Voting machines, Playland and sewage plant get $100 million in Westchester borrowing plan

Hacking concerns over the new voting machines nearly killed the funding deal reached by legislators. Meanwhile, tens of millions were approved for a variety of other projects in the county.

David McKay Wilson
Rockland/Westchester Journal News

Tax Watch columnist David McKay Wilson discovers how much debt Westchester County decided to take on to finance county infrastructure. 

With the November elections just three months away, Westchester legislators on Monday narrowly struck a compromise to borrow $4 million to fund the purchase of 280 electronic voting machines and associated electronic equipment for the November elections.

It was 120 fewer machines than requested by the Westchester Board of Elections. But legislators needed to reduce the number of machines to garner just enough votes to approve the bond. It passed by one vote.

The vote came on a day when the board opened up taxpayer wallets to approve borrowing of more than $100 million, including $42 million for improvements at Playland Park and $22 million for the Yonkers sewage treatment plant, which includes upgrades to its odor control system.

The decision to fund the voting machines capped years of debate over the state-certified Dominion ICE model selected by the county Board of Elections, which can handle ballots cast in person by the disabled and all other voters. Democratic Elections Commissioner Reggie Lafayette was disappointed in the compromise, and vowed to seek state funding to buy the full complement of machines.

He noted that Westchester received a $1.2 million grant to purchase 120 new machines earlier this year to use in the June primaries.

“We still need 400 new machines we asked for,” said Lafayette, who also chairs the Westchester Democratic County Committee. “Our machines are 10 and 12 years old. We are trying to do our job. Those criticizing us don’t have the responsibility that falls on us.”