WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. From Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley, 89th District. March 30, 2006: Assemblyman Adam Bradley (D-White Plains) today announced that the Legislature’s bipartisan budget cuts taxes by $1.6 billion this year and $2.5 billion next year. The plan also rejects nearly $1 billion in tax increases the governor wanted to impose.The Assemblyman also announced that the Assembly and Senate have reached a bipartisan agreement on a comprehensive SUNY capital projects plan. This plan invests in capital improvements for SUNY Purchase and Westchester County Community College.

“I am very pleased to announce that the Legislature’s bipartisan budget agreement provides significant relief for the overburdened Westchester taxpayers,” said Bradley.  “Our plan will deliver much needed tax relief to those who need it most – homeowners, seniors and hard-working New Yorkers.”

Relief from high property taxes

The Legislature’s budget will provide Westchester families with significant property tax relief. Our plan increases and enhances the STAR program by delivering Westchester taxpayers an additional rebate:

o       an average basic STAR rebate of $532

o       an average Enhanced STAR rebate of $822

In addition, the budget provides a cost of living adjustment to Enhanced STAR, which will save eligible Westchester seniors another $373 – bringing the combined average Westchester Enhanced STAR savings to $3,934.

Meanwhile, the basic STAR savings in Westchester is estimated to be $1775, combined with the Basic STAR rebate of $532 for a total Basic STAR savings of $2,307.

“Westchester taxpayers need immediate relief from the burden of high property taxes and soaring housing costs – this historic budget agreement delivers just that type of relief,” said Bradley.

Rejecting the governor’s sales taxes on clothing

The Legislature’s proposal also rejects the governor’s extension of the state sales tax on clothing and footwear items priced under $110 – which is scheduled to expire on April 1.  Permanently eliminating the regressive 4 percent state sales tax on clothing will save Westchester shoppers $38 million a year, and make Westchester merchants more competitive with their Connecticut and New Jersey neighbors.

A child tax credit for more families

The Legislature’s budget also contains a new child tax credit. The child tax credit is a maximum benefit of $330 for each child between 4 and 17 for every family in the state.

Bradley also noted that the Legislature also proposes to reduce the marriage penalty tax, which will save married couples $41 million annually when fully phased in.  The plan also includes:

·        an income tax credit for volunteer firefighters, which will save them $25 million when fully phased in

·         a tax deduction for New York State National Guard members called to federal service – saving them $1 million

 “I urge the governor to join the Assembly and Senate by ratifying our bipartisan budget agreement that provides more Westchester residents with meaningful tax relief,” said Bradley.

          Capital Projects Relief for Westchester Colleges.

“This is another victory for students following the recent bipartisan legislative agreement to reject the governor’s SUNY tuition hike,” said Bradley. “The agreement by the Senate and Assembly is a big step toward building upon Westchester’s world class institutions of higher learning.”

The bi-partisan agreement provides over $34.1 million to local colleges for capital improvement projects, including:

·         $6 million to SUNY Purchase for the Heritage Site

·        $8.1 million to SUNY Purchase for HVAC renovations – to rehabilitate the campus’ central plaza

·        $20 million to Westchester County Community College for additional Master Plan Projects

“These funds reinforce my commitment to strengthen and enhance Westchester’s institutions of higher learning.  There is no doubt that these fine colleges are in tremendous need of capital improvements and I am pleased that we have come together to meet the needs of Westchester’s higher education institutions,” said Bradley. “I strongly encourage the governor to support the bipartisan capital plan for SUNY and Westchester County Community College contained in the Legislature’s agreement.”

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WPCNR NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS. March 29, 2006; UPDATED March 30, 2006: WPCNR has obtained a list of foreclosed properties which Councilman Benjamin Boykin has released privately: Here are the properties the city is attempting to possibly put back on the tax roll. Councilman Boykin contacted WPCNR last night to make clear that 1.) Not all lots are possible to be developed; 2.) Some the city is going to keep.

09/11 Newcomb Place                         To be dedicated municipal use for

                                                                        Public Works- April 3, 2006

Along Bronx River Parkway

Purdy Avenue

89 Stevens Street

West Post Road                                               Sold/In contract

121 Fisher Avenue                                           Sold/In contract

82 Sunset Drive                                                Sold/In contract

128 Woodcrest Avenue

14 Hilltop Drive

16 Hilltop Drive

20 Hilltop Drive

22 Hilltop Drive

24 Hilltop Drive

26 Hilltop Drive

5 Sunset Drive

7 Sunset Drive

9 Sunset Drive

11 Sunset Drive

13 Sunset Drive

Harmon Street                                                  Sold

Cummings Avenue                                            Dedicated for municipal use

Railside (Lots 1 – 9)                                         Bids due 5:00 pm, March 28, 2006

16 Railside                                                       Sold/In contract

15 Commerce                                                  Sold/In contract

49/55 Waltons Stevens Avenues                       Sold

Rosedale                                 

North Kensico

Ridgeway-Havilands Properties

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WPCNR THE HOMELESS NEWS. By John F. Bailey. March 28, 2006 UPDATED 9:52 A.M. March 29, 2006:  The night after a regular overnight guest at the 85 Court Street  County Drop In Shelter was stabbed to death on White Plains West Side, the forty or so nightly homeless, who had nothing to do with the crime,  found themselves returned to  “lock-in conditions”  at 85 Court Street tonight. WPCNR has learned this morning that the “return to lock down” was unrelated to the murder of Jermaine Pellettier Monday evening, but was instituted when it was discovered, according to sources that a Level 3 Sex Offender was allowed to leave the shelter about 2 A.M. Monday morning. WPCNR is attempting to confirm this with the Westchester County Department of Communications.

The “jail conditions” returned for the guests of the shelter, though the murder victim was fatally attacked an hour before he was even due to be picked up a the nightly Drop In Center pick-up point at Fisher Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard. Above is a picture of a typical pickup scene (January 16, 2006) at the Drop-In Shelter Pickup point . Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

After the nightly homeless had assembled in the former basement conference room at the Department of Social Services, the Director of the operation passed out a new rules sheet with the number one rule being that no guest of the shelter would be allowed to leave the shelter once inside, going forward.

 “If you feel you want to leave, because you’re feeling anxious or something, you cannot go back (to the shelter) the next night” according to Geoffrey Ruff, who as a drop in shelter guest tonight received a copy of the rules. “The first person who wanders out of the drop in center is banned for life from the center,” Ruff said was his understanding of what was told the residents tonight. He said this was a reinstatement of the policy in effect the first night the shelter opened January 10. Ruff said, “This goes back to the civil rights issue. It’s not fair.”

Ruff pointed out to WPCNR  Wednesday morning that, since some shelter guests have relatives, “What if I had to leave for a family emergency? Is it right I should be banned indefinitely?”

There was no indication from the officials this reinstatement of the “you leave, you’re out of here rule” in effect the first night the shelter was opened was in response to Monday evening’s murder of Jermaine Pellettier. Pellettier, 20,  had been spending nights at 85 Court Street since March, according to White Plains Police. Others have reported the victim had been staying at the shelter since August 2005.

Pellettier was stabbed to death in a scuffle outside the Post Road Mini Mart at before 9:30 P.M. Monday evening, about 45 minutes before he was due to be picked up and taken to Court Street by Volunteers of America van from the shelter pick-up point on Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard and Fisher Avenue.  The vans by WPCNR observation usually pick up about 10: 30 P.M. Ruff said there was no discussion of Mr. Peellettier among the guests at 85 Court to his observation. Ruff said there appeared to be only one young man (who attends White Plains High School) in his twenties at the shelter this evening, who has moved over from the Open Arms Shelter.

Mr. Ruff told WPCNR Wednesday morning that the shelter personnel writes down the names of the persons who come to the 85 Court Street shelter each night. “It’s simply to see who is here,” Ruff told WPCNR today. Ruff charged that VOA has no nightly record of what the background is of the persons who stay in the shelter each night. When the shelter was opened by the county, White Plains was assured by Westchester County that nightly records of who was there and there backgrounds would be kept.

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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. March 28, 2006: Police expect to charge a suspect in the stabbing death of Jermaine Pelletier, 20,  last night in front of the Post Road Mini-Mart, according to Martin Gleeson, Special Counsel, Office of the Commissioner for the White Plains Police.

The Intersection of South Lexington Avenue and Post Road: Scene of Monday Night’s stabbing death. The Mini-Mart  is in left of the picture. Photo, WPCNR News Archive(2004)

According to Gleeson, Pelletier entered the Post Road Mini-Mart on East Post Road & South Lexington avenue with two friends, one from White Plains, at 9:20 P.M. Gleeson said apparently some verbal exchange took place between Pelletier, his two friends and several other male blacks gathered on the corner as the victim and friends entered the Mart.

Gleeson reports police are still investigating, but what appeared to happen next was “it became clear to Pelletier he was going to be assaulted upon exiting the store.” On his exit from the store, Gleeson said “Two individuals strike him.  He (Pelletier) gets up. He’s stabbed twice in the neck.” Gleeson said the police received a number of 911 calls on the incident, and he said he was very thankful for the calls. Police responded and conveyed Pelletier to White Plains Hospital Center where he died.

Gleeson says it was too soon to tell whether this was a gang-related incident. He described what happened as incident “without rhyme or reason.”  Gleeson said it appeared street dialogue started the confrontation, street talk and turf might have been at issue, but that was “still under investigation.” A suspect is expected to be charged based on police interrogation of individuals brought to White Plains by police and who volunteered to come in. “An individual is likely to be charged this afternoon,” Gleeson said.

Gleeson said police are still seeking information, and invite persons who can contribute information to the investigation to contact the anonymous tip line, 914-422-6256

Mr. Pelletier was a resident of Open Arms, and stayed evenings at the 85 Court Street drop-in shelter at the left since March of this year, Mr. Gleeson said.  Photo, WPCNR News Archive. 

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WPCNR Southend Times. By John F. Bailey. March 28, 2006: Slightly over 100 persons turned out for the Rocky Dell/Reynal Park Neighborhood Association last night at Ridgeway School to fire indignant question after indignant question at Councilpersons Arnold Bernstein, Benjamin Boykin, and Glen Hockley last night over the impending sale of 9 lots along Railside Avenue. Bids are scheduled to be opened this afternoon and bids reported to be selected tomorrow, though this is not exactly clear when the winning bids will be chosen by the city. The upshot of two hours of grilling by the neighborhood left all three councilpersons indicating they would not change their positions disposed to vote in favor of the sale, though Arnold Bernstein said he would see about slowing the process down. Mr. Hockley remained for the sale, and so did Mr. Boykin.

Anthony Solomini, standing, moderating last night’s discussion of the Railside Sell-Off between an angry crowd and Councilpersons Glen Hockley, Benjamin Boykin and Arnold Bernstein. Photo, WPCNR News.

The Jury at Ridgeway School. Slightly over 100 fired antagonistic questions at the three councilpersons for 2 hours. Photo, WPCNR News

Bernstein said the city faces a double-digit tax increase at minimum in 2006-2007, and the sale of land would prevent the taxes from jumping another 9%.

Glen Hockley admitted that he and Mr. Boykin toured the neighborhood querying about the sale of land two years ago, and not this year as the audience had mistakenly believed.

Mr. Boykin stuck to his position that the Comprehensive Plan Committee, and prior to that the City Budget and Management Committee had set policy for the city to return foreclosed land (which is what the Railside properties are) to the tax roll, and selling the Railside properties were the first manifestation of that policy.

A resident of Havilands Manor noted that the reason the issue is so important is because there are pockets of land in Havilands Manor and other areas of White Plains that the city owns that could suffer a similar sell-off fate, affecting the ambience of that neighborhood.

The councilmembers pointed out to the city that sources such as the Trust for Public Land and the Westchester Land Trust were not in position to buy the Railside properties from the city at this time.

Equivocating to the end all three did not say they would vote for the sale, but indicated as much, despite the spirit of the neighborhood to slow the process down and eventually keep the land green.

Neighbors roasted the three councilpersons for the city’s short (but legal) notice of the sale, mailed and postmarked March 16.