Posted on 11/16/2001 1:19:44 PM PST by areafiftyone
A proposed one-point-three (B) billion dollar budget by Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano would raise property taxes and sales taxes. Spano says skyrocketing costs to cover security and public health, combined with a weakening economy have caused him to seek tax increases. Spano is askng for a nine-and-a-half percent increase in the county property tax - which would erase the last three years of property tax cuts made by Spano. He took office in 1998, promising to cut taxes by 15 percent. However, his cuts to date have totaled just under eight percent. He also is asking an increase of a quarter percent to the county's sales tax. Spano says most of the budget is mandated by the state and federal government.
He says the mandates are for social service programs, health care, and retirement costs. Spano adds the budget has an additional 13-point-four (M) million dollars for public health and safety - which includes 28 new positions for labs and research. The budget also allows for 78 new police officers - 55 of whom will be stationed at the county airport.
Target practice for Hillary
Here's a link to another related article from the New York Times November 16, 2001.
The budget comes before the County Legislature on December 10.
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