Statement by Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Ken Jenkins

 The following statement was released by Board of Legislators Chairman Jenkins (D-Yonkers) in response to County Executive Rob Astorino’s press statement mischaracterizing the Board’s proposal to enact legislation that would allow Westchester County employees to opt in to the state’s newly adopted state wide retirement incentive program.

“Unfortunately, the County Executive was premature in his media statement and, as usual, simply doesn’t not understand or is confused by the legislative process, which some may find strange given his tenure as a county legislator from Mount Pleasant.

 The local law specifically speaks to the state’s retirement incentive program.  There is absolutely no reference to the voluntary separation agreement.  The Board’s budget staff is currently analyzing the potential fiscal impact for the 276 employees that opted to separate from county employment.  In addition, the analysis will determine the number of employees that advised the County that they were planning to retire, calculate the potential cost with the state’s incentive law and provide legislators with the necessary facts to make an informed decision.

 The objective of the Board is to enact legislation that will allow for the County to opt in to the state’s retirement incentive to achieve maximum savings for county taxpayers of at least $100 million dollars through the reduction of the county’s workforce.  Participating in the state’s retirement incentive will enforce fiscal discipline on the Administration to eliminate job titles or achieve a minimum salary savings of 50% within a two year period. Ironically, the Legislature unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution calling for the County Executive to enact a hiring freeze, which, to date, he has failed to implement. 

 The special meeting that has been called to address this legislation was not done in the shadows, as inferred by the County Executive, but was scheduled this past Monday evening during the regular business of the Board.  As always, we encourage members of the public to come to the Board and share their opinions with legislators.  This is the people’s house and we welcome all comments, ideas and dialogue from within the broader community.

 One can only wonder if his intention is to deflect attention from his Administration’s inability to provide guaranteed savings that can be immediately passed on to Westchester taxpayers or continue making excuses.”

Comments

[a disgusted taxpayer]

Stuff it you poverty pimp. You never saw a taxpayers pocket you didn't want to pick. Dear God how long to we have to endure these damn fools.

[sanity]

Boy, Ken! You are taking a cheap shot at this guy. He's so good he scares you. You are a Shelly Silver hack who looks for the cheap shot. He wants to save some money and right away you go for the throat. Take it easy.

[wake up from your slumber]

Ken does not represent the home owner. He panders to a certain segment of the population that are easily manipulated. We can no longer afford to put up with these irresponsible idiots. Unfortunately the Repl. Pty. (Nick) made a deal with Ken and he got a free ride. We must start to demand more accountability instead of putting up with these slimy backroom
tactics.

[a]

Jenkins tit-for-tat nonesense is making him look foolish. It certainly looks like a game of political one-ups-manship to me. The fact is, Astorino was elected with an overwhelming mandate to change things. Let him do his job.

[annon]

Hey Jenkins WAKE UP! The people elected Astorino because we are sick of business as usual. Get with the program.

[do the right thing]

The above posters are right. Astorino won with a mandate while Ken had it handed to him. So Ken either be part of the solution or shut the hell up and sit down.

[Dumb Is In]

Jenkins,you and your Democratic legislators just lost Westchester for Andrew Cuomo.

[hang up the phone I gotta call my boo]

hey ken,

nice buck fitty on your cheek, too much time on the phone in the new jail i guess ....

[anon]

No more Ken Jenkins please. I'm sick to my stomach every time I read about this jerk.

[annon]

Onething Ken Jenkins dose do is he keeps the people motivated that elected Astorino. He is a PERFECT example of why the taxpayers are FED UP. Like the poster said Jenkins GET WITH THE PROGRAM!

[It's time for Regime Change]

Look a 5% cut all across the board will keep the whole system working and functioning. Good american citizens understand this. Why don't politicians?

[Lost in Yonkers]

Astorino won with a mandate. Let him carry it out. These Jenkins things are just a side show. If there is one thing that Astorino understands (and Jenkins seems to be unable to understand) is that he was elected to do what the voters want. And that is lower taxes and smaller government.

[pay your own way]

A whopping 47% pay NO taxes and you can bet your bootie that the people getting 13, OOO dollars for the child care are among them.

[savy]

This retirement incentive from the state comes with a price. The county will have to pay for the extra years given to each worker. This bill will come due to the state in one year. If 100 people take the state incentive, the county will have to pay next year all 100 incentive for each person for each year they were given.Keep up the good work Astorino. Jenkins is a jerk!!!!

[deep down the rabbit hole]

Well double dipping Kenny thinks they should be able to collect from both the county and the state.

[independant]

Our party system and party bosses are the cause of the very bad NY legislature. We are like sheep and follow the party line. Are we nuts? Get real. Stop voting the party line. We have more sense than the money-grabbing party bosses. Don't fall for their bull.