A new website: www.rethinkingwestchestergov.com has been launched. The goal: to consider life without county government. When I was a County Legislator in 1990 I wrote an op-ed for the Westchester section of the NY Times suggesting that the county government be eliminated. Connecticut has no county government. There property taxes are less than hours. Massachusetts authorized the elimination of county government in the mid 1990s and there taxes are lower than ours. And, Rhode Island has no county government. There taxes are also lower.
We had a meeting tonight at the White Plains Women's Club to launch the new website. The turnout was excellent--I estimate that close to (or about) 200 people attended the meeting. Among attendees (listeners) was the Deputy County Executive Larry Schwartz!
We highlighted the successful Massachusetts & Connecticut models and heard from a variety of speakers.
Please visit the website. We will be setting up a county blog on the web site within the next month or so-- so bloggers will have an additional site to express yourselves on.
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22 comments:
I wish the Supervisor would spend more time rethinking Greenburgh.
Absolutely, we need to rethink Town govt. We should also consider elinimating units like Police Marine and Swat and see what county provides.
sell taxter - triple play - reduces town, county and state government
Agree with 9:58
I agree with 9:59 and 9:58.
Dear 1:21 AM: you should get some sleep.
I think close the police dept when chief Kapica leaves,because we will never be able to replace him. let the state police take over!
Is the supervisor going to be part time in Greenburgh while he pursues county government?
The Journal News estimated the crowd at 100 -- not 200 like Feiner said -- and pointed out that Feiner has presided in Greenburgh over a 30% increase in town property taxes over the past two years. Sure sounds like even the Journal News now recognizes Feiner's publicity stunts for what they are.
12:37 are you saying that there is not one person on the force to replace Kapica.
YOU'RE REALY NOT SAYING TOO MUCH OF WHAT WE HAVE PROTECTING US.
We have many able men who can replace anyone at any time.
We may be looking for a different way of doing business as maybe a police commissioner.
Just read the Town Board Agenda for Monday's Town Board meeting.
Lots of presentations scheduled ahead of the Public Hearing on the Budget...wonder why...?
Do we really need to hear the boring report on the Tappan Zee Bridge? Especially on this night?
Last time at bat it went on seemingly for hours. However, I'm thinking that it will serve an official purpose of running out the clock. Meetings must end at 11
Of course, this could be delivered at a work session or even a special Town Board meeting if it is so very important or even the Town Board could summarize the report that they read first. Sure.
Here on this blog topic, "Rethinking Westchester" perhaps the Town Board could rethink the need to have this appear on Budget Hearing nights.
After all, a bridge plan that has not been decided for a bridge that won't happen for years re a project that Greenburgh has no control over...what could be more meaningful and timely.
There's a lot that needs to be "rethunk" in Greenburgh starting with the incompetent in charge.
hal - you mean incomptents
plus the divisive, corrupt, inept, lazy and way of out of their league members of the town board.
woe is greenburgh.
Rethinking town government should be the bigest topic.
Bernsteins' article in the Scarsdale INquirer goes to prove that this government is more corrupt than we thought and knew.
Paul you have some nerve squanderring our money the way that you have been doing.
Some time ago someone wrote on the blog that the cuts that you were making were just pacifing the public.
Truer words were never spoken.
You have made us pay for things that you had no right to direct to the unincorporated area.
Do you think that this is the way you will be voted in comes next election.
You will be pulling the rest of the board down.
You may think that there is no one to run against you but you are wrong.
Did you ever hear of someone changing their political affilliations ,well I did and many more will follow.
There may not be aside kick of yours to run against you but you can rest assured that there is someone who has been of your party but is considering to change to run against you. By the way he will win big time.
talk is cheap - or should we say anyone can blog.
is anonymous running for supervisor?
real courage would call for an end to the farce that is the tdycc and end to other boondoggles like the hundreds of thousands spent on comprehensive plan (a favorite of edgemont).
2:51 I was saying to do away with police dept. let the State Police take over. We could save at least 10 million dollars!
other Towns like Somers and Cortland do it. Why can't we?
We can't have the State Police patrol because the Villages have their own police departments and the State Police either patrol the whole town or none of it.
We can at least rely on County Swat, get rid of Marine unit and have civilians do EMT. Why doesnt Paul manage instead of letting police threaten the cuts the people will say no to.
Paul listens to police professionals and not anonymous bloggers.
An article in today's Journal News suggests the opposite approach from Feiner's proposal: instead of eliminating county government, the NY State commission for reforming government recommended removing lots of tasks from town and villages and transferring them to the county to benefit from economy of scale. Consolidation of services should be considered, even if it offends small town princes operating their petty fiefdoms.
The police chief knows, it is better to have the state take over
the police dept.
WHITEHEAD STILL MAKING THE BIG BUCKS AND DOING NOTHING!
Finally a qualified, educated Commissioner with an established track record has been hired for the TDYCC, However in a total waste of taxpayer dollars, Whitehead who is under police investigation is still getting the double salary raise, not punching in, leaving the work place, and doing absolutely NOTHING! Why is Sonya so determined to champion this misfit!?!?!? Whitehead must have the goods on someone. What a rotten message to honest town employees who are working hard every working day. Worse still is the public sees the ENTIRE Center as being under investigation when it is ONLY VALERIE WHITEHEAD who committed thief of services crimes. But the whole Department's reputation is being made to suffer because of her selfishness, greed, and need for power. A blind person could see that she accomplished NOTHING during her time as Interim Commissioner. She gave away the farm to no show staff, including her nephew. So now as a result of her overspending, legitimate services will need to be cut. She is an affront to any person who is decent. Yet she dares calls herself "blessed". Actually she is indeed blessed...
Blessed by Greenburgh taxpayers who AREN'T calling for her termination.
We could have 200 cops and still have burglaries in Edgemont/Hartsdale/Fairview or anywhere! The Chief does not have to cut street crime. He should cut swat and tech rescue.Take the inside officers and put them on the road, and at last make all paramedics/emt's civillians!
If we really want to save money, have the State Police take over.
They have of the special units already.
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