Mandate relief trickles in
Some $15.4 million in capital grants from the State Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund are intended to help offset the financial burden of a federal mandate that could cost local governments an estimated $500 million.
The town of Southeast in Putnam County is to receive $3.4 million, the town of North Salem, $4.6 million, and Westchester County as a whole is slated to see $9.1 million.
Assemblyman Steve Katz, R-Yorktown, introduced legislation to alleviate some of the burden of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems mandate (MS4s) enforced by the state Department of Conservation, calling on “local governments to meet their deadlines without shifting the burden onto the backs of taxpayers.”
In other news, state Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, is pushing five mandate-relief measures, including: providing local governments and school districts greater contracting opportunities; authorizing the merger and shared services of contiguous county, city, town and village Industrial Development Agencies; and authorizing any New York state municipality to make purchases through other municipalities”™ contracts.
One mandate relief bill passed March 22, allowing county clerks in the state to accept conveyances of real property transactions electronically.
AG calls for a fix
“We can”™t move forward unless we fix it,” state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman told 225 attendees at a recent UJA-Federation of New York Westchester Government Relations Committee 2011 Legislative Breakfast.
Schneiderman was referring to what he viewed as a need to renew the public”™s faith in private and public institutions. Several speakers touched on the role of government and nonprofits in providing critical services to communities.
Eco-friendly honors
Bronxville ranks among the highest three municipalities in Westchester for its overall recycling rate of 71 percent in 2010. The village was honored along with county residents and businesses at an April 17 Earth Day recognition event.
The Business Council of Westchester and Con Edison were lauded for developing the second phase of the Westchester Green Business Challenge, which urges local businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Bedford 2020 Coalition of the town of Bedford was also honored for pushing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by some 20 percent by the year 2020.
County gets all AAAs
Westchester County has maintained its Fitch Ratings triple-A bond rating, after submitting evidence of sound fiscal management and a demonstrated effort to reduce expenditures. Additionally, the county has maintained its triple-A rating from Moody”™s Investors Services and Standard & Poor”™s.
