WPCNR BACKROOM BULLETIN. By John F. Bailey. January 27, 2010: Peter Harckham, the Democrat the County Legislator from Katonah-Lewisboro, running in the Special Election February 9 against Robert Castelli, the Republican, Conservative and Independent line candidate, told WPCNR he would support Mayor Adam Bradley’s "plan in the making" to use a new hike (as yet undisclosed) in the White Plains sales tax dedicated solely to “restore” the city’s reported depleted fund balance. Such an increase would have to be passed by both houses of the state legislature, requiring either Assemblywoman Amy Paulin's, or the 89th Assembly electee support.
Harckham also said he would fight for restoration of White Plains School District aid (presently projected to be cut $2.4 Million in the Governor’s new Executive Budget)/ Harckham told WPCNR the formula for determining school aid needs to be reconfigured and that if elected and he would attempt to restructure the school state aid formula which he said in current form does not provide enough share of aid to wealthier districts such as White Plains.
Peter Harckham, Monday, receiving endorsements of Congresswoman Nita Lowey, to his right, and Congressman John Hall, to Mr. Harckham's right.
Asked if he would be willing to sponsor a sales tax increase in White Plains solely dedicated to “replenishing” White Plains unallocated fund balance that has been depleted to about $5 Million going in to the 2010-2011 Budget, Harckham said his job was to represent White Plains and our interests and said he had already had two meetings with Mayor Adam Bradley discussing the plan to increase the sales tax, currently 8-1/8% of which 2-1/4% goes to the city .
WPCNR asked Harckham how he would attack the property tax situation strangling White Plains homeowners. He said the Adam Bradley sponsored separate commercial tax rate bill designed to halt the certiorari assault by businesses in Westchester County that was indignantly fought and killed by the Westchester business community with a propaganda barrage last spring, and its unknown possible affect on businesses was not the answer at the time.
Instead Harckham said the answer to trimming property tax was consolidating state government departments, eliminating duplication of services, trimming expenses on a grand scale.
In Harckham's comments in a brief address he said: "to balance the budget on the state level we all know we're going to have to need to make cuts in existing systems and shared sacrifices, but the proposedcuts in education funding are not shared and not fair. The budget calls for a 5% cut in state education aid, but the White Plains is looking at a 14% cut. That's neither fair, nor shared...the way to finally balance the budget once and for all is to finally address the growth the administrative side of the state government by streamlining and consolidating the more than 1,000 departments, agencies and state bonding authorities."
Bradley floated the sales tax increase idea, to dedicate funds from any new percentage to building up the city fund balance exclusively in a Cablevision interview program two weeks after he was elected on “Meet the Leaders.”
Mayor Bradley was asked in an e-mail late Tuesday evening to explain how he sees this plan working, perhaps this evening at the Budget and Management Committee meeting, he will shed more light on this plan. Mr. Bradley refused to go for an additional quarter per cent sales tax to bring in more revenue in 2009 when requested by former Mayor Joseph Delfino in 2008, to counter rising city expenses, though Mr. Bradley did sponsor a half of what the Delfino Administration requested, (1/4%) which passed to aid the2008-2009 budget. A similar request by the Delfino administration for the 2009-10 budget, was not endorsed by Mr. Bradley during this time last year.
Mr. Harckham confirmed discussions with Mr.Bradley on the new sales tax/fund balance restoration increase tactic after a news conference in which he was endorsed for the 89th District Assembly seat (formerly held by Adam Bradley) by Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Congressman John Hall who said that Mr. Harckham had the ability to work with people of different sides and to seek out solutions. Hall said he was the right man to reform Albany and change the way things are done.
Tim Idoni, County Clerk, kicked things off, calling Mr. Harckham “ an agent for change, Peter has the initiative, ability to take on issues, ability to move into a job quickly and get it done.”
Congressman John Hall said, “It is possible even when you’re new to get things done, (referring to his own efforts in the house successful in new improvements for veterans). With the energy and focus I’ve seen Peter bring to his job at the county level, (his) A new voice, new ideas and new energy are what’s called for especially in times like this when budgets are tight, there seems gridlock everywhere. Peter has shown he is someone who can work with Democrats and Republicans of the county legislature who are in attendance, focusing more on the ideas and the issues more than personalities and the parties. Whether its protecting local water quality, creating affordable housing, advocating fiscal discipline and Peter’s already been doing that,n and now he can bring that voice to Albany.”
Congresswoman Nita Lowey said: “He has been a dedicated, responsive, attendant voice to the people of my district on the Board of Legislators… What’s very important about Pete is he knows how to reach across party lines. He listens with respect to opposing points of view, and then he knows how to force questions for action. Many people can talk to people but to change the way legislation is done and make sure you get something done is another. That’s what the people of Westchester deserve and expect in their state representive. Pete has never been about politics, it’s about good old-fashioned values, get a good job done and making a positive difference for the people he represents.”
Today, Wednesday, Naomi Matusow, former Assemblywoman of the 89th District who was ousted by Adam Bradley in a hotly contested Democratic Primary in 2003 (Mr. Bradley won by 23 absentee ballot votes), endorsed Mr. Harckham, releasing a statement to the media:
“ With Pete’s election, the residents of the entire 89th Assembly District will have chosen the one person in this race who will best understand and represent the interests of the semi-rural and rural communities in the District, while being able to balance the needs of all the suburban and urban communities from south to north.”
Cigar Smoke…
Lowey: Stimulus Money to Rescue N.Y. From Its 2010-11 Deficit, Fund Tappan Zee UP TO THE U.S. SENATE
After her comments endorsing Mr. Harckham, Nita Lowey told WPCNR that the $150 Billion Jobs Stimulus Plan passed by the House of Representatives could possibly be used to aid New York State in meeting its budget gap in the 2010-11 as well as funds for the Tappan Zee Bridge reconstruction. She said though that that bill still had to pass the United States Senate. The house passed that $150 Billion bill by 217 to 212.
