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Legislature Approves Renewal of .5 Percent Sales Tax Increase and Add Additional Increase of .5 Percent
O'Dell calls for blue ribbon panel to confront County's financial woes
by Margaret Sternberg
Passing by a seven to two vote, at its April 3, 2007 meeting the Putnam Legislature approved the renewal of the .5 percent sales tax increase of two years ago while also approving a .5 percent increase. If approved, the County's sales tax will rise to 8 3/8 percent. Legislators Vinny Tamagna and Tony Hay voted against the resolution and Legislators Robert McGuigan, Terry Intrary, Regina Morini, Sam Oliverio, Mary Ellen Odell, Mary Conklin and Dan Birmingham voted for it.
Legislator Tamagna, who said that he had been harboring reservations about the County's budget numbers, again called for an independent financial review, saying that he was unwilling to make any modifications to the current budget "without knowing that what I'm doing is based on sound financial budgeting practices." Adding that he didn't know whether sales tax was the answer, he expressed concern over the impact to small businesses by raising the sales tax. He said he was "unwilling to take any risks before I have the sound advice of the professionals." Tamagna also decried what he described as "the same approach year after year" to the County's financial woes.
Legislator Hay, who operates a retail store, also expressed concern for the small businesses, particularly those in Patterson and Southeast who, he said were competing with stores in CT, where the sales tax is 6 percent and clothing purchases under $75 carry no sales tax. He said residents stand to save a lot of money on big ticket items by buying in CT and will do so.
Legislator Oliverio, however, saw the approval as a means of preventing cutbacks in services and a way of getting the County "through the financial priorities right now." Oliverio warned that going forward the County should not, as it had done in the past, "rob the piggybank to lower the taxes," clarifying that he was speaking of use of the County's fund balance.
Acting on the concern over the budget, Legislator Odell called for the commission of a Blue Ribbon Panel of private and public businesses, Chambers of Commerce, all school superintendents in the county, "our elected officials in Albany and Washington" and others in order to "take input," study and devise a plan to address "how we're going to get out of this dilemma."
Odell suggested she would like to return to the legislature in May with a committee and suggestions "for new ideas to get out of the old way." Chairman Dan Birmingham appeared to give tacit approval for O'Dell to move forward in the formation of a committee to explore ways of addressing the financial issues of the county.
In other business, Officer Darrell Burris of Cold Spring had his K-9, Duncan give the Legislature a demonstration of Duncan's use in narcotics detection, with Duncan showing his ability to "sniff out" a concealed package. Both got a hearty round of applause in addition to one of them being patted as they made their way down the aisle after the demonstration.
Officer Burris and Duncan had been the recipients of a proclamation congratulating them and their fellow officers on a "job well done" and continued success in keeping drugs out of the county. Legislator Tamagna noted Duncan had conducted 13 narcotics searches that resulted in five arrests. Duncan is also distinguished in that he is one of the few black "Labs" to have become a police K-9.
A number of resolutions previously approved in committee were approved by the full legislature, including the allotment of $18,250 of EOH funds for the drainage project at Lake Carmel in the Town of Kent and the authorization for the County Executive to enter into a contract of sale with the NYS DEC for 24 land parcels in the Great Swamp for $100,000, which will be provided by the North American Wetlands Conservation Act Standard Grant.
The Legislature also approved the payment of $11,000 in annual dues to the Hudson Valley Regional Council, of which Legislator Tamagna is a Vice Chairman. The approval drew criticism from Lisa Denning, Chief of Staff to County Executive Robert Bondi, who said that she had recommended to the County Executive that the bill not be paid based upon her experiences as a representative to the body, leading her to conclude, "we're not getting what we're paying for." She said she had no objection to being a member of the body but that she would "insist that we make sure we are getting…what we are paying for." She asked that a legislator accompany her to meetings in order "to get them to address issues in Putnam County that would serve us better for the future."
Putnam County was declared the "lead agency" in connection with the application of designation of areas of the County as Empire Zones. In conjunction with that resolution, the legislature approved a negative declaration resolution stating that lands used within and for the Empire Zone would not have a significant impact on the environment.
Also approved were a memorialization of the Reality Check Smoke Free Movies Campaign which encourages no tobacco in youthrelated films, requires strong anti-tobacco ads in studios and theaters, stopping brand identification in films and the certifying that no pay-offs have been made for displaying tobacco in a movie.
The legislature also issued a proclamation announcing support of and appreciation for the volunteers donating their time to the 3rd Annual Business & Home Expo that will be taking place May 2, 2007. Speakers during the presentation encouraged residents and businesses to participate as a means of encouraging business growth and sales within the county.
The date of the May meeting of the full Legislature will be posted on the PCN&R's website as soon as it becomes available.
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