Our County lawmakers are delusional. In the Saturday Journal News headline, “Astorino: HUD Actions Go To Far”, by Gerald McKinstry, states, “Democrats on the Board of Legislators criticized the administration for going it alone and called Astorino’s announcement ‘highly disappointing’.” However, this is the same legislature that then County Executive Andy Spano also chose to exclude during the plea deal process he brokered with the Housing and Urban Development arm of the Federal Government with the Housing Desegregation Lawsuit. I think it speaks volumes when the Democratic County Executive choses to not work hand-in-hand with his democratic Legislature!
McKinstry’s article states the parameters of the Housing Desegregation settlement that democrat Andy Spano agreed to with democratic-majority approval from the previous legislature. It mandates that Westchester leverage $51.6 million for the creation of 750 affordable homes over seven years in 31 of Westchester’s mostly white communities for ONLY blacks and hispanics. That's not a reversal of discrimination, rather, its a government sanctioned discrimination. Is one really better than another? I don't think so.
Stand For Your Conviction
County Executive Astorino believes the segregation agreement was the wrong decision to make. As then County Executive Spano stated in one of his press conferences, he just wanted the county’s legal department to make this lawsuit go away. In lawyer-speak, this means find a way to settle. They did. Then his legislature did. Now Astorino won’t abide by the two decisions. Good for him. Finally, we’re seeing some leadership in Westchester. By the way, I don’t agree with everything Astorino is trying to do via his methodology, but in principal find more to agree with than disagree.
Stand For Your Conviction
County Executive Astorino believes the segregation agreement was the wrong decision to make. As then County Executive Spano stated in one of his press conferences, he just wanted the county’s legal department to make this lawsuit go away. In lawyer-speak, this means find a way to settle. They did. Then his legislature did. Now Astorino won’t abide by the two decisions. Good for him. Finally, we’re seeing some leadership in Westchester. By the way, I don’t agree with everything Astorino is trying to do via his methodology, but in principal find more to agree with than disagree.
Interestingly, the legislature should be in agreement with the County Executive. When the hearings regarding the settlement were taking place, the majority of individuals who spoke were against the settlement, maintaining we were not racist or prejudiced against anyone moving in next door. The only people who spoke in support of the settlement were those in the DSS system receiving benefits or a paycheck. I spoke to one single-parent woman who believed she was now going to be able to move to Scarsdale and have her children attend the Scarsdale schools. She wasn’t interested in discussing other ramifications her children might experience being there or the lottery she’d need to be chosen from to move there.
Shameless Self-Promotion
In the ‘Westchester County Board of Legislators NEWS’ boilerplate mailing, which is really nothing more than a campaign piece in disguise, it states there was an increase in Westchester’s total population by 3%, or 25,654 people. The biggest growth was in the northern part of the county, with the southern part losing population. I know taxes are lower up north and the amount of property per dollar ratio is significantly greater, offering more bang for the buck; there are no known gangs, although there soon will be; less traffic and less congestion; malls with free parking and the list goes on. Could any of these along with unmentioned reasons be the cause for the shift? No doubt.
In the ‘Westchester County Board of Legislators NEWS’ boilerplate mailing, which is really nothing more than a campaign piece in disguise, it states there was an increase in Westchester’s total population by 3%, or 25,654 people. The biggest growth was in the northern part of the county, with the southern part losing population. I know taxes are lower up north and the amount of property per dollar ratio is significantly greater, offering more bang for the buck; there are no known gangs, although there soon will be; less traffic and less congestion; malls with free parking and the list goes on. Could any of these along with unmentioned reasons be the cause for the shift? No doubt.
Movin’ On Up
From the same campaign piece: “The Hispanic/Latino population grew by 21% in the county, reflecting the largest demographic growth, with Port Chester now 59.4% Hispanic/Latino and Sleepy Hollow now 51.5% Hispanic/Latino.” What’s not mentioned because its not within the scope of the census, is the influx of the same groups into the county, and how many are living in illegally adapted housing, whether they are working legitimately or in the “gray market” (on the books paying withholding taxes or working for cash); are in gangs; may be here legally or not? The list of questions goes on. We see more and more communities alarmed not over the influx of legal immigrants, but that of the illegal ones and the services we are bound to provide to them by law as long as they simply apply, straining our already limited funds. We even increase this ease by accommodating them with language interpreters. Just think of how many of our seniors who have paid their taxes for their entire lives could be receiving help if the funds were available...
From the same campaign piece: “The Hispanic/Latino population grew by 21% in the county, reflecting the largest demographic growth, with Port Chester now 59.4% Hispanic/Latino and Sleepy Hollow now 51.5% Hispanic/Latino.” What’s not mentioned because its not within the scope of the census, is the influx of the same groups into the county, and how many are living in illegally adapted housing, whether they are working legitimately or in the “gray market” (on the books paying withholding taxes or working for cash); are in gangs; may be here legally or not? The list of questions goes on. We see more and more communities alarmed not over the influx of legal immigrants, but that of the illegal ones and the services we are bound to provide to them by law as long as they simply apply, straining our already limited funds. We even increase this ease by accommodating them with language interpreters. Just think of how many of our seniors who have paid their taxes for their entire lives could be receiving help if the funds were available...
What Westchester Legislators Believe
So if the County Legislators are to be believed, Westchester is racist because they favor continued blind adherence to the settlement. Astorino does not. They send out mailings, which the latest one admits that there is a huge increase in the minority population. They should be standing next to Astorino, fists held high, championing the cause against the settlement because without county interference, the population balance has shifted. It doesn't mean anything though as Ken Jenkins and crew insist on fostering partisan politics, not what is good for the County and it’s residents. I still maintain we are not racists. If you can afford to live in any community, then you do. No real estate agent, home seller or other type of seller, especially in this economic climate, will turn down a sale.
So if the County Legislators are to be believed, Westchester is racist because they favor continued blind adherence to the settlement. Astorino does not. They send out mailings, which the latest one admits that there is a huge increase in the minority population. They should be standing next to Astorino, fists held high, championing the cause against the settlement because without county interference, the population balance has shifted. It doesn't mean anything though as Ken Jenkins and crew insist on fostering partisan politics, not what is good for the County and it’s residents. I still maintain we are not racists. If you can afford to live in any community, then you do. No real estate agent, home seller or other type of seller, especially in this economic climate, will turn down a sale.
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