Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Vol 10 Number 44
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The people of Westchester will cast one of their most important votes when they decide Nov. 5 who will be their county executive for the next four years. The issue of immediate concern to the families, taxpayers and homeowners in Westchester County are property taxes, with a recent Marist poll finding 30 percent of Westchester voters thinking taxes should be the top priority for the next county executive. Four years ago, Rob Astorino was elected county executive on a promise to control spending and deliver tax relief to the people of Westchester who pay the highest taxes in the country. We endorse Astorino for re-election Nov. 5 because he has delivered on that promise and we look forward to four more years of Astorinos efforts to make Westchester a more affordable place to live, work and raise a family. Astorino has, in essence, created his own property tax cap of 0 percent for Westchester County government, before Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state legislators passed the 2 percent state tax cap in 2011. Astorinos first budget for 2010, before the state tax cap, had a 0 percent property tax increase, and his approach toward budgeting has resulted in Democrats and Republicans presenting budgets that have resulted in a 2 percent REDUCTION in the county tax levy over three years, and a smaller county budget today than three years ago. Astorinos challenger for county executive, New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson, has not campaigned on the number-one issue of concern for Westchester voters property taxes. Instead, Bramson has decided to focus
chester agree with Astorinos call for contributions to health insurance for county employees, we do not believe that the Westchester voter agrees with the policy in New Rochelle, which provides free health insurance for life to its elected officials who serve more than five years in office. We estimated that Bramsons health insurance for life will cost the taxpayers of New Rochelle close to $1 million, and that is just for one elected official. Astorino has pointed to Bramsons record of raising property taxes by 109 percent over 18 years, for an average tax increase of 6 percent. Bramson has responded by digging up Astorinos record on the Mt. Pleasant Town Board and his votes for tax increases. The most reasonable contrast between Astorino and Bramson, in our view, can be found by comparing their last three budgets. (See chart.) In todays political reality, we need our elected officials to do more with less. One candidate for county executive has listened to the voters in Westchester and made property tax relief and controlling spending his top priority. His name is Rob Astorino, who we endorse for county executive. Westchester has turned the corner from the great recession of 2008. Under Astorino, 27,000 new jobs have been created in Westchester. Now is not the time to turn back.
Astorinos County Bramsons New Rochelle Budget Budget 0 % tax increase -2 % tax increase 0 % tax increase 6.99 % tax increase 5.96 % tax increase 5.9 % tax increase