Astorino Answers Budget Questions From Bedford NY Voters | Bedford NY Real Estate
County Executive Rob Astorino was peppered with questions about his proposed $1.78 billion 2011 budget at Monday night's Bedford Armonk Rotary meeting, even as he was exiting the room to attend another community meeting in Somers. Though the atmosphere was not as charged as previously held public hearings on the budget, attendees challenged Astorino on several proposed cuts—including reductions in child care subsidies and the elimination of $1.3 million in funds to the Cornell Cooperative Extension—and demanded explanations on costs associated with employee contracts. Astorino's proposed operating budget calls for a decrease in spending of $33 million from the $1.819 billion budget of 2010. If no cuts were made, this year's budget would have increased by a projected $116 million. When crafting the budget, he and his staff focused on providing essential services, he said. Approximately 85 people attended the meeting, hosted by the recently formed Bedford ...