NEWSROOM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bill O’Reilly, 914-619-5252

                                                SPANO BUNGLES FEDERAL HOUSING PROGRAM

                           Socks Westchester Taxpayers with $50 Million 'Mismanagement Tax'

White Plains, NY-Aug. 10...Westchester county taxpayers have to fork over $50 million to build below-market-rate housing in Bedford, Bronxville, Eastchester, Hastings-on-Hudson, Harrison, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Castle, Pelham Manor and Scarsdale, according to The New York Times, because County Executive Andy Spano took federal program dollars and grossly mismanaged them, reform Westchester county executive candidate Rob Astorino (R-I) today charged. (Story link here.)

Mr. Spano's administration was sued by the Anti-Discrimination Center under the federal "False Claims Act" for applying for and accepting federal racial desegregation program dollars, and then misusing that money. The Spano administration today agreed to a $50 million settlement (in tax dollars) to build and market 750 below-market-rate homes in Westchester communities.

"In his zeal to spend every dollar within reach, Mr. Spano has badly burdened Westchester towns and taxpayers," Mr. Astorino said. "Westchester towns and villages are now going to have to find vacant land to build new housing, where there is little or none, and to add seats in classrooms, where few already are available. Mr. Spano clearly bungled this, and Westchester taxpayers again have to pay the price."