Astorino Vows to Cut County Expenses

Newly elected County Executive Rob Astorino stopped by the Scarsdale Forum on Thursday night June 3rd to update residents on Westchester County government. Though it was his sixth appearance of the day, he looked fresh and alert. Handsome, charming and engaging, he spoke directly and quickly had everyone in the room on his side. His election was a mandate from voters to rein in spending and remove Westchester from the list as the highest-taxed county in the country, and Astorino is serious about delivering on his campaign promise,

He explained some of the challenges of the job and vowed to bring in a balanced budget next year. With 5,600 county employees and a budget of over $2 billion Astorino’s moves will effect many. No one wants to see their salaries or services cut, but it has simply become too expensive to sustain the status quo. Astorino explained that in the past decade two million taxpayers have left New York State, partially due to the high cost of living here. He claims these people have been replaced with millions without resources and in need of services. In his role, he is evaluating County business and deciding what core services we should provide to those truly in need and which should be cut. In his words, we are “providing a Cadillac when we could provide a Chevy.”

If we don’t make changes, the 2011 Westchester County budget deficit is estimated to grow to $166 million. Rather than increase taxes by 30% to cover it, Astorino is examining the following contributing factors:

-The pension cost for County employees is now at $55 million per year and is expected to grow to $125 million per year in three years

-The County now pays $22,000 a year per family for health insurance for County workers who make no contribution to their own insurance. The County provides day care services at a cost of $13,000 per year per child.

-Labor contracts now grant County workers 4% salary increases and though Astorino has asked for concessions from the unions he has received no response from their leadership.

-The Beeline Bus system costs $90 million per year and his administration is looking for ways to trim the system but save bus routes that are heavily utilized or those that run in areas where there is no other available transportation.

Astorino anticipates that tough negotiations with the unions are in store, and fully expects to see the large inflatable union rat on his front lawn. Without any concessions from the unions, Astorino says that up to 1,600 employees may lose their jobs with probable layoffs of 500-700 employees.

He is already meeting opposition from the Democratic Majority of the Legislature who voted on June 7 to authorize the retention of outside counsel to represent the County Board in possible litigation against the Administration to stop their unauthorized budget cuts to day care subsidies that were recently cut to low income families.

According to Democratic Chairman Ken Jenkins, “The Legislature may be forced to seek court intervention in order to protect the rights of Westchester's children and families and to clarify the constitutional authority over who maintains the County's budget,” Although there is a cost associated with the lawsuit, Jenkins says, “the savings to the taxpayers far outweighs the cost of failure to act. It further protects the people’s voice in county government. The County Executive may not agree with the Legislature’s spending priorities, but he is constitutionally and legally bound to follow them by law."

Democrats contend that Astorino has overstepped his bounds by unilaterally implementing these modifications which some feel jeopardize daycare that enables parents to keep working and assure that their children are in a safe environment while their parents work.

At issue are proposed cuts of $5.8 million in social services this year, including $1.5 million in day-care spending by cutting two programs and by raising contributions on a third. Among the changes include the elimination of the Westchester County Child Care Scholarship program, created by the Board of Legislators, a freeze on new Title XX child care subsidies, a federal program that, currently, aids families within the County; and, by increasing parent contributions from families who get low-income child-care subsidies from 15% to 20%.

Astorino answered questions from the audience at the Forum and was asked for developments in the housing settlement with HUD that ordered Westchester to construct 750 units of affordable housing in villages with low percentages of minority representation. Astorino was against the settlement and stated that the $51 million is not sufficient to build 750 new units in the specified villages. The first plan that Westchester submitted in January, 2010 was not accepted by Federal Monitor Jim Johnson, who has now hired an outside company to review it. Astorino believes that both senior housing and workforce housing should be permitted to count toward the required 750 units. In addition, if the County was permitted to rehab or convert existing homes, rather than embark on new construction projects, the funds would go a longer way. He is hopeful that the Monitor will be flexible in the enforcement of an implementation plan.

Astorino ended by saying “I was elected to change things,” and he appeared fully resolved to do so. He welcomed residents to email him suggestions and comments at CEO@westchestergov.com