Westchester County executive Robert Astorino questioned the motives of critics of Indian Point Energy Center and maintained his criticism for a statewide minimum wage increase in a panel discussion Tuesday morning.
The discussion, hosted by Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress, a nonprofit economic think tank, featured Astorino, Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell and Rockland County Executive Ed Day. The executives addressed questions about their respective counties from a Jeopardy style board at the Crowne Plaza in Suffern.
Astorino”™s first question involved Indian Point and critics, including Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who are calling for it to close.
“I think it”™s totally irresponsible to say ”˜close Indian Point”™ without a realistic plan to make up that energy source for the entire region”™s needs,” said Astorino, a Republican in his second term.
Astorino said political purposes are driving the calls to close the nuclear plant.
“If we”™re going to grow, and the county has grown”¦ you need a source of energy,” Astorino said. “So to close that and pray that it is sunny every day for solar isn”™t going to happen.”
He added that he does view solar and wind energy as “part of the mix,” but it would be impossible to shut Indian Point without a spike in rates or a slowing of growth.
On the issue of a $15 minimum wage, which was passed in the state budget and will kick in in Westchester County in six years, Astorino continued his opposition to a central policy of Cuomo”™s. Astorino ran against Cuomo in the 2014 election. The county executive called the policy “destructive to New York state.”
“Economics will always trump ideology in the long term,” Astorino said. “So the irony is, those who they are really trying to help, ostensibly, are going to be hurt the most, those with lower skills, lower wages right now, poor, minorities”¦ those economic opportunities are going to be taken away.”
Day and Odell, both Republicans, expressed similar concerns that the minimum wage increase could mean fewer jobs overall.
“In a county where we are driven by Main Street, our business owners are struggling every day to keep the doors open,” Odell said. “I know the impact it”™s going to have on our business community and they know it.”
Astorino and Day were asked about the construction process of the new Tappan Zee bridge, the connector of the executive”™s two counties. Again, Astorino used the question as a platform to question leadership in Albany. He said he has long advocated for a replacement to the Tappan Zee, but that more transparency is needed on the project”™s financials.
“I think the public has a right to know what the ultimate cost of this bridge is, how it”™s going to be financed and what your toll is going to be,” Astorino said. “But it is a great project and has put a lot of people to work.”
The state sent $700 million from its 2016 budget to the state Thruway Authority to help with infrastructure costs, including construction of the new bridge, which a Cuomo representative told the Journal News could hold off a rate hike until 2020.
Speculation started in 2012 that the toll could reach as high as $14 per hour, a number Cuomo was also against. Day said that a price that high would be unacceptable.
“What happens when someone starts heading toward the bridge and they are facing a $15 toll?” Day said. “Do they continue over to a place like Palisades Center, which provides 22 percent of our sales tax revenue, or do they make a sudden left turn and go down to Ridge Hill?”
For a final question, Astorino was asked about the continued population growth in New York City and whether he wanted Westchester to be a part of that growth. While he cautioned that he is not looking to make the county New York City”™s “sixth borough,” growth could be good if done correctly.
“Anyone that wants to come to Westchester from anywhere is more than welcome,” Astorino said. “But I think we have to be careful that we do not overgrow and become something that we are not.”
indian point is a energy we don not use and has been leaking FOR DECADES in to the NEW YORK WATER, SHUT IT DOWN YESTERDAY,
When Astorino says it’s impossible to replace Indian Point with renewable energy, it just means HE can’t do it! Get out of the way of the train or get hit by it Bob A. The “times they are a changing”