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Jordan Stutts

Spotlight on Republican Incumbent Rob Astorino’s Final Bid for County Executive

October 21, 2017 by Jordan Stutts

In his third and final campaign for Westchester County Executive, Rob Astorino sat down with the Inside Press to explain how his administration has held firm on the conservative fiscal policies he brought to office eight years ago.

Every year since 2010, the two-term Republican has requested a county budget of around $1.8 billion, the same amount last requested by his Democratic predecessor Andrew Spano that also came with a 2.9 percent tax levy increase.

Astorino has instead reduced the tax levy by 2 percent. He’s also frozen the county property tax levy, something he’s quick to point out as a major accomplishment for his administration’s goal to “stop the tax madness.” All of this is so middle-class people have a “fighting chance” to live in Westchester and small businesses have a “chance to survive and thrive,” Astorino explained in our interview. He’s now betting his low-tax platform that won the 2009 election will translate into a positive message that says his administration can govern efficiently and effectively without big spending.

“We’ve just showed that you can do it better without having to be wasteful and having to go to the taxpayer every year saying we need more,” Astorino said in the interview.

But State Senator George Latimer, the Democratic challenger for county executive, said there’s more to Astorino’s tax relief record. “He is arguing that he has kept taxes at zero when in fact they levy is not the only thing the county does,” Latimer said.  (For a deeper look at Latimer’s policies and platforms, see the accompanying article about Latimer: https://www.theinsidepress.com/up-close-personal-with-democratic-nominee-for-county-executive-george-latimer/)

Sewer and refuse district taxes have ticked up during Astorino’s administration, Latimer notes, adding “all of a sudden it may not be that you actually paid less.”

Astorino counters that the county’s property tax levy has fallen from $560 million to $548 million under his watch. “Any increases in refuse or sewer district taxes Astorino continued, have paid for the expansion of necessary government services, like the launch of a household material recovery facility at Rye Playland.

The tax-friendly environment Astorino created helped insulate Westchester from New York’s first population decline in a decade, he said, with the county being one of the few to grow last year. It’s also helped 44,000 private-sector jobs in Westchester since he took office, Astorino said in the interview. “We’re inviting businesses to come in, which is making it attractive for people to come to Westchester to start a family, to start a career,” he explained.

Putting assets to work

Lower taxes means Astorino has had to manage the county in a way that finds new revenue and cuts inefficiencies.

He’s cut the government workforce by 16 percent, either through buyouts or “reorganization.” For example, Astorino said a contract he ended for the Planning Department to work on section 8 housing saved the county $1 million a year and put the workers under the state’s purview.

“You’ve got a smaller but more efficient county government,” Astorino told The Inside Press.

He has also hunted for new revenue streams, looking for county assets that can generate a profit with new development. For example, Westchester is allowing the construction of a “biotech village” on 60 acres of vacant land at the Westchester Medical Center campus that Astorino said will create high-tech jobs.

“You can’t sit idly by,” he said. “This is part of our philosophy: if we’re not going to ask taxpayers to pony up more, we still need new revenue to come in. So we’re going to use the assets that the county has and put them to work.”

This strategy led Astorino to announce in November 2016 plans to enter into a public-private partnership for Westchester Airport. Astorino wants to hand control of the airport to a private company for a $130 million upfront payment and a 40-year revenue-sharing lease.

Astorino is marketing the plan as a way to put the airport’s value to use without fully selling it to the private sector. “That’s how you pay for parks and police, daycare and all these other services that people want,” he explained during the interview.

The criticism his plan has faced, including from Latimer, is that the county will receive a one-off payment but lose out on revenue down the road, as well as losing control of airport management.

Another concern is that a private company will want to expand Westchester Airport for greater profit, disrupting the Armonk-North Castle area where it’s located. Astorino insists that no company can “build any major structure without county approval.”

“We want a better not bigger airport,” he said.

One question remaining

Astorino won’t say for certain he’s going to run again for New York Governor. In 2014, he tried to unseat Andrew Cuomo for the position and lost by 14 points. “My thoughts and everything is on election day to run for county executive,” he said. One caveat: “nobody should ever close the door on anything in their future.”

He is feeling confident about the election at hand as well. Throughout his two terms, Astorino has navigated the politics of a Democrat-leaning county. His conservative policies have been in action for seven years now and applied to a range of issues.

What seemed like the defining issue of his administration early on, the HUD housing lawsuit, is now fully in the rearview mirror. The disagreement was never about if Westchester should build more affordable housing, Astorino explained, adding the county has exceeded the federal requirement by building 900 units. “When it was evident that the central planners in Washington were going to try to dictate who lives where in this county and what gets built, that was all out of bounds. That’s what we fought on,” he added.

He said he’s not worried if Latimer tries to tie him to the social policies of President Donald Trump. In the election four years ago, he pointed out, Democrats tried to use Barack Obama’s popularity, winning Westchester by 25 points in 2012, by making the campaign about national issues.

Astorino said voters won’t fall for it this time either. “People are smart enough to realize that neither Obama in 2013 or Trump in 2017 are on the ballot,” he said.

The vision for Westchester Astorino’s bringing to his final campaign for county executive is an “extension” of what got him elected the first time. He said he is confident his version of “fiscal common sense” coupled with the experience of two terms in office will carry him over the finish line once again.

The only question remaining is if voters still want the same thing.

Filed Under: Political Advertorial Tagged With: campaign, County Executive, politics, Rob Astorino, running

The Right Path: Best Bike Trails Nearby

August 26, 2017 by Jordan Stutts

A bicyclist enjoys the North County Trailway

a leisurely ride or challenging trails, there are a number of bike paths around Armonk or Chappaqua that make for a fun outdoor weekend activity. There seems to be something for everyone along the bike trails winding through the vast woods in the area.

For Paul Toth, the North County Trailway is perfect for his son, George, to learn to ride his new bike. The trail way is 22 miles long with paved and mostly flat, shaded paths. George felt it was a little tiring, but the views are good plus he can show off his new ride to friends.

Scenic views by the North County Railway

A little to the north

Kim and Brian Kelly have stopped on the Putnam Railroad Bridge.

The old truss bridge is a continuation of the North County Trailway. When the weather is clear, a visitor can see the Croton Reservoir shimmering below and rolling green hills off in the distance.

From where they live in Somers, Kim and Brian said the ease of access to views like this is the big draw for them for biking in Westchester.

“It’s just really nice to go out your driveway and get onto a trail within five minutes,” Kim explained. By all accounts, the North County Trailway is the best destination for those needing exercise and some time outdoors. The path winds through northeastern Westchester, past farms and small towns, through tunnels and thick woods, all the way up to the Putnam County border.

The ride is what the rider makes it, a scenic tour or a cycling workout.

But despite how much sweat the rider works up, pulling off at Trailside Café in Yorktown will be worth it. Catering to North County Trailway riders, the shop offers a variety of refreshing juices, smoothies and light eating options to help fuel riders.

There are multiple points to start on the trail way but a short hill from Chappaqua’s Gedney Park along route 133 is an easy entry point to begin.

Trailside Café in Yorktown is popular fuel stop

Or go south

Head the other way on the South County Trailway for a different but still enjoyable day of cycling.

Covering 14 miles of southern Westchester, this trail still provides the scenery for a day of outdoors, but there are more options for other excursions as well. Ending at Van Cortland Park in the Bronx, the South County Trailway has a number of restaurants nearby to pull off to for lunch. Stop in Tarrytown and head to Neperan Avenue for a choice of local favorites including Lefteris Gyro, the Taco Project or Eatery.

To find the beginning of South County Trailway, head to Pleasantville and hop on at the intersection of Route 117 and 9A.

Rocky and rooty

Those looking for a challenge should consider the mountain biking trails at Graham Hills Park.

The trails here are a five-mile network of narrow single-bike paths that test a rider with drop-offs, jumps and sharp inclines. Trails at Graham Hills Park begin on steep banks, uneven from roots and fallen trees and natural impediments.

To be clear, these trails are not for beginners. According to Dylan Hyman and Shawn McDonald, two bike mechanics at Hickory & Tweed, a ski and cycling shop on Armonk’s Main Street that’s been open since 1961, the trails at Graham Hills are geared for the experienced.

Both frequent mountain bikers themselves, Hymann and McDonald described the trails as “rocky and rooty,” “technical riding” that is comparable in difficulty to the black diamond rating reserved for the most challenging ski slopes.

“It’s probably good to have some mountain bike experience,” Hyman said of Graham Hills Park which is located off the Saw Mill River Parkway.

The ride is what the rider makes it, a scenic tour or a cycling workout.

Worth the view

Twenty-five miles away in Peekskill is a bike trail that opened last year and has views that promise to be worth the drive.

The South Waterfront Park and Trailway includes a 1-mile paved and level trail system running along the Hudson River. From Riverfront Green to Charles Point, this trail is more about enjoying the scenic view of the river rather than getting a good workout.

There is parking near Riverfront Green Park on Hudson Avenue.

Filed Under: Armonk Cover Stories Tagged With: Bicycles, Bike Riding, Bike Trails, cycling, Hickory and Tweed, trails, Westchester

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