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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. By John F. Bailey. December 14, 2021:

County Executive George Latimer, isolated in his home because he tested positive for the coronavirus Monday sounded firm and confident Tuesday morning, phoning in his regularly scheduled WVOX 1460 Radio appearance on the “Dennis and Tonny Good Morning Westchester” program.

His voice was firm and measured, a little slower in delivery but did not sound seriously sick or breathing labored from covid to this reporter.

He told hosts Dennis Nardone and Tonny he was “feeling a little better”, talking a little more slowly than he usually does with a sharp edge, modulating his voice well. He sounded very good, spirited.

Commenting on covid in the county, The County Executive noted how fast the covid disease had grown in the last month. On November 1, he said, the County had 1,259 cases of covid with an infection rate of 1.8 (1 infected person infecting 1 other person). But by December 1, one month later the county had 4,858 cases of covid a with 4.8% of persons testing positive (2 days ago on Saturday).

He reported there were now 126 hospitalizations in Westchester County ( related to the new persons testing positive two weeks ago. WPCNR observes the 126 positives come from the 907 persons testing positive the week of November 20-27. That figure is up 41 hospitalizations since the 84 the County Executive reported at last week’s briefing.

The number of hospitalizations of the universe of 907 covid positive victims, means the current hospitalization rate of positive testing persons is 14%, up sharply from the 9.3% last week (had the hospitalizations not gone up in the last week).

Mr. Latimer asked about the criticism he had received for declaring a state of emergency last week, said that the increase in numbers last week dictated that “you want to do all you can to prevent it.My decision was based on numbers, not on fantasy. The numbers are up dramatically. That’s why you have a state of emergency.”

Host Mr. Nardone asked what Mr. Latimer thought about county executives in Rockland and other northern counties saying they would not enforce Governor Hochul’s mask mandate issued Friday. He noted those County Executives are Republicans “who will not enforce a mandate under any circumstances. We (Democrats) put on mandates when the numbers demand it. It’s hard not to, unless you’re playing politics.”

He said he would be signing the County Budget this afternoon “virtually,” and ran over the steps the new budget

(Editor’s note: The new budget is 2.2 Billion, up 9.5% in spending, a $19 Million dollar increase in spending and a property tax cut. It restores the reserve, by using covid relief money to replace the hole in the reserve fund created by filling the 2021 budget shortfall due to losses from sales tax revenues in 2021 and 2020, and adding needed programs, detailed County Chairman of the Board of Legislator Benjamin Boykin’s statement yesterday which you can find scrolling down the WPCNR Newsfeed below.

Mr. Latimer mentioned how much tax relief White Plains taxpayers receive from the property tax cut: 8% of county property taxes in the new budget.