Rob Astorino Reviews Taxes and Affordable Housing in Scarsdale
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County Executive Rob Astorino paid a visit to Scarsdale on Wednesday night 9-19 for a Town Hall meeting at Village Hall. Though he looked fresh, bright and upbeat the issues he brought to the fore were anything but new. Since assuming office in 2010, he has been plagued with many of the same challenges that face municipalities and counties around the country – but more so, as Westchester County has the distinction of having the highest county taxes in the nation.
Astorino came into office pledging to reduce the size of county government that had become bloated under former County Executive Andy Spano’s 12-year reign. In fact, County taxes rose 17% from 2005 to 2010 and Astorino won the election on the promise that he would take on county unions, require workers to contribute to their benefits and reduce headcount if needed. It hasn’t been easy. He told the group that on average, county workers earn more than their piers in the private and public sectors in Westchester, and on top of their average salary of $73,789 the county pays another 54% for fringe benefits. During his tenure he has challenged the unions to accept concessions and recently signed agreements with the teamsters and correctional officer’s unions that will require current workers to contribute 15% of their healthcare costs and new employees to contribute 20%.
Even more frustrating are state mandated costs which account for 82% of the county tax levy or 48% of the total county budget of $1.69 billion, leaving the county to act as a cash register for the state and fund programs over which they have no control.
Here are the state mandated payments for 2012: 
- $216M for Medicaid
- $79.9M for Pensions
- $44.5M for Preschools
- $43.3M for Public Assistance
- $17M for Indigent Defense
- $16.25M for Child Welfare
- $15.5M for Probation
- $13.5 M for Early Intervention
- $2.6M for Youth Detention
- $814M in Total
The county’s $79.9M pension payment is expected to continue to grow to $91M in 2013 and $105M in 2014. Astorino pointed out that though Governor Cuomo had championed a tax cap of 2% for local governments, the state has ignored that cap and passed through state mandated increases far in excess of 2%.
Last he discussed the Affordable Housing Settlement that requires Westchester County to spend $51.6M to build 750 units of affordable housing. According to Astorino, the settlement has received much national attention as HUD is seeking to make the settlement a test case. Though HUD contends that Westchester communities have exclusionary zoning practices, several studies of the 813 zoning districts in the county found no evidence of exclusionary practices. Astorino also pointed out that between 2000 and 2010 the county’s Hispanic and Afro-American population grew by 56% making Westchester County the fourth most diverse county in the state.
Despite this progress, he is currently embroiled in a dispute HUD on complying with additional terms that were not spelled out in the original settlement document that they are now seeking to enforce. According to the Astorino, HUD has asked him to demand that local municipalities change their local zoning codes and eliminate height, density and acreage requirements to allow for multiple family affordable units in residential areas now designated for single family housing.
In addition, HUD is also barring developers of the affordable units from discriminating against those who will pay their rent with Section 8 housing vouchers.
Speaking about these two recent points of contention, Astorino said, “We will do what’s in that contract – but not, what’s not in the contract!”
Following his prepared remarks, Astorino answered questions from the audience on a variety of topics including the safety of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, the future of Rye Playland and the possibility of opening Sprain Lake to boaters. He remained cool despite a combative audience member who attempted to show that he was misinformed on the dangers of the power plant.
He invited the audience to keep informed about Westchester County issues at westchestergov.com and to email him with concerns at ce@westchestergov.com.
County Executive Rob Astorino to Hold Town Hall Meeting Wednesday in Scarsdale
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As part of an ongoing effort to reach out to Westchester residents and listen to what is on their minds, County Executive Rob Astorino will host his fourth “Ask Astorino” town hall meeting on Wednesday, September 19 at 7 p.m. at Scarsdale Village Hall at 1001 Post Road, Scarsdale.
Astorino will be introduced by Scarsdale Mayor Miriam Levitt Flisser. The County Executive will then give an update on the progress his administration is making in delivering on his three major goals: providing tax relief, preserving essential services and promoting economic development.
Area residents are invited to bring any questions or ideas they would like to discuss face-to-face with Astorino.
The “Ask Astorino” town hall series has drawn crowds in North Salem, Pelham and White Plains and will continue to be held on a monthly basis throughout the county.
Book Sale is On at Scarsdale Library
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The much anticipated book sale at Scarsdale Library is off to a great beginning. Kathy Steves, who runs the ambitious event, reported that the library collected 60,000 books in advance of the sale and a committed group of almost 50 volunteers spent months sorting through the donation ad organizing the books for the week-long sale. Despite heavy downpours on Friday night September 7, friends of the library and book dealers came out in force to preview the sale and get first dibs on the offerings. Prior to the 7 pm opening, customers actually waited in line to get in.
Interest was so strong on the first night, that Steves limited sales to 20 books per customers and barred dealers from using scanners to vet the offerings. The sale includes everything from rare limited editions, to mass market paperbacks, novels, non-fiction, cookbooks, travel, gardening guides, children’s titles, DVD’s and more.
Have e-readers changed the nature of the sale? So far it appears not. Generous residents appear to have vast supplies of 
books in print to turn over. Steves did note that this year the collection of novels might not be as current as in past years, as some readers are now purchasing the latest titles on their Kindles, iPads and Nooks and therefore don’t have copies of books to spare.
As of Monday night, revenues were even with last year and there were still plenty of books to browse. Total sales last year were over $45,000. The sale continues until Sunday September 16 – so make a trip to Olmstead Road to see what you can find.
Remembering 9-11 and More from the Scarsdale Village Board
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The Scarsdale Village Board met on the night of September 11 and Mayor Flisser opened the meeting by reading a poem from U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins --- shown below. They then went on to review resolutions – some to accept funds and some to authorize spending. Here is a brief summary of the proceedings:
On the plus side:
The Village received $253,936 in funds from FEMA to reimburse Scarsdale for costs associated with the recovery following Hurricane Irene on August 26, 2011. In order to secure the funds, the Village worked with FEMA and N.Y. State to do analysis and itemize costs associated with the clean-up.
In addition, the Village will receive $121,500 from developers who will subdivide property at 15 Gatehouse Road to build three houses on the site of the former Marx Estate. In order to develop the two additional lots, the Village is requiring the applicants to pay a subdivision recreation fee of $60,750 for each of the two lots, in lieu of a contribution of land for park, playground or other recreational purposes.
And for expenditures:
NextG Networks has petitioned the Village to amend the Wireless Law to permit the installation of (DAS) Distributed Antenna Systems in residential neighborhoods. In order to evaluate the application, the Planning Board requested that the Village authorize $15,000 for engineering assistance for a technical review, an inventory and capacity analysis of the Village’s existing sites to determine the degree to which these sites could accommodate additional carriers. The Village will retain Columbia Telecommunications Corp. to carry out the work.
The Village will provide $87,500 in funding for the Scarsdale Teen Center – in addition to $65,000 funded by the Scarsdale Board of Education.
Petrillo Contracting of Mt. Vernon was awarded a contract to resurface approximately 1.2 miles of roadways in Scarsdale. After the resolution was approved, Trustee Bob Harrison called for the Village to take advantage of favorable interest rates and issue bonds to raise additional funds to repair more of the Village roadways this year.
The Village authorized an amendment to their contract with engineers Dvirka and Bartilucci for work on the South Fox Meadow Stormwater Improvement Project for engineering expenses for Segment 7, the Harcourt Woods portion of the project.
The Village authorized $150,250 in funds to renovate the playground at Davis Park in Edgewood.
Last, Dan Hochvert of 62 Woods Lane applied for a tax grievance before the Scarsdale Board of Assessment Review in June. However, five member of the committee recused themselves because of a conflict of interest or to avoid an appearance of impropriety and therefore no decision was made on his grievance. To allow him to receive a fair hearing, the Village has entered into a Intermunicipal Agreement with the City of Rye to review his complaint.
There were no comments from the public.
Here is a copy of the poem read by the Mayor in honor of September 11th:
"The Names"
By Billy Collins - Poet Laureate, United States of America
Yesterday, I lay awake in the palm of the night.
A soft rain stole in, unhelped by any breeze,
And when I saw the silver glaze on the windows,
I started with A, with Alderman, as it happened,
Then Baxter and Calabro,
Davis and Eberling, names falling into place
As droplets fell through the dark.
Names printed on the ceiling of the night.
Names slipping around a watery bend.
Twenty-six willows on the banks of a stream.
In the morning, I walked out barefoot
Among thousands of flowers
Heavy with dew like the eyes of tears,
And each had a name --
Fiori inscribed on a yellow petal
Then Gonzalez and Han, Ishikawa and Jenkins.
Names written in the air
And stitched into the cloth of the day.
A name under a photograph taped to a mailbox.
Monogram on a torn shirt,
I see you spelled out on storefront windows
And on the bright unfurled awnings of this city.
I say the syllables as I turn a corner --
Kelly and Lee,
Medina, Nardella, and O'Connor.
When I peer into the woods,
I see a thick tangle where letters are hidden
As in a puzzle concocted for children.
Parker and Quigley in the twigs of an ash,
Rizzo, Schubert, Torres, and Upton,
Secrets in the boughs of an ancient maple.
Names written in the pale sky.
Names rising in the updraft amid buildings.
Names silent in stone
Or cried out behind a door.
Names blown over the earth and out to sea.
In the evening -- weakening light, the last swallows.
A boy on a lake lifts his oars.
A woman by a window puts a match to a candle,
And the names are outlined on the rose clouds --
Vanacore and Wallace,
(let X stand, if it can, for the ones unfound)
Then Young and Ziminsky, the final jolt of Z.
Names etched on the head of a pin.
One name spanning a bridge, another undergoing a tunnel.
A blue name needled into the skin.
Names of citizens, workers, mothers and fathers,
The bright-eyed daughter, the quick son.
Alphabet of names in a green field.
Names in the small tracks of birds.
Names lifted from a hat
Or balanced on the tip of the tongue.
Names wheeled into the dim warehouse of memory.
So many names, there is barely room on the walls of the heart.
Police Chase Car Thieves on Route 119
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Greenburgh Police chased down two Bronx men with lengthy criminal records on Saturday morning September 1 shorty after 11 am. The two were driving a stolen 2007 Toyota Camry eastbound on Route 119 (Tarrytown Road) and sped away when police attempted to pull them over. During the chase, the car jumped over the median and drove into oncoming traffic -- then crossed back over the median, damaging the car, which came to a stop on the southbound entrance to the Bronx River Parkway. The passenger in the car, later identified as Jason Lopez, age 33, surrendered immediately, but the driver of the car, Wesley Jenkins, age 43 made a run for it. He was stopped by the Westchester County Police and the White Plains Police and according to the report, “apprehended after a brief struggle.”
Both suspects were charged with Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the 3rd Degree for the stolen car and 5th degree for stolen merchandise found in the car. In addition, Jenkins was charged with Fleeing a Police Officer in a Motor Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Resisting Arrest and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle.
Jenkins has 28 prior convictions including 4 felonies and 24 misdemeanors and Lopez has been convicted of one felony and
27 misdemeanors. Both suspects were arraigned before the Honorable Judge Gordon-Oliver and transported to the Westchester County Jail. Jenkins was held without bail and Lopez held on $15,000 bail. They are due back in Court today, Tuesday September 4th.
And what about the hair? Were the men in disguise or are those their usual dos? No information about the men’s unusual style was provided by the police.
(Pictured at top: Jason Lopez, at right; Wesley Jenkins)
