North Castle Supervisor Election news | Armonk Real Estate

In a recent communication from Mike Schiliro, he states: “North Castle is financially strong again.” Mike and I agree!

But the fact is, Mike is taking credit for the fiscally responsible policies of my administration, which he actually opposed at every turn. Here are the facts: o Mike claims that he “led the Town to adopt fiscally responsible policies.” He actually did the opposite. In 2011, Mike jacked up the Fund Balance to the minimum 10% level Moody’s recommends by borrowing 2.5 million dollars. Raising the Fund Balance --our emergency reserves-- by borrowing is fiscally irresponsible. It creates the perception of financial health when no operational improvements have actually been made. In 2010, Mike increased the Fund Balance by cutting critical expenditures on infrastructure and essential services, even suspending our sports field maintenance program. Both of Mike’s approaches to raising the Fund Balance-–borrowing and slashing services-- are irresponsible and unsustainable. byo The largest and only legitimate increase in the Fund Balance occurred during my administration and under my leadership. During 2012, my first year in office, the Fund Balance increased by over one million dollars to the highest level in a decade. This increase, for which Mike took credit (see his own chart), was achieved without any borrowing. Rather, it was done the right way through more efficient management -- competitive bidding, improved technology, cost savings initiatives, employee attrition, and medical benefit reforms. o Instead of working with me, Mike opposed my fiscally responsible initiatives. Mike voted AGAINST virtually every taxpayer savings that I proposed: He voted AGAINST our new medical benefits policy which reduced the Town’s unfunded pension liability by $17mm over future decades He voted AGAINST dismissing an employee who was earning pension benefits while collecting salary for a no show job. – (Source: Official Town Board Record 6/27/12 and 8/28/12, respectively) o Mike asserts that he is rescuing North Castle by working with Moody’s to restore our downgraded bond rating. He neglects to mention that the downgrade occurred in December 2009 after he was in office a full two years. At that time, Moody’s wrote that the downgrade reflects: “the town’s weakened financial position due to aggressive budgeting and structurally imbalanced operations.” Mike is trying to take credit for attempting to fix a problem that occurred on his own watch. o Despite assuming the mantle of fiscally responsibility, Mike continues to advocate that our Town borrow its way forward. At a recent work session, Mike took the fiscally irresponsible position that the Town should borrow 12.5 million dollars over the next 5 years which would reverse the gains that we’ve made under my leadership. I urge you to consider these facts and support the Supervisor who presided over the Town’s return to financial strength, not the Council member who stood in the way. Sincerely, Howard Arden, Town Supervisor