WHITE PLAINS – Westchester County Board of Legislators’ Chairman Kenneth Jenkins announced a new initiative that would allow lawmakers to give up their board stipend.

Committee chairs are entitled to stipends and each lawmaker is entitled to certain equipment, compensation and staffing needs to do their job for the people of the county.        

“Letting legislators decided on whether to accept the stipends is one thing we can do that says the board is serious about finding cost-saving measures during these tough economic times,” Jenkins said, Monday.

Two lawmakers, Peter Harckham of Katonah and John Nonna of Mount Pleasant, both Democrats, waived their committee chairman stipends effective Monday.

“I believe that legislators don’t necessarily need to receive a stipend or additional perks to do the job that they are elected to do and are already paid a salary to perform,” said Nonna.