. JURISDICTION 1 1. This is a proceeding pursuant to CPLR Article 78, Section 2-210 of the Village Law, and 42 U.S.C. SS1983, 1988 seeking to reverse a December 1, 1988, determination rejecting a petition to incorporate the proposed Village of Mayfair Knollwood, on the grounds that said determination is illegal, based on insufficient evidence, and/or contrary to the weight of the evidence. No compensatory or punitive damages are sought herein in light of Giano v. Flood, 803 F.2d 769 (2d Cir. 1986 ) and Davidson^ Caouano, 792 F .2d 275 (2d Cir. 1986). 1 35 THE PARTIES 2. MYLES GREENBERG and FRANCES M. MULLIGAN are aggrieved residents of the Town of Greenburgh, New York, in which certain territory sought to be incorporated as the said Village of Mayfair Knollwood is located. 3. Respondent ANTHONY F. VETERAN is the duly elected Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh, New York. 4. Respondent SUSAN TOLCHIN is the duly elected Clerk of the Town of Greenburgh, New York. 5 6 5. Upon information and belief, the additional respondents identified in the caption to the Notice of Petition herein each filed purported objections in writing to the petition to incorporate the said Village and, in accordance with Section 2- 210(4)(b) of the Village Law, they are made parties to this proceeding. THE FACTS 6 . On or about September 14, 1988, a petition, signed by more than five hundred persons, was duly filed with Respondent Veteran proposing the incorporation of certain territory, to be known as the Village of Mayfair Knollwood, within the Town of Greenburgh. 2 36 7. Petitioners herein were amongst the petitioners who signed said petition for incorporation. 8 . Upon information and belief notice of a November 1, 1988, public hearing to consider the legal sufficiency of such petition was duly posted and published in accordance with Section 2-204 of the Village Law. | 9. Upon information and belief, prior to the conduct of said hearing Respondent Veteran publicly, repeatedly stated in words or substance that he would take whatever steps were necessary to insure that the petition was rejected. 10. On November 1, 1988, said public hearing was conducted by Respondent Veteran, at which time opponents and proponents of the petition for incorporation were heard. 11. Upon information and belief at said public hearing approximately twenty-three persons made and/or read unsworn statements in opposition to the petition to incorporate; some but /not all of those persons then submitted written, purported objections to the petition at the public hearing. 12. Upon information and belief at said hearing not a single j objection was presented and/or heard with respect to the '! j i. 3 37 statutory grounds, contained in Village Law §2-204(1), upon which the legal sufficiency of a petition to incorporate a village can lawfully be challenged. 13. Upon information and belief, at said hearing not a single witness was sworn. 14. Upon information and belief, at said hearing not a single exhibit was received and/or marked. 15. Upon information and belief, at said hearing not a single affidavit was submitted. 15. Upon information and belief, at said hearing no testimony was given and no such testimony was thereafter either reduced to writing and/or subscribed in accordance with Section 2-206(3) of the Village Law. 17. Upon information and belief at said hearing no evidence, and/or proof, and/or affidavits and/or exhibits whatsoever were adduced and/or heard with respect to the list of the names and /addresses of the regular inhabitants of the proposed village which list was contained in the petition to incorporate as required by Village Law Section 2-202(1)(c)(2). 18 * 18. Upon information and belief at said hearing no evidence, and/or proof, and/or affidavits, and/or exhibits whatsoever were 4 38 adduced and/or heard with respect to the legal sufficiency of the signatures affixed to the said petition. 19. Upon information and belief at said hearing no evidence, and/or proof, and/or affidavits, and/or exhibits whatsoever were adduced and/or heard with respect to any claim that signatures were secured on said petition by false pretenses. 20. Upon information and belief at said hearing no evidence, and/or proof, and/or affidavits, and/or exhibits whatsoever were adduced and/or heard with respect to the legal sufficiency of the description of the boundary of the proposed village as contained in the said petition. 21. Upon information and belief at said hearing no evidence, and/or proof, and/or affidavits, and/or exhibits whatsoever were adduced and/or heard with respect to any claim that the proposed village, if incorporated, would exclude by reason of its zoning authority low income housing for the homeless. 22 * * * 22. Upon information and belief at said hearing no evidence, and/or proof, and/or affidavits, and/or exhibits whatsoever were adduced and/or heard with respect to any claim that the boundary of the proposed village excludes and/or is intended to exclude minorities. 5 39 23. Upon information and belief, at the conclusion of said public hearing Respondent Veteran announced that he was "going to adjourn this Meeting until November 21st, 1988, and direct that all written comments received by me on or before that date shall be set forth in the record as if it [sic.] were stated here tonight"; in response to immediate inquiries as to the time at which the hearing would resume on November 21st, Respondent Veteran explained that the public hearing would not be continued, but that the adjournment was for the purpose of "written comments only". 24. Upon information and belief, objection to Respondent Veteran's determination to close the public portion of the hearing but adjourn for the purpose of receiving written comments only was immediately taken. 25. Upon information and belief on November 21, 1988, no public hearing and/or continuation of the November 1st public hearing was conducted with respect to the petition to incorporate the proposed village of Mayfair Knollwood. 26 26. Upon information and belief by decisionydated December 1 1988, a copy of which is annexed hereto, Respondent Veteran determined that the petition to incorporate was legally insufficient on the following six grounds: 6 40 a. That the boundary of the proposed village, as set forth in the petition, was not described with "common certainty" as required by Section 2-202 ( 1)(c )(1) of the Village Law, b. That the boundary of the proposed village was gerrymandered so as to intentionally exclude Blacks. c. That the sole purpose of the proposed village was to prevent the construction of transitional housing for homeless families near the neighborhood of Mayfair Knollwood. d. That a substantial number of signatures on the petition were obtained under false pretenses in violation of Section 2-206(1)(g) of the Village Law. e. That a substantial number of signatures on the petition "contain irregularities" and do not match known signatures of the persons alleged to have signed the petition in violation of Section 2-206(1)(a) of the Village Law, and f. That the list of regular inhabitants contained in / the petition was defective in that "numerous residents were omitted" in violation of Section 2-206(1)(g) of the Village Law. 27 27. Respondent Veteran's determination that the* bo.ujidary of the proposed village was not described with "common dertainty" was, upon information and belief, entirely predicated upon an 7 41 undated, unsworn memorandum apparently prepared by the Town of GreenJburgh' s Engineer in his official capacity, during municipal working hours, with municipal resources and at the request and/or direction of Respondent Veteran. 28. Upon information and belief, the memorandum referred to in Paragraph "27", supra, was not read, heard, presented or otherwise filed during the public hearing on the petition on November 1, 1988. 29. Respondent Veteran's determination that the boundary of the proposed village was intentionally gerrymandered to exclude Blacks was, upon information and belief, entirely predicated upon: (a) an undated, unsworn memorandum apparently prepared by the Town of Greenburgh's Director of Community Development in her official capacity, during municipal working hours, and with municipal resources at the request and/or direction of R e s p o n d e n t Veteran, and (b) an undated, unsigned map, prepared by the Town of Greenburgh Engineer in his official capacity, during municipal working hours, with municipal resources and at the request and/or direction of Respondent Veteran. r* 30. Upon information and belief, neither the memorandum referred to in subdivision (a) of Paragraph "29", supra, nor the 8 42 map referred to in subdivision (b) of said paragraph were read, heard, presented or otherwise filed during the public hearing on the petition on November 1, 1988. 31. Respondent Veteran's determination that the "sole purpose" of incorporating a new village was to prevent construction of transitional housing for homeless families was, upon information and belief, entirely predicated upon: (a) a purely political commitment made by him to Andrew and/or Mario Cuomo pursuant to which he obligated himself personally to insure the construction of such housing, (b) a calculated disregard of facts, believed by him to be true, which had been communicated to him by certain proponents of the petition to incorporate, and (c) certain politically oriented but legally irrelevant speeches which, with Respondent Veteran's prior knowledge and consent, were delivered during the public hearing on November 1, 1988. / 32. Respondent Veteran's determination that a substantial number of signatures on the petition were obtained by "false pretenses" was, upon information and belief, entirely fabricated since no objections, testimony, proof, affidavits or evidence of any kind was ever submitted with respect to this issue. 9 43 33. Respondent Veteran's determination that a substantial number of signatures on the petition "contain irregularities and do not match the known signatures of the persons alleged to have signed" was, upon information and belief, entirely predicated upon: (a) an unsworn, undated memorandum from a person who, at the behest of, direction of and/or in coordination with Respondent Veteran, conclusorily represented that she had done handwriting analyses of the signatures on the petition and that numerous signatures were improper, and (b) the absence of any evidence that the person who apparently prepared the memorandum referred to in subdivision (a) of this paragraph had any qualifications as a handwriting expert, and (c) the absence of any evidence, documentary or otherwise, with respect to which the conclusory assertions in the said memorandum could be verified. /34. Upon information and belief, the memorandum referred to in subdivision (a) of Paragraph "33", supra, was not read, h e a rd , presented or filed during the public hearing on the petition on November 1, 1988. 35 35. Respondent Veteran's determinatfon that the list of 10 44 regular inhabitants contained in the petition was incomplete was, upon information and belief, entirely fabricated since: (a) No objection with respect to this claim was ever interposed with respect to the petition, and (b) No evidence, proof, affidavits or exhibits were ever adduced at the public hearing with respect to this claim. 36. Upon information and belief, the boundary of the proposed village was described in the petition with common certainty. 37. Upon information and belief, the boundary of the proposed village was drawn for proper reasons; said boundary was not drawn with any racial motive and/or intent. 38. Upon information and belief, the Village of Mayfair Knollwood was not proposed as a means to exclude housing for the homeless, a circumstances expressly communicated by some proponents of the village to Respondent Veteran. /39. Upon information and belief no signatures on the petition were obtained under false pretenses; all signatories were fully and truthfully advised as to the precise nature of the petition. 40 * * 40. Upon information and belief the signatures on the petition contain no irregularities and in fact are the signatures of the persons whose names appear in said petition. 11 45 41. Upon information and belief the list of regular inhabitants contained in the petition is accurate and complete. AS AND FOR A FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION 42. Section 2-206(3) of the Village Law expressly imposes the burden of proof upon objectors to a petition to incorporate a proposed village. 43. Since no evidence, proof, affidavits, sworn and/or subscribed testimony was adduced at the public hearing on November 1, 1988, by any objectors Respondent Veteran's determination to reject the petition was illegal and/or based upon insufficient evidence. AS AND FOR A SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION 44. Village Law §2-206(1) prescribes the sole bases upon which a petition for incorporation of a village may be challenged with respect to its legal sufficiency. 45 45. Upon information and belief the function of a Town Supervisor at the public hearing with respect to any such 12 46 challenges is purely ministerial and limited to hearing those statutory objections, if any, prescribed by Section 2- 206(1) . 46. Since Section 2-206(1) does not permit objections to a petition's legal sufficiency on alleged factual grounds which are irrelevant to the petition's substantive content, Respondent Veteran's rejection of the petition on the basis of his perception of the intent of some of the petitioners was ultra vires, illegal, premised upon insufficient evidence, and otherwise unlawful. AS AND FOR A THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION 47. Section 2-204 of the Village Law mandates that objections to a petition to incorporate a village be actually presented by objectors at the public hearing on such petition, at such time and place as such public hearing has been scheduled to be heard in accordance with duly posted and published notices. /48. Section 2-206(1) of the Village Law mandates that the Town Supervisor conducting the public hearing, actually meet with the public at the time and place specified in the notice of hearing at which time and place he is required to actually hear objections which may be presented as to the legal sufficiency of the petition for incorporation on the narrowly circumscribed grounds set forth in said Section. 47 49. Since no objections were made and/or heard at the public hearing on November 1, 1988, with respect to the legal sufficiency of the proposed village's boundary, the means by which signatures were gathered ~n the petition, the regularity and/or propriety of such signatures, and the sufficiency of the list of regular inhabitants, Respondent Veteran's reliance upon such purported issues in his December 1, 1988, decision was illegal, ultra vires, and predicated upon insufficient evidence. AS AND FOR A FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION 50. Repeat and reallege as if fully set forth paragraph "47". 51. Since no objection was ever filed with respect to the means by which signatures were were gathered on the petition and the sufficiency of the list of regular inhabitants, Respondent Veteran's reliance upon such purported grounds in his decision of December 1, 1988, was illegal, ultra vires, and unsupported by sufficient evidence. AS AND FOR A FIFTH CAUSE OF ACTION 52. The opinions, motives and/or intentions of the approximately five hundred town residents who petitioned 14 48 Respondent Veteran to permit the conduct of an election regarding the proposed Village of Mayfair Knollwood are absolutely irrelevant to the legal sufficiency of their petition. 53. No evidence whatsoever was adduced at the public hearing on November 1, 1988, with respect to the opinions, motives, and/or intentions of those approximately five hundred persons. 54. Respondent Veteran's rejection of the petition on the ground that he, as a public official, did not like what he unilaterally claimed to be the opinions, motives, and/or intentions of such persons violates those persons and Petitioners' rights as guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, 42 U.S.C.S1983, is otherwise illegal and not supported by sufficient evidence. WHEREFORE judgment is respectfully demanded reversing the December 1, 1988, decision of Respondent Veteran, sustaining the petition to incorporate the Village of Mayfair Knollwood, awarding reasonable attorney's fees pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §1988, 49 costs, disbursements and such other and further relief as to the Court seems just and proper. Dated: White Plains, N.Y. December 13, 1988 LOVETT & GOULD, ESQS. Attorneys for Petitioners 180 E. Post Road White Plains, N.Y. 10601 914-428-8401 16 ■In the Matter .■* of . ■ • . the Proposed Incorporation of the Village of Mayfair Knollwood - A petition for the incorporation of certain territory in the Town of Greenhurgh as the Village of Mayfair Knollwood having duly been received by me on September 14, 1988, and after due posting and publication of notice in accordance with Section 2-204 of the Village Law, a hearing to consider the legal sufficiency of such petition having been held on November 1, 198 8, at the Greeuburgh Town Hall, Knollwood and Taxrytown Roads, Elms ford, New York, and said hearing having been adjourned until November 21, 1988 for t the receipt of written testimony, in accordance with Section 2-20 6' of the Village Law, and all testimony and objections having been heard; Now, therefore, I hereby determine that the aforesaid petition does not comply with the requirements of Article 2 of the Village Law, does not comply with the requirements of the Constitution of the United States of America, and does not comply with the requirements of the Constitution of the State of New York, for the following reasons: 1. The boundary description submitted with the petition did not describe the boundaries of the prcpgifed village with "common certainty" thereby making it" impossible to locate the boundaries with the precision that is . . necessary. Numerous gaps in the proposed boundaries discovered making the description defective. 50 were 51 Til* memorandum la opposition submitted by tbs Town • Engineer clearly details the deficiencies in' the boundary, • description. At least 15 voids in the description were discovered rendering it impossible to accurately define the village boundaries. The description does not even begin at a known point on a filed map which is the fundamental criteria of all property descriptions. The description uses the centerline of Grasslands Road yet fails to note that Grasslands Road has been relocated and that the centerline at many points lies within the Town of Mount Pleasant. Eor these reasons and the other reasons stated in the memo of the Town Engineer the boundary description is clearly defective and does not describe the proposed village with "common certainty". 2. The boundaries, where ascertainable, were gerrymandered in a manner to exclude black persons from the proposed village. Such gerrymandering constitutes a blatant attempt at racial discrimination and violates the rights granted to all citizens by the Constitutioh of the United^ /States of America and the Constitution of the'State ofJJe* V York. In the entire 30 years during which I have held elective office I have never seen such a blatant and calculated attempt to discriminate. The boundaries -2- 52 repeatedly deviate from a- natural course solely to exclude individual properties where blacks live. Within the • - boundaries of the-proposed village there is not a single i unit of multi-family housing, housing which historically has been more accessible to minority groups because of its lower cost. The boundary zigs and zags approximately 1000 feet along Route 9A to exclude a scatter site public housing oroject populated by 25 black families. The boundary carves around the Granada Condominium development on three sides to exclude its approximately 90 black families. The boundary carves around the Old Tarrytown Road School property, now . owned by a black developer, on three sides to exclude its future population of 87 families, the majority of which are anticipated to be black families. The boundary carves through the neighborhood of North Elms ford, a neighborhood which has stood cohesively as a unified area since the 13 8 O ’s, including its pr edominantly - white area in the village but excluding its predominantly black area. The boundary carefully excludes the black families of the River Park Apartments, Parkway Homes, Parkway Gardens, Hillside—Wyndover, and of course, the public housing and-.low anrf moderate income housing areas of predominantly black Fairviev. Included in the proposed village is all the available undeveloped lands bordering black areas. These undeveloped # lands are the only natural expansion areas for the black | -3- 53 neighborhoods. By'taking these lands it. is clear- that the ■ petitioners intend to stop the growth of the black ; neighborhoods in an attempt to exclude future generations of J blacks from Greenburgh. I While Article 2 of the Village Law does not specifically address itself to the "intent" of the *petitioners, I firmly believe that the rights granted by the federal and state constitutions transcend the procedural technicalities set forth in the Village Law. The proceedures for the formation of a new village cannot be used to accomplish an unlawful end. Therefore, it. is my obligation as a public official to defend the constitution and to reject the petition on the grounds that its purpose is to discriminate against black persons,, to segregate from whites by the imposition of political barriers, and to prevent the natural expansion of the blacx population in the Town.of Greenburgh. 3. The new village was proposed for the sole purpose of preventing the construction of transitional housing for homeless families near the neighborhood of Mayfair Knollwood. Such an invidious purpose is not what was ■ Sfcontempla’ted by the Legislature when the statutes ;ffcrernin?' / the incorporation of villages were drawn and cannot be permitted to succeed. r- - Historically, the legal, concept of incorporated villages was created to afford residents of an area an opportunity to create a multipurpose special distL-c- i -4 54 secure fire or police protection or other'public services. Typically, clusters of people in an otherwise sparsely settled town joined together to provide services that would not be of benefit to the Town as a whole. After World War II, the rapid population growth of suburban towns led to the creation of town improvement districts to provide needed services and the incorporation of new villages virtually ceased and several existing villages were dissolved. The petitioners do not seek to incorporate to provide themselves with services. The neighborhoods in question are already serviced by town water, sewer, police and fire protection. Eather, the petitioners' seek, to incorporate for- another purpose. Their stated purpose for forming the village is to prevent the proposed construction of transitional housing for 108 homeless families near their neighborhoods. Before agreeing to consider the- homeless project, now known as Westhelp, the Town Board insisted that various safeguards be made a part of the proposal to adequately mitigate against any possible adverse impacts. /The Westhelp project includes a land set-aside of/ approximately 34 wooded acres, the majority of which would remain as a natural woodland buffer around all sides of the housing with a minimum of 400 feet of woodlands between all buildings and existing* .' The-predcminantly black • , . * " * # i homeless residents would be provided on—site day care,* ** j 55 k counseling, social services, recreation, .-transportation, and " 24 hour security. Visitation would be restricted to a single visitor's room in full view of a security guard. e Only homeless families would be housed on the premises including only young mothers, their bahies and other small children. There would be no derelicts, drug addicts, alcoholics, or bums. Children of school age would be bused back to their school district of origin thereby providing continuity of education. In summary, the project would provide a clean, efficient, cost effective, and humane alternative to welfare motels. The 108 families that would be housed for an average stay of six months each represent only a fraction of the over 4500 homeless persons now'_ present in Westchester County. •.'̂ 1 Yet, given all the safeguards and the high purpose of the Westhelp project, the petitioners have organized to step the project by any means possible solely because of the irrational argument that it is to be_ located in their ■back-yard*. While Article 2 of the Village law does not specifically address itself to the * intent" of the petitioners, I firmly believe that the rights granted by .the / federal and state constitutions transcend the procedural technicalities- set forth in the Village Law. The procedures for the formation of a new village e-cannot he used to accomplisii an unlawful and. -o— 56 Therefor*, it is my obligation as a public official to defend the constitution and to reject .the petition on the _ grounds that its purpose is to deny homeless persons needed .services, to exclude homeless persons, and to .racially discriminate against homeless persons who are predominantly black. 4. The petition is defective in that a substantial number of signatures were obtained under false pretenses. I have received numerous objections from persons who signed the oetition stating that they were told that the petition was only to ask for a straw poll of the residents on their opinion as to whether a village should be formed, -not a petition to formally commence the incorporation procedure. ̂ 5. The petition iŝ defective in that a .substantial. -, number' of the signatures contain irregularities and do not match the known signatures of the persons alleged to have signed. 6. The petition is defective.^in that numerous residents were omitted from the list of "regular inhabitants". In particular, many of the newer residents were omitted. Dated: Elmsford, N.Y. December 1, 1988. ANTHONY je . Supervisor Town of Greeohurgh 57 STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER : ss. TOWN OF GREENBURGH I, SUSAN TOLCHIN, Town Clerk of the Town of Greenburgh do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct! copy, and the whole thereof, of a decision filed by Supervisor Anthony F. Veteran on December 6 , 1988. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 7th day of December, 1988. CS E A L) Town Clerk / 58 V E R I F I C A T I O N STATE OF NEW YORK ) S S . COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER) Myles Greenberg, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am one of the Petitioners herein; I have read the annexed Petition, know the contents thereof and the same are true to my knowledge, except those matters therein which are stated to be alleged on information and belief, and as to those matters I believe them to be true. Nota WAYN3 K. MAXTSJU. NOTARY PtiBUC. J. utiV No. 6 0 -7 7 3 3 - .Q QuaNfad in Westcnesitr County lano LxvnsJt*} J/y v tfo Sworn to before me this ^TZfiay of December, 1988. 59 V E R I F I C A T I O N STATE OF NEW YORK ) ss . : COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER) Frances M. Mulligan, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I am one of the Petitioners herein; I have read the annexed Petition, know the contents thereof and the same are true to my knowledge, except those matters therein which are stated to be alleged on information and belief, and as to those matters I believe them to be true. FRANCES M. MULLIGA2T Sworn to before me this 2 8"rtf day of December, 1988. / • i 1 .MARTOL 0 SaV tha' 1 a n ' Wl' ■ 1 have read th! , ato m v eknowled? e except those n S S r s therein which are stated to be alleged on know the contents thereof and the same are t.u : them be true. Mv belief, as to those matters therein not stated upon « Information and beliet. and as to those matters l oeu knowledge, is based upon the following: The reason I make this affirmation instead of , affirm that the foregoing statements are true under penalties of perjury. Da ted: .Print Hgner'1 name t * lo“ " S I'» Iure STATE OF n e w Y O R K . C O U N T Y O F ss : being sworn says: I am □ » ‘ to mv knowledge, except t h e m atter , there,n whtch are stated to be alleged on , know the contents thereof and the same a them to be true. ‘ ....— information and belief, and as to those matters 1 believe tnem ? cH ... 'a corporation, one of the parties to the action : I ^ * ed « '"e x c e p t those matters therein which are stated to be alleged on 1 — knowPthe contents thereof and “ ̂ » be t n £ Mv belief’ ^ toThos" matt/rs"therein not stated upon knowledge, is based upon the following: Sworn to before me on , 19 ! Print jigneri name below signature STATE OF N EW Y O R K . C O U N T Y O F being sworn says: I am not a parts to the action, am over 18 years o! age and reside at On 19 I served a true copv of the annexed in the following manner: . - „ ? e _ „ i el t-rh.nthe ?otd *"*«*<* b ^ !• □ bv delivering the same personally to the persons J >̂onoi Service and at the addresses indicated below: Sworn to before me on ,19 (Prim tifur'i b«low ' Index No. 18286/88 Year 19 SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER 61 In the Matter of the Application of MYLES GREENBERG, et ano. , Petitioners, For a Judgment pursuant to CPLR Article 78, -against- ANTHONY F. VETERAN, Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh, New York, et al., Respondents. NOTICE OF PETITION AND VERIFIED PETffaON LOVETT & GOULD Attorneysfor Petitioners 180 E A S T P O S T R O A D W H I T E P L A I N S . N E W Y O R K 10601 (914) 428-8401 0 f f . * c 3 % ° " 'C e 9 '9i d ° ^ A t , To: Attomey(s) for Service of a copy of the within Dated: is hereby admitted. A ttorney (a) fo r P L E A S E T A K E N O T I C E O that the urithin is a (certified ) true copy of a n o t i c e o f entered in the office o f the clerk o f the w ithin n am ed C ourt on EN TR Y 19 |—j that an O rd er o f which the urithin is a true copy w ill be presen ted fo r settlem ent to the Hon. n o t i c e o f one ° f ^ e judQes of the w ithin n a m ed Court, S E TTL E M E N T at on 19 . at M. Dated: LOVETT & GOULD Attorneys for 180 E A S T P O S T ROA D W H I T E P L A I N S , N E W YORK K#01 To: 62 SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER in the Mather, of the .Application of UYLSS GREENBERG and FRANCES M. MULLIGAN, proponents of a petition to incorporate the Village of Mayfair Knollwood, Petitioners, For a Judgment pursuant to CFLR Article 78, -against- Index No. 88 Judge Assigned: Hon. py. f J h $ t* si ANTHONY F. VETERAN, Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh, New York, SUSAN TOLCHIN, Town Clerk of the Town of Greenburgh, New York, f see annexed list of additional Respondents), Respondents. PETITIONERSr MEMORANDUM OF LAW Preliminary Statement This memorandum of law is submitted in support of Petitioners' contention that a December 1, 1988, decision of the Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh rejecting a petition to incorporate the proposed Village of Mayfair Knollwood must be reversed as illegal, based upon insufficient evidence and/or/ contrary to the weight of the evidence. . / . Since the Fifth Cause of Action is predicated upon a claim that the Supervisor's decision infringed upon Petitioners' and some five hundred other persons' First Amendment rights, 63 reasonable attorney's fees are sought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. SS1983, 1988. No compensatory or punitive damages are sought in this special proceeding, however, in light of Giano v. Flood, 803 F.2d 769 (2d Cir. 1986) and Davidson v . Capuano, 792 F.2d 275 (2d Cir. 1986). Factual Background On September 14, 1988, a petition signed by more than five hundred persons was filed with Greenburgh Supervisor Veteran proposing the incorporation of certain territory, to be known as the Village of Mayfair Knollwood, within the Town of Greenburgh (Petition, para. 6)-Although notice of a November 1, 1988 r public hearing on that petition was duly posted and published,. Supervisor Veteran publicly announced prior to that date that he would take whatever steps were necessary to insure' the rejection of the petition (Petition, paras. 8-9). On November 1, 1988, the public hearing was conducted by Supervisor Veteran at which time twenty-three persons made and/or read unsworn speeches in opposition to the petition. Some of / those--persons- -their- filed-written-purported objections to the petition (Petition, paras. 10-11). Not a single objection was presented and/or heard with respect to the statutory grounds, contained in Village Law 2 G4 §2-204( 1 ), upon, which the legal sufficiency of a petition to incorporate a village can lawfully be challenged (Petition, para. 12). Not a single witness was sworn, not a single affidavit was filed, not a single exhibit was submitted, and no testimony was either taken and/or reduced to writing and subscribed as permitted in accordance with Section 2-206(3) of the Village Law (Petition, paras. 12-16). At the conclusion of the public hearing Supervisor Veteran announced that he was "going to adjourn this [m]eeting until November 21st, 1988, and direct that all written comments received by [him] on or before that date shall be set forth in the record [of the public hearing] as if it [sic. 1 were stated here tonight" (Petition, para. 23). He then clarxfied his announcement, explaining that the adjournment was for the purpose of receiving "written comments only" (ibid.) . Immediate objection was taken to the Supervisor's ruling (Petition, para. 24). ■ On November 21, 1988,. the-public hearing with respect to the incorporation petition was not continued (Petition, para. 25). y ' By decision dated December 1,. 1988 (Petition, para. 26; Exhibit annexed to Petition), Supervisor Veteran rejected the Petition to incorporate on six grounds. 3 65 First he ruled that the boundary of the proposed village, as set forth in the petition, was not described with "common certainty" as required by Village Law §2-202(1) (c) (1) . Unfortunately for the Supervisor no evidence whatsoever was adduced at the hearing with respect to the legal sufficiency of the description of the boundary of the proposed village (Petition, para. 20). Second he held that the boundary of the proposed village was gerrymandered so as to intentionally exclude Blacks. Unfortunately for the Supervisor no evidence whatsoever was adduced at the hearing with respect to any claim that the boundary of the proposed village excludes and/or is intended to exclude minorities (Petition, para. 22). Third he found that the sole purpose of the proposed village was to prevent the construction of transitional housing for homeless families. Unfortunately for the Supervisor no evidence whatsoever was adduced at the hearing with respect to any claiffl that the proposed village, if incorporated, would exclude by reason of its zoning authority low income housing for the homeless (Petition, para. 2 1 ) . , / Fourth he decided that a substantial number of signature3 0,1 the petition were obtained under false pretenses in violation Section 2-206(1) (g) of the Village Law. Unfortunately for the Supervisor no evidence whatsoever was adduced at the hearing 4 66 respect to any claim that signatures were procured for the petition on false pretenses (Petition, para. 19). Fifth he detenuined that a substantial number of signatures on the petition " contain irregularities" and do not match known signatures of the persons alleged to have signed the petition, a violation of Section 2-206( 1) (a) of the Village Law. Unfortunately for the Supervisor no evidence whatsoever was adduced at the public hearing with respect to the legal sufficiency of the signatures affixed to the petition (Petition, para. 18) . Sixth he concluded that the list of regular inhabitants contained in the petition was defective in that "numerous residents were omitted"' in violation of Section 2—206(1) (g) of the Village Law. Unfortunately for the Supervisor no evidence whatsoever was adduced at the public hearing with respect to the legal sufficiency of the list of names and addresses of the tegular inhabitants of the proposed village, which list was contained in the petition as required by Village Law S2- 202(1) (c)(2) (Petition, p^ra. 17). • / Veteran's determination that ./the boundary of the proposed tillage was not described with "common certainty" was entirely predicated upon an undated, unsworn memorandum written by the Town of Greenburgh Engineer at the request and/or direction of the Supervisor (Petition, para. 2 7 ) . 5 67 That memorandum was not read, heard, presented or otherwise filed, during the November 1, 1988, public hearing on the petition (Petition, para. 28). Veteran's determination that the boundary of the proposed village was gerrymandered so as to intentionally exclude Blacks was entirely predicated upon two documents: (1 ) an undated, . unsworn memorandum prepared by the Town's Director of Community Development at the request and/or direction of the Supervisor, and (2) an undated, unsigned map prepared by the Town Engineer at the request and/or direction of the Supervisor (Petition, para. 29) . Neither the Director's memorandum nor the Engineer's map were read, heard, presentedr or otherwise filed during the public hearing on the petition on November 1, 1988 (Petition, para. 30). Veteran's determination that the "sole purpose" of incorporating the new village was to prevent the construction of transitional housing was entirely predicated upon three circumstances: (1 ) his personal, political commitment made to either the Governor or the Governor's son by reason of which the / Supervisor obligated himself to insure the construction of such housing, (2) a calculated disregard of facts which the Supervisor knew with respect to the intentions of the proponents of the new village, and (3) certain politically oriented but legally irrelevant speeches which, with Veteran's prior knowledge and 6 68 consent, were delivered during the November 1, 1988, public hearing on the petition to incorporate (Petition, para. 31). Veteran' s determination that a substantial number of signatures on the petition had been obtained under false pretenses was entirely fabricated since no objections, testimony, proof, affidavits or evidence of any kind was ever submitted with respect to this issue (Petition, para. 32). Veteran's determination that a substantial number of signatures on the petition contained "irregularities" and/or do not match known signatures of the persons who allegedly signed the petition, was entirely predicated upon am unsworn, undated memorandum written by a person at Veteran's direction and/or behest in which that person conclusorily announced that numerous signatures were defective for one reason or another (Petition, para. 33). Absolutely no evidence exists that the author of that memorandum has any qualifications as a handwriting expert [Petition, para. 33(b)]. No documents or other evidence were presented in support of the conclusory statements contained in / the memorandum [Petition, para. 33(c)]. ' The memorandum was not read, heard, presented or filed during the November 1, 1988, public hearing. 7 69 Finally Veteran's decision that the list of regular inhabitants contained in the petition was incomplete was entirely fabricated since: no objection with respect to this claim was ever interposed and no evidence of any kind was ever adduced at the public hearing with respect to it [Petition,' para. 35(a)(b)]. Contrary to Veteran's decision the boundary of the proposed village was described with common certainty (Petition, para. 36), It was drawn for proper, not racial, purposes (Petition, para. 37). In addition the village was not proposed as a means of excluding housing for the homeless (Petition, para. 38), the signatures on the petition were not obtained under false pretenses (Petition, para. 39), the signatures on the petition contain no irregularities and in fact are the signatures of tie persons whose names appear in said petition (Petition, para. 40), and the list of regular inhabitants is accurate and complete (Petition, para. 41) . POINT I / ■ SINCE " NOT' A ‘ SINGLE'COMPETENT OBJECTION TO THE PETITION TO INCORPORATE WAS TIMELY INTERPOSED, THE DECISION REJECTING THE PETITION MUST 3E REVERSED AND THE PETITION SUSTAINED When a petition to incorporate a proposed village is duly filed with a town supervisor, the supervisor must within twenty, 8 70 days post and advertise a notice of public hearing, which hearing is required to be conducted with respect to the legal sufficiency of the petition- Village Law §2-204. The notice is required to inform the public that any objections to the petition must be in writing and signed. Ibid. On the date and at the place specified in the public notice the town supervisor must then meet with the public at which time he is required to hear all objections pertaining to the petition's legal sufficiency. Village Law §2-204(1). The grounds for objections are statutorily circumscribed and comprise but sevens that a person signing the petition was not qualified [Village Law §2-204(1) (a) ], that, either one of two separate jurisdictional predicates for the petition is lacking [Village Law §2-204(1)(b) and (c)], that the territory of the proposed village is part of a city or village [Village Law 52-204 ( 1 )(d)], that certain size and/or territorial components of the proposed village have not been met [Village Law 52-204( 1 ) (e) ], that the population of the proposed village is less than five hundred regular inhabitants [Village Law §2-204 ( 1 )(f)], and that the petition in some other respect does/ n°t conform to*the requirements of Article 2 of the Village Law (52-204( 1 ) (g)]. Since not a single competent objection to the petition to incorporate the Village of Mayfair Knollwood was timely- 9 71 interposed, the December 1, 1388, decision of Supervisor Veteran rejecting the petition must be reversed as a matter of law. Consideration of each.-of Veteran's grounds for rejecting the petition compels this conclusion. His finding (Decision, pp. 1-2) that the metes and bounds description failed to describe with common certainty the proposed village's boundary is predicated upon a purported objection styled in the form of a memorandum from the Town Engineer (Petition, para. 27). Unfortunately for the Supervisor that "objection” was neither heard nor submitted at the public hearing on November 1st (Petition, para. 28). It was therefore patently untimely and could not be considered. Village Law SS2-204, 2—206(1). It is also patently false (Petition, para. 36), as anyone skilled in reading such descriptions can deduce from their own review of the description. His finding (Decision, pp. 2-4) that the boundary of the proposed village was drawn in order to intentionally exclude Blacks, is simply improper. As noted supra, the Legislature has narrowly circumscribed the grounds for objections, and the/ supposed intent_.of. petitioners .in. seeking-to incorporate a new village is not a competent ground for challenging the "legal sufficiency" of the petition itself. In any event the finding Is patently false (Petition, para. 37), and is itself unconstitutional as discussed in Point III, infra. 10 72 His finding (Decision, pp. 4-7) that the sole intended purpose of the petition was to incorporate and zone out housing for the homeless, is similarly improper and false (Petition, para. 33) . No such ground for objection is permissible under the Village Law. His finding (Decision, p. 7) that signatures on the petition were secured by false pretenses is simply incompetent and false (Petition, para. 39). No objection, timely or otherwise, was ever filed with respect to this purported issue (Petition, para. 32). The claim has been waived. His finding (Decision, p. 7) that signatures on the petition contain irregularities and/or do not match known signatures, is simply illegal. No timely- objection, on this ground was ever -♦ * presented at the public hearing on November 1st (Petition, psora. 34) . Moreover, the funding is also patently false (Petition, para. 40) . * His finding that the list of regular inhabitants is deficient is similarly improper. No objection whatsoever was ever filed, timely or otherwise, with respect to this claim (Petition, Para. 35). Under the circumstances the objection was waived. It is also materially false (Petition, para. 41). 11 73 POINT II SINCE THERE IS NO EVIDENTIARY BASIS FOR ANY OF SUPERVISOR VETERAN'S PURPORTED FINDINGS, HIS DECISION MUST BE REVERSED Section 2-206(3) of the Village Law expressly places the burden of proving the legal insufficiency of the petition upon the objectors. In the case at bar no competent evidentiary basis was adduced by any objectors. Hence there must be a reversal. Not a single witness was sworn at the public hearing (Petition, para. 13). Not a single exhibit was received and/or marked (Petition, para. 14). Not a single affidavit was submitted (Petition, para. 15). Not a word of. testimony was given and. no testimony was either reduced to writing' and/or subscribed as contemplated by Section 2-206(3) of the Village Law (Petition, para. 16). No evidence whatsoever was adduced with respect to the sufficiency of the list of regular inhabitants (Petition, para. 17), nor the legal sufficiency of the signatures affixed to the petition (Petition, para. 18), nor the claim that signatures were obtained under false pretenses (Petition, para. ̂ 19), nor tiie .claim that-the .boundary described -in the petition was legally insufficient (Petition, para. 2 0), nor the claim that the viU2(?e was proposed to exclude housing for the homeless (Petition, P4**' 2 1 ), nor the claim that the proposed village's boundaries were 12 74 drawn to intentionally exclude Blacks (Petition, para. 22). The unsworn, self-serving, conclusory speeches made at the public hearing with respect to the housing and racial claims, hardly comprise a substitute for evidence. The unsworn, self-serving, undated and conclusory pronouncements contained in the Engineer's memorandum (prepared at Veteran's direction), similarly do not constitute evidence. Indeed only one inference can be drawn from the Engineer's failure to submit his opinion/analysis under oath— it is materially false. Indeed the fasity of the Engineer's "analysis" is graphically proven by the existence of the map which he drew, clearly delineating the contiguous boundary line which must have been distilled with both common and engineering certainty from the description in the petition [Petition, para. 29(b)]. The unsworn, self-serving, undated and conclusory ^ouncements which challenge the authenticity of signatures on the petition also is entitled to be summarily ignored. It does / ftot comprise-evidence. - I t s ~author~'never even purported to be a handwriting expert [Petition, para. 33(b)]. * In any event even if the signatures which she challenges • - were defective, absent a showing"that the remaining signatures ..do - •» ’ m / 13 75 not comprise twenty percent of the residents of the proposed village qualified to vote for Greenburgh Town officials, the signature analysis is legally irrelevant. Village Law S2-202(1)(a)(1). Not surprisingly neither Veteran nor anybody else addressed the twenty percent issue. In sum not a single objector even attempted to meet his- burden of proof. None did so. Reversal is thus required. POINT III SINCE VETERAN'S DECISION VIOLATES THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF THE SIGNATORIES TO THE PETITION FOR INCORPORATION, IT MUST RE REVERSED More than five hundred citizens petitioned Veteran for an opportunity to conduct an election to determine whether a new village should be incorporated (Petition, para. S). Without any evidentiary basis whatsoever, Veteran then divined that each of the five hundred petitioners improperly believes that the village should be established to exclude Blacks and to bar construction of housing for the homeless (Decision annexed to Petition). On this preposterous "finding" the Supervisor purports to /wrapthimself, in-the Flag, arrogate to-himself statutory powers denied him by the Legislature/ libel hundreds of persons simultaneously, and then reject the petition. While that grandstanding may have achieved some low level of applause in * certain quarters, it should horrify the Court and all other? who • .**H .t * • 14 76 believe in our Constitutional form of government. In petitioning government for the purpose of securing an election, the five hundred citizens were engaging in activities which even a grade school child in this country would recognize to be absolutely protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Gorman Towers, Inc v. 3ocoslavs3cv, 62S F.2d 607, 614 (8th Cir. 1980); Board of County Commissioners of Adams County v. Shrover, 662 F.Supp. 1542, 1545 (D.C.Colo. 1987); Weiss v. Willow Tree Civic Association, 467 F.Supp. 803, 818-19 (S.D.N.Y. 1979). Moreover it is beyond question that the government has absolutely no business punishing a citizen because of his beliefs and or intent so long as that person is peacefully exercising, his rights as guaranteed by the First Amendment. As succinctly put by Judge Weinfeld in Weiss v. Willow Tree Civic Association, supra at 817-18: The protection of the First Amendment does not depend on 'motivation'; it depends on the nature of defendants' conduct... The defendants have every /• ' — right'-to- band‘ together for the advancement of > • . ■ beliefs and ideas, however unpalatable the*ideas or whatever the underlying motive. See Collin v. Smith, 578 F.2d 1197, 1205 (7th Cir. 1978) ,* cfsrt. den 439 U.S. 916 (1978)(On claim that First Amendment protected 15 • • - 77 conduct could undercut municipality's fair housing policy, Court holds "That the effective exercise of First Amendment rights may undercut a given government's policy on some issue is one of the purposes of those rights"). Under these circumstances it is readily apparent that Veteran committed constitutional error in rejecting the petition because he does not like what he (mis)perceives his constituents hold by way of beliefs, opinions and intentions. Governmental retaliation for the exercise of First Amendment rights is unlawful, violative of 42 U.S.C. S1983, and well-settled caselaw. Franco v. Kelly, 854 F.2d 584 (2d Cir. 1988); Rookard v. New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, 710 F.2d 41 (2d Cir. 1983). For that reason alone the decision to reject the petition should be reversed. POINT rv p e t i t i o n e r s a r e e n t i t l e d to A REASONABLE AWARD OF ATTORNEY'S FEES Since Veteran's decision to reject the petition was admittedly in substantial respect motivated by his intention to /retaliate against a vast number of people because of their supposed beliefs, a clear-cut First Amendment claim has been presented as discussed i n the preceding Point. Judgment in favor of the Petitioners should therefor include an award of reasonable attorney's fees. Matter of Johnson v. Blum, 58_N.Y. 2d 454 16 78 (1983); Matter of Unger v. Blum, 117 A.D.2d 607 (2d Dept. 1986); Matter of Aviles v. D'Elia, 97 A.D.2d 244 (2d Dept. 1983); Matter of Haussman v. Kirby, 96 A.D.2d 244 (2d Dept. 1983); Matter of Bahmv v. Blum, 95 A.D.2d 294 (2d Dept. 1983); Matter of Fairly v. Fahey, 79 A.D.2d 607 (2d Dept. 1981); Young v. Tola, 66 A.D.2d 377 (4th Dept. 1979). CONCLUSION The petition should be granted, the December 1, 1988, decision of Respondent Veteran should be reversed and the petition to incorporate the Village of. Mayfair Knollwood sustained, with an award of reasonable attorney's fees, costs, disbursements and such other- and further relief as to the Court, seems just and proper. Dated: White Plains, N.Y. December 13, 1988 LOVETT *4 GOULD, ESQS . Attorneys for Petitioners 180 E. Post Road White Plains, N.Y. 10601 914-428-8401 79 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK ------------------------------------ x In the Matter of the Application of Myles Greenberg and Frances M. Mulligan, proponents of a petition to incorporate the Village of Mayfair Knollwood, Petitioners, For a Judgment pursuant to New York CPLR Article 78, INDEX NO. 89 Civ. Verified Petition For Removal Of Action From State Court - against - Anthony F. Veteran, Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh, New York, Susan Tolchin, Town Clerk of the Town of Greenburgh, New York, and (See annexed list of additional Respondents, Exhibit A), Respondents. X TO THE HONORABLE JUDGES OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: Respondents Anthony F. Veteran, Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh, and Susan Tolchin, Town Clerk of the Town of Greenburgh, respectfully allege as follows: 1. This proceeding was commenced in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Westchester, by service of a copy of the Notice of Petition signed December i4, 1988, Verified Petition and Petitioners' Memorandum of Law signed December 13, 1988 on the Town Clerk of the Town of Greenburgh at the Greenburgh Town Hall, Town of Greenburgh, Elmsford, New York on December 29, 1988. Upon information and belief all additional respondents listed were, according 80 to Village Law Section 2-210(4), served with copies of same by certified mail and are parties to the proceeding. 2. This Verified Petition for Removal of Action from State Court is being filed within 30 days after service of the Notice of Petition and Verified Petition upon the respondents to this proceeding. Thus, this removal petition is timely filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Section 1446(b). Copies of the Notice of Petition, Verified Petition, and Petitioners' Memorandum of Law are annexed in accordance with 28 U.S.C. Section 1446(a), as Exhibit B. These papers are the only papers served upon the respondents in this proceeding. 3. Petitioners Myles Greenberg and Frances M. Mulligan allege in paragraph two of the Verified Petition that they are residents of the Town of Greenburgh, New York, in the Southern District of New York, and reside in the territory sought to be incorporated as the proposed village of Mayfair Knollwood. 4. Respondent Anthony F. Veteran is the duly elected Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh, New York. 5. Respondent Susan Tolchin is the duly elected Town Clerk of the Town of Greenburgh, New York. 6. Upon information and belief, all of the additional respondents are objectors to the petition to form the proposed village. 7. Pursuant to Village Law Section 2-202, a petition proposing the incorporation of the Village of Mayfair -2- 81 Knollwood within the Town of Greenburgh was filed with the Town of Greenburgh on or about September 14 , 1 988 . Pursuant to Village Law Sections 2-204 and 2-206, a public hearing was held on the proposed village where objectors had an opportunity to and did submit both oral and written objections to the petition proposing the new village. 8. Pursuant to Village Law Section 2-208, the Supervisor is required to render a decision as to the legal sufficiency of the petition. 9. Respondent Veteran, in a decision dated December 1, 1988, rejected the petition proposing the incorporation of the proposed village of Mayfair Knollwood. Supervisor Veteran rejected the petition on the basis both that is was not legally sufficient according to several grounds enumerated in Village Law Section 2-206, and was not legally sufficient in that the proposed village would result in racial discrimination and the violation of civil rights under the Constitution and laws of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of New York. Supervisor Veteran's decision states that the boundaries of the proposed village are gerrymandered in such a way as to constitute a blatant attempt at racial discrimination, and that the intent of those seeking the incorporation of the proposed village is to prevent the construction of transitional housing for homeless families, the majority of which would be made up of blacks and other racial minorities. A copy of the Supervisor's decision appears as _3_ m an exhibit to the Verified Petition annexed hereto as Exhibit B. 10. Pursuant to Village Law Section 2-210, a resident of the area encompassing the proposed village may seek review of a supervisor's decision adverse to a village petition by means of a special proceeding pursuant to Article 78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules of the State of New York. Petitioners Myles Greenberg and Frances M. Mulligan in paragraph 1 of the Verified Petition allege that they seek such a review in the instant proceeding. 11. This action may be removed to this Court by respondents pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Section 1443(2) and 28 U.S.C. Section 1441(b). (a) U.S.C. §1443(2) authorizes removal, in any civil action: "(2) For any act under color of authority derived from any law providing for equal rights, or for refusing to do any act on the ground that it would be inconsistent with such law." As summarized above and as more fully set forth in Supervisor Veteran's decision, the proposed village petition ygs rejected in part on the basis of Federal and State Constitutional and statutory provisions providing for equal rights. Petitioners Myles Greenberg and Francis M. Mulligan thus have brought this Article 78 proceeding for acts or refusals to act by respondents that fall within §1443(2). - 4 - 83 Accordingly, this action may be removed to this Court by respondents pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1443(2). (b) This action also may be removed by respondents, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1441 (b). Petitioners Myles Greenberg and Francis M. Mulligan, in their Article 78 proceeding, purport to assert a claim against respondents under 42 U.S.C. §§1983 and 1988 on the ground that Supervisor Veteran's decision allegedly violated their rights under the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. This cause of action is one of which the district court has original jurisdiction, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1343, founded on a claim or right under the Constitution or laws of the United States. Thus, removal also is proper under 28 U.S.C. §1441 (b) without regard to the citizenship or residence of the parties. 12. There is currently pending in United States District Court for the Southern District of New York a related civil action before Judge Goettel, Case number 88 Civ 7738 (GLG), entitled Yvonne Jones, et al, v. Lawrence Deutsch, et al. , brought by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Coalition for the Homeless, and other plaintiffs, against the proposed village incorporators and Supervisor Veteran seeking declaratory and injunctive relief and monetary damages to prevent the incorporation of the proposed village on the grounds that the incorporation sought is for the purposes racial discrimination and discrimination against homeless -5- 84 persons and is part of a conspiracy to abridge the voting rights, housing rights, and emergency shelter rights of black and homeless persons. Plaintiffs in that action seek a ruling declaring that defendant Veteran has the right and obligation under the Constitution and laws of the United States and the State of New York to deny the petition for the proposed incorporation on those grounds. Plaintiffs in that federal action are named as Respondents in this proceeding and are joining in removal. 13. Respondents Robert Martin Company, Keren Developments, Inc., and Ruth E. Roth are also joining in removal. 14. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1446(d), respondents are filing herewith and present to this Court a bond with good and sufficient surety conditioned that they will pay all costs and disbursements incurred by reason of this removal proceeding : .ould it be determined that this action is not removable or is improperly removed. -6- 85 Accordingly, respondents respectfully request that this action, now pending against them in Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Westchester, be removed to this Court. Dated: Elmsford, New York January 25, 1989 y :/ r ■ ANTHONY F. VETERAN Supervisor ' Cuddy & Feder 90 Maple Avenue White Plains, N.Y. 10601 (914) 761-1300 i / By: RUTH E . ROTH Attorneys for Respondent: Keren Developments, Inc, ROBERT MARTIN COMPANY -7- 86 PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON 1285 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10019 (212) 373-3000 Attorneys for Respondents: Yvonne Jones, Anita Jordan, April Jordan, Latoya Jordan, Anna Ramos, Lizette Ramos, Vanessa Ramos, Gabriel Ramos, Thomas Myers, Lisa Myers, Thomas Myers, Jr., Linda Myers, Shawn Myers, and National Coalition for the Homeless and Local counsel for Respondents: Yvonne Jones, Odell A. Jones, Melvin Dixon, Geri Bacon, Mary Williams, James Hodges and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Inc. White Plains/Greenburgh Branch and Grover G. Hankins, Esq. NAACP, Inc. 4805 Mount Hope Drive Baltimore, Maryland 21215-3297 (301) 486-9191 Attorney for Respondents: Yvonne Jones, Odell A. Jones, Melvin Dixon, Geri Bacon, Mary Williams, James Hodges and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Inc. White Plains/Greenburgh Branch -8- 87 INDIVIDUAL VERIFICATION I, Anthony F. Veteran being duly sworn, deposes and says: that I am the Town Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh a respondent in the within action; I have read the foregoing Verified Petition for Removal of Action from State Court and know the contents thereof; the same is true to my own knowledge except as to matters therein stated to be alleged on information and belief, and to those matters I believe them to be true based on writings and other papers in my possession. STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER Notary Public ANNA C. MATTHewS Nbtary Puttie, State of Nw Ybr* ^ _ Na 60-4359680 in Westchester County 'km Expires August 31. 1969 ANTHONY F. VETERAN Supervisor Sworn to before this day " " 1989 . -9- 88 I, Susan Tolchin being duly sworn, deposes and says: that I am the Town Clerk of the Town of Greenburgh a respondent in the within action; I have read the foregoing Verified Petition for Removal of Action from State Court and know the contents thereof; the same is true to my own knowledge except as to matters therein stated to be alleged on information and belief, and to those matters I believe them to be true based on writings and other papers in my possession. INDIVIDUAL VERIFICATION STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER 'SUSAN TOLCHIN Town Clerk Sworn to before this ^ d a y of , 19 8 9. Notary Public ANNA C. MATTHEWS Notary Public, State of New 'tor* No. 60-4359830 QuaMed in Westchester County lamt Expires August 31, 1989 -10- 89 I, RUTH E. ROTH being duly sworn, deposes and says: that I am a member of the firm of Cuddy & Feeder, attorneys for respondent, Keren Developments, Inc., in the within action; I have read the foregoing Verified Petition for Removal of Action from State Court and know the contents thereof; the same is true to my own knowledge except as to matters therein stated to be alleged on information and belief, and as to those matters I believe them to be true based on writings and other papers provided to me by respondent. The reason why this verification is made by me is that my office is in a different county than that of the respondent. INDIVIDUAL VERIFICATION STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER / ;// k H - RUTH E. ROTH Sworn to before this day of S Notary PuhSic /C r ■ 1989. LAWRENCE J. REISS Notary Public, State of New YbHt No 4838072 Qualified in Westcnester County / Commission Expires September 30, 19_£ -11- 90 X, LLoyp Z- Rodu being duly sworn, deposes and says: that I am an Attorney-in-fact of the Robert Martin Company, a partnership, and a respondent in the within action; I have read the foregoing Verified Petition for Removal of Action from State Court and know the contents thereof; the same is true to my own knowledge except as to matters therein stated to be alleged on information and belief, and to those matters I believe them to be true based on writings and other papers in my possession. PARTNERSHIP VERIFICATION STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER Sworn to before~^.his day ofd s < Notary Public AN N A C . M ATTH EW S Notary P u t t ie . S ta te of N e w V ttfc N a 6 0 -4 3 5 9 8 8 0 Q u a P fle d in W a s te h e e le r County T e rm E x p ir e * A u g u s t 3 1 , 1 9 8 9 -12- P o w e r o f A t t o r n e y 91 1 1987• - L- -)f J £2 7_H3 cl. -■ + > Mi K N O W A L L M E N B Y T H E S E P R E S E N T S , w h i c h a r e i n t e n d e d t o c o n s t i t u t e a G E N E R A L P O W E R O F A T T O R N E Y , p u r s u a n t t o A r t i c l e 5 , T i t l e 1 5 o f t h e N e w Y o r k G e n e r a l O b l i g a t i o n s L a w : T h a t w e , M A R T I N S . B E R G E R a n d R O B E R T F . W E I N B E R G , i n d i v i d u a l l y a n d a s g e n e r a l p a r t n e r s o f R O B E R T M A R T I N C O M P A N Y , e a c h w i t h a n o f f i c e a n d p l a c e o f b u s i n e s s a t 1 0 0 C l e a r b r o o k R o a d , E l m s f o r d , N e w Y o r k 1 0 5 2 3 , d o h e r e b y a p p o i n t B R A D W . B E R G E R , L E E S . N E I B A R T a n d L L O Y D I . R O D S , e a c h w i t h a n o f f i c e a n d p l a c e o f b u s i n e s s a t 1 0 0 C l e a r b r o o k R o a d , E l m s f o r d , N e w Y o r k 1 0 5 2 3 , o u r a t t o r n e y s - i n - f a c t T O A C T S E V E R A L L Y , i n o u r n a m e s , p l a c e s a n d s t e a d i n a n y w a y w h i c h w e o u r s e l v e s c o u l d d o , i f w e w e r e p e r s o n a l l y p r e s e n t , t o t h e e x t e n t p e r m i t t e d b y l a w t o a c t t h r o u g h a n a g e n t . W e w i l l n o t q u e s t i o n t h e s u f f i c i e n c y o f a n y i n s t r u m e n t e x e c u t e d b y o u r s a i d a t t o r n e y s - i n - f a c t p u r s u a n t t o t h i s p o w e r n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g t h a t t h e i n s t r u m e n t f a i l s t o r e c i t e t h e c o n s i d e r a t i o n t h e r e f o r o r r e c i t e s m e r e l y a n o m i n a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n ; a n y p e r s o n d e a l i n g w i t h t h e s u b j e c t m a t t e r o f s u c h i n s t r u m e n t m a y d o s o a s i f f u l l c o n s i d e r a t i o n t h e r e f o r h a d b e e n e x p r e s s e d t h e r e i n . T o i n d u c e a n y t h i r d p a r t y t o a c t h e r e u n d e r , w e h e r e b y a g r e e t h a t a n y t h i r d p a r t y r e c e i v i n g a d u l y e x e c u t e d c o p y o r f a c s i m i l e o f t h i s i n s t r u m e n t m a y a c t h e r e u n d e r , a n d t h a t r e v o c a t i o n o r t e r m i n a t i o n h e r e o f s h a l l b e i n e f f e c t i v e a s t o s u c h t h i r d p a r t y u n l e s s a n d u n t i l a c t u a l n o t i c e o r k n o w l e d g e o f s u c h r e v o c a t i o n o r t e r m i n a t i o n s h a l l h a v e b e e n r e c e i v e d b y s u c h t h i r d p a r t y , a n d e a c h o f u s , f o r o u r s e l v e s a n d o u r h e i r s , e x e c u t o r s , l e g a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s a n d a s s i g n s , h e r e b y a g r e e t o i n d e m n i f y a n d h o l d h a r m l e s s a n y s u c h t h i r d p a r t y f r o m a n d a g a i n s t a n y a n d a l l c l a i m s t h a t m a y a r i s e a g a i n s t s u c h t h i r d p a r t y b y r e a s o n o f s u c h t h i r d p a r t y h a v i n g r e l i e d o n t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f t h i s i n s t r u m e n t . T h i s P o w e r o f A t t o r n e y s h a l l n o t b e a f f e c t e d b y t h e s u b s e q u e n t d i s a b i l i t y o r i n c o m p e t e n c e o f e i t h e r o f t h e p r i n c i p a l s . I N W I T N E S S W H E R E O F , w e h a v e h e r e u n t o s i g n e d o u r n a m e s t h i s / C ™ d a y o f N o v e m b e r , 1 9 8 7 . / ' Ma r t i n s / B e r G e r ^ A c7 i v f .( (■ i c A- R O B E R T F . W E I N B E R G S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ) : s s C O U N T Y O F W E S T C H E S T E R ) O n t h e 10— d a y o f N o v e m b e r , 1 9 8 7 , b e f o r e m e p e r s o n a l l y c a m e M A R T I N S . B E R G E R a n d R O B E R T F . W E I N B E R G , t o m e k n o w n , a n d k n o w n b y m e t o b e t h e i n d i v i d u a l s d e s c r i b e d i n a n d w h o e x e c u t e d t h e f o r e g o i n g P o w e r o f A t t o r n e y , a n d t h e y a c k n o w l e d g e d t o m e t h a t t h e y e x e c u t e d s a m e i n t h e i r i n d i v i d u a l c a p a c i t i e s a n d a s g e n e r a l p a r t n e r s o f R o b e r t M a r t i n C o m p a n y . Li Ok- N o t a r y P u b l i c R e c o r d & R e t u r n T o : L l o y d I . R o o s , E s q . V i c e P r e s i d e n t & G e n e r a l C o u n s e l 1 0 0 C l e a r b r o o k R o a d E l m s f o r d , N e w Y o r k 1 0 5 2 3 f O M AM M W L k M . H m v t P uW h SsSau ' LiX j j r f . 92 INDIVIDUAL VERIFICATION I, RUTH E. ROTH being duly sworn, deposes and says: that I am a respondent in the within action; I have read the foregoing Verified Petition for Removal of Action from State Court and know the contents thereof; the same is true to my own knowledge except as to matters therein stated to be alleged on information and belief, and to those matters I believe them to be true based on writings and other papers in my possession. STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER Sworn,to before this y - day of . / . 7 1989 . Notary Public? Uueirfied in W estchester County Comrrtienon E -13- 93 Attorney's Verification Jay L. Himes, an attorney admitted to practice in the courts of the State of New York affirms under the penalties of perjury that he is the attorney for the respondent Yvonne Jones and others aforesaid in this proceeding; that the foregoing petition yg ptue to his own Knowledge except as to matters stated lO be upon information and belief; that as to those matters he believes them to be true based on writings and other papers furnished to h-i m tv resoondents; and that the reason why the verification is made by him is that his office is in a differrent county than ■respondents. STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK ' T L / b / JAY L. HIMES / -14- 94 EXHIBIT A List of Additional Respondents Reproduced at Pages 5 to 30 of this Appendix. 95 EXHIBIT B Notice of Petition, Verified Petition, Petitioners' Memorandum of Law Reproduced at pages 3, 34, and 62 respectively, of this Appendix. and 96 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK In the Matter of the Application of MYLES GREENBERG and FRANCES M. MULLIGAN, Petitioners, -against- ANTHONY F. VETERAN, et al., Respondents. 89 Civ. 0591 (GLG) O P I N I O N X a p p e a r a n c e s : Counsel for Petitioners: LOVETT & GOULD 180 East Post Road White Plains, New York 10601 By: Jonathan Lovett, Esq. Of Counsel Counsel for Respondents Anthony F. Veteran and Susan Tolchin: PAUL AGRESTA, ESQ. Town Attorney Town of Greenburgh P.O. Box 205 Elmsford, New York 10523 Counsel for Respondents Keren Developments, Inc. and Robert Martin Company: CUDDY & FEDER 90 Maple Avenue White Plains, New York 10601 By: Ruth E. Roth, Esq. Of Counsel Counsel for Respondent Ruth E. Roth (Pro Se): RUTH E. ROTH, ESQ. 90 Maple Avenue White Plains, New York 10601 97 Counsel for Respondents Anita Jordan, April Jordan, Latoya Jordan, Anna Ramos, Lizette Ramos, Vanessa Ramos, Gabriel Ramos, Thomas Myers, Lisa Myers, Thomas Myers, Jr., Linda Myers, Shawn Myers, and National Coalition for the Homeless: -and- Local Counsel for Respondents Yvonne Jones, Odell A. Jones, Melvin Dixon, Geri Bacon, Mary Williams, James Hodges and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Inc. White Plains/Greenburgh Branch: PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON 1285 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10019 By: Jay L. Himes, Esq. Cameron Clark, Esq. Melinda S. Levine, Esq. William N. Gerson, Esq. Of Counsel Counsel for Respondents Yvonne Jones, Odell A. Jones, Melvin Dixon, Geri Bacon, Mary Williams, James Hodges and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Inc. White Plains/Greenburgh Branch: GROVER G. HANKINS, ESQ. NAACP, Inc. 4805 Mount Hope Drive Baltimore, Maryland 21215-3297 By: Robert M. Hayes, Esq. Virginia G. Shubert, Esq. COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS 105 East 22nd Street New York, New York 10Q10 Julius L. Chambers, Esq. John Charles Boger, Esq. Sherrilyn Ifill, Esq. 99 Hudson Street New York, New York 10013 Andrew M. Cuomo, Esq. 12 East 33rd Street - 6th Floor New York, New York 10016 Of Counsel 98 G 0 E T T E L, D. J. : Federalism is a concept whose vitality is perceived by some to be rather fluid. There are those, for example, who believe it worthy only of lip service and that, as a general proposition, if a matter may be brought in a court it may be brought in federal court. To that thinking, the retort is quite simple: "federal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction."1 Still others, while cognizant of the notion's existence, perceive its recognition as "seasonal" in nature, going in and out of style with the philosophical predilections of a given administration and the quantity and temperament of its judicial appointments. As to that point of view, we note only that the document serving as federalism's source is entitled to greater deference than the whims of current majoritarian thinking. There are those, however, who share our view that federalism is a neutral constant of federal jurisprudence, the necessary product of our dualist system. The proceeding before us is rife with federalist implications, and it is our recognition of and respect for those concerns which shapes and guides our handling of the matter. New York has provided an avenue for judicial review of state and municipal administrative action under N.Y. Civ. Prac. L. & R. ("NYCPLR") §§ 7801-06 (McKinney 1981 & Supp. 1989), the so-called Article 78 proceeding. Judicial review under these provisions Owen Equip. & Erection Co. v. Kroger. 437 U.S. 365, 374 (1978) . 1 99 generally is limited to determining whether the official's actions constituted an abuse of discretion, were unsupported by sufficient evidence, or were contrary to existing law. Id. at § 7803. Although an Article 78 proceeding cannot be initiated in federal court, Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R.R. Co. v. Stude. 346 U.s. 574, 581 (1954) , it is contended that such a proceeding nonetheless may be removed here so long as a federal question is asserted in the Article 78 petition — apparently no matter how tangential or attenuated — or if the respondents allegedly were acting pursuant to federal law protecting equal rights — even if that law parallels similar state law mandating like action. As will become clear, we harbor certain reservations as to this interest in "federalizing" Article 78 proceedings generally and this proceeding in particular. Fortunately, at least in this case a solution presents itself. Animated chiefly by due respect for the principles of comity and federalism that serve as the essential bedrock for healthy federal-state relations, we find that abstention is proper in this case and, consequently, we remand the matter sua sponte to the court from whence it originated and belongs (in our view) — the New York Supreme Court for the County of Westchester. I. I . BACKGROUND This case, at its core, is unmistakably a product of the "NIMBY Syndrome" — i.e., that syndrome triggered by proposals to locate prisons, public housing, waste facilities, and other such 2 100 community additions usually perceived by the targeted community as undesirable, the abiding characteristic of which is to ensure that the proposed facility be placed somewhere if it must but "Not In My BackYard." The public project at issue here is the proposed construction of emergency housing for the homeless. In January of last year, the Town of Greenburgh, in conjunction with the County of Westchester, proposed to build emergency or "transitional" housing to accommodate 108 homeless families on land owned by the County in the Town. The proposed developer is West H.E.L.P., Inc. ("West HELP"), a not-for-profit corporation formed for the express purpose of constructing housing for the homeless of Westchester County. It is generally acknowledged that the vast majority of homeless people who would qualify for residence in the West HELP project are minorities, specifically blacks. In response to that announcement, a number of Greenburgh residents living in the area immediately surrounding or adjacent to the proposed site formed the Coalition of United Peoples, Inc. ("COUP"). COUP'S purpose, de facto or otherwise, is to coordinate opposition to the West HELP project and, most importantly, to ensure that the project is not constructed in COUP'S backyard. As part of those efforts, COUP began a drive under N.Y. Village Law §§ 2-200 to 2-258 (McKinney 1973 & Supp. 1989) (the "Village Law") to incorporate an area encompassing the proposed West HELP project as a separate village to be denominated the Village of Mayfair 3 101 Knollwood.2 On September 14, 1988, pursuant to section 2-202 of the Village Law, COUP presented an incorporation petition to Greenburgh Town Supervisor Tony Veteran, whose responsibility it is in the first instance to determine whether the petition complies with the requirements of the Village Law. In accord with section 2-204 of the Village Law, a public hearing on the matter was conducted on November 1 at which oral testimony was received. Town Supervisor Veteran then adjourned conclusion of the hearing until November 21 for the sole purpose of entertaining written comments on the petition. Also on November 1, and prior to any decision by Town Supervisor Veteran on the merits of the petition, various citizens of the Town of Greenburgh, a number of homeless people living in Westchester County, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the National Coalition for the Homeless joined forces as plaintiffs in a federal action in this court against COUP, certain of its members, and Town Supervisor Veteran. Jones v. Deutsch. No. 88 Civ. 7738 (GLG). The complaint alleges, inter alia, a civil rights conspiracy amongst the named defendants pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1985, the ostensible purpose of which is to deprive plaintiffs of voting, housing, and emergency-shelter Just how incorporation of the proposed village would obstruct construction of housing for the homeless on what is admittedly County-owned property is not entirely clear to us. Presumably, COUP believes that leaders of the newly formed village would be able to so bog down and delay approval of necessary zoning and other permits that pursuit of the project would b e c o m e undesirable. 4 102 rights grounded in federal and state law. Plaintiffs also sought a declaratory judgment directing that Town Supervisor Veteran reject the allegedly discriminatory incorporation petition, contending that such a result would be consistent with the proper execution of his oath of office. The COUP defendants moved to dismiss that action on various grounds (among them ripeness and standing). The motion was adjourned sine die pending determination of the instant matter, which had been removed to this court during the interim. Town Supervisor Veteran, apparently not in need of a federal court order controlling his actions, issued a decision on December 1, 1988 rejecting COUP'S incorporation petition (the "December 1 Decision"). In a carefully worded opinion, six specific grounds were enumerated as the bases for the decision: (1) the proposed boundaries are not described with "common certainty," as required by section 2-202 of the Village Law; (2) the proposed boundaries, where ascertainable, evidence an intent to discriminate and are gerrymandered to exclude black residents, rendering the petition violative of "rights granted by the federal and state constitutions"; (3) the petition was prepared for the invidious purpose of "preventing the construction of transitional housing for homeless families," rendering it violative of "rights granted by the federal and state constitutions"; (4) substantial petition signatures were obtained under false pretenses; 5 103 (5) substantial petition signatures are irregular; and (6) numerous Town residents (particularly newer residents) are not identified as would-be inhabitants of the proposed village, as required by section 2-202 of the Village Law.3 Under the express provision of section 2-210 of the Village Law, review of a town supervisor's decision on an incorporation petition may be had only through an Article 78 proceeding on grounds that the decision "is illegal, based on insufficient evidence, or contrary to the weight of evidence." Eleven days after Town Supervisor Veteran issued his decision on the COUP petition, two COUP members instituted an Article 78 proceeding in New York Supreme Court challenging that decision. On January 30 of this year, the respondents in that proceeding filed a petition for removal in the Southern District of New York, designating the matter as related to the pending Deutsch action. Urging that the December 1 Decision be reversed and the petition to incorporate the Village of Mayfair Knollwood be sustained, the Article 78 petition sets forth five specific bases allegedly supporting the relief requested: (1) since section 2-206(3) of the Village Law requires that testimony offered at a petition hearing "must be in writing" and that the "burden of proof shall be on objectors," and since only oral testimony was taken at the November 1 hearing, Veteran's Principally as a result of that action, an amended complaint was filed in the Deutsch action which, inter alia, drops defendant Veteran as a member of the alleged civil rights conspiracy. 6 104 actions were contrary to the requirements of the Village Law and thus illegal or, alternatively, his decision was not supported b y sufficient evidence; (2) since a town supervisor's authority under section 2-206 of the Village Law to review incorporation petitions allegedly is strictly ministerial (i.e ., limited to assessing the validity of only those objections related to petition requirements set forth by the statute), and because the statute does not provide for an examination of or inquiry into the petitioners' intent, Veteran's decision is illegal because it went beyond the scope of his ministerial authority or, alternatively, his perceptions of discriminatory intent are not supported by sufficient evidence; (3) since under section 2-206 of the Village Law the sole evidence Veteran purportedly was allowed to consider was that adduced at the November 1 public hearing and reduced to writing, his reliance on material received during the period he allowed for further written comment between November 1 through 21 renders his decision illegal or, alternatively, contrary to the weight of the objecting evidence received at the November 1 hearing; (4) since no objections allegedly were filed with respect to the means by which petition signatures were gathered or as to the sufficiency of the list of regular inhabitants, Veteran's decision is illegal or is unsupported by sufficient evidence; and (5) since the petitioners' opinions, motives, or intentions are matters allegedly protected by the First Amendment of the 7 105 United States Constitution, Veteran’s decision violates those rights.4 Freely expressing our doubt as to the propriety of removal in this case, a conference in chambers was scheduled to discuss, inter alia. (i) whether, as a general proposition, Article 78 proceedings may be removed to federal court, (ii) if so, whether removal in this case is justified under either of the pertinent statutory provisions invoked, to be discussed infra, and (iii) whether, assuming the instant proceeding can be removed, principles of abstention dictate that we stay our hand or dismiss in deference to a state proceeding addressing some or all of the issues raised. Memoranda and letters on these subjects were submitted to the court prior and subsequent to the scheduled conference. Generally, all parties are of the belief that the Article 78 proceeding at bar could be and properly was removed, and only counsel for the Article 78 petitioners expressed any concern as to possible abstention implications. In sum, it is readily apparent that the parties are content to be before this court and believe that this court is the proper forum in which to address the Article 78 matter; no motion to remand is contemplated. Notwithstanding this state of affairs, but consistent with the primacy of this court's obligation to protect its jurisdiction, the court has engaged in its own research As discussed infra. we add only that it appears c e r t a i n of the questions bearing on the legality of the procedures e m p l o y e d and whether Veteran exceeded the scope of his authority under the Village Law are unsettled questions of New York law (indeed, from what we are told by petitioners' counsel, certain of the state questions may be matters of first impression). 8 106 on the matter. See Railway Co. v. Ramsey. 89 U.S. (22 Wall.) 322, 328 (1874) (noting court's authority to remand sua sponte if jurisdiction is found lacking); Cutler v. Rae, 48 U.S. (7 How.) 729, 731 (1849) (holding consent of parties does not confer federal jurisdiction; it remains "duty of this court to take notice of the want of jurisdiction, without waiting for an objection from either party"). Finding that, even if this proceeding properly was removed, we should abstain pursuant to familiar jurisprudential considerations, we now remand this proceeding sua sponte. See Corcoran v. Ardra Ins. Co. . 842 F.2d 31, 36-37 (2d Cir. 1988) (holding "that when the district court may properly abstain from adjudicating a removed case, it has the power to remand the case to state court"). II. II. DISCUSSION The right to remove a state case to federal court is, of course, a unique incident to our federalist system with no antecedent at common law. Consequently, removal must be founded upon one of the statutory bases provided by Congress. Gold-Washing and Water Co. v. Keves. 96 U.S. 199, 201 (1877). The instant petition invokes two such statutory provisions. First, the Article 78 respondents contend that removal is warranted under the infrequently utilized "refusal clause" of the civil rights removal statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1443(2). Second, it is contended that the assertion of the First Amendment challenge to the December 1 Decision presents a federal question and warrants removal under the 9 107 general federal removal statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1441(b). We consider each of these provisions in turn. a. 28 U.S.C. <5 M A 2 1 2 1 Respondents devote the lion's share of their argument to the propriety of removal in this case under the refusal clause of the civil rights removal statute. The refusal clause permits removal in those cases where a person acting "under color of authority" is "refusing to do any act on the ground that it would be inconsistent with [federal law providing for equal rights]." Of the precedent that exists construing this awkwardly worded statute, perhaps the two leading decisions were rendered by two of this circuit's most learned and respected jurists. Certainly, the most complete analysis of the statute provided to date in any circuit is then District Judge Newman's opinion in Bridgeport Edu. Ass'n v. Zinner, 415 F. Supp. 715 (D. Conn. 1976), which sets out the criteria to be employed in a refusal clause analysis. Generally adopting what he termed Judge Newman's "exhaustive and scholarly review of the subject," now Chief Judge Brieant, sitting by designation and writing for the two-member majority in White v. Wellington, 627 F.2d 582 (2d Cir. 1980), succinctly summarized the relevant inquiry: the refusal clause "may be invoked when the removing defendants [state or municipal officials] make a colorable claim that they are being sued for not acting 'pursuant to a state law which, though facially neutral, would produce or perpetuate a racially discriminatory result as 10 108 applied.'" Id. at 586 (quoting Zinner. 415 F. Supp. at 722). The statute is exceptional in that it allows the presence of a federal defense to control the question of jurisdiction. Zinner. 415 F. Supp. at 723 n. 7 (citing Louisville & Nashville R.R. v. Mottlev. 211 U.S. 149 (1908)). Recognizing, we think, that the statute, if left open-ended, could lead to the "federalization" of standard state cases involving challenges to official state or municipal action, an important limitation (consistent with the existing legislative history) has been read into the law's meaning. To state a "colorable claim" under the statute, the removal petition must contain a good faith allegation that there exists a conflict between the state law in issue and a federal law protecting equal rights. As Chief Judge Brieant put it, the removal petition must allege "a colorable claim of inconsistent state/federal requirements." Wellington. 627 F.2d at 587. See also Armeno v. Bridgeport Civil Serv. Comm'n. 446 F. Supp. 553, 557 (D. Conn. 1978) (Newman, J.) (noting refusal clause permits removal when official "declined to observe state requirements that he believes are inconsistent with the obligations imposed on him by a federal law protecting equal rights"). The basis of the conflict requirement seems self-evident: without a colorable federal-state conflict, the need to remove to federal court to ensure the proper vindication of superior federal mandates is not manifested. When federal and state interests are compatible, the state court is poised to assure that the defendant's parallel justification for 11 109 action under state law is given proper consideration. cf. Mg.11 ington, 627 F . 2d at 590 (Kaufman, J. , concurring) (state officials will seek "extraordinary" option of removal under the refusal clause and forego the familiar confines of a state forum "because the federal issue they seek to litigate is so substantial"). Indeed, Judge Meskill, dissenting in Wellington, characterized the colorable conflict requirement as the "jurisdictional touchstone" under the refusal clause. Wellington. 627 F.2d at 592. The Wellington majority concurred with that assessment: We agree fully with Judge Meskill's description of the "jurisdictional touchstone" as "a colorable conflict between state and federal law" leading to the removing defendant's_ refusal to follow plaintiff's interpretation of state law because of a good faith belief that to do so would violate federal law. That good faith belief is tested objectively, in that the claim to that effect of the removing defendant must be "colorable." Id. at 586-87. Where the majority and dissent parted ways was on what would constitute a "colorable conflict." In that case, the defendants had phrased their removal petition in the alternative; i.e., they contended that they had not violated the applicable state statute or, if it were found that they had, then they acted as they did for to do otherwise would have been inconsistent with the requirements of federal law protecting equal rights. Judge Meskill felt that alternative allegations of this nature did not justify removal under the exceptional provisions of the refusal clause. Id. at 591. The majority, however, found "no reason why 12 no a removal petition cannot contain inconsistent allegations in the nature, here, of a traditional plea of confession and avoidance without confession," so long as the petition contains "a colorable claim of inconsistent state/federal requirements." Id. at 587. Put differently, the contrary nature of state law need not be a matter definitively resolved, so long as the defendant alternatively can assert in good faith a colorable claim of conflict with federal law. Id. at 590 (Kaufman, J., concurring). Guided by these holdings, we find that a colorable conflict between federal and state law is neither asserted in the instant petition nor can such a conflict in good faith be found to exist. As outlined supra. Town Supervisor Veteran denied the incorporation petition on six enumerated grounds. Only grounds (2) and (3) implicate federal concerns relating to equal rights; the remaining grounds for denial are largely ministerial in nature, based entirely on the filing requirements of New York's Village Law. Grounds (2) and (3), however, each conclude that even though the Village Law "does not specifically address itself to the 'intent' of the petitioners, I firmly believe that the rights granted by the federal and state constitutions transcend the procedural technicalities set forth in the Village Law." December 1 Decision f 2, at 4; id, f 3, at 6. The referenced constitutional protections are not identified in either the December 1 Decision or the removal petition, but it seems plain that the allusions are 13 Ill to the Fourteenth Amendment's command of equal protection.5 Thus, respondents conclude, the Village Law, though neutral on its face, would produce a discriminatory result if applied in ignorance of federal constitutional proscriptions, and therein rests the * & Citing only Gomillion v. Lightfoot. 364 U.S. 339 (1960), respondents' memorandum notes simply that "Supervisor Veteran relied on federal constitutional protections against race discrimination . . . [and] [t]here can be no genuine doubt that these provisions are laws 'providing for equal civil rights.'" Respondents' Conference Memorandum at 9. See also Town of Greenburgh's Memorandum at 4 (same). Gomillion struck down a gerrymandered plan redefining the boundaries of the City of Tuskegee, Alabama as violative of the Fifteenth Amendment. That amendment provides that the right of citizens to vote shall not be denied on account of race or color. Justice Whittaker, noting that the Gomillion plaintiffs were not being denied their right to vote "in the Fifteenth Amendment sense" (i.e., they could still vote, albeit not within the newly defined city limits), concurred in the decision but on grounds that the "fencing out" of black citizens "is an unlawful segregation of races of citizens, in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment . . . ." Id. at 349. Although of no moment, we think Justice Whittaker makes a cogent point. More importantly, however, it has been suggested that the Supreme Court has come ultimately to embrace Justice Whittaker's analysis. See Karcher v. Daggett. 462 U.S. 725, 748 (1983) (Stevens, J., concurring) (noting "the Court has subsequently treated Gomillion as though it had been decided on equal protection grounds") (citing Whitcomb v. Chavis. 403 U.S. 124, 149 (1971)). Accord City of Mobile v. Bolden. 446 U.S. 55, 86-87 & n.7 (1980) (Stevens, J., concurring). We will not belabor the reader with citation to a number of Court cases, both majority and concurring opinions, which have cited Gomillion in the Fourteenth Amendment context. Suffice it to say that gerrymandering by race, although a Fifteenth Amendment violation under Gomillion, certainly falls within the reach of the Equal Protection Clause as well. That additional support could be especially pertinent here since those who would be excluded from the allegedly gerrymandered boundaries of the Village of Mayfair Knollwood would not, unlike the plaintiffs in Gomillion. be deprived of their pre-existing right to vote (here, in the Town of Greenburgh) . See especially Caserta v. Village of Dickinson. 491 F. Supp. 500, 506 n.14 (S.D. Tex. 1980) (distinguishing Gomillion since excluded plaintiffs retained their pre-existing right to vote; *'[t]hose not within the Village of Dickinson boundaries have merely maintained their status quo as members of Galveston County"), aff'd in relevant part, 672 F .2d 431, 432-33 (5th Cir. 1982). 14 1 12 colorable conflict. Respondents' Conference Memorandum at 8-9. Whether or not this is so, however, we believe respondents' argument misses a crucial point. Wellington repeatedly references and requires a conflict between federal and "state law," not a state law or statute. The corpus of pertinent "state law" under Wellington. it seems to us, must necessarily include state constitutional law, for it is a fundamental maxim of any constitutional society, as New York is, that constitutional mandates govern and delimit legislative and regulatory enactments of the majority. Thus, at least one New York court has noted that incorporation petitions, even if in compliance with the ministerial requirements of the Village Law, will not be sustained if their end is that of advancing racial discrimination. In re Rose. 61 Misc.2d 377, 305 N.Y.S.2d 721, 723 (Sup. Ct. 1969), aff'd mem., 36 A.D.2d 1025, 322 N.Y.S.2d 1000 (2d Dep't 1981).6 Although state law in such a case may be found by resort to the State Constitution, as opposed to the Village Law, it is "state law" nonetheless which forbids the invidious result. As is made plain by the December 1 Decision, Town Supervisor Veteran relied on both the Federal and State Constitutions in rejecting the petition. No conflict between the pertinent federal and state constitutional provisions was perceived by Supervisor Veteran; he acted at the command of both. See especially Whether a town supervisor, as opposed to the courts, has authority to make that determination was not discussed in Rose and is not addressed here. 15 113 Wellington, 627 F.2d at 587 (central inquiry is whether official subjectively believed an actual conflict between federal and state law existed); id̂ . at 590 (Kaufman, J., concurring) (same). Nor is any such conflict to be found by reference to existing state law; federal and New York constitutional law governing equal protection are in harmony. See Seaman v. Fedourich. 16 N.Y.2d 94, 262 N.Y.S .2d 444, 450 (1965) (noting New York's equal protection clause, embodied in N.Y. Const, art. 1, § 11, "is as broad in its coverage as that of the Fourteenth Amendment"); Dorsey v. Stuyvesant Town Corp., 299 N.Y. 512, 530 (1949) (holding protection afforded by New York's equal protection clause is coextensive with that granted by Fourteenth Amendment), cert, denied. 339 U.S. 981 (1950) . The case at bar, therefore, is readily distinguishable from Cavanaqh v . Brock, 577 F. Supp. 176 (E.D.N.C. 1983) (three-judge panel), a case cited by respondents. Removal in that case was permitted under the refusal clause because the removing defendants argued that the relevant provisions of the North Carolina Constitution, which were alleged to be in conflict with the Fourteenth Amendment, either had been rescinded or, if in effect, could not be complied with due to the contrary dictates of the Federal Constitution. Id. at 179-80. Here, the Equal Protection Clause will embrace whatever discrimination allegedly would have occurred, supra note 5, and Seaman and Dorsey make plain that the corollary state constitutional provision is at least as broad as its federal counterpart. Thus, if Town Supervisor Veteran was 16 114 required by the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to act as he did, he similarly would be required to so act by the equal protection clause of the New York Constitution since the latter is to be read in pari materia with its federal relation. Certainly, notwithstanding Supervisor Veteran's belief that he was complying with state constitutional law, respondents' ability to remove this case under the refusal clause is not lost if the removal petition contains an allegation based on that belief. Such is the teaching of Wellington. Respondents, however, must in good faith be able to plead alternatively that if they were not acting in accordance with state law, then their refusal to so act was the product of conflict between federal and state mandates. Wellington, 627 F.2d at 587. No such good faith assertion can be made here, Federal and state law are coextensive in this area. See also Fed. R. Civ. P. 11 (requiring that any "pleading, motion, or other paper" submitted to the court and signed by an attorney be grounded in good faith belief that its substance is warranted by facts, law, or good faith argument for the law's modification). The jurisdictional paragraph of the removal petition acknowledges this reality. See Verified Petition for Removal f 11, at 4-5 ("proposed village petition was rejected in part on the basis of federal and state Constitutional and statutory provisions providing for equal rights . . . [and,] [a]ccordingly, this action may be removed to this Court by respondents pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1443(2)") (emphasis added). The petition's conclusion, however, does not state the law. If it did, then in every case challenging 17 115 state or municipal action relying on federal authority parallelling cited state law, the case could be removed to federal court. This is not the conundrum contemplated by the refusal clause; indeed, it is no conundrum at all. Federal and state law must not merely parallel one another; they must be in conflict (or, more accurately, there must be a good faith allegation of conflict). See especially In re Quirk. 549 F. Supp. 1236, 1241 (S.D.N.Y. 1982) (refusal clause satisfied since colorable conflict existed between federal court order and New York civil service law); In re Buffalo Teachers Fed'n. 477 F. Supp. 691, 694 (W.D.N.Y. 1979) (removal under refusal clause appropriate since "state defendant caught between the conflicting reguirements of a Federal [court] order and of state law"); Zinner. 415 F. Supp. at 718 (noting refusal clause "'intended to enable state officers, who shall refuse to enforce state laws discriminating in reference to [civil rights] on account of race or color, to remove these cases to the United States courts when prosecuted for refusing to enforce those laws'") (quoting Cong. Globe, 39th Cong., 1st Sess. 1115 (1863) (statement of Rep. Wilson)). Contrasted with those scenarios, respondents here are being prosecuted for having acted as they saw fit under the State's equal protection clause, not for having failed to do so, and that provision tracks its federal namesake. Consequently, we find that there is no colorable conflict between federal and state law in this case, and that removal, if 18 116 justified here, must be found for reasons other than those provided under the refusal clause . 7 b. 28 U.S.C. S 1441fb) Under 28 U.S.C. § 1441(b), "[a]ny civil action of which the district courts have original jurisdiction founded on a claim or right arising under the Constitution, treaties or laws of the United States shall be removable without regard to the citizenship or residence of the parties.” Clearly, the assertion of the First Amendment claim in the petition presents a federal question. We are not so sure, however, that an Article 78 proceeding automatically qualifies as a "civil action" under the removal statute. The term "civil action" (or the predecessor term "civil suit") has been capaciously defined. Thus, the Supreme Court has opined that appeals from state or municipal administrative action via writ of prohibition or mandamus may qualify for removal: The principle to be deduced from [our] cases is, that a proceeding, not in a court of justice, but carried on by executive officers in the exercise of their proper functions, as Our decision on the refusal clause might appear gratuitous in light of our holding infra that, even if this case was properly removed, principles of abstention warrant a remand. Our ruling on the abstention/remand, however, might be different were we to find that the case could be removed under the refusal clause. Congress's explicit determination that state officials facing the type of federal-state conflict outlined above should be afforded the option of a Federal forum would inevitably color an abstention analysis. Respect for the state interests outlined infra might very well have to give way in such a circumstance to the overarching federal concern. Federalism (and respect for it) does, after all, have a federal as well as state component. 19 117 in the valuation of property for the just distribution ̂of taxes or assessments, is purely administrative in its character, and cannot, in any just sense, be called a suit; and that an appeal in such a case, to a board of ̂assessors or commissioners having no judicial powers, and only authorized to determine questions of quantity, proportion and value, is not a suit; but that such an aPPeal may become a suit, if made to a court or tribunal having power to determine questions of law and fact, either with or without a jury, and there are parties litigant to contest the case on the one side and the other. Upshur County v.__Rich, 135 U.S. 467, 475 (1890). Accord Commissioners of Road Improvement Dist. No. 2 v, St. Louis s . w. Eili—Co^, 2 5 7 U.S. 5 4 7 , 5 5 7 , 5 5 9 ( 1 9 2 2 ) . Cf. Weston v. City Council of— Charleston, 2 7 U.S. (2 Pet.) 4 4 9 , 4 6 4 ( 1 8 2 9 ) (the term "civil su^̂ ',n -*-n defining Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction over state cases, is a comprehensive one including various modes of proceeding; so long as an adversary proceeding inter partes. it qualifies as a "civil suit"). That said, it is beyond cavil that a statutory appeal of administrative state action, whether or not it involves diverse parties or a federal question, may not be filed in federal court. D.gpa^tmen t _o_f_Transp._and Dev, of Louisiana v. Beaird-Poulan. Inc., 449 U.S. 971, 973-74 (1980) (Rhenquist, J., dissenting from denial of certiorari) (citing Stude, 346 U.S. at 581). Following from that principle, we doubt that Congress intended the term "civil action" under the removal statute to be so sponge-like as to allow its absorption of every conceivable type of proceeding involving appeal from state or municipal administrative action which touches 20 118 upon a federal question. To believe otherwise is to suggest that Congress was ignorant of notions of comity and federalism that are such an important part of our constitutional and jurisprudential fabric. Cf. St. Louis S.W. Rv., 257 U.S. at 554 ("[a]n administrative proceeding transferred to a court usually becomes gjudicial, although not necessarily so") (emphasis added). In New York, an Article 78 proceeding, although admittedly civil in nature, is manifestly circumscribed by the terms of the statute, and it possesses numerous indicia distinguishing it from a typical inter partes civil action. It is a self-styled "special proceeding," NYCPLR § 7804(a), designed to supplant the previous writs of certiorari, mandamus, and prohibition, id. at § 7801. Consequently, and consistent with the predecessor writs, the scope of review in an Article 78 proceeding is narrowly confined, id. at § 7803, and the relief recoverable is limited, id. at § 7806. A number of other substantive and procedural irregularities are unique to this form of proceeding. See especially NYCPLR § 103 (expressly noting distinction between "civil action" and "special 8 8 Indeed, the proper application in the modern context of 19th-Century Court precedent defining "civil action" is a matter not free from doubt. Those Courts could not possibly have envisioned the rise of populism, the demise of economic due process, and ultimately the advent of the New Deal, all of which radically changed economic life and governance in this society. Mirroring the federal model produced by the New Deal, a multitude of administrative agencies now permeate the ranks of state decisionmaking. In that context, we think it a legitimate question to wonder whether the Supreme Court and/or the Congress believe it appropriate to define expansively the term "civil action" so as to allow the universal removal of garden-variety appeals from state administrative action. 21 119 proceeding," and vesting courts with authority to convert a special proceeding into a civil action if nature of claim or relief sought goes beyond confines of the former); J. Weinstein, H. Korn, & a. Miller, New York Civil Practice §§ 7801-06 (1988 & Supp. Dec. 1988) (discussing nature of Article 78 proceeding); D. Siegel, Handbook on-New York Civil Practice §§ 557-70 (1978 & Supp. 1988) (same) . 9 Given the unique nature of the action, the fingerprints of federalism inevitably will be so spread upon an Article 78 proceeding that we doubt the proceeding ordinarily can be wiped clean of its essential state administrative character by the mere presence of a federal question, no matter how insignificant, and be rendered removable thereby. Therefore, to permit generally the removal of Article 78 proceedings under 28 U.S.C. § 1441 is, we think, to invite disruption with well-settled notions of comity and federalism. See, _e. g . , Crivello v. Board of Adjustment. 183 F. Supp. 826, 828 (D.N.J. 1960) (holding appeal of state administrative action via writ of certiorari, although nominally denominated a "civil action at law," did not constitute a "civil action" as that term is used under the general removal statute) ; Collins v.— Public Serv. Comm'n of Missouri. 129 F. Supp. 722, 725 Thus, for example, an Article 78 proceeding is far different from the administrative "appeal" at issue in Horton v. Liberty Mutual Ins._Co., 367 U.S. 348 (1961). The Court there held that a challenge to a Texas administrative determination on a worker's compensation claim could be filed in Federal court as a "civil action" on grounds of diversity, but only because Texas law provides that such a challenge "is not an appellate proceeding[; ] [i]t is a trial de novo wholly without reference to what may have been decided by the [Texas Industrial Accident] Board." Id. at 354-55 (emphasis added). 22 120 (W.D. Mo. 1955) (finding appeal of state administrative action by writ of certiorari to county court "was a mere continuation of the administrative proceeding" and, thus, could not be removed). But City o f ,Owatonna v. Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R.R. Co.r 298 F. Supp. 919, 922 (D. Minn. 1969) (and cases cited therein) . 10 Despite our misgivings, we assume for present purposes that an Article 78 proceeding may be removed under the general removal statute, for our concerns and respect for federalism can be accommodated in this case by the law of this circuit relating to Our conclusion would by necessity be different when removal of an Article 78 proceeding is sought under the refusal clause of 28 U.S.C. § 1443(2), the civil rights removal statute discussed supra. Since an Article 78 proceeding is the prescribed avenue of challenge to administrative action in this State, such a proceeding must be removable under the refusal clause if that clause is to be given effect in New York. Also, there may be times when the federal interest in an Article 78 proceeding may so predominate as to warrant the proceeding's removal under 28 U.S.C. § 1441. Thus, in a series of cases involving appeals to state courts from tobacco quotas imposed by local administrative review committees, federal courts permitted removal under the general removal statute. In those cases, however, the local committees were authorized by federal law and their members were appointed by the United States Secretary of Agriculture, manifesting the obvious federal interest in regulating the tobacco crop. See Davis v. Jovner. 240 F. Supp. 689, 690-91 (E.D.N.C. 1964) (and cases cited therein). Cf. Yonkers Racing £°rp._v._City of Yonkers. 858 F.2d 855, 863-64 (2d Cir. 1988) (holding removal authorized under All Writs Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1651(a), where real possibility that underlying Article 78 proceeding could be used to frustrate implementation of federal court order designed to remedy racial discrimination in Yonkers), cert, denied. 57 U.S.L.W. 3619 (1989). Absent special circumstances, however, we remain dubious as to the wisdom of a general rule permitting the removal of Article 78 proceedings. Although several Article 78 proceedings have been removed to courts in this circuit, this specific question has never been addressed. Obviously, it could be argued that the ability to remove such proceedings heretofore simply has been assumed without the need for extended discussion. We are not so sure. 23 121 our remand authority. The Supreme Court has held that removed actions generally may not be remanded except within the narrow confines of the remand statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1447(c) (i.e., that the case was removed improvidently or without jurisdiction). Thermtrnn Prod., Inc, v. Hermansdorfer. 423 U.S. 336, 345 & n. 9 (1976). The Second Circuit, however, has found a practical exception to that rule, concluding "that when the district court may properly abstain from adjudicating a removed case, it has the power to remand the case to state court." Corcoran v. Ardra Ins. Co.. 842 F.2d 31, 36- 37 (2d Cir. 1988). Accord Naylor v. Case and McGrath. Inc.. 585 F.2d 557, 565 (2d Cir. 1978). The exception, among other things, is grounded in the reality that no purpose would be served by retaining a removed case and then dismissing it on abstention grounds, if applicable, rather than simply remanding the matter to the appropriate state forum. Because the fingerprints of federalism referenced earlier are so clearly discernible here, we find abstention to be appropriate and we thus remand the matter in accord with the remand exception outlined in Ardra Insurance. c. Abstention Jurisprudential limitations on our jurisdiction long ago announced in Burford v. Sun Oil Co. , 319 U.S. 315 (1943) largely control our view of this matter. Burford, of course, involved a challenge to the validity of state administrative action permitting the drilling of certain wells in an east Texas oil field. The legal challenge was 24 122 initiated in federal court on grounds of diversity and federal question (due process) ; the case at bar was removed to federal court on the latter basis. In granting dismissal of the Burford challenge in the exercise of its equity jurisdiction, the Court noted: Although a federal equity court does have jurisdiction of a particular proceeding, it may, in its sound discretion, whether its jurisdiction is invoked on ground of diversity of citizenship or otherwise, "refuse to enforce or protect legal rights, the exercise of which may be prejudicial to the public interest" fUnited States ex rel. Greathouse v. Pern. 289 U.S. 352, 360 (1933)]; for it "is in the public interest that federal courts of equity should exercise their discretionary power with proper regard for the rightful independence of state governments in carrying out their domestic policy." [Pennsylvania v. Williams. 294 U.S. 176, 185 (1935).] Burford. 319 U.S. at 317-18 (footnotes omitted). Those concerns were found to be present in Burford. which involved important state interests (the division of oil-drilling rights) that were the subject of comprehensive state regulation. The Second Circuit has distilled the principles underlying Burford thusly: rBurford1 abstention is appropriate when a federal case presents a difficult issue of state law, the resolution of which will have a significant impact on important state policies and for which the state has provided a comprehensive regulatory system with channels for review by state courts or agencies. [Burford, 319 U.S.] at 333-34, 63 S. Ct. at 1107-08. In short, federal courts should "abstain from interfering with specialized, ongoing state regulatory schemes." 25 123 Alliance of American Insurers v. Cuomo. 854 F.2d 591, 599 (2d Cir. 1988) (quoting Levy v. Lewis. 635 U.S. 960, 963 (2d Cir. 1980)). In the case at bar, petitioners seek the incorporation of the Village of Mayfair Knollwood, which requires a grant of state authority. N.Y. Const, art. 10, § 1; Village Law § 2-200; l e . McQuillen, The Law of Municipal Corporations §§ 1.19 & 2.07b (3d ed. 1987) ("McQuillen11) . As Town Supervisor Veteran alluded to in his December 1 Decision, the legal concept of village incorporation was created to allow residents of a particular area the opportunity to band together for the purposes of securing fire and police protection and other public services, such as water and sewer. December 1 Decision f 2, at 3-4. Given these uniquely local interests, and particularly in an age of increasingly scarce resources (both natural and fiscal), it would seem beyond peradventure that the State of New York retains as profound an interest in certifying village incorporation petitions as does the State of Texas in certifying oil-drilling licenses. See especially Gg.mil lion, 364 U.S. at 342 (recognizing "the breadth and importance" of a State's power "to establish, destroy, or reorganize by contraction or expansion its political subdivisions, to wit, cities, counties, and other local units"); Hunter v. City of— Pittsburgh, 207 U.S. 161, 176, 178-79 (1907) (noting creation of municipal incorporations and definition of their size and nature are matters peculiarly within jurisdiction of the States). Accord 1 McQuillen § 3.02, at 235; 2 McQuillen at §§ 4.03 & 7.03; C. Rhyne, Municipa 1 Law §§ 2—2 & 2-26 (1957) . Thus, that as a g e n e r a l 26 124 proposition federal courts should not be muddying the waters in which the village incorporation process swims seems to us an unremarkable and inevitable conclusion. Further, and acting partly as confirmation of the above state interest, New York has established a "comprehensive regulatory system with channels for review by state courts or agencies," American Insurers, 854 F.2d at 599, to assess the propriety of village incorporation petitions: * the statute specifically identifies what geographic areas may be incorporated as a village, section 2-200 of the Village Law; * it spells out in elaborate detail who may petition for incorporation and what the contents of the petition must comprise, section 2-202; * it establishes a public notice and hearing requirement once a petition is filed with a town supervisor, again setting forth in great detail the hearing requirements, section 2-204; * it specifically notes what objections may be lodged against a village petition, and how and when these objections should be presented, section 2-206; it sets forth a specific timetable for action on the petition following hearing, and outlines the prerequisites for the written decision that the town supervisor must issue on the matter, section 2-208; it specifically provides that review of a town supervisor's decision may be had only by resort to an Article 78 proceeding on grounds that the "decision is illegal, based on insufficient evidence, or contrary to the weight of the evidence," section 2-210(1); * it requires that appeal via the Article 78 route must be taken within 30 days from filing of the town supervisor's decision, section 2-210(2), and that such appeal shall have preference over all civil actions and proceedings, section 2-210(4)(e); * it goes on to delineate the right to and procedures for conducting an election to determine the question of incorporation, sections 2-212 to 2-222; 27 125 * it sets forth the procedure for judicial review of an incorporation election, and provides for a new election if the original election is set aside, sections 2-224 to 2-230; and, finally, * it outlines the formalities of incorporating, the procedures for electing and appointing officers, the conduct of village meetings, the effect on public services, and the taxing authority possessed by the village, sections 2-232 to 2-258. If this does not constitute a comprehensive statutory scheme, regulating in this case a matter within the fundamental prerogatives of the state, then the court would be hard pressed to identify such a scheme. Certainly, the scheme is as comprehensive and the interest as strong as those existing in Levy, where the Second Circuit directed abstention due to New York's "complex administrative and judicial system for regulating and liquidating domestic insurance companies." Levy. 635 F.2d at 963. To paraphrase Burford. we think the regulation of village incorporations so obviously involves a matter of uniquely state policy that wise judicial discretion counsels in favor of avoiding needless federal intervention in the state's affairs, especially since a comprehensive regulatory scheme to address this matter has been put in place. Burford. 319 U.S. at 332. That this proceeding also implicates a federal question does not alter our conclusion. Burford. too, involved a f e d e r a l question but, as the Supreme Court noted, ultimate review of that question before the Court was preserved fully by their action. IcL at 334. Accord Levy. 635 F.2d at 964. Moreover, the federal question here asserted may never n e e d be reached. Four of the five challenges to the December 1 Decision 28 t asserted in the Article 78 petition (claims (l)-(4), delineated supra) involve challenges to the propriety of Veteran's actions under the Village Law.11 Petitioners' counsel has represented that certain of these questions — particularly those involving the nature of the local hearing to be held on these matters, how and what evidence can be received and relied upon, and the scope of the town supervisor's statutory authority — appear to be matters of unsettled state law. We have found little case law specifically addressing the state issues here raised. If the December 1 Decision is reversed on any of these grounds, the First Amendment assertion will not be reached. When unsettled questions of state law are susceptible of an interpretation which may obviate the federal constitutional question presented, the federal court should defer on these questions — at least in the first instance — to a state tribunal. Orozco v. Sobol. 703 F. Supp. 1113, 1121 (S.D.N.Y. 1989) (cases collected, including Railroad Comm'n of Texas v. Pullman. 312 U.S. 496 (1941)). See also Levy. 635 F.2d at 964 (since federal question was bound with state issues, best left in the first instance to state courts with review available * 126 We add that the existence of these purely state administrative issues places this case in a posture far different from that found in Gomillion and cases like it, which constitute straight constitutional challenges to gerrymandered municipal boundary plans devised upon conclusion of the legislative or administrative drafting processes. Had the instant incorporation petition been approved under the Village Law, and the Deutsch defendants (assuming they had standing) then challenged that action in federal court on Fourteenth Amendment grounds, we have little doubt that we properly would have jurisdiction over the subject matter and that plaintiffs' choice of a federal forum would be respected. That is not the posture of this case. 29 127 ultimately before the Supreme Court). These concerns militate further in support of abstention. 12 As Levy concludes, in words equally applicable here: The claims [in Burford] amounted to an attack on the reasonableness of the state administrative action. Thus federal review, while involving decision of a federal question, would have entailed a reconsideration of the state administrative decision, carrying with it the potential for creating inequities in the administration of the state scheme. Burford thus suggests that proper respect for the expertise of state officials and the expeditious and evenhanded The Supreme Court has observed that the "various types of abstention are not rigid pigeonholes into which federal courts must ̂ try to fit cases. Rather, they reflect a complex of considerations designed to soften the tensions inherent in a system that contemplates parallel judicial processes." Pennzoil Co. v. Texaco, Inc,, 107 S. Ct. 1519, 1526 n.9 (1987). Thus, although this case is governed largely by Burford considerations, the existence of Pullman concerns certainly is relevant. Notwithstanding Pennzoil1s footnote 9, however, there do exist important procedural differences between the "various types of abstention." Pertinent here, we note that the product of Burford abstention is dismissal, while under Pullman federal and state issues ̂ may be bifurcated, with the federal court retaining jurisdiction over the former and the litigants allowed the option of returning to that forum to address the federal concerns following state review. England v. Louisiana State Bd. of Medical Examiners, 375 U.S. 411, 421-22 (1964). But see Harris County Comm1rs Court v. Moore. 420 U.S. 77, 88 & n.14 (1975) (dismissal in Pullman case appropriate if necessary to remove obstacles to state court jurisdiction). It makes no sense to bifurcate the federal and state issues in this case, especially since to do so would potentially frustrate the Village Law's scheme of providing for complete and expeditious review of incorporation petitions. Further, consistent with the service requirements of section 2- 210(4)(b) of the Village Law, the costs of bringing a new Article 78 proceeding to address solely state issues would be substantial (given the number of parties involved), arguably rendering that "solution" inequitable. Since Burford concerns predominate in the instant proceeding, we choose to keep the proceeding whole and remand the entire matter to state court which, as was emphasized in both Burford and Levy, is entirely competent to address the First Amendment issue asserted here (if it need be reached). 30 128 administration of state programs counsels restraint on the part of federal courts. Lev^, 635 F.2d at 964. Here, Article 78 review under the Village Law is designed to provide the aggrieved party with the opportunity for expedited and confined judicial review of state administrative action. That review is, in essence, largely an extension of the administrative process itself given the reviewing court's limited scope and remedial authority, and it is that forum which should be deciding the state issues which predominate in this matter. If federal questions are implicated in that process and improperly are decided, ultimate review before the Supreme Court is preserved. Abstention, therefore, is warranted here. Conclusion Assuming the general removability of Article 78 proceedings, the instant matter involves a federal question and may be removed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1441(b). Consistent with Ardra Insurance, however, and because we would abstain from deciding the issues here presented under familiar jurisprudential considerations, the instant proceeding is remanded to the court from whence it was removed, the New York Supreme Court for Westchester County. SO ORDERED. Dated: White Plains, N.Y. April fq , 1989 31 GERARD L. GOETTEL U.S.D.J. 129 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK In the Matter of the Application Of MYLES GREENBERG and FRANCES M. : MULLIGAN, Petitioners, 89 Civ. 0591 (GLG) -against- NOTICE OF APPEAL ANTHONY F. VETERAN, et al., Respondents. x PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that respondents Anthony F. Veteran and Susan Tolchin appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from the order in this action dated April 17, 1989 and entered on April 18, 1989. Dated: Elmsford, New York May , 1989 P. O. Box 205 Elmsford, New York 10523 (914) 993-1546 Attorney for Respondents Anthony F. Veteran and Susan Tolchin 130 TO: LOVETT & GOULD 180 East Post Road White Plains, New York 10601 Jonathan Lovett, Esq. Attorney for Petitioners. CUDDY & FEDER 90 Maple Avenue White Plains, New York 10601 Ruth E. Roth, Esq. Attorney for Respondents Keren Developments, Inc., and Robert Martin Company. RUTH E. ROTH, ESQ. (Pro Se) 90 Maple Avenue White Plains, New York 10601 PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON 1285 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10019 Cameron Clark, Esq. Jay L. Himes, Esq. Melinda S. Levine, Esq. William N. Gerson, Esq. Of Counsel Attorneys for Respondents Anita Jordan, April Jordan, Latoya Jordan, Anna Ramos, Lizetta Ramos, Vanessa Ramos, Gabriel Ramos, Thomas Myers, Lisa Myers, Thomas Myers, Jr., Linda Myers, Shawn Myers, and National Coalition for the Homeless; -and- Local Counsel for Respondents Yvonne Jones, Odell A. Jones, Melvin Dixon, Geri Bacon, Mary Williams, James Hodges and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Inc., White Plains/Greenburgh Branch. 2 131 JOYCE KNOX, ESQ. NAACP, Inc. 4805 Mount Hope Drive Baltimore, Maryland 21215-3297 Attorney for Respondents Yvonne Jones, Odell A. Jones, Melvin Dixon, Geri Bacon, Mary Williams, James Hodges and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Inc., White Plains/Greenburgh Branch. 3 UNITED STATES DISTRICT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK '* irti e (u-L ......................................................................* 8 8 YVONNE JONES, ANITA JORDAN, APRIL : JORDAN, LATOYA JORDAN, ANNA RAMOS, LIZETTE RAMOS, VANESSA RAMOS, : GABRIEL RAMOS, THOMAS MYERS, LISA MYERS, THOMAS MYERS, JR., : LINDA MYERS, SHAWN MYERS, ODELL A. JONES, MELVIN DIXON, : GERI BACON, MARY WILLIAMS, JAMES HODGES, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION : FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE, INC., WHITE PLAINS/ : GREENBURGH BRANCH, AND NATIONAL COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, : n v V i i • '( la C? U 1 «. Iit NOV 1 1983 ; E D . C , S P N 1 Plaintiffs, 88 Civ. -against- LAURENCE DEUTSCH, COLIN EDWIN KAUFMAN, STEVEN NEIL GOLDRICH, MICHAEL JAMES TONE, COALITION OF UNITED PEOPLES, INC., and ANTHONY F. VETERAN, as Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh, Defendants. COMPLAINT x Plaintiffs, by their attorneys, for their com plaint, allege (on information and belief except as to paragraphs 3-5, 8 , and 39-50): Nature of the Action and Background 1. This action is brought by a number of black citizens of Greenburgh, parents of homeless families in 13$ Westchester County, the National Association for the Advance ment of Colored People, White Plains/Greenburgh Branch ("NAACP") and the National Coalition for the Homeless (the "National Coalition") to obtain redress against a racially motivated conspiracy formed by the defendants other than Anthony Veteran (hereinafter the "Conspiring Defendants") for the purpose of depriving racial minorities and homeless persons of constitutional and statutory rights. The Conspiring Defendants are residents of Westchester County who have banded together to seek incorporation of a new, almost totally segregated village. Their declared purpose is to defeat a project to build housing for homeless families, most of whom belong to racial minorities, by using the new village's zoning power. In furtherance of this scheme, they have drawn the village boundaries in a grotesque shape, thereby attempting to ensure its all-white composition and to guarantee attaining their racially exclusionary objective. Defendants' conduct constitutes a conspiracy in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1985 that should be declared unlawful, enjoined, and remedied, as against the Conspiring Defendants but not defendant Veteran, by an appropriate award of monetary damages. 2. This conspiracy is a direct attack on a coordinated effort by state, county and municipal g o v e r n m e n t — aided by a non-profit, charitable organization — to 2 134 establish safe and decent temporary housing for homeless families with children in Westchester County. Westchester County currently shelters approximately 957 families with 1978 children in a number of sub-standard facilities includ ing motels in New York City and certain Hudson Valley coun ties. Homeless persons, particularly children, are irrevoca bly damaged by living conditions in those motels. Westchester County is suffering from an unprecedented housing crisis with a higher proportion of homeless families to its population than even New York City. Jurisdiction 3. This Court has jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331, 1337, and 1343. This action arises under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, the Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1973, the Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1985, the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3604, the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 301 et sea., Article I, §§ 1 and 11, and Article XVII, § 1 of the Constitution of the State of New York, §§ 40-c(l) and (2) of the Civil Rights Law of the State of New York, § 291(2) of the Executive Law of the State of New York, and §§ 62 and 131 of the Social Services Law of the State of New York, and regulations promulgated thereunder. Declaratory relief is authorized pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 2201 and 2202. 3 135 Venue 4. Venue is proper under 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b). All defendants reside in the Southern District of New York, and the claim arose in that District. Parties 5. The plaintiffs are the following: a. Plaintiff Anita Jordan is a homeless black woman who lives with her two children, April (age 18 months) and Latoya (age two and a half), in a single room at the Elmsford Motor Lodge, 290 Tarrytown Road, Elmsford, New York. The Jordan family was placed in the motel by Westchester County. b. Plaintiff Anna Ramos is a homeless white woman who lives with her three children, Lizette (age eleven), Vanessa (age five) and Gabriel (age one), in a single room at the Coachman Hotel, 123 East Post Road, White Plains, New York. The Ramos family was placed in the motel by Westchester County. c. Plaintiffs Thomas and Lisa Myers are a homeless, black married couple who live with their three children, Thomas, Jr. (age four), Linda (age three) and Shawn (age two), in two small rooms at the Elmsford Motor Lodge, 4 136 290 Tarrytown Road, Elinsford, New York. The Myers family was placed in the motel by Westchester County. d. Plaintiff Yvonne Jones is a black home- owner who has resided in the vicinity of the proposed village boundary in the unincorporated part of Greenburgh at 118 North Evarts Avenue, Elmsford, New York for 35 years. e. Plaintiff Odell A. Jones is a black homeowner who has resided in the vicinity of the proposed village boundary in the unincorporated part of Greenburgh at 19 Van Buren Place, White Plains, New York for 27 years. f. Plaintiff Geri Bacon is a black homeowner who has resided in the vicinity of the proposed village boundary in the unincorporated part of Greenburgh at 16 Adams Place, White Plains, New York for 33 years. g. Plaintiff James Hodges is a black home- owner who has resided in the vicinity of the proposed village boundary in the unincorporated part of Greenburgh at 51 Cabot Avenue, Elmsford, New York for two years. h. Plaintiff Mary Williams is a black homeowner who has resided in the vicinity of the proposed village boundary in the unincorporated part of Greenburgh at 179 Sears Avenue, Elmsford, New York for 28 years. i. Melvin Dixon is a black homeowner who has resided inside the proposed village boundary at 15 North Lawrence Street, Elmsford, New York for 25 years. 5 137 j . Plaintiff NAACP is a branch of a nonprofit membership association representing the interests of approximately 500,000 members in 1,800 branches throughout the United States. Since 1909, the association has sought through the courts to establish and protect the civil rights of minority citizens. NAACP's address is One Prospect Avenue, White Plains, New York 10607. k. Plaintiff National Coalition is a not-for-profit organization incorporated under New York law. Its primary purpose is to advocate responsible solutions to end homelessness with an emphasis on establishing decent housing for homeless persons. The National Coalition also provides direct assistance in the form of rent subsidies, food and legal counsel to homeless people. Its address is 105 East 22nd Street, New York, New York 10010. 6 . The Conspiring Defendants are natural persons, and each has the following address: Laurence Deutsch Colin Edwin Kaufman Steven Neil Goldrich Michael James Tone 211 Wood Hampton Drive White Plains, New York 10603 8 Hartford Road (a/k/a/ Hartford Lane) White Plains, New York 10603 128 North Hampton Drive White Plains, New York 10603 19 Chelsea Road White Plains, New York 10607 6 138 7. Defendant Coalition of United Peoples, Inc. ("COUP") is a not-for-profit corporation that purports to have been organized under the laws of the State of New York. Its members are real property owners who reside in the vicinity of the proposed homeless housing site. 8 . Defendant Anthony F. Veteran is the Town Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh and is named as a defendant in that capacity. Co-Conspirators 9. Various other persons not made defendants in this action participated as co-conspirators with defendants in the violations set forth below, and performed acts and made statements in furtherance thereof. Factual Background The West HELP Development 10. West H.E.L.P., Inc. (Homeless Emergency Leverage Program, Inc.) ("West HELP") is a not-for-profit corporation organized under the laws of the State of New York. One of West HELP'S purposes is the construction of housing for homeless persons in the State of New York. 1 1 . The County of Westchester (the "County") is a municipal corporation existing pursuant to the laws of the State of New York. The County is located in the Southern District of New York. 7 139 12. The Town of Greenburgh (the •'Town") is a municipal corporation existing pursuant to the laws of the State of New York. The Town is located within the County. 13. Homeless families in Westchester County presently are quartered at great public expense in often squalid motel rooms. A parent with a number of children typically is allotted a single room. 14. A number of homeless families in the County are sheltered in motels that are far from their communities of origin. This aggravates the devastating impact of homelessness by disrupting relationships with schools, neighbors, relatives and other social and economic supports. 15. In or about October 1987, the County and West HELP jointly proposed the establishment of several housing developments for homeless families with children in the County. 16. In or about January 1988, the Town offered to have established within its boundaries one of those develop ments (the "West HELP Development"). The Town, together with West HELP, proposed as the site for the housing approximately 30 acres of land, presently owned by the County, situated in the Town (the "Development Site"). In April 1988, the Town, by unanimous resolution of its supervisor and council members, expressed support for the West HELP Development and 8 140 requested that the County conduct the required environmental review. 17. The West HELP Development is intended to provide safe, economical and humane emergency shelter to homeless families with children. 18. The West HELP Development would provide •'transitional" housing for homeless families pending their establishment of more permanent homes. As planned, it would consist of six two-story buildings with approximately 18 housing units in each. A seventh building would be con structed to house day care, counseling, and selected social services for the benefit of those lodged at the Development Site. The West HELP Development is widely regarded as a model in the provision of cost-effective, decent transitional housing to homeless families with children. 19. The West HELP Development also includes the following proposals, among others: a. The County would lease the site to West HELP for the period of construction plus ten years. b. West HELP would secure construction and permanent financing for the West HELP Development from the sale of tax exempt bonds issued by a public benefit agency created under New York law. The bonds would be amortized over a 10 year period, after which control of the Development 9 141 Site would revert to the government subject to a requirement that it continue to have a housing-related use. c. The County would enter into an agreement with West HELP for the placement of homeless families with children in the West HELP Development. Under this agreement, West HELP would receive a funding stream sufficient to cover operating costs as well as amortization and debt service of the bonds used to finance the West HELP Development. 20. A majority of the homeless persons in the County are members of racial minorities. Such persons are among the intended and expected beneficiaries of the West HELP Development. Formation of the Conspiracy 21. In early 1988, defendant Deutsch, together with others presently unknown to plaintiffs, formed COUP. Defendant COUP'S purpose is to stop the West HELP Development. Defendant Deutsch is COUP'S president. 22. On or about February 11, 1988, Defendant Deutsch participated in a meeting held at the Valhalla High School in the County, at which there was discussion of means to oppose the West HELP Development. Later that same month, Defendant Deutsch publicly announced that he and other Town residents intended to prepare a petition, pursuant to the Village Law of the State of New York, to incorporate a new 10 142 village — to be called "Mayfair Krsollwood" — within the Town. As envisioned, the geographic boundaries of Mayfair Knollwood were to include the Development Site. 23. Defendant Deutsch and his co-conspirators intend to use the incorporation of Mayfair Knollwood to block the West HELP Development. As Defendant Deutsch reportedly has put it: We'll go ahead with secession and take a nice piece of taxable property with us. The "secession" plan was and is racially motivated. As Defendant Deutsch was quoted as stating in opposing the West HELP Development: You're taking a piece of a ghetto and dumping it some where else to get another ghetto started. 24. Thereafter in 1988, a petition for incorpora tion of the proposed Village of Mayfair Knollwood was pre pared and the process of circulating the petition for signa ture, pursuant to the Village Law of the State of New York, began (the "Petition"). As charted in the Petition, the proposed Village of Mayfair Knollwood includes the Develop ment Site. 25. Defendant Deutsch participated in preparing the Petition, approved it, and assisted in its circulation. Defendants Kaufman, Goldrich and Tone agreed, in the Petition, to accept service of all papers in connection with a proceeding for incorporation. 11 143 26. The proposed boundary for Mayfair Knollwood is an irregular, multi-sided configuration designed by the Conspiring Defendants and their co-conspirators for the manifest purpose of excluding minority residents of the Town. The shape of the proposed Village and its purpose and effect to exclude racial minorities are shown on the map attached as Exhibit 1. 27. Just as the proposed boundary of Mayfair Knollwood was drawn in an effort to exclude racial minori ties, so too was it drawn in an effort to secure for Mayfair Knollwood a disproportionate part of the tax base and recrea tional and undeveloped land area of the Town. 28. Defendant COUP, the Conspiring Defendants and their co-conspirators seek unlawfully to gerrymander the proposed boundaries of Mayfair Knollwood so as to (a) exclude racial minorities from the proposed village, (b) appropriate, to the detriment of Town residents not within the proposed Mayfair Knollwood boundary, essential municipal resources, facilities, and amenities, and (c) appropriate a major proportion of the Town's undeveloped land with the purpose and effect of fostering racial segregation in housing. 29. Prior to September 14, 1988, hundreds of Town residents signed the Petition, thereby evidencing their support of the conspiracy to violate plaintiffs' rights. 12 144 30. On or about September 14, 1988, defendant Deutsch and other co-conspirators formally presented the Petition to the Town. A contemporaneous news report stated the following: "The incorporation is a fact," Coalition ri.e. COUP] President Laurence Deutsch said. "The town may delay us, but it won't stop us. There is nothing that the town or county could do which could divert us from the incorporation." The Position of Defendant Veteran 31. Defendant Veteran, as Town Supervisor of the Town of Greenburgh, is governed in the performance of his duties by the Constitutions and laws of the United States and the State of New York. 32. The procedure that Defendant Veteran must follow in the processing of the COUP Petition is set forth in the Village Law of New York. That statute provides, in summary, for: a. a hearing on the Petition at which its compliance with statutorily specified technical requirements is examined? the statute does not expressly direct Defendant Veteran to consider whether the Petition is consistent with the Constitutions of the United States or New York, or their laws; b. within a specified time, a decision on the Petition; 13 145 c. thereafter, in the event the decision is favorable, a vote on the proposed incorporation by those within the boundaries set forth in the Petition; and d. in the event of a majority vote in favor, incorporation of the new village as proposed in the Petition. 33. Following presentation of the Petition to the Town on or about September 14, 1988, Defendant Veteran initiated the procedures described in paragraph 32 above by scheduling a hearing for November 1, 1988. 34. Defendant Veteran is and has been an outspoken supporter of the West HELP Development and has consistently opposed the plan of COUP and the Conspiring Defendants to incorporate the village of Mayfair Knollwood for the purpose of blocking the West HELP Development. 35. Defendant Veteran swore an oath in taking the office of Town Supervisor, pursuant to Article XIII, § 1 of the New York Constitution and section 25 of the New York Town Law, as follows: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support_the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the State of New York . . . . Approval by Defendant Veteran of the Petition, with its racially discriminatory purpose and effect and its breach of the numerous constitutional and statutory provisions set forth in paragraphs 39 through 48 below, would constitute a breach of Defendant Veteran's oath of office. 14 146 36. Notwithstanding the foregoing, COUP and the Conspiring Defendants assert that Defendant Veteran has no authority to deny the Petition on any ground other than technical non-compliance with the specific mandates of the Village Law, and Defendant Veteran has initiated the proce dures thereunder for consideration of the Petition. 37. Plaintiffs assert that Defendant Veteran may not, consistent with his oath of office, proceed with the Petition in any manner whatsoever. 38. There exists a justiciable case or controversy between the parties concerning their rights and obligations as set forth above. Constitutional and Statutory Background 39. In pertinent part, the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States provides that: No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States? nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. 40. In pertinent part, the Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States provides that: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. 15 147 41. In pertinent part, 42 U.S.C. § 1973 provides that: No voting qualification or prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, or procedure shall be imposed or applied by any state or political subdivision in a manner which results in a denial or abridgement of the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color . . . . 42. In pertinent part, 42 U.S.C. § 3604(a) pro vides that it shall be unlawful "to refuse to . . . otherwise make available or deny a dwelling to any person because of race, [or] color. . . . " 43. In pertinent part, Article I, § 1 of the Constitution of the State of New York provides that: No member of this state shall be disfranchised, or deprived of any of the rights or privileges secured to any citizen thereof, . . . unless by law of the land, or the judgment of his peers. . . . 44. In pertinent part, Article I, § 11 of the Constitution of the State of New York provides that: No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws of this state or any subdivision thereof. No person shall, because of race, color, creed or religion, be subjected to any discrimination in his civil rights by any other person or by any firm, corporation, or institution, or by the state or any agency or subdivi sion of the state. 45. Section 40-c(l) of the New York Civil Rights Law provides that: All persons within the jurisdiction of the state shall be entitled to the equal protection of the laws of this state or any subdivision thereof. 16 148 46. In pertinent part, Section 40-c(2) of the New York Civil Rights Law provides that: No person shall, because of race, . . . be subjected to any discrimination in his civil rights, . . . by any other persons or by any firm, corporation or institu tion, or by the state or any agency or subdivision of the state. 47. In pertinent part, Section 291(2) of the New York Executive Law (Human Rights Law) provides that: The opportunity to obtain education, the use of places of public accommodation and the ownership, use and occupancy of housing accommodations and commercial space without discrimination because of . . . race . . . is hereby recognized as and declared to be a civil right. 48. The Federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 301 et sea.. guarantees all homeless families in the State of New York safe and decent emergency housing. 49. Article XVII, § 1 of the Constitution of the State of New York provides as follows: The aid, care and support of the needy are public concerns and shall be provided by the state and by such of its subdivisions, and in such manner and by such means, as the legislature may from time to time deter mine . Thus, in New York State, the provision of assistance to the needy is not a matter of legislative grace? rather, it is specifically mandated by the State Constitution. Sections 62(1) and 131 of the New York Social Services Law charge social service districts, such as the County, with the responsibility to provide public assistance and care for persons unable to provide for themselves. 17 149 50. Plaintiffs are persons protected by and having enforceable rights under the provisions set out in paragraphs 39 through 49 above. The Violation of Plaintiffs1 Rights and Injury 51. Beginning in or about February 1988 and continuing thereafter to the present, the Conspiring Defendants and their co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3); defendant Veteran is a participant in the conspiracy because he has initiated the procedure on the Petition called for by the Village Law. The conspiracy includes a continuing agreement, understanding and concert of action for the purpose of: a. Depriving, either directly or indirectly, a person or class of persons — racial minority citizens of the equal protection of the laws or of equal privileges and immunities under the laws set forth above; b. Preventing or hindering duly constituted authorities of the State of New York. — the County and the Town -- from giving or securing to all persons, including racial minorities, in such State the equal protection of the laws. 52. As set forth in paragraphs 21 through 30 above, the Conspiring Defendants did, or caused to be done, acts in furtherance of the conspiracy alleged; as set fo r th 18 150 in paragraph 33 above, defendant Veteran did, or caused to be done, an act in furtherance of the conspiracy alleged. 53. Plaintiffs have been injured in their person or property or deprived of having and exercising rights and privileges of a citizen of the United States, and have thereby suffered and are threatened with irreparable injury, including but not limited to the injury to homeless adults and children caused by the denial of safe and decent emer gency shelter. 54. Plaintiffs have sustained monetary damages in amounts presently unknown. CLAIMS FOR RELIEF Count I 55. Plaintiffs repeat paragraphs one through 54. 56. Defendants, by their acts, have conspired and are continuing to conspire, in breach of 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3), to abridge the voting rights of plaintiffs Yvonne Jones, Odell A. Jones, Melvin Dixon, Geri Bacon, Mary Williams and James Hodges in violation of the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, 42 U.S.C. § 1973, Article I, §§ 1 and 11 of the New York Constitution, and §§ 40-c(l) and (2) of the New York Civil Rights Law. 19 151 Count II 57. Plaintiffs repeat paragraphs one through 54. 58. Defendants, by their acts, have conspired and are continuing to conspire, in breach of 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3)', to violate and have violated the housing rights of plaintiffs Anita Jordan, April Jordan, Latoya Jordan, Anna Ramos, Lizette Ramos, Vanessa Ramos, Gabriel Ramos, Thomas Myers, Thomas Myers, Jr., Linda Myers and Shawn Myers in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3604, Article I, § 11 and Article XVII, § 1 of the New York Constitution, §§ 40-c(1) and (2) of the New York Civil Rights Law, and § 291(2) of the Executive Law of the State of New York. Count III 59. Plaintiffs repeat paragraphs one through 54. 60. Defendants, by their acts, have conspired and are continuing to conspire, in breach of 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3), to abridge the rights of plaintiffs Anita Jordan, April Jordan, Latoya Jordan, Anna Ramos, Lizette Ramos, Vanessa Ramos, Gabriel Ramos, Thomas Myers, Thomas Myers, Jr., Linda Myers and Shawn Myers to safe and lawful emergency shelter m violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 301 et sea.. Article I, § 11 and Article XVII, § 1 of the New 20 152 York Constitution, and §§ 62(1) and 131 of the New York Social Services Law and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Count IV 61. Plaintiffs repeat paragraphs one through 54. 62. a. Article VI, Clause 2 of the Constitution of the United States provides as follows: This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof . . . shall be the supreme Law of the Land . . . any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding. b. Article XIII, § 1 of the Constitution of the State of New York provides as follows: [A]11 officers, executive and judicial . . . shall . . . take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the State of New York . . ." c. Section 25 of the New York Town Law provides as follows: "[E]very town officer shall take and subscribe . . . the constitutional oath of office. . . . " 63. Under the constitutional provisions set forth above, defendant Veteran has a duty to uphold federal and state law. Moreover, in assuming his office as Town Super visor, defendant Veteran swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States and of the State of New York. 21 153 64. Pursuant to New York Village Law §§ 2-204, 206, 208, defendant Veteran has certain duties to hold a hearing and to render a decision with respect to the Petition, either favorably (in which case the Petition would be submitted for a vote by the electorate) or adversely (in which case there would be no vote). Thus far, he has not rendered that decision. 65. As set forth in paragraphs 31 through 38 above, there is a justiciable controversy between plaintiffs and defendants as to their respective rights and obligations under the foregoing Constitutional and statutory provisions. Relief Sought Accordingly, plaintiffs demand judgment as follows: 1. As to Counts I through III: a. Declaring that defendants have c o n s p i r e d in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3); b. Directing entry of a permanent injunction restraining defendants from continuing their unlawful con spiracy, including, but not limited to, pursuing any further proceedings with respect to the Petition to incorporate the proposed Village of Mayfair Knollwood; c. Awarding plaintiffs monetary damages in such amount as may be proven at trial; 22 154 d. Awarding plaintiffs their reasonable attorneys' fees, costs, and disbursements incurred in the prosecution of this action. 2. As to Count IV, declaring that defendant Veteran has the right and obligation, under the Constitution and laws of the United States and the State of New York, to deny or to refuse to proceed further with the Petition. 3. As to all Counts, directing such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper. Dated: Greenburgh, N.Y. November 1, 1988 PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON By. y . ̂ Cameron Clark ^ Attorneys for Plaintiffs 1285 Avenue of the Americas New York, N.Y. 10019 (212) 373-3000 Of Counsel, Robert M. Hayes Virginia G. Schubert COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS 105 East 22nd Street New York, N.Y. 10010 (212) 460-8110 Andrew M. Cuomo 2 Park Avenue Suite 1415 New York, N.Y. 10016 (212) 686-1000 Edward Hailes, Jr. NAACP, Inc. 260 Fifth Avenue New York, N.Y. (212) 481-4100 Julius L. Chambers John Charles Boger Sherrilyn Ifill 99 Hudson Street New York, N.Y. 10013 (212) 219-1900 23 - c .4TJ/ ' ■' ; 155 ;r \ -"'ii. ‘T " - - ' : , ■ "Y-%, -: ii«a* . v;- 'OiT .s?vA ̂ .. 'v» • "'2* "'̂4, v̂j' " ' a * / -v * > .. > T ^ X I ' / V ' ^ -s i- 'A r-—--- rd *v.:^ •../, ,• >* **, -/ ̂ ___- • ̂ t UA: \ v PROPOSED BOUNDARY OF VILLAGE MULTI-RACIAL HOUSING v t ! £ M * r n , 1: ' --I7/:/' i " | ] 4 TOWN OF GREESBUR Weuckntrr C***0 S o * * * * -}fM ch=--^ EXHIBIT 1 *