Story Expired On: November 06, 2009

County District 5 Winner Undetermined

Absentee Votes to Determine if Ryan/Hyland Seated

By: White Plains Times

Published: November 04, 2009

In a close vote between Bill Ryan (5,412 votes) and Bob Hyland (5,456 votes) for the County District 5 seat, outstanding absentee ballots will determine the winner. In this race, Ryan won votes from Democrats (5,186) and the Working Families Party (226). Hyland gained support from Republicans (4,351), Independence (698) and Conservatives (407). 

Bob Hyland
friendsofbobhyland.com
Endorsements: Independence, Republican, and Conservative Parties, Mayor Joseph Delfino, Former Mayor Alfred DelVecchio

Bob Hyland

Photo credit: Courtesy of the candidate.

Bob Hyland is a lifelong resident of White Plains. He graduated from Archbishop Stepinac High School and Boston College. After an illustrious career with the National Football League, Hyland distinguished himself locally as a successful businessman during White Plains retail resurgence for over 36 years. Residents of Westchester County have known Hyland as the proprietor of the Sports Page since 1981. Hyland’s business experience has included over 16 years as a financial consultant and underwriter with Northwestern Mutual Life and Massachusetts Mutual.

His choice to run for the Westchester County Board of Legislators came after years of being approached by civic leaders, neighbors and friends to consider public service. “We’re the highest taxed county in the nation. The hardworking taxpayers of White Plains and Scarsdale deserve a responsive public servant who will make a difference,” he says.

Bill Ryan
friendsofbillryan.com
Endorsements: Democratic and Working Families Parties, WCLA Choice Matters, New York League of Conservation Voters, CSEA, Westchester-Putnam AFL-CIO Central Labor Body, Tenants Political Action Committee, Affiliated Police Associations of Westchester, Communications Workers of America, Planned Parenthood, Westchester County Dept Public Safety Police Benevolent Association, Building Trades Council of Westchester & Putnam, District Council 9 Painters & Allied Trades, Sierra Club, Westchester County Correction Superior Officers Association

Bill Ryan Photo credit: Courtesy of the candidate.

Bill Ryan is the Chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, a former banker, former State Assemblyman and President-Elect of NYS Association of Counties. In Peekskill, he chaired the Housing Authority, Board of Assessment Review, and Democratic Committee.

He has been a White Plains resident for over 20 years.   

Priorities include: Safety and security of our families (created County Department of Emergency Services that directs fire, emergency, medical and other vital safety services to us when needed). Holding down property taxes and cutting costs (led the Board in passing 2009 County budget that is less than 2008 budget; held property tax levy increase to a low 1.77 percent). Protecting the environment (wrote laws protecting our drinking water from residential wastewater and dangerous fertilizers; banned smoking in restaurants; recycling program for kids).  

1. What is your opinion about the
current line of communication between county government and county residents? Do you think there should be more transparency? If yes, what do you propose to increase communication?

Hyland: County lawmakers need to open a healthy dialogue with White Plains residents on local issues, particularly ensuring senior housing for White Plains residents and maintaining the safety of our downtown.

County Government officials should listen to the concerns of homeowners about the escalating tax burden. The County Board of Legislators should be more responsive to complaints about personnel and spending. The lack of consideration for the citizens was evident during the Gary Kriss matter, where Bill Ryan took many months to terminate an employee who was doing personal projects on taxpayer time.

There should be more fiscal transparency; particularly before Election Day. The County Executive and County Board Chairman Bill Ryan should release the budget before Election Day. Additional information about vendor contracts, bidding and amended spending should be put on the County website.

I propose to increase communication through frequent open budget forums that are held locally in different parts of White Plains and televised on local cable.

We also need to provide more fiscal information on the County website, including allowing direct commentary online by residents on fiscal issues.

Ryan: It’s a challenge. For years, the local news media was county government’s main communication link with county residents. Today, however, all that has changed. The news media provides very limited coverage of county government, and even that is shrinking. For the communication of news and information to county residents, we are relying more and more on E-News messages and our websites: westchesterlegislators.com and westchestergov.com.

Transparency in government is very important. The people have the right to know what’s going on in their government.

As Chairman, I’ve taken major steps to improve transparency. First, I launched a website for the Board of Legislators giving the public easy access—like never before—to information about the work of the Board and its committees. Here’s some of what I’ve put on our website: County Charter, County Budget, meeting agendas, proposed Acts, Resolutions, and Local Laws, complete with back-up information, the Board’s spending records, staffing, a media center of all press announcements, and an archive of the video recordings of our meetings.

Second, and new this year, is the streaming live over the Internet of sessions of the County Board, giving residents “a seat in the Chamber” to follow our proceedings.

2. The relationship between Westchester County and the City of White Plains—the county seat—has been somewhat rocky during the past few years. What are your opinions about this relationship? And, what would you do to improve it?

Hyland: Westchester County could allow White Plains more control over economic development money to improve our city’s downtown. At the very least, White Plains should be getting a greater share of support from the Westchester County I.D.A (Industrial Development Agency).  

County lawmakers need to do more for small businesses and help to make the County seat a more people- friendly atmosphere.

Finally, the County Board of Legislators should be communicating with local officials in White Plains.

Westchester County Government should allow White Plains to develop its own senior citizen housing on the Board of Elections property. My opinion is that the Westchester County Board of Legislators under Chairman Bill Ryan failed to show any consideration for local seniors when they kept White Plains from building a senior housing center.

As County Legislator, I will communicate regularly with the City of White Plains and I will listen to local public servants. I feel that it is critical as a citizen legislator that I improve communication between our city and the county government. 

Westchester County Government has a majority of its offices in our city, so it is only natural that they are good neighbors in this county seat that is our home.

Ryan: The relationship could have been, and should have been, much better.

In my view, over the past twelve years, nothing should have stood in the way of a strong city-county working relationship that would benefit the residents and taxpayers of White Plains.

As County Legislator, I am committed to a strong working relationship with City Hall and I am confident
that January 2010 will mark the beginning of an era of partnership and cooperation between Westchester County government and White Plains, the county seat.

3. Westchester has been identified as the highest taxed county in the United States. How do you explain this and what, if anything, should be done about it?

Hyland: Westchester became the highest taxed county in the United States due to cumulative neglect by “tax and spend” career politicians who had no regard for taxpayers. This “tax madness” stems directly from a failure to place reasonable limits on spending.

Westchester County has more than doubled its spending from $800 million to $1.8 billion over the past ten years. We must cap spending and push for at least five percent cuts in every county department. We can save money by attrition–by not filling vacancies. Nearly $10 million annually can be saved by just not filling vacancies that came about due to retirements.

The County Board of Legislators can also push for a hiring freeze. Many constituent-focused departments can be consolidated into one department of constituent outreach.

We can apply the budget cut suggested by the Board minority in their “counter budget” – where Republicans want to cut close to $20 million annually.

We can consider privatizing Playland or at least ending county government’s obligation to cover millions of dollars in annual losses ($5 to $6 million in 2009).

We need to end inflated administrative costs like a County Board of Legislators that has increased its personnel costs by 91 percent since 2003.

Ryan: Westchester is the “highest-taxing county” because the combined total of the property taxes collected by cities, towns, villages, school districts and the County results in a median tax bill for homeowners that is higher than the tax bill for residents anywhere else in the nation.

The largest portion of the property tax bill in Westchester is the school tax at over 61 percent of the total bill. Local governments and other taxing jurisdictions make up 22 percent of the bill. The county tax amounts to about 17 percent of the total.  

Contrary to popular belief, County programs and services account for only a small piece of the property tax dollar.

There are opportunities to cut costs, save money and hold down property tax increases through consolidation of taxing jurisdictions.

By eliminating duplication and consolidating operations, by centralizing functions and programs and delivering services regionally through county government, we can achieve greater efficiency and economy in operations and help reduce local government costs.

The use of County Purchasing Power is already saving White Plains taxpayers thousands of dollars for police cars and materials and supplies.

The use of County Shared Services also saves White Plains thousands on specialized public safety services and information technology.