In Sleepy Hollow, It’s The “Show Me The Money” Election

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The two contending parties ij the November 4 Sleepy Hollow election

October 22, 2025

By Barrett Seaman–

On most of the stated goals of the candidates competing in November’s Sleepy Hollow mayoral and trustee election, the two contending parties—Unite Sleepy Hollow (USH) and TAG (Transparent Accountable Government)—have many of the same goals. Both want to revitalize downtown, fill vacant storefronts and upgrade infrastructure. Both want to expand parking. Both want to make the annual Halloween extravaganza that draws thousands of visitors to the village more manageable. Both want to draw even more year-round visitors by promoting other seasonal events that form a bridge between Halloweens.

And both want to see Edge-on-Hudson finish building its 1,177 new taxpaying housing units so that they yield the financial fruit that will pay for these goals.

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As to where they differ—on who pays for it all, when and how—they differ sharply.

Unite Sleepy Hollow lost control of the board two years ago when TAG founder Martin Rutyna upset longtime mayor (and USH founder) Ken Wray. Now they are asking voters to endorse their optimistic expectation that tax revenues from Edge-on-Hudson will grow from an estimated $4 million in 2025 to over $10 million when Edge is completed. They propose issuing an additional $20 million in debt on top of an existing debt burden they say is $62 million. Based largely on anticipated Edge revenues and new debt, USH says Sleepy Hollow will be able to cut taxes by 2 to 3% in 2026 and 4 to 5% in 2027.

To see the USH fiscal platform in the party’s own words, go to: https://www.unitesleepyhollow.com/sensible-tax-levies.

“We absolutely do have the money to invest in ourselves,” said USH mayoral candidate Jim Husselbee in an interview with The Hudson Independent. “Not only can we borrow the money we need to invest but it gives us the ability to lower taxes. It’s a golden age to be mayor.”

His opponent, TAG’s Marjorie Hsu, former chair of the village’s Planning Board, sees a very different scenario based on budget numbers that pull the rug out from under Husselbee’s vision. “It’s really a timing issue,” she told The Hudson Independent. “We are in agreement that we will be fine—at some point.” But that point is further into the future and achievable only if the village is prudent in its debt management and more realistic about taxes.

To see TAG’s full position on village finances, go to: https://www.sleepyhollowdems.com/finances

“Jim Husselbee has proposed time and again to take on additional debt above and beyond the $34 million in debt that USH took out in December 2020,” she said. USH says it wants to finish the East Parcel, build a bridge on Continental Street and move the DPW from its current (and environmentally precarious) home across the street from Horan’s Landing to the East Parcel—“all things we would like to do, but we’re not taking on additional debt right now, because it is not fiscally prudent.”

The village’s audited financial statements, Hsu said, state that Sleepy Hollow’s general fund currently stands at about $2 million. By contrast, she said, neighboring Tarrytown is reporting a $14 million reserve. “Our Village Treasurer, Receiver of Taxes, says our 15% debt ratio is double what a Village of our size should be carrying,” Hsu wrote in a letter to The Hudson Independent.

In sharp contrast, candidate Husselbee asserted that benchmark comparisons with other similar municipalities show “we’re really in the middle; we’re about 3.5 percent of our fair market value” that will itself be overshadowed by the revenue growth from Edge. “There’s nowhere else that has this kind of rapid growth in tax base—60-70%.”

A key to USH’s budgetary optimism is the work done by Jim Garvey, a trustee candidate and recently retired financial planner specializing in debt restructuring. While Garvey has acknowledged that the General Fund is now at only $2 million, he projects that revenues from increased ownership in Edge will bring the fund up to $10-$12 million by year’s end.

“We’re not going to be at $10-12 million,” Hsu flatly retorted. To get there would assume an unrealistically rapid rise in Edge occupancy. “At some day in the future,” she conceded, “we are going to have more money, and then we will be able to finish all these capital projects.”

Those Sleepy Hollow voters who lack sufficient training in reading municipal financial statements or who do not regularly tune in to trustee meetings may have a hard time concluding which party’s numbers are valid. The contradictory assertions by both sides came to a head at a recent candidate forum at Kendal-on-Hudson. In that setting, the TAG team warned that if revenues don’t materialize within an USH budget, Sleepy Hollow could be forced into receivership. In response and in a follow-up letter to The Indy Husselbee rejected that. “It was disturbing to hear candidate Hsu contend that the Village is at risk of bankruptcy –necessitating a state takeover, something that was recklessly reiterated by trustee candidate Rodriguez.” He called the allegation “a blatant display of fearmongering.”

While it is accurate that local governments in New York State cannot be placed in bankruptcy, as is the practice in the private sector, there is a threshold of $1 million budget deficit below which the state Comptroller can step in and place a local government in receivership, effectively taking control the village’s finances.

“It sems so silly that we are disputing numbers,” commented Hsu, “when we have audited financial reports.”

Voters will not know how the village budget will play out in time for November 4^th, but they will be able to judge on the future projects each side espouses. Whichever party controls the seven-person board of trustees, residents can expect attention to revitalization of the Beekman Street corridor, with specific goals of reducing the current 24 storefront vacancies and expanding parking, including the two-lot space opposite the Morse School, which USH proposes should be the site of the villages first three-story parking facility. Hsu would like the board to consider penalizing absentee landlords who are holding off potential renters in the hope that a completed Edge-on-Hudson will spark new demand—hence higher rates—for their properties.

USH says it wants to build a new community center and municipal pool near Barnhart Park. TAG wants to explore a floating pool in the Hudson with filtered water off Kingsland Point. USH says it has a 300-page climate action plan. TAG wants to devote resources to protecting the Hudson. Both sides say they will devote resources to upgrading the village’s internal infrastructure. Hsu specifically champions upgraded communications—a project that would match up with her own expertise in tech. USH wants to seek grants to rebuild water lines, roads and traffic controls. Hsu has similar goals and proposes joining with the county and the state to develop a comprehensive approach.

The potential influence of national party politics hovers abstractly over the election. Hsu and her fellow candidates are unapologetically Democrats, running with the backing of an organized local party. Hsu and trustee candidate Krall reside in the upscale Manors section of the village, while candidates Jared Rodriguez and Jairo Triguero live downtown.

Members of the USH slate are all registered Republicans and all live in the Manors. Asked about his affiliation, Jim Husselbee said “My party abandoned me a long time ago” and called being a Republican right now “a distraction.” He was quick to add that of the 17 members of Unite Sleepy Hollow, nine are Democrats.

The November 4 election will probably not be won or lost on party affiliation but rather on whose math voters feel makes sense. The candidates will hold two more forums before election day: October 22 for residents of the Manors, and October 27 in a Zoom meeting hosted by the League of Women Voters,

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