Unveiling of the Rethinking Westchester Government initiative in White Plains, New York, on Dec. 17. Opening remarks made by the Honorable Joseph DioGuardi:

Good morning everybody! Welcome to a citizens initiative. Let me say how proud I am to stand next to an elected official from Westchester County, Paul Feiner, a Democrat, my mother’s favorite elected official. She couldn’t wait to vote for you, Paul, so you’re a great......

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Breaking News! Rethinking Westchester Government Press Confrence December 17th 2009

Rethinking Westchester Government will hold a press conference on Thursday, December 17, at 11:00 a.m., in front of the Westchester County Center in White Plains.

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We Pay The Highest Taxes In The Nation

According to data from the U.S, Census Bureau, Westchester taxpayers pay the highest property taxes in the United States.

The median property tax bill in Westchester was $8,422 last year - the highest of all comparable counties. The median property tax bill for the rest of NY State was $3,486. Nationwide, it was $1,838.

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County Executive Spano's 24 Hour Security Detail Costs Taxpayers Over $329,000 Every Year.

Westchester County assigns our County Executive with 24-hour police protection. This is excessive since there haven't been reports of the County Executive being physically threatened. The County Executive has taken his security detail with him outside the county - billing the taxpayers for the bodyguards’ hotel rooms, food, overtime costs. Is this necessary? If there are no reported incidents of the County Executive being threatened here in Westchester- isn't it even less likely that the County Executive would need security protection outside of Westchester?

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The Westchester County Board of Legislators Cost County Taxpayers $4,722,056 a Year.

If Westchester County Legislature were eliminated, there would be an immediate savings of $4,722,056 – the cost of the body alone.

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A County Employee Billed Westchester Taxpayers for his Cigars, Books, Electronics and Art Collection.

Should we be spending taxpayer dollars on a collection of works by underground cartoonist R. Crumb? Should taxpayer funds be used for high tech gadgets shipped to the home of a Legislative aide? Software for manuscript and screenplay writing? Books and how to software for drawing comics?

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One County Employee Collected $181,783 in Overtime Last Year.

Westchester County's top earner last year was a correction officer who took home $288,381, much of it in extra pay.

The county payroll topped $399.8 million in 2007 with 74 percent of overtime and other pay going to police and correction officers, according to a Journal News analysis of payroll data obtained under state Freedom of Information Law.

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