WPCNR’S LETTER FROM AMY. From Assemblyperson Amy Paulin, 88th District, November 19, 2008: On Tuesday, Governor David Patterson and the leaders of the New York State Assembly and Senate made no progress on cutting spending in the third quarter of the state 2008-2009 fiscal year. Ms. Paulin, Assemblyperson from the 88th Assembly District sees this as a missed opportunity:
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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Board of Legislators. November 20, 2008: In part two of a continuing analysis of the county budget prepared by the Board of Legislators, WPCNR presents unedited and uncut an analysis of the the Departments of Public Safety, Correction, and Probation:
Public Safety Department
The Public Safety Department is committed to securing and protecting the safety and security of residents, visitors and workers as well as county property and infrastructure. The duties of the department’s 314-member staff (352 when including positions funded by grants) range from policing the area’s county and state highways to being an ever present resource for local law enforcement to supporting and assisting federal, state and local counter-intelligence/homeland security operations.
Public Safety’s proposed 2009 operating budget of $45.3 proposes a tax levy of $26.28 million that represents an increase of $466,058 or 1.8% over the 2008 tax levy. The increase is primarily due to anticipated salary adjustments from unsettled contracts. Revenues from other sources (grants, state and federal aid, departmental, interdepartmental) amount to about $26.67 million.
The Public Safety Department’s projected overtime budget for 2008 is $5.6 million. The cost efficiency of overtime versus hiring additional full-time staff was discussed at length during the budget hearing. While the 24/7 and ebb and flow nature of police activity makes scheduling a challenge, legislators asked what measures were in place to reduce overtime costs.
“The reduction in vacancies and the implementation of the telestat software system are key reasons the department’s projected 2009 budget reflects savings in overtime costs of $1.14 million,” said County Legislator José Alvarado, Budget & Appropriations Committee Chair. “The telestat system also enables the department to better project overtime needs, up to 3 weeks ahead. The Commissioner said this should also have a positive impact on overtime costs.”
County patrols on state highways within the county (Hutchinson River Pkwy, Saw Mill River Pkwy, Cross County Pkwy) has been an ever-increasing burden to county taxpayers which in the coming year is projected to cost approximately $4.6 million in 2009. The state will pay for just about half of that cost.
“This is not a typical state-mandate, it’s a policy choice,” said County Legislator Vito Pinto, Chair of the Public Safety & Security Committee. “The Commissioner’s assertion that county patrols are responsible for an 11% reduction in accidents, in my mind, nets much greater savings than the $2.4 million residual cost to county taxpayers.”
Department of Probation
The Department of Probation is a very integral component of
The Department’s 2009 Proposed Budget of $25.3 million anticipates a tax levy of $18.3 million. Expenditures for salaries are 7.74% higher than the 2008 budget. This is mainly due to moving up of 9 positions under NYS Expanded PINS Program to annual regular employees, anticipated salary adjustments, step increases and the inclusion of a commissioner’s full salary. The department is containing the full impact of these increases by decreasing expenditures in several areas including printing and office supplies, equipment purchase and replacements, educational training and travel & meals.
“By focusing on assisting those recently released from prison to becoming more productive in society, the Probation Departments helps to reduce recidivism,” said County Legislator Vito Pinto, Chair of the Public Safety & Security Committee. “While the department continues to focus on its more traditional role of arresting probation violators and conducting warrant sweeps, it is also pursuing other more pro-active measures that have proven effective in prevention like intervening to help at-risk families and youth and providing alternative-to-incarceration programs that increase the effectiveness of our Family and Criminal Courts.”
The Department of Correction
The Department of Correction is a state-mandated criminal justice agency that protects the public through the secure, humane and efficient confinement of offenders. Its proposed 2009 gross budget of $130.7 million requests a tax levy of $122 million. The department employs a staff of 908 to manage a census population that currently numbers 1,533.
“The Commissioner and his staff should be commended for recently earning national accreditation, the first county corrections department in the state to do so. That recognition indicates that “best practices” are in place. The department’s plan to focus on expanding the very successful re-entry program is an example of why our Corrections Department stands out,” said County Legislator Vito Pinto, chair of the Public Safety & Security Committee.
“It is very difficult to pare back on a department that operates 24/7,” said County Legislator José Alvarado, Chair of the Budget & Appropriations Committee. “The commissioner and his staff have been admirably pro-active in reducing overtime. That’s what we’re really looking for here – proactive, not reactive.”
Click here for an At-A-Glance overview of each department’s proposed budget.
WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators. November 19, 2008: The Board of Legislators press office has released the following analysis of the County Law Department and Department of Human Resources Budgets in County Executive Andrew Spano’s 2009 Budget proposed last week:
Focus on Proposed 2009 Budget Hearings: Law Department; Human Resources Department
Law Department
The county’s Law Department manages all the civil law business for the county and its departments. Its proposed 2009 budget of $13.35 represents a 2.2 % decrease from last year’s budget. Staffing will be reduced by one position, from its current level of 111 to 110 in 2009.
“The implementation of HAVA, the new requirements regarding E-discovery, an increased focus on pursuing child support claims and environmental consent orders with the state are driving the Law Department’s work load increase,” said County Legislator José Alvarado, Chair of the Budget & Appropriations Committee. “The proposed increase in the hourly rate charged to all county departments for law services from $135 to $139 to raise departmental and interdepartmental revenues by $450,000 is appropriate.”
“I am pleased to see that the increase in case loads has been met by growth in productivity by staff and that the impact felt by taxpayers has been reduced by cutting costs,” said County Legislator Bill Burton, Chair of the Legislation Committee which has oversight responsibility for the Law Department. “The amount of frivolous litigation concerns me. We need to be more vigilant about that.”
Department of Human Resources
The Department of Human Resources recruits, trains and supports the civil service workforce staffing for Westchester County, the Westchester Medical Center and over120 local government agencies, including fire departments, police departments and school districts for all municipal governments with the exception of the cities of Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mt. Vernon and White Plains, which have their own civil service commissions.
The Department just this past weekend successfully administered the civil service exam for police officers to about 6,000 applicants. The department’s proposed 2009 budget of $5.788 million represents a modest increase of less than $200,000 over its 2008 budget, adding one staff position to centralize administration of the Family Medical Leave Act, which has undergone numerous modifications and enhancements.
“While I certainly stand behind the goals of the Family Medical Leave Act, it has become too cumbersome to master and manage department by department. As a result, we are forced to add a position to county staff at taxpayer expense to implement an ever evolving federal policy.” said County Legislator José Alvarado, Budget Committee Chair.
“The Human Resources Department is a good example of how county government saves local municipalities money by providing quality service on a regional basis,” said
Click here for an At-A-Glance overview of each department’s proposed budget.
WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. From Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. November 19, 2008: A new website WWW.RETHINKINGWESTCHESTERGOV.COM HAS BEEN LAUNCHED.
The goal of the site and committee is to encourage Westchester residents to rethink life WITHOUT A COUNTY GOVERNMENT. It can happen. Connecticut has no county government. Rhode Island has no county government. And- Massachusetts authorized the abolishment of county government in the mid 1990s.
The website will be updated frequently –highlighting examples of WASTE in a WASTECHESTER section. We will discuss experiences states have had without county government and highlight how the county spends our tax dollars. We want a careful analysis to be done—-can Westchester taxpayers do better WITHOUT A COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
The launching of our website is only step one. We also expect to involve many new people in the review process and plan to expand the website with an interactive blog—encouraging resident feedback re: government waste and unnecessary spending.