A BATTLE HILL ANALYSIS OF THE 2 BUS RAPID TRANSIT LANES ON HAMILTON AVENUE PLAN -- AND THE SAFETY ISSUES
March 13, 2010
John,
I want to comment regarding the article about two NYS proposed bus lanes on Hamilton Ave. These plans to dedicate two lanes to the already inadequate width of Hamilton Ave is really un-acceptable. Anyone who lives on this side of the tracks and drives to work in areas inside and outside of White Plains already know the pain of getting to and from our homes in Battle Hill and other close in neighborhoods.
Don't we all know live with the pain of getting to our homes through this area during the holidays and when there are traffic disruptions 287? We also understand the fear, at the thought of a rush hour fire during peak holiday times, strikes at the hearts of many Chatterton Parkway, Battle Hill, Fisher Hill, North Broadway and Church Street area residents.
Let's not forget that there is also no adequate emergency fire or police support 24hrs a day on the Battle Hill side of the railroad tracks!! Our Fire station is in-active!! The local neighborhood associations in all these areas and especially Battle Hill should demand that this abandoned Fire House be reactivated and staffed with Fire, EMT and Police personnel 24 hours a day!! This location should house a minimum contingent of fire, police and EMT personnel and equipment at all times.
Is our new mayor and common council ready to take responsibility for the possible death or injury of a close-in neighborhood resident so our NYS representatives and the business owners' lobby in downtown White Plains can get more butts in the seats or money in their pockets???
As owners of, owner occupied 1-4 family taxable properties we must also ask ourselves, would we need 200/350 plus police-fire officers on the payroll if the bars and restaurants in White Plains were forced to close at 2:00AM instead of 4:00AM, with their lingering, mostly out of town drunks hanging around until 6:00AM on the streets of White Plains??
Where are our City administrators priorities? Did we actually need all this vibrant night life in White Plains?**** Our municipal insurance rates are up, our police and fire departments have to show an increased presence in the down town area 24 hours per day, 7 days a week!! ***
Do we need this? ***Now we hear, for the fourth time, that sales tax receipts are down and the money train has stalled!! The sales tax golden fleece is lost again!! ** So now we need two bus lanes to get the drunks back and forth from White Plains??
I have an interesting question for our new WP Public Safety Commissioner Chong
In the last year how many of the individuals involved in misdemeanors, drug busts, prostitution, gang violence, rapes, all other felonies and petty crimes in the downtown area were residents of different cities? When the WP Public Safety commissioner, Mr. Chong reports the crime report this year could he include two extra stats?
Mr. Chong should include; 1) the home residence of the criminal and 2) the day of the week and the actual the hours the individual crimes were committed? Let's hope Mr. Chong can provide this info because his predecessor certainly withheld real crime info and covered it up with the former mayors blessing!!
The residents in our lower and middle class areas like Battle Hill have been exposed to extra risks and have been denied an equal share of all City services for years. We still drink water coming from lead water main taps, our streets/curbs are made of 1910-20 era concrete, ancient dangerous and aggressive trees destroy our sidewalks and fall on our heads, our schools were closed and sold off for private business profit, our Fire House was abandoned, run down motels host multiple sex offenders and prostitutes are allowed to exist in residential neighborhoods.
Our pleas for stricter traffic management and enforcement are routinely ignored and this pattern of taxpayer discrimination by our City officials continues and it must end.
**** If your readers and local residents remember I pointed that the Westchester County Affordable Housing and HUD call for 4-5 major points when they are looking for low income and middle income affordable housing. The number 1 search criterion for affordable housing site selection is number of bus routes in an area. I hope our Battle Hill residents are also paying attention to this as well. With additional bus traffic we will be considered a primary # 1 location for additional affordable housing which will be run and operated by numerous for profit affordable housing groups like WESTHAB!! Beware of these larger than life grand municipal schemes!
It's all one big issue and everyone whether it's a GREEN Group, affordable housing group or corrupt builders: They all would like to get their hands on already economically devastated areas like Battle Hill.
Watch out Middle America were going to get it in the neck again.
Regards,
Mike McConnell
Battle Hill area resident.
City Must Crack Down on Illegal Housing -- Do They Want to? What Needs to be Done Now.
March 13, 2010
Editor,
When will the issue of illegal housing be vigorously addressed and landlords who commit these blatant housing/fire code violations be punished?
Here in White Plains the Battle Hill Association has been committed for years to ensure that all our residents especially the children are living in safe housing.
The building/fire code violations must be aggressively pursued and substantial fines must be issued to all landlords who are not in compliance, The waiting period to issue fines and gain access to alleged overcrowding conditions must be addressed. Revisions to our current municipal law is in desperate need of change. Our elected officials have been promising to combat this problem for some time and to date not a single piece of legislation has been written. We were promised that overcrowding/ illegal housing issue would be a priority.
The proliferation of illegal housing is also generating a much greater demand on our city services.
The involvement of the Westchester DA , assessor's office and our building department need to create a joint task force to assist in combating illegal housing to ensure our population is living in safe housing and the landlords adhere to our laws.
Landlords who are in violation of our housing laws and who are responsible for causing much concern of our quality of life in our neighborhoods, have to be punished by the courts with fines that double the amount of rent the landlord receives and/or imprisonment or both for repeat offenders. If White Plains is serious about safe housing, protecting its neighborhoods and the quality of life for its residents then pursing a meaningful and proactive stance is necessary.
A roundtable discussion with all community leaders of the affected neighborhoods must take place with our city officials. It is extremely important that they understand the seriousness of this problem that will not go away and will only become more fragile and explosive as the city continues to neglect the present situation.
Our Police officers, Firefighters and emergency personnel are under increased risk when entering these illegal/unsafe premises during a emergency situation. Our Sanitation department is burdened with the increase in garbage that is generated by these residences.
Will this be the year our city addresses the illegal housing issue? Will this be the year that other well respected organizations in our city will also address this as a priority?
Or is it a priority?
Augie Zicca
Co-President
Battle Hill Association
City Sustainability Meeting Accomplishes Little--Can the City Do Something Instead of Talking?
March 11, 2010
(Editor's Note: Last night the city convened its committee on making White Plains environmentally "sustainable." Here is one citizen's reaction:)
The group was adrift - and THAT was the disappointment. There already ARE identified, short term, mid term and long term ideas that have been talked to death. THESE should have been on the outline. Agreement of the group LAST NIGHT ON SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LISTED should have been obtained and work begun NOW.
SOME low load/no load items, such as the Greenway and getting fed (eral) $ (limited time availability!!!!!) for bike/walking paths within some already greenway'ed areas as presented by Eco Neighbors and CCOS should have been "yessed" last night and shown to the public that talking is ongoing while action is immediately happening on things we already know about and issued already identified.
The more I think about this, the more I think I came away with a feeling of "I've just wasted about 2 hours on things we have already gone over".
We PAY people to figure out the fine details and implement the plans and policies. Why must the Citizens carry ALL the weight? Why can't Planning come up with the bike path/walking path grant $$ and plans? What are they waiting for? Why do they earn a salary? Does Planning work for the Citizens?
Planning came up with detailed, architectural plans for sub dividing the NY Hospital pretty quickly. Why the delay on this one - bike path $$/walking path $$ - even if for manpower/jobs to spread mulch and collect garbage and plant and buy native flora to improve the buffers and walking trails?
BTW, (by the way), who paid for that time spent on the subdivision plans for the NY Hospital? and planning presentations? Was that Tax Payer dollars or developer dollars that paid for the Commissioner and her dept. to do that work and plans and scaled auto cad drawings and hardboards? THAT time should have been spent on items like the bike/walking path so it would be shovel ready when push came to shove.
Dedication of already owned City land as parkland - why not "yes it" last night?
Like Dennis (Councilman Dennis Power) said last night, we are light years behind other surrounding communities in legislation and action and there is no need to reinvent the wheel - issues are already identified - for years.
It's up to the Admininstration to put words to action NOW!! Or make some more lists and have some more meetings.
Yeah, I'm still upset. Maybe someone from Planning could review the tapes of the Common Council meetings for the last five years, write down the issues and sources cited, read some recent EIS's for the "cumulative impact statements" (if they were ever done), put together a list of issues that is good ( just read the Citizens' Plan Review work of 2004, 2005, 2006) and work on making these things happen, all with constant P.R. (public relations) so the People can see what is happening?
Yes, warts and all - let the people see and hear what is happening!!!
Dan Seidel
CITY, COUNTY SHOULD BUY THE WHITE PLAINS RAILROAD STATION, REDEVELOP IT...
March 11, 2010
Gentlemen!
The proposed Bus Rapid Transit system proposal to run along the 'new' trans-Hudson bridge that will replace the Tappan Zee Bridge is a step in the right direction, although ideally a train would have more benefits in terms of attracting riders and helping spur residential as well as commercial development in the communities it would transverse on both sides of the river.
As far as downtown White Plains and utilizing Hamilton Avenue at a corridor for this system, certainly this thoroughfare is the only logical east-west artery capable of handling such a project, however, what really needs to be done is for all authorities: MTA/MetroNorth, NYS and Westchester County dept's. of transportation, and the City of White Plains to seriously consider 'burying' the MetroNorth tracks underground and re-developing the White Plains Train Station, which presently is a eyesore and a negative image as a gateway to our modern city, and allowing a developer to tie-in the undersized County Center with a new residential/commercial development of the train facility, with restaurants and possibly a Children's Museum and Hudson River Valley Gateway Museum for tourist visiting our area.
Tarrytown Road (Route 119) has become a speedway in both directions, and the notorious curve entering Main St. in the heart of downtown, has been the scene of accidents, with motorists jumping over two lanes to cut in front of other vehicles to turn right at Bank Street, and the poor pedestrians who have to wait and wait to walk across the entrance ramp to the Bronx River Parkway from Battle Hill and Tarrytown Road and approach the train station - this is the introduction of White Plains?
A comprehensive development plan must be made here, because the roadway cannot accommodate present activity let alone the projected growth in the not too distant future.
Thank you!
Good Day,
Nick Deramo
White Plains
School Board Oversight Shortsighted. Too Little, Too Late
March 2, 2010
John:
I know you've all heard this before, but: What happened to the $70 million our brilliant school board decided to borrow at the height of a financial bubble. They rebuilt one schoolhouse without adding any significant number of seats, and they beautified the library of another.
What about the stadium they promised (the original plan had both sides with bleachers, not one side like it is)? What about all of the repairs to our older schools and buildings that HAVE NOT BEEN DONE?
Where did all of that money go? Mr. McConnell is right about cutting back on our educational budget, but I think we should start by firing the school board and finding out where all that money went.
Now you say we have an expanding school age population? How stupid was my idea a few years ago to take back the public school buildings (and grounds) that we magnanimously GAVE to private schools 20 odd years ago. Would have cost a lot less than $70 million, and we'd have room for all of our students as well as 40 acres of open space per school. But none of that will ever happen.
You sheep in White Plains will vote for whichever schill the school board presents next time around, and you'll pass the next ridiculous school budget because of all of the board's empty threats about lay-offs and "emergency budgets".
You'll vote for the next Democrat/Republican that both parties place on the ballot while they keep everyone else away from the race. And you will all continue to work for your government rather than the government working for you. Our local politicians and public servants already operate with an arrogant disregard and even disdain for the common citizen.
They should be grateful for the positions and benefits they already have, but all too often their arrogance shows through in the demands put forth by their unions and political parties, and the continuing demands for more in their pockets taken directly from our children's mouths. I say throw them all out.
I say none of these officials were fairly elected in the first place, since our system is completely corrupt and we've never been given any choices of whom to elect in the first place. I say I'd rather see all of the schools in White Plains closed before I have to pay all of my income just to enrich these greedy, selfish, arrogant persons in their ivory towers of academia and government.
Name Witheld On Request
Independent Review Board Needed to Oversee School Board Negotiations.
March 1,2010
WPCNR,
I recently read your article on “Teachers Give Back for 2-1/4% More Pay; Retirement Incentives to Trim Staff”.
I applauded Mr. Bassano and the rest of the board members for their efforts in attempting to control cost for the school district. However, this proposal falls far short of the expectation most of the 21,000 plus resident tax-payers in WP were looking for. It’s way too early for the board to declare “mission accomplished”. More needs to be done.
The school budget over the past years has increased in size far greater then the average tax-payers income… plus the national rate of inflation. We need real reform not just surface changes to the school budget. I’m sure the city tax-payers will be happy to hear that the teachers will NOW work harder by teaching five periods a day, five days a week. I believe the average period is approximately forty-five minutes in duration. Therefore, a teacher in WP will “teach” less then four hours a day. Most folks today work on average eight hours a day. Let’s not forget there are approximately180 official school days in a year. The other topic that also misses the mark was union members paying partial medical benefits of 9 to 12%. That figure is extremely low. A study by Kaiser/HRET Company showed the average insurance premium a worker contributes for health care coverage in 2008 was 26.45%. This percentage figure was pretty consistent over a ten year period. I guess you can say the union members have had it pretty good over the past ten years.
I hope I’m wrong about this but it appears the resident Tax-Payer interests are not being protected to the fullest. Maybe a more comprehensive review of the negotiations with the teachers union should be undertaken by an outside group/firm in conjunction
with the board. This would give the review process an independent viewpoint and dismiss any subjective decision making from seeping in.
My Best,
Lawrence Giordano
TEACHER CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR 2011-12 WITH RAISE OF 2-1/4% PLUS STEP INCREASE UNSUSTAINABLE...
March 1, 2010
John,
Can you consider publishing the current salary levels for our teachers and please note that inflation has been virtually zero for three years? These potential teacher contract highlights, if true, are a joke at best and are truly an un-sustainable burden on all 1-3 Family White Plains property taxpayers.
Here's some suggestions:
*There should be a salary freeze for 3 yrs minimum.
* Layoffs of at least 12 % of the teachers, which can be accomplished by increasing average class size to 25 students.
( How is it, New Rochelle has a higher student teacher ratio than White Plains and in some instances has a higher school district rating than White Plains ?)
* Increased class size up to 25 students not 21.
* Outsourcing of administrative jobs.
* Outsourcing of maintenance operations.
* All teachers and school board employers medical co-pay should be increased to 25-35% ( like the rest of us pay in the private sector)
* All retired teachers required to pay for a 35% of the cost of their CADILLAC medical coverage that goes with their $50,000.00 - 100,000.00 pensions payouts!! (Plus they receive social security as well)
* Elimination of some of these ridiculous Continuing Education programs paid for by property tax payers ***like Astrology.
* A lower mandatory retirement age imposed-( This will allow younger persons access to these career jobs and also reduce the top salary tiers)
(I challenge Mr. Clouet, to tell us why he can't deliver the required cut backs? Tell us why he can't impose at least half of the suggestions outlined above? It is time to break contracts, it is time for the City of WP and the Board of ED to threaten these UNIONS with the tax payers right to declare insolvency, the party's over for sure)
** These actions and Tax Revolt initiatives should be implemented by Mayor Bradley in dealing with the rest of these greedy whining UNIONS!
***************************************************************************************************************************************************
(I have attached another article covering reports and opinions from Mark Zandi, economist and co-founder of Economy.com)
" The average home price in the United States will fall by about 6% by September 2011, according to a joint report between Fiserv and Moody's Economy.com. And that's after plunging more than 27% in the past three years."
"Foreclosure sales will pick up this spring as mortgage servicers figure out who can qualify for a modification and who can't," said Zandi.
Mr. Zandi, figures there are at least 4.5 million mortgage loans either in foreclosure or clearly headed in that direction. When that additional inventory hits the market, it will provide numerous choices for buyers and encourage sellers to drop their listing prices.
****************************************************************************************************************************************************
Time to face the Piper!! This is not a School and City Administrator popularity contest. It is time for hard and decisive actions, no half measures should be accepted by the 1-4 Family Home property tax payers.
Look at our City administration, offering minimum cuts, bowing to 1,000 UNION workers and pressure , when they actually have to answer to 54,000 plus residents and 21,000 1-4 Family home owners. WHO'S DRIVING THIS BUS ANYWAY?
Rip Van Winkle Homeowners and Property Tax Payers Wake Up!! Please **Don't let them Tread on US with their JACK TAX BOOTS anymore!
Regards,
Mike McConnell
Battle Hill Area Surf
School District Bound by Law to Educate Residents Living in Overcrowded Homes...
February 26, 2010
John - While I understand where writer Mike McConnell is coming from, I would like to correct the common misconception that children who are illegal immigrants, the children of illegal immigrants or live in illegally broken up houses, such as he describes in Battle Hill, can be taken out of our public schools.
Even if the children are sleeping in a car or in an alleyway with their parents, they are still entitled to go to the public school where they are living.
When you hear talk that the schools are going to crack down on non-residents enrolled in our schools, the reference is made to children living in other towns, for example if a child living in Harrison or Port Chester was enrolled in the White Plains Schools.
Anonymous
(Editor's Note: Mr. McConnell points out that he did not use the word "immigrant" in his letter the anonymous writer refers to. Mr. McConnell wishes readers to know he used the word "illegal."
Clean Up White Plains Housing Blight Now...
February 25, 2010
John,
Maybe you can expand on your article regarding the 24% drop in existing WP home prices to include the fact that the houses in close-in neighborhoods like Church Street, Battle Hill, Fisher Hill, and other close -in neighborhoods, are selling at prices 10-12% lower than your 24% figure.
Let's just say were getting 34-46% than similar homes in the Highlands, Ridgeway, or North Street areas. We all know why this price discrepancy exists don't we? You can simply compare homes of similar construction and square footage and you will see the price discrepancy based on the area the home is located in.
Do you realize that the 10606 (includes Fisher Hill, Battle Hill, Prospect Park, Soundview) zip code boasts the highest number of registered sex offenders and the most active foreclosure rate of any City wide zip code?
Don't you think that the City administration needs to be looking at this problem with very detailed attention? I do, because the continued property tax increases, Con Ed increases, STAR Tax Exemption reductions, unemployment and further economic problems will only exasperate this issue and it must be dealt with before it is too late.
We can certainly lay the blame for this real estate price destruction squarely on the chin of the DelFino administration and it's friendly relationship with slum lords who have routinely flouted our city building and zoning codes. Our White Plains South neighborhoods have been destroyed over the last 12 years and it is beginning to look like the neglect will continue.
It is time for the new Bradley administration to shut down this city wide illegal housing, clean out the blight, end the unsafe living conditions. If the new administration actually addresses (it), they will also clear many excess students from our schools as well. Many of these students are in our schools illegally and many of these small 1 - 2 family homes, meant to house 2 adults and 2.5 children , now house 8-10 children from un-related families. This is just a no brainer!
Mr. Bradley, you can fix the problem or ignore it just like your predecessor did. It is clear these homes should be used as intended or leveled using the City's power to condemn dwellings that violate our municipal code and the local rule of law.
Time to clean-up the White Plains housing blight and cut these bloated school and city payrolls now!
Regards,
Mike McConnell
Battle Hill Area Resident
What is Mayor Bradley Achieving by Trashing City Police and Fire Departments on Pay?
February 23, 2010
Hello John and readers:
I read with great fascination (Mayor) Adam Bradley's statements (appearing in The Journal News) regarding alleged "sweetheart" contracts between the city and the police and fire departments.
While his comments are great theater and are unresearched by the Journal News, I'd just like to give you my two cents.
The pay raises for both fire and police in White Plains are in tandem with comparable communities pay raises (I can provide that info).
While the JN researches pensions and final year salaries for public employees, perhaps they might look at pay raise information for fire and police unions in the county for the last couple of years.
The research will show that Adam Bradley's statements regarding "sweetheart contracts" are way off the mark. I will not question his motives, but I have clear reservations about them.
Firefighters and cops wake up each morning, make a sandwich and go to work. They are not villains, they are saints (and common working stiffs).
But they wake up and show up to work in the squad room and have to see the attacks in the newspaper that are levied upon them by the new administration.
What is the potential purpose of the "trashing?"
You have a fire department who has an Insurance Services rating of "one" which is only shared by Syracuse, NY and saves taxpayers thousands of dollars in property insurance.
You have a police department that has numerous accreditations and is the best in the state.
When will the politics stop and firefighters and cops be able to get back to work?
Move on.
Duncan MacRae, Chair
White Plains Labor Coalition
School District Faces $7M Deficit With Projected $3.7M Tax Roll Erosion and Facing loss of State Aid
February 17
John,
Let's not forget we will already be guaranteed a school line property tax (increase) due to the proposed 18% STAR Exemption reduction. How come you have never shown a simple math example to your readers regarding the effects of STAR exemption reductions on their tax bills? We need a picture, a before and after shot for the masses? Most of the people I spoke to don't know the difference between a STAR Rebate (already eliminated) and the STAR exemption.
There are 21000 + homes in White Plains, I have to guess the bulk of them are considered 3-4 bedrooms and are worth less than 800,000.00. Owners of these type of households have seen their school taxes go up approximately 12-18% over three years just due to the effect of the STAR exemption cuts. The bulk of our residents don't seem to think the STAR has much effect and they direct their tax frustration at City Tax and School tax administrators. The real property taxpayers really need to start pounding away at Gov. Patterson, Greg Ball, Mr. Castelli and Amy Paulin and the rest of them regarding this theft of our hard earned home owner real property tax relief.
John, doesn't the fact that Local Assessors and NYS Office of Real property services, a private administrative agency, acted to increase property taxes thru an accounting change, without any State political representation cause any alarm? The STAR was implemented into law through the legislative process, and now they monkey with law without any State Senate or Assembly approval. Since when did assessors and accountants get the right to legislate?
Where is the WC/PC Board of Realtors' support for STAR?? These realtors obviously don't care, someone could die in your house and the next day they'll call you before the funeral to see if you want to list your house with them!!
Why aren't the Westchester/Putnam County Board of Realtors isn't vehemently lobbying to save the STAR program? They certainly get out there and advocate for tax payer funded low income affordable housing when they have a commission to earn.
In 2007-2008 all the politicians were screaming about expanding STAR, this true homeowner property tax relief program. Where are all the big shots politicians on this now, after the 2008 elections?
DUH! Once again, them lemmings return to the sea en masse!
Regards,
Mike McConnell
Battle Hill Resident
(Editor's Note: WPCNR is the only media to have reported the STAR EXEMPTION cuts last spring that were used to "fund" the restoration of school aid, and went through last year's math on what it does to senior citizens and those under 65, extensively. The STAR Exemption decrease of 11% last spring was approved by the State Legislature, both houses.)
Could we PLEASE Open the White Plains Library on Saturday?
February 16,2010
Tomorrow night, the board of the White Plains Public Library will meet to discuss the Library budget, or so says the Library's website. This might be a good time for your readers, if they're wondering why ours seems to be one of the only libraries in the area that is not open on Saturdays, to raise this issue with the Library Board.
If this issue was raised recently, I missed it. But for all of the money that it spent and mis-spent on nonsensical garbage, it is beyond annoying that our City government has not found a way to open its library on Saturdays, particularly during the winter months when hundreds of kids are looking for something to do on weekends.
That Yonkers and New Rochelle, to name just a couple, have found a way to do so is a stick in the eye of our City. I hope the Library gives this issue the reconsideration it deserves, and I hope your readers will find time to bring this issue to the Library's consideration, either tomorrow night or otherwise.
William Lalor, White Plains
COUNTY SHOULD RACK UP NON-UNION WORKERS/MGMT PAYING FOR THEIR HEALTH CARE SHARE NOT 15% BUT TO 20% FOR STARTERS...
Dear Mr. Jenkins
(Lawrence Jenkins, Chair of the Westchester County Board of Legislators:)
I know you are currently busy reviewing health care contributions to non-union workers. To help you with the decision making process I thought it would be worthwhile if you saw the chart created by Kaiser/HRET company. It illustrates how much the average worker contributes to their health care plan as of 2008.
The average worker contribution is much higher then the 15% that is currently being discussed by your office. In my opinion, using the discussed figure of 15% as a starting point clearly misses the mark; especially if your objectives are to; 1. Do what’s fair 2. Do what's right and 3. Reduce taxes. A more realistic figure would be in the order of 20%to 25%.
The time is now to act like pioneers and create a new path that our children will be proud to follow. The alternative of runaway tax increases is not the solution!
Larry Giordano White Plains, NY
Balancing the Citizens' Trust
February 6, 2010
Mr. & Mrs. White Plains, what we need to balance and rebuild in our city, is “City Government” trust and our confidence in it; We need increased oversight, responsibility and accountability balancing the citizen’s participation in knowing what is going on in city government operations, or what is not going on, by who and whom.
Transparency – Open Government – Accountability, period!
Our former ex Mayor Delfino and his administration operated an independent self-policing oversight - no checks and balances of accountability, fiscal incompetence and gross budgetary mismanagement. Many years of digging and burying our city into a financial recession by suppression, downtown White Plains rises and the city financial stability completely collapses. Point fingers, blame it on the national economy, find excuses and never stand up and take responsibility after we’re shredded into financial calamity. Leadership or lack of leaving the taxpayer, property owner, you and I, with hard hit long-term tax increases, service cuts, rising costs to compensate for the incompetence and shortsighted vision of city government mismanagement.
Spend, spend and spend some more until the reserve funds, capital funds, fund balances and city check books are “Red” empty, then shred the evidence of wrong doing. Leave office, retire on the pockets of the taxpayer, leave the White Plains taxpayer – property owner with the long-term “Red Ink” debt – double digit 23.5% tax increases, increased recreational public fees, elimination of city public services, and expect us to choke absorbing the “ATM” Any Time Money - cash cow – piggy bank for the city coffers to balance the 2010 – 2011 city budget. It took twelve short years to bring us to the “Moody Risk” negative credit rating and twelve more future years to shred us of the coming long-term tax burden we are left swallowing.
Who do we hold responsible – accountable? 7-0, 5-2, 4-3, pick a vote.
I quote from ex Mayor Delfino’s October 2009 Common Council meeting over the leaf protest flyer he received, the mayor publicly read that evening, which brought in over 300 citizen protest calls to City Hall for proposing the elimination of a taxpayer service.
Mayor Delfino, “this is not true, your services will not be cut and your taxes will not go up after the election” He’s right, services will be eliminated and your taxes will skyrocket, not just go up!
Reform and restoration in our city government, elected officials, and a confident trust worthy partnership collectively with the citizens must be the process moving forward. Open transparent government must restore our confidence in government leadership and stabilize our trust once again in government.
Citizens have the right to know, government has the obligation to make sure we know. To make sure we have public access to all information before it gets shredded, concealed and destroyed; all evidence, documents, records are public property of the people and the City of White Plains. Every government document must be made public through public access, “City Clerks Office”, city web site posting, city meetings, minutes, recordings, contracts, salaries, unions, city employees, budgets, funds, revenue, spending, city debt, and every item the White Plains taxpayer supports and pays for.
Public service means “Public Service” service to the public for the public paid for by the public – citizen – taxpayer.
Reform is the responsibility of local government to balance our relationship, trust, honesty, integrity and confidence in our government and those entrusted with the responsibility to do so by oath.
Carl Albanese
White Plains
MAYOR-ELECT HAS TO EXAMINE COMMISSIONER/MANAGER POLICIES IN ALL DEPARTMENTS
December 3, 2009
In order to institute true change, Mayor-Elect (Adam) Bradley needs to examine the escapades of current city commissioners and directors. Too often citizens target the union workforce to reduce cost.
Take this into consideration, commissioners, appointees and directors enjoy the same benefits (health, vacation, holicay, sick and personal leave etc.) as the union workforce. Up until last year, commissioners, directors, appointees and management confdential designated employees received 4-6% pay increases per year without having to negotiate. Also keep in mind that they are the highest paid employees in the city.
There is a certain level of redundancy in many departments, mutilple commissioners, directors and assistant directors - this is where a huge chunk of change could be saved.
Mayor-Elect Bradley in his transition phase must also address the incompetence of management in many departments, the use of gestapo and strong arm tactics particularly at the Parking Department and the Library.
City commissioners do not realize that this is a large workforce, with a vast network of family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances and the list goes on. Between using private detectives to follow parking enforcement officers, (and) the level of imposed fear and intimidation at other departments, the city and the new Mayor would be delusional not to think that these tactics are viewed as morale busting and just poor management by a significant portion of the city population.
I am a businessman with many contacts. I have done many jobs in the city and I am well aware of what is going on at so many levels because of my daily contact with the workforce, merchants and residents.
The Mayor-Elect needs to examine the entire context of these strong arm tactics and activities of city management.
A concerned citizen and businessman
Louis Perrino
THE POLICE-FIRE ISSUES
NOVEMBER 20, 2009
I want to contribute to the discussion of the fireman and policeman contract talks.
First issue is the request, which has turned into a demand for the 12 and 24 hour work shifts: I think that the fireman and policeman situation should be dealt with as separate issues because if firemen have a very long work day, it is broken up with non-taxing activities, such as cooking and resting. This is not said to diminish their importance, as we all know that they are priceless for their ability to jump into action when alarm sounds and they are on their way to try to save you or your property in some way.
The police, on the other hand, need to be fresh and not on shifts for an excessively long time so that when they come into contact with citizens, they are rested and able to communicate professionally. I am thinking that they need shorter shifts, if anything.
And they are pitting residents of the community against them when demanding raises during such a dire time. Be glad you have a job. I don't, and I don't think any of them care that I don't have health insurance. Also, as taxes go up, being an insurance self-payer seems even father off. Do any of them care about me, my health and my ability to pay my taxes?
Name Withheld on Request
Freeze Salaries Now.
November 20, 2009
| Mr. Bailey,
As I drive around the City of White Plains, I take notice of many a homeowner doing their due diligence still cleaning the city streets of leaves. Bagging leaves on their time with their energy, on their nickel, their dime considering the severe budget cuts to the taxpayers services.
We all pitch in when we have to, we all lend a hand, we all make the necessary sacrifices.
Except the greedy and the self needy!!!
Taxpayers having to foot the future bills of the "Red Ink" on the city books, foot the luxury comfort of the union raises for firefighters, and police.
We all in good faith try and pitch in and do our share of personal compensation and sacrifices in the city of White Plains in a time of need and financial hard times.
Except the greedy and self needy!!
It's hard times when families are struggling to keep their homes, send their children to schools and college, some struggling on one salary, many working more then one job, many trying to find a job, many loosing jobs. Teens out of work, parents out of work, senior citizens struggling on fixed incomes.
Property taxes again for sure to rise to cover the city future "Red Ink" to cover the greedy and the self needy.
With great respect for our city and fire and police, they are quickly loosing respect from us the citizens as we try and understand, be fair and comprehend in a nation of recession, financial calamity, job losses, budget and labor cut backs across our nation, as they ask for more and more and more.
That is not leadership - that is greed and self need, period
In a time where and when there is no more to give from the already wounded and suffering White Plains, taxpayer - homeowner, senior citizens.
Bag-em, and Freeze-em salaries. We have no more to give to the unions. It's time to give back!
Carl Albanese | | |
Pay cuts are called for -- not justification.
November 19,2009
John,
I Read Mr. Carrier's "Ode to thy Self" letters in your fine online newspaper".
All I can say is that it's great that we are blessed with some highly qualified Firefighters and Police officers but they (Mr. Carrier and his union rank and file ) really need to learn when to pick their battles. The use of this sink-the-homeowner-property-tax-payer-mother ship mentality should really be avoided in these perilous economic times.
While these union officials claw and scratch back and forth at the WP Common Council, who also seem to be flashing their claws and hissing right back, the taxpayers who pay both their salaries are going down the tubes.
Quite frankly many of us might just eventually abandon our small 2-4 bedroom homes en mass if these federal, state, county municipal payrolls and benefits don't start contracting. I would like to point out the bulk of White Plains 21,000 homes are these smaller 4 bedroom and under homes so I hope they all consider our situations when making demands like this.
I have a suggestion, since the employer, the tax payers have fallen on hard times and can no longer meet their salary demands why don't they all (Cops, Fire Fighters and Common Counsel members) take pay cuts of at least 15% to demonstrate goodwill and real leadership.
Let's see them all place the good of the taxpayer before their own. Wouldn't this be great!! As a side note, I would like to point out that the inflation rate has been relatively tame for the last 6-8 years so any raises they actually received more than likely outpaced any inflation effect.
Come on ladies and gentlemen, show the tax payers you're really team players and that you won't continue to kick the middleclass homeowner when we're down!! Let's talk about immediate 15% salary cuts and at least 2 year salary freezes!! No more of this childish one way gimmie!! gimmie!! Right!
In the private sector they might present these suggestions/offers like this" It's either the 15 % pay cut or there's the door"!!
In closing I would like to say thank you to all of Public Safety personal and our common council members for the fine jobs that you all do but now is not the time to make any demands from the tax payers and home owners.
Regards,
Mike McConnell
Chatterton Pkwy Area Resident
Battle Hill Asks? Where Is OUR Leaf Pick-up?
November 18, 2009
John,
The DPW has come down our street once in 3 weeks. They sent the claw truck and one man down to do our street. Our leaves have been piled up for at least two weeks and I paid a gardener again yesterday to rake the same leaves I paid him to rake 9 days ago because they all just blew back. I know you received a cc: on my letter to Rick Hope @ DPW and the pictures of the lousy job they did earlier in the month so I am sure you know we are on alert in this neighborhood!!
We have not seen a street sweeper or vacuum truck on the smaller streets in this area. I did see them using the vacuum truck on Battle and Chatterton Pkwy only. This of course follows the mandate from City Hall to make sure nothing impedes the view or flow of business traffic into WP.
John, if you know the answer to the following questions can you advise? How many times have they been on Mansfield and the surrounding area, how many men and what type of equipment did they use?
Regards,
Mike McConnell
Battle Hill and Chatterton
(WPCNR Notes: Haviland Manor, home of the WPCNR White Plains News Center, reports 5 leaf pick-ups, about one a week usually towards the weekend, using "The Claw" --which has created ugly scratch marks on the streets of the neighborhood. )
Common Council Posturing, Labor Leader Charges
November 18,2009
The election in White Plains is over and yet some City Council people are still posturing. Why?
The Councilpersons with whom we had had amiable relations in the past seemed to be absorbed in the election process and forgot about the City’s real needs. Posturing prevailed.
As far as fire and police, agreements were made to take the contracts out of the political spectrum and bravado and allow neutral arbitrators to decide the fate of their settlements. Premier Arbitrators were approved by both sides.
With the election hysteria, who could blame the firefighters and cops? Should they have capitulated with a City Council who wanted to abrogate past agreements to a greater or lesser extent on a daily basis based upon the changing political winds?
Wasn’t it time for Public Safety employees to get out of the political maelstrom?
Let’s look at the facts – The City Council unanimously agreed to a work schedule change in January 2009 which generated an increase to the City of thousands of man hours in increased productivity. It also generated $400,000 in hard cash savings in overtime and other expenses.
Commissioner Straub worked with the Unions to do this deal. It was beneficial to both sides. And the City Council tried to fire Straub, who later resigned in honor.
Healing in White Plains between the incoming administration and firefighters and police will take years, if it happens at all.
Duncan MacRae, Chair
White Plains Labor Coalition
Common Council Claims on Police/Fire Negotiations Are Phoney: Fire Fighter Union Chief Writes.
(WPCNR EDITORIAL NOTE: An article in the Gannett outlet published in White Plains Monday, reported White Plains Common Council members complaining about "minimal transparency," and "potential for a lopsided deal coming out of the closed-door contract arbitration between Mayor Joseph Delfino's office and the city's police and fire unions," and that "council members complain they have been completely walled off from the process," and that Councilman Benjamin Boykin "said he wasn't even told there were contract discussions going on last year(2008) until months after they started." In the following letter, the President of the Firefighters says these claims by the Council are false.)
To: The Editor of the CitizeNetReporter:
November 17, 2009:
The alleged frustration of certain White Plains council members over the police and fire interest arbitrations is phoney. What is obscured by their double talk is the fact that prior to arbitration the City and the Fire Union entered into a comprehensive three year agreement which contained significant cost saving concessions from the Union.
When the Council failed to ratify that agreement on account of alleged high salary increases, the Fire Union agreed to permit the Council to enact its concessions and the non-economic portion of the comprehensive agreement.
The Union agreed to go forward with its concessions partly in exchange for the City's promise to submit the unresolved economic issues to an arbitration panel. Council members for their part knew, or should have known, that by enacting the bulk of the comprehensive agreement that the arbitration would be limited to the unresolved economic items.
Thus, the arbitration was always intended to be limited to the few unresolved issues from the comprehensive agreement and this is why the City and the Union have far fewer proposals at issue in this arbitration.
Parenthetically, the Commissioner of Public Safety recently testified at a special meeting of the Council that the concessions previously agreed to by the Fire Union has already resulted in savings totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars and has increased department manpower and productivity during the 2009 calendar year.
Also, (The Gannett Journal News) reporter's negative inference regarding by-passing mediation must be addressed. When the Council failed to ratify the comprehensive three year agreement there was no point to mediation.
We had already conducted lengthy negotiations with
Note: In order to read the letters sent to Toast of the Town on previous days going back for about a month, click on "Read More" -- Your Editor
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