Odell and Astorino Talk with Hudson Valley Young Professionals
The Hudson Valley Young Professionals played host to the county executives of Putnam and Westchester last week at the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce office in Peekskill.
The purpose of the forum was to open the lines of communication between government and the young professionals who will one day be leaders and business owners in the community.
Luigi Manente and Aisha Kutter, the co-founders and co-chairs of the HVYP, moderated the event and asked the county executives what measures they were taking to lessen the tax burden in the area.
Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell noted the three initiatives that Putnam County will be implementing doing the 2013. The first was the item pricing program that is being implemented in the Consumer Affairs Department. For a fee businesses can obtain a waiver that will allow the company to price things in bulk instead of individually.
The second program Odell identified was the Renew Putnam program that is being done through the county clerk’s office to help keep funds from people renewing their vehicle registration in Putnam, rather than the money going straight up to Albany.
Finally, Odell brought up the Chapter 31 program that will allow realtors to put foreclosed properties that the county has acquired, up for sale at market value, rather than with a starting price of the arrears owed.
“I have to say, as a young professional how pleased I am to hear that you are able to use the free market to create revenue,” said Kutter. “It is refreshing to hear that rather than our paychecks getting smaller because of tax increases.”
Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino agreed that taxpayers and business owners in particular should be able to hold onto more of the money they earn. “That is why I have not raised taxes in the past three years,” said Astorino. “I think that Westchester government has enough money, it just needs to live within its means. But to do that requires us to make really difficult decisions.”
There were three Ps that Astorino has base his governing on – protect taxpayers, preserving essential services and promoting economic development. He used Playland as an example.
“Running Playland is not an essential service that government needs to provide,” said Astorino. “Essential services should be things like roads and infrastructure or public safety. But as far as promoting economic development we needed to find a way to best use Playland grow the economy while cutting the county’s expenses that is where a public-private partnership works great.”
Again Kutter was encouraged. “It is nice to see that you look at government the way I look at running my business,” she said,
When it came to the obstacles the county executives foresee over the next year, Astorino cited the unfunded mandates from Albany. Odell mentioned a different hurdle that Putnam needs to jump.
“Our sales tax extension is set to sunset on Nov. 30,” said Odell. “If it does then we have a $14 million deficit in the 2014 budget.” She said that the county has already started discussion with its state representative who will be needed to sponsor bills up in Albany.
“It is difficult though because Albany uses the sales tax extension as a political football,” Odell said. “Counties should be allowed to individually set their own sales tax rates without approval from Albany.”
Astorino added that in order for there to be real change things need to be done differently up in Albany.
“Until [there is change up in Albany] we are going to keep chasing out tail and businesses out of the area because there is no correction to it right now,” Astorino said.
One young professional asked how get more involved in government.
Odell recommended writing a letter to your legislator indicating what your interests are and what you would like to participate in.
“There are plenty of committees,” said Astorino. “If you want to help be part of government, I am sure there is a place for you.”
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.