Taxes. Roads. Jobs. Schools. Clean air and water.
Playland entrance fees.
Yep, that's right. The latest battle de jour between County Exec Rob Astorino and the county Democrats is over the $5 fee Rye residents pay to enter the park.
About 10 days ago, the Board of Legislators – the county political body controlled by the Dems, voted to punt the $5 fee. Local rep Judy Myers told LoHud.com:
"Westchester residents already pay property taxes that help to keep all of our parks open and beautiful," said Legislator Judy Myers, D-Mamaroneck. "Why should they have to spend more of their hard-earned dollars for fun in their back yard?"
Astorino fired back, vetoing the change and claiming the $5 fee elimination was going to cost the county $1 million and told CBS 880 News the Dem tactic was "quite idiotic".
In the latest tit-for-tat, the Board of Legislatorsis going to reconsider the veto on Monday. In a statement the group said:
"“The residents of Westchester should not pay a $5 spectator entrance fee to Playland after the Board of Legislators already approved to eliminate it,” said Chairman Jenkins. “Perhaps there is some consolation in the fact that in a few days the Board will do the right thing for everyone in Westchester and vote to override the county executive’s wrong-minded veto.”
Two years ago, the County implemented, for the first time, a spectator entrance fee of $3 for residents and $5 for non-residents. The fee allows visitors a one-day entry to Playland, with rides, amusements and food costs all extra. In 2010, Playland had $11.2 million dollars of revenue. In the 2011 budget, the fee was increased to $5 for residents and $10 for non-residents as a means of increasing revenue. Higher gasoline and travel costs, along with better financial projections and worries about pricing visitors away from the park, caused the BOL to modify this policy.
“County taxpayers and hard-working residents shouldn’t pay admission at a park they financially support already,” said Chairman Jenkins. “The higher entrance fees for spectators will turn many people away, including seniors visiting the park with grandchildren.”"
A politically hooked up architect generates building plans requiring multiple significant change orders, management supervision by distracted double dipping political appointees contributes to an overrun and backfire on the simplest of commercial construction projects…
and now…an executive level 2011 entrance fee vs. no-fee debate well after opening day?
Is county government accountable to anyone for their own mal-performance?
“PLAYLAND BATHHOUSE CONTRACTOR TO BE CANNED BY COUNTY”
http://bit.ly/j3Fwcv
A voice from the LoHud comments section –
I am a subcontractor on this site, I have seen what the contractor has gone through in dealing with the personnel from Westchester County, and I would not wish it on a dog. This is an historic site correct? Has anyone done renovation on his or her home where there were no changes to the job? I doubt it. This million dollar overrun is what? Bad contractor or change orders. Why would County pay a contractor a million dollars more unless it was warranted? Lets re-look at what this article is implying on who’s keeping the money. As they say, follow the flow and timeliness of the money and I’m sure you’ll see why this project has taken longer than anticipated. Ask yourself this, where was the supervision from County…I know where he was, he was running his electrical company on the side during taxpaying business hours. Where was the other supervisor on the project, oh I know that as well, he is collecting a fire pension and a salary from the same taxpayers. Where’s the architect of record, doesn’t he have a responsibility to County in getting this job done timely. Why was the architect not named in this article? Let’s examine his architectural drawing that might have caused these overruns. Who from Westchester County was responsible for hiring this architect? Who from Westchester County was responsible for signing off on these drawing? Ask yourself this, why would a contractor not want to finish…did they take this job to steal money? Is the contractor being paid timely? As a result, is he paying his subcontractors timely? Ask yourself this and this is coming from a non-minority. How many minority contractor are working for Westchester County and why is this contractor being singled out when there have been plenty of contractors in Westchester County who have been defaulted who never had their name plastered across the front page of the Journal News. Trust me, I’m no democratic, left leaning crybaby liberal…I just see a different world where people should be treated the same and I have not seen it here at Rye Playland and that folks is the real shame.