Nov 9, 2009 7:19 pm US/Eastern
Astorino Ready To Prove Himself In Westchester
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Rob Astorino was elected Westchester County's new Executive after unseating Andy Spano on Nov. 3, 2009.
CBS
There's a property tax crisis in Westchester – the highest in the nation – and now residents are wondering how their newly-elected county executive will deliver on his promise to slash property taxes.
Rob Astorino became Westchester's new county executive on election night, ousting 12--year Democratic incumbent Andy Spano on a campaign that promised to reduce the size of county government, and do something about taxes. Now that he's actually won, though, Astorino has to deliver and he says he's going to do so by cutting the executive staff by 10 percent.
"I'll lead by example. We're going to start reducing the size of the county executive's office first. We're going to demand that everyone who comes to work for me with regard to non-union people, the managers are going to start paying toward their health insurance," he told CBS 2.
"Everybody who watched the election results on Tuesday night and sitting in office right now needs to take notice that there is a full-blown taxpayer revolt underway right now in New York state and it started right here in Westchester," said Larchmony Mayor Elizabeth Field, a supporter of Astorino.
Westchester is the most heavily-taxed county in the country, and what voters who spoke to CBS 2 all agreed that was at the front of their minds when they voted during the election. One voter called the change a "backlash."
"Forty-three cities, towns, and villages in Westchester. In addition we have numerous school districts, fire districts, and other special districts, and the property tax that taxpayers pay is a combination of all of those – the county tax for example is probably only around 15 to 20 percent. School districts are at the top of the hierarchy," said Dr. Lester Steinman of Pace University. Steinman said there they have studied one cost-saving measure Astorino may implement right away: municipalities sharing services.
"I've been very honest and up front with the voters, with the county employees that it can't keep going this way. People are moving out of Westchester," said Astorino.
The typical reaction CBS 2 found among most voters was an agreement that change is overdue; but they'll believe it when it happens.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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