Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino”™s State of the County address included a pledge not to raise the county tax levy, a proposal to opt out of a federal grant program ”“ and a few jabs at state government for good measure.
Astorino, who is running for governor this year, told members of the public and the county Board of Legislators during his May 1 address that Albany was a “giant vacuum,” sucking money, jobs and energy from local communities.
“It”™s time to pull the plug,” he said.
The speech came two weeks before the state Republican Party is expected to nominate Astorino to run against incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat. Astorino listed his track record in Westchester, also serving as a campaign platform for the state race.
The county executive pledged to propose a budget this year, Astorino”™s fifth in office, with no tax levy increase. He said the county had either cut or kept flat that levy each year since he has been in office. (The levy is different from the tax rate, meaning a property owner”™s tax bill could increase based on local valuation and other factors.)
“We promised tax relief and we”™re delivering it,” he said.
There were two marquee initiatives outlined during the speech, the first being Astorino”™s plan for the county to provide funding for its municipalities to replace federal Community Development Block Grants. Westchester communities have lost out on more than $12 million in funds from the federal government due to the county”™s lack of compliance with a 2009 affordable housing lawsuit. In that suit, Westchester agreed to build or obtain 750 units of affordable housing, most of which were to be placed in its richest and statistically whitest communities.
Astorino”™s administration has refused to acknowledge impediments to fair housing in the zoning codes of the county”™s local communities. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development withheld the federal funds due to that stance. As the standoff continues, Astorino pledged to start a county program, with $5 million in grants at the ready. The move, he said, would cost county taxpayers an additional $1 per year per household.
The loss of the federal grants has been a criticism against the county executive, particularly because many of the communities losing the federal grants were not named in the affordable housing suit. Leaders of some of those communities issued an announcement in favor of the idea of a county block development program. Peekskill Mayor Frank Catalina said in the news release that his city lost more than $500,000 despite having a diverse population and ample affordable housing units.
Astorino also announced the appointment of an immigrant services liaison to his office, with a focus on helping immigrants pass language barriers and focusing on those who need assistance starting a business. Katherine Delgado, Astorino”™s chief of staff, will assume that new role.
Despite being a county-themed address, state government loomed large over the speech and not solely because of Astorino”™s candidacy.
“The issues of Westchester and New York state are really one and the same,” he said.
Astorino said mandates from the state cost county government $450 million annually, while Westchester only receives $250 million in aid from New York. He likened that to being charged $2 for every $1 the county receives.
“In fact, if this wasn”™t government it would be illegal,” he said.
New York government now has a tax levy cap in effect, with the goal of forcing counties, schools and local communities to limit the amount of taxes they collect each year.
“But instead of capping its own spending, Albany just keeps sending us bigger and bigger bills,” Astorino said.
Marsha Gordon, president and CEO of the Business Council of Westchester, issued a statement after the address supporting Astorino”™s county agenda. “We”™re seeing businesses like PepsiCo, MasterCard, Regeneron and Acorda Therapeutics are not only staying in Westchester, but growing, expanding and hiring people,” she said.
