County Budget Adopted Despite Concerns Among Legislators
The 2016 Westchester County budget was adopted by the Board of Legislators Monday afternoon. But the split vote showed concern over the county’s fiscal health, even among some who voted in favor of it.
The budget was adopted by a vote of 10-7, with Board Chairman and Democrat Michael Kaplowitz and Republican minority leader John Testa voting for the budget, while Democratic majority leader Catherine Borgia voted against it.
Also voting in favor of the budget were legislators Francis Corcoran (R-District 2), Michael Smith (R-District 3), Sheila Marcotte (R-District 10), James Maisano (R-District 11), David Gelfarb (R-District 6), Bernice Spreckman (R-District 14), Gordon Burrows (R-District 15) and Virginia Perez (D-District 17).
Voting against the budget were legislators Benjamin Boykin (D-District 5), Catherine Parker (D-District 7), Alfreda Williams (D-District 8), Maryjane Shimsky (D-District 12), Lydon Williams (D-District 13) and Ken Jenkins (D-District 16).
The budget vote follows a deal reached Friday between eight Republican legislators and Democrats Kaplowitz and Perez. Kaplowitz said the original proposed budget put forth by Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino was wrong, and that changes made to the budget since then including restored funding to the planning department, public safety and county parks as well as various non-profits helped.
Highlights from the coalition budget include a tax levy of $548 million, no increase from 2015; spending at $1.8 billion, flat to 2015; Safety Net costs of $595 million, no decrease from 2015; Unrestricted Reserves (Rainy Day Fund) at $140 million, no decrease from 2015; and a County employee headcount at 4,160 total general fund position count with four layoffs and 64 vacancy eliminations.
“When the county executive turned that screw one too many times, when you have hundreds and hundreds of individuals giving tens of hours testifying, we all learned to a person that there were needs not being met. When you have your planning department see the evisceration from 56 to 19 individuals, and the board of elections and public safety (staffing reduced), it’s fair to say we turned that screw a little too tight.”
However, Kaplowitz echoed concerns of other legislators that the county may not be in a good fiscal position going forward, and that assumptions such as the sales tax estimate put into the budget may not all pan out.
“This is not a budget that any of us should feel has complete integrity,” Kaplowitz said. “It has expenses put back in, investments and efficiencies, that’s the good thing. We’ve reduced our borrowing, that’s the good thing about it. But we do not have sustainable revenues going forward. If our prognosis is correct, we’re going to be down 35 percent in our fund balance in the next 24 months. Next year’s budget could be far worse than this year’s budget.”
Borgia was among several Democratic legislators who said she was concerned the budget was “structurally unbalanced” and said she too was worried about the county fund balance.
“It’s the end of a long road of imbalances. I believe the revenues embedded in this budget are shaky at best, and I believe the 4 percent tax (sales) increase is a dangerous assumption to make. I wouldn’t do it as a town supervisor if I was putting together a budget.”
Borgia said that the legislature would have to work together in a bipartisan fashion going forward to keep a close eye on the county’s finances in the coming year.
“There’s no margin for error, so I hope nothing unexpected happens in the 2016 year,” she said.
Testa said while he wanted a zero percent tax increase, he also wanted to make sure things were added back in before voting in favor of the budget, such as the planning department, public safety and parks staff.
“Some of the services the non-profits bring are very critical to our county and our residents, whether its domestic violence, elder abuse or legal services for residents who can’t afford their own,” Testa said.
Testa said the board did not put the planned sale of the Austin Avenue building in Yonkers as a planned revenue, despite the wishes of some legislators.
“Some would have put $12 million in this budget and say, have a nice day, everything is balanced,” Testa said. “Then on the other hand (they’ll) say this has a very shaky outlook with other revenues, which may be true to a degree but you can’t have it both ways.”
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