WPCNR THE SEWER REPORT. From Westchester County Board of Legislators (EDITED) with Reporting by WPCNR. December 9, 2008: At a special meeting Tuesday evening, the Westchester County Board of Legislators approved the largest capital project ever undertaken by Westchester County, after its Envionment and Energy Committee had received a detailed county budget department report on its impact on the taxpayers about two hours before the meeting.
County Legislators Environment & Energy Committee approves $234.7 Million Sewer Project, 5:30 P.M. Tuesday, sending the bill to the floor of the County Legislature after receiving detailed financials of taxpayer impact Tuesday afternoon. Clockwise at the conference table, from bottom of picture: Legislators John Nonna, Jim Maisano, Thomas Abinanti, Kenneth Jenkins, Bill Ryan, Martic Rogowsky, Judith Myers, Peter Harckham.
The legislation approved Tuesday evening agrees to comply with a newly negotiated Consent Order with the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Under the new agreement, the county will upgrade two of its four Sound Shore sewage treatment plants in New Rochelle and Mamaroneck to reduce nitrogen in wastewater at an estimated cost of $235 million.
To comply, the county will issue bonds in the amount of $235 Million next November, with property owners in the sewer districts of Mamaroneck Valley (includes White Plains), Blind Brook, New Rochelle and Port Chester, according to a County Attorney. The increase to the average White Plains residential homeowner will be felt next year (2010-11), and continue through 2014, plus whatever other sewer "improvements" come in over the transom.
Legislator Tom Abinanti told WPCR the actual rates for the sewer districts (including the City of White Plains) will not be set until next December. The preliminary tax impact charts on towns in the district just presented to Mr. Abinanti's committee Tuesday afternoon show the average White Plains residential owner ($15,000 Assessed Value) paying $47 additional in 2010, $77 more in 2011, $121 more in 2012, $160 in 2013 and $157 more in 2014.
“The plan approved tonight will clean up the Sound at a cost far less than the previous plan,” said County Legislator Tom Abinanti (D-IN-WF, Greenburgh), Chair of the Environment & Energy Committee. “The new plan replaces a 2004 Consent Order under which all four of the county’s Sound Shore sewage treatment plants would have been upgraded at a cost of $355 to $573 million to achieve the same results.”
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Environmental groups including Save the Sound, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Federated Conservationists of Westchester and the Audubon Society, praised the project which will help shrink the “dead zone,” the oxygen depleted section of Long Island Sound. Nitrogen discharges in wastewater deplete oxygen which kills marine life.
“A clean Long Island Sound is not just an environmental issue,” said County Legislator Judy Myers (D-WF, Larchmont). “Long Island Sound is an economic engine that contributes some $6 billion a year to the economy. Ten percent of the United States population lives within 50 miles of Long Island Sound.”
Concern over Equitable Distribution of Tax Burden
Ms. Myers complained during the Environment and Energy Committee meeting late Tuesday afternoon, when the fresh, "just in" Projected Average Residential Tax for Long Island Sound Districts was presented to the committee for the first time. Myers said she was concerned the each district was not being treated equitably by the figures presented. She and Legislator Michael Kaplowitz disputed the math.
Mystified by the complex grids.
Deputy County Executive Larry Schwartz (sitting in on the meeting) said they had been prepared by the Budget Office over the last month and a half. After two hours of discussion, the Committee voted to approve the legislation and send it to the Board of Legislators this evening, with the understanding that the budget department would report back showing how the formulas indeed do treat the four sewer districts equitably.
Asked when this equitability of payment by district would be represented, Chairman Abinanti said it may not be presented again until next December. Susan Gerry, ( foreground, above) of the County Executive's Office, who presented the taxpayer impact data, said under questioning by Legislators Kenneth Jenkins, Michael Kaplowitz and John Nonna, that the figures were subject to change each year based on each year's assessments. To Ms. Gerry's right are County Attorney Charlene Indelicato, and Randy White, county bond advisor.
Formula for Payment Approved, Will be Revisited for Fairness
The committee was under the impression the formula determining each district share of the $234.7 Million price tag was not being agreed to by the legislation. County Legislator John Nonna pointed out to them this impression was incorrect. After Nonna pointed out the section in the legislation where it spells out the formula, based on equitable distribution of assessed equalized value, the committee ruefully approved the legislation, and after extensive explanation by John Delaney of the Budget Office was convinced that the formula appeared correct. He also pointed out the figures were subject to change on assessment value each year.
A Moot Point Who Pays?
The project is the largest capital project in the county’s history. While the legislators approved bonding to finance the project, they’re working with the county administration to find federal and state funds to reduce the cost to Westchester taxpayers. Mr. Schwartz said County officials have already reached out to the incoming Obama administration to secure infrastructure funding which the President-elect has indicated will be a big part of his economic stimulus package.
