Mamaroneck REVIEW THE
December 15, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 50 | www.mamaroneckreview.com
Astorino vetoes budget; legislators look to override By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
Tigers
roar
Michael Carducci skates with the puck during Mamaroneck’s Dec. 12 win at the Hommocks Ice Rink. The Tigers topped visiting White Plains 5-1. For story, see page 15. Photo/Mike Smith
Bedford supervisor to run for Latimer Senate seat By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Bedford Supervisor Chris Burdick, a Democrat, will add to a pool of candidates looking to fill the seat of former state Sen. George Latimer, as he readies to take the reins as Westchester
County executive next month. In a statement on Dec. 5, Burdick said he’s ready to take his political career a step further. “I am looking forward to taking that record, and my work ethic, to the next level by representing the residents of the 37th Senatorial District,” he said.
Burdick has served as Bedford supervisor since 2013 and had prior to that served as a councilman dating back to 2007. Among Burdick’s priorities are building party unity, using his candidacy announcement as an opportunity to criticize the Independent Democratic Con-
ference, IDC, a group of eight state senators who were elected as Democrats but often side with Republican leadership in a power-sharing agreement with the GOP. Though Democrats have a SENATE continued on page 8
Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, is expected to veto an incoming budget after county lawmakers voted to include a tax levy increase—something Astorino hasn’t done since being elected in 2010—in their revision of his proposed budget for 2018. In a statement issued on Dec. 11, Astorino revealed his plans to veto the most recent budget plan put forward by lawmakers. “There’s no reason to raise property taxes on the already overburdened residents and businesses of Westchester,” he said in a statement. “I proposed a budget that was balanced and provided sufficient revenues for county services. For that reason, I will veto the budget and its tax increase approved by the Board of Legislators.” The 2018 budget—passed 12-5 by lawmakers—included a 2 percent tax levy increase, which clocked in under the 4.4 percent New York state-imposed tax levy cap. Lawmakers say that the tax increase was to make up for projected revenue shortfalls. An original $1.8 billion budget sent down by Astorino on Nov. 13 held the tax levy flat for the eighth consecutive year with spending increasing by less than 1 percent. But, in order to achieve that end, the county executive included
cuts to the county’s Engineering and Planning departments as well as the elimination of six park curator positions. Astorino was also accused of attempting to hamstring the incoming administration by reducing support staff to the office of the county executive. After deliberations, the revised budget was passed by the county Board of Legislators with bipartisan support in the form of backing from three Republican lawmakers—David Gelfarb, of Rye Brook; Jim Maisano, of New Rochelle; and David Tubiolo, of Yonkers—giving them potentially enough votes to override Astorino’s veto. Among the areas of concern, legislators have pointed to $30 million in tentative revenue that was included in the budget for a deal privatizing the county’s airport—a deal that lacks support from the county Board of Legislators and County Executive-elect George Latimer, a Democrat. “Just upon our receipt, this budget included a $29 million hole, as the airport deal was rejected by this legislature, the voters, and financial auditors,” said county Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat. “For the Astorino Administration to include it in its budget once again—while just showing us the details—is an insult to the people of Westchester.” That deal sought to reclassify BUDGET continued on page 8