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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WESTCHESTER
Making Democracy Work |
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LWVW Annual Convention Jeanne Zaino, Ph.D., Chair and Assistant Professor of Political Science, Iona College, will be the luncheon speaker. All welcome to attend the lunch. $25 pp (send check made out to LWVW, to Kitt Rosenthal, 61 Birchall Dr., Scarsdale 10583). Registration and Security Check-in 9:15 Download flyer (Word doc.) League Opposes County Purchase of 450 Saw Mill River Road for Board of Elections The League of Women Voters® of Westchester today sent a message to the entire Westchester County Board of Legislators and County Executive Andrew Spano opposing the proposed purchase of 450 Saw Mill River Road for the Board of Elections. Read the letter (Word document) outlining the reasons for the League’s opposition that was sent March 9 to county officials by League President Mary Beth Gose and Chair of the League’s County Budget Committee, Barbara Strauss. ACT NOW It's time to kick our campaign on the BBBB into high gear. We only have a short period of time left to have an impact on the state budget. I have an urgent request. Please -- Click the following link: Thanks to Westchester Election Commissioners for protecting our vote! Westchester County Election Commissioners chose the optical scan voting system to replace lever machines in compliance with the Help America Vote Act. Westchester voters will now have a voting system that can be verified by paper ballots marked by the voter. This is the only safe way the authenticity of all elections can be upheld. Westchester Voters: Get Info Just in time for the March 18th Village elections, Westchester voters can now access updated election information at www.SmartVoter.org. This non-partisan League of Women Voters® of Westchester website provides easy access to useful, personalized voter information on the upcoming elections taking place in 16 Westchester Villages*. Offices to be elected include Mayor, Trustee and Village Justice. Don’t know your specific polling place or hours? Unsure what offices are being contested? Care to see a sample ballot or read through a local referendum before you arrive at the polls? Smart Voters can simply type in their address and, with the click of a mouse, find all this useful, non-partisan information and more. www.SmartVoter.org also connects users to other useful links that help residents determine their voter eligibility, how to obtain an absentee ballot, and more. Anyone can access www.SmartVoter.org on public computers at local libraries. * Briarcliff Manor, Bronxville, Buchanan, Croton on Hudson, Elmsford, Hastings on Hudson, Irvington, Larchmont, Pelham, Pelham Manor, Pleasantville, Rye Brook, Scarsdale, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, and Tuckahoe.
Paper Ballot Scanners Approved; DRE's Rejected Report from Elections Specialist Aimee Allaud of NYState LWV Jan 24 This week at the NYS Election Commissioners Association mtg. in Saratoga Springs, the three appointed commissioners of the NYS Board of Elections (the fourth is in hospital having undergone heart surgery), exercised their legal authority and responsibility by approving three paper ballot scanner systems and rejecting DREs for use in 2008. The three commissioners had to agree that each system submitted for the 2008 accessible poll site requirement of the Federal Court met the legal requirements of the federal HAVA and NYS requirements for a full face ballot presentation and independent verification of the ballot by persons with disabilities. On these criteria, only three systems, were able to muster the majority votes necessary for approval. Two other systems, DREs, were rejected because they failed on the same criteria. Multiple votes were taken over the course of the two days in a number of sessions until agreement could be reached. Finally, on the fourth try, in a Thursday morning session, three paper ballot scanner systems were approved. Commissioner Douglas Kellner (D) was key in the success. We applaud his determination to evaluate the machines solely on their ability to meet the legal requirements. The machines will begin a certification process by an independent testing authority, SysTest, next week and county election commissioners will choose one for deployment this fall. More than likely, that choice will be the same system they will choose and deploy for the rollout of lever replacement in 2009 -- acquisition and longer term costs in a time of tight local budgets will enter their decision. We will need to continue to monitor the certification process for the voting machines to be sure that our stringent NYS statute and regulations is upheld -- the devil is in the details -- so enjoy our victory but work lies ahead as the League develops our role of educating voters on a new way to vote. Our 2008 legislative priority in elections is reform of the application for the absentee ballot (see information on the LWVNYS website) -- we will need your help! League Meeting with
League Opposes Stipend The League of Women Voters® of Westchester sent on Dec. 9 a message addressed to the entire Westchester County Board of Legislators opposing proposed stipend increases for the Board’s Chair, committee chairs and the majority and minority leaders. The League acted immediately upon learning that the Board’s Rules Committee just passed a resolution to raise member stipends on Friday, December 7th, two days following the deadline for public comment on the proposed 2008 Westchester County Budget. The League’s position that all legislators’ remuneration should be detailed within the budget and subject to public review has remained consistent since 2005, when the League also communicated with the Board of Legislators, expressing its opposition to stipend increases. Today’s e-mail to the Board of Legislators from League President Mary Beth Gose and the League’s 2005 Letter outlining its reasons for opposing the legislators’ stipends appear in their entirety below. E-Mail Message, sent December 9, 2007: In 2005, the League of Women
Voters of Westchester opposed the stipends which had been proposed for the Board of Legislators. Our position has not changed for the reasons cited in the following letter, dated December 23, 2005, which had been e-mailed to each member of the 2005 Board of Legislators. Read the letter of Dec. 23, 2005. Read the League's Consensus Statement.
LWVW Comments on the Proposed 2008 Westchester County Budget
The LWV of Westchester has reviewed the proposed 2008 County Budget and makes recommendations and comments on several issues, including:
· Board of Legislators (“BOL”) Budget – Lack of information on number of personnel positions and salaries raises questions about BOL’s willingness to be accountable to tax-paying residents of Westchester · HAVA (“Help America Vote Act”) – LWVW recommends use of precinct-based optical scan machines with a verifiable paper trail as the most reliable and least expensive voting machines available · MTA (Metropolitan Transit Authority) – MTA does not provide information on how it spends the funds it receives from the County ($146 million in proposed budget) · Department of Corrections - LWVW is concerned about significant increase of $9.7 million in proposed budget from $110.4 million to $120.1 million · Day Care – LWVW supports proposed increase of 298 in the number of low-income day care slots that are available, bringing total to 2,039 slots Download a Word doc of the League's Statement on the County Budget
Environment and Open to anyone who wants to observe it, our County Legislative Environment Committee becomes opaque if no one shows up to see what's going on. Issues that affect your home, town and taxes directly are discussed and positions are recommended in these committee meetings. That's where the LWVW can be an invaluable "fly on the wall", reporting on and publicizing the issues this committee discusses. No other non-profit group fills this niche. The fact that we are non-partisan carries extra weight in the minutes we report. The more of us who join, the easier it will be. Just one afternoon every other month (currently Mondays at 3:00) and a few paragraphs of minutes that will be disseminated to our County Voter and web site will create a valuable resource to those interested in the workings of our local government and it will create another tangible reason to support our local LWVs with membership and donations.So give it a try. It's fun and usually very interesting. And you might just find out what the county is up to in your home town!
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Calendar May 8 LWVW Convention (see below) May 17 Annual Compost Bin Sale Day at Saxon Woods Park, White Plains 9am-2pm. Garden advice. Rain or shine. Reserve your bin by Friday May 16. Moreinfo at May 21 Annual Lunch New Castle LWV (see below) Annual Luncheon with Speaker David Kaczynski Wednesday May 21 at Noon "The Death Penalty -- A View from an Insider" Guest speaker David Kaczynski is Executive Director of New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty, and brother of Theodore Kaczynski, the so-called Unabomber. Crabtree’s Kittle House (11 Kittle Road, Chappaqua). $40 per person (check to LWV of New Castle); mail to Evelyn Bloom, 5 Woodmill Rd., Chappaqua NY 10514. For more info email lwvnewcastle@optonline.net.
The Tappan Zee Bridge:
The League of Women Voters® of Westchester (LWVW) and the League of Women Voters® of Rockland (LWVR) will host an informational presentation on the future of the Tappan Zee Bridge and Route 287 corridor, entitled “The Tappan Zee Bridge: A Regional Approach,” on Thursday, March 27, 2008, 7:30-9:30pm, in the Gathering Room at Kendal-on-Hudson, Routes 9 and 117 in Sleepy Hollow. Panelists will include Cheryl Lewy, Chair, Westchester County Planning Board; Harriet Cornell, Chairwoman, Rockland County Legislature; Michael Anderson, Team Leader, New York State Department of Transportation; and Marsha Gordon, Westchester County Co-Chair, Tappan Zee Futures Task Force. The panelists will discuss current and projected regional conditions which will shape this project, e.g., demographics, employment trends and transit needs; proposals for the future of the Bridge and the I-287 Corridor; and the stakeholders perspective thus far. A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation.
The League of Women Voters® encourages public officials and residents to attend, as this is an excellent opportunity to learn about the broader implications of the Tappan Zee project on the lower Hudson Valley. For directions and additional information, please call (914) 332-1301 or e-mail sdschwarz@aol.com. Download flyer (Word doc) If you are interested in joining the Study Committee of the Westchester County LWV please contact Chairman Kristina McCarthy c/o the Westchester County League. LWV of Westchester Statement on Proposed BOL Stipends – Presented during Public Comment at the BOL Meeting on December 10, 2007 Chairman Ryan and Honorable Members of the Board of Legislators: I will now read a portion of that letter, dated December 23, 2005, because it is as applicable today as it was then: Although we have the highest regard for our elected officials and the good work that they do, the League of Women Voters of Westchester was dismayed to learn of the substantial raises in pay and stipends proposed for the members of the Board of Legislators. This proposal was made public at the eleventh hour, providing little time for public notification and review. Further, because the number of positions, legislators’ salaries (separated out from staff salaries), stipends and fringe benefits are not listed in the Board of Legislators’ section of the county operating budget, the citizens of Westchester County cannot make an informed decision as to whether the increases are warranted. We ask for more details in the budget and an explanation of the board’s needs. The League opposes stipends for everyone other than the chair of the Board of Legislators. However, we want to emphasize that we consider the proposed $40,000 stipend for the chair to be excessive. $40,000 was the amount that was proposed and passed in 2005. We understand that the current proposed stipend for the Chair is $75,000, and the League views both amounts as excessive. The League believes that legislators should be viewed as professionals fulfilling their responsibilities to the county and the electorate. There is no need for financial incentives beyond a base salary. Stipends are not always based on comparable responsibilities or merit. We appreciate the many hours legislators work on the county's business, but we do not accept the argument that their jobs are full time. When elected, legislators knew that their positions were considered to be part time. If there is to be a change in this designation, it needs careful consideration and the approval of the citizens of Westchester County. We recommend the appointment of a non-partisan committee, with citizen participation, to study this issue. Thank you for your time.
County League Seeks Volunteers If you know of someone who may be interested in serving on the County Board, or if you have an interest in doing so, please contact Susan Schwarz, Nominating Committee Chair, or any of her Committee members listed below. In particular, we need a Voter Service Coordinator. Chair: Susan Schwarz (914-332-1301 or sdschwarz@aol.com) Westchester Voters Westchester voters just got smarter. With www.SmartVoter.org, county residents now have an interactive source for non-partisan voting information, thanks to the efforts of the League of Women Voters® of Westchester. Just in time for the September 18th Primary Elections, the League website is ready to provide Westchester voters with easy access to personalized local election information. Don’t know your specific polling place or hours? Unsure what offices are being contested? Care to see a sample ballot before you vote? Want to learn more about the candidates’ experience, credentials, and endorsements? Smart Voters can simply type in their address and, with the click of a mouse, find all this useful, non-partisan information and more. The website also allows users to view results of recent and past elections. While the League of Women Voters® of Westchester will continue to publish and distribute its traditional Voters Guide, both in English and Spanish, in time for general elections, www.SmartVoter.org now provides county voters with a continuously updated source of election information. Don’t have a personal computer? Most local libraries provide access to www.SmartVoter.org on their public computers. More details on our page about voting Download a pdf of the flyer about SmartVoter Westchester County Needs Septic Management! The League of Women Voters of Westchester and LWV New Castle have been collaborating to advocate for a Septic Management Plan for the county. Based on findings and consensus from one county study and two New Castle studies, oversight of these systems is essential to ensure proper functioning and long-term efficacy. To date there have been no requirements for maintenance of the LWV Responds to Draft of The Croton Watershed is a series of interconnected reservoirs and lakes that provides approximately 10% of New York City’s drinking water during normal times and up to 30% during times of drought. It also provides drinking water to parts of the towns of Somers, Yorktown and Cortlandt. Protection of the watershed is critical to ensure safe drinking water to these communities. In January 1998, the ten Croton Watershed towns, Westchester County and he NYC Department of Environmental Protection agreed to participate in the development of the Croton Plan. The purposes of the Plan were: to identify significant sources of pollution in the Croton watershed system; to recommend measures that can be taken by NYC, the counties and the municipalities to improve water quality and to prevent degradation; and to recommend measures to protect the character and special needs of the Croton Watershed communities. After waiting for almost 10 years, a draft of the Croton Plan was finally released in July (to read the draft of the Plan go to www.westchestergov.com/planningdocs/ Download Word doc LWV comments Read the LWV of Westchester newsletter, the COUNTY VOTER Download a pdf file of County League's current newsletter here (past issues, too) See other Leagues' newsletters Take Action! Our Citizen Action Toolkit is an easy-to-use resource for contacting elected officials, or to send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Support League issues with just a few clicks of your mouse. You can sign up for action alerts on the issues that are important to you.Make your voice heard!
Join the League! The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan grassroots organization which promotes informed citizen participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. League members make a difference in their community, statewide and nationally through active volunteering and/or financial support. Membership is open to all citizens of voting age. Non-citizens may join as associates. Students may join at a reduced rate. For further information on membership, contact a local League through the link on this page or e-mail www.lwvwestchester.org with your address and phone number and we will contact you with further information.
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Updated by Valerie Castleman April 27, 2008