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Published: 14 March 2013

Created: 14 March 2013

Last Updated: 15 March 2013

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The Campaign Committee for the Scarsdale Citizens' Non-Partisan Party urges Scarsdale citizens to vote in this year's Village election on March 19. By voting in our local elections, you will be supporting a system that has served Scarsdale well for over 100 years. The system has traditionally produced high quality office holders who have given selflessly of their time and energy in positions that involve long hours, lots of study and no pay – to make Scarsdale a model of excellent government and wonderful services. To learn about this year's outstanding candidates and about the non-partisan system, please visit the campaign's website at www.scarsdalecitizens.org.

The strength of the non-partisan system and of the Scarsdale community rests on our citizens' willingness to participate in the life of the community in a variety of ways – membership in one or more of the many organizations that make Scarsdale a special place, serving on nominating committees and holding Village office. Even in uncontested elections, voting is a very important part of that participation.
Please vote on March 19 at Village Hall – voting hours are 6-9 a.m. and Noon-9 p.m.

David Irwin
2013 Campaign Chair
Scarsdale Citizens' Non-Partisan Party

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Published: 14 March 2013

Created: 14 March 2013

Last Updated: 15 March 2013

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It's official! You will now pay every time you flush. At the Scarsdale Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday night March 12, the board passed a new law, called "sanitary sewer systems" that will allow the Village to charge residents a sewer rent fee. Revenues will be used to defray the costs of maintaining and improving the Village sewer system which dates back to the 1920's and is in need of repair. Village managers estimate that the average homeowner uses 200 units of water each year and will pay approximately $60 while commercial establishments use an estimated 1,200 units of water per year and will pay $390 per year. The Village expects to collect $400,000 per year from this new fee. Trustees passed the new law with little objection from residents or business owners.

However, members of the Scarsdale business community came to the meeting to protest another proposed increase in fees. In order to raise more funds, Village managers had proposed expanding metered parking downtown from 6 to 9 pm. Currently it is free to park on Village streets after 6 pm. Under this new scheme, those parking downtown would need to feed the meters during the evening hours as well.

This did not go over well with restaurant owners and retailers who protested that their businesses has already been hurt by construction on the Popham Road Bridge and the ongoing work on the Crane Road Bridge. Some estimated that business had fallen by 30% since the roadwork began. Rush Wilson, Don Zaccharia, George Stone and others came to the meeting along with Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce President Carolyn Stevens. They argued that free parking at night is a benefit to business. Former Mayor Stevens said, "With new restaurants trying to gain a foothold in the Village, increasing metered parking until nine o'clock is not business – friendly. Overall, it is not good for the health of the Village." According to Stevens, the $15,000 in additional revenue that would be gained with evening parking fees would have little impact on the Village budget.

Also passed at the Village Board meeting were a new schedule of 2013-14 Village wide fees and charges. Among the increased fees were:

• A filming fee of $500 per hour
• Increased fees for tree removal permits
• Application fees for zoning changes, variances, or a re-hearing by the Board of Appeals
• Parking fees – Freightway annual parking fee to go up from $890 to $950

See the schedule of all fees here.

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Published: 06 March 2013

Created: 06 March 2013

Last Updated: 06 March 2013

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According to Village Manager Al Gatta these are tough times for small municipalities like Scarsdale. In a presentation on the proposed 2013-14 Village Budget to the Scarsdale Board of Trustees and the community on February 27, 2013 Gatta emphasized the difficulties faced by the Village due to the economy and state priorities. Gatta told the group that Albany is targeting grants to larger cities while Villages like Scarsdale are being told to "tighten up" their budgets and provide the same or more services with the same amount (or less) of money. In this economic environment, municipal government is not a priority. He emphasized the importance of local decision-making and efficient local government in these challenging times.

Gatta and Village Treasurer Mary Lou McClure shared the numbers for the 2013-14 budget:

• Overall, the proposed budget is $50,639,599.
• The Village Board adopted to override of the 2% cap on property tax levy. This cap is misleading because it allows for numerous exemptions – in Scarsdale's case, growth factor and pension payments – always increase the cap. The tax rate increase is now 4.97% (down from an over 8% increase in the initial draft of the budget).
• The median assessed home will be taxed $282 more per year.
• The full year estimate includes expenses related to Hurricane Sandy – a 3.2% increase when comparing next year's budget to this year's estimate.

What's included:

• As we reported last week, the Village is considering the institution of a sewer usage fee, following the lead of a number of Westchester communities.. The average household fee would be approximately $60 per year and $360 per year for commercial establishments. The Village is faced with a $1, 647,000 shortfall in the budget (down from $2.8 million). Sales tax revenue did not grow at its anticipated rate and without local industry the Village has to find other means of balancing the budget. This fee would allow for Scarsdale to make up part of this shortfall and to make repairs to its antiquated sewer system.
• Reductions in police coverage – during bridge construction, Village residents requested additional police at the Popham/Garth intersection. However, now that the construction is almost finished, police presence at that intersection is no longer needed.
• An increase of over $20,000 in parking meter revenue (due partially to earlier start times at some meter locations).

In addition:

• Many of the Rivertowns are starting to share and merge services in order to reduce expenditures (the Mayor noted that Scarsdale and Hartsdale currently share fire departments).
• The Village had considered cutting its 4th of July fireworks, along with Teen Center services and the summer band concerts, but in light of resident feedback, decided against these austerity measures.
• The Village expects to recieve $675,000 from FEMA for Hurricane Sandy storm damage.
• Mr. Gatta advised Village department heads to level funding and keep the same level of services unless absolutely impossible. In total, their expenditures increased $633,000 or 2.4%, more than half of which is in the fire department, which has a number of senior level employees.
• The Village is considering a renovation of the water pump system, which would result in a decrease in fire insurance rates as fire insurance decreases with improved water pressure and availability of water.
• Overall, the budget has increased about 21% since 2008-2009, much of that increase coming from pension and healthcare costs.

Contributor Lindsay Dembner lives in Scarsdale. She is an English major turned lawyer currently pursuing employment in higher education and education nonprofits.