WPCNR County Clarion-Ledger. By John F. Bailey. January 17, 2008: Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano addressing the Westchester County Association this morning said private investors and consortiums will be looked at more as the financial means for government and his county government to fund and manage future infrastructure improvements and county projects of all kinds.

County Executive Andrew Spano: "Everyone needs each other. We have a real need to collaborate together."

As an example, Spano ,noting his Chairship of the Metropolitan Transportation Council, Spano told the audience  that most of the moneys  available for transit improvements in the region have already been committed to the Second Avenue subway completion out through 2020. He noted there is no money for any other transit project undertakings.

“Everyone is looking at private funding (for future transportation projects). I don’t see how we are going to have to do all we need to do without private funding,” Spano said.

 He indicated he is willing to entertain private proposals that fit county needs. He said that “I’m more than willing to listen to proposals  from private groups (to fund infrastructure and projects). When people come to us, we listen.” He said he has heard  building proposals recently from four groups for the Tappan Zee Bridge, a tunnel to Long Island under Rye Township, an I-95 rail corridor project, and a proposal to take over county sewage treatment plants.

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William Mooney, (right) President of the Westchester County Association,  told the audience of  over 300, “You’re going to be hearing a lot about private investment in the next couple of years.”

Mooney mentioned the benefits of a project proposed for the Pennsylvania Turnpike where a consortium would purchase the Pennsylvania Turnpike for $40 Billion and take over its maintenance. Mooney said  that as an advantage, this purchase would wipe out all debt the state of Pennsylvania now has and enable it to fund more social programs.

The Spitzer Property Tax Cap.

Asked if he felt Governor Eliot Spitzer’s suggested cap on  property taxes  could work, Spano said “It’s a tough, tough issue. I like the concept. But I’d need (state) unfunded mandates taken away from me.

Spano added that he would have to have more control over county government on personnel management. Now, Spano said when he wants to cut personnel in departments carrying out state mandates such as prisons, he has to receive state approval, and he would want that process of clearing personnel management staffing with the state eliminated as part of any property tax cap procedure. Spano pointed out the $18 Million the county was forced to add to investigate child violence reports as mandated by the state education department as an example of an unexpected mandate the county had to pay for.

 “Take away the state mandates of $212 Million. Give me that back and I’ll run it (county government) for less. “

He said, “New York State used to be number one in taxes nationally. Now, we are 27^th, but our counties are the highest taxed nationally. Now why do you think that is?”

The Governor in Touch.

Mooney  added that the Westchester County Association had been contacted by Thomas Suozzi, the Governor’s appointed chair of the state property tax Commission the Governor created last week, and that the Association was going to be contributing to Mr. Suozzi’s study of property tax issues. Mooney also said he’d been contacted by Governor Spitzer’s office as well to participate. Mooney reported that the WCA is conducting its own review of property tax issues in the county, but did not elaborate.

Other Issues

The question was asked of the County Executive about Pepsi Cola leaving the county and what the county was doing about it. The County Executive said there was still hope he could persuade “The  Pepsi Generation” to remain in the county. “We’ve offered them everything,” Spano said but said Connecticut and particularly Fairfield County was able to offer Pepsi more. Spano said he planned to work out an arrangement with Fairfield County where firms could not “blackmail” the counties, going back and forth for better deals to locate. He did not elaborate.

The County Executive in response to questions from the floor,  defended County Legislator committee and County Legislator Chair Bill Ryan’s bid for raises, saying, “No government official gets paid for the job they do. The salary is make-believe. There’s no rationale for it. After four years you deserve more. The man (Bill Ryan) asked for a raise. The taxpayers said no. What’s the problem? The people are our boss. They said no.  He did that (went to the people). It was more of a problem of what the process is.”

No questions were asked about tax increases, county expense projections, or county positions on issues such as the I-95/ Tappan Zee Bridge corridor, energy issues, future development (other than the funding of development issue), or possible county cost control.

In his address billed as a State of the County message, Mr. Spano said “We’re in great shape. Unemployment was below 4% still.”  He said  his job was to look out into the future and prepare the county now for issues facing the county ahead “because government is like an ocean liner, it turns very slowly.”

One of those issues was  global warming. He said  he started his task force on global warming  “because  if I don’t do it, where does it start,” and that it would be issuing regulations Westchester Communities would be forced to comply with, within two months. He said the Task Force was not going to issue a study, but to issue hard “do this now” regulations to the communities.

In his remarks before the question and answer period, County Executive Spano addressed a series of efforts to improve quality of life by building with private partners a Proposed Veterns Village at Montrose on the Veterans Administration property; he mentioned his flood management program undertaken after two floods in one year in the Mamaroneck area, a program which he said would soon introduce legislation to  tell what communities “have to do what so this (flooding) does not happen again.”  

He  said he was currently surveying the “livability” of Westchester across age groups, and expected a report on issues facing various demographic groups shortly.  He praised the building of the $27 Million county jail and how it has a Programs Floor to prepare is mostly teen population for life after jail. He said it costs $65,000 a year per person to incarcerate them.

Closing the annual breakfast, Mr. Mooney challenged the members of the Association, to "pitch in together and get the job done."

In his last remarks, Mr. Spano affirmed that, saying, "Everyone needs each other. We have a real need to collaborate together."

The gathering departs the Biltmore Room at the Westchester Country Club.