Tuesday, November 03, 2009
NYS and town budget discussions...thursday at the library
A special State Legislative hearing on the Governor's Deficit Reduction Plan is scheduled for NOV 5.th from 10a.m.-2:00p.m at the Greenburgh Public Library. the Town Board will be holding an informal community discussion on the proposed town budget this Thursday at the Greenburgh Library from 7- 9 PM.
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175 comments:
Paul, incase you want to know I did not vite for you.
Sincerly Mr. Cinque
Mr. Cinque said...
Paul, incase you want to know I did not vote for you.
Sincerly Mr. Cinque
11/03/2009 8:22 PM
Seems like a serious effort by the Town Board to discuss the Budget with those interested to know where their taxes are disappearing.
To that end, I'm willing to give the the Supervisor the benefit of the doubt pending his answers to these questions:
To Supervisor Feiner,
Will you be bringing copies of the tentative budget so that residents will have something to study, refer to and ask questions about?
How many copies will you bring?
Since it is the budget being discussed, while it always fun to have Kevin, Sonja, Diana and Francis along, residents will probably want to be able to ask questions of the Town Comptroller.
Will he be attending? You scheduled this meeting and I would hope you did so knowing when it was convenient for the Comptroller.
If the Comptroller won't be there and if you are not going to provide copies of the Tentative Budget, then I respectfully suggest that you cancel the meeting because residents will come away with the idea that they have been snookered.
Paul Mywife and I did a write in for Mike Kolesar and no this is not Mike posting this comment. I hope other's did write ins to send a message to you and the board.
Is the town required to file permits when it removes trees on town properties. I noticed a beautiful healthy looking oak tree was cut down on the hartsbrook preserve. It was not town employees cutting down the tree so is it the responsibility of the tree company to receive a permit or the town. And why spend money to cut a healthy tree.
Well, Mr. 9:07, you and your wife are idiots.
Paul - Got the Spano message?
We homeowners are sick of tax, spend and "don't blame me, blame the schools" incumbents. We don't care how much Harrison, Yorktown, or Neptune raise their taxes - 7% IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. It's just a pity that no one read the public's pulse and had the courage to run against you and your warchest. But if Nick and now Andy can be thrown out...you know who might be next. If you keep up with your 7% increases when CPI continues near 0%, you better have your resume ready in 2 years.
The town is not well run. Most people are disengaged or ambivalent.
NO TO THE FEINER TAXES!!!
How many came out to vote? The word is that Greenburgh had an embarrassing turnout. What does that tell you?
the candidates were embarrasing
diana juettner? another 4 years?? for what???
francis sheehanigans. what did he accomplish over the past 4 years? other than to alienate everyone who supported him previously.
oh happy day
susan tolchin has been fired
good riddance
How about printing the shameful amount of ballots that were cast to put the three of you back in office.
If there were a Republican running against the three of you you all would have lost big time.
The next two years are freebees for the three but we will have the reigns in the next election.
Congratulations to Bob Astorino-
I do hope that you will make a big difference as to how Greenburgh is run.
HAl be careful they will have police patrolling the library so you will not be able to enter.
Mr. Feiner, anybody home?
Will you be bringing copies of the budget for the public to study?
Will you be bringing the Town Comptroller?
If not, why are you holding this meeting?
I already know that you have chosen the Library (not that far from Town Hall) because the meeting can't be televised or otherwise documented.
Paul how many write in ballots were cast.
We would like to know these results too.
Isn't it embarasing that you have about ten thousand people who want Paul Feiner and his two cronnies to be part of the town disfuntioal government.
How many eligible voters live in Greenburgh?
I do think we got the message to you and the other two We don't want you.
57,069 voters in greenburgh.
From Paul's budget message:
"Less than one fifth of an unincorporated resident’s entire tax bill pays for town services."
If you change the word "town" to "county" you have Andy Spano's entire campaign theme.
But more seriously, as the Astorino shocker proved, there is an accountability issue. I'm looking at my tax bill. Andy and Paul are correct: about 50% is the schools. But, because of state law, you can't fight the schools: they have legally guarrenteed increases, even if the budget is voted down. Can I fight the Fire Dept or Sewer Dist? Hardly.. who do you even call to complain? And at least they do something. That leaves only the county and town as accoutable to tax payers. We finally held the county accountable...
Does any one know how many blank votes there were in the greenburgh supervisor voting?
Too bad we'll have to wait another 2 years to hold the town accountable.
The budget is a disgrace. There is no way in hell that every line couldn't be slashed by 10%-20% including salaries and benefits.
It's appalling to see how many 09 lines are over budget right now. This tells me that the supervisor did just what we all expected he would do. Use smoke and mirrors, be sneaky, raid the fund balance and continue to maintain 100% of his "community" programs while STILL not collecting appropriate fees.
Since he feels so strongly in supporting charities he should cut his salary and refuse benefits that his WIFE gets through her employer. Does Paul get medical benefits?
can't we get captain double dip arrested for ..... double dipping?
How and why did Paul sneak another $700K out of the fund balance for 2009?
Why is there no 2010 project reimbursement for GHA police? Do we no longer have an officer stationed there? Huh?
What is this NYS legislative grant money added to the revenue budget of $350K? Do we have this money? I doubt it! What can this money be used for?
Kinda like the sale of surplus property that is now valued at 2.5 million?
Keep your eyes on the bouncing budget lines.
Oh dear Lord! Can anyone explain why revenues for "metered water sales" would go from 2009 estimated actual of $5.2 million to 9.6 million in 2010.. Huh? Is this how much our water bills will be going up?
Paul,
Look at the Astorino victory. The same issues will be used against you and Double Dip in two years. Add in a little coverup of racism and presto, NO MORE FEINER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
11:05. racism may catch up with Paul but not the kind you're hoping will.
Hal,
It is not much use because Feiner keeps deleting the posts but if you see this before he does, this is what happened:
Kapica personally threatened an African American prisoner by saying that he was going to get a noose and string him up in the parking lot of police hq. People heard this racist rant and Kapica apologized to members of the African American community. Feiner and Sheehan covered it up for political purposes.
Got it, thanks.
Hal,
Save the town money and make your own copy of the budget. The tentative budget HAS been online since Friday at 5PM. WHAT EXCUSE CAN YOU POSSIBLY HAVE NOW?
I myself can work on it from the copy I made myself AT MY OWN EXPENSE. STOP COSTING MY TOWN extra money because you have demands.
the county is well run... spano
the town is well run..... feiner
It shouldn't be another 2 years for Feiner and 4 for Juettner & Sheehan. Many of us have written letters to the State Attorney General regarding misdeeds by our elected officials - The S.A.G. has yet to intervene. Is this another ugly example of politics as usual?
12:27 sounds like Double Dip again.
How can Paul state there are strong department heads and a lean budget when the assessoe who is paid a full time salary is never there. She has another full time job.
Where else does the Town Assessor work?
Dear concerned 12:27,
Has the Town printed Budget books?
Yes or No.
Yes, so how many?
Certainly there is no need for anyone on the Town payroll to be given a copy because they have an office and in the office is a computer and through the computer is the Budget online.
So why is the Town printing budget books? For whom?
Maybe residents who would be attending the meeting Thursday wouldn't know to print out their own copy.
Maybe residents who would be attending the meeting can't afford to print out their own copy after paying the taxes to support the budget's expenditures intended to make a few "important" voters happy at the expense of the many.
Maybe there are residents who can't navigate around the online budget; more so since it doesn't include a table of contents.
Maybe there are residents who have already noted discrepancies between the online version and the printed verson.
Maybe Detective Double Dip should be more concerned about the ongoing expense of the Town's well-paid "messengers" who print the Budget Book rather than point the finger at residents as though their request to obtain a hard copy is why taxes are going up.
Maybe Detective Double Dip should just relegate his concern over expenses at PBA negotiations and stick with the smile for everyone else.
Maybe Detective Double Dip should not accept the town's insurance buyout when receiving insurance already provided by the Town -- if he were really concerned about needless expenditures.
And maybe the Town Supervisor should answer my questions which residents might want to know the answers to before deciding to attend.
Will the Town be providing hard copies of the Budget for residents to study?
Will the Town Comptroller be at the meeting to answer questions?
Is there anything unclear about these questions?
To 2:05,
She is the part-time Assessor for the village, not town, of Haverstraw.
What does a town "historian" do?
Th town historian works with the town arts coordinator to present dated works of art in an historical fashion that are of appropriate interest to our residents.
2:37 -- Did the Town give her permission to double dip? Why?
Another Double Dipper, wonderful!
We are in difficult times. It is morally wrong to allow a Town employee, with a good salary to take another job.
The Town Assessor doesn't double dip. She TRIPLE dips. She has a real estate appraisal practice on top of her "regular job" in Greenburgh at $128,750, and her "part-time" job in Rockland County at $20,000 (signed off by the Town Board. FOIL for her disclosure statement, which "omits" her part-time' job in Rockland.
Ethics Board?????
Town of Greenburgh
Candidate Vote Count Vote Percent Winner
GREENBURGH TOWN SUPERVISOR -- 0 of 100 precincts reporting (0%)
Paul Feiner* (D-WF) 0 0%
GREENBURGH TOWN CLERK -- 66 of 100 precincts reporting (66%)
Judith Beville* (D) 8,374 100%
GREENBURGH TOWN COUNCIL -- 0 of 100 precincts reporting (0%)
Francis Sheehan (D-WF) 0 0%
Diana Juettner (D-WF) 0 0%
GREENBURGH TAX RECEIVER -- 66 of 100 precincts reporting (66%)
David Dwinell* (D) 8,450 100%
this is posted on News 12 web site. Did we elect anyone ??
Office SUPERVISOR-GREENBURGH
PARTY 83 Districts out of 83 Reporting (100)% Votes Percent
0 Absentee Votes Cast
DEM PAUL J FEINER 9,374 92%
WOR PAUL J FEINER 801 8%
PAUL J FEINER Totals 10,175 100%
Office Totals 10,175 100%
Office TOWN CLERK-GREENBURGH
PARTY 83 Districts out of 83 Reporting (100)% Votes Percent
0 Absentee Votes Cast
DEM JUDITH A BEVILLE 9,146 100%
Office Totals 9,146 100%
here is another
Weems said she received a letter Wednesday from the Westchester County Board of Elections which said it was looking into a claim by resident Richard J. Garfunkel, who challenged her petition. He cited errors including signatures from people who were not enrolled in the Democratic Party, and incorrect ZIP codes and dates from signers.
Garfunkel supports Democratic town Supervisor Paul Feiner, who is seeking re-election.
Weems said the challenge is an attempt to dismiss her candidacy before she has a chance to run.
"I don't like the idea of having petitions, that we've done, challenged because of technicalities," she said. "When we do that, we just further the lack of participation and that should never be what any politician wants."
Weems submitted 1,099 signatures to the Board of Elections to be on the ballot. Feiner collected more than 3,000 after the town party failed to nominate anyone.
The minimum number of valid signatures needed was 1,000.
Feiner, who has been supervisor for 18 years, said several pages of Weems' signatures appeared to be in the same handwriting.
"Its not a technicality to forge signatures," he said.
Democratic Election Commissioner Reginald A. LaFayette said he could not comment on the matter until Weems had been officially notified of the findings.
Garfunkel, who said he challenged 372 of Weems' signatures, also said he was notified by mail yesterday that she had been knocked off the ballot.
Weems could get in the November race by submitting a petition with 1,500 signatures by Aug. 18 to run on an independent line.
"I'm still running and I will win," she said. "You can change the rules in the middle of the game and I will still play."
Feiner said he hopes Weems stays in the race.
"I always believe there should be challenges, it's good for democracy," he said. "But, on the other hand, if the law says you can't go through the phone book and write names, you have to do the work."
8
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LoHud.com
On this already.
"McCarthy Appraisal" could turn out to be the equivalent of a PC and the contract with Haverstraw could be with this PC.
That is why I've already asked if the Ethics Board would have the balls to demand her list of clients (as a question arising from her disclosure statement). If McCarthy Appraisal is doing the Haverstraw work, she isn't violating the Ethics Code disclosure requirement.
Of course believers in the tough laws that have a "zero tolerance for even the appearance of impropriety" should know that there is no one on the Ethics Board or assigned by the Town to read and follow-up on what appears on the submitted Disclosure Forms.
Meanwhile, month to month adds up and the Ethics Board has yet to achieve full compliance with even getting the Forms submitted.
Understand too, that the way the Ethics Code is written, it allows the Town Clerk to serve on the Board of the Valhalla School District despite obvious conflicts of interest, did I hear anyone cry help, like in WESTHELP? But the Town Council that wrote the laws also provided a loophole for Steve Bass so that he could hold his County job and Town Council position despite obvious conflicts arising from this.
Of course the Town Board likes the idea that the Ethics Board is understaffed, currently operating with four of five prescribed members. And they liked the idea of leaving a non-attending member on the roster for a year and a half so that it would create quorum issues. You see it works to their advantage (being my primary targets) to have those that would judge their guilt or innocence to remain bogged down by being understaffed and, most important, without legal counsel while the Town can summon up Tim Lewis to represent the Town Board, not the interests of the Town or seeing that its laws are followed.
But of course independent counsel for the Ethics Board so that it can do its job and actualize zero tolerance is less important than maintaining a "Arts Council" and private tennis lessons.
When I link these disparate items together, is anyone getting a clearer picture of how a corrupt government functions? It can and does happen here.
Oh look, Hal Hal Hal is an expert on the Ethics Code too.
Yes he is; would the Supervisor care to refute it?
However, the Town Attorney is already very busy threatening the Ethics Board ("it's gonna get dirty")in his representation of Francis Sheehan and Thomas Madden.
And the Ethics Board is already in slow mo following various investigative phases of my existing active complaints. With new ones against the Supervisor to be submitted at the next meeting, I don't want to be grinch that stole their Christmas by hitting them with everything at once. But, don't worry, there's more hard rain a-coming.
Dear 8:17,
Let me be the one to break it to you gently.
Old news.
Check the date of the story. Yes, lohud is cutting back on staff so not only do they assign a rewrite person (Stacy Anderson) to Greenburgh and call her a Reporter (come in Lois Lane) but they are recycling old stories too.
I think this one is dated the end of September.
Greenburgh: 5 unopposed candidates re-elected; Feiner excited
November 3, 2009
Greenburgh town Supervisor Paul Feiner, running unopposed, was elected to a 10th two-year term today.
"I'm more excited about this term than any other term I've seen in office," he said this evening, after the polls closed. "I feel I have a really fantastic Town Board I'm working with, and the department heads are doing a really good job."
Councilwoman Diana Juettner and Councilman Francis Sheehan were also re-elected without opposition, as were Town Clerk Judith Beville and Tax Receiver David Dwinell.
"We have a lot of challenges ahead, but I feel the board is putting the people first," Feiner continued. "There are a lot of major decisions we will have to make in the next two years and the board wants to do the right thing for the people. The town is going to be run leaner and more efficiently then it has ever been run before."
All five candidates were on the Democratic line; the Town Board candidates also had the Working Families line.
The losers in Tuesday's elections were the residents of Greenburgh. Both villagers and townies will be subjected to at least another 2 years of whimsical government. Whether there will be anything worth salvaging after the next Feiner idea remains to be seen.
I was very disappointed to see that no one else was on the ballot for Town Supervisor in Greenburgh. It's not because Mr. Feiner is doing a wonderful job either. I think it's due to general disgust and the feeling that nothing is ever accomplished.
No one was on the ballot because the assumption was that Feiner was bullet proof. Remember the big surprises Hal insinuated were coming last Spring? Nothing happened b/c no one had the will or resolve to follow through. But, this may have been a lost opportunity, especially for someone like Mike Kolesar who could have run, like Astorino, on a platform of fiscal responsibility (assuming Mike even wanted the job).
But no one in Greenburgh anticipated the tax revolt in the NYC metro area bringing down Spano and Corzine. (Wasn't it idiotic of the Dems in NY and NJ to make the first mobility tax payment due on 11/2?). The scrutiny of local government is unprecedented.. even in Greenburgh. For an example, see the massive community meeting in October in Harsdale - traditionally the most apathetic of communities. Feiner, who cavlierly strolled in late, was stunned to find, in his words, the largest such community meeting during his term. Granted the premise of the meeting was crime, but still, it showed new levels of engagement with local govt.
It will be interesting to see how Feiner & Garfinkle interpret the Astorino landslide. If nothing else, Paul is an astute political survivor (our very own Supervisor Pothole). Look for Paul to immediately try to work with Astorino to push consolidation of county and town services. Of course, the Lowey seat has to open up in the next 2 to 4 years, and it will be interesting to see which fish jump at that lure.
feiner has been ahead of the curve on the bloated county of westchester(of course its a distraction from the mess in greenburgh).
astorino is a cipher and really unknown.
once he tries to kill playland those who voted for him will start wondering what they did. the same is true if he does anything on abortion or gay marriage.
he cant mess with the spano settlement. thats finished business.
Feiner, for all the likes & dislikes, is a fellow who tries hard to be fair and it comes across loud and clear.
When you look at the election tally, he still gets more votes than any of the other "cow milkers" in the same line.
As the prior poster said, Feiner was ahead of the curve creating the need for rationalizing tax burdens, and pushing for consolidation to reduce costs and unnecessary costs.
If you want to push for lowering taxes, look at the mandates and put the fire at the feet of Richard Brodsky & Andrea Stewart and now Rob Astorino.
I know those three had no blogs allowing to rant.......
Instead, in this town, what we get are people constantly stalling and costing us millions in wasted time and unfounded claims.
No need to name those parasites here, themselves know who they are......
As for Rob Astorino, well he knew early on that behind the tax revolt was more than just tea parties.
Rob has more than one reason to work with those Majors and supervisors who want to streamline costs.
PS. Marty thanks for the link!!!
Feiner received over10,000 votes. There are at least two explanations:
(a) Feiner has an incredible number of relatives, or
(b) there are approximately 10,000"helpful idiots" living in Greenburgh.(By the way, I'm ready for your rationales, anonymous as they will be.)
Why is there a meeting to discus the 2010 budget? The election is over. The numbers and suggestions will be (1) unchanged, And (2) disregarded.
To Hal:
If the "team" does bring extra copies of the budget to the meeting, who will have the time to read and react? And even if the neo-comptroller is there,do you think he'll be allowed to speak, and if he is,do you think Kolesar's dismissal didn't teach him a lesson? No good deed (telling the truth in Greenburgh) goes unrewarded.
Feiner ratting out Sheehan for covering up the alledged racist remark Chief Kapica made me think of the fealty and teamwork manifest in the Feiner board. Maybe poor Sheehan HAD to take one for the team to make the team "leader" look good.
Finally, Ms. McCarthy and her Haverstraw job as well as her appraisal company. As far as I can see, she is doing nothing wrong doing this work on the Greenburgh time...BECAUSE, the Town Board has given her permission. I say that, because her department knows she's gone much of the day,and have told various board members, and the supervisor/ town board does also. So, if they don't do anything about it, they must have given her permission.
The ones who deserve our wrath are the supervisor and the town board for letting this happen. They are paying a six figure salary to a person working less than full time with a wink and a nod. Prudent management as Mr. Garfunkel says. I wonder what he would do if Edie worked for him.
And, how many other employees/dept. heads have a second job they perform during Greenburgh business hours? And is the Board aware of it?
Think about it, we're trying to figure out ways to save on the budget and our profligate board allows a six figured dept. head to conduct her own business ON OUR DIME...except IT'S NOT A DIME.
Who'da thunk that the J. in Paul J. Feiner stood for Joycelin?
Time clocks for department heads. Let them also be accountable for their time, they aren't accountable for anything else, at least allow someone to be able to foil the hours of department heads. Maybe even have someone go around and check to make sure people are were they say they are. Oh by the way Paul has anyone looked into the vehicles logs to make sure of no abusive mileage.
Joycelin: is "PS. Marty thanks for the link!!!" kind of like "what's the frequency Kenneth"?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!!
Give Eddie a break, its no different than the old assessor, Iagallo, who had a part-time gig at the village of bronxville, also approved by the town. Seems like a pattern that the assessors get a free pass on having to work. Almost makes you wonder if its becuase they know where the bodies are buried on the assesment roles.
He worked at many other places including Bronxville.
You know what’s really sad? 10,000 votes or 10 million, there is no denying that there is no pride in this town any longer. Sloppy and lazy are two words that come to mind. The streets are sloppy, our gateways are sloppy, the budget is sloppy and this is all due to laziness. The Town Board is lazy. Employees are lazy. Everyone does the bare minimum of real hard work and spends most of the time playing spin master or working harder at some outside personal goal. Our facilities are dirty, our schools are filthy! (GC) The grounds are disgraceful. Our roads are a mess our playgrounds falling apart yet we pay the highest taxes in the country. No one fears getting fired (unless of course, you piss Paul off) and all town employees expect to be employed with raises and continued benefits. People on one side of town expect free services indefinitely and our Town Board continues to supply them with free programs out of shear laziness to rework a situation that does not work for Greenburgh in 2009!. This is a very, very, sad town.
Just to add to your despair..... Greenburgh voted at 25% higher rate than the rest of the county.
Thus based on your comment, one can deduct the following statement "This is a very, very, sad county."
See you at the library!
Anonymous 5:57 PM:
It took three votes in my case, and in fact it was 4 - 1, so it is more than just Paul who is scared.
Paul a couple of months ago you gave Kudos to the meter reader on East Hartsdale Avenue for giving you a ticket but I wrote on your blogsite that he plays favoritism with a Blue Toyota Truck who never gets tickets. Well guess what today he got a ticket for expired meter.Kudos to the meter reader and keep giving tickets to all that deserve them for expired meters Etc.
Paul, The Lone Ranger runs unopposed in Greenburgh.
Something is wrong with this picture.
well look at this
spano fired
feiner rehired
suzanne berger? still missing in action
sorry suzanne, andy's patronage mill was just put into chapter 7
The picture and sound quality on tonight's budget meeting is unbelievable. Thank you George Malone, or whoever is responsible.
This is a new era in Town transparency.
Budget meeting.
hard copies of budget: yes
town comptroller: no
Feiner as chief fiscal officer:
"I'll have to get back to you, give me your email address"
Pat Weems: she is satisifed that the property will be sold for $1.2 million
Feiner on overtime: he "just" sent an email to department heads that he wants them to track it monthly
Kolesar on overtime: (he wasn't at the meeting); however he gave Feiner an extensive breakdown almost two years ago
What to give Feiner for Christmas:
new reading glasses
A typical day in Dogpark USA except you weren't there. Why not?
Paul Feiner has been crowned king for life or for as long as he wishes. Unfortunately, there are no knights in shinning armor to come to the rescue and bring sanity to Greenburgh government. Taxes are out of control; services continue to deteriorate; courageous whistle blowing employees are severely reprimanded or fired. King Paul and the cowardly members of his court of town board over look racist statements and behavior. The King has spoken and deceitful conspirator cover-ups continue. Beware peasants. It's a good thing that the chief is leaving because you might be next since he likens enforcing the law with threats of a noose around the necks of young African American men. And what about the report that charged TDYCC engaged is some type of criminal activity. The people of your kingdom, who pay taxes, have a right to know the results of their findings.But then again who are we to question the King.
The only way Pauls rein will be over is if Edgemont becomes a village. Without Edgemont to pay for all, as much as Paul blames them for everything, he wont have the $$ for all of his wasteful spending.
Dear Hal,
The overtime analyses that I prepared included details by individual, by pay period, and therefore of course by department. It still exists, but Francis sheehan won't release it to me. I FOILed for it back in March 2009. What are they afraid of? It's ony data.
Then there is the additional data that I started to complie on police overtime. This data allows one to look at it by day, by tour, by reason code ( investigation, someone else called in sick and one needed the staff to cover, etc.), by rank ( Sgts, patrol officers by level, etc.)
Has any of this been maintained since march 24, 2009? Somehow I doubt it. Big step backwards.
Astorino won, in large part, because taxpayers don't want low income housing in wealthy areas. Sad, but true. Edgemont becoming a village means that Edgemont will be required to be part of the settlement agreement.
Still think that Edgemont will incorporate?
I don't know why Edgemont incorporation gets so much air time. If it ever happens, big IF, it won't be in our lifetime.
9:05: you are slandering the voters of westchester. do you have any polling data to back up your assertion? do you have tracking numbers on how "wealthy" voters voted? how are you defining wealthy (is that a code word for caucasians? and do you have racial breakdown polling numbers on spano/astorino voters?) since white plains and uninc. greenburgh won't be impacted by the settlement, how do account for "wealthy" voters from those areas, who voted for Astorino? maybe you are projecting your own racial hysteria on the rest of us.
The assesor should reveal the names of her clients in her appraisal business to see what if any conflicts exits. I also agree that it is a disgrace that she is not required to work full time, when she is getting a full time salary.
Dear 9:05 -
Edgemont is a culturally, racially and ethnically mixed neighborhood. Sadly you seem to believe the only colors which count are black and white. Surprise! The population of the world is a rainbow - and Edgemont includes Japanese, Indians, Pakistanis, assorted southwest Asians, Africans and South Americans. In fact, the 2000 census showed that non-whites made up almost 40% of Edgemont's population.
Be honest, what you really hate is wealth. You're angry that a significant number of non-whites have earned their way into a community while you sit on the side and bemoan your misfortune. You can live in Edgemont or anywhere else you want to - all you have to do is focus on the goal and work your backside off to achieve it.
It can never be given to you, but you can earn it.
9:34: you had me nodding in agreement and then i fell off my chair when you wrote "You can live in Edgemont or anywhere else you want to - all you have to do is focus on the goal and work your backside off to achieve it.
It can never be given to you, but you can earn it."
Do you really believe that kind of smug, self-congratulatory nonsense?
You really believe everyone in Edgemont and Scarsdale (or Beverly Hills) started out in life as a tablula rasa and "made it" solely because of merit and hard work? What planet do you live in? Obviously you don't take the train into work in the summer and see the legions of teens enroute to "internships" at daddy's firm. No, no, connections and expensive tutoring play and college prep coaches play no part..."success" is purely merit based.
Yes 10:15.
Edgemont is working their butts off to try to separate themselves in anyway possible from the rest of the riff raff in TOV. If successful, I suppose one can say "they've earned it"
We missed the boat. Had a viable Republican run against Feiner he/she probably would have won - the high tax sentiment would have been the deal breaker for Feiner & Clowns.
Dear 10:15 -
Sure there are trust fund babies, just as there are chronic welfare cheats. Edgemont is no more made up of the former than Fairview is comprised solely of the latter.
The vast majority of people in both communities are good and decent folks. As such, they take responsibility for their lives and recognize that they can be successful if they choose to work at it.
Sorry your parents didn't hand you everything you want on a silver platter - mine didn't either, but the absence of a trust fund doesn't preclude one from earning enough to live well wherever one wants.
12:29: don't use "trust fund babies" as a straw man. you are either deliberately obtuse in order to continue congratulating yourself on your amazing status, or you know nothing about how "achievement" works in this country. you don't know where i live and how many silver platters i had handed to me. for your information, i went to an ivy league college and top law school and, while there were many exceptions, most of us were there because we knew from an early age how "to play the game." perhaps you really come from nowhere, like a Bill Clinton or Barack Obama, but don't fool yourself, most of our fellow neighbors, if not born rich, were born on third base rounding for home with an uncle for the umpire.
if, and its a big if, edgemont says adios to the TOV, then the TOV should be very afraid.
TOV should think about being very nice to edgemont instead of living off them.
You think hartsdale made a mistake by not joining edgemont to create a school district? that will be a minor mistake if edgemont incorporates.
feiner and the town board's indifference to edgemont's concerns is getting worse and edgemont might just get their act together and divorce themselves from the TOV. that would create an insolvent TOV that would either be taxed to death (even worse than now) or experience incredible shrinkage in terms of services.
TOV should think about being very nice to edgemont instead of living off them.
POST OF THE DAY! DING! DING!
Oh NOZ! Please Mr Edgemont! PLEASE! Don't dooooo it! I am sorry. *cries* Think of the children! Without your continued kindness and generosity they will be starving and living in the streets! OH NOOOOOOZZZZZ! I'll be begging at your doorstep for food! We'll be sleeping in cardboard boxes in your parks!
For Gods sake man! Where is your HUMANITY?!
*sobs*
TOV is right on the money
Edgemont and Hartsdale should join forces. Power in numbers!
I heard from friends that the town budget discussion at the library last night was a bust. Lots of questions, but no answers from a town board that's given us a nearly 40 percent tax hike over the past three years. This was Feiner's budget and even he couldn't answer any questions. Also heard the Journal News sent a reporter to cover this non-event. I look forward to the story.
Hartsdale and edgemont-power in numbers
Library closed by six pm and all the lights are still on at ten pm, a total waste and not very green!
Dearest 6:35,
Perhaps you missed the memo;
It is Hartsdale (and Fairview) that Edgemont wishes to be rid of. You have been misled and believe that the movement towards Edgemont’s incorporation revolves around dissatisfaction with taxes and government. After all, aren’t we all proportionately affected by taxes and government? Does anyone really believe Edgemont has suffered disproportionately? That's what some in Edgemont would like you to believe. If this really were the case wouldn’t “they” feverishly toil in seeking out new candidates to run for office? No sir! Why not? That's not what the bullies in Edgemont really want. (see bully @1:33)
The movement has something to do with taxes. See, Edgemont tax money should never, ever, pay for anything, anywhere, or for anyone, other than those living in a house in Edgemont!
Notice that I’ve said “house” It's possible that you may live in an apartment in Edgemont, and for now you’re safe, but be aware, you’re not welcomed. You may soon find that birth control has been slipped into your drinking water. If you already have kids, get packing. .
And... it kinda has something to do with politics. Surely one must live in a house in Edgemont to be deemed worthy of creating policies that dictate how Edgemont's money is spent. Only those living within Edgemont school district boarders receive the gamma rays that project astute and sound reasoning when it comes to financial matters and management! Place tin foil hat on for maximum effectiveness!
If you're a paid elected official, you had better be living in Edgemont! Please understand; gotta keep the money in the "family" and all. Read paragraph 2 again.
Not all of Edgemont feels this way. It’s a handful really. Most see through this flimsy façade and want nothing to do with “the movement” In the end there will be no Edgemont Village but consider yourself informed. You, Mr. or Ms. Hartsdale, are the enemy.
10:08
A collaboration between Double Dip and Sir Francis The Abuser?????
Is it true that Hartsdale taxpayers are subsidizing the Greenville fire district? Does Greenville have the ability to fight fires without Hartsdale's help?
Hartsdale, Greenville ,and Fairview departments share resources with each other at fires. They share equipment and personnel at fires. There is no subsidy.
11:20
Don't panic! The ambulance is on its way and the the men with the new jacket for you will be there shortly.
curious
if edgemint pays nearly 25% of the tov taxes, dont you think they should have some say in how these taxes are spent?
and why shouldnt edgemint spend its tax money in their community? why should they subsidize outrageous town expenses like tdycc, xposure, nutrition programs for other towns, arts council, taxter ridge, etc.
given what the town might do at the dromore property and what the town did at metz, edgemint residents have plenty to be upset about.
its not politics. its taxes and land use and being ignored and gored by an indifferent and imperious town board.
so who lost edgemint? the current town board and the rest of the tov that are feeding at edgmint's trough.
News flash. Edgemont is a school district.
if edgemint pays nearly 25% of the tov taxes, dont you think they should have some say in how these taxes are spent?
Edgemont gets a say, just like every other resident of TOV in how taxes are spent by way of votes. If you don't like how taxes are being spent, run for office.
and why shouldnt edgemint spend its tax money in their community? why should they subsidize outrageous town expenses like tdycc, xposure, nutrition programs for other towns, arts council, taxter ridge, etc.
Yo! You live in TOV Greenburgh! I know it's painful for you to digest. You may need an intervention. Repeat 10 times "I live in Unincorporated Greenburgh. This is my town"
What town, village or city do you know of where neighborhoods get to spend thier tax dollars on only THEIR neighborhoods? You're free to use TDYCC, send your kids to Xposure and partake in any other activity your taxes pay for. You don't like living in TOV, move or again, run for office.
I see you're not wearing your tin foil hat today.
CORRECTION: I see you ARE wearing your tin foil hat today.
what is "edgemint" Is this where they mint their own money?
11/6 1:24PM
How jaded of you, and how unwilling of you to acknowledge self accomplishment.
I live in Edgemont. I grew up in the South Bronx. Neither of my parents have even a GED. I wenT to Yeshivah, Stuyvesant H.S. and NYU under and grad school. As an aside, during my corporate career I had a number of Harvard "B" school graduates working for me. Take it from me, not all Ivy league grads are the same, qualitatively. Some can't hold a candle (or the jock strap) to a non Ivy, public college, grad. So please don't equate Ivy with success.
Needless to say, I don't know every successful Edgemont resident, but the ones I know, for the most part, WORKED to get where they are...without parental help.
And, by the way, believe it or not Edgemont also has lower middle class residents.
As to your "knowing how to play the game," the games I played were basketball and football, primarily. And as good as I was and I have trophies to prove it, I knew I was not tall enough nor big enough to make it to the pros. So, the only part of me that was going to get me out of the South Bronx was my brain, and I'm certain many of my neighbors came to the same conclusion.
They, like me, were not born rounding third base with a relative as the home plate umpire.
P.S. I gather from your posting at 1:24PM you are retired or have time on your hands. Which ever, the majority of Edgemont people I know woked their way up without a handout or even a hand up.
How come Xposure program does not pick up children from Edgemont and Hartsdale schools? This after school program, paid for by all of TOV, is selective and unfair. It does not give the same transportation opportunity to all. It is a G7 school program subsidized by TOV courtesy of the Town BD.
Re Xposure
Ahhhhhh. Now here we have a real disparity! The town has NO BUSINESS providing transportation to any one group of people to any TOV provided event unless it is made available to all! Of course they may be exception for handicapped persons and such but to "make less available" services we all pay for is JUST PLAIN WRONG. This is what is going on in this town that is costing us $$$$$ and is morally wrong and most likely illegal.
I'll add that it is absolutely prejudicial to assume some families do not have a need and other families do.
This is a wide spread TOV problem. TB is famous for charging one group of folks more money for like services too! Making pertinent information about tax subsidized service more or easily available to one group of people.
And, by the way, believe it or not Edgemont also has lower middle class residents.
Exibit "A" The apartment dwellers that 10:08 makes mention of.
Right on 12:17. It never ceases to amaze me about the ranters on this blog.....who just rant and never step up to the plate and run for office or participate in anything.
edgemint is where the town board goes to fund dubious things like xposure and tdycc .
its where there is taxation and no representation.
Bob: Has the Greenville fire commissioners made their decision yet regarding salary increases for firefighters? What will the salary hike be? 5% a year? 41/4% a year? Or something else? Please advise.
Paul, has the Town Board made a decision yet regarding the salary increases for the Teamsters? What will the salary hike be? Looks like you have no contract settled for 2009 or for 2010. Will it be more or less than the 3% retroactive raises you gave this year to the CSEA? Will it be more or less than the 6% annual hikes in contributions through 2019 to the PBA's "welfare fund" that you agreed to in order to settle the PBA's dental insurance claim? I'm assuming it won't be anything like the 17% salary hike you're proposing to give next year to the DPW commissioner, or the 22% hike you're proposing to give to his deputy. BTW, there are a number of Teamsters working for DPW. You think it was a good strategy for labor negotiations to give their managers such hefty raises in this difficult economic climate? What will you do if the town's land auction fails to generate the $2.5 million you've estimated? Aren't you placing us taxpayers between a rock and a hard place with your unrealistic budget? At least the Greenville fire district, with its 1.53% tax hike and labor costs BELOW that of Hartsdale and Fairview's fire districts, seems to have its financial act together. The Town does not.
Where is Garfunkel on the subject of his boy Paul covering up racism by his police chief???? Rosenberg?? Danny Gold?? Where are all the Feiner supporters now that the truth is slowly leaking out?
I'm curious. Where are you on the subject of accusations of discrimination towards non-blacks in TOV?
Hey 7:04 -
Richard "Keep the White in White Plains" Garfunkel is in complete agreement with former Chief Kapica. You didn't really expect him to attack a statement he wishes he'd made did you?
It may be despicable, but its Feiner than any other sentiment could be...
In fact, the 2000 census showed that non-whites made up almost 40% of Edgemont's population.
Huh?
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,648 people, 3,368 households, and 2,377 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,964.1 per square mile (1,143.5/km²). There were 3,490 housing units at an average density of 1,196.2/sq mi (461.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 75.71% White, 2.41% African American, 0.07% Native American, 19.75% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.22% of the population.
I thought Sprain Valley rd. was a residential street but driving thru for months I mhave noticed a car trailer parked on the side of the road on and off.It's there this morning Sunday.
Another thing ther has been a commercial digger hidding behind some bushes on the dirtiest parcel of land.
Does no one come thru this roadway.
I can't be the only one noticing this problem.
What happened to the residents ,are their complaints going on to deaf ears.
Rumor has it that some members of the ECC are quietly pressing the Greenville Fire Commissioners not to approve the large salary increases for firefighters. Some of the ECC Board members agree that a 41/4% increase in salaries during these difficult times sends the wrong message.
Greenville fire commissioners are smart. They know the public won't tolerate a 41/4% salary increase for fire employees. Bet ya the hikes won't be granted.
If they are Ft Hill will secede from the fire district!
Rumor has it that the tax increases for the unincorporated part of the Town of Greenburgh will be substantially higher than the announced rate of 6.85%. This is because the auction of town land next week is not expected to generate anywhere near the $2.5 million in projected revenue for next year (just as Feiner's projection of $750,000 in land sales this year failed to yield a dime), the $863,000 in "unclaimed funds" that Feiner is claiming as revenue next year don't legally belong to the Town, and the $350,000 "New York State Legislative Grant" that Feiner is counting on for revenue next year will likely not take place (and no one even knows what it's for or what additional spending obligations the Town will be on the hook for as a result). Rumor has it that Feiner will soon have to cut garbage pick up to one-day-a-week or jack up taxes even more. And fuhgetabout adequate police staffing.
And now that Judge Robinson has concluded the Kerik case and issued the Port Chester ruling, rumor has it that he'll soon be issuing his decision in the Fortress Bible case which, thanks to Feiner, may end up costing Greenburgh taxpayers millions of dollars in damages.
Oh, and rumor has it that Feiner is just making things up when he reports what ECC directors may be up to. ECC directors know that Edgemont's share of town taxes has grown in the past five years compared to other areas of the Town, that town spending remains out of control, that the absence of internal controls resulted this year in more than $151,000 in additional money being spent on the community center than was budgeted, and that Feiner's tax hikes for unincorporated Greenburgh are far more than the tax hikes over the same period of time for Greenburgh's villages.
Edgemont residents expressed their satisfaction with its fire district at a public meeting two weeks ago. Not only does the 1.53% tax hike show that the fire district is under control financially, but the fire commissioners showed they were quite knowledgeable and sensitive to taxpayer concerns. The only one at the meeting who came off looking bad was Feiner, who showed he was completely out of touch, clearly can't manage the Town's finances, and reminded everyone of his dismal performance last year when he thumbed his nose at every suggestion Edgemont residents made to prioritize town spending and cut non-essential spending. No wonder Edgemont is back at work on becoming its own village. It's the only way Edgemont can remain affordable.
in today's journal news there is an interview with the arts council lady , ms white
this is a ridiculous frill that needs to be deleted from the A budget
artists who want to hang pictures or install sculptures should be paying the town.
the town board does not get it. hal samis and rob astorino do.
westchester has plenty of places to see art.
once again, we have a town government way off the mission of providing essential services.
does anyone know if any other town has an arts council?
samis for town board.
I'm real worried about the salary hikes that Feiner's got planned for the Teamsters. They don't have a contract for either 2009 or 2010. According to the state campaign disclosure reports, the Teamsters have given Feiner a whopping $3000 in the past two years!! Feiner's giving their supervisors in DPW a 17% and 22% raise next year, respectively. Feiner's putting away a lot of money in reserve to cover the expected costs, but he's not saying how much it will be, or even what the range is. Why is Feiner blathering on about firefighter costs in Greenville, which only affects Edgemont, and they're only getting a 1.53% increase in their fire taxes, when the Town's facing huge financial problems, a tax hike that will probably get bigger, and an unsettled Teamsters contract that could really burden the Town -- and it's being negotiated by a guy who got a $3000 campaign contribution from the Teamster in the last two years alone when he hasn't had any opposition. Everyone should be worried. This is not good or good government. In fact, it's local government at its worst.
Thanks for the rumors on 11/08/09 at 11:54 Mike.
The guys who pick up my garbage are Teamsters. They're as hard hit by this economy and the increase in local property taxes as anyone - and probably more so. They're entitled to a decent wage. Feiner should speak openly and honestly about where things stand with the Teamsters. I'd much rather see those guys get the raises they deserve than see more money spent on non-essential services like an arts council and an energy consultant and two separate recreation departments. But this business about the Teamsters giving Feiner all this campaign money, that really troubles me.
TEAMSTERS UNION LOCAL 456 PAC
160 SOUTH CENTRAL AVENUE
ELMSFORD, NY 10523 500.00 09-JUL-07 FRIENDS OF PAUL FEINER COMMITTEE 2007 July Periodic C Supervisor N/A Westchester Greenburgh
TEAMSTERS UNION LOCAL 456 PAC
160 STOUH CENTRAL AVENUE
ELMSFORD, NY 10523 500.00 07-NOV-08 FRIENDS OF PAUL FEINER COMMITTEE 2009 January Periodic C Supervisor N/A Westchester Greenburgh
TEAMSTERS UNION LOCAL 456 PAC
160 SOUTH CENTRAL AVE
ELMSFORD, NY 10523 500.00 16-SEP-07 FRIENDS OF PAUL FEINER COMMITTEE 2007 10 Post Primary C Supervisor N/A Westchester Greenburgh
TEAMSTERS UNION LOCAL 456 PAC
160 SOUTH CENTRAL AVENUE
ELMSFORD, NY 10523 500.00 15-JUL-09 FRIENDS OF PAUL FEINER COMMITTEE 2009 32 Pre General C Supervisor N/A Westchester Greenburgh
TEAMSTERS UNION LOCAL 456, PAC
160 SOUTH CENTRAL AVENUE
ELMSFORD, NY 10523 500.00 08-DEC-06 FRIENDS OF PAUL FEINER COMMITTEE 2007 January Periodic C Supervisor N/A Westchester Greenburgh
Thanks for the details on the Teamsters' contributions Mike.
To 1:12 PM
There are a lot of "Mike's" in Greenburgh. The posting you refer to was not made by me.
YES OR NO?
Will the Greenville fire fighters get the 41/4% salary increase that was negotiated?
Employees should not be given salary increases in this poor economy. The CSEA employees agreed to a zero percent increase in 2009.
Don't believe for a minute that there won't be some salary increases after the budget is adopted. Look at the following lines (A.1990.400 - $500,000; B.1990.400 - $1,375,000; D.1990.400 - $90,000). Total = $1,965,000.
How much of that is for salary increases? I can't say for sure, but I'd be very comfortable that including "additional" benefits, such as FICA, Medicare, MTA payroll tax and pension costs related thereto, it is the majority of this amount. This amount wasn't pulled of of the air. I know, because I know what was in last year's number.
The police alone at a 3% increase would amount to at least $500,000.
Yes, the "support" is confidential, but it isn't rocket science
It's possible that the Supervisor underestimated revenues?
To 5:29 PM:
What "revenues" do you think the "Supervisor" underestimated and why? Would you like to bet that most of the revenue estimates came from the Town Comptroller?
Care to put a name with your "question"? Care to offer your own "estimates"?
What about the Feiner 20% increase in The new Commissioner of Public Work's salary and his Deputy???? Funny how Feiner & Co. don't talk about it.
To show you how fair I am, the new Commissioner of Public Works is not making more than Al Regula earned per se. Al Regula had a base pay of $137,000 + /- plus the use of a town sedan. The new Commissioner didn’t want the car so he negotiated an increase in his base pay of about $4,000 as I recall. What you are seeing in the budget document is that he was not an employee for all of 2009. The increase in compensation given the car is negligible. Of course the Supervisor hasn’t bothered to respond to the various postings. On the other hand, this individual was only earning about $116,00 or so as I recall over in Rye, so this is quite a nice increase in compensation. However, as a believer in the free market, he asked and the Town Board gave.
With respect to Butch Nanna, the story is somewhat the same. Butch “retired”.
The Town wanted his experience and expertise. Butch said this is my “price” (my words, not his), take it or leave it. The Town agreed to a two year contract. Good deal / bad deal, those are “the facts”.
Rumor has it that the town board granted 6% increases for the Police Dental settlement. Why isn't the supervisor discussing these increases ? Why not discuss costs that the town controls instead of smoke screens?
The supervisor is reportedly considering cancelling the arts council person and energy coordinator( with the family conflict of interest) positions in order to reduce the non essential (frivolous and wasteful) budget costs.
the arts council position must be eliminated.
its an absurd frill.
its time greenburgh learned to speak astorino
The arts council position should be eliminated, but for goodness sake, it's the least of Greenburgh's financial problems. Can't you people focus on the big picture?
If the arts coordinator picks up my garbage on Tues and Fri and patrols with the police on the other days, I would consider retaining her. Otherwise, the position must be immediately eliminated.
The Supervisors budget calls for a 10% reduction for the arts program. He also reduced funding for energy conservation office. Funding for both programs is continuing.
So what? 10 % reduction in these 2 lines amounts to nothing. 10:22 is right. Let's focus on the big picture. 10% reduction across the board is called for.
Lets get back to the increase for the Police. Where does the Supervisor get off attcking firement for their raise when he gives the cops an even bigger raise? Then again, Cops carry guns.
No one should be getting raises. Period. Many tax payers, working in the real world, have experienced reductions in salary and a loss of benifits.
The controversy created and sustained by the Supervisor and his friends regarding the raise for Greenville's firefighters should be seen for exactly what it is. It is an effort to distract taxpayers from the grotesque mismanagement of Greenburgh's finances - and it is absolutely indicative of Feiner & Co.'s inability to come to grips with anything regarding financal issues.
One the one hand Feiner & Co is pushing incredibly hard to consolidate the independent fire districts. The claim is that savings can be realized - and despite all evidence to the contrary, Feiner continues his advocacy. He and his supporters seem completely oblivious to the overwhelming portion of the budgets which go to pay salaries and contractual personnel expenses including medical, dental and pension costs - in every one of the districts those costs are 80% or more of the budget. Consolidating the districts will not reduce those costs - the only savings which can be achieved are through layoffs and those layoffs can, and will, endanger the safety of the areas served and the firefighters who serve them. None of the districts included in the Feiner plan meets the manning standards, and when asked why, every one of the Commissioners, Chiefs and firefighters will explain that to meet the standard requires hiring MORE firefighters. (Don't tell the Supervisor, but there is only 1 person in the entire Greenville Fire District whose job is a "desk" job. You'll spoil the Supervisor's patented rant on the subject.)
Still, the Supervisor pushes for consolidation.
What he either doesn't grasp, or expects you and I are too dumb to notice, is that under his plan, if the districts are consolidated, the union pay scales (which drive the personnel expenses) for the newly consolidated district will be set at the HIGHEST of the employment contracts in effect at the time of consolidation. Feiner has neglected to mention that of the three districts, Greenville has the lowest pay scale. Even if the new Greenville contract calls for a 4.25% raise, it will still be below the comparable pay in either of the other districts. Does Feiner not understand that if consolidation goes through it will mean an immediate and significant increase in personnel costs for the Greenville component? Or does he think we the taxpayers don't pay attention?
What is the correct psychological term for someone who can successfully hold two completely contradictory financial positions at the same time? It certainly shouldn't be "Town Supervisor".
Feiner is forcing Edgemont to seriously consider becoming a village again. The 40% tax hike in 3 years achieved through raiding the reserve fund, the draw down of budget reserve contrary to stated withdrawal policy, the gross budget mismanagement and failure to listen to residents concerns about real priorities. He is just like Corzine of New Jersey.
Hey Pay did you report the comment concerning the trailer and the commercial digger that has been hidden behind some bushes which is now visable to the proper departments.
Let's see how you are going to handle this.
Actually, Edgemont's town taxes have increased by more than 55% since Edgemont's incorporation was last studied in 2004-05 and even more alarming, if you're an Edgemont resident, is that its share of unincorporated taxes has increased by 5%. In other words, Edgemont is not only paying more and getting less, the extent to which it's subsidizing other parts of TOV is getting bigger.
Fire Districts are not the subject of the Town Budget. Obviously Feiner is creating issues that are meant only to divert attention away from the problems he creates and the problems he can solve if so inclined. Those that want consolidation will vote for it; those that don't won't. I suspect the outcome is already known to all the players and keeping the ball in play at this time of year is what matters to Feiner, not the outcome. Meanwhile with all the energy directed to the sidelines, what's going on in the center ring?
Back to the Town Budget and we witness the same discussions every year over the same topics. The idea that there is some elusive big ticket item that needs redress and the many, small items are meaningless is the actualization of the conceit that one line item is more important than another which is meaningless when Feiner and his Board won't yield to reason for any amount unless reason is going to come out and vote in November.
All budget lines are important and even the smaller ones when bundled together become the equal of the "big" item.
When are residents going to "get it" that Feiner provokes residents to flap their wings around defending essential services so as to have them take the bait and say, no no you can't make more cuts here. As soon as you snatch the cheese, or try to, the trap snaps shut.
And, because the primary mission at budget time is to go hand mano a mano with Feiner, the playing field is often so littered with argument that residents fail to recognize that even essential departments like the Police are undercut down by the department's need to defend the undefendable: SWAT, EMS, Patriot, Tech Support, Police Camp, Uniforms working at Police HQ...while at the forward battleline the fight rages over the number of uniforms on patrol, the only essential element of the essential service.
The Police Budget(s) would be exemplary if the same dollars were deployed over fewer "amenities" and dedicated to those basics that serve a 365/24/7 function...not those that are justified by the same reasoning as that looking to the 100 year flood plain.
Residents have got to understand that Feiner has his own agenda and it is not one that has the town's interest at heart. All these line items which seem crazy and unneeded are unneeded but for the sole purpose being that they make a segment of the population happy. Happy enough to come out and reelect him year after year. So don't be so quick to downplay their significance in that it is not just dollars.
As to the big ticket essential services, why not one year go with the Town Board's direction -- their pooled wisdom which has determined that essential services can be reduced with no impact. Since everyone else regards essential services as essential and being the bedrock of having government, let the problems surface. Give Feiner the rope to hang himself.
In the meanwhile, focus on the little things that keep the smallest slices of the pie topped with fresh cream.
To remove them from the tax burden would be to 1) accomplish something and 2) reduce Feiner's ability to play Santa Claus with your dollars and 3) have some effect on lowering taxes.
The whole is the sum of the parts.
The whole is substantial; you just have to understand how $50,000 here and $50,000 there add up.
Let Feiner wreck sanitation and police, take him up on his dare. Next year there will be a new budget; watch how quickly he'll change his ways when the havoc of 2010 leaves a bad aftertaste with voters.
And for those of you who have finally noticed that Feiner solicits and accepts contributions from the Teamsters, take heart that the Ethics Board knows from my "coming attractions" catalogue, reprised at their last meeting, that this complaint is one of several forthcoming.
Hal: it would be helpful if you created a blog site (they are free) where you can post your ethics board complaints for all to see, as well as copies of your other substantive comments for future reference and without fear of deletion by the town censor.
Do you think Feiner did a good job for unincorporated Greenburgh with a proposed tax hike for next year of 6.85%?
Then consider this: Ardsley's hike this year was 2.39%; Irvington's taxes went down slightly; Hastings' hike was 2.54%; Dobbs Ferry's hike was 1.76%, and Tarrytown's hike was 2.9%.
I agree with Hal. There is a great deal of money in that 50K here, 75K there. Not just in expenditures either. The budget projected revenues to be overstated by these amounts as well.
All one needs to do is to look at the current 2009 to see little "slices" transferred into budgets line too. Look at the 2009 revenue projection too. He artificially bumped those up in many places, not just land sale, to justify why he didn't cut those budgets in the 1st place.
Paul is absolutely playing Santa Clause with our money.
Is Feiner writing off a $1.8 million claim by the town's water district against the Village of Irvington for operating costs since 2004 for the new Rumbrook pumping station? Sure looks that way from Feiner's budget and the town's financial statements. Where and when was this ever discussed and how did Feiner ever allow this to happen?
Sure looks like the Village of Irvington is getting a windfall at the expense of unincorporated Greenburgh to the tune of $1.8 million. Please explain.
Leave it to Feiner to prove Kolesar was right about a lack of internal controls. How else can one explain how the line item for "personal services" for the Community Center will increase this year by $171,077 over the budgeted amount? Where was this ever discussed or approved? Feiner's budget says only $36,768 of that additional amount had been authorized. That leaves $135,000 in additional costs for "personal services" for 2009 unaccounted for.
Residents of unincorporated Greenburgh should demand an explanation for this.
This just highlights the financial disarray the town is in. No wonder Edgemont wants out.
Irvington complained that they were not getting the Valhalla School District payoff so the Supervisor invoking the "Feiner Village Fairness Doctrine" has given another gift to a village as thanks for reeelecting him at the expense of TOV.
I agree with Mr. Lasser on most everything he said except for the fact that he said Greenville firefighters are paid less than the other 2 districts. Even before the 4% increase they are making a base pay of $85,128 (someone on the job for about 7-10 years) Hartsdale firefighters for the same amount of time are making $84,667 and Fairview firefighters are making $84,922 All amounts are as per the journal news
feiner fairness doctrine?
what does the town engineer (paid for by the villages) do for the villages?
the arts council?
the nutrition program?
the energy consultants?
the valhalla giveaway of millions of A budget funds?
in fact, what does the town board do for the villages?
the sad fact is there are no candidates. once there are candidates to run against these spendthrifts, they will lose like spano and ryan.
The Feiner budget really doesn't hurt village taxpayers all that much. Total town taxes for village residents are around $100 a year. Yes, there's an awful lot of waste, but the reality is that village taxpayers are not all that burdened by the town. The rest of us in unincorporated are, however, and those in Edgemont are burdened the most. That won't last.
Dear 2:51PM -
Thanks for the additional information - my figures were taken from the material distributed by the fire districts themselves (see their web sites for the raw data).
why don't the four other board members volunteer to cut their salaries in half and give back on some of their benefits? what justification is there for their pay packages?
Paul, Why are you giving overtime to the highway and sanitation for leaf removal this wednesday. Do you know that is double time pay. Why are they working on Saturdays. Cut the overtime save the town money. We dont care if leaves are picked up in March. Save the tax payers some money. Please.....
Suggestion BAG YOUR OWN LEAVES. then they could be picked up during the week. No overtime ,No damage to the street, Could not be any easier
My bags of leaves have been picked up regularly after the garbage pickup is done for the day. (During the regular work day. Also the leaves on the street were picked up in Poets Corner today during the rgular work hours so I would be surprised to see any overtime for leaf pickup this year. I also agree that homeowners should have to bag their leaves that would slove all the problems and would be much safer than leaves piled in the street.
Dear 10:39. Are you aware of the fact that Hartsdale's fire dept is subsidizing Edgemont? Can Edgemont respond to fires without Hartsdale's help?
Hartsdale is not subsidizing Edgemont any more than Edgemont is subsidizing Hartsdale. All fire districts rely on mutual aid to fight fires. This is simply more misinformation from Feiner designed to draw attention away from his disaster of a town budget.
Greenville responded quickly and professionally a couple of months back to Hartsdale's fire near the train station. It was Greenville that performed the critical roof operations. Greenville responds to Hartsdale's alarms and Hartsdale responds to Greenville's alarms. Given 7:10's knowledge, he/she should easily qualify to head up feiner's consolidation commitee.
Greenville firefighters helped with roof operations but hartsdale was clearly in charge and I have video to prove it
Hartsdale should have been in charge, it was their fire. Another Candidate for the consolidation committee!!!!!!
Looking at today's exchanges about the Hartsdale fire I'm really surprised the Supervisor hasn't followed his consolidation idea to the logical conclusion.
PRIVATIZE fire protection - just like it was back in the old days.
Let the first PRIVATE company on the scene fight with later arrivals while the building burns to the ground. Then bill the owner for time and expenses.
Next we can privatize police services. That will save a lot of money too.
Paul, I dont think the town is in bad shape you make it sounds bad. If it was bad you wouldn't allow overtime for Highway and Sanitation especially tomorrow when it is double time.
I woke up this morning to trucks and and machines are you telling me that you are paying these men doubletime to pick up leaves on a holiday.
What nerve, you want to save tax money and you are allowing overtime
Paul, reading the paper today about the 6.9% increase is good, instead of a double digit number but having people unnecessary working overtime should really be carefully looked at. I can understand emergency situations such as snow removal, ice conditons, water main breaks, etc to have overtime. Leaf removal is not concider emergency and should not be overtime. Save the town money Paul.....
is that you bob
5:12 PM:
I was correcting the previous post who said that "Greenville was in charge of the critical roof operations" not that Hartsdale shouldn't have been in charge. Next time read more carefully.
4:56
This is what the post said:
Greenville responded quickly and professionally a couple of months back to Hartsdale's fire near the train station. It was Greenville that performed the critical roof operations
This is an accurate description of what occurred. You use quotations in your post that do not properly reflect what was actually written. Making up quotes and then admonishing the writer to be more careful is quite laughable.
So, to you 4:56, in the immortal words of Burt Reynoldy in Smokey & The Bandit, I say "Do the letters F.O. mean anything to you?"
Mr. Feiner
I was at Greenburgh court and still no online, telephone, or credit card payments. I had to take the time off from work to pay a traffic ticket. NOw I will lose a half a days pay in addition to paying the ticket.
But how about the court trailers installed this summer?
9:02 next time slow down and you won't get a ticket.
I'm shocked you even got a ticket in Greenburgh. The police are usally to busy doing something else besides police work.
No online or credit card is necessary for the Grbgh court. The bottom desk drawer filled with cash and emptied mysteriously from time to time is the current financial accounting system. Read the astounding audits on the court system that have been performed and be shocked. The court is a scandal.
It's diffcult to top the overwhelmingly well thoughtout- for themost part- posts, anonymous or otherwise.
So the one thing that jumps off the page to me, is why are folks talking about Fire Districts and Paul Feiner in the same breath?
The Fire Districts are automomous, not subject to anything Feiner can do. Just like the School District...and the Library, if it too were a Library District.
Those ditricts are voted on by the residents in them.
So why fall into a PF Special, deflecting criticism about some ridiculous thing Feiner did, which is a common day occurrence.
He's playing FeinerGames with the budget. It's difficult to tell him off to his face, because it's hard to determine which one to address.
We missed a wonderful opportunity to eliminate two of his "Stepford" board members, but the Town Democratic party dropped the ball...AGAIN.
Now we're stuck with those two bobbing heads for four moere years. Mr. Ramp-"even if only one person uses it," and Ms. "doesn't say a word," so she can't get in trouble ARE A DISCREDIT TO OUR COMMUNITY, and looking at the voting record a dangerto our wallets.
So why talk about the Fire Districts?
It's diffcult to top the overwhelmingly well thoughtout- for themost part- posts, anonymous or otherwise.
So the one thing that jumps off the page to me, is why are folks talking about Fire Districts and Paul Feiner in the same breath?
The Fire Districts are automomous, not subject to anything Feiner can do. Just like the School District...and the Library, if it too were a Library District.
Those ditricts are voted on by the residents in them.
So why fall into a PF Special, deflecting criticism about some ridiculous thing Feiner did, which is a common day occurrence.
He's playing FeinerGames with the budget. It's difficult to tell him off to his face, because it's hard to determine which one to address.
We missed a wonderful opportunity to eliminate two of his "Stepford" board members, but the Town Democratic party dropped the ball...AGAIN.
Now we're stuck with those two bobbing heads for four moere years. Mr. Ramp-"even if only one person uses it," and Ms. "doesn't say a word," so she can't get in trouble ARE A DISCREDIT TO OUR COMMUNITY, and looking at the voting record a dangerto our wallets.
So why talk about the Fire Districts?
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