Out with the old, in with the new. Sounds simple enough, but there can be many interpretations of that adage.
In Westchester County, the New Year brings a new county executive ”“ a Republican, no less ”“ a new mayor in White Plains and a few other changes in the political arena.
Former state Assemblyman Adam Bradley took the reins as White Plains mayor Jan. 1, marking the end of an era for the city whose three-term incumbent Joseph Delfino decided not to run again.
Robert Astorino stunned the Democrat-dominated Westchester last November when he unseated longtime incumbent County Executive Andrew Spano.
The three-term Democrat seemed stunned himself. Spano”™s popularity, already threatened by consistently rising property taxes, took a dive on the news of a federal housing settlement he signed off on that will force the county to create 750 units of housing in wealthy communities to be targeted toward minorities. The cost is still being calculated, but it”™s expected to be in the multimillions ”“ not a good thing in this Great Recession.
And so, despite his strong assertions about the county”™s hands being bound by federal strings, voters didn”™t buy it. And they said so.
But “no one in government seemed to hear. Well I hear you. I hear you loud and clear,” a spirited Astorino told a near-packed theater at Purchase College Jan. 3, following his swearing in as Westchester County”™s new chief.
Noting the campaign is over and it”™s “time to govern,” Astorino vowed to deliver “essential services, economic growth and tax relief.”
And he promised to do it at all costs.
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“One of the realities of being the county executive is that everything is magnified ”¦ whatever close, personal friends you had, multiply by the biggest number you can think of, and double it. Of course, once this speech is over, I am told I can start subtracting some of those friends. In other words, I stand before you today at the height of my popularity.”
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Astorino said he will use “three cornerstones” to guide his actions: competence, collaboration and communication.
Cuts in government spending are imminent ”“ Astorino”™s administration is predicting a $60 million deficit in 2011. “Disciplined management of government” is key, he said.
He talked about reducing excess layers of government, noting Westchester has more than 400 taxing jurisdictions ”“ “government gone wild,” as he put it. “Tax madness, masquerading as reform, is no reform at all.”
Consolidation and shared services are being reviewed, he said. “Restoring fiscal health starts with shedding bureaucratic bloat.”
And he wants to make the county a more business-friendly place, not only to attract companies, but to keep the ones we have.
“Companies large and small ”¦ all need to know that Westchester County is open for business.” That”™s a much-needed attitude as Starwood Hotels prepares to check out of Westchester and into Fairfield County.
And then the new county executive outlined the when, the where and the why:
“We need to act ”¦ right now ”¦ across every inch of the 450 square miles of Westchester ”¦ because that”™s what the voters elected us to do. That”™s government.”
We have many hopes for the New Year ”“ economic recovery, jobs creation, a healthy Dow, lower taxes. And we are hopeful our new local leaders will deliver on their promises. We also hope all politicians heed Astorino”™s words: “That”™s what the voters elected us to do.”
The people are talking. Listen up ”“ or get tossed out.
