Politics on the Hudson

No, your eyes weren’t deceiving you … that WAS Westchester County Executive Andy Spano in the third row behind home plate at last night’s Yankees-Red Sox game at Yankee Stadium.

Astute county government watchers might have also noticed his companion at left, former Deputy County Executive Larry Schwartz. Schwartz eventually departed, but Spano stayed on through the end of the game to watch the home team complete a four-game sweep of their Boston rivals.

County spokeswoman Donna Greene says of his appearance (he was clearly shown on live TV behind every left-handed batter): “I was as surprised as you.”

Asked how Spano scored such hot seats, Greene promised to get back to us with the details.

(Thanks to Matt Richter of LoHudLive for the screen grab).

Update: Greene says via email: “Andy was a guest of an old friend who has nothing to do with the county.” She says Schwartz was a guest of the same old friend. We’ve tried asking who (again).

Update #2: via Greene: “The person Andy got the tickets from is Peter Derby of Irvington. (FYI he was a village councilman years ago, but is a friend of Andy.)” Derby worked in the Russian banking industry, then for the SEC, and then went on to launch his own investment fund, according to an NYU alumni profile here.

The Westchester County Conservative Party today endorsed Andrew Spano in his run for county executive. It’s the second time in two months that the party has endorsed Spano, a Democrat, over his Republican challenger Rob Astorino.

The closed-door meeting was held at 12:30 p.m. today at Silvio’s restaurant in Yonkers.

It’s unclear why the party held a second vote (some party members objected to it), though the first one was mired in controversy when some district leaders complained that party leaders ignored the will of members and manipulated the vote since most of the votes cast, approximately 90 percent, were by weighted votes or proxies. 

Today is also the deadline to file a Wilson Pakula, whereby a political party gives a candidate the authority to run on their lines even though that candidate is not a member of that party.

It is expected that today’s vote will be legally challenged.

The New York State County Executives Association plans a telephone press conference tomorrow to urge state senators “to get back to the people’s work” and deal with “end of session priorities pending before the New York State Legislature.”

Those expected to participate include:

Andrew Spano, Westchester County Executive

Scott Vanderhoef, Rockland County Executive

and

Putnam’s Deputy County Executive John Tully

County Executive Andrew Spano and his Republican challenger Rob Astorino on taxes, Spano’s son, and the departure of Larry Schwartz in a recent edition of The Capitol.

After reading the article, here’s what Astorino said:

“Mr. Spano might want to stop criticizing taxpayers and start listening to them,” Astorino said. “Families are genuinely hurting because of local tax bills and they have a right to question where their dollars are going.  The fact that no one can figure out how Mr. Spano is spending so much money is his problem, not theirs.”

Westchester Republican County Committee Chairman Doug Colety today ripped County Executive Andy Spano for what he called “over-the-top security measures” used at the Democratic Committee’s nomination last week at the Westchester County Center — and he wants the county executive to reimburse taxpayers if it was on the public’s dime.

Democratic Party Chairman Reginald LaFayette pushed back, saying the party paid for the county center and expects a bill for any extra security. It was not the county executive’s event, LaFayette added, rather it was the Democratic Party’s.

“Tell Mr. Colety that taxpayers didn’t pay for the Democratic Convention,” LaFayette said. “The question is just pure politics.”

At last week’s convention, county police officers — both uniformed and plain clothes — lined the auditorium guarding officials and district leaders against the potential of any threats. By Colety’s count, there was more than two-dozen officers as well as bomb squad, district attorney investigators and three horse-mounted officers.

“Providing this level of security is a huge expense, not to mention an unheard of practice for a local political nominating convention,” Colety said in a statement. “Westchester taxpayers deserve to know if they were stuck footing the bill.”

LaFayette wasn’t exactly sure how many officers were there (that’ll turn up in the bill). He said the party paid $4,300 to use the county center and expect a bill from the police department for any extra security required.

“We pay for the elevated level of security,” LaFayette said. “We will receive a bill, the Democratic Party, and pay it.”

County Executive Andy Spano today called for the state Legislature and the Governor to stop a payroll tax because it would cost Westchester residents millions of dollars and hurt taxpayers, businesses, hospitals and non-profits who are already struggling to survive.

Spano has opposed the tax for months; he said the tax would cost Westchester County government alone $1.6 million and the Westchester Medical Center about $1 million. 

He said that Westchester County last year paid $121 million to the MTA out of county tax dollars, sales tax, and mortgage fees and budgeted $119 million for 2009.

“How come Connecticut gets away with not having to contribute when thousands of their riders use MTA transportation? Why is there no toll on the East River bridges? Why do we constantly bail out agencies that are inefficiently run? Yes, there should be relief on MTA fares, but once again, it should not be on the backs of our taxpayers, residents, non-profits and businesses.’’ 

Rob Astorino, a Republican running against incumbent County Executive Andrew Spano, wants the county executive to release how much he and his other deputies are due in unused vacation and sick time when they leave office. He also wants a full accounting of what members of the Spano administration are currently due in such payments.

“No one gets paid for unused sick time in the real world,” Astorino said. “Only in an administration like this one would a top insider draw 34,000 extra dollars for showing up at work. Andy Spano has allowed this to go on throughout his administration.  That kind of mismanagement is irresponsible and wrong.” 

His call comes a week after The Journal News reported that former Deputy County Executive Larry Schwartz was paid roughly $83,000 for unused vacation, sick and longevity pay, which is consistent with county policy.

The information was obtained under the state’s Freedom of Information laws. The paper reported that Schwartz was paid $48,236 for unused vacation time, $34,340 for sick time – half of what he had actually accrued – and another $204 in longevity pay.

Rob Astorino, a Republican running for Westchester County Executive, today called on New York State senators serving Westchester County to vote “no” on the proposed state budget.

He wants his Democratic rival, Andy Spano, to do the same.

“Everyone knows this budget is a killer for Westchester families,” Astorino said. “Why hasn’t Mr. Spano said a word about it?  Westchester residents are the highest taxed in America, and now this.  Why is Mr. Spano staying mum?”

It’s one of the first political salvos between deputies in what will likely to be a contentious campaign — the Republican challenger for county executive is calling on County Executive Andrew Spano’s deputy, Susan Tolchin, to resign.

And it’s only April.

Rob Astorino’s spokesman, Bill O’Reilly, yesterday called for Spano’s longtime confidant and advisor to step down or cease her political activities.

Tolchin said that’s not going to happen because she’s been responding to government matters, something she’s allowed to do. Read more about the “dueling deputies” here.

 The Westchester County Republican Committee is expected to nominate Rob Astorino tonight as the party’s choice for county executive.

The committee is holding its annual nomination convention for that office at 7 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza in White Plains — the event is open to the public.

In an announcement, Westchester GOP Chairman Douglas Colety said the party is “mounting a serious challenge to oppose a three-term incumbent” and with enormous economic challenges facing the county, Republicans are poised to return “fiscal discipline to county government.”

“The incumbent’s record of out-of-control taxing and spending over 12 years is clear and has spurred a near-revolt of Westchester taxpayers,” Colety said.