DRAFT

MINUTES

TASK FORCE ON FAMILIES

APRIL 7, 1997

12 NOON

(Audio tape on file)

PRESENT: Co-Chairs, Lois Bronz, Paul Noto Members: Amy Paulin, Dr. Maria Munoz-Kantha, Legislator Joseph Delfino Secretary: Lynne Creighton

OTHERS: James Winer, Town Supervisor’s Office, Town of

Greenburgh Edgemont High School: Helene Rothstein, teacher John Mezzacappa, teacher, Students: Delphine Sherman, Yassir Hussain, TaUana Keaton-Woods, Prem Itharat, Beth Brecker, Ruth Goldstein, League of Women Voters

The meeting was called to order at 12:20pm by Mr. Noto.

There was a discussion on the Task Force’s Year-End Report, with suggestions made concerning clarification, content, changes, etc.

At the February 24 meeting of the Task Force on Families, Mrs. Paulin asked Commissioner Glass to supply the task force with answers to the following questions:

What is Westchester’s paternity establishment rate?

What is the County’s collection rate, in terms of cases and in terms of dollars?

The Task Force asked Lynne to write a letter to Commissioner Glass requesting a response to the above questions.

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At this point, the students who were in attendance for Legislative

Day, sponsored by the League of Women Voters, joined the meeting and Mr. Noto explained that the Task Force on Families had originally been called the Task Force on Women and Youth at Risk, but because the task force was so successful, it was expanded to the Task Force on Families.

Mr. Noto further explained that the task force had done reports on domestic violence, on how Westchester County handles child sexual abuse cases, and that the task force is evaluating how Westchester County does child support collection. He said that the task force was in the process of writing a final report to the County that will contain a number of recommendations, i.e., parents that don’t pay child support should be jailed on weekends.

Mrs. Bronz added that the task force had been successful in

getting Westchester County to establish a Domestic Violence Council which addresses how we deal with instances of domestic violence.

Mrs. Paulin explained that she was a task force member due to the fact that two or three years ago at the Legislative Conference one of the issues of the League of Women Voters was to create a task force. The students lobbied the County Board for the task force,

which was appointed by the Board Chairman. Since Mrs. Paulin was President of the League of Women Voters at the time, she was appointed as a member.

There was a discussion on three issues that the students wanted to address:

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The question was whether the Task Force supported the resolution limiting gun licenses and Mr. Noto said he did, and further stated

that Westchester County has one of the toughest gun control laws

in the country, and that Washington, D.C. was the only other state whose gun control laws were tougher.

Mr. Noto feels that the focus should be on stricter penalties for those who commit crimes using guns and focusing on getting rid

of the number of guns sold without restriction in states such as

Florida and Virginia. Mr. Noto said that we need to control the flow

of guns into New York.

Mrs. Bronz agreed with Mr. Noto and said that she had strong feelings about gun trafficking from out of state, and that there

was no question that the out-of-state purchase of guns and the

trafficking into New York state has a significant impact on the gun

violence in our state.

Mrs. Paulin said that a significant amount of guns are in the hands of

inappropriate people and purchased illegally. She also said that by tracking weapons you limit the amount of guns getting into the wrong

hands. Mrs. Paulin said that Westchester gun owners did not go through an FBI check, but only through a New York State check, since the Brady Law was fairly new.

Mr. Delfino said he supports registration, but that whoever wants to get a gun will get one. He brought up the subject of computers to track weapons and the concern that the County Clerk’s office should be doing it or that it should be done nationally. Mr. Delfino said that

Legislation is looking into the use of computers.

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Ms. Keaton-Woods wanted to know if campaign financing would reduce the level of cynicism.

Mr. Noto replied that it depends on what that reform is. He also said he was not sure eliminating political parties and taking away from them any role in fundraising and supporting candidates wouldn’t actually be a disservice to the two-party system and the health of

our democracy. Mr. Noto said we need reasonable campaign finance reform and that it was not a serious problem on the County Legislature level, and that absolute disclosure is important as well as reasonable limits on spending.

Mrs. Bronz said she felt the level of cynicism would be reduced if

the public knew more and had an opportunity to evaluate sources

of funding because the impression is that some legislators can be bought. Mrs. Bronz said she agreed with Mr. Noto that it’s not as

much of an issue on the County level as it is on the State and Federal levels.

Mrs. Bronz also said we do need limits on campaign spending.

Mr. Delfino said that it would be beneficial if everyone gave $l during the tax process to be divided equally to every candidate, incumbent and non-incumbent, to minimize spending. Each candidate would get a certain amount of money. Mr. Delfino said that he also supports some kind of reform.

The question was should prisoners have to pay for incarceration.

Mr. Noto said he was skeptical because most people in jail can’t afford to pay because they are poor.

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Mrs. Bronz said they are already paying by giving up access to family and those things not measured in dollars, and she is leaning towards not supporting such a proposal. Mrs. Bronz said that the majority of

people that are incarcerated could not afford to pay.

Mr. Delfino said that one of the objectives is to bring people back into society when they are incarcerated.

The Task Force, as well as Legislator Delfino, thanked the students and teachers for attending the meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:05 PM.