IN A STATEMENT PREPARED FOR THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS, THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY ASSOCIATION PUSHES FOR GREATER PUBLIC INPUT ON PROPOSED $1.7 BILLION 2012 BUDGET
ALSO CALLS UPON THE BOL TO DECREASE THEIR OWN EXPENDITURES IN LIGHT OF LOOMING BUDGET DEFICIT
(White Plains) Dec. 5, 2011......From the Westchester County
Association, the County’s leading business membership and advocacy
organization:
On behalf of our Board, our members and our staff,
we thank you for the opportunity to offer our comments on the proposed
2012 budget. Give More Time for Public Review Our first
point tonight is to express disappointment over the process and timing
of this budget. We are looking at a proposed $1.7 billion 2012 budget,
with over 6,000 line items. With the Board vote coming in just two days,
i.e. December 8th, we are concerned that there is not enough time for
further review and public input. We understand that the County Charter
calls for the budget to be adopted by December 27, which is in almost 3
weeks. We understand that the Charter also gives the County Executive
up to 10 days to issue any vetoes.
Under this
time scenario, the Budget goes back to the Board on December 19th for
any overrides, etc. With the Christmas holiday schedule, we understand
why you need it back by the 19th to review the vetoed items. However,
if there were more of a dialogue between the two branches of government
during the whole budget process, wouldn’t you know what the key veto
areas might be and not need as much time for review? Wouldn’t that
allow for more public review and input? Wouldn’t the public be better
served?
Clean House
Our
second point is to ask the Board of Legislators to lead by example and
cut their own expenses. We have publicly asked the contract employees of
our County to contribute to the shared sacrifice -- but we also call
upon the Board to lead by example. We note that the expenditures for
the Board included in the County tax levy rise by 4%, from $4.3 million
in 2011 to $4.5 million in 2012, in spite of the recent law capping the
property tax levy at 2%. Our hope is that the Legislators will put the
best interests of the community first, by finding reductions in their
budget that could be put to use to provide essential safety net services
and retain core employees.
Protect Westchester's Triple A Rating
We
have also publicly urged the County Executive and the Legislators to
make protecting Westchester's Triple A Credit rating an imperative
during the budget process. Recently, Moody's attached a "negative
outlook" to the triple A credit rating our County enjoys. This outlook
was based on spending patterns that have not been fiscally responsible.
Keeping our Triple A rating intact is essential to maintaining our
favorable borrowing rates. As we are in dire need of improving our
infrastructure, stimulating the regional economy, and creating jobs, a
slip in our credit rating would be devastating. It would cause bigger
budget deficits, layoffs, and reduction of essential services.
Show Leadership
What
we're witnessing at the national level is an appalling lack of
leadership and political partisanship with no regard for the public
interest. We don't want that repeated in Westchester. These are
difficult times, which call for leadership, compromise, and shared
sacrifice. In this environment, difficult decisions need to be made
about how taxpayer money is spent. The elected officials and community
leaders of our County must be willing to make those hard decisions,
especially in light of a looming budget deficit.
This is a
defining moment in our community. We in the business community have come
together as a group to stand up for the public interest -- to restore
fiscal responsibility and leadership to Westchester County. This is our
Call to Action.