An Easter Memory

Posted on April 8, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR’S MEMORY LANE. April 8, 2007: As I puttered around the house, getting ready for an Easter Sunday dinner, I thought back over the years to a time when this holiday was more meaningful to me than it is today, and this poem emerged from my fingertips:

Sunrise Service

In the crisp bite of early dawn

Roused by the ever loyal mom

To a warm breakfast then driven to a school rendezvous on the way

To play Jesus Christ is Risen Today .

Up the through the dark back road to old Flag Hill above the Saw Mill

We were driven, six chosen musicians to play fanfare

Celebrating the resurrection of long ago as first rays of dawn broke the chill.

After we played our brassy peal of annunciation

The pastor announced simply, “He has risen” and said an invocation,

On the downbeat from our instructor,

We played the joyous hymn and song burst forth

From the tiny band, voices vibrant beyond talent

Took up the simple refrain, “Je US CHRIST has riSEN toDAAY”

With each verse our brass tones played fuller, bolder triumphant

Expanding our chests with pride, courage and steadfast melody.

From crisp wind no longer did we cower.

Sun blaze rose in the east across our town,

Upon the last jubilant coda, the echoes did sound

Descending across the valley below and above to the high tension tower

In somber words the pastor’s message told the story

Of empty tomb, of the incredible happening

And for the rest of the day we who had played

Announcing the news in song and peal of brass

Had recreated that time of myth that has endured in faith

The thought of which renews us still that our time here will not from memory pass.

In the holiday dinner that would follow,

Cousins, aunts and uncles would gather

With the matriarch of the family,

Today we are scattered.

Do not gather together as we did then in harmony

Still I feel the warmth of those Easters past

When those whohave departed we think of once more

And how they created a family that would last.

Citi Field Revisited — Just Another Shea — and No Ebbets About It.

Posted on April 7, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. Revisited By Fast Pitch Johnny . April 7, 2007: I went to Ebbets Field once. The Mets new ballpark that began construction last fall, has been ballyhooed as a nostalgic ode to Ebbetts Field, the best ballpark in the world according to the most recent book about it.

In the original of this article, WPCNR made a Merkle’s Boner — a Snodgrass Muff — a Kubek Choke — a major error. Thank you to the two young readers who backed us up on this one.

We transposed the dimensions of the two stadiums, in the heat of our passion denouncing the architectural fraud of Citi Field. WPCNR is embarrassed we made this error, but still feels the interior of the new Citi Field looks not at all like Ebbets Field — and in our opinion, is just like any other park HOK ( for Hellmuth, Obata, Kassabaum) Architects has done around the major leagues. There is nothing unique about the new Citi Field and it is no Ebbetts. If anything the fact that new Citi Field will be deeper makes it worse!

Even with our mistake in the dimensions of the fields — the felony– the “phoney” of Citi Field is compounded by creating a deeper ball park — with no distiinguishing alleys or configurations or quirks. I still stick to my original premise that a bandbox park would be very cool. But to say the interior of the stadium looks like Ebbets Field is poppycock. Let’s take a look, shall we:

Ebbets Field, Brooklyn USA. Memorial Day Doubleheader with Pittsburgh, 1955. Note the cantilivered wall of rightfield; the scoreboard and the extension of the centerfield bleachers into right center. Photo (c) by John C. Wagner, Jr., www.pportals.com/jcw. Used with permission.

The new design by the “Official Ballpark Builder of Major League Baseball” ROK Architects – builders of Camden Yards, PNP Park in Pittsburgh, the Great American Ballpark in Cincinatti, PacBell in San Francisco, Petco Park in San Diego– is another ROK cookie cutter stadium – not uniquely New York in any way.

Lots of brick and somewhat of a look of Ebbets on the exterior, but the resemblance to Ebbets Field stops as soon as you hit the field.

Citi Field, 2006 Rendering. Nothing Ebbetsian About It. Note bullpens in right center. No roofs in left — the symetrical fences. And another thing — in old Ebbets the bullpens were down the left and right field lines so they warmed up within a few feet of the fans. Since the fans in the box seats will be paying astronomical prices for the box seats it would be a nice touch to put in more cheap seats in right instead of wasting space on bullpen areas. Web Capture of Computerized Flyover from New York Mets Website.

If you take the virtual fly through of the ballpark on the New York Mets website at http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/nym/ballpark/citifield_overview.jsp, you will note immediately that ROK has continued its trademark rakeback construction of the upper decks, setting the fans awaayyyy back from the field and above it. It’s not as bad as the “perched on the edge of a saucer cup” feel that Roger Kahn coined to describe Shea Stadium when it opened in 1964.

Citi Field Left Field Line. Note the setback of the decks and the steep rake, putting the upper deck aficianado considerably away from the greensward. Virtually a knockoff of Camden Yards, not Ebbets Field Webcaptures from Computerized Flyover on New York Mets website.

However, if you’re in the decks you are set way back starting well back of the field box level. Not good. This is done to accommodate sky boxes on the mezzanine levels. If you compare the new ballparks ROK has built the aim is to create more field level boxes (expensive seats) while stacking the upper decks high, slanted and back away from the foul lines.

Observe how set back the upper decks are in the Citi Field grandstand. When you set the decks back you are putting folks farther away from the action. If you note the original Ebbets upper deck it is almost even with the front row box railings. That is the tyranny of modern construction. Webcaptures from Computerized Flyover on New York Mets website.

I am sick of these architects designing stadiums that are lousy to watch baseball in.

Let’s go around Citi Field There is no intimacy about the interior of the park. The interior has three decks in left field just like Camden Yards — the same look as Camden Yards. The right field section has two upper decks – does not look at all like Ebbets Field. ROK has borrowed the Briggs Stadium overhang effect in right, thinking it’s cute. The Polo Grounds had an overhang, but old Ebbets Field did not.

The Citi Field Right Field Corner. Where does that come from? Extend the stands to the foulpoul and give us a single bleacher for more Ebbets Look.

An overhanging deck in right has nothing to do with Ebbets Field. Ebbetts Field had a humpback boomerang outfield wall that Carl Furillo played the carom on and threw out many a runner at second and third trying to stretch. Why could they not duplicate that?

Then there is the rightfield screen. Ebbetts Field had double deck bleachers from the leftfield line past centerfield. Does ROK do that? No. They stop the stands at just before leftcenter and have various entertainment and eateries and plazas and two garish dominating scoreboards rising monolithically like something out of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Nothing nostalgic there. There is no homage to the famous “Schaefer Scoreboard” in right centerfield which they could have easily incorporated instead of placing the unimaginative bullpen chutes in right center which is more Fenway Park than Ebbets Field. Do the architects have any knowledge of baseball anyway? No. They do not.

The interior stands wrap around majestically in a circle effect – just like Shea Stadium – with stands that are borrowed from the Turner Field, Dodger Stadium look – again with upper decks set back placing you far away from the action on the field.

Gil waits on deck to greet Campy Campanella after a three-run shot. Note the gallery in the upper deck how close the fans are. Photo (c) by John C. Wagner, Jr., www.pportals.com/jcw. Used with permission.

You lose the right angle, overhanging effects that marked good ol’ Ebbets. Why is this important?

Intimacy is not to be found.

Too much foul territory in this new design. The concept of all the ROK ballparks is to pay lipservice to nostalgia visually, but the upper decks are still stack cantilevered stadiums that cater more to entertaining you with your backs to the ballgame. You’re going to need binoculars to go this ball game if you sit in the Upper Decks in Citi Field – from the visuals in the flyover tour. Maybe the decks will be closer and steeper when built – but the flyover does not show that.

The rake and voluptuousness of the spacious decks in the new Citi Field conjour up visions of a football stadium like Municipal Stadium in Cleveland – and yes, Shea Stadium the uninspired rockpile next door. You may even be closer in Shea to the action than you are in the new Citi Field.

ROK essentially is doing on the major league level what Kaiser, Garment and Davidson do with synthetic turf stadiums around Westchester County: one size fits all and little tweaks to the basic design are made – with the same gee whiz electronic scoreboards, jumbotrons and visual chock-a-block that substitutes sensory stimulation for good baseball. Every time they get a new ballpark, ROK flips the decks from side to side and rearranges the “deck chairs,” on their stadium Titanics and creates nothing unique.

For a 42,000 seat stadium which Citi Field is – those seats look a long way from the field and in no way hang over the field the way they used to do at Ebbets, “Where the howling mobs” seemed on the backs of the visiting New York Giants.

Even the Polo Grounds was more intimate than this faux-Ebbets Field.

Hanging out at the Batting Cage. Ebbets Field, 1955. Note the blue-gray seats (not green) and the jaunty red box seat railings! Photo (c) by John C. Wagner, Jr., www.pportals.com/jcw. Used with permission.

And another thing: the ball park measurements are another Shea Stadium with the exception of the power alleys. in view of our readers who noted our inadvertent switching of the dimensions, the Mets pitchers will have 8 more feet to work with in left center and 20 more feet to work with in right center. But this means the Mets will have to have a good outfield to cut off the doubles.

In Ebbets Field, the bandbox effect and the cantilevered fences and contours and short fences made the ballpark a factor. Brooks pitchers had to be good pitching in that park.

Absolutely a mistake to design Citi Field with deeper power alleys.

How many games did Mr. Wilpon ever attend at Ebbetts Field? One wonders! The beauty and the beast of Ebbets was its bandbox size. It was 393 to centerfield. A ridiculously short distance. It was a 348 foot poke down the Left Field Foul Line. The colorful advertising on the left field wall then ran out at a right angle only 3 feet to 351 feet in left center (the new Citi Field is correctly this time supposed to be 379 in left center (a full 28 feet DEEPER).

Then good ole Ebbets went at a right angle out to 393 in dead center (Citi Field is to be 408 in dead center).

In centerfield, Ebbets took an abrupt right turn straight across center and angled slightly out to 403 feet in right center in a V. Then the center field wall with the colorful advertising took over all the way at a right angle to the right field foul line, tracking in to 352 feet in straightaway right right center (Citi Field is to be 391 in right center).

The cantilevered Ebbets Field wall then nipped in 52 feet nightmarishly to 297 feet at the right field foul line. The Citi Field right field foul pole is 330 feet from home plate.

No Quirks, No Nips. No Tucks in the outfield. Just plain wall.

It would be interesting if Mr. Wilpon and the HOK guys duplicated those dimensions, but maybe they were too afraid the fans eating sushi in centerfield restaurants would be killed by the screaming line drives bombarding the concourses beyond centerfield like mortars thanks to the hand grenades that serve as baseballs today. (Talking about the lively juiced up, souped up, tightly wound baseballs of today.)

However – you could duplicate the configuration of the Ebbets Field walls with the new dimensions of CitiField.

They have simply recreated the Shea Stadium dimensions a little deeper in the alleys (8 feet deeper in left center, 20 feet deeper in right)with the power alleys moving slightly out. How creative.

One of the most boring aspects of Shea Stadium is that the outfield is easy to play. It is symmetrical and the outfielders really have no challenging catches to make, except at the fence. That same antiseptic outfield though deeper is being recreated for another 40 years.

Skoonj’s Territory. The intriguing rightfield wall. How could HOK leave it out? Carl Furillo (Skoonj) used to play the caroms and gun down runners at second with his “Springfield Rifle” Arm. Photo (c) by John C. Wagner, Jr., www.pportals.com/jcw. Used with permission.

A closer look at Skoonj’s Territory. Note the cantilevered wall Photo (c) by John C. Wagner, Jr., www.pportals.com/jcw. Used with permission.

Perhaps, just perhaps the architects could have duplicated the boomerang-cantilever wall in centerfield over to right field….to provide the feel of the unexpected when you got a line shot caroming off the wall in the 1950s.

Why could they not replicate the old Ebbets Field scoreboard at field level, with drop down scores as they have in Fenway Park and Wrigley Field?

That would be a touch. But, there are no touches in this ballpark. The monster pyramids of two scoreboards with the jumbotrons is a visual eyesore – typical of the phoney superficial cuteness that has always characterized the Mets as a franchise.

The doubledeck in right has no similarity to Ebbets Field at all…you might have extended the left field decks around into right center and curled the right field upper deck over and around the foul pole.

Ahhh, the grandeur. Only the dead know Brooklyn. The Ebbets Roof and lighttowers. Russ Meyer is on the mound in 1955. Pee Wee at short. Gilliam at third. Photo (c) by John C. Wagner, Jr., www.pportals.com/jcw. Used with permission.

Now another feature of Ebbets was it had a roof on it, as did Shibe Park, Old Comiskey Park, Forbes Field, Crosley Field – those “Baths of Caracala” ballparks of baseball’s golden age.

Why could you not put a roof on the upper deck in left field and square cut it over the other decks for the fans on rainy days. Too expensive? But that was the Ebbets Field look you “suits” out there.

In fact you could have put posts in the upper deck for nostalgia sake and sell them as old time Ebbets Field seats with see-through panels you’d have a real intimate experience. Preposterous? I say it is a touch that would have given soul to this HOK back-of-the-hand design. They may be big and do a lot of jobs, but that does not mean they know baseball and how it is watched – or that they know what is good in a ballpark.

But, I guess I’m different: at $100 a person, for parking, hot dogs and two beers – I go to watch the ballgame. In this park I see more antiseptic baseball, honky tonk and special effects that are typical of every HOK-built ballpark in the majors. There is nothing unique about Citi Field.

HOK simply flips the positions of the left and right field upper decks and relocates the scoreboards, while adding the usual picnic areas, grills and ways to distract the fans from the boring ball game.

I have sat behind posts in Old Comiskey and they were great “frames” of the action. But then I am old. A ballpark without posts is a football stadium in my opinion.

Please not a lot of candy colored seats. I hate that.

I am not done picking this new stadium to pieces. One wonders if the architects or the Wilpons had ever really really looked at old Ebbets. They say they will have green seats. If they go bright blue that is wrong too. Should be blue-gray with red trim.

Well that is wrong…Ebbets Field had (based on color pictures on baseball cards in the 1950s), blueish gray seats with red railings for the box seats and red box seats – a terrific colorful touch. Very snappy. Please, no green seats – this ain’t Fenway Park. (That leads me to another discussion…the wedding caking of seats on the roof at Fenway have destroyed the look of that place, too.)

Now what will the new dimensions comparison be on the new park compared to Shea Stadium here they are:

New Citi Field DIMENSIONS Old Shea Stadium DIMENSIONS

LF Foul Line 335 LF Foul Line 338

Left Center 379 Left Center 371

Center 408 Center 410

Right Center 391 Right Center 371

Right Field 330 Right Field 338

Take a careful look they have pushed left center some eight feet (more doubles), and pushed out right center 20 feet (more doubles), but remember Ebbets alleys were short — 351 feet and 352 feet – a good 30 to 40 feet closer in than Citi Field. To say that Citi Field is designed like Ebbets Field is simply not true.

Would that be interesting or what? However the dimensions are going out in the power alleys at the new ball park and the right field foul line is 8 feet shorter than Shea Stadium in the new field. The left field line in Citi Field is only 3 feet closer.That does not make sense.

Foul Resemblance Way Foul

The kicker is that the foul pole dimensions at Ebbets are very different from both Shea and the new “Ebbets” Citi Field. At the original Ebbets, Left Field was 348 feet down the line, compared to 335 in new Citi Field, and right was 291 compared to 330. Bring the foul pole in to the Ebbets distance

I have a big problem with the lack of creative symmetry in the new Citi Field.

I dislike the twin monster scoreboards gone amok affect in right center. This looks nothing like Ebbets Field ever did.

Why couldn’t they have put a single bleacher running behind a right field screen to simulate the Ebbets Field look, adding seats where the bullpen areas are now planned? Put the bullpens in play – like old Ebbets down the foul lines?

The rotunda looks pretty majestic on the inside. However, Ebbets Field had an awning on its entrance. They could have duplicated the awning. And another thing: Ebbets had a chandelier hanging down in the rotunda of the old ballpark in the shape of a beautiful huge ivory baseball with white baseballs setting on crossed bats. That’s not here – just some nice ramps and girders. Doesn’t look anything like the Ebbets Field rotunda.

Now, I love Jackie Robinson, who doesn’t? But Brooklyn Dodger fans are dying off. It is high time the Mets stopped glomming on to old New York Giant and Brooklyn Dodger memories. How about pictures of Met greats in the rotunda? Seaver, Jones, Dr. K., Jerry Grote, HoJo, Daryl, Koos, Wayne, Carter — Jackie, Johnny, Carl, Duke and Gil?

Give me some Sexy Lights.

Light towers – I hate the new style of lights today. How about duping the triangular light towers of old Ebbets on the infield side…and if you put roofs on the decks you could use the motion picture show look of lights on those roofs. But the light towers I can live with.

HOK’s idea of oldtime looks is girders. Come on — the old parks were not just girders and ramps. They were odd dimensions. They created a warm old feeling as you went into the park. You were close to the action.

Ebbets exterior was windows and arches and intriguing signage like E X I T –and little Gate signs, as well as colorful ad signs on the walls. Put em on the walls Fred and cantilever the walls and let’s have some fun.

The new Yankee Stadium they are building in the Bronx also suffers from that hideous restaurant in centerfield and the boring symmetry of the present Yankee Stadium makeover.

HOK builds stadiums for corporate types – not baseball fans.

What I love the most about attending minor league and National Pro Fastpitch games is the lack of contrived environments.

When Citi Field opens, joining the other HOK cookie cutter nostalgia parks across the country it will be a shadow of what it could have been.

But it is no Ebbets Field.

You be the judge.

Citi Field, 2009. Webcapture from “Flyover” Computer Simulation on New York Mets website.

Ebbets Field 1955.Photo (c) by John C. Wagner, Jr., www.pportals.com/jcw. Used with permission.

Note: The photographs of Ebbets Field were taken May 30, 1955 at Ebbets Field by John C. Wagner, Jr. when Mr. Wagner was 17 years old. They were shot with an Argus C3 35mm camera, and 8 x 10s and various sizes of these one-of-a-kind-photos may be purchased on Mr. Wagner’s website at www.pportals.com/jcw. Mr. Wagner recalls Bob Purkey pitched for the Pirates and Russ Meyer for the Brooks in this game. Da Bums won both ends of the doubleheader.

Article Rating

Options

Opening Day

Posted on April 7, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR Press Box. April 7,2007: On Monday, the Metropolitans return to Shea Stadium after a splendid opening week. In their honor, WPCNR brings back this original celebration of the best day of the year.

WRIGLEY fIELD CHICAGO 1975 PHOTO WPCNR SPORTS

OPENING DAY is better than Christmas Day,
When you look out the window and you know they’ll play,
Whether dreary gray or billiant spring sun’s ray
Opening Day means the Big Show is back today.

In decades past, Opening Day was for the fanatics starved
Eager for the sharp crack of ash on horsehide carved
The flutter of pennants snapping in northwest winds
Atop ramparts of inviting arches of walls and friezes wistfully escarped.

(MORE)

Fans lucky to get away with a pair of ducats
Marveled at those grown men in boys flannels and sharp whites pristeen
Back to play in April’s warm zhyphers in NY blazened caps,
Dashing specks of white warming up on the sprawl of the greenest green.

Motor cars panting in good-natured traffic jams on Major Deegan,
Or down Yawkey Way, on 35th and Shields or Waveland’s Jam.
Through your windows you see the first glimpse of the imposing Park,
The place where ball is played, where spirits of Ted, Babe, Duke
Mel, Spahnie, Whitey, Mickey, Willie, Yaz, Minnie and Sandy lark.

Paying a White Plains fine to park to stogie smoking old men
Who ‘VE BEEN at the same GATES for a hundred years

out into the street
You go eager, the smell of roasting chestnuts, pungent cigars sweet,
Cries of “scorecard heah” “programs, heah” neath light towers to heaven.

Fans in cap and uniform, little boys and girls gawk in awe
Never seeing SUCH sheer walls so topped with the legend “GameToday 1:30 PM”
Clutching slim cardboard tix to Section 14 Upper Deck up to the turnstiles
Festooned with souvenirs more dear as diamonds, beyond, THE lure OF ENDLESS aisles.

Into the press of crowd, the grizzled usher, RIPS YOUR TICKET.
Turnstile turns and into the castle of ball you go
Into the rotunda greeted with magic signs dazzlING
UPPER LEVELS SECTIONS 1 to 39, 2 to 40

Hawkers shout –Voices of The Bronx — colorful books in hand

“Yearbook heah,” “Dodger Yearbook here,” “Hot dog, heah,”
Assail your ears up the ramps you walk to the sign “NEXT HOMESTAND”
Out the suspended catwalk where sliver of blue is first glimpse of the magic sphere
Into the sunlight splaying the vast rake down of the mighty grand stand.

Spread out below are knights of the diamond in white hues
Cavorting, snapping throws across immaculate red clay
As majestic fungoes CRACK! soar towards filling bleachers a mile away,
Bunting flutters from the deck’s rails red, white and true blues.

Old glory unfurls on the highest pole in center field
Colorful signs deliver the manly flavor of the only real game,
GILLETTE To Look Sharp, The Red Sox use Lifeboy, Schaefer It’s A Hit
Hey, Neighbor Have a Gansett, White Owl Cigars, Hit Sign Win Suit

From old familiar walls, to Gladys Gooding on the organ
friendly old green scoreboard displaying
Today’s games around the big leagues BETTER THAN CNN
CHI CLE BOS DET, CHI STL, NY WAS make you king for a day.
Two Bits for a scorecard, usher wipes your seat, ballpark fills your heart.

Penciling in the lineup 42 2B, 1 SS, 14 1B, 4 CF, 39 C, 6 RF, 23 LF 19 3B 36 P
Smell of beer, peanuts and warm salty pretzels entice
The air is nippy, warm rays sink into your face feels nice,
starting pitchers wheel and deal on sidelines fueling expectancy

Men in blue, arms folded solemnly conduct the home plate regimen
CaseY, Ralph , Walter AND SPARKY exchange lineup cards and knowing
ground rules by heart they go over them for ritual’s sake.
announcer entones “Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen.”

“Please rise for the playing of our national anthem,”
the stadium organ note by note peels baseball’s theme
Rising on the breeze, uniting do-rag and ball cap,
fedora and Tie PONYTAIL AND BOUFFANT in the spirit of the great game.

Grass is never greener than on opening days
strikes are louder, the long drives electrify in the alleys
The beer with THICK hig creamy head, taste crisp cold and mellow the best all year
Smashes laser through short and in the gap in raucous rallies

Magicians without wands start 6-4-3s, backhand sure hits losing their caps

“Oh what a play’s” crackle on WGN with “CUBS WIN’S”

Jack and Mel, Vince, Curt and Murph are back at the mike to turn mundane days into joy with a ninth inning elixir and “happy recaps”

THUNDROUS ROAR accolades the 2-out winner again CREATING Big KIDS’ GRINS

It’s Prom Season. Shouldn’t County Regulate Proms, too?.

Posted on April 7, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR Funnies. Humor By Big Mel Meed, the Legendary Rajah of Rock N Roll Radio. April 7,2007: WPCNR got to thinking that since Indian Point is tightly regulated, and the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Safety Administration is watching over us, that the same blanket of security model could be applied to the conduct of Senior Prom Dating. How would it work?

Here is a suggestion of how it could be put in place for this spring’s proms throughout the county. It involves issuance of a PROM CARD and a completion of a Senior Prom Itinerary & Security & Safety Application.

New Security Measure? Big Mel Meed, the Legendary Rajah of Rock N Roll Radio suggests Westchester County should regulate Senior Proms in the interest of keeping dates safe.

Westchester County Department of Youth Social Safety.

Senior Prom Itinerary Security Safety Application

In the interest of security AND the mutual safety of prom participants, the Family Department of Homeland Security, a new Westchester County department has issued the following Application, all prospective senior students in schools throughout the county must register their intent to bring dates to their senior proms and file with the county prior to arranging and escorting ladies to prom dances throughout Westchester County.

Upon completion of this Application and clearance, which may be submitted at any high school office or at the Westchester County Prom Van when it visits your high school.

You will be issued a Westchester County Prom Card that will verify when shown to an officer at any check point that you have an official County Cleared Prom Date. Uncleared Dates are subject to termination by County Police.

If at various sobriety checks by county security personnel, you cannot produce an approved copy of this Westchester County application and a “Prom Card”, your date will be terminated immediately, parents notified and you will be returned home.

So ask your prospective date promptly, to allow appropriate time for the County to process your Prom Applications.

This Application needs to be filed within 21 days of the Prom to the County Clerk’s Office. County Prom Vans will be visiting high schools throughout the county within the Month of April distributing the forms. To request a form or file your Application on line – go to www.promcard.com or call 1-888-OPSAFEPROM.

Forms also must be submitted in duplicate with parents of all dates attending the Prom.

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A REAL REQUIREMENT. THIS IS A HOAX.

Complete Official Application for Prom Card Below

Senior Prom Itinerary Security Safety Application

Date of Prom______School__________

Location__________________________

Name of Date______________________

Name of Escort______________________

Address____________________________

Driving and Transportation

1. How long have you had your driver’s License?

2. Do you have any speeding tickets, moving violations?

3. Have you had a traffic accident?

4. What is your mode of transportation to prom

A. Limo Driver with others.

B. Drive yourself.

C. C. If driver other than yourself…name________________ Driving Records:

Prom Etiquette

5. Do you plan on buying a corsage?

6. Will you be renting a tuxedo?

7. What brand of alcohol do you illegally consume?

8. Who is your designated driver in event of group date?

Dance Conduct

9. Do you plan to slowdance?

10. If yes to above, what slowdances do you do?

A.Overhanging grope

B. Embrace in Place.

C. Twin Leaning Towers of Pisas

11. What do you plan to do after the prom?

A. Go to Club State place______________Estimated Time of Arrival___________

Estimated time of departure.

B. Go to Beach State beach________Mode of Transit____________

C. Private Party at house: State address______________

Adults/chaperones attending_____________________

Refreshments served____________________________

(Is party registered with White Plains Department of Public Safety)

Mode of transit to and from party___________________

Time of End of Party________________________________

Medical Knowledge…

13. In event of date passing out What will you do with Date?

A. Take to Hospital.

B. Call ambulance

D. Call Police

E. All of the above

Personal Information:

14.Description of vehicle you plan to use:

15. Cellphone number:

16. Do you plan to feed your date?

16A—If so, what kind of meal?

A. Fast Food Chain (state name and location)

B. Restaurant (state name and location)

C. Expensive Restaurant (state name and location)

D. Take Out Food (State brand)

Conditions of Date Custody, I agree to by completing this application:

A. Date will be equipped with a Lo-Jac and GPS Device.

B. Upon embarking on transits, departure time will be phoned back to base via cell-phone and arrivals announced via cell-phone.

C. Departures from expected times of arrivals and departures will be announced if expected to vary

D. A Detailed Date Plan Itinerary must be filed for review within 72 hours of The Prom.

E. Nose Rings, Piercings must be reviewed for security reasons

F. Car must be driven at or below speed limit at all times.

G. All portable drink containers must be presented for inspection by parents upon pick up of date.

H. Escort should plan on enough time to undergo security search and x-ray of all possessions and a vehicle search prior to pickup of date.

I. Transportation shall be limited to traditional sedans and limousines, with dividers in front seats, no vans, pickup trucks, SUVs allowed

Conditions of conduct on date. Escort agrees in accepting custody of date to the following codes of conduct

A. Slow dancing shall be limited to up and down movement no forward “grinding” and couple must circulate on dance floor, no dancing in place permitted. You will be watched

B. Fast dancing shall be limited to dancing with date only no group multi—partner shake-it-ups.

C. If passenger in vehicle – vehicle shall be in motion at all times.

D. If escort is driver, both hands shall be on the steering mechanism at all times.

E. Escort agrees to pay all gasoline charges.

F.Escort agrees to accept installation of computer cam in front and backseats of vehicle

After analysis of answers and agreeing to observe these few simple regulations, your application will be processed and reviewed, and you will be notified of your date clearance with date within 7 days of the Prom and a PROM CARD issued in name of the escort.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Andy Cano

Westchester County Executive

REPEAT THIS IS NOT REAL. THIS IS A HOAX. NO PROM CARD SYSTEM OR APPLICATIONS FOR PROM PROCEDURES ARE CONTEMPLATED BY WESTCHESTER COUNTY AT THIS TIME.

Republican leaders Trash State Ed Aid Giveaway to Nassau County

Posted on April 6, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From Westchester Republican Legislators Delegation. April 6, 2007: In a news release, Westchester’s Republican Legislators protested the Democratic New York State Senate recent approval of disproportionate school aid to Nassau County, shortchanging Westchester taxpayers. Their statement:

The Republican members of the Westchester County Board of Legislators charged today that the 2007 State Budget was a harsh wake-up call to county residents who were duped by campaigns last year that promised change but failed to deliver.

Legislators Jim Maisano, George Oros, Ursula LaMotte, Sue Swanson and Gordon Burrows maintained that Westchester’s paltry state aid to highly taxed school districts underscores the critical need for stronger and more effective voices in the State Capitol.

Legislator Jim Maisano (R/New Rochelle) stated, “This budget blatantly discriminates against Westchester taxpayers. The ‘High Tax Aid’ allocations are an embarrassment to good government. This lack of state funding will place yet another burden on the backs of county taxpayers. I am shocked that my former colleague, State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, this week tried to blame the Republicans in the State Senate for her and her colleagues complete failure to deliver for Westchester. The sad reality is that Long Island legislators delivered for their districts and Westchester’s lawmakers failed.”

According to published reports, Westchester is slated to receive only $1.2 million in “High Tax Aid” for school districts, which pales in comparison to the $39.5 million approved for Suffolk and $31 million for Nassau. Even Putnam, which only has about one-tenth the population of Westchester, was awarded $1.7 million.

“All of these counties and others received more ‘High Tax Aid’ than Westchester,” said Minority Leader George Oros (R/Cortlandt). “This is the direct result of Westchester losing its long-time voice in the State Senate, Nick Spano. I cannot believe the Westchester Democrats in the Senate actually voted yes for the education part of the budget that puts this huge disparity into place for ‘High Tax Aid’ in our county.’”

The Republican conference stated voters heard many promises from candidates like Governor Eliot Spitzer and Senator Stewart-Cousins during last year’s campaigns, only to see them both support a budget that so unfairly punishes Westchester’s taxpayers.

Sunrise Quits Assisted Living Project. City OKs New Developer

Posted on April 6, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR City Hall Circuit. By John F. Bailey. April 6, 2007:

Sunrise Assisted Living has bailed out of White Plains.

One week ago, March 30, the day the city completed agreements to purchase the Legal Aid Services of Hudson Valley building at 4 Cromwell Place to complete acquisition of the last piece to build a municipal parking garage and provide the land for the Sunrise Assisted Living project on Cromwell Place, Sunrise – the developer of the senior assisted living project planned for the site — announced by e-mail they would not build the project.

Corporation Counsel Edward Dunphy told WPCNR he understood that Sunrise said they wanted to be closer to the downtown or New York Presbyterian Hospital and did not like the new configuration of the project where their tenants would be looking out at a parking garage. Paul Wood, City Executive Officer and David Maloney of the Mayor’s Office, said a new chief executive of Sunrise had flown in on a tour of current projects of the company, to look at the site recently and, taking one look, said the company would not do the project.

Within hours, the Planning Commissioner told the Common Council, former key employees of Sunrise, running their own company, telephoned the Planning Department and offered to take over the project with Chevy Chase Bank financing the project. Up against a deadline of bids for the $17 Million 6-story parking garage expiring at the end of the month, the city took them up on the offer, after Executive Officer Wood did a “thorough” investigation of the company, the Planning Commissioner reported to the Council.

Thursday afternoon at City Hall, the Common Council met to schedule a public hearing on the project for April 16, when they will decide to authorize $19 Million in bonds to begin work on the garage. They also met the new developer, White Plains Kensington LLC, and two of its four principals. The executives received great praise from Montgomery County, Maryland, for which they had built a project, Kensington Park, on the basis of the Montgomery County recommendation the Planning Department accepted their offer, saving the project in 5 days, creating a “save” of the parking garage being built for White Plains Hospital Center, city and the senior project use.

Battle Hill Calls on Administration to Make Reforms

Posted on April 5, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. April 5, 2007: The Battle Hill Association delivered a plea for more quality of life enforcement in neighborhoods before the Citizens to be Heard segment of the Common Council meeting Wednesday evening, calling for heavier fines, a curfew after 10 PM and police enforcement of garbage regulations. The remarks follow:

To Honorable Mayor Delfino, Common Council:

As legislatures for our City you must embrace the opportunity you have this year to bring about change with compassion and balance necessary for the survival of neighborhoods. The challenge is how this council is going to manage the positive changes for improving our safety and quality of life. Do not focus on how hard the challenge or difficulty change will be. Embrace the challenge; focus on how and what significant amendments to ordinances you have the ability to enforce. Our association has worked together to help you with that focus.

Proposal/ Proactive Approaches for overcrowding

Significantly Increase Fines of fire/building and overcrowding violations. We must make overcrowding in structures to fiscally risky for property owners.

Councilman Hockley’s idea of Strict Liability: making the landlord responsible for all occupants.

These fines should be put into the Capital Project Funds in order to go back into the neighborhoods.

Proposal against Loitering/Public Nuisance open until either 9 or 10pm the latest. No ABC liquor within residential zone.

Direct Patrol and additional patrol officer either in car or motorcycle on Battle Hill.

Proposal against Garbage:

City of White Plains send sanitation schedule home with school children.
1. Amendment to Charter: Commercial establishments in residential zones within 100 feet of residential zone hours of operation limitations.

City of White Plains Police Officers should also be able to enforce summons of litter/garbage citations not just sanitation dept.

Significantly increase fines for garbage citations

Proposal against Shopping Carts:

Amendment to City Charter: City of WP fine the stores $50 per cart upon retrieval from the neighborhoods. Regardless if the stores pick them up from junkyard or not, income is generated to offset the expense this incurs on the city services.

Proposal for quality of life/out of character items

Additional ordinance to City Charter: Clothes/Garments or placement of clothes for outside drying purposes not allowed in front of homes or placed on fences. Must have clotheslines, fines incurred to landlord by building dept/public safety.

Proposal for Commercial Vehicles

Public Safety should be able to write tickets regarding commercial vehicles and taxi within neighborhoods. Increase their jurisdiction regarding zoning authority.

Sincerely,

Patricia Cantu

Battle Hill Association

Malmud for Assessment Reform, Landfill Xcellence, More Revenues

Posted on April 5, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. April 5, 2007: In her assessment of the city Wednesday evening, Common Council President Rita Malmud, speaking for the Common Councilpersons endorsed “high density downtown and low density in the surrounding circle” in her comments on development. She called for “an adequate number of building inspectors to prevent degradation of existing housing,” and said the council approved of a policy of expanding revenues to rein in rising property taxes, while calling for adjustment in the state equalization rate formula to assess commercial properties realistically.

Common Council President Rita Malmud delivering her Assessment of the City Wednesday evening.

She became the first Common Council member to acknowledge publicly that the city landfill has caused greater expenses than expected and that the council recognized the need to assure the landfill meets “environmental standards,” stopping short of endorsing a complete remediation.

Here is the text of Ms. Malmud’s remarks at the Common Council Wednesday evening:

COMMENTS on the State of the City

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for this opportunity to expand upon your remarks on behalf of all the Councilmembers: Arnold Bernstein, Ben Boykin, Glen Hockley, Dennis Power, Tom Roach , and myself. We also our proud of our City and all it has to offer our residents and visitors.

Government is about how people work together to promote municipal harmony and manage inevitable change. On our local level that translates into ensuring that all residential areas are up to the high standards we have experienced over many decades, that the commercial areas are subservient to our residents’ suburban lifestyle, that sufficient funds for essential services are provided, and that diverse programs responding to diverse family needs are offered.

Despite a wide array of proposed and completed new developments, residential sectors remain oases in the midst of significant new development. Our commercial and our high-density residential redevelopment have been concentrated in the downtown core and abutting fringe. High density downtown, low density in the surrounding circle remain a priority.

Recently there have been approvals for many new and expensive apartments. That construction comes with a strong commitment to support affordable housing. We will not waver in our determination to maintain existing affordable units, but also to produce new affordable units (such as the ones now being constructed on Kensico Avenue or already built at One City Center Place). We must ensure an adequate number of housing inspectors to work day and night to prevent degradation of existing housing standards. This council has long supported a night and weekend inspection policy, and will continue to do so. With decreasing federal housing funds each year, that is a more burdensome challenge, but one that we shall overcome.

Housing of a different nature is also a sad necessity here in wealthy America. Too many people find themselves homeless. White Plains has responded generously with many sites for homeless individuals and families. But at a time when there are some Westchester shelters closing, it is unwise to increase the number here in White Plains so that we are serving a disproportionately high percentage of the region’s homeless. Last year we saw a new homeless shelter pop up at 85 Court Street. Despite unanimity on the need to find an alternative site, there have been differences amongst the 7 members comprising this Council about the best method to achieve its relocation.

Due to the cooperative, positive, and persistent teamwork of my fellow Councilmen Ben Boykin, Dennis Power, and Tom Roach as well as County Legislator Bill Ryan working with me in approaching County government, I am enormously pleased that County Executive Spano has been more than willing to meet and really listen to our concerns about this shelter site. In a written letter to us last month, County Executive Spano has announced his determination for that shelter’s relocation to a better site elsewhere in the county. All seven members of this Common Council need to participate in this process for a successful conclusion. As you are fond of saying, Mr. Mayor, and I agree, “There is nothing we can’t accomplish if we all work together.” We should all emerge winners – the temporarily homeless, County and local government, and most importantly, our residents.

Because the City government of White Plains offers so many services to our residents and visitors while having one of the lowest property tax rates in the county, our fiscal resources have been strained. The only answers to curbing rising property taxes are expanding revenue sources, reducing existing expenses despite inflationary demands and unfunded mandates by other levels of government, or a combination. This year more than ever we recognize the importance of demanding greater frugality and planning new ways to accomplish old services. Vigorously examining the expense side of the budget becomes more of a necessity each year.

A larger than anticipated expense has been our landfill, which fell short of State standards. We will see that this City meets all environmental standards, both here at the landfill and in all other City areas. We are also resolved to have as much open space and parkland as possible without jeopardizing other City goals and values.

Our downtown additions have slowed the decline of assessibles comprising so much of our tax base. However, we must continue to press State government to address their equalization rate for White Plains which is so disastrous to our economic health. We must also continue to explore traffic and parking strategies that will be viewed as a service accommodation rather than a penalty for visiting downtown.

In this Information Age of Technology, we repeat last year’s directive to refresh our website so that it is more current with City facts and each week’s events, easier to find what a user is looking for, and includes the City Charter, Municipal Code, and Zoning Ordinance.

And finally, the entire legislative body needs to interact with other government entities representing WP in a more proactive and positive manner. There is much the City needs that cannot be supplied solely by our employees or our purchasing power. White Plains is interdependent; we are not the island of White Plains.

We thank you Mr. Mayor for giving the public insight to your views on the State of the City and allowing us to amplify on that.

Rita Z. Malmud, Common Council President

BID Move Implodes After Negative Option Ploy Exposed. Cablevision Says No Way!

Posted on April 5, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. April 5, 2007 UPDATED April 6, 2007, 12:22 A.M. EDT: It was like old times at the Common Council last night as the “city seven” listened and practiced statesmanship until 12:20 A.M. this morning. After the Mayor gave his state of the city address and listened to Council President Rita Malmud’s take on the issues in rebuttal, the Council elected to keep the hearing on the BID expansion to the west, south and east sides of the city (Lexington Ave, Mamaroneck Avenue, and Maple Avenue out to Bloomingdale Road), open another month. And moved full steam ahead to consider approving or turning down the Verizon franchise agreement proposal April 16 — 12 days away.

Edward Dunphy, Corporation Counsel, told WPCNR the only consequence of the Council not approving the agreement on April 16 was that it would delay Verizon applying to the Public Service Commission by a month. Dunphy also said it cost the city $90,000 in legal fees, engineering fees and related expenditures to negotiate the contract. Dunphy said Cablevision had refused to negotiate with the city as of June 2006, saying it preferred to wait until the Verizon negotiation was completed. He also said the city should have been negotiating with Cablevision simultaneously.

William Waterman, the former Councilman and a property owner in the affected area, 185 West Post Road, spoke for many of the speakers from the Lexington Avenue and Post Road areas on the BID issue. Mr. Waterman criticized the way the BID has attempted to get a decision on the project. He charged that it was a devious process that in order to decline joining the BID, a land owner had to contact the BID and say they did not want to join.

He also pointed out that Executive Director Rick Ammirato failed to notify Spanish tenants in Spanish on communications sent to them. A hardware store owner echoed this very same sentiment that contacting the BID to “opt out,” was not made clear. The West Post Road area is heavily populated with Spanish shopowners.

Owner after owner came up professing ignorance of what the BID did, how joining the BID would affect them, and what they would have to pay if their part of town became part of the BID. Ted Peluso, Chairman of the BID and the Mayor pledged that they would be having meetings to reach out more effectively to the targeted areas and would be discussing it in the next few weeks. The protests (that owners said they did not hear of the BID effort to incorporate them), were despite Mr. Ammirato’s efforts that he said sent out a thousand letters, posted notices and contacted owners and tenants.

On the Verizon agreement—Cablevision Nixes $1 a Sub Fee.

They also decided to move on a pace to decide on the Verizon cable franchise agreement by April 16. It was made obvious that Cablevision was not going to agree to the terms of the Verizon agreement, as their legal counsel, Paul Jameson picked apart the proposed franchise agreement, vowing Cablevision would not agree to a $1 per subscriber PEG fee which Verizon has negotiated. Mark Weingarten, newly retained attorney for Cablevision said the city had six months to negotiate the agreement. “Negotiations begin now,” Weingarten warned. Mayor Delfino said he was not going to renegotiate the contract in a public hearing.

The Council said they would get their questions to corporation counsel Edward Dunphy on the agreement by next Tuesday so a decision up or down on the contract could conceivably be made within 12 days on April 16.

Dunphy, began the hearing by saying due to a ruling by the FCC, the city was attempting to approve the agreement before a deadline the FCC has set, without specifying the end date when the city had to complete negotiations. Weingarten said the city had six months from last night, which would give the Council until September. Dunphy told WPCNR Thursday afternoon the only consequence of the Council not approving the proposed agreement April 16, was that it would delay Verizon applying to the New York Public Service Commission for a Franchise approval a month. “It’s just delaying the inevitable,” Dunphy said.

Lecuona: Verizon can charge back cost of the $250,000 “Grant”

It was pointed out by Milagros Lecuona, a member of the White Plains Public Access Television Commission, that after she had reviewed the contract she had several serious reservations. She said she was for competition, but noted that the length of the contract, 15 years, was a long time when a lot could happen and that she would like the Mayor “to consider that (length of) time.”

She said “the recovery cost that part of the contract should be revised. Exceptions on the gross revenue that is very important for us because the franchise is calculated based on that. The public right of way… it’s kind of conflicting situations so that should be clarified. The restoration of subscriber services that’s also not clear. Whoever is not a (Verizon) subscriber is not protected. I want to make a clarification again, that has already been done several times tonight here, about the $150,000 and then $50,000 and another $50,000 which are the recovery cost. It’s very clear said on page 13, 5.6, to the extent permitted by law the franchise (Verizon) shall be allowed to recover the cost of the initial PEG grant and any of the costs from the subscribers so we are really paying for that ($250,000).”

(Editor’s Note: the provision actually reads: To the extent permitted by federal law, the Franchisee shall be allowed to recover the costs of the initial PEG Grant and the Annual PEG Grant ($1 a subscriber) or any of the costs arising from the provision of PEG services from subscribers and to include such costs as a separately billed line item on each subscriber’s bill. )

Verizon “Grants” Fully Recoverable from Mr. and Mrs. White Plains

Ironically, she was subtlely pointing out Scott Parr the spokesperson for Verizon was confused earlier when he had said that Verizon was going to amortize the $250,000 PEG grant over 15 years and that they needed the 15 years to amortize that amount of money.

Since Verizon is allowed to recover the PEG grant from subscribers in the proposed contract, then White Plains citizens will actually be paying the PEG grant and the $1 Subscriber fee for Verizon. The tech grant is actually a loan to the Public Access operation without interest that will be paid back by the White Plains Verizon subscriber and not a grant at all.

Carl Albanese another speaker drove home this point, advising the Common Council to “read the contract,” because only Mr. Roach picked up this point when he noted that the $1 subscriber fee could also be recovered by Verizon.

Councilman Benjamin Boykin said he felt that there had to be built in protection for inflation and that this was a deal-breaker for him. Parr said that Verizon chose to invest more in technical support (the $250,000) up front so it could be amortized over 15 years and that was why inflation protection was built into the contract. Ms. Lecuona, in her remarks later, clearly pointed out that Verizon is permitted to get all the grant back from the subscribers.

Verizon, among other speakers had six Verizon employees from White Plains speak on the need to pass the agreement. The most interesting quote of the night was from the Vice President of Public Relations for Verizon, who told the cameras “Verizon doesn’t make much money in New York.”

Hearings on the other big city deal with LCOR on building two 29 story apartments on Bank Street in exchange for a $15.5 Million payment (form of which to be determined), was adjourned until next month. The hearing on the North Street Community was moved off to May 7 also.

Mayor Calls for Sales Tax Increase; Affordable Housing 20-80 Rule for Lex Ave Co

Posted on April 4, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. April 4, 2007: In a 20-minute speech completed moments ago Mayor Joseph Delfino of the City of White Plains delivered his State of the City Address to the Common Council, calling for a 1/2% increase in the city sales Tax, upping it to 8 and 3/8 per cent, and stating he will ask New York State to approve a 20-80 Home Rule to faciliate affordable housing development in the Lexington Avenue corridor. The Mayor announced the formation of a Green Technology Advisory Committee to find “how best to develop programs and regulations to implement green technology,” and a Pedestrian/Traffic Management Advisory Committee “to provide advice and ideas to the city on how to enhance the pedestrian experiencde and best manage vehicular traffic in the downtown.”

Mayor Joseph Delfino of the City of White Plains delivering his State of the City Address

The Mayor also announced he would ask the council to include down payment assistance for existing units in the Affordable Housing Program, “so that we may expand the opportunities for home ownership to an even greater number of White Plains families,” and promised a new revamped city website with more information on it and the ability to pay taxes online.

The Mayor did not mention the new budget for 2007-2008 Proposed City Budget presented to the Common Council, not even the amount or the property tax increase of 7%.

Here is a draft copy of the Mayor’s address:

2007: Making the Right Choices for White Plains

Members of the Common Council, honored guests, friends and family, citizens of White Plains, thank you for being with us tonight. I would like to thank our newest heads of community boards and commissions that are present here tonight:

I would like to thank my family, especially my wife Ellie, for putting up with all the long hours and time away from home. Thank you for your understanding.

I would like to thank my staff:

Executive Officer, Paul Wood

Coordinator of Economic Development, Melissa Lopez

Strategic Development Officer, David Maloney

Theresa Romano

Karen Costable

Thank you for all your hard work!

I would like to single out a few leaders here with us tonight:

Dr. Valerie Alcena, Chairman of the White Plains Cable Commission

John Garment, Chairman of the Planning Board

John Ioris, Chairman of the White Plains Performing Arts Center, and a member of the Planning Board.

I would also like to thank our professional staff for their hard work, professionalism, and their dedication to getting the job done.

On a personal note, this is the first state of the City that I have delivered since the passing of our friend and colleague Robert Greer. Bob was a gentleman and a statesman, and his steadfast determination, negotiation skills, his common sense approach and willingness to compromise are truly missed.

Mayors across this country have a responsibility to ensure that the basics are taken care of and then to build upon that strong foundation. St. Francis of Assisi once said: “Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

We began the renaissance of White Plains nine years ago by focusing on doing what was necessary, and by focusing on one key point: rebuilding confidence in our city. We worked to keep people safe, we worked to attract investment, and we worked to make White Plains a place that people wanted to live, work, and visit.

Phases I, II, and III of my Economic Development Plan have transformed our Downtown, and helped make White Plains one of the hottest destinations on the entire east coast.

The new residential development has made White Plains a more sophisticated community. We have attracted a new type of resident to White Plains, one that desires retail opportunities, fine dining, and entertainment venues in close proximity. These new residents have been followed here by service oriented businesses seeking to meet their needs. What we now have Downtown is a mix that attracts residents of White Plains, as well as people from all over Westchester County.

We have also created an environment in which the corporate sector feels they need to have a presence. This is quite obvious by looking at our office vacancy rate, which has plummeted from 34% in 1998 to an estimated 9% by the end of 2006.

The revitalization of White Plains has brought in thousands of jobs, millions in revenue, and most importantly, has created an atmosphere that the City of White Plains is the place to be in Westchester County and beyond.

Despite all the momentum we have with us now, we are not done yet. The day we begin to think we have arrived is the day we begin to slide backwards. Cities continue to grow and change, or they deteriorate, it is as simple as that. Communities around this country spend millions of dollars annually to create the type of buzz and momentum that we have created here.

We cannot afford to be finished with this renaissance. Not with tax certioraris, unfunded State mandates and increased health and pension costs eating up more and more of the budget. In fact, healthcare and pension costs are at an all time high. Look no further than our own healthcare and pension costs, which have increased from $12 M to $25M, representing a 108% increase over just the past four fiscal years.

My administration will continue to explore ways to expand our tax base, there is no other choice. And over the next few months, I look forward to bringing a number of exciting opportunities to the Common Council and the residents of our city. If we are to be successful, now and in the future, we must continue this renaissance, we must continue our progress, with an eye toward creating a sustainable prosperity for future residents of White Plains.

The City has long been deprived of its own IDA which would have generated millions of dollars of revenue which could have been used to relieve the tax burden on our residents, create affordable housing and foster other creative programs. Instead, the revenues have only flowed to the County, since we are forced to use their IDA to induce new development.

White Plains must have the ability to control its own financial destiny. I am calling for the cooperation of our representatives at all levels of government to support White Plains as we continue to press for the creation of the City’s own IDA. In addition, I will be asking this Council to support two very important “Home Rule” messages to aid us in sustaining future budgets:

First, I will be asking the State Legislature to allow our City to increase our sales tax percentage by ½ percent. This measure will make the City consistent with all the other major Cities in Westchester that have their own rate. The total rate would be 8 3/8%. This is the same sales tax rate charged in Mt. Vernon, New Rochelle and Yonkers. Based on today’s revenues, this measure alone will generate more than $10 million annually.

I will also ask the Common Council to join me in a “Home Rule” message asking that the City of White Plains be granted the same kind of powers afforded to New York City under Real Property Tax Law Section 421-A, to enable the construction in White Plains of residential projects in which 20% of the units are affordable to people of low and moderate income. This program is critical to our goals for the revitalization of the Post Road/S. Lexington Avenue corridor, and to bring significant numbers of new affordable units into the City of White Plains.

Lexington Avenue/ Post Road Corridor

I would like to begin tonight by discussing the future of the South Lexington Ave. / Post Road Corridor which will be covered comprehensively in Phase IV of my Economic Development Plan. The recent approval of the expansion of the Emergency Room Department of White Plains Hospital Center, as well as the infrastructural upgrades to the Winbrook community by the White Plains Housing Authority are significant signs that reinvestment is already taking place within this corridor.

This summer, the City of White Plains will begin to undertake our own approved reinvestment projects, beginning in the spring with the installation of new streetscape and curbs on Lexington Avenue. The new streetscape, funding for which was obtained by my office from Sens. Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer, represents an effort to link neighborhoods, and extend our already walkable downtown to the Lexington Avenue corridor.

In 2006/07 the Capital Projects Board approved a capital expenditure for the construction of a parking garage on Longview Avenue to assist with the parking crunch that is negatively impacting the employees and patients at White Plains Hospital Center. The construction of the Longview Garage is critical to increasing the capacity of the hospital, as well as to assist the local residents and businesses within this corridor.

On February 7 we held our first public meeting on Lexington Avenue/ Post Road Revitalization, and it was a tremendous success. Nearly 100 residents came together to share ideas, concerns, and voice their opinions about the future of the corridor. My sincere hope is that the greatest number of residents within this corridor will participate in this process, so that we can incorporate all of their comments and ideas into the overall redevelopment strategy.

Public Safety

My administration has worked to create effective programs that have made our Public Safety department more receptive to both the men and women in uniform, and to the citizens they serve. Nothing makes people feel better than knowing the streets of White Plains are safe, and that we can feel secure in our homes.

The men and women of our Public Safety department continue to impress so many of us with their desire to serve and protect everyone in our city. I want to say thank you for a job well done!

A recent Journal News story cited the drop in crime in our city as a clear sign that we have created a formula that is working. Part 1 crimes have decreased by nearly 6 percent over the past year, and are down a remarkable 37% since 2002.

Do any of us believe that the tremendous gains in the safety and security of our citizens would have happened with fewer police officers on the street? Of course not, and soon, we will be adding 13 new police officers and 5 fire fighters to fill vacancies on the force. We will also be hiring fire fighters to fill vacancies. Citizens and visitors should not have to worry about their safety, and the focus of my administration will be on keeping the officers on the street.

Open Space/ Smart Growth

Although the overall population of New York State is declining, our region is expected to continue growing. We must make smart choices about how to prepare for that growth. The most important thing that the City of White Plains can do is to continue to encourage “smart growth” in our downtown. What does “smart growth” mean? It means putting housing, retail, and mass transit within close proximity, so that we can make better use of our walkable streets and public transportation. My strategy focuses on attracting people to live within our downtown, but it’s also about preserving designated open space for future generations.

In January we announced the acquisition of the Grieco property, another parcel of open space targeted by the Open Space Acquisition Advisory Committee and now under city control. Since 1998, my administration has preserved 45 acres of open space for future generations of White Plains residents.

Much to my dismay a recent proposal to acquire six acres of much needed City controlled parkland/ open space was defeated by a majority of the Common Council. This acquisition would have preserved a total of 19 acres on the New York Presbyterian Hospital site. Despite this setback, my administration will continue to seek out opportunities to add strategic parcels of open space/ parkland to our City’s stock.

There are many who believe that we will never have enough open space, but we must also realize we may not have enough parkland, or enough ball fields. The answer to solving this problem is getting creative in the way we approach opportunities. If we can continue to make wise choices our future will be filled with promise.

“GREEN” TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

In the review of new projects and in the recent recommendations for changes to the City’s 1997 Comprehensive Plan, the use of emerging “green building” construction and maintenance techniques that lessen the impact of development on the environment have been explored and recommended.

As I have already stated throughout my administration, I have been committed to the principles of “Smart Growth.” Since I took office we have:

Concentrated new development in the downtown core, where existing infrastructure, including roads, can be used and improved, and without consuming previously undeveloped land. All of the new development in the downtown has been the result of redeveloping previously developed land;

Not displaced any existing residents while building new residential housing to bring life to the downtown;

Required new landscaped open areas to be provided with new development, and upgrading existing public open space, such as the creation of Renaissance Fountain Plaza and the Library and Tibbits Park Sculpture Gardens; and

Established a Construction Management Protocol that requires that the environment and surrounding land uses be protected during the construction of any new project.

“Smart Growth” also incorporates the concept of “Green Growth”, which involves constructing buildings with methods and technologies that reduce their impact on the environment, and designing the buildings to be more environmentally friendly over the life of the buildings. There are many aspects to “green building technology” and some elements are more easily implemented than others.

To understand how “green building technology” could be best implemented for construction in White Plains, I am establishing a “GREEN TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.” I will be asking representatives from the development and finance community, those involved in developing affordable housing; architects, and representatives of the White Plains business community, to join with myself, designated Common Council members, and City professional staff to develop a report to the Mayor and Common Council on how best to develop programs and regulations to implement “green technology” in ways that preserve the economic viability of development and also provide the greatest possible benefit to our environment.

Affordable Housing

The City’s Affordable Housing Program requires that developers of new market rate and luxury housing make at least 6% of their project affordable for individuals and families at an average of 80% of median income, or pay a substantial buyout fee.

It is satisfying that we have been able to achieve an average of 9% affordable units from our approved residential projects, and we will continue to review our guidelines on a project by project basis. As I have said in the past, we must be cautious not to arbitrarily select a percentage that could deter new development opportunities in our City.

Our “buyout” payments allow us to remain flexible, and permit us to help the greatest number of White Plains residents. In the coming months I will ask the Common Council to include down payment assistance for existing units in the Affordable Housing Program, so that we may expand the opportunities for home ownership to an even greater number of White Plains families.

In addition, the Home Rule legislation we are asking for will enable the Urban Renewal Agency and the City to partner with LCOR to create an “80/20 project” at the Bank Street site, creating more than 100 new units of affordable housing.

Traffic

As Mayor, it is not often that I hear about the good things that are happening within our city. Traffic is one such area. We hear about the increases in traffic and congestion, but according to recent traffic analysis, despite all the new development and retail opportunities, we have experienced just a 2 % increase in traffic from this time last year.

I am also proud to announce that the City of White Plains was honored twice by American Automobile Association at the close of 2006. The city received the Best Practices Award for our green “LOOK” markings that many of you may have seen throughout the City. We also received the 2006 Platinum Award for Community Traffic Safety.

To achieve both the objectives of a well managed vehicular traffic system and maintaining a truly “walkable” city, I am appointing a Pedestrian/Traffic Management Advisory Committee to provide advice and ideas to the City on how to enhance the pedestrian experience and best manage vehicular traffic in and around the downtown.

This Committee will consist of downtown residents and business owners, development entities, the BID, and City staff from Planning, Public Works, Traffic, Parking, and the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development. The committee will prepare a report for the Mayor and Common Council consisting of ideas for making White Plains an even more pedestrian friendly, more welcoming, “walkable” city.

Youth Bureau

The City of White Plains Youth Bureau is unquestionably one of the best youth agencies in the State of New York. The Youth Bureau services more than 6,000 children and young adults each year. Close to 800 children per day are enrolled in our after-school programming which we recently expanded to include grades K through 8.

Our award winning Youth Bureau continues to expand its outreach to our community, for example:

The Youth Bureau is now open on Saturdays from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., offering a number of activities for our children and young adults.

Step Up! Youth Development Program – is a a new initiative which is offers at-risk youth positive support, training, team building and increased communication.

Our Youth Employment Program continues to be a huge success. Our employment fairs are business driven, and our students dress as though they are being interviewed for a position with a Fortune 500 Corporation. Currently we are providing more than 600 employment opportunities per year to White Plains students.

Our Entrepreneur Program realized international acclaim in 2006, as White Plains’ own Laura Delucia was a National Foundation for Entrepreneurship Award Winner. Laura won for creating Healthy Hearts, a business that creates heart healthy treat baskets for individuals with heart disease. Congratulations to you, Laura.

We are also the recent recipient of a United States Tennis Association Grant of nearly $3000 dollars. The purpose of the grant is to provide tennis education and instruction to underserved White Plains youth.

To the staff of the Youth Bureau, Thank You.

Recreation and Parks

Our recreation and parks department had another banner year in 2006, and 2007 promises to be even better:

We will continue the ongoing renovations at Delfino Park, which include upgrading the picnic area, basketball courts, and existing ball fields.

A Capital Project has been approved which will allow us to renovate the Chatterton Playground located in the Battle Hill Neighborhood at the corner of Chatterton and Harmon Avenue.

We are also planning an expansion of our family centered events throughout our neighborhoods and in our downtown area.

In 2006 the Senior Center received new computers and an overhaul of the physical space of the existing computer lab. In 2007, the Center will receive a renovation of the physical plant and increased afternoon and evening programs.

Finally, we look forward to another expansion of our Arts Walk throughout the downtown area.

Efficiency and Service Capability

Locally, we must rethink how we provide services to our citizens. Technological advances have changed how we work and how we communicate with one another. My administration has committed to a plan to make more and more services available through electronically accessible government, or what is commonly called e-government.

We must emulate, when and where we can, the best practices of the most successful businesses in a few key areas: using the most advanced technology to better manage information and resources; and to work toward a paperless workplace, where citizens can obtain permits, licenses, apply for jobs, obtain records and information from city departments.

I am pleased to announce that very shortly the City of White Plains will launch a new City of White Plains website that will continue the theme of a more open and responsive government. Our residents will not only be able to access information from all departments, but will also be able pay their city taxes online.

White Plains Live and Local is the newest program about the city playing on cable channel 75. This original programming brings the City of White Plains to the residents in a fun and informative way.

Our city is a growing city, and under my administration we will continue to provide the very best services available in this County. The path we have taken has created jobs, grown our tax base, given much needed income to our school district, and helped keep our property taxes among the lowest in Westchester County. For White Plains families it has created jobs, created affordable housing, and has allowed us to preserve nearly 50 acres of open space since 1998.

Unfunded mandates, rising healthcare and pension costs, and decreases in aid to our community continue to present challenges to our government. The development opportunities that continue to be presented to us represent our best chance to create a successful community.

To rest on any perceived laurels or progress would be a tremendous mistake for my administration, the citizens of White Plains, or any elected official. A great city can only be attained by the work of its great citizens.

The state of our city is strong, and by continuing on this path we can only increase our position as the finest community in all of Westchester County.