Sound Shore

In her weekly column to residents, Supervisor Joan Walsh said cutting the tax-rate increase down to 2 percent will require $1.4 million in spending reductions next year.

Walsh’s 2011 tentative budget calls for a 6.73 percent tax-rate increase.

“The basic problem, of course, is that few residents are willing to have services cut, yet even fewer are in favor of an increase in taxes,” she wrote in her address. “So there will be an increase in user fees; we will offer to rent out some buildings for parties; we will seek income everywhere.”

Walsh will hold a Town Hall-type meeting on the budget Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. at the downtown Harrison library.

Rye Recreation is hosting a group of runs and races this Saturday to mark Thanksgiving.

People can choose a 1-mile dog walk, 1-mile fun run, or 3.1 or 5.2-mile race around Rye.

Registration ranges from $7 to $18.  Events start at 9 a.m. See the City of Rye website for more details.

People aren’t just looking for food when they visit the town’s monthly food pantry.

“If you come in for food, almost 10 out of 10 times there is something else in your life you are going (to) need to help with,” said Harrison Community Services Director Nina Marraccini, who runs the pantry.

Before the recession began two years ago, about 36 families used the pantry, a number that has doubled and now includes 92 children, she said.

“People from all economic backgrounds are coming in. It’s just very tough,” she said. “I have people who have been in foreclosure; people whose businesses have closed.”

The pantry, located at 140 Crotona Ave., offers groceries and used or new clothing to Harrison residents in need.

For Thanksgiving, she plans to give out turkeys.

Marraccini, who has managed the pantry for the last six years, said she also hopes to give families desserts for the holiday.

If the city is forced into binding arbitration to settle a contract dispute with police officers, the resulting raises could lead to officer layoffs and higher taxes, the city manager said.

Since the city’s five-year deal with police expired in January 2009, the city and Rye Police Association have battled over wage increases and health benefits. City officials have said retirement and health costs are becoming too expensive, while the union has contended it wants to preserve a living wage for officers.

See the story on LoHud.com.

Hope. Fear. Frustration.

Those were the emotions people searching for work described when they met at the Harrison Main Library on a recent Friday to get job leads, share career advice, and find comfort.

“Right now, you’re just in the state of shock,” organizer Sherry Toplyn told a Harrison man who had just lost his job as an auto technician after 25 years. “You have to grieve for losing your job just as you grieve losing a loved one.”

Harrison Job S.E.A.R.C.H. — which stands for Support, Education, Assessment, Reinvention, Cooperation and Handholding — is a new, free job-hunting program organized by Toplyn, a former Wall Streeter from Harrison. Mayor Joan Walsh came up with the idea. Every other Friday, a group of about 20 people gathers to share their stories and offer and receive help.

“Every day I wake up and it’s, ‘Damn, I don’t have a job,’ ” said Jim Salerno, 49, of Greenwich, Conn., who recently lost his heating-repair job.

Martha Vatigi, 39, of Harrison lost her administrative assistant job 18 months ago and is now trying to find work as a medical biller.

“I am willing to start from the bottom up,” she said.

Rye is challenged by shaky revenues, low savings, and steady debt, the City Comptroller told the City Council at a 2011 budget workshop this week.

“Until our revenue starts exceeding our expenses and we can add  to the  fund balance the city is going to have to finance all of our capital projects with debt moving forward,” Jean Gribbins said.

The city’s fund balance is an estimated $3 million, down from $5 million in 2007, according to records. Gribbins noted that it is just $1.3 million more than what the city’s financial policy deems acceptable. The fund balance should be at least 5 percent of appropriations, she said.

“Any big event similar to the storms of 2007 can wipe out that last little bit of fund balance,” she said.

She also noted that with the state predicting a $14.8 billion shortfall by 2012 and 2013, it’s unclear if the city’s $1.2 million in state aid will be cut.

Sales tax revenue is also unclear, she said, and may drop as much as $60,000 in 2011, she said.  While mortgage tax revenue will exceed this year’s budgeted amount, Gribbins said it has been too erratic to plan as an increase for next year.

“At this point, I’m really not comfortable increasing any of the budgeted revenue numbers,” she said. ” There just seems to be too much risk.”

The next budget workshop is set for Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. at City Hall.

Veterans marched down Underhill Avenue as the Harrison High School Marching Band played and people gathered at the West Harrison Honor Roll.

“It’s another year and we still haven’t had a victory,” retired Marine and Korean War veteran Ben DeFonce told the crowd. “All we have are tears…Remember freedom isn’t free.”

Richard Bertoli, a veteran who served in the Army from 1952 to 1954, urged the crowd to support organizations that help homeless veterans and advocate for better veteran healthcare.

“Don’t let these brave men and women be forgotten,” he said.

Joseph Mazzullo, commander of the American Legion Post 559 in Harrison, said the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have dragged on for too long.
“There is still a road of blood, sweat and tears,” he said. “Just remember that we’re are going to have a lot more people returning from that road. The road is going to end someday — hopefully.”

Police Chief Anthony Marraccini said he was touched by a group of wounded veterans he met at a recent fundraiser.

“It’s incredible the suffering these people endure and have endured for us,” he said. “And what’s on their mind is going back to fight.”

Irene Zuck attended to remember her husband, a World War II veteran who died in 2000 and is listed on the West Harrison Honor Roll.
“It’s a beautiful feeling,” she said of seeing the wall of names. “I feel their comfort and their love.”

(Veterans salute the flag at Harrison’s Veterans Day ceremonies on Nov. 11, 2010. Photo credit: Theresa Juva)

HARRISON — The Westchester County District Attorney will not press criminal charges against Supervisor Joan Walsh for using a town-owned electric vehicle at a family reunion last summer.
“While the facts developed during this investigation reveal a lack of judgment and discipline on the part an elected official, the admitted acts of Mayor Walsh do not implicate the criminal laws of this state,” District Attorney Janet DiFiore wrote in a letter to the Town Board this week.
Walsh sparked controversy when she borrowed a Dept. of Public Works Gator-style cart to transport elderly relatives around her property during a party in August.  She tried to submit $200 to the town for using it, but the town board deferred voting on the matter after ethical questions were raised.
The DA’s Office launched an investigation in September.
Critics of the supervisor have charged the she broke the town’s code of ethics, which prohibits town employees from using town property for “personal convenience.” The supervisor has argued that town Republicans made it a political issue.
The DA turned the matter over to the Town Board.
Town Attorney Frank Allegretti decline to comment on whether the town will pursue an ethics probe.

The proposed 2011 budget calls for a 2.16 percent tax rate increase over this year, an estimated $700,000 in salary savings, and a total of six employee layoffs, city officials announced Monday.

The proposed tax rate increase means a resident with a median market value home of $1.14 million will pay $3,135 in city taxes next year —  $66 more than this year, Comptroller Jean Gribbins said.

State retirement contributions will jump $614,000 in 2011, which is $200,000 more than the city had initially anticipated, Gribbins said. The city had projected health insurance costs to soar $948,000, but negotiations with health insurance companies lowered the increase to $577,000. The city is also bracing for a $212,000 rise in debt service.

City officials want to cut six employees, which includes one police officer, two public works employees, one clerical position, one recreation department job and one in the engineering department, City Manager Scott Pickup said. The vacant assistant city manager position also won’t be filled.

“It’s painful to have these conversations with people and say that because this contraction in the economy as we go forward, it doesn’t appear that we’ll have the ability to keep people employed,” he said.

Officials are looking to consolidate garbage routes to save money and have raised commuter parking and meter rates to pull in more cash.

The comptroller said she expects building permit and fee revenue to increase next year, but is planning for sales and mortgage tax revenue to stay flat.

The budget also includes a $100,000 cut in funding to the Rye Free Reading Room. Officials decided against asking The Rye Golf to contribute $95,000 to the general fund, which had been recently suggested.

Councilwoman Suzanna Keith asked what it would take to get the tax rate down to the same 1.56 percent increase as this year.

City officials said they would need to find $190,000 in revenue or cuts to chop off 1 percent from the tax rate.

It would mean “less police on the street, less firefighters — potentially closing and merging firehouses,” Pickup said.

Budget workshops are set for Nov. 15 and 22.

Hope. Fear. Frustration.

Those were the emotions people searching for work described when they met at the Harrsion Public Library on a recent Friday to get job leads, share career advice, and find comfort.

“Right now, you’re just in the state of shock,” organizer Sherry Toplyn told a Harrison man who had just lost his job as an auto technician after 25 years. “You have to grieve for losing your job just as you grieve losing a loved one.”

Harrison Job S.E.A.R.C.H, which stands for Support, Education, Assessment, Reinvention, Cooperation and Handholding, is a new, free job hunting program organized by Toplyn, a former Wall Streeter from Harrison. Supervisor Joan Walsh came up with the idea. Every other Friday a group of about 20 people gather to share their stories and offer and receive help.

“Everyday I wake up and it’s, ‘Damn, I don’t have job,” said Jim Salerno, 49, of Greenwich, Conn., who recently lost his heating repair job.

Read more about this in upcoming Thursday Sound Shore Express.

(Job seekers gathered at the Harrison Public Library on Nov. 5 2010 for the town-sponsored networking program called Harrison Job S.E.A.R.C.H. Photo credit: Theresa Juva/The Journal News)