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. | WHITE PLAINS WESTCHESTER DAILY NEWS SERVICE VISITS SINCE 2000 A.D. 25TH YEARl REPORTING THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW News Service Since 2000 A.D. 2026 WILL BE OUR 26TH YEAR OF COVERING WHITE PLAINS NEW YORK USA . John F. Bailey, Editor (914) 997-1607 wpcnr@aol.com Cell: 914-673-4054. News Politics Personalities Neighborhoods Schools Finance Real Estate Commentary Reviews Policy Correspondence Poetry Philosophy Photojournalism Arts. The WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER. TELEVISION: "White Plains Week" News Roundup, 7:30 EDT FRI, 7 EDT MON & the incisive "People to Be Heard" Interview Program 8PM EDT THURS, 7 PM EDT SAT on FIOS CH 45 THROUGHOUT WESTCHESTER AND, ALTICE OPTIMUM WHITE PLAINS CH 1300 Fighting for Truth, Justice and the American Way. TOP 10 VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD :1. USA. 2.BRAZIL3.VIET NAM 4. CHINA 5. JAPAN 6.UK. 7.CANADA. 8.INDIA. 9.AUSTRALIA 10.IRELAND 11.GERMANY 12..ARGENTINA 13.BANGLADESH 14.RUSSIA. 15.NEWZEALAND. 16. FRANCE. 17.MEXICO. 18.UKRAINE. 19.SOUTH AFVRICA. 20. IRAQ.

Cable Commission Behind WP TV Move to Libe,1st FL 2nd FL. OKs Hire of Designer. Wilson Resigns

Posted on June 12, 2013 by John Bailey

White Plains Cable Commission Committing to Historic Move to Library Wednesday Night. From Clockwise, lower left, Bice Wilson, Jim Kenny, Executive Director, Reverend Everett Parker, Kelli Higgs, Chairman Bill Brown, Chris Marothy and John Vorperian.

WPCNR MEDIA MONITOR. By John F. Bailey. June 12, 2013:

America’s first state-of-the-art community public access station is officially moving to the White Plains Public Library, effective possibly by mid-2014.

The White Plains Cable Television Commission voted 7-0 Wednesday evening to authorize up to $75,000 to hire a design/architect consultant or firm to design new studios in the White Plains Public Library. The action amended the budget to add the $75,000 commitment to the consultant budget line to enable the hiring of a design professional.

The commission after a year of discussion has, for the first time, officially committed to move the 1993-vintage studios from the Four Seasons Condominium underground studios, where they currently pay $40,000 in condo carrying charges.

The $75,000 was approved as part of the Capital Projects budget in the 2013-14 city budget passed May 27. The $75,000 will be drawn down from the Cable Television Commission capital fund balance.

Bill Brown, Chairman of the Cable Commission after a long and critical discussion of the need to get busy planning what the studios will actually require, decided to submit the Memorandum of Understanding between the Library Foundation and the Cable Commission on August 1.

He said that an Operations Plan that the commission would be meeting to flesh out on a Saturday morning later this month. Details of equipment purchases, rough design and functions of the space would be discussed and roughly suggested at that meeting. At this time, it is unclear whether Brian Kenny, Library Director will be included at that meeting

Brown told WPCNR the television stations, Government Access 75, Public Access 76, and White Plains Schools Channel 77 would not go dark at any time during the move. A target date for the move would most likely be in the spring of 2014 when Phase II of the Library first floor plan is expected to start covering the area where the first floor television studio is planned.

Bice Wilson, member of the Commission and the nationally known studio design/architect was asked by Reverend Everett Parker, cable commission member to take the lead with Cable TV Executive Director Jim Kenny in designing the Operations Plan.

Mr. Wilson hesitated, and said he was honored but that he could not because he had decided to resign from the Commission. After a long stunned silence, Wilson explained he felt his extensive suggestions of what the commission needed to do with the studios and consider in executing an effective move had been ignored by the commission and not acted upon. He said the move to the library could result in a great studio or a very banal one and at this point he saw banal as being likely due the lack of a detailed plan from the commission or the library. In a further development Thursday morning, Mr. Wilson has e-mailed his resignation to the Mayor’s Office and the Cable Commission Thursday morning.

Wilson has for months warned that the cost of building a modern studio(s) in the library would cost from $1.5 Million to $1.8 Million.

Currently the Cable Commission only has $300,000 in capital fund balance. In a clarification sent WPCNR. Thursday, Kenny, the Executive Director said existing rent comes out of current operating budget. Kenny, at the meeting, said any rent increase should it occur, would have to come out of commission fund balance, which would require a transfer.

Mr. Brown said he was dissappointed in Wilson’s resignation (which is not effective until Wilson writes a letter of resignation to the Mayor). Three members of the commission, Mr. Vorperian, Ms. Higgs and Mr. Marothy asked Mr. Wilson to reconsider. His departure leaves only Executive Director Jim Kenny as the technical expert the Commission has to rely on for formulating the Operating Plan.

Brown speculated to WPCNR, he expected to put out an RFP for a design/architect in the next two months, having the firm or individual in place in the fall.

Status

1ST STATE OF ART AUTISM TREATMENT RESEARCH CENTER IN USA DEBUTS IN WHITE PLAINS

1ST CENTER FOR TREATMENT/RESEARCH OF AUTISM TOGETHER IN USA DEBUTS IN WHITE PLAINS

The New York Presbyterian Hospital Center for Autism and the Developing Brain in White Plains as it was dedicated today (ABOVE).

Dr. Catherine Lord, Director of the new Center for Autism and Dr. Steven Corwin, CEO of NYPH, and Laura Slatkin, Co-Founder of New York Collaborates for Autism cut the ribbon dedicating the $11 Million facility this morning

Dr. Lord, in an exclusive interview with WPCNR said, ” I think there are other facilities that do parts of this: There are other facilities that are more reseach-oriented and other facilities that do the clinical part. What we represent is this blend of clinical research so our research is really about what treatments work and how can we describe kids and how we can identify strengths and weaknesses. We are affiliated with a number of neuro-biological researchers but we don’t do that here. Many of the centers around the country are really more focused on the neuro-biological. We really hope we’ll be a resource center, sort of a hub both to develop other kinds of programs in Westchester and the New York area and we’re very involved in the national and international research.”

Lord said “The treatment of the individual is the key; the research is really important to us , but we’re going to start with how can we do the best service we can.”

Dr. Philip Wilner, Medical Director of Behavorial Health for the New York Presbyterian Hospital explained the Center for Autism difference: “It’s a clinical treatment center where we’ll be doing assessments for people across the life span. People could come when they are very small and first diagnosed with autism We will help establish a good treatment plan after a good diagnosis is achieved and help people take that treatment plan into their community. People will stay a part of our community so they’ll be able to come back when they need further consultation so if a child moves into school age years say, 6 or 7, they can come back for further assessment and development and advancement of their treatment plan. Teenage years they can come back, and we will take care of individuals through the adult years. That’s one of the very unique elements of the program to take care of individuals on autism spectrum across their entire life span. We’re committed to providing ongoing plans for adults as well. Over time as we develop more phases to the Center program we’ll do much more with vocational rehabilitation, independent living to allow people to achieve as many skills as possible, moving into adult years. Our goal is collaboration and partnership. We will look towards collaborating and partnering with other people (and organizations).”

Lord gave WPCNR insight on what’s ahead: ” We’ve been trying to visit as many places as we can both in Westchester and surrounding areas, some in Manhattan and to some extent even Brooklyn and the Bronx. We been trying to get acquainted with people that conduct other kinds of services. The NYPH has a resource and liaison center and are trying to deal with the same kinds of things on the state level.

In the next year, we should have programs that will be up and running and should have the main programs available to people, and have patients coming through on a regular basis. We hope we’ll sort out how much we can do through (people’s) insurance. We want to take as much insurance as we can. We can see families on Medicaid. The idea is really to see all payers.”

She said the Center expected to service 200 new kids this year.and continue to see them to the point where the center would be handling thousands.

The Center presently has a staff of 28 and a research staff of 20. Four more persons, she said are committed to coming to handle the preschool program, some social workers, and Occupational Therapy.

The donors for this building Center, Lord said raised the bulk of funds, and those donors are Laura Slatkin, founder of New York Collaborates for Autism, Marilyn and Jim Simons of the Simons Foundation, Autism Speaks and the Mortimer D. Sackler Foundation. Lord said the donors have committed to support the Center for 10 years. The cost (of operations) is split between the donors and New York Presbyterian Hospital The Center costs $2 Million a year to run, Lord said.

Lord told WPCNR what can be expected when the doors officially open in a matter of weeks: “We’ll begin services, see kids and adults for assessments. We’ll start various treatments, so we’ll have behavior management. We’ll have early intervention starting at some point in the next few months.We will have a Milestones and Transitions Program helping families think about what is coming up, families of kids of different ages, and we’ll also have groups with typical peers all the way down to young children and separate groups for adults.”

Autism has been growing at an exponential rate national. Currently according to the Center for Disease Control Prevention, 1 in every 88 children in 2012 was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, up 23% since 2009. The cause of this increase is not well understood.

Lord described what she views autism as: “What Autism happens is a combination of particular behavioral difficulties that happen to occur together and when they occur together, they really change the lives of a person who has these things together. So they are clearly caused by a variety of different things, whether there is a final common pathway where you could have various genetic conditions or environmental things and they all cause the same thing, and that yields to the same behavior, or it just happens to be different causes result in the same behavior, we don’t know. It is not a disease. It really isn’t one cause. It’s not infectious. It’s really probably something that happens really early in brain development.”

“We do have families who have already called (the Center), and we are ready as soon as we are open to contact them. We will see everybody. They should call, and someone will call and talk to them about what they want and we’ll have them come in and go through with them what exactly we do and how that fits with what they need.”

The number to call at the Center is (914) 997-5848 or go to www.nyp.org/autism.

HERE THEY COME! WHITE PLAINS BIKE RACES IN FULL SWING

Posted on June 8, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR DOWNTOWN IN ACTION. By John F. Bailey. JUNE 9, 2013:

The Second Annual KeyBank White Plains Downtown Criterium featuring hundreds of riders in different heats ZIPPING and racing around down town White Plains in a circular/square course,is in full pedal until about 1 PM OR 2 PM today.

Races start at Macy’s and the Michaelian Building and intrepid cyclists are racing down Martine, down Mamaroneck Avenue Up Quarropas St, down Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard, and back to the Michaelian Building and around again. The “Crit” even has a pedal-by-pedal public address announcer, Bill Montgomery providing insider commentary, plus free coffee and giveaways from sponsors, including KeyBank sunglasses!

The Commissioner of Public Safety David Chong reported that motorists can expect traffic detours. Main Street will be open but Mamaroneck Avenue will be closed from Martine to Quarropus as will MLK.

WPCNR observed no traffic problems as of mid-morning, and the ultra professional White Plains Police are doing their low-key cordial, efficient traffic movement and spectator assistance. The course is well-monitored, pedestrians can cross in safety. All crossings are monitored by race officials. Races will continue past noon today, perhaps until 2 PM.

The “Crit” is a high-speed, action-packed bike race held on a race course closed to traffic. Racers in White Plains are cycling a 3/4 mile course about 32 times over hills, down hills, with wide courses and the races this reporter saw were highly competitive AND it is dangerous.

Several collisions with bikers walking off shaking it off were seen by WPCNR, and getting back in the race.Bikers and teams race around the course in a pack returning to the starting point every two minutes or so. Riders negotiate tight turns at daring speeds jockey for position, for the final race to the finish. Excess proceeds will benefit the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency.

Tom, a bicyclist observing said it was great for cyclists to race inside a real town with a wide course and not in the usual remote locations most bicycle races are held. He said it takes a lot of effort by a city to run one of these races and he commended the efforts of the city departments for their management of the course.

WHITE PLAINS WEEK THIS WEEK — THE FRIDAY SHOW WORLDWIDE ON THE NET NOW

Posted on June 7, 2013 by John Bailey

WHITE PLAINS WEEK’S ON!

www.whiteplainsweek.com

View the last 4 weeks programs, including the June 7 show

THE JUNE 7 SHOW ON

THE EAVESDROPPERS

THE POT GROWERS

THE WP QUALITY OF LIFE POLICE

THE MORATORIUM AND

THE NORTON BOMB SITE NON-LEGACY

with

PETER KATZ

JOHN BAILEY

THE NEWS SHOW NO ONE ADMITS WATCHING BECAUSE EVERYBODY WATCHES IT FROM WHITE PLAINS NEW YORK USA TO SAMARKAND

Republican Insiders Plan Coup to Establish Competitive Republican Slate in City

Posted on June 6, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2013. By John F. Bailey. June 6, 2013:

WPCNR has learned that a “Republican Club” has been formed by key county and city Republican leaders to hold a meeting to draw up a slate of candidates to challenge the White Plains Democrat November ticket, headed by Tom Roach attempting to win a full 4-year term through 2018, and incumbents John Kirkpatrick, John Martin and Beth Smayda running for full 4 year terms as Common Council members.

The WPCNR source said the effort is being put together to go around White Plains Republican City Committee chair Brian Maloney due to failure to date of putting together a ticket. (Maloney has not responded to WPCNR calls for comment on his plans to put together a slate).

Four years ago, under Maloney leadership the Republican party did not run a candidate for Mayor against Adam Bradley. Subsequently, Bradley was charged with spousal abuse charges, was convicted, decided to resigh, and Tom Roach was appointed Mayor by the Common Council and subsequently won a special election against Bob Hyland to complete Bradley’s term which ends in December.

The source told WPCNR that Maloney was sharply criticized publicly at the Westchester County Republican Convention two weeks ago for his inaction. “They are afraid that without a Mayor candidate opposing Roach and a slate of Republican Council candidates, County Executive Rob Astorino will not receive strong support in White Plains, and this could lose him the county popular vote to (Noam) Bramson (Democratic and Independence Party candidate for County Executive),

COMMON COUNCIL TICKER-REVIEW

Posted on June 6, 2013 by John Bailey

THE COMMON COUNCIL PASSED BY 6-1 (WITH COUNCILPERSON JOHN KIRKPATRICK VOTING AGAINST) A 6-MONTH MORATORIUM ON DEMOLITIONING ANY BUILDING IN THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT ON WESTMORELAND AVENUE, AFTER OPENING AND CLOSING A PUBLIC HEARING ….

THE MAYOR SAID THIS IS FOR THE CITY TO CONSIDER THE HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROPERTIES ON WESTMORELAND, WHETHER SOME ARE OF HISTORICAL PRESERVATION VALUE AND GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GENTRIFY THE AREA WITH RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT……..

THIS WOULD COMPLEMENT THE OPTIMISM THAT LCOR WILL SOON BE JUMPSTARTING THE LCOR BANK STREET PROJECT……

QUALITY OF LIFE POLICING IS COMING TO WHITE PLAINS. A HEARING WAS HELD MONDAY NIGHT DESCRIBED BY THE MAYOR AS “EXPANDING THE DUTIES OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PARKING,” WITHOUT MENTIONING THE LEGISLATION EXPANDED DUTIES OF PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO WRITE COURT APPEARANCE TICKETS FOR QUALITY OF LIFE VIOLATIONS WHICH INCLUDE:………..LITTERING, NOISE, GRAFFITI, REFUSE DISPOSAL, DUMPLING, PEDDLING, BICYCLING/SKATEBOARDING ON SIDEWALKS OR IN MUNICIPAL PARKING FACILITIES, SHOPPING CARTS, SIGNAGE, HANDBILLS, REMOVAL OF SNOW AND ICE, DIRT, DEBRIS AND FOREIGN MATTER ON SIDEWALKS, OBSTRUCTING OR ENCUMBERING PUBLIC STREETS, HIGHWAYS OR SIDEWALKS AND CUSTODY AND CONTROL OF DOGS……..NO CITIZENS SPOKE AT THE HEARING ON THIS EXPANSION OF PARKING DEPARTMENT JURISDICTION…THE PARKING DEPARTMENT EXPANSION OF DUTIES PASSED WITHOUT PUBLIC COMMENT…..WPCNR CALLS TO CITY HALL REQUESTING A FINE SCHEDULE HAVE NOT BEEN RESPONDED TO…THE POLICE COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE SAID THAT THE LAW DEPARTMENT HAS A SCHEDULE OF FINES, BUT A REQUEST FOR THE FEE SCHEDULE HAS NOT BEEN FULFILLED YET…

ON THE CONSENT AGENDA MONDAYNIGHT –

AT THE START OF THE MEETING TWO ITEMS, 111-112 WERE REMOVED. THOSE TWO ITEMS WOULD HAVE CHANGED THE LAND DISPOSITION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND LCOR – RELIEVING THE CITY OF HAVING TO PAY FOR CONTAMINATION OF THE MUNICIPAL PARKING LOT ON THE LONG DORMANT 55 BANK STREET 200-ROOM HOTEL, 446-UNIT APARTMENT AND RETAIL PROJECT……….ACCORDING TO JOHN CALLAHAN, CITY CORPORATION COUNSEL, IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT ISSUED EXCLUSIVELY TO WPCNR: “The items were removed from the agenda after LCOR notified the city that it no longer wanted to amend the Land Disposition Agreement.”…..

THE AGREEMENT (HAD THE COUNCIL PASSED IT) WOULD HAVE LCOR PAYING THE LAST TWO PAYMENTS FOR THE COMMUTER PARKING LOT ADJACENT 10 BANK STREET …$2.8 MILLION (INCLUDING $300,000 IN INTEREST) BY THE END OF JUNE AND $2.5 MILLION BY FEBRUARY OF 2014…IN RETURN FOR THE CITY WOULD HAVE BEEN RELIEVED OF PAYING FOR LCOR CLEAN-UP OF THE MUNICIPAL COMMUTER LOT CONTAMINATION WITH THE STATE BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM PICKING UP THE TAB FOR THAT REHAB…….

THOUGH THE FAVORABLE TERMS TO THE CITY ARE OFF THE TABLE AFTER THE REMOVAL, THIS IS THE FIRST INDICATION THAT A RESUMPTION OF THE WHITE PLAINS RENAISSANCE MAY BE STARTING. LCOR ORIGINALLY ARRANGED WITH THE CITY TO STOP PAYMENT OF THE $15 MILLION FOR THE COMMUTER LOT AFTER THE FIRST $10 MILLION WAS PAID UNTIL FINANCIAL MARKETS IMPROVED……..

THE WHITE PLAINS YOUTH BUREAU RECEIVED $14,218 FROM PLANNED PARENTHOOD TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE CITY’S COMPREHENSIVE ADDOLESCENT PREGNANCY PREVENTION PROGRAM that has been in existence for a number of years. Teen pregnancy is down in White Plains thanks to this program which helps teens make good life choices in school, choosing careers and focusing them on making decisions that will lead them to positive outcomes…….

A PUBLIC HEARING ON ALLOWING OUTDOOR DINING IN FRONT OF THE BLT RESTAURANT, PART OF THE RITZ-CARLTON WAS SCHEDULED FOR JULY….COUNCILMAN JOHN KIRKPATRICK WONDERED OUT LOUD IF THIS WAS A PROPER USE OF PUBLIC SIDEWALK SPACE AND URGED STAFF TO CONSIDER THAT ISSUE.

IN CITIZENS TO BE HEARD NUMEROUS RESIDENTS CALLED UPON THE COMMON COUNCIL NOT TO APPROVE THE FRENCH AMERICAN SCHOOL OF NEW YORK PROPOSAL TO BUILD A SCHOOL CAMPUS ON THE FORMER RIDGEWAY COUNTRY CLUB GROUNDS.

69 YEARS AGO TODAY–THEY LANDED ON OMAHA BEACH

Posted on June 6, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR MILESTONES. June 6, 2013:

Sixty-nine years ago this morning, thousands of troops stormed the beaches in Normandy, France in the largest invasion in history.

The bloody assault against a heavily defended coastline, requiring incredible courage and sacrifice by allied troops, landing craft, paratroops, signalled the beginning of the end of the Third Reich and the regime of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany.

The quiet beaches of Normandy today. The hundreds of rows of white crosses in cemeteries around the little town bear silent eternal vigil to the sacrifice of those brave men and women who fought, died, and triumphed this day 68 years ago today.

We can in no way, or through any motion picture know what any veteran experienced. The veterans who still are with us do not like to talk about their combat experiences. And they do not.

One veteran of D-Day, asked what he thought of Saving Private Ryan and the realism of it, said the real D-Day was worse. However, veterans we have interviewed remark that they think of their combat experience every day. It is always with them.

It is inconceivable to me that I could ever be able to do what these men and women did. I would like to hope I could. However, the veterans have.

They left ordinary lives as office workers, factory workers, farmers, accountants, and what have you and were able to go to war and “rise to the occasion,” or as they say today, “step it up to the next level.” The highest level.

Few of them are left now. But today their sacrifice should be remembered.

Introducing the New White Plains CitizeNetReporter

Posted on June 6, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR NEWS & COMMENT FROM JOHN BAILEY, The CitizeNetReporter

Thursday at 5 P.M., the format of WHITE PLAINS CitizeNetReporter was upgraded to a more user-friendly format, using Word Press, hosted by Hosting Matters of Jacksonville, Florida. As your Editor these last 13 years, I thank you for your patience during this two week period while our new server has incorporated software upgrades. The most unique feature you may readily see in the right column is immediate access to thirteen years of White Plains CitizeNetReporter stories, month-by-month, so historians can refresh their memories on what really happened to bring White Plains where it is today. As I work into this new format, stories will resume with their usual timeliness and exclusivity.

WHITE PLAINS WEEK, my television program on channels 45 and 76 can be seen anytime at allaround the world on it’s website, www.whiteplainsweek.com

David Buchwald Announces Engagement to Lara Samet

Posted on May 20, 2013 by John Bailey

David Buchwald November, 2011 on the White Plains Week program.

WPCNR PERSONALITIES. May 20, 2013:

New York State Assemblyman White Plains own David Buchwald has announced his engagement to Ms. Lara Samet, a litigation attorney at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP.

Ms. Samet is a native of New Jersey and resident of Manhattan. She is a graduate of Duke University (magna cum laude) and NYU School of Law (cum laude).

Assemblyman Buchwald is a native of Westchester County and a resident of White Plains, where he served on the City’s Common Council for three years prior to his election to the Assembly in 2012.

He now represents the towns of Bedford, Harrison, Lewisboro, Mt. Kisco, New Castle, North Castle, North Salem, and Pound Ridge and half of the City of White Plains.

Assemblyman Buchwald is a graduate of Yale University, the John F. Kennedy School of Government, and Harvard Law School (cum laude). For the six years prior to serving in the State Assembly, he was an attorney in the tax department at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.

The couple has not set a wedding date, though they are looking at the first half of next year.

April Sales Tax $$ Soft Off 3%. City Needs Boffo Finish to Avert $$ Shortfall

Posted on May 17, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. From the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. May 17, 2013:

White Plains Sales Tax Colllections were down 3% in April from the amount collected last year according to state Department of Taxation and Finance figures reported to WPCNR this week.

Two months ago, in March, receipts were $10,000 shorty of March 2012 receipts, and gave the impression an upturn in retail activity was beginning after the sales tax receipts had declined at a 2% pace for four straight months.

The city has earned $41.6 Million in sales taxes through April, 2% off last year’s collections.

Westchester County,in contrast is up 4% through the first four months of 2013, about $6 Million ahead.

If the city equals the sales tax receipts it collected in May and June last year ($8.1 MILLION for the 2 months) the city will gross $49.8 MILLION about $1.1 to $1.2 MILLION less than it collected in 2011-12-producing a 2% decline.

If May and June are softer, the city transfer of $5 Million to the Fund Balance Stability Fund with which they used to cover salary and labor raises for 2012-13, and plan to do so in the 2013-14 and beyond, this may present a problem.

The city has been extracting money from the Fund Balance Stability Fund to cover city wage increases.

In a related development, Moody’s after reviewing the city budget announced they have removed the Negative Outlook they have given White Plains bonds in their credit ratings, according to City Council President Beth Smayda. Smayda said the removal was based the city policy of not bonding for tax certiorari refunds and restoring the fund balance by devoting a portion of sales tax receipts each year to the stability fund.