NEWSROOM

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

 

 

White Plains, NY-Oct. 1...Westchester taxpayers are about to be hit harder than at any time in county history, reform Westchester county executive candidate Rob Astorino (R-I) today said.

New U. S. Census data shows that Westchester residents, for the second year in a row, are paying the highest property taxes in the nation. And with the elimination of the State's STAR rebate program this year--checks used to arrive in October--the county's property taxes will be more painful than ever. The loss of STAR will cost the average Westchester taxpayer an extra $1,283* this year.

"Westchester taxpayers can't take much more of this," Mr. Astorino said. "These taxes are directly affecting the quality of life of every resident of this county. Whether you rent or own, or simply shop at local stores, you are paying these exorbitant taxes. Westchester's tax load is becoming an emergency situation, yet business-as-usual goes on in White Plains."

Mr. Astorino has pledged to reform County government by eliminating waste and duplication throughout Westchester. As county executive he will reduce payroll through attrition, reform the county's arcane budget process, lease Playland rides to professional amusement park operators (Playland has lost $37 million in the past 10 years), eliminate perks like non-essential county cars, establish zero-based budgeting for all agencies, merge county offices to eliminate redundancies, and fight for Westchester's fair share of school funding in Albany, among other things.

Mr. Astorino charged that County government has grown too large and grossly inefficient in the past 12 years. Spending has increased by a billion dollars--from $800 million to $1.8 billion--under incumbent county executive Andy Spano and County property taxes have been raised 60% in the just the last seven years.

Mr. Astorino is running for county executive to reduce taxes, streamline wasteful county programs, and bring accountability and transparency to County government. Mr. Astorino released a plan to fix Rye Playland on Monday and another to increase transparency in the County's budget system yesterday. A link to the news releases are here and here.