Politics on the Hudson

Marty Rogowsky, D-Harrison, the majority leader of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, and legislator Tom Abinanti, D-Greenburgh, are asking the board to consider exempting the purchase of residential solar energy systems from the county’s sales tax.

The pair submitted the draft legislation to colleagues on Monday. Rogowsky said in a follow-up press release that the exemption would add to existing federal and state tax incentives intended to make the switch more affordable.

Westchester Deputy County Executive Larry Schwartz says the county will move forward and look for another site for a new home for Board of Elections, after legislators defeated key bonds for a Greenburgh building purchase last night.

If Democrat Tom Abinanti, one of six ‘No’ votes, wants to have the measure reconsidered in two weeks, Schwartz said, “that’s fine.” But, “I’m done tring to work out something.”

“If you’re looking for an excuse (to vote no) then you can come up with a lot of them,” he said. “None of them are real. None of them are credible…. You need to be honest. If you don’t support the project, say you don’t support the project.”

Schwartz also said the five Republicans who did not support the deal “sold out the taxpayers” because, he contends, any other site will cost more. (Yonkers Republican legislator Bernice Spreckman was the one who joined with 10 Democrats who favored the deal.)