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An Interview with Putnam County Executive Bob Bondi
Just before last week's annual reorganization meeting of the County Legislature, the PCN&R spoke with Putnam County Executive Bob Bondi about a number of issues - past, present and future. The following are the highlights of that discussion.
PCN&R: What's number one on your wish list for 2008? Bondi: To have the County turn the corner on its fiscal affairs, to be positioned for success.
PCN&R: The County's tax levy is up by twenty seven percent for 2008. Why?
Bondi: The problem clearly isn't increased spending - county spending has gone down. There really is no waste to speak of. The nagging issue is a lack of adequate revenue to provide needed services. Doing away with services that don't make money is just a knee-jerk reaction. The bus system for example may not make money but many people depend on it. The answer is to get more spending in the county resulting in increased sales tax revenue. That and more commercial development and the taxes that comes with it. The only alternatives are to do away with services or to raise property taxes. Our county property tax, about three dollars per thousand, is the lowest for any county south of Albany and one of the lowest in the state. No one wants a higher property tax bill.
PCN&R: What's been the impact of the increase in sales tax?
Bondi: It's had a very positive effect. It helped stop the bleeding. Again, the answer isn't in further increases in the sales tax rate - it's in increased spending in towns in the county and the increased sales tax revenue that generates. Every dollar spent in Putnam County provides sales tax revenue. I hope that residents understand that it's important to support our commercial businesses and consider shopping locally - especially now with the price of gas. Also, there's too much land being zoned residential and not enough being zoned commercial. Residential development costs money - new children don't provide revenue. Commercial development generates tax revenue
PCN&R: What's the last book you read for fun?
Bondi: It was a book about Abraham Lincoln and his relationship with his wife's family. The Todds were from the south and of course Lincoln was fighting the Civil War. That created some unique tensions.
PCN&R: What's the status of Putnam National Golf Club?
Bondi: We just met with twelve potential bidders interested in operating Putnam National in 2008 - including Donald Trump's organization. We'll probably get bids but you can never be sure - we had to reject the first round. We have to go through the RFP process.
PCN&R: What do you say to those who feel that government shouldn't be in the golf course business?
Bondi: It took three years but Putnam National earned its first profit in 2007 - about $200,000. Hopefully that will go to decreasing taxes in 2008. Is it essential? No. But it is an enormously attractive property. It provides a service - including buildings for government training and community functions. Many families have weddings there. The cost of operating Putnam National has been greatly exaggerated.
PCN&R: How do you feel about the Marathon Battery property [in Cold Spring] settlement?
Bondi: We were forced by a court decision to accept $450,000 - $475,000 when the amount owed in taxes is about 1.5 million dollars. That's a loss to the County of about one million dollars. I'm not happy with the decision. No one should be allowed to develop their property without paying off the taxes first.
PCN&R: What's our favorite meal to cook? Baked ziti with ricotta, mussels and clams.
PCN&R: What's the latest on the Tilly Foster Farm?
Bondi: We had to reject the bids submitted to operate the horse stables. At this point we don't think we'll call for new proposals. There was very little interest the first time and opposition from the public regarding the bidder. We're going back to the drawing board - and thinking about a totally different way of operating the farm. Maybe something appealing to children. Perhaps there will be increased interest with a different focus.
PCN&R: If you were to compare your relationship with the legislature to a marriage, how would you say the marriage is going?
Bondi: It actually is like a marriage. It has its ups and downs. It has its lovey-dovey periods and its nasty arguments. That's just a fact of life of what we call democracy. We're not tyrants - no one has the ability to run government without coordination between branches. We have periods when we disagree. We can't let that get in the way of doing what's best for residents of the county.
PCN&R: What comes to mind when you think about Butterfield Hospital?
Bondi: I'll be sad about Butterfield Hospital for the rest of my life. It's not something I'll get over - the displeasure of being in office when it closed. Bill Mazzuca, Anthony Phillips and I tried but there was nothing we could do to reopen it. We met with the Hospital Closing Board, the Attorney General and others. We could not find anyone to listen. We were over-ruled. The state succeeded, in concert with Hudson Valley Hospital, in doing away with the competition. Lives could have been saved, pain minimized. We could have grown into that facility. We could have changed its mission - to cancer; geriatrics, children. The county will never be the same. Years from now we'll regret not being able to undo the damage.
PCN&R: What's happening on the Storm Water Management issue?
Bondi: The towns and villages of Putnam County voted in support of the County providing leadership in storm water management. As of April, state law will require the County to begin implementing a storm water management plan - but the County has been unable to come up with funds to do the projects. We have no money whatsoever set aside. My proposal was simple. Anyone who uses surface water, who has a stake in clean drinking water, should pay a small fee. As little as a dollar per person would help. Ten to eleven million people drink our water - in New York City and Peekskill and Beacon. They should contribute to projects that protect their drinking water. I've asked the legislature to tell me what they support. They have no proposal - just a lot of criticism.
PCN&R: Was completing the County Court House one of highlights of 2007?
Bondi: It was a long-term project - started before I became County Executive. In 1987 a judge ordered the County to undertake the project. At $30 million it's our largest single project - six times the cost of Putnam National. And you can't even play golf there!
PCN&R: What do you see as your biggest challenge as get down to business in 2008?
Bondi: Getting Putnam National Golf Club and the Tilly Foster Farm back on track with private funds - and bringing in revenues adequate to pay for needed services.
PCN&R: Did you have a political hero when you entered politics? Bondi: Yes. My great, great grandfather, Giuseppe Milano. He was Mayor of Villa Rosa, a village in Sicily, for twenty-five years.
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