WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. News & Commentary.  By John F. Bailey. July 4, 2008: Other than the shock of it, the stalling of the LCOR  55 Bank Street project for at least a year due to financial conditions raises long term policy questions. LCOR is usually dependable an has done much good for the city, so when they are telling you they cannot do something. It pays to pay attention. We have absolute faith that LCOR can pull this out. They always have in the past.

The process raises some fundamental questions about what the city should do next, and should be thinking about. What is the city role in development anyway?

WPCNR'S THE MUCKRAKERS NOTEBOOK. June 29, 2008: Since everyone out there in the news is having a lot of trouble with straight talk these days on fuel, the economy, the property tax, the sales tax, affordable housing, it's time to check in with the iconette of  female reporters, Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane, the intrepid, nosy, fast-talking, look-you-in-the-eye, and ask-the-hard-question reporter from the comics. Here's our favorite brunette on credibility:

"Sure he seems to have everyone's best interests at  heart, but as a reporter, I never take anyone at face value. Especially if he can fly."

"You're a journalist, Jimmy, and a journalist is committed to the truth. Sometimes people do get hurt when the truth comes out, but as a society, we're better off when it happens."

"Run with your story, Jimmy. If you're telling the truth, you have nothing to apologize for."

"Listen, you little weasel, if you don't come clean with me, I'm gonna come down to city hall and punch your lights out!"

Lois Lane, Illustration of Ms. Lane, (c) 2004. DC Comics The DC Comics Encyclopedia. From the WPCNR Collection

WPCNR'S THE MUCKRAKER'S NOTEBOOK. June 28, 2008: As the summer kicks in, and the state legislators take a six month vacation, and the city drifts in summer ennui, it is good to stimulate one's clouded mind with a bracing quotation from the greatest detective of them all, Sherlock Holmes, that our once and future leaders should take to heart. As old London steams, let us relax with the great consulting detective, inhale his wreath of  sweet turkish tobacco, and enjoy Mrs. Hudson's iced tea, and pick his brains awhile:

"It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. "  

"I am glad of all details, whether they seem to you to be relevant or not."

"There is always such red tape in these matters."

One drawback of an active mind is that one can always conceive alternate explanations which would make our scent a false one.

Sherlock Holmes

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. News & Comment By John F. Bailey. June 26, 2008:  The New York State Budget is facing revenue shortfalls from Wall Street woes. From taxes down due to unemployment. We all face ghastly gas prices all summer long due primarily to state gasoline taxes. We will pay massive property tax increases beginning July 1. School Districts will face utility and construction and expenses costs going up beyond comprehension. Sales taxes are going to take a nosedive because retail is way down. The Tappan Zee could fall into the Hudson River tomorrow.

So quick, kids,  what did the New York State legislature due this week?

They went on vacation.

Where's the Government When You Need em? On vacation of course.

The State Senate(above) and Assembly are empty from now to January.

WPCNR MR. & MRS. & MS. WHITE PLAINS VOICE. May30, 2008: It happened again Monday. On a beautiful Memorial Day holiday, people came into the downtown, parked on the street during the parade and for the cemetery ceremony and when they came back to their cars they had a little "thank you" from the City of White Plains -- the little red $15 Parking Violation Notice. Isn't everyone a little sick and tired of this cheap shot by the world's most hypocritical city?

A Friendly Thank You from the City of White Plains for Honoring the Nation's War Dead. Is it time the Council woke up and eliminated this counterproductive, chase-away-the-consumer practice of the holiday parking ticket?

You can bet your boots anyone from out of White Plains who came to that parade, returned to their cars and got one of these little red "thank you notes"  isn't coming back to White Plains to do anything anymore after that slap in the face. People got tickets during the parade, just after the parade and just after the Memorial Ceremony -- even if they had bought 2 hours and 40 minutes time in the meter -- as I did.

The city also refuses to tell this reporter how many tickets they handed out Monday. They know how many.

 Not telling is a dead tip off that those hard-working, efficient, swoop-in-and-get-you parking ticket brigades wrote a lot of them. They staked out cars. Very efficient, hard-working, dedicated to separating visitors to the downtown from their money. 

100 tickets is $1,500 for the city coffers; 200, $3,000, 300, $4,500 -- it is easy money from persons not aware of the fine print on meters and parking garage signs in the City of White Plains especially on holidays.

Well, this city is prospering, if you read the latest Moody's Report on the condition of the city. Perhaps, just perhaps, the Common Council might show a little concern about the city's image instead of their own images, and  rein in this preposterous sucker scheme the Department of Parking engineers under the guise of the lie that the city needs the revenue.

Well, if we are that prosperous, shouldn't we, in month five of  the official White Plains Recession, promote free parking on holidays -- especially on parade days?

Especially when the city is going to need the good will of the driving consumer? We're talking three gallons plus of gas here with every violation.

I personally think parking should be free in the city muncipal garages and lots on National Holidays like Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year's Eve and Day. 

What do you think, Mr. and Mrs. and Ms. White Plains?

Tell the city and the Common Council what to do-- in the poll on the right. 

WPCNR NEWS & COMMENT. By John F. Bailey. May 29, 2008: In the numbing aftermath of the sudden death of Marc Pollitzer, “The Voice of White Plains,” last weekend, it seems only right, in this reporter’s mind that some thought be given by the city fathers to reopen one of Mr. Pollitzer’s celebrated causes:

The New York Presbyterian Hospital property. Golf Range meadow . May 2002. It still exists in this state today. No one uses it or strolls on its grounds.

WPCNR THE MUCKRAKER'S NOTEBOOK. May 21, 2008: Time to recharge the reporter's batteries with a priceless slug of linotype they don't teach you in J-School -- the sad truth that the most respectable officials and leaders lie to  people and reporters on an hourly basis – and those who think what they see on television and read in the mainstream press is how reporting should be done.

In times like these, over a Gin Gimlet and savoring a Lucky, WPCNR turns to The Muckraker’s Notebook for inspiration to keep on going in the fight for truth, justice and the American Way, from famous reporters of the past, not all of whom ever existed, but should have. Today's reading for you cub reporters out there comes from the most glamourous and gutsy reporter of them all -- Superman's Girl Friend, nosy, nervy reporter-to-die-for, the one, the only, Lois Lane:

"There are three rules in journalism -- believe none of what you hear, half of what you see and everything you write." Lois Lane, Star Reporter, The Daily Planet

Illustration of Ms. Lane, (c) 2004. DC Comics The DC Comics Encyclopedia. From the WPCNR Collection

WPCNR The DAILY BAILEY. News & Comment By John F. Bailey. May 20, 2008: As I rap this out on the old Corona, mythical gin gimlet in my hand, a Lucky hanging out of my mouth, tie roguishly loosened, French cuffs rolled up,  it is 45 minutes before the secret election has begun: School District elections. Today is Tuesday, May 20, the School Board Election in which you have the right to approve taxes on yourself is taking place.

Polling Places in White Plains for today's School Budget Vote. Polls are open from 12 noon to 9 PM.

What a concept! Instead of the politicians stealing from you with secret tax increases, junket money, rewarding cronies with $100,000 a year make-work positions where all a hack does for his money is sit by the telephone and answer it,  the good hacks always do that, you the voter get to vote your own tax increases.

What a country! And for years, you do – for the kids.

WPCNR NEWS & COMMENT. By John F. Bailey. May 7, 2008 UPDATED May 8, 2008:

It’s all going according to plan.

Barack Obama’s faltering in the stretch, the media’s unfailing cooperation with America’s political establishment, combined with Senator Obama’s main character flaw as a politician (his sense of decency), has been exploited by the Clinton campaign to frustrate Mr. Obama’s ability to achieve a first ballot Presidential nomination at the Democratic convention.

As I wrote months ago, the Clinton strategy is to deny Mr. Obama the first ballot nomination, freeing up the pledged delegates and the Super Delegates to hand it to Mrs. Clinton on the second or third ballot, with the rationale that Mrs. Clinton has shown the ability to win the big electoral states more than Senator Obama.

Doesn’t anyone see this except me?

WPCNR MUCKRAKER’S NOTEBOOK. April 16, 2008: It is time to open the Muckraker's Notebook in these days of obfuscation, defocus and sound bite, it is time to pull up a chair at the cozy flat at  221 Baker Street, enhale the fragrance of the World’s Greatest Detective’s Turkish tobacco as the swirl of pipe smoke filters through the flat. Sipping Mrs. Hudson's tea, and nibbling on a scone. There in smoking jacket, the World’s Greatest Detective holds forth in comments which intrepid reporters should take to heart:

"The Press, Watson, is a most valuable institution, if you know how to use it.

What you do in this world is a matter of no consequence. The question is, what can you make people believe that you have done?

On the contrary, Watson, you can see everything. You fail, however, to reason from what you see. You are too timid in drawing your inferences.

It is of the highest importance in the art of detection to be able to recognize out of a number of facts which are incidental and which vital. Otherwise your energy and attention must be dissipated instead of being concentrated.

How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?

Any truth is better than indefinite doubt.

WPCNR MR. & MRS. & MS. WHITE PLAINS POLL. April 5, 2008: As the County Tax Bill was sent to White Plains voters this week, and the School District after another week of hand-wringing cut $1 from the per $1,000 of assessment tax rate, which now sits at $506.61 per $1,000 of assessed value, and the city awaits with baited breath our last hope for tax stability: Mayor Joseph Delfino's tax rate  Monday evening, the future for the White Plains tax payer has become clear.

At the present rate of annual tax acceleration applied by the county government, city government and the gorilla in the vault, the city school district White Plains property owners face this prospect: A tax bill that will at the present rate of compounding go up 7% a year, will bring taxes owed the school district, county and city to the $20,000 and up level in seven years..

If you own a median-priced home in White Plains, ($700,000), you will pay $12,240 in property taxes this year (persons with homes priced to go at over $700,000 will pay considerably more ) to the County, City and State (provided the City Tax increase is 5 to 7%).  If the city increase is  less than 7% you will be in slightly better shape.

Nonetheless half of White Plains property owners will pay $1,000 more in taxes a year if the three tax authorities keep their present rate of spending the way it is.

This means if you're paying about $12,000 in property taxes now, you'll pay $13,000 in 2009-2010; $14,000 in 2010-11 and so on.

By 2015, your property tax,  if the present rate of annual tax increase remains at 7% -- your tax bill for that typical median home in White Plains will be $19,000 to the county, city and school district.

WPCNR would like Mr. and Mrs. and Ms. White Plains to tell us if they believe they can sustain the county, city and school district's "7% solution." Of course if tax increases are larger than that the escalation rate and taxes will be higher. Can White Plains homeowners accept a 7% tax increase rate annually? What do you think?

WPCNR NEWS AND COMMENT. By John F. Bailey. March 22, 2008 UPDATED, March 24, 2008, 12:45 A.M. E.D.T. March 25, 2008 10:30 AM EDT: The proof that the  New York Democratic Party continues to promote candidates to key positions on its ticket based solely on their merit, achievement and know-how to use taxpayers’ money to the party’s and their own personal benefit continues to pour in to dazed reporters this week.

 Don’t these guys ever read a book or study information at night? If I had to juggle women, cats, and news every night, the truth would never get out.

This week’s New York Governor of the Week, David Patterson, took only five days to reveal he is a true democrat.  A real bona fide Democrat.  He fumbled, bumbled, mumbled, obfuscated, misremembered, and could not come clean on his second big policy statement on his romantic life -- which he introduced.

Now late Sunday evening, 24 hours after I  first posted this commentary, the plot has thickened.  It appears Mr. Patterson has not told all according to Cable News Network's 10 P.M. Newsroom hour. Cable News Network reported Sunday evening that the New York Post  is set to break a story alleging that Governor Patterson had considerably more affairs with New York state employees in the past then he admitted last week.  Some of the women involved apparently advanced in positions afterwards, though it is not clear  if the women allegedly  involved exchanged favors with Mr. Patterson with the understanding they would be promoted. A New York Post reporter was interviewed on CNN confirming this story is about to explode all over Albany.

Tuesday morning, it was revealed by The New York Post that Mr. Patterson, who owns a home 20 minutes from Albany, rented a number of hotel rooms in downtown Albany for overnight stays.  Reports stated he spent $2,000 on 12 Albany hotel rooms since he became Lieutenant Governor in January 2007. Gannet News Service Tuesday morning reported that he billed his Campaign fund over $3,500 for 17 different hotel rooms in Albany after he purchased his home 20 minutes from Albany. Aides were reported by Gannett to have explained these rentals as renting rooms reception, fundraisers and political meetings.

It brings to mind that changes are needed in how we choose people to run for office.

.

WPCNR NEWS & COMMENT. By John F. Bailey. March 15, 2008: Well you can tell the Clintons are really out to get Senator Barack Obama now.  

Somehow two of America’s right wing commentators got the DVDs of Senator Obama’s church pastor into the hands of CNN and the Reverend’s impassioned comments have been glommed over by the CNN commentators  like cocks fighting for two nights now on the 10 o’clock Cooper 360 Program to CNN’s lasting discredit.

It's not a story. Just as Geraldine Ferraro's comments are not a story. These are "Get Obama" commercials. And CNN and the rest of the point and shoot TV newsboys are falling for it hook, line and expense account.