OROS CALLS FOR AMENDMENT TO THE SEWER CONSOLIDATION PROPOSAL

Change would ensure savings of nearly 50% for residents of the Peekskill Sanitary Sewer District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Contact: George Oros, 914.995.2828, Oros@westchesterlegislators.com

White Plains, NY – As the Board of Legislators reviews a proposal to consolidate all thirteen County sewer districts, County Legislator George Oros (R—Cortlandt) has proposed an amendment to the drafted legislation that would guarantee that residents of the Peekskill Sanitary Sewer District will save 48% on their sewer taxes for 2007 and continue to save over the next ten years.

“It would be a bold move to consolidate the County’s sewer systems,” said Oros. “But over the years my skepticism of County government has only grown and unless the projected savings are real, quantified and guaranteed I am reluctant to support the measure.”

Oros noted that the Peekskill Sewer District has some of the “newest infrastructure and most modern plant” therefore it “seems to defy logical that sharing the maintenance cost of older aging plants would save our sewer district money.” The proposal calls for the County to combine all thirteen sewer districts into one central department which would handle all maintenance and operation costs for each district. The total costs would then be shared by each district.

“Already, the Board of Legislators has seen three different sets of numbers claiming different swings depending upon sewer district,” said Oros. “The numbers keep changing and none of them have been certified by our auditors.”

Oros, who successfully fought back attempts to divert sewage from Yorktown to the Peekskill Plant and who secured sewer tax relief for residents in the Sewer District who paid a tax without the benefit of sewers, remains unconvinced.

“Over the years, together with municipal officials and my legislative colleagues, we have ended an unfair sewer tax on 4,000 residents who had no sewers. After a seven years battle we defeated the sewage diversion proposal,” Oros commented.” I am not about to wipe out all those gains on a vague promise that taxes will go down if we consolidate the districts.”

“Some of the same folks who proposed sewage diversion and who tried to convince us it was good for us are the same folks behind this measure,” he said.

Oros’ proposal would require that the 2007 savings projection be written into the sewer consolidation law. And that the operation and maintenance costs over the next ten years cannot exceed the Consumer Price Index by more than 1% annually.

“My intent is to ensure that if this proposal becomes a reality, the residents of the Peekskill Sanitary Sewer District save as much on their taxes as my colleague has specified,” said Oros.