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 CYBER NEWS. From ICE. December 2, 2013:

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) teamed with 10 foreign law enforcement agencies to seize hundreds of domain names that were illegally selling counterfeit merchandise online to unsuspecting consumers.

.During this operation, federal law enforcement officers made undercover purchases of a host of products including professional sports jerseys and equipment, DVD sets and a variety of clothing, jewelry and luxury goods from online retailers who were suspected of selling counterfeit products. Upon confirmation by the trademark or copyright holders that the purchased products were counterfeit or otherwise illegal, law enforcement officers obtained seizure orders for the domain names of the websites that sold these goods.

In the weeks leading up to the end of the year, the market is flooded with counterfeit products being sold at stores, on street corners, and online, according to law enforcement officials, not only ripping off the consumer with shoddy products, but also putting their personal financial information at risk. The most popular counterfeit products seized each year include headphones, sports jerseys, personal care products, shoes, toys, luxury goods, cell phones and electronic accessories, according to the IPR Center.

The 706 domain names seized were set up to dupe consumers into unknowingly buying counterfeit goods as part of the holiday shopping season. The operations were coordinated by the HSI-led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) in Washington, D.C.

An iteration of Operation In Our Sites, Project Cyber Monday IV resulted in the seizure of 297 domain names from undercover operations conducted by HSI offices around the country. This is the fourth year that the IPR Center has targeted websites selling counterfeit products online in conjunction with Cyber Monday.

Due to the global nature of Internet crime, the IPR Center partnered with Europol who, through its member countries, seized 393 foreign-based top-level domains as part of Project Transatlantic III. Additionally, Hong Kong Customs coordinated the seizure of 16 foreign-based top-level domains hosted in Hong Kong, enlisting the assistance of the web-hosting companies to suspend the service of related websites.

“Working with our international partners on operations like this shows the true global impact of IP crime,” said ICE Acting Director John Sandweg. “Counterfeiters take advantage of the holiday season and sell cheap fakes to unsuspecting consumers everywhere. Consumers need to protect themselves, their families, and their personal financial information from the criminal networks operating these bogus sites.”

“This operation is another good example of how transatlantic law enforcement cooperation works. It sends a signal to criminals that they should not feel safe anywhere,” said Rob Wainwright, director of Europol. “Unfortunately the economic downturn has meant that disposable income has gone down, which may tempt more people to buy products for prices that are too good to be true. Consumers should realize that, by buying these products, they risk supporting organized crime.”

During the last few weeks, the IPR Center and its international partners received leads from trademark holders regarding the infringing websites. Those leads were disseminated to HSI offices in Denver, Dallas, El Paso, Houston and Salt Lake City as well as the Belgium Economic Inspection, Belgium Customs, Denmark Police, Hungarian Customs, French Gendarmerie, French Customs, Romanian Police, Spanish Guardia Civil, City of London Police, and Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department.

The domain names seized are now in the custody of the governments involved in these operations. Visitors typing those domain names into their Web browsers will now find a banner that notifies them of the seizure and educates them about the federal crime of willful copyright infringement

Operation In Our Sites is a sustained law enforcement initiative that began more than three years ago to protect consumers by targeting the sale of counterfeit merchandise on the Internet. The 297 domain names seized under Project Cyber Monday IV bring the total number of In Our Sites domain names seized to 2,550 since the operation began in June 2010. In that time, the seizure banner has received more than 122 million individual views.

U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the District of Utah, Western District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, and the District of Colorado issued the warrants for U.S. seizures. Significant assistance was provided by the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.

The HSI-led IPR Center is one of the U.S. government’s key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy. Working in close coordination with the Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual Property, the IPR Center uses the expertise of its 21-member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions and conduct investigations related to intellectual property theft. Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public’s health and safety and the U.S. economy.

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. November 29, 2013:

Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced that the county’s latest $56.9 million bond issue was one of the most successful ever in terms of demand and price.

“The market is rewarding the county for its careful and prudent fiscal management and this is good news for taxpayers,” Astorino said. “The results are an objective validation that Westchester is on the right track governmentally and financially.”

Westchester, which has the highest credit rating of all the counties in New York State, sold two bond series on Tuesday totaling $56,955,000.

• The first series of $52,650,000 has a 14-year maturity, had 11 bidders and was won by JP Morgan Securities, who purchased the bonds with a total interest cost to the county of 2.57 percent.
• The second series of $4,305,000 has an 11-year maturity, had seven bidders and was also won by JP Morgan Securities, who purchased the bonds with a total interest cost to the county of 2.099 percent.

The winning bids for both series were lower than the industry’s index (Municipal Market Data, or MMD) for AAA rated municipal bonds, which indicates the favorable interest rates  received by the county.

“The number of bidders and the fact that our rates are below the MMD index show the strength of the county’s financial position, which translates into lowering the cost of our bond payments,” said Ann Marie Berg, Westchester’s Commissioner of Finance.

The proceeds will be used to finance various capital projects; the two largest being $19 million for road and bridge repairs and $18 million for improvements to parks, recreational facilities and golf courses.

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WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Town of Greenburgh Supervisor Paul FeinerNovember 26, 2013:

32% of Greenburgh residents who are eligible to receive STAR benefits have not registered with NYS.

If you  are one of the 5,000 property owners in Greenburgh who have not registered please do so by December 31st. You could lose a significant tax break if you do not register NYS will be sending a postcard to everyone who has not registered-reminding them to register..

It’s going to rain tomorrow. Our public works department is trying to be proactive –checking basins, clearing drains, sweeping roads so leaves don’t clog up the drains.

The law we approved last year requiring leaves to be bagged makes a difference during storms. In the past we had large leaf piles around the town clogging drains, making roads slippery.   We have been able to use our employees more efficiently since the new leaf bag law was implemented— being more proactive. When there is a big storm there will always be some flooding. The action steps we have been taking should help minimize this problem.

DON’T LOSE YOUR STAR PROPERTY TAX BREAKS. NYS REQUIRES EVERY HOMEOWNER WHO RECEIVES BASIC STAR TO REGISTER BY DECEMBER 31, 2013. IF YOU DO NOT REGISTER YOU WILL LOSE YOUR TAX BREAKS. IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE STATE CALL (518) 457- 2036 OR APPLY ON LINE  http://www.tax.ny.gov

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WPCNR SCOREBOARD. November 23, 2013:

Monroe-Woodbury defeated White Plains High School, 34-13, Saturday in the Class AA Semi Final football Playoff game in Kingston in a snowy night game marked by the coldest weather of the season. Monroe put away the game with a strong second half and suffocating defensive play.

For White Plains it ended a great season,  the Tigers finishing with an 8-2 record, and winners of their first Section 1 Championship since 1979. Coach Skip Stevens, senior quarterback Cameron Crabbe and all the Tigers are to be commended for an outstanding season.

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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. Financial Commentary By John F. Bailey as heard on WVOX RADIO . November 20, 2013  UPDATED NOVEMBER 25, 2013:

What a difference losing two seats in the legislature makes!

Because the only thing said by the 12  church mice representing the Democrats on the County Legislature about County Executive  Rob Astorino’s  no tax levy increase budget  was said by the County Board of Legislators Chair Ken Jenkins was virtually an endorsement of the Mr. Astorino’s holding the line on raising the tax levy.

But, wait a minute, there was a lot to be said.

The County made a windfall profit this year in sales tax.

To date through October with two months of holiday season shopping to go, the county has already received $400 Million in sales tax receipts (as reported exclusively by WPCNR last week.)

But wait a minute — as John Madden would say — the new proposed 2014 county budget (next year)  projects only a $398 Million sales tax — completely ignoring the $80 Million (perhaps if all you big spenders out there throw a lot of holiday parties — how about it Bedford, Pound Ridge, Chappaqua, Scarborough, a little cash register music, please.

Just looking at the budget…the budget  could have been cut more. The budget  projects $398 Million in sales tax next year …and the county has already earned $400 Million through October, and it is on target  for $488 Million and an outside shot at $500 Million…so you could see almost a $100 Million windfall come in THIS year. I was puzzled by this.

WPCNR asked about this discrepancy and Donna Green of the Westchester County Department of Communications said that the total amount of sales tax receipts budgeted for 2014 is actually $507 Million. The $498 Million reported in the press release derives from county having to share the sales taxes with other towns and municipalits (about 21%). This still leaves a $20 Million surplus over the $478 Million budgeted for 2013. 

Moreover, the argument could be made that another $20 Million surplus or more could be generated in 2014, if growth continues at 6%. The sum of $40 Million is 2% of the county projected budget of $1.74 Billion. so you could give taxpayers a tax cut of 2%. That would save me personally $40… Why couldn’t the budget be cut more?

Companies are under pressure to reward shareholders. So who are the shareholders in Westchester County government?

We the taxpayers. That’s who!

County Government does not exist for County Government alone.

So when the county turns around and actually does better than expected, can the taxpayers, or stakeholders as the politicians call us, get a dividend when the county budget underestimates their revenue by perhaps $200 Million? ($100 Million this year, $100 Million next year IF the 6% growth rate continues in the county economy.

This means Mr.Astorino could have cut $40 Million more out of the budget…that would have been nice…but he did not. He just had to look at the numbers.

It is nice to keep taxes  where they are …but unless the county cuts when it can…you’re never going to get spending down. Why did not the Democrats POUNCE on this obvious question…

Ken Jenkins missed a rare opportunity to call for a tax cut!

His only reaction to the budget was : ”The 2014 proposed budget from County Executive Asotrino seems to recognize past Democratic budget initiatives that featured a low number of layoffs and proper investments in social services.”  Jenkins said because Westchester respondents were still suffering from  the burden of high property taxes, a balanced approach to spending and maintaining an effective safety net of social services for residents.

Is this the Perry Mason of the County Legislature we used to  know? Kennie — you should be calling for tax relief. Had Noam What’s His Name actually been reading WPCNR he might have included tax cuts as part of his platform, neutralizing the Astorino broad brush painting him as a taxer. Where was the thinking here?

So what could we do with the 2014 budget. The legislator could cut taxes if we continue making mints of money, How much could they cut it? $40 Million is 2% of the proposed $1.74 Million county budget. Astorino had he chose could have announced an 2% tax cut. That would mean $42 less in taxes for me. I paid $2,059 in county taxes in 2013–including the sewer and garbage taxes.

Instead, the county government is keeping this windfall…for what fund balance for a rainy day? Come on. When you tax for more than you need you are overtaxing the people.

However I can hear the hand-wringing now. “We cannot count on the economy not turning down. We have to maintain spending at current levels. This is bare bones budgeting.”

Instead, the county as usual is keeping the windfall for themselves, taking a leaf from the Robber Baron Playbook.

What do the Wall Street Swells do when they have windfall profits, they give themselves bonuses. What did the robber baron banks do when they received the bailouts from Washington from their Wall Street buddies in power? Did they use the money to forestall foreclosures and keep giving mortgages. No, they put it in their balance sheets as an asset.

The shareholders want their dividend Legislators.

Think about it.

County Executive Astorino would achieve immortality without dying by enacting a  tax cut with cutting MORE services.