Aug. 19, 2011 -- County Executive Robert P. Astorino Friday vetoed a plan to lease space at Playland to the Westchester Children's Museum, saying the lease was based on questionable finances and was at best premature, since a process is underway to determine Playland's future.

The action came despite a unanimous vote by the Board of Legislators to approve the lease and with that the probability that Astorino's veto will be overridden.

"I was elected to do what I believe is right, not only what is popular," Astorino said. "My issue is not with the idea of a children's museum. My issues are the timing of the lease and protecting the financial interests of the county's taxpayers. In today's economic climate, when our county government is being forced to make extremely difficult budget decisions to maintain essential services, programs must be more than well intentioned to earn taxpayer support."

The county executive, in his veto message, stressed his appreciation for the concept of a children's museum and his respect for the efforts of the all the people trying to launch the not-for-profit Westchester Children's Museum. But he felt compelled to veto the legislation for the following reasons:

• The need to protect the taxpayers of Westchester.
  The notion that the annual rent of $1 is adequate compensation to county taxpayers because the Children's Museum will be making $6.4 million in capital improvements to the building has not been tested against the market value of the property. In addition, it appears almost certain that the final cost of the renovations to the building will be more than projected by the legislators and the prior administration. For example, the $2 million cost of moving an existing sewer line, which traverses under the property, was not factored into earlier estimates and would have to be paid for by taxpayers.
  
  "Valuable beachfront property, which has been refurbished at great taxpayer expense and whose final cost is not yet known, should not be given away without a competitive process to ensure that taxpayers are receiving a fair price for a county asset," Astorino said.



• Passage of the legislation was premature.
  The RFP ("request for proposals") process, initiated by Astorino to determine the long-term future of Playland, is still underway. The county is in the second stage of a multi-stage process and is awaiting a feasibility report by a 19-member citizens committee on 12 proposals, which is due next month.
  
  "It is reckless and not in the best interest of the county or the museum to contemplate a long-term lease with any tenant until the RFP process is complete and a plan for the long-term viability of the park has been established," Astorino said.



• Serious questions about the financial viability of the Westchester Children's Museum and its business plan remain unanswered.
  The Children's Museum, which has yet to open, has no financial or operational track record. Its most recent IRS filing indicates that it has net assets of $2,365,116 – only 37 percent of the $6,441,300 cited in the lease agreement as being available to undertake the required capital improvement. Upon opening, the museum would face strong competition from the six other children's museums that are within 42 miles of Playland.
  
  "The question of the museum's financial sustainability should not be taken lightly and must be thoroughly addressed before county taxpayers are put at risk," Astorino said. "If the Children's Museum were to fail, county taxpayers would be left holding the bag."