I thought Playland was open for the benefit of the "middle and lower classes " not the "upper/investment" class Nelson.

The County is in the midst of a comprehensive study of Playland that is not yet completed. It's a huge capital resource, and until such a plan, which no doubt will have a privitizing element to it, is in place, Astorino evidently decided to keep it open as is for at least another year. Especially since it is, as has been mentioned, a place that contributes to the quality of life of a wide range of people, families in particular.

I can tell you they feel the pain of paying a percentage of their health care unlike a lot of county workers. Some social programs are "need" to have and some are "nice" to have and thats the bottom line. When things are good these programs can be maintained and expanded but right now they have to be cut

HERE HERE!!!!! Great solution!!
Half the population in every town would be gone.

I don't know why people are sooooooo afraid to talk about the school taxes..you're right in that our tax bill is 50 percent school taxes. Although paying the county tax bill is painful when you feel that you get nothing out of it (I'm talking about the middle class not on any entitlement programs), paying school taxes chokes you.

The longest jounnrey starts with just a single step.

Aintthatascam - you sound like s shill for the power elite/investment class. A lot of money is spent to house, educate, provide healthcare, foodstamps, section 8, and so on, to US citizens - how about providing documentation to back your comments (and please don't point us to FOX or any right wing/neo conservative outlets that are tools of the power elite/investment class).

Sounds like in your world, we'd live in a "pay as you go society". If you can't pay for it, you don't get it, ie, healthcare, legal, housing, food, etc. But that's okay. You are probably middle class and have been "turned" to think that none of the problems in this nation are caused by the hugh unequal distribution of wealth, but by all the "illegals" and millions of phantom folks on welfare. Tell me, what are your sources of news and what were the last 5 books you read? Gee, it's time to stop writing, and go down to the range, fire a few rounds from my Yugo SKS and Saiga AK47, then come home, read some stories from "Raw Story.com", and "the American Conservative", make sure my membership to the NRA and ACLU is paid up and take a map.

Where did you see they are cutting Open Door? I read that they are ending their contract. Open Door is a non-profit, not a government agency.

Yeah Paul, let the county legislators control it, like they control the budget. You see where that got us.

Greenburgh school taxes are insane. Get your house in order first Paul.

Here, here! Paul, good points.

Blue, I did not realize that the town supervisor had control over school taxes (other than billing them).

I don't often agree with Supervisor Feiner but on this occasion he hits the mark. If you want to really control spending and cut costs follow the money...the campaign money that is. Campaign contributors should be barred from bidding on county work or campaigns should be barred from accepting or soliciting contributions from contractors. The pay to play that both parties exhibit is shameful.
Also allowing both the Democratic and Republican party chairs to be Commissioners of the Board of Elections is a complete joke. Putting these two party hacks as the chief election officials and the arbiters of fair elections is a sham. Is it any wonder that the last two elections have been ineptly run?
Nothing will ever really change until the tolerated curruption of contractor campaign contributions and crony appointments is recognized and rebelled against by the voters. Until then the faces will change but the game will remain the same.

Paul, before you look at corruption at the county level start with cleaning up Greenburgh's own mess. How much has the court lost $1,000,000? The judges were the primary reason but YOU could have stopped it by cutting their budget. You did not.

You got it Steve. Cut everything that affects the middle and lower classes. touch nothing that will affect the power elite/investment class, nor their ability to hand out patronage to maintain their power base.

Nelson, I am the lower/middle class. And yes, I want to cut the programs in which bureaucrats get $200-500,000 salaries to run something horribly when it be run much better and cheaply in the private sector. For example, my enormous school taxes do not exist for the benefit for the underprivileged children in my town, but for the benefit of the army of overpaid administrators and teachers. This is true for EVERY branch of govt, not just the schools. It still amazes me that there are people in the public who still cannot shake that fallacy.

"if run properly would not be a drain to the taxpayers"? If run privately, it would absolutely not be a drain to taxpayers. "It's a great park that people on all socio-economic levels go to and enjoy." And you think that it is low-cost because the govt runs it? That the govt is more efficient at running things than private owners? In what branch of govt is that true? Or is it cheap because I have a gun to my head and am forced to pay for others' entertainment? On what moral grounds do you agree with that?

The point I have always tried to make is that closing the park is not the answer. The majority of Playland's "loss" is interest on debt servicing...something every park has but only Playland's gets talked about. Even though it is said that Playland loses $4.5 million annually, if Playland closed tomorrow it would still cost the county $3.5 million annually for interest on money they borrow to fix the park, parts of which were neglected for 50 years or more. People who say sell it know nothing about how the laws work concerning dedicated parkland. It's just not something that is possible or likely right now, with all the legislative hurdles that would have to be gone through. By and large, regardless of your politics, most people in Westchester love Playland and have many decades of fond memories there that they want to continue.

"............if run properly".

There you go.

For how many decades has this park been used to enrich the politically connected?

The county should get out of the amuzement part biz. Better yet, someone ought to inspect the books going back 50 years and account for where all the money has gone. Anyway, the entire state seems corrupt. Just look at the MTA.

@Davis - If the park has "enriched" anyone, it has the day laborers who journey "up" from Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, etc. to work in the park.

You obviously do not know anything about Playland. The park has been languishing for years. Infrastructure has been neglected since the 1970's and 2 new rides have been added in the last 8 years. Being someone who has studied the history of Playland, as well as it's finances for the last ten years I can tell you that progress has been made but the park is still a long way from where it needs to be. The park has NOT been cultivated, but rather its been on a decline, which can be seen in attendance, revenue as well as the overall condition of the park. Kudos to Andy Spano for pushing through the rennovation of the Ice Casino, the boathouse, the bathhouse and the music tower. All of the above mentioned structures have not had any renovations done to them since the 50's. You cannot expect seaside structures to not need any maintenace for that long of a time period. It took a piece of wood flying off the Dragon Coaster in 2005 before the county got serious about painting it.

People are already turning elsewhere.To Fairfield County and our business' are going with them. People are right now right here saying enough!! Taxes are too high and the asset is still eroding! Gov is too large and it grows itself to maintain itself. The county police should be downsizing and not taking over the duties of smaller towns to expand itself out of self preservation. How are bloated pensions and benefits for county workers making my life better ? If 250 people have to lose their job to wake people up than I am deeply sorry but thousands had to lose their jobs for the auto unions to wake up and see its not sustainable. Why does Greenburgh, the state AND the county all need nature centers and parks. Its too many layers How does playland make my life better if my taxes make up for its losses and I STILL pay to get it?( nevermind the lack of safety which is why I dont go) I am willing to help pay for those who cannot fully afford but now we are subsidizing on the Federal , State and County level. Not to mention when I lived in Greenburgh. Something somewhere has to give.

@Blue what lack of safety at Playland? No one has EVER been injured at Playland as a result of the poor ride safety maintenance or malfunction. The safety of the rides has never been an issue. Sure, people do get killed or hurt when they do not follow the rules and do stupid things (e.g. taking your seatbelt off on the Mind Scrambler or getting out of a boat inside the Old Mill) but the safety of the park has never had an issues and all the independent reports echoed the same. In 2010 Playland cost east WC household $12 to operate for the year. Taxes are high and I HATE it...I am in favor of lower taxes. Closing Playland would save you less than $3 per household. If that's breaking your bank you should not be living in Westchester at all.

Ar,
Why do you have to end a perfectly legitimate statement with a sarcastic remark? What the reports say and my impression of the people running those rides over the years are different. I saw lack of care everwhere when I used to go nevermind the packs of teens left unchecked. Now to your sarcastic point. How is $3 per household no big deal for Playland but according to Dem. Greenburgh "For Greenberg, raising child-care fees on the working poor even just a few dollars a day could double that cost and force families to utilize other social programs like welfare". How is this possible? Are we all not a bottomless pit of tax money? Apparently every household in the county cannot afford the $3 so your rationalization doesn't hold up. See below my comment on subsidizing everything. I don't use either but I'd rather subsidize child care. If Playland can't sustain itself or be profitable entity ( like county golf) it should be leased out or sold off. IMHO

I hate to have to break it to you but the golf courses are NOT profitable. The reason being is that when the golf course fairways were renovated the county bonded (borrowed money) and STILL pays interest on that debt according to the budget books. But these interest payments are paid for by the park dept general fund whereas Playland's debt servicing is picked up by the park's bottom line itself. EVERY county owned park, golf course, pool, etc...LOSES money. You speak of child care services to the poor. That's not my issue. The county built Playland in 1928 and has owned it since. We can do better to run it, for example the right private company that will restore it and add attractions. Child care services is in my humble opinion FARTHER outside the scope of county government than Playland is. You'll never get me to change my opinion on that.

Fairfield is in Connecticut. Different state, completely different organization of local and municipal governments under its state constitution.

Exactly Joe. Love to know how that magically works?