Hartsdale Fire District Residents Head To The Polls

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Good luck to both canidates! Wish I could help campaign and vote!

GREENBURGH —Voters head to the polls tomorrow to elect a new commissioner in the Hartsdale Fire District.

Frances Stanley, a member of the district's Board of Fire Commissioners, is facing a challenge from Mark Cohen, a 27-year district resident, and Richard Leo, who recently retired from the fire department as a deputy chief.

Cohen, 57, who served six years on the Ardsley Board of Education, is critical of the fire district's decision to override the state's new 2 percent property tax cap.

The tax levy in the 2012 proposed budget would increase by 6.9 percent to $9.9 million.

Cohen also said the district should be more transparent, noting meeting minutes and detailed budget information are not available on the district's website.

"There's no transparency," Cohen said. "People are extremely pleased with the services they get (but) people are extremely frustrated with the taxes that they pay."

Stanley, who has served on the board for 26 years, said the district exceeded the tax cap because of pension costs and the increasing number of tax certioraris — legal challenges to property assessments.

"We have to make sure we have money there to pay (the certioraris) off," Stanley said. "We have cut our costs to the bare minimum."

Leo, who worked for the district for 34 years before retiring in October, said he would look for ways to save money and fight against unfunded state mandates. He said his experience would prove valuable.

"I've seen the department from the volunteers up to the top of the command structure," said Leo, 57. "I just feel at this time I have much to offer."

Polls will open tomorrow from 3 to 9 p.m. at Fire Station 1, 25 S. Central Ave.

The five fire commissioners serve five-year terms and one seat is up for election every year.

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Well, like I figured, Stanley is continuing her 26 year strongholder reign on the district. It's probaly easy when you have people pick up your friends and drive people to the polls, and make limited hours to vote. (in addition to trying to keep it as top secret as possible).I wonder if anything would change if they placed the polls near the train station during the morning and evening rush, when most Hartsdale residents are passing through? Or also have polls at Station 2 as well? That's how she's made it 26 years. I mean, a 7% tax hike in addition to the tax hikes in the past few years, and she's still in office? What kind of people would vote for a Commisioner that points blame and doesn't offer up any solutions?

If I was Richard Coen, I would demand a recount.

Hopefully, next year, another Commisioner will be knocked out and some new blood put in.

Until then, the citizens are going to pay 7% MORE in taxes, on top of already ridiclously high fire district taxes, with less staffing and bare bones operating budget due to poor management of the district by the Commisioners, which is covered up so no resident is aware of what is going on. The millions of dollars that have been wasted and expense not properly planned for. The district is actually getting worse, as they are currently operating a 23 year old ladder truck that saw busy service in an urban community staffed by only one firefighter, amongst other things.

26 years is a reign. In my views, that's not ethical for someone to hold an elected post that long, especially when most of the other commisioners have been there just as long. And note, these are the people that rally to strip workers of their rights, deny them of what is rightfully theirs, and fight over every little detail they can, and will stop at no expense to do so.

http://whiteplains.lohudblogs.com/2011/12/13/stanley-re-elected-as-hartsdale-fire-commissioner/

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2 words...TERM LIMITS!!!! No one person should be there for 25 plus years.

[helicopper 1,050]

2 words...TERM LIMITS!!!! No one person should be there for 25 plus years.

I've had the same argument countless times with my dad and he maintains that there are term limits. They're called elections. If people choose not to vote someone out or vote new blood in we have nobody to blame but ourselves.

It's a cogent argument. Drives me nuts!

[ny10570 745]

That argument goes out the window every time a voter casts their ballot for a dead person. not enough people vote and of those that do, too many vote out of habit rather than with their head.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

OK. I'm going to bite at the dangling carrot, but I want to say I am writing this as if it was any fire district or municipality. I have no opinion of the one mentioned in the original post other then there are some very dedicated and talented personnel that work there.

Outside of the incumbent which there is at least one person who its clear would not vote for her, I have this one simple question? On average what does a 7% increase actually mean on average to the taxpayer? While its nice and I see it all the time those who are opposed to tax increases always and consistently throw out the increase in the percentage number. I mean if I weren't versed in statistics and math I would initially look at that 7% and even think to myself..."7%..that's utterly ridiculous and an unbearable and unreasonable increase!" But..being I do understand statistics, math and even how statistics can be turned to support or defend a cause, I know that 7% overall really means nothing but a number. I've seen 10 and 15% tax increases that people were up in arms in and when in a college government class, we broke them down and found that it equated to a tax increase no more then what equated for homeowners to a pack of cigarettes a month (yes NY prices) or 3 lattes. And it can also be shown that cost increases for more staffing can be offset with savings on fire insurance premiums.

If you look at any district or municipality there are things that flat out simply cost money, personnel being a huge one. Pension and health care costs have risen sharply every year. Equipment needs to be maintained or replaced, buildings need maintenance and in many of our cases needed to be replaced 10 years ago..not 10 years from now.

I have no intimate details about the hartsdale fire district so I cannot comment on them...and even if I did I wouldn't as its none of my business or my concern being I don't work nor live there. All I can say is that if the tax increases were a huge problem for people they would find a way to either change leadership or become active in the discussions. There are laws that require certain types of disclosure and I'm sure they'd have to be meeting it or someone would be on top of that. Also on a side note, why not have polling stations on every corner..there are those that don't vote for president, governor etc and they don't make it any easier for them. Even fire commissioner elections are governed by similar principles.

[gklein4 18]

Frances Stanley won a contested election for Hartsdale Fire Commissioner earlier this week. The vote was close. Frances Stanley received 127 votes. Mark Cohen received 122 votes. And, Richard Leo got 42 votes. This was the first contested election in over a decade. Congratulations to Frances Stanley on her win….and congrat's to Mark & Richard for providing the electorate with the opportunity to choose among candidates.

Town Board to vote on 2012 budget on Tuesday morning at 9:30 AM

PAUL FEINER

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@alsfirefighter

She's been in office for 26 years. It's been proven time and time again that the board she has served on has failed to have financial foresight, or plan for future expenses. She's also shown how fiscally irresponsible she is. What has been her accomplishments during the past 24 years?

I'm very interested in knowing who voted for her.

7% is a big tax hike. The taxes in Greenburgh are already ridiculous, and the taxes in Hartsdale Fire District have been going up yearly.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

@alsfirefighter

Ok..and again..I have to say what does a 7% tax increase mean on average to the taxpayer in a dollar amount. If taxes are ridiculous in Greenburgh..so be it. But I bet people don't complain about their services. If I was running a fire district..I need to worry about my fire district. Not the school taxes or local taxes. You can't tell me that people in Greenburgh are paying $10,000 in fire district taxes. Lets say they were paying $5000 in fire tax. At 7% that's a $350 increase. A whopping $29 more a month. That is noting compared to what most people actually waste in a month. The latte factor at its best.

And again I will state...I have no vested interest in whoever gets in a commissioner in any fire district but the one I'm in. Nor do I know anything about that woman.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

I've had the same argument countless times with my dad and he maintains that there are term limits. They're called elections. If people choose not to vote someone out or vote new blood in we have nobody to blame but ourselves.

It's a cogent argument. Drives me nuts!

Best answer I've ever seen.

[ex-commish 490]

I've had the same argument countless times with my dad and he maintains that there are term limits. They're called elections. If people choose not to vote someone out or vote new blood in we have nobody to blame but ourselves.

It's a cogent argument. Drives me nuts!

Your dad is correct. There is a limit. After 5 years the term is up and there is an epection. Like any other elected offical if you feel that person is not living up to the expectations he/she was elected for you vote them out.

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Being a Commisioner for 26 years is not a reason for someone to be the best fit.

The Commisioners have a responsibilty to the taxpayers to account for their actions. You say that 7% isn't that much money, but what happens when the taxes get raised year after year? $29 buys me a tank of gas. A package of diapers. Food. To some people on a budget or fixed income, $29 may be a lot of money.

Besides the fire district, Greenburgh has ridiculously high taxes for other things, such as the crappy school district. I know, I've paid these taxes, and my parents have as well, both for business and residential. I've gone through records a while back, and the rise in Hartsdale's ever-increasing fire taxes have not corrolated to any increase in service, addition to staffing, or timely equipment replacement. They don't even run EMS first response, except PD/EMS assists. They pay a CFR stipend, and some CFR's have even expired or forgotten their training due to no CE. They don't make EMT part of the pre or post hiring requirements.

In fact, some of the biggest budget expenditures are maintaining the Gamewell Box system, which for the most part has reached obselence in the district..This includes the two department "electricians", who are given a stipend for the extra work. A non-EVT, non ASE, non factory certified firefighter is also given a generous stipend for being the department "mechanic", with a large budget for parts and tools. They actually pay more for that then anything EMS, like EMS training or reponse.

When I moved in early 2008, the firehouse expansion project at Station 2, and the firehouse expansion project at Station 1, both floated during the economic upswing, had cost the district 10+ million dollars in bonds, which they will be paying off for a while and also increased taxes. Also, most of their firefighters can easily make over six figures a year which adds to a whopping payroll. And it's drilled into you not to discuss payroll, especially to the taxpayer. As mentioned, they don't require EMT, College Credits, nothing. Being a Volunteer, related to a Commisioner, or those who are friends with those related to Commisioners count though. Why do you think so many firefighters transfer to Hartsdale? Less work and more money. The whole "we don't have to train them" is BS.

There needs to be more transparency within the district. They need to explain to the people who are paying for the tax increase exactly where the money is going, who it is going to, what for, and why. "Tax Ceratoris" aren't the only problem. They also need to explain how they calculate for anticipated expenses and capital equipment replacement.

And as far as voting, you can only go vote between 3pm and 9pm at one station. They try to minimize voter turnout, and count on the fact that the current Commisioners can round up their elderly friends, and drive them to the diner only steps away from the voting machine "to eat" after they vote. How they get elderly residents to vote for a 7% tax increase is beyond me. And a lot of Hartsdale residents are commuters, and this gives them limited ability to vote. Especially during Christmastime, when everybody is focused on the Holiday.

I know people in Greenburgh that are paying $16,000 in combinded taxes a year for a raised ranch on a small piece of property.

People have the responsibility to vote, and we have the responsibilty to do everything we can to enhance that. For instance, in Oregon, they mail you a ballot. In the packet, they have information on each canidate and where they stand. You have two weeks to inform yourself and make a decision. They have one of the highest voter turnouts in the nation.

"I place economy among the first and most important virtues, and public debt as the greatest of dangers. To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. If we can prevent the Government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of caring for them, we will be happy."

-THOMAS JEFFERSON

I would love to see the results of a NYS audit.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

For you it means a pack or so of diapers. But I'm also willing to bet as anyone there is always the "latte" factor (its a good book by the way and I used some of the input in it to save money to buy my new house). If you like where you live..then its simple you do what you must. And again...I do my part if I feel a tax increase is impact above and beyond what the service is...to the one that's that issue. I don't complain to my village of a tax increase because "my taxes are high" because of the school district. Also like it or not some increases will always happen. Simply put pension increases have been very difficult on all entities responsible for them. As well as health care costs. But if a $29 a month increases in taxes is really that taxing..no pun intended...you have bigger issues then that. If I were charged with budgeting, I certainly would do all I could to keep it down. But reality is reality and things do need to get paid for and it isn't to say that things prior to a new person coming in that it still wouldn't have to raise taxes near that percentage. Its simple..if you want to live there you're going to pay high taxes. I couldn't move there tomorrow and start complaining about the taxes. No more then Scarsdale, Harrison, Rye, etc.

Also I still haven't heard anyone chime in to what a 7% tax increase is..or what the average or what their fire tax bill is annually.

If the residents of Hartsdale Fire District wanted more transparency I'm sure they'd ask for it or if they weren't up to snuff on legal requirements someone would have caught on by now.

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If the residents of Hartsdale Fire District wanted more transparency I'm sure they'd ask for it or if they weren't up to snuff on legal requirements someone would have caught on by now.

I think one resident gave up on that and moved on to a much more progressive society.

I maintain my view that elected officials should do things to stabilize or reduce taxes, use their roles to modernize and make their dollars go further. They also must prudently plan for their financial future-proactively. And conserve in "boom times". Hiking taxes or blaming the workforce isn't the answer for every financial problem.

I'm not going to even start on the whole "Westchester has high taxes, deal with it" issue...lol.