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INFLATION IMPACTS CITY SUPPLIES IN NEW YEAR. EXPECTS CONTINUED RECOVERY IN SALES TAX $$, PARKING $$ RED LIGHT $$ FINES. NO CUT IN SERVICES. NO REPLACEMENT OF PERSONNEL WHO LEAVE. 3 NEW POLICE, 2 NEW FIRE HIRES.

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE EXAMINER . By John F. Bailey. April 5, 20222:

The City of White Plains submitted a proposed  $210.3 MILLION 2022-23 City Budget to the Common Council last night at City Hall, an increase of $6 Million from from $203.proposing a 1.86% increase in property tax to $234.51 of assessed value.

In a media briefing, Commissioner of Finance Sergio Sensi and Budget Directtor James Abbott said the tax increase is needed to cover half the expected impact of 3.8% inflationary pressures on gasoline, supplies, and uniforms anticipated by city departments affecting the city expenses as it also does the general public, and to meet contract obligations and required benefits expenses while anticipating growth in city sales tax receipts to produce up to $50 million (perhaps more) in sales tax revenues.

The impact on the property owner of a median priced home of the 1.86% tax increase, assessed at $13,000 would be $58 more annually.

To figure your new city tax multiply your this year total city tax by .0186 to get your new total city tax.

(Editor’s Note:)Your White Plains City school tax will remain the same because the school district is not raising their tax rate.

Total sales taxes are expected to hit approximately $48 million perhaps over $50 Million.  The present pace would bring back the city sales tax component to the $48 Million of 2019-2020 compared to the $41.7 Million collected in 2020-21 a decline in 20-21 of 3%.

City budget crafters James Abbott, Budget Director and Sergio Sensi explained the budget in a media brief placing the loss of city revenue due to covid in 2021-22 after reimbursement at $23 Million

Mr. Sensi and Mr. Abbott explained to WPCNR the city had been reimbursed $23 Million in American Rescue Plan covid relief. This payment accounted for the loss encountered through only the first 9 months of the year 2020-21). The city was not allowed to resubmit for more reimbursement at the end of the year, and no documentation was required by the government from the city for the first and only submission. The city received half the amount of $23 million in 2020-21 and the other $11.6 Million in 2021-22.

Hardest hit of city revenues was the sales tax receipts, down to $41.7 Million this fiscal year. The city budget message said the sales tax handle has  “increased significantly” in part due to collection of internet sales taxes that rose “significantly” in 2019-20, but it is too soon to tell whether the increase so far in 21-22 will continue.

Parking and fines revenues were also impacted during the last year. The budget message anticipates

 “parking related revenues of $25.6 million, including meter fees,parking related fines,red light fines and permit charges…parking revnues have only recently bounced back. Actual parking revenue in 2018-19  was $26.8 million or 22% more than budgeted in 2021-22. As more and more people are beginning to come back to the city to work and shop, these revenues have increased and the current year forecast is again nearing those pre-pandemic levels and is projected to be $25.8 million.

All city services are being maintained at current levels. Positions that are vacated will not be replaced but positions continue to be budgeted. The city also anticipates $695,000 in new revenue from eight city-owned facilities now with solar panels on the roofs.

The city has an undesignated fund balance of $21 Million.

The increase in the 204.3 Million budget last year is 6%.

It is under the 2% tax cap for the 11th consecutive year.

Assessment Roll grows to$286.1 million, up $1.8 Million

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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2022. From the League of Women Voters. April 4, 2022: As the city of White Plains hosts the inspiring statue Harriet Tubman: The Journey to Freedom, we are proud to announce that the League of Women Voters of White Plains, the NAACP of White Plains/Greenburgh, the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, the Delta Sigma Theta sorority and the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority will partner on a series of voter registration/voter education drives.  Register to vote, pick up a form to request an absentee ballot, get a calendar of important election dates, check your voter registration, and, with the recent redistricting you’ll be able to find out your New York State senate and assembly districts and your U.S. Congressional District. We urge you to look for our tables and volunteers at the following White Plains events.Saturday May 21 prior to an outdoor movie presentation of Harriet on Court Street. Saturday June 11 during the Juneteenth Parade along Mamaroneck Avenue and during the Juneteenth Fair on Court Street.Wednesday June 22 prior to an outdoor Tribute to Harriet Tubman music concert on Renaissance Plaza.The mission of the League of Women Voters is to promote VOTING by every eligible person. The League believes “Every Vote Counts.” Your Vote matters.   League of Women Voters of White Plains president, Stephen Cohen, said, “It is a privilege and honor for us to come together to commemorate the life of Harriet Tubman during this critical time for Voting.” For further information contact: Stephen Cohen, lwvwp.president@gmail.com   Harriet Tubman and the Struggle for Universal Suffrage—the Tie that Binds What lessons can we, people in communities near and far, learn from the life of Harriet Tubman (born 1822) in 2022 to make life fairer for all of us? From her enslavement to her freedom; from segregation to ‘conductor of the Underground Railroad’ leading enslaved people to freedom.   From prohibitions to learning to read, to delivering powerful speeches to advance the rights of the disenfranchised, in the South, in Seneca Falls and, Auburn New York where she settled; to soldier-spy in the U.S. Union Army, and more.  Harriet Tubman and her family were enslaved at birth.  They suffered the trauma of this imposed condition.  Harriet escaped. Later, she fled farther North to Canada. Wanting to free other enslaved people, she returned South several times to lead a least 140 of them on the ‘underground railroad’ to that country. Around this time, the Suffrage Movement was gaining traction.   Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, both suffragettes, and Frederick Douglass, who fled enslavement and became an influential orator for abolitionist causes, and Harriet Tubman were all working to promote Voting Rights—for women, and for recently enslaved people. Harriet understood that Suffrage was key to freedom. So, she purposely joined the women’s movement which was struggling, and fighting for Women’s Right to Vote.  She reasoned that freedom, meant freedom in every sphere of life, e.g., economic power, education, and Voting Rights.

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DATA ABUSE

WPCNR THE SUNDAY BAILEY. News & Comment by John f. Bailey. April 3, 2022:

On this week WPTV  PEOPLE TO BE HEARD, I interviewed  the woman who created the Berkeley College  Bachelor Science in Business Data Science Program two years ago.

The interview which can be seen on www.wpcommunitymedia.org  by scrolling down the video wall on the website for People to Be Heard and clicking on her picture, unveiled some hard truths.

Dr. Desai in no way related our discussion on how data can be used to covid, the economy or government policy, but our discussion got me to thinking, and  people seeking go exercise power know thinking is dangerous if done and eliminating thinking causes unforeseen consequences.

The following observations are strictly mine —  after observing two and a half years of up and down covid infections; economic forecasts, 50 years of Dow Jones averages; 65 years of baseball statistics, foreign policy bungles, and politicians wanting to be loved.

They are truths about what data can do if misused to fit preconceived notions: promote policy advantageous to a traditional organization policy; leaping to a conclusion that is false but can be argued;  saying that the economy is good one week not so good the next.

In the blizzard of data snowing the metropolitan area and the country about what to do and not do about covid, the ability to promote political advantages and persuade people that the virus is being contained, not growing, and that the economy is booming  but inflationary are examples.

Dr. Dashan pointed out that data has to studied to determine what exactly is it telling you, not what you want to believe it is telling you.

Take covid case numbers, as just one example.

Every week, we are told by officials three highly popular positions on the ongoing coronavirus spread, decline, and long-term effects.

The overwhelming official view is our infections are down compared to the height of the epidemic say in January three months ago; or a year ago which cases are much higher. Vaccines of squashed the spread. You should get vaccinated (but we are not going to force you to).

  Figures are cherry-picked such as the number of hospitalizations per week as showing the disease is in decline in serious

 Key indicators that tell a different story are downplayed. Each level of officialdom plays this soothing game by looking at the past and picking positive comparisons while conveniently discarding the day-to-day progress or lack of progress in the public’s abilty and inclination , either in containing the disease or failing to contain the disease. The decision-makers prefer to linger on how high  the infections were months ago and how low they are now even though we have been at low points four times in two years and due to wishful policy making and “cross your fingers” decisions opened up restrictions and fertilized covid growth by not penalizing reckless socializing, refusal to get vaccinated and not requiring it!

So we had a second wave in late 2020, a greater wave in January 2021, thanks to loosening up in the fall of 2020; a disaster of a fourth wave larger than the first in  over December, 2021 and January 2022.

That fourth wave was crushed by the vaccine limiting the seriousness of the record infections.  Why did this happen? Behavior, fear of vaccines, socializing, no masking (and no masking envorcement), lobbying by groups of parents to open schools to no masks which has happened now with Governor Hochul lifting masking policy in schools.

Popular opinion  and politicians’ infatuation with the people liking them (so they can be pop-u-LAR, as the Good Witch sang  in Wicked) and  irresponsible dedication to doing what the people wanted  goingout to eat….money…relief for persons who lost jobs  businesses, airlines, banks.

 Covid money bailed out deficits (self-created in many caused by administrations that literally cannot analyze the past.

Well, we have stopped 4 covid waves and have not learned from our data.

Right now, I expect this afternoon we may have the last round of the 7^th day of this week putting Westchester over the 1,100 new case mark, averaging 139 cases a day.  The infections have gone up three of the last 4 weeks when every week things have been done  that inadvertently again have stirred up what promises a fifth wave of covid.

Count up the positive covid policies: removing masks in schools, removing need to wear masks or proof of vaccination in restaurants, loosening up restrictions on mask  and social distancing policies; even talking congestion pricing to get persons back on subways and commuter rail. Well what has happened in 4 weeks—infections have gone up three of the last four weeks across Westchester County. New York City is back to 1,427 infections a day, Westchester is  running over 200 infections a day.

 This is what I mean by looking and understanding what the data is really saying.

In the next month the socialization of the religious holidays, the opening of parks and relaxation of beach and parks and restaurants not to mention the tourism expected (which we did not have last year) could mean a far faster growth in covid before the July fourth holiday that lit up the covid spread last June.

Now, if you remember last year at around this time the legislature took back emergency powers from the then governor, Andrew Cuomo. Then the Governor either acquiesced to the legislature or decided to relax many policies which opened recreation facilities parks, and this pumped up covd infections after July 1^st.

Will this happen again? It is all right there in the data.

Policy has to made based on reason and analysis that takes into account what happens when you do things and what happens when you don’t do things.

When we have seen evidence four times now that relaxation of socialization, masking, vaccination requirements, and not penalizing population noncompliance (fines, please, at least), I  expect a resurgence.

And you know the politicians will not do anything to stop the economy because they need the  fiction that the economy is growing and make people think things are o.k. By opening up they cannot close things up again.

Thanks to inept evaluation and understanding of the most revealing data ever kept in real time on a disease progress, infections, hospitalizations, infection rates, non-vaccinations relevance to spreading the disease and wanting to preserve citizen freedom, the leaders up and down the state have not had the backbone to be tough, with one exception—Governor Andrew Cuomo—who did what had to be done when it had to be done—No one else did.

Can politicians look with insight into what is happening now? Think what is happening now what it means.

Be ready to think what you will do if—-

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WPCNR MILESTONES. From Benjamin Boykin Westchester County Legislator, District 5 (White Plains, Scarsdale, Harrison. April 2, 2022:

Dear Friends and Neighbors, 

I wanted to share this special occasion with you.

Sincerely,

On Monday evening, the Westchester County Board of Legislators commemorated Women’s History Month by honoring all of the women who have served the Board, in a live-streamed video presentation and ceremony.

Having elected 2 women to the top leadership positions for the first time in the Board’s history — Catherine Borgia as Chair and Nancy Barr as Vice Chair — it was fitting to pay tribute to all the women who have served the BOL since it first convened in 1970. From the start, women have been integral to this body as Legislators, and in leadership positions of Chair, Vice Chair, Majority and Minority Leader, and as Clerk.

A video comprised of personal messages from former Legislators was shown, and included segments from NYS Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, NYS Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, the Hon. Diane A. Keane-Foster, the Hon. Alfreda A. Williams, the Hon. Pearl C. Quarles, the Hon. Kitley Covill and the Hon. Ruth Walter.

They relayed anecdotes about winning their place at the table by balancing the budget, working across the aisle for economic and social equity for women and minorities, and helping to create the County Human Rights Commission.

A photo montage followed, chronicling the work of all the women Legislators which culminated with the Board’s appointment of Tajian Nelson as the first Black woman Democratic Election Commissioner at the March 7, 2022 Board meeting.

(L to R: Bottom row – Leg. Ben Boykin II, Leg. Terry Clements, Vice Chair Nancy Barr, Chair Catherine Borgia, Democratic. Election Commissioner Tajian Nelson,  Democratic County Committee  Chair Suzanne Berger, Maj. Leader Christopher Johnson, Leg. Jewel Williams Johnson, Leg. Erika Pierce, Top row – Min. Whip James Nolan, Leg. Damon Maher, Leg. Vedat Gashi, Leg. David Tubiolo, Maj. Whip Jose Alvarado)

Chair Borgia acknowledged and thanked the former women Legislators who were in the audience, asking them to stand with the women who currently serve, as pictured below. She concluded the program by remarking that it was wonderful to see all of these pictures of the women who had come before and to know of the battles they fought to benefit the current cohort. She added that everyone has an obligation, both men and women, to encourage young women to participate in government because it is clear that with equal representation, really good things happen.

(L to R Bottom row – Leg. Terry Clements, Hon. Ruth Walter, Hon. Alfreda A. Williams, Hon. Kitley Covill, Hon. Pearl C. Quarles, Chair Catherine Borgia, Vice Chair Nancy E. Barr, Top row – Leg. MaryJane Shimsky, Leg. Erika Pierce, Leg. Catherine F. Parker, Leg. Jewel Williams Johnson, Min. Leader Margaret Cunzio attended remotely)

Watch the video presentation here: https://vimeo.com/693265825

Read a program for Monday night’s event at: https://westchesterlegislators.com/images/Newsroom/2022/2022_WHM_Program.pdf

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WPCNR DAYTRIP. From the Highlands Current by Alison Rooney. April 2, 2022:

The Doors Open at Chapel Restoration

 By Alison Rooney, Arts Editor, The Highlands Current | 24 hours ago

Full calendar of live events planned for summer, fall To see the entire story go to:

https://highlandscurrent.org/2022/04/01/the-doors-open-at-chapel-restoration/

The two years in which the doors were closed were not idle ones for the volunteers who run the Restoration

 

The Chapel Restoration (Photos provided)

Bekah Tighe, a former board member, is now president, overseeing the serene site, which has been a Hudson River landmark since it was built in 1833 in Greek Revival style. As the first Catholic Church north of Manhattan, it initially served West Point Foundry workers and their families. 

After it was abandoned in 1906, the weather, fire and other elements took their toll and by 1970, it was in ruins. A group led by Academy Award winner Helen Hayes worked to restore it.

Tighe detailed some of what’s been going on, behind the scenes, since the closure.

The Chapel Restoration is located at 45 Market St. in Cold Spring, adjacent to the Metro-North station, where parking is free on weekends. For a full calendar of events, see chapelrestoration.org. Most are free, although donations are welcome. Tickets for Restoration Roadhouse and Jazz at the Chapel concerts are $25.