Tax Increases, Tax Exemptions, Bonds or Bust!

The May 24th town board meeting presented me with more questions. Plus, the tension in the room was palpable.

As far as the “courthouse” this town is plagued with “opportunistic exploitation.” Too many construction companies jump on the GRAVY TRAIN.  Every contract, including the Moreno company, should know they’re not the only rodeo in town.  Competitive bidding helps companies keep their costs in check. Unbridled spending is why Greenburgh has a problem. As mentioned last night.  Why were the town vehicle purchases allowed to be a “free for all”? Why was it discovered after the fact?   

Police Station: propose a reasonable budget to add the necessary modifications to have bathrooms. Bonds have interest and consequences for residents.

Increase parking by removing police cars that sit in the vicinity of resident/visitor parking.  Why are underutilized police vehicles taking up valuable spaces? Renting a separate location would be a good fit. Also, why does the police chief of this town have 2, $100,000 vehicles to travel around with?  One unmarked car could suffice. 

As a residents of this town, we’ve witnessed outrageous salaries and a school district that has a budget of $87,000,000. When neighboring school districts function for $30,000,000 less. This town is unaffordable, the birthrate dropped and we have expenses that are unsustainable. Our children are moving away. MORE assisted living facilities are popping up to gently ease seniors out of their beloved homes into a place that will gladly spend their $6,000-$8,000. a month (taken from their home's sale price).

This is PARASITIC & UNACCEPTABLE! 

WHY?

The yearly tax ASSESSMENTS makes living here a predatory process. To ENGAGE IN THIS process to give all school districts relief from certiorari's is NOT fair.  If their budgets were smaller, it's possible less people would grieve.

• The Hackley connection: Legislators are derelict of their duties . It took a curious resident to FILE a FOIL to figure out this nefarious private school with an EXCESSIVE annual income is parasitically robbing its HOST, the taxpayers.   HACKLEY CLAIMS 85% OF THEIR INCOME IS FROM TUITION.  IT IS not.  They’ve perfected & profitted from their practice of the ABUSE of our tax-exempt laws. This emboldened them to remove more single-family homes from the tax rolls. They give their employees perks at the sacrifice of taxpayers.
• What will ALL OF YOU DO about this practice?
• How many board members read all of the tax-exempt rolls each year?  If I can devote 7 hours a year, you can too.
• If the sewer and water bills are NO longer subsidized by the taxpayers, how did this happen?
• Who will review the wholly exempt tax rolls and implore legislation to stop the hemorrhaging of the taxpayers?   
• HACKLEY SHOULD LOSE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING TAX EXEMPT; they violated the trust of the very taxpayers that afforded them the opportunity to build their brand.
• WE the people are subsidizing all of the single-family homes removed from the tax rolls by Hackley. Although I took the data and sent an e-mail to the Tarrytown School district and Tarrytown board, this practice of using the court system to further disenfranchise taxpayers MUST stop. 
• Beyond the forensic REVIEW, this board and supervisor have an opportunity to influence the outdated laws on the books. Legislators are oblivious to the plight of the residents of Greenburgh
• (Unincorporated Greenburgh pays more in taxes than Fairview, WHY? 

My request to put a freeze on all unsold wholly exempt properties would help ALL residents. 

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF: Greenburgh sold 5 properties at a foreclosure auction this past week and recovered $544,624- the delinquency amount. The Town Board will need to approve the sales. Under NY Real Property Law Section 1142 if any of the properties are the resident’s primary residence, the residents are entitled to any surplus resulting from the sale of the property which would need to be held in escrow as surplus.  We anticipate two additional foreclosure sales within the next year.  

FOIL: How many residents didn't or couldn’t pay their property taxes in January of 2026? April 2026?  If the school tax bill was one lump sum like the April town tax bill, more people would pay attention. Tuesday’s Greenburgh Central School District Budget vote outcome 807-yes, 502-no. Thanks to the efforts of Greenburgh Action Alliance, people are beginning to pay attention.

This town board and supervisor cannot keep the school district woes and town woes separate.    

“THIS LETTER FROM THE SANTOS FAMILY IS 1 OF HUNDREDS INCAPABLE OF PAYING THE NEWEST TAX INCREASES: 3.5 % for the town and 3.2 % for the school district.

On April 17th Venita Howard (Receiver of Taxes) and I received a nice note from the Santos family (they gave me permission to use their name). 

 “I am writing to thank you both for your recent letter and for offering us the opportunity to enter into a payment plan agreement for our outstanding taxes. Your outreach and willingness to work with us has made an inconvenient situation much more manageable. I am pleased to share that since we have entered into the payment agreement, we have successfully paid off the outstanding taxes. Because of your assistance, we were able to avoid foreclosure, which means more than we can express.”

Venita Howard, the Receiver of Taxes and I are more than willing to help residents avoid foreclosure. We want to make this as stress-less a process as possible.

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Town Supervisor”

Film permits: Its great film companies want to film here. A $10,000. Film permit revenue in the general fund is good for all of us.  WHY are tax exempt properties allowed to profit from filming, storing movie equipment, food trucks, etc?  WE THE PEOPLE subsidize their property taxes? Those earnings should also go into the General fund. This is how we can avoid more property tax increases. This MUST change.  Who will step up? 

What's wrong in Greenburgh? The parasitic taxes have exhausted the monetary capabilities of the host – the taxpayers. Residents that live in condos and co-ops that pay (65%) of the school taxes are still asleep. Although new condo owners pay 100%, it's too little, too late. The Legislators are not legislating. 

Most contracts are NEVER under budget, nor are they on time.  I recommend ALL contracts for Outside agencies to study the 4 corners project be null and void.

I implore this town board to sue the company that dragged out the 100 East Hartsdale Plumbing debacle. This project is costly regardless of the “savings” mentioned last night. I implore the entire town board to put pressure on Legislators to reel in the tax-exempt properties and the laws that govern them.  

There are many issues facing the taxpayers of this town; you possess the power, motivation, inclination and intelligence to get this issue resolved. This is not the end of the issues I didn't have time to bring up in my allotted 5 minutes.  To be continued… 

“If you give a man a fish, he will only eat for a day.  If you teach him how to fish, he will eat for a lifetime.”   

 

Respectfully,

Lorraine C.

Hartsdale resident since 1993

Memorial Day

 

Honoring Those Who Gave The Ultimate Sacrifice

Damaged Central Ave Sewer Line Update

In April I was appointed to be Commissioner of the Department of Public Works. I have more than 40 years of construction experience and aware that there are accepted engineering methods available to repair sewer infrastructure located beneath or adjacent to existing structures. As the Commissioner of Public Works and as a taxpayer, I believe the Town must fully evaluate these repair options before proceeding with what is now estimated to be a $24 million public sewer project with an additional cost to the 100 East Hartsdale Avenue Building owners of approximately $600,000.

Yesterday I received what could be very good news regarding the ongoing sewer emergency at 100 East Hartsdale Avenue. Recent high-resolution sewer inspections have produced important new information about the location and condition of the damaged sewer line, which may change the scope, cost, and overall approach to the project.

In May 2024, the Town received a report that sewage was entering the garage at 100 East Hartsdale Avenue and the Water Department responded. The Town attempted to clear the sewer but was unable to clear the blockage. An investigation determined that a brick manhole located in front of the building had collapsed. The manhole is connected to a 16-inch sanitary sewer line that runs beneath the building and parking garage. The collapse occurred shortly after Con Edison performed gas work and excavation activities in the immediate area.

Following the collapse, the Town attempted to clean and inspect the sewer line with CCTV equipment. However, due to heavy blockages and debris, the Town was unable to confirm the exact location or extent of the failure. To maintain sewer service, the Town installed emergency temporary bypass pumps, which remain in operation today. These pumps have required continuous maintenance and repeated emergency repairs due to pump failures at a monthly cost of approximately $240,000 - $260,000. To date, the Town has spent approximately $5.5 million on bypass pumping operations.

Because the original camera footage was unclear, the Town’s consulting engineer assumed the sewer failure was located beneath or immediately next to the building foundation. Based on that assumption, a sewer reroute project around the structure was proposed. That plan involves difficult excavation between buildings, limited site access, easements, and the reconnection of private sewer laterals in the 100 East Hartsdale Avenue building to a new public sewer main. The reroute project, originally estimated to cost $7-12 million, is currently estimated to cost between $24 million and $29 million, while also requiring the building owner to spend approximately $600,000 to extend and connect the private sewer connections to the public main.

In order to determine where the break was, I had a specialized sewer inspection contractor clean and inspect the line. Last week, the contractor successfully cleared the sewer and recorded new high-resolution CCTV footage. The footage we received Friday confirms that the sewer pipe beneath the building remains in generally good condition and that the damaged section is located beneath the front sidewalk approximately 7-9 feet from the collapsed manhole. The sewer line beneath the building and parking garage has not failed.

Yesterday, Town staff met with the Town’s emergency contractor and a secant pile specialist after they reviewed the footage. During that meeting, they confirmed that a secant pile system appears capable of allowing the damaged section of pipe to be safely exposed and repaired in place while minimizing impacts to adjacent structures, groundwater conditions, and neighboring properties.

A secant pile system is a specialized construction method that creates a reinforced underground retaining wall using overlapping concrete piles drilled into the ground with minimal vibration. This approach allows excavation work to occur safely in tight urban areas and near existing structures while controlling soil movement and groundwater infiltration.

Based upon this new information, I have directed DPW staff to pause additional sewer reroute design work until the repair-in-place option is fully evaluated.

An in-place repair offers major advantages. It would be millions less, faster to complete, and far less disruptive to residents, businesses, and surrounding properties. And because the existing private sewer laterals (the pipes that connect the building’s internal plumbing system to the public sewer main) would remain undisturbed, the building owner would avoid the estimated $600,000 cost for extending those connections. Board of Health approval would also not be required.

Additional high-resolution CCTV inspections are scheduled for this week to inspect the sewer line between 120 and 100 East Hartsdale Avenue to further evaluate the overall condition of the line.

Many of the questions submitted for tonight’s meeting were based on the previously proposed sewer reroute plan, which is on hold while the Town completes additional camera inspections and evaluates the newly identified repair-in-place option. We understand the community’s interest and concerns regarding the reroute, and if, after a full evaluation, the Town determines that a reroute remains the appropriate course of action, we will address those questions in detail at that time and provide the necessary information to residents.

DPW will continue to provide updates following receipt and review of the additional inspection footage.

Respectively,
Frank Morabito
DPW Commissioner/ Building Inspector

Taxed Enough – Vote No for Greenburgh’s School Budget

 

Happy Mother’s Day

 

Dear Members of the Board of Education

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a former member of this Board, I write with growing alarm about the district’s apparent unwillingness to rein in its ever-expanding financial appetite.

The newly adopted budget reflects a 3.03% increase over last year, bringing district spending to roughly $87 million for approximately 1,700 students. That translates to more than $50,000 per student per year, a level that rivals what families pay for private school. Yet this district does not deliver results that justify such extraordinary spending. Its performance remains modest at best, while taxpayers are asked year after year to shoulder an ever-higher burden.

This is happening at a time when families are already under significant financial strain. Town taxes, utility costs, fuel, food, and the general cost of living continue to rise, while wages do not keep pace. In that environment - which will only worsen with the current geopolitical situation - the Board’s repeated answer cannot simply be to raise the levy again, and again.
Just as troubling is the broader effect on the community. A district with high taxes, rising per-pupil costs, and only middling outcomes does not strengthen local property values; it depresses them. It makes the community less attractive to prospective buyers, less affordable to current residents, and more vulnerable to long-term decline. A school district cannot preserve itself by steadily weakening the tax base on which it depends.

Where is the serious public discussion of consolidating building use, rethinking transportation patterns, aligning staffing with enrollment realities, reevaluating the district’s heavy reliance on costly special education placements and services, and pursuing real operational efficiencies? Where is the evidence of strategic thinking equal to the scale of the problem? Fiscal stewardship requires more than approving annual increases rooted in "wish lists".

If the Board shows itself incapable of engineering a structure that is educationally effective, financially sustainable, and fair to the broader community, then more fundamental alternatives will inevitably enter the public discussion.

Sincerely,

Tanya Dragic

Happy Easter

Happy Passover

 

Major Water Main Break Impacts Edgemont Community

An Open Letter to Supervisor Feiner: Reflections and Feedback Following Last Month’s Water Main Break in Edgemont

Posted on February 3, 2026

Dear Supervisor Feiner,

I am writing in my capacity as President of the Edgemont Community Council (ECC). Since I’ve just learned there was a meeting last night of your Emergency Communications Task Force that I was excluded from despite your earlier invitation, I am writing to share directly my observations regarding communications around the recent major water main break that impacted much of the Edgemont neighborhood beginning at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, January 18, and continuing until roughly 7:00 PM on Monday, January 19. For nearly 36 hours, the majority of Edgemont residents were without running water.

First, on behalf of the Edgemont community, I want to recognize and sincerely thank the DPW, Water Department, Police Department and other personnel who worked tirelessly to locate and repair the break and ensure public safety throughout the situation. We are grateful for the dedication of the employees whose expertise and sustained effort ultimately led to the repair and restoration of service.

Continue reading on the Edgemont Community Council's website:

https://edgemontecc.org/an-open-letter-to-supervisor-feiner-reflections-and-feedback-following-last-months-water-main-break-in-edgemont/

January 19, 2026
UPDATE TO BOIL WATER ADVISORY FOR TOWN OF GREENBURGH WATER MAIN BREAK 1/19/26 AT 11:30 AM
To Residents of the Greenburgh Consolidated Water District #1,

UPDATE TO BOIL WATER ADVISORY FOR TOWN OF GREENBURGH WATER MAIN BREAK

1/19/26 AT 11:30 AM

To Residents of the Greenburgh Consolidated Water District #1,
We have received many questions regarding who should be observing the Boil Water Advisory as a result of the water main breaks on Sunday. This applies specifically to residents, businesses, and schools that have experienced either no water, low pressure or discolored water at any point since the breaks occurred. The Boil Water Advisory will remain in place until further notice, which will be at least 24 hours AFTER the repairs have been completed. The projected time for the completion of the repairs is by 5 p.m. today.

When in doubt, please err on the side of caution and drink boiled or bottled water. We thank you for your patience as the Town works diligently to make the necessary repairs to deliver safe and clean water back to you.

Regards,
Joy Haber
Greenburgh Town Councilwoman

Westchester County Health Department is responding to a water main break that may impact up to approximately 1,000 residents in Greenburgh, with possible effects extending into portions of White Plains.

The Westchester County Department of Health’s Division of Environmental Health is actively working with the Town of Greenburgh and its water operators to monitor the situation, support repair efforts and ensure appropriate water quality testing once service is restored.

When water service returns, affected residents will be placed under a Boil Water Notice as a precautionary measure. The notice will remain in effect until further testing confirms the water supply is safe for consumption and residents are officially notified that the advisory has been lifted.

BOIL WATER ADVISORY ISSUED

A boil water advisory has been issued by the Westchester County Department of Health and will remain in effect at least through Tuesday, January 20, 2026 and until further notice as a precautionary measure related to water main break/repair for all customers in the following areas served by the Greenburgh Consolidated Water District #1 in the Town of Greenburgh:

Between Sprain Brook Parkway and Central Park Avenue including Central Park Avenue corridor (north of Jackson Avenue and Fort Hill Avenue, south of Underhill Road).

Between Central Park Avenue and Bronx River Parkway (north of Clifton Road and Inverness Road, south of Old Army Road and Edgemont Road).

All streets on both sides of Central Park Avenue (north of old army and Underhill Road, and south of North Healy Avenue).

A boil water advisory means that those in the affected area are strongly advised to boil all tap water at a rolling boil for a minimum of one minute prior to drinking it or using it to prepare food, wash dishes by hand or brush teeth. The advisory does not extend to bathing, washing clothes or using a dishwasher.

The boil water advisory was issued as a precaution to protect residents from potential contamination caused by ground water infiltration into water mains as a result of the reduction in water main pressure caused by the water main break/repair.

Updates will be provided by the Greenburgh Consolidated Water District #1 in a timely manner and as they become available. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Greenburgh Consolidated Water District #1 at (914) 989-1900 or Westchester County Health Department at (914) 813-5000.

View it on website