|
Residents Outraged at Proposed 40 Percent County Property Tax Hike Sound Off at Public Hearing
Many request individual projects be saved
by Margaret Sternberg
Special interest groups concerned with the futures of Tilly Foster Farm, the County's recycling program as well as prospective increases that would be given to the County's union employees and management dominated the 2008 budget public hearing held on October 2, 2007.
For at least the first hour, the public comment was accompanied by the protests of about 100 CSEA employees demonstrating outside the County Courthouse where the hearing was being held. The demonstrators were concerned that the 5 percent raise County Executive Robert Bondi had said he would give them would be in jeopardy due to the cuts the Legislature has been making in order to whittle down the proposed 40 percent property tax increase that has caused anguish among County residents.
Calling the County Legislature the "transient caretakers of your government," Chairman Dan Birmingham said the Legislature didn't "pretend to have the exclusive wisdom on anything," adding that the Legislators represented the people and were there that evening to hear input from residents. In a change from past practice in which the Legislature voted on the budget on the same night as the public hearing, this year the vote on the budget was to occur a week after the hearing in order to take into account the public's comments.
Birmingham also attempted at the outset to allay fears regarding the county recycling center, obliquely confirming anticipated changes but noting that changes can lead to better - and cheaper - management of county facilities. William Janeway, DEC Regional Director of the Hudson Valley and the Catskills, who was in attendance, advised the Legislature, "You are aware that under law…you need to have a recycling program. It would be a shame to see political differences between different parties of the County government get in the way of it being an effective recycling program…"
Gordon Maxwell, Executive Director of Solid Waste, which runs the recycling program, also spoke before the Legislature, detailing his tenure with the program and appearing to explain why the program had been in stasis for some time and not providing the financial returns for the County that he had discussed before a Legislative committee.
Maxwell also attempted to address some ongoing issues his department had with the DEC related to compliance reports that were not submitted and the 2004 expiration of Putnam's Solid Waste and Management Plan. Violation of compliance report submission is subject to substantial financial penalties over time. Maxwell implied that he had submitted a Management Plan to the Administration that had not been forwarded to the Legislature.
Deputy County Executive John Tully clarified that Maxwell had spoken on his own behalf and had not represented the County Administration which, Tully said, respected the Legislature's deliberations on the budget and was not trying to interfere in the decisions that were in the process of being made.
Legislators made it clear they were aware of state law regarding recycling and intended to adhere to it but were focused on doing so at a lower cost to taxpayers.
Many speakers expressed concern about what they thought was the possible closing of Tilly Foster Farm. Chairman Birmingham clarified that the Legislature was not considering closing the farm, but was considering only the horse boarding operation, explaining that it was not generating enough revenue to pay for itself and the county, in the form of taxpayers, were subsidizing the difference for private owners to stable their horses at the farm. The County is sending out an RFP (Request for Proposals) to run the horse boarding operation.
Legislators also heard from several County employees who were sympathetic to budget constraints and concerned over the proposed property tax increase, yet reminded Legislators that they had gone several years without raises and requested that the union's County Executive-proposed 5 percent increase remain intact.
Legislators were scheduled to vote on the 2008 budget on Tuesday, October 9.
Providing local news, information and opinions from
Philipstown and Putnam Valley, NY
Encompassing the Villages of Cold Spring and Nelsonville,
and the hamlet of Garrison, Putnam County, NY.
This site is a publication of The Putnam County News and Recorder, the source for news and information of the Philipstown
and Putnam Valley area. The PCN&R is 139
years old, published in hard copy every Wednesday, and circulated throughout Putnam
County, NY.
The PCN&R prints LEGAL NOTICES
for: Putnam County, The Town of Philipstown, The Town of Putnam Valley, Village of Cold Spring, Village of
Nelsonville, the Haldane Union Free School District and the Garrison Union Free School
District.
Deadline for printed press releases, advertisements and classifieds is Monday at noon for
Wednesday publication. This site is updated on an as-needed basis with a minimum update
weekly on Thursdays. For further information or to request a subscription to the paper, please
contact us with your name and mailing address at:
(845) 265-2468 PO Box 185, Cold Spring, NY 10516, or e-mail us at editor@pcnr.com
If you see an advertiser on line, tell them! | 
