That’s less than the nearly $34,000 the three spent in 2007.

“In 2008, there was a lot of things cut from the budget in every department, and the county executive is no exception,” said Tolchin, now the deputy county executive following Schwartz’s move to the governor’s office. “Everything was looked at and everything was eliminated. We continue to do that this year.”

All told, Tolchin said, the County Executive’s Office slashed $13 million in 2008, which included some travel, meals and other expenses.

“We go over the budget. We look for savings everywhere,” she said.

The records were obtained through the state Freedom of Information Law and are part of a continuing review of county spending.

Spano used a county-issued American Express card in 2008 for travel, meals and hotel stays to the tune of $7,447.75, or roughly $3,000 less than in the year before.

Spano’s Business Gold Card expenses included hotel stays in Albany; Washington; Little Rock, Ark.; Albuquerque, N.M.; and Niagara Falls as well as meals at Skytop Restaurant in White Plains, Black Angus in New York City and other restaurants during his travels.

The largest single charge was a $1,050 expense to ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, a California-based membership association of local governments looking to advance climate protection and sustainable development. Spano and two staff members went to New Mexico for a conference.

That was followed by a $700 registration fee for Spano and three staff members to attend a conference of the New York State Association of Counties.

Gasoline for Spano, Tolchin and Schwartz nearly matched credit-card expenses – records show they pumped $7,201 worth of gas. Spano filled his county-issued 2003 Lincoln Town Car with $3,200 of unleaded petrol, 1,208 gallons, and spent $655 on an E-ZPass for tolls.

His Republican challenger, Robert Astorino, said the expenses show Spano to be out of touch with the public.

“There’s a sense of entitlement that has creeped in over the years,”Astorino said. “I believe those costs could have been pared down.”

In particular, Astorino challenged any need for Spano’s security detail.

“I don’t see a need for it. I’ve never seen a need for it,” he said. “It’s a waste of money.”

Tolchin said Spano’s security officers did not travel with him anywhere that required air travel, though they typically do go with him to Albany or Washington.

She said Astorino’s views were “more political rhetoric” than substantive.

“Andy Spano serves the people of Westchester County,” she said. “Obviously, he has been doing a good job since he has been overwhelmingly re-elected in the past three elections.”

Earlier records obtained by The Journal News included cell-phone and fuel costs, credit-card expenses and records of reimbursed expenses, which included travel costs. The more recent records include cell-phone, fuel and credit-card expenses, but not records of reimbursed costs. Tolchin said the 2008 records provided are all of Spano’s taxpayer-funded costs last year.

This review comes shortly after another one by the newspaper showed that the Westchester County Board of Legislators spent more than $41,000 on cell phones, food and travel in 2008, or about $11,000 more than it spent in 2007.

In all, taxpayers were billed for $20,929 in travel expenses in 2008, including for legislators to attend conferences in Arizona; Kansas City, Mo.; Niagara Falls; Albany; Washington; and elsewhere.

A good-government group criticized that trend, saying leaders should be setting an example by doing more “belt-tightening.”

Past analysis of county board expenses revealed that Gary Kriss, a senior adviser to legislature Chairman William Ryan, spent thousands on gadgets, software and other purchases, which kicked off an investigation by the District Attorney’s Office.

Although no charges were levied over Kriss’ spending, he was charged with theft of service for using a county employee to conduct personal business.

Like many Americans, Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano isn’t using his plastic as often – he cut his taxpayer-funded credit-card expenses by thousands last year.

The county executive and members of his office – then Deputy County Executive Larry Schwartz and chief adviser Susan Tolchin – spent $18,569.67 on county-issued credit-card purchases, cell phones and gas bills in 2008.

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