(WHITE PLAINS, NY) At a joint meeting today of the Committees on Energy & Regional Efficiencies, Public Safety & Social Services,  and Infrastructure, legislators met to discuss a draft shared services plan put forth by the Astorino Administration, as part of Governor Cuomo’s call for county governments to find places to save taxpayer money.

The intent of the Governor’s initiative is for counties and the municipalities which make them up to work together to cut wasteful duplication of services – which in turn would lessen the burden on taxpayers.

“Westchester County is ripe for effective consolidation plans,” said Legislator Catherine Parker (D-Rye), Chair of the Committee on Energy & Regional Efficiencies. “Something I often hear from the municipalities in my district is the need for communities with watershed issues to ban together to find long term solutions – for example the use of storm gauges or hiring of single hydrologist to incorporate all flood mitigation plans. There was no mention of any type of actions on this issue whatsoever in the County Executive’s shared services plan.”

Under this Administration, Westchester County’s finances are stretched to their limit. This situation creates the need for governments to find innovative solutions to save money while still providing essential services that residents rely on.  

“Shared services plans provide relief to taxpayers – plain and simple,” said Legislator Ben Boykin (D-White Plains), Chair of the Committee on Public Safety & Social Services. “This program gives us the perfect forum to work together to find cost effective solutions. It is unfortunate that the document drafted the County Executive’s office did not offer any real fixes to issues faces by many communities in Westchester. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Board to pick up where this Administration left off.”

“Two major expenses that burden local municipalities are water and sewer districts – and these expenses are only going to grow over time,” added Legislator MaryJane Shimsky (D-Hastings-on-Hudson), Chair of the Committee on Infrastructure. “We should be working together to find economies of scale as a way to consolidate these projects and their large expected costs. Unfortunately, no mention was made of this in the County Executive’s draft plan, which is a lost opportunity for Westchester taxpayers.”