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CityREVIEW NewRochelle May 5, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 13 | www.cityreviewnr.com
In debate, county executive candidates rally Democrats
LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER
By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer
Meral Kathwari, of Mamaroneck, is the owner and director of Kathwari of Kashmir, a textile company she took over from her father after he unexpectedly passed away. For story, see page 6. Photo courtesy Meral Kathwari
Westchester struggles to satisfy HUD settlement By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Eight years after a settlement on Westchester County’s lack of compliance with affordable housing standards, County Executive Rob Astorino’s administration continues to grapple with satisfying the requirements of a lingering 2009 decree being monitored by the federal government. Earlier this month, for the 10th time, federal the Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, denied the county’s Analysis of Impediments, AI—a document meant to detail the barriers to affordable housing—despite the
federal agency’s new helm, Republican Dr. Ben Carson. Dovetailing HUD’s decision to deny the county’s AI earlier this month, a federal appeals panel also denied the seventh appeal from the county on April 28, ruling that Westchester has engaged in “total obstructionism” regarding its 2009 federal mandate to increase access to affordable housing in more affluent pockets of the county. In addition to denying an appeal of HUD’s rejection to the county’s AI, the panel also found that county officials had failed to ensure the construction of a contested project in the town of New Castle called Chappaqua Station by “all
available means.” The project, which is geared to build 28 affordable housing units near New Castle’s Metro-North Railroad stop, was the subject of staunch opposition from local officials who insisted the development be built in a different location. The project has since moved forward with reluctant permission from the local town board. In a statement last week, Ned McCormack, a spokesman for the Republican Astorino administration, said he is confident that the county will still be able to clear up its remaining requirements from HUD continued on page 7
CROTON-ON-HUDSON—Two Democrats vying for the office of Westchester County executive addressed a church full of potential voters on Sunday, discussing their plans to unseat Republican incumbent Rob Astorino and urging them to participate in November’s election. County Legislator Ken Jenkins, a Yonkers Democrat, and state Sen. George Latimer, a Rye Democrat, took aim at Astorino—who has held the county’s top office since 2010—hoping to invigorate a Democratic Party still reeling from the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. And even though Democrats in Westchester outnumber Republican voters by 2-1, Astorino has already prevailed twice at the polls. His two potential challengers have already begun debating the issues in various communities ahead of a May 10 Democratic nominating convention to pick the party’s candidate. Both Democrats challenged the county executive’s reputation for passing seven consecutive budgets in which taxes have been cut or remained flat, calling his budget practices shortsighted and irresponsible, and often comparing him to President Donald Trump. “Rob Astorino wants to run on taxes, taxes and taxes,” Jenkins, 55, said, adding that social services and long-term budgeting practices suffer as a result of flat tax rates. Jenkins said the only time the county truly cut taxes was when he was chairman of the Board of Legislators, from 2010 to 2013. Latimer added that seven years of no tax increases would likely set Westchester up for future financial hardship.
“What we’re seeing now is an ideological approach that says, ‘We are going to do anything in order to put forth no tax increase,’” the senator said. Both candidates also chastised Astorino for the way his administration has operated the county Human Rights Commission. Latimer, who during his lengthy political career was chairman of the Board of Legislators when the commission was first instituted in the 1990s, said that it was created to allow residents to report instances of discrimination without going through the state system. “The [Republican] party’s moved so far to the right, they can’t even accept anti-discrimination efforts in the Human Rights Commission,” Latimer, 63, said, adding that as county executive he would fire everyone currently on the commission and employ a new team. Meanwhile, Jenkins said he was responsible for saving the commission from being disbanded. Jenkins added that while he has been on the Board of Legislators, the board has overridden 260 of 267 vetoes made by Astorino. One of those overrides stopped the county executive from eliminating the commission altogether. But Jenkins lamented that the commission, now full of Astorino political appointees, is not acting proactively as it was intended to, lacks a full-time executive director and added that he would work to re-establish advocacy offices for minority groups, which, he said, have also been marginalized under the Astorino administration. “We will reimplement the offices of advocacy and make sure that we stand up for the people’s rights in Westchester County,” he said to a
INSIDE Food concoctions at Monroe Story on page 11.
DEBATE continued on page 8