Taxes, development dominate Blooming Grove supervisor race
Incumbent Robert Jeroloman and challenger Cathy Gregg-Acevedo offer different visions for the growing Orange County town as Election Day approaches.
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The future of Blooming Grove is at the center of a closely watched race for town supervisor, where rising taxes, development and preserving the community’s rural character are among the biggest concerns facing voters.
Republican incumbent Robert Jeroloman is seeking reelection against Democratic challenger Cathy Gregg-Acevedo, the town’s current deputy supervisor and a town councilwoman.
News 12 spoke with both candidates Friday about their priorities for the growing Orange County community, where competing visions for the future have fueled debate over housing, infrastructure and open space.
Jeroloman says preserving Blooming Grove’s rural and suburban character while allowing responsible development remains one of his top priorities.
“We want to keep a lot of our open space and undeveloped properties,” Jeroloman said.
The supervisor pointed to what he considers accomplishments during his administration, including a senior center, new pickleball courts, improvements to recreational facilities and efforts to preserve open space.
He also discussed ongoing development disputes involving the neighboring Village of South Blooming Grove, where higher-density housing projects have raised concerns about their potential impact on surrounding properties, water resources and sewer capacity.
Jeroloman says the town has challenged certain projects over environmental and infrastructure concerns. He maintains that development should be balanced and provide benefits without overwhelming existing resources.
Gregg-Acevedo, meanwhile, says the town needs stronger communication and cooperation between its residents, town government and the villages.
“We need to come together more as a community,” Gregg-Acevedo said.
She acknowledged that Blooming Grove has changed over the years and said local leaders need to work together to address the different needs of residents while respecting concerns about development.
Taxes are another major issue in the race.
Jeroloman says much of the town’s rising expenses are outside its direct control, pointing to increased retirement contributions, employee benefit costs, road salt, fuel and electricity. He said the town is facing a roughly $780,000 budget increase, but maintains that only about $51,000 involves expenses officials have direct control over.
Gregg-Acevedo believes the town can do more to tighten its budget and pursue outside funding to reduce the burden on taxpayers.
“We really need to dig into grant funding,” she said.
The challenger wants to explore creating a dedicated grant-writing position to help secure state and federal funding for community improvements. Among her priorities are expanded recreational facilities and improvements to the town’s police department.
Gregg-Acevedo questioned whether a proposed $5.5 million renovation of the existing police facility would be the best investment, suggesting that constructing an entirely new building might make more financial sense. She also wants to explore additional recreational space for summer camp programs and other community activities.
Jeroloman says his administration has already secured grant funding to help pay for improvements to public facilities and recreational spaces, while also working to address staffing and equipment needs within the police department.
The candidates offer different approaches to governing, but both acknowledge the challenges facing Blooming Grove as the community continues to grow.
