Harrison REVIEW THE
June 1, 2018 | Vol. 6, Number 22 | www.harrisonreview.com
County workers rally for paid sick time By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
TUNNEL VISION
With the development of a soundlink tunnel on the potential horizon, the ciyt of Rye is ramping up its defense by appointing residents to a ad hoc tunnel committee. For story, see page 3. File photo
Voters approve Harrison school district budget In a 1,049-364 vote, the Harrison Central School District’s 2018-2019 budget easily passed on May 15, according to officials results from the county. The $116.7 million budget stays under the state-mandated tax cap, and adds 4.2 percent in spending over the current year’s budget. The estimated tax levy increased by 3.38 percent; the tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value is $809.82, reflecting a 1.49 percent difference from the current year’s budget. According to the budget, several factors, including increased pension, health insurance and transportation costs, impacted the development of the budget; however, the school district was able to maintain all current programs and calls for the addition of 6 new positions. The budget added five teachers across the school district, in-
district has no outstanding debt. Harrison School Superintendent Louis Wool said, “This designation is particularly significant as we are one of only four districts with the AAA rating in New York State and have achieved this recognition multiple times.” Additionally, Board of Education, BOE, member Dennis Di Lorenzo was re-elected to the Voters in the Harrison Central School District approved its 2018-2019 budget on May 15. File photo board in an uncontested election. Newcomer Kelly Kozak was also cluding one special education law, local school districts have no elected, after replacing longtime teachers for ninth grade students, control over these rising costs. The board member Joan Tiburzi, who created a new position for Har- state sets the contribution levels did not run for re-election. Both rison High School’s English as of the teachers’ and employees’ board members will now serve New Language program, and add- retirement systems. As of now, three-year terms. Di Lorenzo is currently a dean ed two other part-time positions. mandated retirement and health Salaries make up the largest care costs are expected to rise 4.64 at New York University’s School portion of the 2018-2019 bud- percent, roughly $660,000, in the of Professional Studies, after being named to the position in 2013. get, with mandated benefits and upcoming school year. health care costs rising at the Harrison also maintained its He formerly served as the BOE’s highest percentage rates than any AAA credit rating from Standard president and was first elected to cost center items on the budget. & Poor, and has had that rating the board in 2006. According to New York state since 2006. Currently, the school -Reporting by Franco Fino
[Date?, workers rallied to promote a bill designed to provide paid sick time for thousands of workers across Westchester County. Outside of the county government building on Martine Avenue in White Plains, workers holding signs chanted in support of the bill—sponsored by Legislator Catherine Borgia, a Peekskill Democrat—which has been floating around the county Legislature for about a year. Currently, workers—many of which are employed by the county—say they have no choice but to show up to work sick because of lack of paid time off. The bill would affect both public and private workers. Additionally, advocates say, by forcing workers to attend work while sick, it may decrease productivity through increasing the likelihood that illnesses are spread. According to a report from 2016 from the Institute of Women’s Policy Research, about 36 percent of county workers lack paid sick time, and many of them earning low wages. Among those workers, 54 percent are of total service workers and 52 percent of total construction workers respectively. But a bill reintroduced to the county Board of Legislators in February would provide eligi-
ble workers with one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours of work with a maximum of 40 hours paid sick time in total. The regulations would only apply to companies with five or more employees and would include days needed for mental health and those needed to take care of a sick family member. Detractors of paid sick time laws claim that requiring businesses to pay employees for time off would incur significant costs on their part, plus workers may take sick days off when they’re not actually sick. The bill is currently making its way through committee and is being vetted by the county attorney to ensure of its compliance with state law. According to a statement from The Transport Workers Union—a group involved in the recent petitioning—the bill, if passed, would affect more than 120,000 workers across Westchester. New York City and New Jersey have already passed their own paid sick time laws in the last several years. While 10 states, including Connecticut and New Jersey, currently have statewide paid sick times laws, New York has yet to pass its own law. A paid sick time bill would easily pass through the county Board of Legislators due to a Democratic supermajority of 13-4. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
Workers from across Westchester rallied outside of the county Michaelian Building to demand action on a bill to provide them paid sick time. Photo courtesy Transport Workers Union