5 Ways To Improve Westchester, According To Astorino And Other Leaders

Optimizing Local Development Projects

Planning for a second-quarter rollout, Astorino wants to start a forum where real estate professionals, government officials, planning experts, and members of local communities and neighborhoods can meet to discuss past, present, and future development projects. The goal of these forum meetings is to share “best practices” and information between the various organizations and players involved in development across the county.

For-Profits, Not-For-Profits Summit

Did you know the largest industry in Westchester doesn’t pay out profits? That’s right—the nonprofit sector is one of the county’s driving economic forces, yet, according to the report, there isn’t enough crossover between it and the for-profit sector. Like the development forum, the Astorino Administration says an increase in knowledge sharing will be a good investment in Westchester’s future.

Although the business breakfast was primarily a non-political gathering, Astorino was not above taking a dig at New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, at whom the county executive has taken potshots in the past.

“We are fortunate to have a not-so-secret weapon in economic development: Bill de Blasio,” Astorino said, possibly implying mayor’s own economic policies would drive businesses out of NYC to Westchester—participants in the report also ranked New York City as second-tier competitor to Westchester when compared with Connecticut.

“Survey participants saw ‘high taxes’ and ‘increased economic incentives from neighboring states’ as Westchester’s greatest challenges for attracting new businesses over the next five years,” the report stated. “There was universal agreement among all groups that Connecticut was Westchester’s chief competitor with New York City coming in a distant second.”

Watch Astorino's keynote address below.