WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER 3,374,995 VISITS IN ONE YEAR—65,000 VISITS A WEEK BY 985,281 VISITORS

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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. April 13, 2005: In the legal notice published today by the City of White Plains detailing the new proposed 2005-2006 budget,  the budget balance sheet, second column on page 9F of The Journal News Classifieds indicates no figure has been set aside for Tax Refunds.

NO TAX REFUNDS IN 2005-2006! The City Budget capsulated in the Legal Notices, The Journal News, Wednesday. The Key line is “ADD ALLOWANCE FOR: TAX REFUNDS  (no figure).” Photo by WPCNR News.

City Hall has not responded to WPCNR’s inquiry as to why there is no forecast of certiorari settlements, and how they will be paid, even though the City School District expects to pay back $5 to $8 Million in certioraris in the 2005-2006 year. This grim certiorari prospectus was reaffirmed at the Council of Neighborhood Associations Tuesday evening by Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors.

The city has paid back  $2,775,521 to Westchester One, $613,469 in Tax Certioraris to Nordstroms, and $405,994.80 to Gateway One, a total of  $3,794,484 in the first three months of 2005. The City School District has reported that they have been told by the City of White Plains to expect to pay back as much as $5-$8 Million more in certiorari to city businesses in their planning of the new City School Budget. The School District has said they plan to bond for these anticipated certioraris.

The absence of an allowance for tax refunds for these certioraris the city expects has not been explained by The Budget Department or The Mayor’s Office as of this hour. There is also no mention of the total dollar amount of anticipated tax certioraris in the published 2005-2006 Proposed City Budget.

Calls to City Hall and a followup e-mail message for an explanation of why the city told the City School District to expect $5 to $8 Million certiorari “hit” and was not anticipating a hit on their own budget or how they expected to pay that hit have not been answered as of this hour.

Given that the city tax rate is $122.25 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, and the City School District Tax Rate per $1,000 of assessed valuation is $412.51, for every dollar the city collects, the School District collects 4. Therefore, WPCNR believes that if the School District is expecting from 5 to $8 Million in tax refunds the city may be anticipating a minimum of $2 Million to $3 Million in certioraris. If paid for out of fund balance (sitting on $12 Million – if the $42.5 Million Sales Tax Projection for 2004-2005 comes true), the fund balance will sit at about $9-1/2 Million after paying the certioraris out of it during 2005-2006.  

Former Mayor Alfred Del Vecchio, speaking to WPCNR, said his administration routinely budgeted a reserve for tax refunds. Rita Malmud, councilperson, confirmed late Wednesday afternoon that certioraris were paid for as they were settled by the city. Last Monday, the Council approved a $35,000 certiorari payment to CVS Pharmacy at 601 North Broadway.

Asked if the Common Council had any input on formulating the budget they received Monday, Ms. Malmud said, “No, that begins now.” Budget meetings were supposed to begin Tuesday, but the Tuesday evening meeting was cancelled, according to the Budget Department because of scheduling conflicts. A spokesperson at the budget department said a new date has not been set. There is a budget meeting Tuesday, April 19.

The Budget Advisory Committee which aided the Mayor’s Office in formulating the 2005-2006 proposed budget, includes two Common Council members, the finance and budget department heads, so in a way the council does buy in to the forming of the proposed budget, through those two council representatives, each of whom have MBA’s in finance.

Ms. Malmud said she did not know how the city was going to pay any certioraris but she said “they would not bond for them.” She also did not know the projected liability the city faced in certiorari settlement claims pending. The School District has placed the certiorari claims at approximately $100 Million, but to be fair, certs are normally settled for less than they litigate for.

Malmud defended the use of $8.7 Million in fund balance to pay for operating expenses in 2005-2006, saying it has been a longstanding practice of the city to do this for many years.

Given the massive certioraris agreed to by the city and given back to Westchester One, Nordstrom’s and Gateway One, similar businesses may be expected to mount a new round of certiorari assaults on the tax role.

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. From a White Plains CitizeNetReporter. April 12, 2005: The White Plains Tigers found themselves losing to Saunders in Yonkers after one inning by a score of 3 to 1, Monday.  But in the second inning, Mike Bivas got things going with a long ground rules double, that apparently hit a car on one bounce, and not on a fly ball, despite the protesting of Tiger Coach Galligani.  The Tigers tied it up at 3 in the top of the second, and Jake Riss was able to hold Saunders to only a two out single in the bottom of the second. 

With the Tiger fans still a bit upset that Bivas was not credited with a homerun, Sean Campbell came up in the third and crushed a pitch to centerfield to satisfy their hunger.  Campbell was swinging the bat well, and later in the game took a pitch deep to left for a grounds rule double.  But the Tigers were not all about power.  With Mike Crystal on third and Gary Morello on second, Matt Romano put down a suicide squeeze bunt.  Morello had such a jump off second base that he easily scored on the squeeze play, running just a few steps behind Crystal, as the pitcher scrambled to field the bunt and throw to first.

Meanwhile, Riss mowed down the side in order in the third and the fourth, but ran into trouble in the fifth.  Saunders led off with two grounders just out of the reach of shortstop Morello.  On a loose ball, the runners advanced to second and third with no out.  The Saunders’ lead-off batter was now up, and he had hit the ball well in his first two at bats.   Riss induced him to pop-up to Zettl at second, and the next batter followed with a pop out to Morello at shortstop.  Riss, who could have a good future in real estate because he is all about location, location and location, had not yet walked a batter. 

But with first base open and a dangerous number three batter at the plate, Coach Galligani called for an intentional pass.  It looked like a good move on Galligani’s part because the clean-up hitter had been the Saunders’ pitcher and he was now out of the game.  The batter coming up had not yet faced Riss, and quickly fell behind in the count at no balls and two strikes.  But Galligani wasn’t done yet.  Just when everyone was wondering if a high fastball or low curve was coming, Galligani called for a pick-off and Riss wheeled to first where Campbell had been playing behind the runner and came up to catch the throw and tag the runner in one smooth motion.  Saunders’ last threat came up empty and then the Tigers exploded with a 23 – 3 win. 

The Tigers are now 4 – 3 on the season and Riss has three wins with no defeats.  The Tigers are home Wednesday in a big game against their division rivals, Mt. Vernon. 

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS WEEK NEWS ROUNDUP. April 11, 2005: In the news last week, the intrigue surrounding the White Plains City Budget began to swirl, as the Preliminary Budget mysteriously arrived with no announcement or news conference by City Hall announcing the 2005-06 spending plan of $129 Million with fund balance used to balance the budget. Susan Habel, Commissioner of Planning announced the city sales tax was on target to hit $42 Million this year. As the week began a discussion of the budget scheduled for Tuesday evening at 6 PM (April 12) was temporarily cancelled, no reason given.

Mike Gismondi, Commissioner of Building, working with Cappelli Enterprises, instituted pollution control measures (long called for by Dan Seidel, who has consistently demanded them) on the demolition of the Bar Building annex, which Gismondi said, had been causing several plumes of demolition dust clouds to float over the downtown.

The White Plains Watch announced it was being sold to Patricia Casey, who takes over editorship of the beloved paper from Susan Chang at the end of this month. Ms. Casey announced to the CitizeNetReporter she would move the paper to become a weekly publication as soon as possible.

The Common Council approved a 40-story height for parcels of 300,000 square feet in the White Plains Central Business District, the first stage of expected approval needed for the Cappelli 221 Main Street Hotel and Condoplex. The approval of this project (expected), will be taken up on April 21 at 6 P.M.

China Computer Firm Lured: County Executive Andy Spano returned from his Ricksaw initiative trip to China and announced a series of financial incentives designed to induce China’s leading computer firm to headquarter in Westchester County.

Comprehensive Plan Continues Review: The Comprehensive Plan Review Committee held its fourth hearing last Tuesday to lacklustre attendance, and appears to be not galvanizing the populace. No new ideas were advanced for the development of the city at all, though John Kirkpatrick’s addressed formulated the issues the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee should consider. There was a meeting at Centro Hispano Sunday, and a sixth final meeting scheduled for Wednesday evening (not Tuesday evening) at The Thomas Slater Center, 7:30 P.M.

Meanwhile health care benefits were scheduled to end today for striking county busline drivers in the 40^th day of their strike, which should put an end to their strike shortly.

Highlands Lunch Hour Attack Suit Settled: WPCNR has learned from a member of the Board of Education that the lawsuit filed by the family of a young man sexually attacked by youths during a lunch hour on the Highlands Middle School in 2001, has been settled by the school district. The amount of the settlement (rumored to be in the millions), was not disclosed by mutual agreement, and was paid for by the School District insurance. The family sued the school district over the fact that the true nature of the attack was withheld from them by the Highlands Middle School staff.

Speculation on Who Will Run: Rumors were beginning to surface around town as to who would run for the Democrats against Mayor Joseph Delfino as no front runner has emerged, or stood out to indicate they are running. The candidates are conspicuous by their lack of commentary on either the city budget, the course of city development (in the process of several major approvals), and their lack of criticism of Mayor Delfino. Perhaps Mayor Delfino will run unopposed. Likely candidates with the political credentials to run appear to be Bill Ryan, Benjamin Boykin, Rita Malmud, Tom Roach, and Glen Hockley

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From County Office of Communications (EDITED) April 8, 2005: Westchester County has offered financial incentives to Lenovo, (of China), the world’s third largest computer company, in hopes that the giant will open its global headquarters in Westchester. The Westchester County Industrial Development Agency approved $366,000 in sales tax exemptions Thursday so the company can go through with plans to temporarily lease about 39,000 square feet of space at 1 Manhattanville Road at the Centre at Purchase.

            Westchester County is already seeing the results of County Executive Andy Spano’s trip to China: a new headquarters for China’s largest computer company, two likely overseas partnerships for Pace University, a new sister city for Westchester, the possibility of new corporate offices here and more business for several local firms.

The news comes on the heels of Spano’s trip to China at the end of March. Spano, Board of Legislators Chairman Bill Ryan and Salvatore Carrera, head of the county’s Economic Development office, met with the Lenovo chairman to explain why Westchester would be the best location. They talked about the IDA benefits available, the services available from the Office of Economic Development, quality of life, talent pool and technological infrastructure.

Lenovo spokesman Steve Foley said in a statement today, “We thank County Executive Andrew Spano for his efforts on Lenovo’s behalf and his visit to China to meet with the company’s senior executives. We look forward to finalizing all of the agreements and Lenovo becoming a part of the Westchester and New York State business community.”

The company is also looking to construct a permanent headquarters in Westchester, Foley said. The company, which recently purchased IBM’s personal computing division, is expected to hire about 50 existing IBM employees as well as 50 new employees.

The trade delegation led by Spano included Pace President David A. Caputo, Westchester County Association President Bill Mooney, Board Chairman Ryan; Jacknis; Carrera; Daisy Yau, director of the county’s Asian American Affairs and Business Development; Pace Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Beverly Kahn; Linda Sama, director of the Center for International Business at Pace’s Lubin School of Business; and Susan Merritt, dean of the School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

The group met with mayors and university officials in five major Chinese cities.

One of the trip’s primary goals was to help Pace set up partnerships and/or joint degree programs with Chinese universities. The county paved the way for the arrangements in a Spano-led networking trip to China two years ago and was instrumental in helping the school obtain official certification to offer educational programs to Chinese students.

Caputo signed memorandums of understanding with the presidents of Yangtze University in Jingzhou and Xian Northwest University. The agreements call for establishing cooperative relations, faculty and student

exchange programs, joint academic and cultural programs, and collaborative research between Pace and Chinese faculty members and professionals.  Partnerships with three other universities are being discussed, as is making China a study-abroad destination for students from Pace and other institutions. Pace hopes to offer business and technology courses in China by 2006.

“The results exceeded our expectations,” Caputo said. “We found that the people we met knew about Pace and knew about Westchester, but did not know the breadth of offerings at Pace, at Westchester Community College, and at the other colleges and universities here. The expectation now is that the intellectual and academic strength in the county will be a major recruiting factor (for Chinese businesses).”

 Caputo added, “The expertise and connections of Mr. Spano and his staff were enormously helpful in opening doors for us. The trip would not have been as successful without their work on our behalf before we went and while we were there.”

Starwood Introduction.

Spano and his Office of Economic Development also paved the way for some local companies to do business with the Chinese. Following up on an earlier request by the Chinese government to find partners, Spano and Carrera put Starwood Hotels, a White Plains-based company, in touch with officials about the possibility of becoming a partner in a Guangzou hotel project.

The Chinese government is also looking for engineering partners to help with a water purification plant in Jingzhou, so Spano is introducing the Chinese to several Westchester engineering firms with that expertise. Westchester is also hoping to attract the corporate offices for a simulated wood manufacturing plant that uses wheat stalks and is to be built in China. Another plant is being considered for New York state. Officials also talked about getting Westchester-based companies involved in the redevelopment of Jingzhou’s historic district.

Spano also made arrangements to bring Chinese artisans from Jingzhou to Westchester to repair the pavilion (a Chinese gift) at Lasdon Park. The  work will likely be done this summer.

The delegation also gained a new sister city: Taizhou, an export-oriented coastal city of 5.6 million. Spano met extensively with various officials of Taizhou and signed an agreement with the mayor calling for mutual economic cooperation and educational, cultural and medical exchanges. Part of the reason they were there was to help welcome the opening of a new dining/hotel/entertainment facility by the owners of Imperial Wok in White Plains and Somers. A group of 20 Taizhou businessmen are coming to the U.S. this summer — making a stop in Westchester — to look at possible investments.

Those interested in a detailed log of the delegation’s activities, a website has been created by County CIO Norman Jacknis at www.westchestergov.com/china05.