County adopts 2011 budget
In another clash of county branches over government spending reins, the Democrat-controlled Westchester County Board of Legislators overrode the Republican county executive”™s vetoes to adopt a $1.79 billion budget that includes a 2 percent drop in the county property tax levy.
The approved budget restored most of the nearly 250 spending and revenue items vetoed last month by Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino.
Astorino called it “government by gimmicks” on the part of Democrats.
Democratic lawmakers said the budget approved Dec. 23 was “a more fiscally responsible alternative” to Astorino”™s budget plan. They restored to the budget what they called his severe cuts to social safety net programs and public safety, health and other services for working families.
If all of Astorino”™s vetoes were sustained, Democrats said, the resulting budget would have raised the county property tax levy by 0.02 percent. Astorino”™s executive budget called for a 1 percent drop in the property tax levy.
“Westchester County”™s budget is balanced and on time, and it will lower the county tax levy,” Board of Legislators Chairman Kenneth W. Jenkins, D-Yonkers, said in a statement. “This budget right-sizes government, and not capsizes it.”
Before the board”™s lengthy veto override votes, Jenkins accused Astorino of “grandstanding and trying to score cheap political points.” He said the county executive instead should work with legislators on “creative solutions necessary to provide much-needed tax relief for our residents.”
Astorino in a statement said the adopted budget was “filled with runaway spending and speculative revenues.” He earlier warned that the Democrats”™ “wasteful” spending plan, unfunded liabilities and inflated revenue projections could imperil the county”™s sterling triple-A bond rating with credit rating agencies.
Democrats “went on a spending spree,” Astorino said. “Next month the bills will start coming in. The Democrats have decided to put the bill on the taxpayer”™s credit card. But make no mistake. The bill has to be paid and it can”™t be paid with phony revenues.”
Astorino again pointed to Nassau County”™s growing fiscal crisis and fallen credit ratings as a warning to Westchester. He said legislators are drawing down the county”™s reserve fund to “dangerous” levels, the kind of “reckless” action that gets a county”™s bonds downgraded.
The county”™s largest business groups, The Business Council of Westchester and Westchester County Association, both backed Astorino”™s executive budget over the legislators”™ spending plan.
The Business Council, in a statement supporting the county executive”™s vetoes, said the budget later adopted was based on “risky assumptions” likely to expose the county to continued deficits and “protects the status quo and the county”™s unsustainable spending habits.”