Union reps reject business group”™s offer
Several civil-service union representatives vehemently rejected an offer last week by the Westchester County Association to assist in negotiations between the unions and the county government to avert 210 layoffs.
With a Dec. 27 deadline for the county to approve its fiscal year 2012 budget, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino has threatened the county”™s public employee unions with layoffs if the unions do not agree to share some of the costs of health care for unionized county employees. Currently, the county”™s unionized employees do not contribute to their health care costs.
WCA President William M. Mooney and other members of the organization were on hand Nov. 29 at the county government building in White Plains to urge county and union officials to take any steps necessary to avoid layoffs and to offer the group”™s assistance.
Mooney implored the CSEA and the county”™s other public employee unions to make a modest contribution to health care costs and recommended that the unions and county government officials engage in round-the-clock negotiations until an agreement is reached.
The unions”™ response was immediate.
“We are appalled that a private group like the Westchester County Association would think they have some right to throw themselves into the negotiations process of civil service employees in Westchester County,” said Robert Buckley, president of the Westchester County Correction Superior Officers Benevolent Association, which represents some 120 officers. Buckley was joined by several other union representatives at the WCA briefing.
While outside organizations may not participate in any negotiations between the county government and its public employee unions, Astorino spokeswoman Donna Greene said the county executive would welcome any support as he seeks concessions from the unions
STOCK Act gains steam in House, Senate
In the weeks following a “60 Minutes” report that detailed the findings of Stanford University fellow Peter Schweizer that point to several instances of alleged insider trading by members of Congress, legislation to prevent the use of such information by elected officials has gained momentum.
As of Nov. 30, the STOCK Act ”“ short for Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge ”“ had 117 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives. A version of the act was first introduced in 2006 by U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-NY, 28th District, and has been put forth in every subsequent year but has never been voted on. Prior to the “60 Minutes” report on Nov. 13, the bill had nine co-sponsors in the House.
In the Senate, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, introduced a similar version of the House bill on Nov. 17 that currently has 12 co-sponsors.
Westchester IDA budget released
The Westchester County Industrial Development Agency unanimously approved its 2012 budget at its Nov. 29 meeting. The fiscal year 2012 budget calls for total expenditures of $2.189 million and projects revenues of $1.43 million.
Also contained in the budget were projections for 2013 through 2015, which state the IDA”™s budget deficit will fall from $758,439 in 2012 to below $580,000 in 2015.
