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Community Corner

NYS should use 2 billion surplus to help local governments with snow removal costs

I am writing to Governor Andrew Cuomo and members of the Westchester delegation to the NYS Legislature and will urge them to consider using part of the 2 billion dollar NYS surplus to help every local government in NYS with snow removal costs.

Every community in NYS is experiencing financial problems due to the excessive snow this winter. We're spending hundreds of thousands of extra dollars on snow removal costs --overtime, salting, plowing, equipment repairs, additional salt purchases. In addition, our roads are deteriorating because of the weather. This kind of weather will be harsh on roads and will require more pothole repairs and repaving in the coming months.

One way for NYS to be helpful to local governments (and many of us have complied with the tax cap) is for NYS to provide every local government with funds from their budget surplus to help with snow removal.   This is a way to help keep local property taxes down. No one objects to local governments spending money on snow removal.

I will be providing residents with an updated comparison of this years costs and previous years costs within the next few days...
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor

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