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Residents press Middletown council for Gaza ceasefire language and stronger tenant protections
Summary
A long public‑comment period focused on calls for a council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and separate pleas to pass strong Good Cause Eviction protections; the mayor urged the matter is federal while some aldermen pushed to change meeting procedure.
Hundreds of minutes of public comment at Wednesday’s Middletown Common Council meeting were devoted to two recurring themes: calls for a city resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and advocacy for stronger Good Cause Eviction protections for tenants.
Organizers and individual speakers from Middletown and neighboring communities urged council members to adopt a ceasefire resolution that explicitly calls for an immediate and permanent halt to hostilities and an arms embargo. ‘‘Middletown is the only municipality among them that hasn't passed a ceasefire resolution,’’ said Jason, a speaker who identified himself as a Middletown resident. Dozens of speakers recounted humanitarian concerns, cited casualty figures, and linked federal arms sales to local tax dollars. Several presenters said the council’s earlier one‑sentence resolution calling for world peace was insufficient.
Advocates for renters also addressed the council. Bridal Ranga of For the Many and community organizer Jairo Perez urged passage of a strong Good Cause Eviction measure with a one‑unit portfolio exemption to reduce corporate loopholes that could leave tenants unprotected. Ranga said municipalities including Newburgh, Kingston and Ithaca had passed versions modeled to maximize tenant coverage.
Mayor Robert DeStefano responded that foreign policy and military assistance are federal matters better addressed to members of Congress and federal agencies; he also criticized organizers he named in the transcript as the Democratic Socialists of America and asked that non‑agenda public comment be moved to the end of meetings so city business is not delayed. Several aldermen urged the council to consider changing the meeting agenda so that items affecting city residents are addressed earlier in the meeting and non‑agenda comment occurs at the end.
Council members also acknowledged they are reviewing Good Cause Eviction proposals. The mayor said corporation counsel is conducting a legal review and that he and Alderman Johnson would respond once data is gathered.
No formal council vote on a ceasefire resolution occurred at the meeting. The council’s next steps on housing policy will be shaped by the corporation counsel’s review and further committee discussions.
— Public testimony dominated the meeting agenda; council indicated legal review and outreach on housing proposals would continue.
