Latimer Accuses Astorino Of Using Airport For Politics

RYE, NY — State Senator George Latimer, D-Rye, accused the incumbent Westchester county executive of using the county airport for political purposes. The Democratic candidate for county executive said Robert Astorino, a Republican, wants to use the privatization of the Westchester County Airport to provide his campaign donors millions of dollars in county contracts. Latimer’s campaign cited scores of firms with county contract for work at the regional airport that have made hundreds of thousands of dollars to Astorino’s political campaigns in recent years.

“Rob Astorino is clearly lying to us about his true plans for the Westchester County Airport,” Latimer said.

“Privatizing our airport will let Astorino dole even more county contracts to his political donors, while Westchester residents get left paying the bills,” he said.

“This is the kind of pay-to-play tactics we’ve come to expect from Rob Astorino, and the FAA should investigate before the county moves forward with its RFP,” Latimer said.

Latimer has urged the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct an investigation into potential pay-to-play by Astorino stemming from what Latimer says is a “long and troubling” history of campaign contributors getting county contracts.

According to Latimer, Astorino has received a total of $217,623 in campaign contributions from 28 firms that also received about $55.7 million in county contracts, during his tenure as county executive.

William O’Reilly, spokesman for Astorino, said Latimer’s campaign is spinning out of control.

“George Latimer needs to calm down with the conspiracy theories and pay the five years in back school taxes he owes Rye parents and children,” he said. “How does a member of the Senate Education Committee not pay almost $50,000 in school and county taxes?”

Latimer has said in the past that the property in question is owned solely by his wife. There is currently a dispute with a relative as to ownership.

Photo caption: Robert Astorino, left, and George Latimer. Photo credit: Patch file photo.