"Don't cut our pork," moans wealthy NY county.

(Washington, D.C.) - Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today castigated Westchester, NY officials for their vigorous public whining last week in the New York Times and today at a press conference over Bush Administration changes to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.  The White House budget for fiscal 2003 calls for reforming CDBG to redirect funds from wealthy counties to those in greater need of basic infrastructure and development.

"The nation is at war, the economy is in recession, and one of the nation's wealthiest counties is crying that it might  lose some federal funds this year.  Westchester has a per capita income rate more than twice the national average," CAGW President Tom Schatz said.  "They are getting money they don’t need.  Give federal taxpayers a break."

"The White House Office of Management and Budget is absolutely correct that CDBG needs reform," Schatz continued.  "Its formula is outdated, and in recent years, politicians have scavenged this program by diverting funds from real community poverty and using it as one of the main budgetary channels for  pork."

Under the proposed formula, in 2003 Westchester would receive about $3.5 million in federal community grants, as compared with the $7 million it received in 2002.

"In recent years, on top of the grants distributed based on need, politicians in Washington have steered some of these community funds to local theaters, opera houses, and museums in tony towns and counties, which hardly aids the nation's poor," Schatz added.  "Before anyone takes Westchester's crocodile tears too seriously, let's remember how legislators have siphoned off community money in the past two years."

CAGW’s Congressional Pig Book has identified the following pork-barrel projects in fiscal 2001 and 2002:

• $25,000 for construction of the Music Conservatory of Westchester;
• $100,000 for Village of Larchmont streetscape improvements;
• $150,000 for Village of Tuckahoe streetscape improvements;
• $250,000 for Village of Mamaroneck streetscape improvements; and
• $900,000 for water and wastewater infrastructure in the Town and Village of Harrison.

"In times like these, a little belt-tightening is the least we should expect," Schatz concluded.  "Don't cry for me, Westchester County.  Pass on the pork."

Citizens Against Government Waste is the nation's largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.