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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications (Edited). October 16, 2008: County Executive Andy Spano Wednesday proposed spending $21.7 million less next year on capital projects than the county spent in 2008, but did not indicate whether the county budget would remain at the same spending level. The total budget will be presented November 14.

Spano’s proposed $91,176,000 million capital budget for 2009 – 19 percent less than this year’s – was submitted today to the Board of Legislators. The adopted capital budget for 2008 was $114,880,000 (out of a total county budget of $1.8 Billion).

Mr. Spano’s Chief Advisor, Susan Tolchin told WPCNR Tuesday, “According to our latest numbers, we are on our projections with sales tax revenue based on the second quarter report. We have not received the third quarter report as yet. Mortage fees revenues are down county wide. For us  as it stands now, we are looking at a $7 million shortfall (in mortgage tax revenues) . In response we have already cut $13 million from our 2008 budget to meet any projected shortfall in revenues and also to counteract the state cuts of over $6 million.”

“This proposal recognizes the fragile economic conditions that plague our country and that specifically confront our taxpayers,” Spano said, in his budget message to the legislators.

“I am forever mindful of the tax implications in every single area of county government,” he said, “We continue to review every item with an eye towards eliminating or delaying anything which is not absolutely necessary. The programs in this capital budget reflect this policy.” 

Recommended projects include those for infrastructure improvements that will enable the county to save energy, a continuation of the county’s commitment to build more affordable housing and preserve open space, and rehabilitation of parkways, roads and bridges.

The capital projects budget is a spending plan for projects that the county would pay for with bonds. The interest costs of these bonds go into the county’s operating budget as expenses. The costs to Westchester of borrowing are kept relatively low due to the county’s triple-A bond rating, the highest rating possible.

Separate budgets for capital projects at the airport and for sewer, water and refuse districts do not impact the county’s operating budget.

Spano’s proposed budget for operating expenses will be released Nov. 15. The Board of Legislators has until the end of December to adopt the operating and capital projects budgets.

Here are the highlights of Spano’s proposal:

Energy Savings:

• Various upgrades to heating and air conditioning systems to conserve energy
  
• Continuation of roof  replacement program using green technology as well as other building improvements to reduce overall energy consumption. 

 

Affordable Housing and Open Space:

• The budget continues Spano’s commitment to work with municipalities to develop affordable housing. To date through the Housing Implementation Fund and New Homes Land acquisition, a total of 2,313 units have been funded. Spano proposes spending  $8 million.
  
• In addition, through the Parkland Acquisition/Westchester Legacy program, the county will again set aside $5 million to assist municipalities to provide for parkland, ball fields and open space. To date Yonkers, Greenburgh, Rye Brook, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, White Plains and Port Chester have benefited. Two more fields, in Yorktown and Ardsley, will be dedicated next year.

 

Parkway, Road and Bridges:

• The county’s bridge and parkway rehabilitation projects continue to keep roadways in a safe condition for motorists. This budget includes necessary repairs to roads and bridges in Mount Vernon, Pelham, North Salem, Yonkers and Bedford. To reduce maintenance costs, the county continues its policy of  ultimately turning  county roads over to the local municipalities, once they are rehabilitated.

 

Recreation:

• The only projects being considered are those that will add to the pleasure of  residents or aid the environment and at the same time generate revenue. Therefore, work will be done at the county’s golf courses, at Tibbetts Brook Park, and along the Bronx River Reservation.

Transportation:

• The county will spend $1.8 million for the continued purchase of hybrid buses so the county can save on fuel costs. Spano noted he has always supported mass transportation and that ridership on the county’s Bee-Line buses has increase significantly with the increase in gas prices.  

—

Airport:

• The capital program for 2009 includes storm water management, rehabilitation of taxiways as well as equipment acquisition for a total of $2.3 million paid for out of airport funds. The airport’s capital budget is not paid for with tax dollars, but the county oversees its capital program to ensure that work is done in accordance with strict environmentally mandated standards.

Refuse and Sewer Districts:

• The capital program for the refuse and sewer districts continues to provide for the rehabilitation and infrastructure improvements in accordance with the districts’ five-year capital plans. The program includes equipment replacement, material recovery enhancements, and upgrades and rehabilitation to both pumping stations and facilities which will also save on energy. Building on the success of the county’s  recycling program, which continues to save taxpayer dollars, this budget contains funding for the design and construction of advanced technology equipment to improve the sorting of recyclables. This, in turn, will generate more revenue to the county. The total capital funding for both districts is $44.2 million.
  
• The refuse and sewer district budgets do not affect the county’s operating budget.

 

The proposed capital project budget is available online at www.westchestestergov.com/budget

 

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. October 14, 2008 UPDATED 11:41 PM: Nine days after the Common Council tabled $2.6 Million in bonds for rolling stock, citing budget worries and vowing to discuss the capital projects at a meeting on October 23 where the City Commissioner of Finance, Gina Cuneo-Harwood is expected to give the council a picture of pressures on the city budget (the earliest this has ever been requested by the present council), the Council will take up the four matters involving a tot lot for Mitchell Place, rolling stock for police, and department of public works vehicles. 

Council President Benjamin Boykin told WPCNR Wednesday evening the council was just going to discuss the rolling stock and no vote would be taken.

One Councilperson Rita Malmud explained the apparent reversal of policy this way: “One capital project has a price good only through 10/15/08., after which there would be a 12% price increase  That item would replace a 21-year old loader-tractor currently out of service and needing extensive and expensive repairs.  This vehicle is used for leaf and snow removal.  I had requested that this item be discussed before the ordering deadline expired.”

Ms. Malmud later Wednesday evening clarifed why the other rolling stock items were on the agenda:

All the tabled capital projects are on the agenda.  I do not know what additional info will be given to us tomorrow on all the items and on the City’s financial situation.  I would like to see that one item voted upon, which is the only one (to my knowledge) that has a price timeclock of 10/15/08.  The Common Council needs to have an update on the City’s current financial situation and on projections for the remainder of this fiscal year in order to properly evaluate our level of spending.

Finance Commissioner comments on bond market:

In comments later Wednesday evening made at the Council of Neighborhood Associations, the city’s Chief Financial Officer, Gina Cuneo-Harwood said the city was in excellent financial standing and had excellent credit. She said that small increments of bonds such as the $2.6 Million in question, would not have problems in the financial markets and were actually welcome in the municipal bond market because of their small amounts, what she described as “vanilla amounts.” She explained that a recent bond issue of a similar amount cost a different municipality  only 4.5% interest last week, slightly above the 4.2% White Plains was paying last summer. 

Harwood also reported to WPCNR,  after the meeting that the city had met and exceeded its first quarter figure projected sales tax, receiving $12,476,731 — 14.3%  over the first quarter last year. She said that 12.32% of that gain was due to the 1/4% increase in the city sales tax that went into effect July 1. The net increase in sales tax  for Quarter 1 was 2%.

She said she was aware of the dire financial forecasts, but so far said the city was not seeing it, so far.

She noted to WPCNR the recent New York Times article reporting higher rates of interest for municipalities referred to much larger bond amounts, and bonding for  operating expenses, and did not apply to the small amounts White Plains borrows.