RyeCity REVIEW THE
November 15, 2019 | Vol. 7, Number 45 | www.ryecityreview.com
County proposes 2020 budget; reduces tax levy by $1M
‘Tis the season Westchester’s Winter Wonderland returns to Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla on Nov. 29 for its sixth exciting season. Starting the day after Thanksgiving, the festive celebration takes place six consecutive weekends through Jan. 4, plus weekday bonus days during the school holiday. For more, see page 6.
Thanksgiving Diversity Breakfast to be held at WCC As they have done each year since 9/11, more than 120 organizations in Westchester and Fairfield Counties will join together for the Annual Thanksgiving Diversity Breakfast on Thursday, Nov. 21 from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Westchester Community College. They will celebrate our diverse roots and shared values with particular focus this year on “harnessing your individuality to embrace your neighbor,” an affirming message about staying true to who you are while reaching out to others. This year, we are honoring individuals for their efforts to understand each other’s points of view: • Imam Mohamed Shaffieq
Chace, Islamic Center of New Rochelle • Richard Leroy, Temple Shaaray Tefila • Mecca Santana, Westchester Medical Center Health Network Rabbi Jeffrey Segelman, Rabbi Emeritus of Westchester Jewish Center will deliver a keynote address on the topic of “Inner strength, bold action.” Dr. Belinda Miles, president of Westchester Community College will also make welcoming remarks. The honoree presentation will be followed by facilitated table discussions on the theme for this year’s Breakfast: “Inner strength, bold actions.” This is always a highlight for the participants.
Some 400 faith and ethnic leaders from both counties are expected to attend. The event is sponsored by AJC Westchester/ Fairfield (Founding Sponsor), First Baptist Church of White Plains; Pace University, Peace Islands Institute, Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, Westchester and Fairfield, State University of New York, Westchester Community College, and Westchester Jewish Council. They will represent more than 120 organizations, including Hudson River Presbytery, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Westchester Stake, The Episcopal Diocese of New York, The New York Annu-
al Conference of the A.M.E. Zion Church, The New York Conference of the United Methodist Church, The New York Metropolitan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, and Westchester District A.M.E. Zion Church. This event is open to the entire community. For more info on this unique program, or to register, visit https://ajcwestfair-diversity2019.eventbrite.com or call the contact above. The $18 advance registration fee includes admission and kosher buffet breakfast. Tickets purchased after Nov. 13 will be $25. Press passes available. (Submitted)
On the heels of a listening tour around the county, Westchester County Executive George Latimer unveiled his 2020 proposed Operating Budget before county leadership, staff, the county Board of Legislators, non-profit leaders and municipal officials. The $2.1 billion dollar budget includes a $1 million dollar cut to the county tax levy. “We made a commitment to freeze County property taxes, and now we can go a bit further and cut the County’s property tax levy by $1 million,” Latimer said. “This budget is about the people who live in Westchester County, it is about giving them some property tax relief, and at the same time working to make their County the best it can be—by providing services and programs taxpayers rely on while placing the County back onto solid financial ground.” This is the first time, in almost a decade that a county executive has proposed a budget that reduces the county property tax levy. The cut to the tax levy is due in large part to the Westchester county Property Taxpayer Protection Act which shares back 20 percent to municipalities and 10 percent to school districts. The 30 percent amounts to over $40 million helping to provide additional property tax relief. For the 2020 budget, the county will also have no “one-shot” deals, a step in the right direction to restore the county’s once sterling Triple A Bond rating. Further, the budget memorializes Latimer’s commitment to rebuild the county’s reserves—reserves that were nearly depleted by the last administration. Latimer has directed that $10 million dollars be added to the county’s “rainy day fund”—bringing it up to $79 million—a 23 percent increase from just one year ago. The 2020 budget also features zero borrowing for operating
expenses. All ongoing expenses, including pension obligations and tax certioraris, will be paid through the operating budget— not borrowed. In the long term this move saves taxpayer dollars. The budget invests $1.5 million in new housing and community development initiatives, focusing on not only building affordable housing, but also education initiatives to enable more Westchester families to move toward homeownership. “As we look to recruit and retain Westchester’s future workforce, we need all levels of government to focus on how we can create future workforce housing so that employees can not only work in Westchester but also can live here and raise their families,” said Dr. Marsha Gordon, president and CEO of the Business Council of Westchester.
The budget also allocates $1 million in Economic Development. The money will be used for: • A comprehensive long-term economic development strategy and implementation plan. The last plan was developed in 2000. This will provide a roadmap for economic development for the next 1-5 years and beyond. • Workforce development initiatives to promote economic development in Westchester by bringing more wage earners into the workforce. • Building a pipeline of talent that will enable county businesses to grow, through a mentorship program. • Initiatives to develop a more vibrant ecosystem for entrepreneurship, including the expansion of our Element 46 Incubator Program. BUDGET continued on page 4