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Astorino (R-Mount Pleasant), who is leaving office in three weeks, announced he is vetoing the $1.8 billion budget because it raises property taxes two percent.
“There’s no reason to raise property taxes on the already overburdened residents and businesses of Westchester," Astorino said. "I proposed a budget that was balanced and provided sufficient revenues for county services. For that reason, I will veto the budget and its tax increase approved by the Board of Legislators.”
Since he took office in 2010, Astorino has vowed to not increase county taxes.
Legislators claim they have enough votes to override any Astorino veto, approving their budget 12-5 Monday. Twelve votes are needed to override a veto.
The budget scraps the $30 million Astorino said the county would receive from privatizing Westchester County Airport and increases funding for non-profits and adds positions on the county executive's office and department of public works.
"We needed to get real with our finances," Majority Leader Catherine Borgia (D-Ossining said. "The proposal given to us was far from that.”
Astorino was defeated in his bid for a third term last month by George Latimer.
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