REPUBLICAN COUNTY LEGISLATORS BLAST STATE BUDGET THAT UNFAIRLY PENALIZES WESTCHESTER’S TAXPAYERS
Legislators outraged that Nassau & Suffolk Counties received $70 Million in High Tax Aid, while Westchester only received $1 Million

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 5, 2007

Contact: Sue Mauro, Legislative Aide
Tel: (914) 995-6554
Sam9@westchestergov.com

The Republican members of the Westchester County Board of Legislators charged today that the 2007 State Budget was a harsh wake-up call to county residents who were duped by campaigns last year that promised change but failed to deliver.

Legislators Jim Maisano, George Oros, Ursula LaMotte, Sue Swanson and Gordon Burrows maintained that Westchester’s paltry state aid to highly taxed school districts underscores the critical need for stronger and more effective voices in the State Capitol.

Legislator Jim Maisano (R/New Rochelle) stated, “This budget blatantly discriminates against Westchester taxpayers. The ‘High Tax Aid’ allocations are an embarrassment to good government. This lack of state funding will place yet another burden on the backs of county taxpayers. I am shocked that my former colleague, State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, this week tried to blame the Republicans in the State Senate for her and her colleagues complete failure to deliver for Westchester. The sad reality is that Long Island legislators delivered for their districts and Westchester’s lawmakers failed.”

According to published reports, Westchester is slated to receive only $1.2 million in “High Tax Aid” for school districts, which pales in comparison to the $39.5 million approved for Suffolk and $31 million for Nassau. Even Putnam, which only has about one-tenth the population of Westchester, was awarded $1.7 million.

“All of these counties and others received more ‘High Tax Aid’ than Westchester,” said Minority Leader George Oros (R/Cortlandt). “This is the direct result of Westchester losing its long-time voice in the State Senate, Nick Spano. I cannot believe the Westchester Democrats in the Senate actually voted yes for the education part of the budget that puts this huge disparity into place for ‘High Tax Aid’ in our county.’”

The Republican conference stated voters heard many promises from candidates like Governor Eliot Spitzer and Senator Stewart-Cousins during last year’s campaigns, only to see them both support a budget that so unfairly punishes Westchester’s taxpayers.

“Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Eliot Spitzer rode to Albany on a wave promising reform. Apparently their version of reform means 70 times more aid to Long Island in ‘High Tax Aid’ than to Westchester’s school districts,” said Minority Whip Ursula LaMotte (R/Bedford). “I don’t believe that Westchester voters had this in mind when they voted last November.”

Legislator Sue Swanson (R-C/Mount Pleasant) said it is clear none of the four Democratic State Senators adequately fought for the needs of Westchester and failed to properly present these concerns to their colleagues and the governor.

“We have been battling the state for years trying to provide tax relief for Westchester, especially for our school districts, and this is the most outrageous attack on Westchester yet by the state government,” Swanson said. “Every taxpayer in Westchester should wish Nick Spano was still in the State Senate, where he protected us for years. This budget cycle speaks directly to the inability of our state representatives to advocate for us, and now Westchester’s taxpayers are forced to suffer the very real consequences.”

Legislator Gordon Burrows (R/Yonkers) pointed out Westchester is the highest taxed county in the nation, which makes the snub from Albany with the extra aid even more distressing.

“As a legislator for Yonkers, I am greatly troubled that the two senators that represent my community, Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Jeff Klein, voted yes for an education budget that provides high tax relief for Long Island and almost nothing for Westchester,” Burrows said. “How dare the state government not provide fair and equitable education funding to our county—especially to Yonkers? We should have been the first county to receive this aid, and this disgraceful funding scheme needs to be corrected immediately.”

The legislators did applaud Westchester’s State Assembly members, both Democrats and Republicans, for their opposition to the education portion of the budget that included this unfair distribution of “High Tax Aid.”