Harrison REVIEW THE
November 24, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 47 | www.harrisonreview.com
Astorino releases 2018 budget; partisan tensions flare By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
Getting into the
holiday spirit
The first annual Spirits of the Holidays pop-up market at Rye’s farmers market on Nov. 19 gave shoppers the opportunity to sample and buy from independently owned liquor companies in New York state. For story, see page 6. Photo/Sibylla Chipaziwa
Leadership council to celebrate women in philanthropy
Women of influence will come together on Dec. 5 for the United Way Women’s Leadership Council’s fifth annual Celebration of Women in Philanthropy, a day that recognizes and reinforces the work of women who are helping to lift up women and children living on the edge of poverty in Westchester and Putnam counties. Business women and community leaders will be honored for their work and inspired by stories of those who have overcome the odds to reach self-sufficiency and are thriving in their new lives. The breakfast event will be held from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Abigail
Kirsch at Tappan Hill in Tarrytown. “This event is about women taking a stand for other women and their families,” said Alana Sweeny, president and CEO of the United Way of Westchester and Putnam. “We are thrilled to welcome Dyllan McGee, a twotime Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, and Michelle Brown of News 12 as emcee. These women are role models who have set an example of compassion and action. I’m truly looking forward to this inspirational morning with the women of our community.” McGee is founder and executive producer of MAKERS, a
women’s media brand for trailblazing women, as well as the founder and executive producer of McGee Media, a documentary film company dedicated to producing content that inspires a more fair and equitable world. In addition, she has executive produced the MAKERS Conference since it launched in 2014 to gather some of the most game-changing women in the public and private sectors. The Women’s Leadership Council will also present its “Women of Distinction” awards at the breakfast, to Bracken-Thompson, partner at Thompson & Bender and Honorable Re-
gent Judith Johnson, New York State Board of Regents. Bracken-Thompson is a partner of Thompson & Bender. Founded in 1987, the agency is the region’s premier advertising and public relations firm. As a partner in the firm, Bracken-Thompson is responsible for a wide variety of clients representing a broad spectrum of business sectors including Fortune 500 firms; banks and financial institutions, educational institutions; not-for-profits; hospitals and health care organizations and business organizations among others. WOMEN continued on page 5
In his final budget as Westchester County executive, Rob Astorino once again held the line on taxes, but in doing so scaled down the workforce and cut key staffing positions that opponents claim will hamstring the incoming administration. The Republican Astorino, in unveiling his $1.8 billion 2018 county budget on Nov. 13, continues a flat tax levy for the eighth consecutive year, but concerns have been affixed on a number of cuts that county Democrats say deal incoming County Executive-elect George Latimer, a Democrat who will take office come January, a short hand. Latimer beat Astorino on Election Day, Nov. 7, to win the county executive seat for a four-year term. As proposed, the 2018 budget keeps the tax levy flat at $548 million, holds expenses flat and accounts for a minimal increase in overall spending of less than 1 percent. “I made a promise to protect taxpayers, and I have kept it,” said Astorino about his commitment to never raising the tax levy during his 8-year run in the county executive’s office. “In doing so, much needed money has stayed in the pockets of individuals, families and, in particular, seniors across Westchester.” In releasing the 2018 budget, the outgoing county executive touted the plan to preserve essential services in the budget. Funding for the Department of Social Services would increase by $8.5 million under this plan.
Funding for day care would also increase by $2 million, meaning parent contributions would remain at the current level of 27 percent. Also, nonprofit funding, which has become a hot-button issue after nearly ending up on the chopping block throughout the past several years, is being kept static next year. “This is a budget that protects taxpayers, preserves essential services and promotes economic growth,” Astorino said. But members of the county Democratic Caucus have already begun criticizing the budget by keying in on staff cuts to the county Engineering Division of the Public Works Department, which will lay off 12 people, in addition to reducing manpower on the county executive’s staff by 25 percent; that Democrats contend were enjoyed throughout the entirety of Astorino’s administration. “From the self-imposed fiscal crisis the Astorino administration has left us in to the inclusion of irresponsible revenue sources in this budget, it is clear we have some real work to do on behalf of the people of Westchester County,” said Democratic Majority Leader Catherine Borgia, of Ossining. “The attempted use of $30 million of revenues reserved for the [Westchester County] airport is bad budgeting, fiscally reckless, and exactly what the voters made clear they were fed up with.” Democrats have criticized the budget for relying on $30 million in prospective revenue included as a part of a prospective deal to privatize the county’s airport. BUDGET continued on page 9