ASTORINO ENDORSED FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE BY NEW ROCHELLE FIREFIGHTERS.

New Rochelle, NY-Oct. 28… Reform Westchester county executive candidate Rob Astorino (R-I) was endorsed today by the New Rochelle Firefighters union (UFFA, Local 273). The endorsement was made outside of New Roc City in New Rochelle.

The endorsement comes on the heels of an endorsement of Mr. Astorino on Tuesday from the New York Post.

“I am enormously grateful to the New Rochelle firefighters for their strong and meaningful endorsement,” Mr. Astorino said. “One of the great tragedies of high taxes in this county is that our servicemen and servicewomen, who devote their lives to keeping our families safe, are no longer able to live and raise families in the county they love and protect.

As county executive, I will do everything in my power to give our county’s Bravest the tools they need to do their job as safely as possible, and to lower the punishing and prohibitive taxes in this county.”

Earlier today, at the home of a Yonkers taxpayer, Mr. Astorino released a comprehensive 15-point “Blueprint to Tax Relief” for overburdened Westchester residents. Westchester residents are paying the highest property taxes in America for the second year in a row.

ASTORINO RELEASES 15-POINT BLUEPRINT TO TAX RELIEF FOR OVERBURDENED WESTCHESTER RESIDENTS.

White Plains, NY-Oct. 28… Reform Westchester county executive candidate Rob Astorino (R-I) today released a comprehensive 15-point “Blueprint to Tax Relief” for overburdened Westchester residents, who pay the highest taxes in America for the second year in a row.

Addressing the tax crisis in Westchester head-on and bringing transparency and accountability to County government have been hallmarks of Mr. Astorino’s candidacy.

“The tax crisis in Westchester will only get worse in the coming years if we don’t begin addressing its causes now,” Mr. Astorino said. “Westchester government has grown too large and too wasteful under the incumbent County Executive; it must be streamlined for efficiency. Thousands of families have had to flee this county because of its punishing property taxes. We need to stop this tax madness now.”

The Astorino 15-Point Blueprint to Tax Relief will:

1. Reduce the size of the County Executive’s office 10% on day one. Change begins at the top;

2. Institute a hiring freeze in County government and eliminate non-essential positions through attrition over four years. Westchester’s payroll has exploded under Andy Spano.

3. Require all managers and appointed employees to contribute to their health
care costs, and negotiate modest contributions to health insurance plans from union employees. Currently no county employees make contributions to their health insurance;

4. End the abuse of perks in county government. Eliminate county cars for employees whose positions don’t require them. Sell excess inventory;

5. Release the budget on October 15th, a month early, like most counties do, to allow for greater public scrutiny. Currently it is released on Nov. 15th, after Election Day;

6. Reduce exploding long-term pension costs through hiring reductions today;

7. Cut 10% across the board for budget lines 2000, 3000, and 4000 (equipment, materials and supplies, expenses) a savings of more than $23 million;

8. End taxpayer drain at Playland by leasing rides and concessions to professionals and collecting rent and a percentage of profits. (Playland has lost $37 million in 10 years and $5 million this year alone.);

9. End travel junkets disguised as county “business”;

10. Merge overlapping county agencies to reduce duplication;

11. Post online all County contracts, key documents, invoices, etc. Transparent government is accountable government;

12. Reform powerful and secretive Board of Acquisition and Contracts by requiring bi-partisan checks and balances;

13. Establish zero-based budgeting system. This identifies waste and forces managers to justify every dollar spent;

14. Consolidate county services in cooperation with towns, villages, and cities. Westchester has 425 taxing entities today, and

15. Eliminate the County Executive’s round-the-clock chauffeur and bodyguards. Rob will drive himself to work.