Feiner and Slater Deliver Relief
“I believe it is inappropriate to recommend any increases in salaries during a crisis in which so many Greenburgh residents are out of work,”–Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner
“Today I proposed a tentative budget that cuts property taxes by 0.5%. This will protect home owners and taxpayers and is key to our plan to grow our Town economy out of this crisis,” Yorktown Supervisor Matt Slater
By Dan Murphy
As local Westchester governments begin the process of submitting their budgets for the 2021 fiscal year, two Town governments have been able to proposed budgets with a 0% property tax increase. The Town of Greenburgh, led by Supervisor Paul Feiner, and the Town of Yorktown, led by Supervisor Matt Slater, gave good news for their taxpayers in their proposed 2021 budgets.
“It has been evident for quite some time that Federal, State and Local governments across every region of our Country are struggling with increased cost and decreased revenue, due to the economic impact of the COVID 19 Pandemic. These extraordinary fiscal factors require municipal leadership to identify every conceivable budgetary option available, as a means of ensuring the safety and comfort of our constituencies, through the continuation of the high level of services which our residents deserve,” said Supervisor Feiner.
“At the same time, many of our neighbors have lost their jobs, or have experienced decreases in salary and benefits, as their employers attempt to keep their businesses operating during this extremely difficult period. A simple “drive-by” view of our major retail corridors, Central Ave, Route 119, Saw Mill River Road and others, reflects far too many “For Rent” signs and shuttered stores and restaurants, many which may never reopen.
“The budget I will be proposing for 2021 projects no increase in property tax. In addition, the budget, as proposed, does not include any salary increases for elected officials.In most past years, salary increase rates for elected officials mirrored the percentage of those of CSEA Union members. However, I believe it is inappropriate to recommend any increases in
these individual’s salaries, including my own, during a crisis in which so many Greenburgh residents are out of work or have diminished income,” said Feiner who said that the a projected shortfall of $1,85 Million in Sales Tax Revenue, $650,000 in Hotel Tax Revenue, and $400,000 in town court revenues, made balancing the 2021 budget a more difficult task. Capital budgets were deferred and new hiring will be limited to essential positions.
In Yorktown, Supervisor Matt Slater’s first budget is a great one for homeowners and taxpayers. Slater’s proposed 2021 budget, cuts property taxes by 0.5%. “Today I proposed a tentative budget that cuts property taxes by 0.5%. This will protect homeowners and taxpayers and is key to our plan to grow our Town economy out of this crisis,” said Slater on October 26, in a Zoom call with the Town Board.
Yorktown also faces revenue shortfalls from COVID and the economic slowdown. Slater totalled the lost revenues in 2020 at $5.5 Million in reduced recreation fees, court fees, sales tax and state aid.
Slater has propsed making budget cuts including reducing spending on equipment, salaries and medical and retirment costs. At the same time, Yorktown has continued to see an interest and increase in development, especially in the commercial sector. “Yorktown is in a strong position to keep this momentum going in 2021. As we see other state and local governments struggle with deficits, Yorktown has averted a fiscal crisis. We can expect more investors to notice our fiscal responsibility and take greater interest in our community,” said Slater.
Supervisor Slater, in Northern Westchester, and Supervisor Feiner, in mid Westchester, one republican and one democrat, have both shown that it is possible to balance local budgets, even during COVID, without raising property taxes.
