Astorino Urges Businesses To Escape NYC's Taxes, Regulations And Move To Westchester
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino said Thursday that he is looking for defectors – New York City businesses tired of the high costs of operating in the Big Apple.
As CBS2's Lou Young reported, Astorino made his pitch at his annual State of the County speech in White Plains.
He is readying an economic pitch with a sharp political subtext – showing the flag in enemy territory. Astorino, a conservative Republican who recently ran unsuccessfully for governor, is about to open a Westchester sales office of sorts in the heart of Manhattan.
Right on Park Avenue, steps from Grand Central Terminal, the Westchester Economic Development branch will open to help snag businesses weary of liberal Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio.
"From what I've hear from a lot of business leaders in New York City, they are concerned about the direction of New York City; of the high costs, the regulations, the attack on business," Astorino said. "And if they're leaving New York State, we don't want them to."
Rent for the Manhattan office will run about $45,000 a year to be paid out of Astorino's executive budget.
He doesn't need legislative approval to spend the money, which is probably fortunate for him, Young reported. That is because critics aren't happy with it.
"I would suggest .people do come to Westchester," said Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker. "I just don't think we actually need to set up shop in Manhattan to say that the place to do business is Westchester."
And Westchester is hardly an unknown commodity in the business world, Young reported. It is already home to major firms along the Platinum Mile of corporate headquarters.
Astorino, though, said he wants to remind everyone what is up just north of New York City.
"They're leaving New York State for Florida and Texas, where the taxes are half. But there's also, in New York City, people looking at it, saying, 'You know, the high costs, the taxes, the regulations, the political climate -- maybe we should look elsewhere,'" Astorino said. "And if they're going to leave the state, we want them to look at Westchester."
When asked if there was a political component to the campaign, Astorino replied, "There's a political component in everything."
Astorino insisted he is not trying to steal business from the city, but is just trying to intercept some of it before it leaves the state.
CBS2's request for comment from New York City Hall went unanswered.
