“WE CAN DO BETTER AS A COUNTY”
REPUBLICAN RESPONSE TO SPANO HITS HARD ON TAX ISSUE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 22, 2007
Contact: George Oros
Tel: (914) 995-2828
Goo6@westchestergov.com
Citing the 54% hike in County taxes over the last seven years as the main impediment to progress in Westchester County, Minority Leader George Oros (R-C/Cortlandt) delivered a strong Republican response to the State of County Address.
“Not much has changed (since the last address),” said Oros. “Spending continues to ran rampant, taxes continue to rise, and Republican suggestions and initiatives to save tax dollars remain ignored by the County Executive and the majority.”
Last year it was reported that Westchester County had the highest property taxes in the nation.
“Compared to 2000, today County government is grabbing $348 more from every man, woman and child in this county,” Oros said.
The Republican legislators pledged to work with the County Executive and the majority members to find solutions to the increasing tax problem.
Pointing to the 2006 election, the Republicans are calling for more open and ethical government. They have already introduced legislation to reform the Board of Acquisition and Contracts, which awards millions in County contracts without Legislative approval. An Ethics Reform law will be introduced shortly to stem the unbridled influence of large campaign contributors.
The Republicans are developing their own plan for affordable housing but are open to working with the County Executive on a bi-partisan solution.
“The crisis in affordable housing is driving those who grew up in Westchester out of the County and we need to be more innovative in finding solutions,” Oros said.
In the area of Public Safety, Oros renewed the call for enactment of legislation introduced nearly two years ago to prevent pedophiles and registered sex offenders from residing near facilities with children.
“Neighboring counties of Putnam and Rockland have adopted such laws,” Oros said. “The time to act is now.”
Oros emphasized he and his five Republican colleagues, Ursula LaMotte, Suzanne Swanson, James Maisano, Bernice Spreckman and Gordon Burrows, stand ready to work together with Democrats and the County Executive. In addressing the viewers in the taped remarks, he noted “we work for you”.
“Can we do better as a County? We in the Republican Conference believe we can,” he said.
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Response to State of the County
Hello I’m George Oros, Minority Leader of the Board of Legislators. On behalf of my five Republican colleagues, it’s my pleasure to speak with you about the State of our County.
It’s hard to believe a year has passed since the county executive’s last address but, unfortunately, not much has changed. Spending continues to run rampant, property taxes continue to rise and most of the initiatives we have proposed to streamline county government and help middle class families remain regrettably ignored.
You may recall the media accounts last year that Westchester is the highest taxed county in the nation – higher than Palm Beach County or Beverly Hills. You may have also heard from this administration excuses and misplaced blame rather than solutions. In the past eight years County taxes have increased an astounding 54% - double the rate of the cost of living. Today County government is grabbing $348 more from every man, woman and child in our County than just eight years ago. That’s nearly a month worth of groceries or 175 gallons of heating oil.
The administration sees nothing wrong with spending taxpayers’ hard earned money on such frills as a GPS systems for golf carts, but doesn’t see fit to remove the sales tax on clothing under $110. Some expenditures just jump out at you. For instance, as a result of welfare reform in the mid 1990s, the County’s welfare rolls have dropped over 30%, yet our Social Service Department has more employees than ever.
Earlier this year the county executive admitted he was out of answers on how to get a handle on taxes. Well, Mister County Executive we been proposing solutions for several years. In December we proposed 20 million dollars of spending cuts to the 2007 budget which you and the majority ignored. In each of the last four years, we offered to work with a private public partnership to identify areas of waste, duplication and overlap in County government. Will you join this year in that effort? We ask you and the legislature once again to join in increasing accountability for the millions of dollars that go through the Board of Acquisition and Contract without legislative approval. The Minority Conference has repeatedly offered and will continue to offer suggestions on how we can think outside the box. Maybe this year the majority will listen.
We can do better in other areas too. Last year’s election results demonstrate that people want and deserve more open, honest and ethical government. Currently we are developing an Ethics reform law to address the concerns about undue influence by big money campaign donors. The need for stronger checks and balances within the county to protect individuals, property owners, small businesses and municipalities from the dominance of county government continues. A proposed eminent domain protection law remains bottled up in Committee. The time to act is now. Likewise we will continue to be vigilant in protecting local government’s right of first refusal when the County deposes of surplus land.
Certainly we can do better in providing affordable housing. Westchester remains one of the most desirable areas to live and work, yet those who grew up here are forced to make their homes elsewhere due to a lack of housing options. Our members, joining with the business and housing community, are seeking more innovative ways to create such housing. We must go beyond the administration’s current measures that simply throw millions of dollars at contractors and developers while building few true affordable units. And let’s not forget - the surest way to make housing affordable is to control property taxes.
You deserve the peace of mind of a truly safe neighborhood, which is why twenty months ago we introduced legislation to prohibit any convicted pedophile or registered sex offender from residing within 2,500 feet of a county facility open to children.
These predators could strike at any time and their targets are society’s most vulnerable. Yet after nearly two years the administration and majority refuse to act. Meanwhile, our neighboring legislatures in Putnam and Rockland have adopted such laws. Westchester prides itself in being a leader among counties. It seems today the only thing this administration seeks leadership in is taxes.
With more time I could address concerns about the environment, education and child care, but our time allotment is limited. Do visit the Board of Legislators web site, or better yet contact me through the site. You can be added to our mailing list and receive updates on our initivies.
There’s a lot of hard work ahead for us but legislators Ursula LaMotte, Sue Swanson, Jim Maisano, Gordon Burrows, Bernice Spreckman and I are more than ready to meet the challenges. We work for you. We pledge to continue to offer alternatives to increasing taxes and business as usual. Our role in the minority is to be ever vigilant, to ask all the questions. Like many executives, this administration doesn’t like to be questioned or doubted. So when we do question and the administration responds with personal attacks rather than answers, keep that in mind. And ask the questions yourself. The major question before you tonight is simple: Can we do better as a County? We in the republican conference believe we can. Ultimately, however that answer is up to you. Thanks for listening. Please contact us. Your input and suggestions are always welcomed and appreciated.
