Legislators Refuse to Cut Senior Funding

Eric Gross Pat Perry of Mahopac Falls makes an impas s ioned appeal to the lawmakers. Tears turned to cheers in Carmel when more than 150 senior citizens who had crowded into the historic Putnam Courthouse for a meeting of the county Legislature’s Health, Social, Educational and Environmental Committee were promised that senior programs would not be impacted by the county’s 2010 budget.

Legislator Sam Oliverio became extremely emotional when addressing the audience: “Government exists to protect the health and safety of its residents. If we cannot do that, government fails. My 83-year-old mother loves her center in Putnam Valley. The laughing eyes make it all worthwhile. We can’t deny anything to those who have made this country and our county great. Senior citizens are the essence of who we are. This legislature will fully restore senior citizens programs slated for the chopping block.”

Eric Gross Residents of Cold Spring carry signs to protest threatened closure of senior citizens programs. Pictured are (l-r) Silvia Rosamova, Elna Winward, her daughter Chris Winward, and Roula Toscano. The more than 150 seniors rose to their feet and cheered and applauded in a scene resembling a high school pep rally.

The uproar created by these proposals resembled a freight train rumbling through a quiet community. A petition drive was begun, as 300 seniors from Cold Spring alone demanded that senior services not be reduced.

In his budget message unveiled three weeks ago, County Executive Robert Bondi called for the elimination of what were described as “quality-of-life, discretionary programs” that included the Adult Day Care programs in Patterson, the Saturday program in Mahopac, and the Cold Spring Center.

Bondi assured the senior citizen population that residents of the affected areas would continue to receive services, with Philipstown seniors being served at the Putnam Valley Center and residents of Carmel, Kent, and Patterson receiving services at the new multimillion-dollar Kent Senior Center, which Bondi said would open late next year.

Legislator Tamagna called the 2010 budget process the “most difficult” he has endured during his tenure as a legislator. “We are one county. Priorities are skewed in this budget. You can’t attack senior citizens—people who have who given their all to make this county the great place it is today. We must respect our elderly, not knock them down. Society will judge us by the way we care for the elderly and those less fortunate then we are. We will restore the three centers and find the money without balancing the budget on the backs of our senior citizens.”

William Huestis, executive director of the Office for the Aging, said services provided by his staff serve as “preventative medicine to pre-institutionalization, by keeping people in their homes and out of nursing home facilities. If adult day care, nutrition, and other quality-oflife programs go by the wayside, more and more people will be entering nursing homes, resulting in additional taxpayer expense.”

Putnam finds itself in a gray belt. Huestis said today’s current senior citizen population of 15,000 will increase to 26,000 within the next five years, with one out of every four residents over the age of 60: “There is a lot at stake here. We realize the economy is in dire straits but we can’t lose our programs.”

For more than two hours last Thursday evening, speaker after speaker addressed the three-member committee that includes Legislators Sam Oliverio, Vincent Tamagna, and Tony Fusco.

Marie Zarcone, president of the Putnam Valley Senior Citizens, told the lawmakers, “Cold Spring deserves a center. Mr. Bondi has made an unfortunate decision.”

Ann Voss of Patterson called the proposed closing of the centers an “absolute sin. Our senior population is growing in leaps and bounds. Money must he spent on the frail and elderly, not for political appointments.”

Chris Winward of Cold Spring spoke on behalf of her mother, who was also in attendance: “It makes no sense to close down senior centers, especially in Cold Spring where 19 percent of the village’s population is elderly compared to 9.9 percent for the remainder of our county.”

Pat Perry of Mahopac urged the lawmakers to override the executive decision: “Senior citizens need more services not less.”

Howard Nichols, who grew up in Cold Spring before relocating to Dutchess County, recalled growing up with a “sense of community. This is Putnam County. We can’t discard our elderly like bags of trash.”

Ellen Tully of Lake Carmel, pastpresident of the Putnam Chapter of the AARP, called senior citizens “friendly people who will give you the shirt off their backs. We look out for each other and have to help each other, as well.”

Philipstown Councilwoman Betty Budney told the legislators, “it will be extremely difficult for seniors to travel to Putnam Valley as proposed by Mr. Bondi. The roads are narrow and dangerous. I promise you—the Philipstown Town Board will not sit by and watch this happen.”

Bondi was not at the meeting, but Commissioner of Finance William Carlin and Deputy County Executive John Tully were in attendance.

Carlin called the tentative executive budget the “most difficult produced in 20 years. The man being demonized tonight built these programs for our seniors over the past two decades. The economy is not about Bob Bondi but about a county that has lost 15 percent of its number one revenue source— county sales tax. The budget does not target senior programs. It contains deep cuts across the board. This is a lousy budget, created during a terrible economy, reaping horrible consequences. We can’t spend money that we don’t have.”

Tully agreed with Carlin, telling the Courier, “Senior programs are important. Mr. Bondi realizes that but the budget has only so many funds that are non-mandated. Remember, 32 people are being laid off along with the elimination of 17 positions. Cuts have been made in every department as well as outside agencies. None of these decisions were easy.”

Tully agreed that no groups had been targeted in the executive budget. “Cuts were made across the board. There is pain in this entire budget.”

Legislator Oliverio asked other members of the legislature for their comments. Legislator Mary Conklin of Patterson expressed sadness that daycare centers were being threatened. “They will be saved,” she said.

Legislator Dini LoBue of Mahopac also supported restoring the funding, as did Legislator Dan Birmingham of Brewster, who told the audience, “We will find money in the budget to restore the needed funding.”

Legislature Chairman Tony Hay of Southeast told the gathering: “Senior citizens have paid their dues for a long, long, time. The centers will be saved.”

Legislator Fusco also promised to support the seniors. “We heard you,” he said. “Other places in the budget will be cut. Sufficient funding will be found.”