Clarkstown Democratic Candidates’ Statement on Taxpayer Funds in excess of $43,700 spent by Clarkstown on Social Media Advertisements

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

August 1, 2026

Contact: press@clarkstowndemocrats.com

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“Clarkstown residents deserve a government that spends taxpayer dollars solving problems and improving our community, not promoting itself. This week, the Rockland County Business Journal reported on an ethics complaint that alleges that the Town of Clarkstown officials used taxpayer funds illegally by purchasing Facebook and Instagram advertisements to campaign for their own re-election.

“According to Meta’s publicly available ad library, Clarkstown’s advertising spending surged in October 2025, immediately before Election Day, reaching between $5,800 and $7,582 in a single month versus averaging less than $750 per month in the months prior. Nearly one half of the ads in the election years of 2023 and 2025 were in October and November immediately preceding the election. This pattern of purchasing ads to be pushed to the public immediately before an election reinforces the concern that the town is spending tax payer money on promoting officials’ campaigns for re-election rather than for the benefit of its residents.

“Since the Town began advertising on Meta’s platforms, the ad library reports a total expenditure of more than $43,700 on Facebook and Instagram ads. At a time when Clarkstown continues to take on additional debt, taxes are soaring, and residents are still waiting for answers on the reported $594,469 in unsupported labor billings, the Clarkstown Democratic candidates feel that every public dollar should be spent for the good of our residents. Town officials using the town of Clarkstown’s social media to self-promote is unethical. Our funds should be directed toward maintaining our roads and parks, strengthening public services, and investing in infrastructure.

“As the Clarkstown Democratic Slate works to earn your vote this November, we make this commitment: we will never use taxpayer dollars to promote ourselves. We will put fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability first.

“Government officials should never forget whose money they are spending.”

https://rcbizjournal.com/.../ethics-complaint-charges.../

https://tinyurl.com/ClarkstownMetaAds

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