County Executive Robert P. Astorino’s State of the County Message For the Record

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WPCNR FOR THE RECORD. April 26, 2013:


On Tuesday evening, Robert P. Astorino, County Executive presented his State of the County Message to Westchester at the Westchester County Courthouse Jury Room.


He recapped his previous three and almost a half years as County Executive.


Here, for the record is the text of what he said:



Good evening and welcome to the Westchester County Courthouse.


This is our second year having the State of the County address in the


Central Jury room.


It is good to have all of you with us tonight.


Thanks to our host, the honorable Alan Scheinkman, administrative judgefor the Ninth Judicial District, for making this room available to us.


My responsibility tonight is to report on the state of Westchester County to the Board of Legislators.


Chairman Ken Jenkins, Majority Leader Peter Harckham, Minority Leader Jim Maisano and all of our legislators … thank you for joining me.


Also with us are:


• District Attorney Janet DiFiore


• County Clerk Tim Idoni


• And a host of other elected officials from around the county.


I also want to welcome everyone at home watching us on News 12.


Thanks to everyone for being here, especially my family.


Before we start, I would like to acknowledge that our hearts and thoughts are with the victims and families of the Boston terror attacks and the West Texas plant explosion. Please keep them all in your prayers. [PAUSE]


In Westchester, the news of the state of the county begins on an equally serious but more positive note.


Last year, not one man or woman serving from Westchester in our armed forces lost their life on the battlefield.


That is not to say great sacrifice, courage and dedication have been absent.


One example is retired Lance Corporal Nancy Schiliro, who is with us tonight.


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A self-proclaimed tomboy growing up in Eastchester, Nancy nonetheless surprised her family when she enlisted in the Marine Corps.


In September of 2004, she was deployed to Al Asad, Iraq, where she served as one of only two embarkation specialists in her unit.


Life was pretty much non-stop, 16- hour days until close to the end of her tour.


It was February and she was chatting near one of the base’s large diesel fuel tanks when a mortar round struck.


Black smoke billowed and Nancy blacked out.


When she woke, her face was cut but she remembers saying to her


partner. “I feel fine.”


But she wasn’t.


Four surgeries followed. To save her left eye, doctors had to remove her right eye.


She will tell you the emotional pain of having a prosthetic eye was the worst part. Depression and isolation followed.


Then a friend encouraged her to attend a meeting of Project Odyssey, which is part of the Wounded Warrior program.


By bonding and sharing similar experiences with other female soldiers, her recovery began and her confidence returned.


But the story doesn’t end there.


Today Nancy’s life is dedicated to helping returning soldiers readjust to life at home working for Wounded Warriors full time as a benefits liaison.


Nancy, thank you for your heroism and continuing service to our country.


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It is particularly fitting that we honor Nancy tonight as 2013 has been declared the Year of the Woman Warrior.


And for any veterans out there, who need any kind of help – whether for


housing, counseling, benefits, or advocacy on your behalf – please contact


our Veterans Service Agency.


It is there to help, and nobody is better at getting you help than our director


Vito Pinto and his team.


Contact information is on our website at westchestergov.com.


Visit our website for more information on any issue addressed tonight and


also feel free to follow and contact me on Facebook and Twitter.


And of course, Westchester residents can always call my office at: 914-


995-2900 or email me at ce@westchestergov.com


….


There is another veteran – not with us tonight – whose service to our


county and nation cannot go unmentioned.


As a young man, and throughout his life, he had the distinction of serving


three branches of our military: the Army, Air Force and Navy. He also


served in all three branches of government.


• He was a Yonkers City Councilman and chairman of the County


Board of Legislators.


• He was Westchester County Executive from 1983 to 1997.


• And he finished his public service as a judge on the state Supreme


Court.


Of course we are talking about Andrew O’Rourke, who died in January.


Andy O’Rourke touched many with his wisdom and wit, including myself.


He accomplished what we all aspire to do – he made lasting contributions


that left us better than before.


He led by example.


He moved us forward.


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And he brought out the best in Westchester.


Tonight, as I stand before you, as he did so many times to give the State of


the County Address, I want to use this occasion to say, “Thank You” and


lead a round of applause for one of Westchester’s great leaders.


Thank you, Andy.


….


It’s hard to believe that this is my fourth State of the County Address.


The time has passed like the snap of a finger.


I’ve learned a lot. I am grayer for sure, maybe even losing some.


Para mis amigos hispano hablantes…


es difícil creer que este es ya mi cuarto Discurso del Estado del Condado.


He aprendido mucho, y les puedo asegurar una cosa – mi español ha


mejorado muchísimo.


Por favor visiten la página web: westchestergov punto com – guion Accion


para ver y leer mi discurso en español.


From day one, our goal has been to deliver results; which the public wants


and deserves.


Government without results is wasted effort.


But results don’t come easy.


Priorities must be set.


Hard choices must be made.


Partisanship must give way to partnership.


Rhetoric must yield to leadership.


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To help us deliver results, we have a compass we call “The Three P’s”:


• Protect taxpayers


• Preserve essential services


• Promote economic growth


The Three P’s” remind us every day why we are here.


Protecting taxpayers is all about fairness.


For our social contract to survive, we need to strike the right balance


between what the government takes and what the people can afford to


give, and we work on that balance every day.


Preserving essential services goes to the fundamental reason


government exists – to provide society with the things that individuals


sometimes cannot:


• A social safety net for our residents in need.


• Roads, bridges, airports.


• Public safety, health and education.


• Parks. Open space. Environmental safeguards to protect our air and


water.


Preserving these essential services requires smart government.


Smart government begins with challenging the status quo; prioritizing, not


simply perpetuating.


• Improving what is working;


• Fixing what’s not; and


• Focusing beyond the symptoms of problems to their underlying


causes.


So our department heads are charged every day with using their


experience and expertise to find smart ways to preserve our essential


services and to protect taxpayers.


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Promoting economic growth is the engine behind the first two P’s.


Jobs keep taxes low and help pay the bills for essential services.


Westchester has many advantages: smart people, great schools, open


space, convenient transportation, outstanding restaurants, shopping and


the arts.


But it is also expensive with multiple layers of government and regulations


to navigate.


If we can maximize the positives and minimize the negatives, people will


want to live and do business here.


That’s our formula for economic growth.


….


To borrow a line from the late, great Ed Koch: How are we doing?


For starters, the tax levy is down 2 percent over the past three years.


Cynics will say a 2 percent cut isn’t much.


But contrast it to the 17 percent tax increase over the previous five years.


The direction has reversed and the progress is real.


That progress is so important because Westchester residents need relief.


Whether it’s seniors struggling to stay in their homes.


Or young couples trying to buy their first.


Entrepreneurs with dreams.


Or, families with college tuitions to pay.


Every resident in Westchester deserves tax fairness.


In all there are more than 350 taxing districts in Westchester.


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The number is staggering and the combined result is the highest property


taxes in the United States.


County government can’t stop the tax madness on its own.


But it can lead the way. And it has.


A 2 percent cut in the tax levy in 2011.


No increase in 2012, no increase in 2013.


The promise not to raise taxes has been kept….


And the pledge continues.


For the fourth straight year, I will submit a balanced budget to the Board of


Legislators with no tax increase.


….


In managing the county budget, our goal is smart government. Smart is


when you work together with your unions to forge fair contracts that protect


jobs and taxpayers at the same time.


When I came into office, taxpayers had to pick up the entire $120 million


cost of employee health care. I led the charge to change that.


Year one, we passed legislation so that management and elected officials –


myself included – started paying a portion of their health care costs.


Today, four of our eight government unions are now contributing to their


health care.


To our Teamsters, Correction, Superior Corrections Officers and Nurses


unions, thank you for your partnership.


And to our four other government unions, please…the time to start


contributing to your health benefits is now – just like everyone else.


This year’s budget, like last year’s, was a bi-partisan effort.


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We negotiated between two goal posts.


We did not raise the tax levy and we also safeguarded the county’s three


triple A credit ratings, which was critically important because any


downgrade by the ratings agencies – Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch


– would make it more expensive to run government operations.


For counties, Westchester has the highest credit rating in New York State


and a higher rating than the United States of America. To keep it that way,


we took a stand: No more raiding of the reserves to pay for day-to-day


operating expenses.


That left $1.7 billion to build a budget.


We built a coalition of Republicans and Democrats and split our differences


down the middle.


The compromise turned out to be a balanced and responsible budget that


• protected taxpayers…


• safeguarded our triple A credit ratings,


• provided for the neediest among us and


• enhanced our quality of life in Westchester.


It was a major accomplishment and I want to thank the bi-partisan coalition


of Republicans and Democrats that came together to forge a consensus


around what’s best for Westchester.


Memo to Washington: Bi-partisan government can work and we’ve shown


how to do it.


It needs to be stressed that this year’s budget preserved essential services.


In times of need, Westchester County is there.


….


Our biggest test came from Hurricane Sandy.


It was a gigantic mess for all of us.


Tragically, the storm claimed three lives.


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More than 200,000 homes and businesses lost power, including mine.


It took more than two weeks to restore the last home.


Throughout the storm, I witnessed the damage first hand; visiting every


municipality in Westchester and touring the region with Governor Cuomo,


Senator Schumer and other officials.


I literally spoke with thousands of residents during the storm – at warming


shelters, community centers, and through email, Facebook and Twitter.


They were cold, tired and frustrated but they were making the best of it and


helping others.


We put communication, prioritization and partnership to work day and night


until we got our residents through the storm.


Our Emergency Operations Center in Hawthorne mobilized immediately.


It was intense.


New Castle was typical of many of our municipalities.


Trees down. Power lines exposed. Roads impassable.


I called Supervisor Susan Carpenter from the car and asked:


“Can we help you?”


A couple of minutes later, she greeted me at the door to town hall. Her face


was a picture of frustration.


Inside she pointed to maps. Big parts of town were literally cut off.


Emergency vehicles could not reach people. She needed roads cleared.


Immediately.


But to do that she needed more help from Con Ed.


A short time later we got her that help.


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Throughout the storm – from the car, the office and the command center, I


was on the phone and meeting in person with Kevin Burke, the CEO of Con


Edison, and Mark Lynch, the president of New York State Electric and Gas.


Believe me, you didn’t want to be in the room for some of those


conversations.


But they were constructive and produced results. We made our points.


Con ED and NYSEG needed to do a much better job working with our


municipalities and communicating with their customers.


Our residents are a patient and resilient bunch, but when they are told they


will have power back in one week, and find themselves two weeks later still


sitting in the cold and dark… that’s a problem. They deserve better.


Since the storm, we’ve met with our municipal officials and the utilities to


incorporate lessons learned, share best practices and work to improve


before the next big storm hits.


I personally met with Kevin Burke in his office to outline a set of post-storm


proposals and recommendations. These specific steps and other


improvements will be outlined at a press conference with Con Edison in the


coming weeks.


….


Nowhere is our commitment to essential services more important than


when it comes to safety.


We had not even caught our breath from Hurricane Sandy, when the notion


of what it means to be safe in America was shattered.


On Friday, Dec. 14, disbelief turned to shock and sorrow when we learned


of the murders of 20 children – ages 6 and 7 – at their school in Newtown


Connecticut, along with six adults.


In a kitchen table conversation at my house that night, my son Sean said if


a shooter were in his school, he would try to escape.


Kiley said she would hide in the building or play dead.


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They asked me who was right?


I honestly didn’t know. But I needed to find out.


I needed to know what I should be doing as a parent and what I should be


doing as county executive.


That following Monday, I put the question to our commissioners. What can


we do? What should we do?


I gave them three parameters:


• Number one: Be comprehensive.


I told them to look at the full spectrum of factors that can cause and prevent


violence.


• Number two: Be practical.


Don’t reinvent the wheel. Don’t tell me the answer is more money and don’t


build more bureaucracy. Mobilize existing resources and get them to


people in ways they can use quickly, easily and effectively.


• And number three: Put something together that can serve us not just


now but in the future.


The initial reaction to tragedies like Newtown is just – do something. We


wanted to do it right.


The result is our Safer Communities initiative.


In February, we brought more than 300 law enforcement and school


officials together at SUNY Purchase for a Schools Safety Symposium. It’s


said to be the largest gathering of school and law enforcement officials in


the same room ever in Westchester.


The day began with a keynote address by Bill Bratton, the former top cop in


New York, Boston and Los Angeles.


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The biggest takeaway was that collaboration is critical.


Two weeks ago, we held a Community Violence Prevention Forum at the


County Center. It drew 400 people.


This time, school and law enforcement officials were joined by community


leaders, judges, doctors, mental health experts, clergy, elected officials and


non-profit leaders.


Here the focus was on treating violence as a public health issue.


Our keynote speaker, Doctor Howard Spivak, the director of the Division of


Violence Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta,


emphasized that just as with illness, violence is preventable. Probably


never 100 percent. But progress can be made, depending on how you


treat it.


The day’s participants formed “action teams” around:


• Improving Community Partnerships


• Treating Violence as a Public Health Issue


• Building Safer Learning Environments in Schools and


• Strengthening Family Safety Nets.


The findings are being compiled into a report. When it’s done, this blueprint


will provide concrete steps every community in Westchester can take to


prevent violence and make our communities safer.


Going forward you have my commitment that Westchester County will


continue to lead a ceaseless effort to keep our kids, our schools and our


communities as safe as they can be….


What has been so encouraging about this is that it speaks volumes about


the character of Westchester’s residents.


We asked “what can we do” and more than 700 people showed up to be


part of the answer.


So to everyone who participated – and a number of you are here tonight –


let me say thank you.


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Special thanks to:


• Dr. Sherlita Amler, our commissioner of Health.


• Dr. Grant Mitchell, our commissioner of Community Mental Health.


• George Longworth, our commissioner of Public Safety.


….


Westchester residents should also know that the county’s social safety net


remains strong.


Since coming into office in 2010, we have increased spending in the


Department of Social Services by $17 million to $559 million, while at the


same time, the feds and the state were cutting aid to our neediest


residents.


Money in the 2013 budget also goes to expand services of others. For


example, $50,000 went to Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to help


them open an office in Peekskill to serve seniors, immigrants and victims of


domestic violence.


Everyone should also know that we are managing the most value out of


every dollar at DSS.


Day care is one example.


Yes, it is true that in a bi-partisan compromise we asked parents receiving


taxpayer-subsidized day care to pay a little more.


But what you don’t always hear is that we were able to increase the


number of slots by 18 percent or almost 600, so that many more low


income families can now get help.


And even with the parental share increase, Westchester families in the


program are still paying much less than those in New York City and most


other counties.….


Perhaps our biggest success has been foster care.


Adoptions are up 41 percent over the past three years and foster care


caseloads are at an all time low.


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This means we are getting kids out of institutions – many of them far from


Westchester – and into permanent homes near family and friends.


Better service at a lower cost. Another example of smarter government.


But there is more to the story than charts and numbers. Our success is a


very human one – the result of families who are willing to embrace society’s


least fortunate children as their own.


Brenda and Anthony Gears have been foster parents since 2009.


They live in Mount Vernon and both have worked for the City for more than


20 years. With their two daughters now grown, they have opened their


home to four foster children in the last four years.


Marisol and Eduardo Gonzalez live in Scarsdale. Married for more than 20


years, they were unable to have children of their own. In 2011, they


welcomed two year old Danielle into their home as a foster child. Last


year, they adopted her.


A death in the family prevented Brenda and Anthony from joining us


tonight.


Marisol and Eduardo are here.


Marisol and Eduardo – and to Brenda and Anthony – thank you for making


it part of your lives to give hope and love to kids, desperate for both.


….


From healthy families to a healthy economy.


If you want to understand economic growth in Westchester, there is no


better place to start than with beer and cookies.


What do beer and cookies have to do with economic growth?


They tell the story of two companies that are great at what they do, could


locate anywhere, but have chosen Westchester as home.


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They are The Captain Lawrence Brewing Company in Elmsford and Bake-


Me-A-Wish in Peekskill.


In some ways, the stories of Captain Lawrence and Bake-Me-A-Wish could


not be more different.


Scott Vaccaro, the owner, head brewer and Captain of Captain Lawrence,


grew up in Lewisboro on Captain Lawrence Drive.


For Maria and Pablo Morales, the owners of Bake-Me-A-Wish, home was


Mexico.


Scott’s toughest early decision was to convince his parents that he should


leave Villanova University, where he was studying accounting, to become a


beer brewer. We can only imagine how well that conversation went.


Maria and Pablo’s toughest decision was to leave family and friends behind


to start a new life in the United States.


Today, Westchester is the beneficiary of their hard work.


I challenge anyone to come up with a tastier beer or chocolate chip cookie.


Maria, Pablo and Scott we couldn’t be more proud that you saw


Westchester as a place of opportunity for your companies and dreams.


You’ve heard me say it many times: Government doesn’t create jobs. But


we can be helpful.


We do that by fostering an environment that allows businesses to prosper.


We can’t make or sell their product, but we can hold their taxes in check,


provide incentives to help them grow and maintain the quality of life that


attracted them to Westchester in the first place.


I make it a point to give this message wherever I am.


Last week, I was with the CEO and senior team of Regeneron, which just


upped its investment in Westchester – with plans to add 400 new jobs.


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The week before, I paid a visit to Perstine Wesley, the legendary owner of


Harry’s Shoe Repair in Getty Square in Yonkers.


Large or small, old or new, we want business to know we are here to help.


Our record of accomplishment is strong.


Last summer, we launched our “Meet Me In Westchester” marketing


campaign to support and strengthen the county’s $1.7 billion tourism


industry.


And since January 2010, the Westchester Industrial Development Agency,


our main outreach organization to businesses, has provided various


financial incentives to 29 companies of every size.


This has led to more than $500 million of additional capital investment in


the county, the retention of 4,800 existing jobs and the creation of 4,600


new jobs.


The biggest project to date – in fact in the history of the IDA – involves


Pepsi’s decision to stay in Westchester and completely modernize its


global corporate headquarters in Purchase.


But we are also helping start ups like Tommie Copper and Candela


Systems.


And just last week, the Board of Legislators ratified our creation of a


Westchester Local Development Corporation.


This will give non-profit companies access to low-cost financing at no risk


to taxpayers. Last week, $128 million in tax exempt financing was made


available to not-for-profit organizations.


Northern Westchester Hospital and Kendal on Hudson, a continuing care


retirement community, are among the first to take advantage of the LDC.


So, if you have a business in Westchester, thinking of starting one, or a


not-for-profit looking for low-cost financing our team is here to help. The


people you need to talk to are Eileen Mildenberger and Jim Coleman.


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I want them to stand so people in the room and watching on television


know who they are talking to:


• Eileen is the director of economic development.


• Jim is the executive director of the IDA and LDC. Jim also


leads our Minority and Women-owned Business program,


which can help these companies learn how to better compete


for government contracts through seminars and training.


Please don’t hesitate to reach out to them. They can help your business


and that’s good for all of us.


Another way government can help promote economic growth is by


investing in infrastructure.


We currently have $58 million in capital projects awaiting approval by the


Board of Legislators. Over the course of the year, I will be sending down an


additional $75 million for the board’s approval.


These projects will improve our parks, roads, buildings and bridges, as well


as aid our flood mitigation efforts and put men and women in our trade


unions back to work.


To my colleagues on the board, let’s work together to get it done.


….


Westchester prides itself on being home to a well educated workforce.


If Westchester were a city, it would be the second smartest in the country.


Of the people 25 and older living in the county, 45 percent of them have a


bachelor’s degree.


It is for this reason, we have branded Westchester as “New York’s


Intellectual Capital.”


It is not surprising that Westchester is so smart when you look at the jobs


our schools do – all the way from kindergarten through college.


The Intel Science Talent Search is one measure of just how smart some


our kids are.


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Last year, Westchester had one Intel finalist. This year we had three.


They are with us tonight.


• Jiayi Peng of Horace Greeley High School


• Chris Traver of Croton-Harmon High School


• Daniel McQuaid of Ossining High School


Jiayi created a computer model to study how the brain optimizes


information.


Chris tapped a group of volunteers to track noise levels in the community


by using smart phones.


Apparently, yes, there is an app for this.


Daniel studied KLF6, a protein that induces cell death.


The level and depth of their research is phenomenal.


Can the three of you please stand up?


They have set up booths outside and you are encouraged to ask them lots


of que

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Bill Ryan Stays With His Decision Not to Run for Reelection Despite Loss

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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2013. EXCLUSIVE! By John F. Bailey. April 25, 2013:


County Legislator Bill Ryan told WPCNR this afternoon he is staying with his decision not to run for reelection as Legislator from District 5, a position he has held for 15-1/2 years, being first elected in 1997 to represent District 5


Ryan told this reporter, he had  told the White Plains and Scarsdale Democratic City Commitees and the county committee he would not run for reelection because he wanted to devote his full time to running for County Executive.  At that time he endorsed White Plains Common Councilman Benjamin Boykin as a good candidate to fill his seat. Today he reaffirmed that decision to WPCNR.


Asked if he still supported Mr Boykin and would be working for Boykin’s election, said “that is an accurate statement.”


Ryan said it is his understanding three candidates from Scarsdale will be challenging Boykin for the nomination.


 

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County Exec. Releases Controversial Source of Income Legislation to Legislature

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators. April 25, 2013:


With a deadline from the U. S. Department of Justice only a day away, Westchester County Board of Legislators (BOL) Chairman Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers) acknowledged that County Executive Rob Astorino submitted Source of Income legislation to the BOL today for consideration in regard to the fair and affordable housing settlement between the County and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).



County Executive Astorino sent the legislation down to the BOL a little after 1 PM, Wednesday.



In his letter today that accompanied the Source of Income legislation submission to the BOL, Astorino writes, “In light of all of the foregoing, I recommend the adoption of this proposed Local Law.”


Astorino also agreed to sign the legislation when passed by the BOL in accordance with the court’s directive to do so.



“County Executive Astorino has forwarded the Source of Income legislation to the Board as demanded by the Department of Justice to avoid contempt of court and crippling fines against the County,” said Jenkins. “It is time for the Administration to work through the necessary requirements of the housing settlement without all of the overheated political rhetoric—for the sake of all of our residents and taxpayers.”



A recent letter to Astorino from U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara demanded that the County Executive resubmit to the BOL the Source of Income legislation, which was vetoed in 2010, by tomorrow—Thursday, April 25, 2013.



Astorino continues to be under fire for his non-compliance with the housing settlement and putting $7.4 million of 2011 Community Development Block (CDBG) grant funds promised to the County at risk. The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) notified Astorino in March that the CDBG funds would be reallocated on April 25, 2013 if he fails to promote Source of Income legislation and submit an analysis of exclusionary zoning in the county.



“All the Administration needs to do now is provide substantive assurances there will be a plan to address any zoning issues from the monitor’s report and analysis when it is completed in order to protect the $7.4 million in CDBG funds for the local municipalities and non-profits,” added Jenkins.


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Bramson’s the One.

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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2013. April 25, 2013:


The Westchester Democratic Party nominated Mayor Noam Bramson of New Rochelle to be its candidate for County Executive opposing Robert P. Astorino last night at the party convention in White Plains.


Bill Ryan, County Legislator for District 5, representing White Plains was defeated in the first ballot, and Bramson won the runoff delegate tally defeating Ken Jenkins, the Chair of the County Board of Legislators in the second ballot.


In a statement to the Westchester County Association, Bramson speaking to his supporters said,


“Competing for the nomination has been an extraordinary experience, and we can take a moment to savor our success – but not more than a moment, because now the really tough challenge begins. To bring positive change to Westchester, we must win in November, and I feel a deep sense of responsibility to justify the trust placed in me tonight.”


Jessica Proud, a spokesperson for the Astorino Campaign issued this statement:


“We congratulate Mr. Bramson on his nomination tonight and look forward to a healthy debate in the fall election season, based on the issues. County Executive Astorino has delivered on the promises he made to Westchester voters four years ago — like his no tax increase pledge — and he is laying the groundwork for a healthy and economically vibrant Westchester going forward. It is a record anyone would be proud to discuss.”


 


Bramson was reelected Mayor of New Rochelle for a second term in 2011. Previously he had been Mayor since 2006 when he was appointed interim Mayor by the New Rochelle City Council when Mayor Timothy Idoni was elected County Clerk in 2005. Bramson became interim Mayor, winning election outright to a full term in 2007. He was first elected to the New Rochelle City Council at age 25 in 1995 and was reelected in 1999 and 2003. Unlike nomination rivals Bill Ryan and Ken Jenkins, He has not held any elected County Government positions spending his entire political career in New Rochelle city government.



In accepting the nomination, Mr. Bramson made these remarks:



I know the hour is late, but I hope you’ll permit me to say a few words to this convention and to all the people of Westchester.


And I want to begin by recognizing two extraordinary public servants, two men who have proven their strength and skill and dedication to the values of our party, and who tonight showed the generosity of spirit and sense of common purpose that are the hallmarks of true leadership.


I ask every person in this hall to please stand – please stand up – and join me in saluting Ken Jenkins and Bill Ryan.


Ken and Bill, we began this journey as friends. We are ending this journey as friends. And, as we move forward together, I will be proud to call you partners.


To all who supported us tonight, and labored so hard for this milestone, Catie and I are honored beyond words by your trust.


And to all who supported others, please take well-earned pride in your service to a good cause.


We may have arrived here on different teams, but now – strong, united and determined – we go forth as one team.


And, together, for the hundreds of thousands of people who count on us to be their advocates and their champions, we will win a resounding victory this November.


My friends, that is much more than a partisan political objective. Because what’s at stake in this election is nothing less than the character, and the future, of our County.


And our choice this year is different from any we’ve faced before.


Here in Westchester, as long as any of us can remember, Democrats and Republicans have stood side by side to deliver good government – to provide value for our dollar, to strengthen public services . . . to invest in tomorrow.


These haven’t been partisan questions. We’ve never been a county of extremists or ideologues, on either the right or the left. We believe in balanced priorities, and we measure our actions by their practical effect on real people and real communities.


So when the people of Westchester elected Rob Astorino four years ago, many of us assumed that he would govern in that moderate, mainstream tradition.


Four years later, our eyes have been opened, and the hard truth is all too clear.


Rob Astorino may campaign like Nelson Rockefeller, but he governs like Newt Gingrich, and this is the most partisan, right-wing and short-sighted administration of our lives.


Don’t get me wrong. I like Rob. This isn’t about personal character. This is about the character of our leadership.


And he really believes the less we do, the better.


So there’s no strategy for growth, no goal for reforming government, no vision for expanding opportunity, no plan to cut waste, no effort at all to come to grips with the great challenges of land use, and transportation, and human capital that will define the future of our economy and environment.


And every one of us is paying the price in tax bills that go up, a quality of life that goes down, and opportunities that pass by.


This is a time when every public servant needs to rise to the occasion, and accept the full responsibility of their office. And we deserve a County Executive who will show up for work.


And there’s more. Because it’s not just the laws we pass, it’s also the values we uphold.


In this day and age, why on Earth does Westchester have a County Executive who won’t trust women to make their own decisions about reproductive health? Why does Westchester have a County Executive who thinks two committed adults should be denied their right to marry? Why does Westchester have a County Executive who can’t say – straight and plain – whether he supports common sense gun safety laws?


Those aren’t the values of this community.


And if every person in Westchester has full knowledge of the record, views and plans of the candidates, we will win this election in a landslide. We know this.


Problem is, our opponents know this, too. So they will try to win this campaign through fear and distortion.


If you doubt that for a second, just take a look at the State of the County Address that Rob Astorino delivered last night. The heart of the speech? A promise to fight tooth and nail against the quote-unquote “new” federal requirements for fair and affordable housing.


Now, you might ask, exactly what are these new requirements?


Well, to hear Rob tell it, it’s: 11,000 housing units, up from 750, at a cost of a billion dollars, paid for with a 200% tax increase, plus an end to all of our local zoning codes, so the feds can put a high-rise on every block. He really said this.


All very scary.


And all completely made up. Not a little made-up – like they kind of fudged it. Made-up, from beginning to end, from A to Z.


So while I’m sure we all appreciate Rob’s heartfelt pledge to protect us from this imaginary, make-believe threat.


Would it be too much to ask for a little calm, deliberative leadership to solve the actual problem that exists in the real world?


When you lose every court case, when your defiance and mismanagement is costing the County millions of our dollars, when editorial boards are comparing Westchester in 2013 to Alabama in 1963. When even the U.S. Attorney is threatening to hold you in contempt, then the last refuge of a political candidate is to scare people into voting against their own interests.


Enough already.


If this County Executive can’t offer the constructive leadership and sense of responsibility to finally get this expensive and divisive mess behind us, then please step aside for someone else who will.


On this issue, on every issue, we know we can do better. This isn’t rocket science.


Don’t tell me the only way to balance our budget is by cutting child care and neighborhood health centers.


Don’t tell me that a region with so many strengths can’t shape its own economic and environmental future.


We have no shortage of talent and creativity. All we’re missing is leadership, leadership equal to the task.


I’ve seen it.


As parents, Catie and I appreciate every day the difference that a healthy community makes in the lives of our children.


As a mayor, I brought people together to face tough challenges head-on, brought new investment and hope to a struggling urban center, and delivered millions in savings for taxpayers.


As a New Yorker, I was proud of our Governor for giving every one of us the right to marry.


As a citizen and a leader, I stand firmly in support of gun safety, and I will always fight for a woman’s right to choose.


And as County Executive, with your help, we will take action to grow our economy, create new jobs, end the waste and duplication in government, provide real leadership for taxpayers, and invest in our shared future.


The choice in this election is between a plan of action that honors the mainstream values of Westchester . . . or a record of neglect that honors only the extreme agenda of the Tea Party.


So I repeat. Four years later, our eyes have been opened, and the hard truth is clear.


But you know the old saying: fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. And ladies and gentlemen, today, on behalf of all the people of Westchester, we say in a strong, clear voice: we will not be fooled again.


During the course of this campaign, many of you have heard me speak of my parents, who became refugees during the Second World War and then came to this country with almost nothing.


Of the sacrifices they made to give their four sons every opportunity to succeed. And of their profound gratitude for our nation’s freedoms.


My father died nearly twenty years ago. My mother is here tonight. And I am very proud of both of them.


But the truth is that, here in Westchester, there’s nothing remarkable about our family’s story, because there are so many other stories that are just as compelling.


The immigrants who work three jobs to give their kids a better chance.


The volunteers who devote untold hours to libraries, and parks, and soup kitchens and schools.


The doctors and lawyers, entrepreneurs and artists, who make Westchester a global icon of talent and culture.


And the men and women who do the people’s business, who keep our streets clean and safe, who respond bravely to emergencies, and accept the duties of defense, with solemn dedication and not an ounce of boastful pride.


All of us are Westchester. Each contributing to the whole. Going up or down together. And we deserve leadership that appeals to our best instincts.


I know we face big challenges today. But when I consider who we are, what we have done, and what we can do, I am filled with determination. And I cannot wait to get to work.


So with humility and gratitude, with a full and hopeful heart, and with faith that we will together shape a better future in which everybody has a chance to succeed and everybody counts, I accept your nomination for Westchester County Executive.

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Lagrangeville Woman Charged with Defrauding IRS

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WPCNR FBI WIRE. Special to WPCNR from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. April 24, 2013:


Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; George Venizelos, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Toni Weirauch, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), today announced the arrest of Melanie Ferreira for engaging in a series of frauds, which included cheating the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of nearly half-a-million dollars and perpetrating a bank fraud scheme.


Ferreira was arrested by FBI and IRS agents this morning at her residence in Dutchess County, New York, and was presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa M. Smith in White Plains federal court.


 


U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “As alleged, Melanie Ferreira thumbed her nose at the IRS, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in refunds to which she was not entitled, and forged a check to satisfy a debt. We enjoy many rights and privileges in this country but not among them is the right to enjoy the fruits of law-abiding taxpayers’ money while evading the tax laws and defrauding the government and thereby your fellow citizens.”


FBI Assistant Director in Charge George Venizelos said, “As alleged, the defendant committed tax fraud that was as unsophisticated as it was audacious. She simply lied about the amount of taxes already paid in 2008. The method of Ferreira’s alleged bank fraud may be tied to her questioning the legitimacy of the government. Regardless, she apparently had no qualms stealing from the treasury.”


IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Toni Weirauch said, “The privilege of living in the United States carries certain responsibilities, one of which is that one must pay his or her fair share of taxes. Filing a false claim with the IRS is stealing, not only from the U.S. Treasury, but from all law-abiding taxpayers. Whether through claiming fictitious deductions, exemptions or withholding amounts, the charge is serious, and so are the consequences.”


According to the allegations in the complaint unsealed today in White Plains federal court:


On October 15, 2009, Ferreira filed a U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, Form 1040, for the year 2008 (“2008 return”). In her 2008 return, she falsely reported interest income of $661,600 from three different banks. She then falsely claimed that she had paid taxes in the amount of $661,536 to the IRS for tax year 2008. On that basis, she claimed a refund of $440,924. In reality, she actually earned only $17 in interest income from those three banks. Furthermore, contrary to her claim on her 2008 return that she had already paid $661,536 in federal taxes, she actually paid only $236.


On October 23, 2009, the IRS wired $440,924 to Ferreira’s bank account.


The following spring, on April 15, 2010, Ferreira tried to carry out the same type of scheme when she filed her Form 1040 for the year 2009, but this time, the IRS rejected her refund request.


In addition, Ferreira also perpetrated a bank fraud scheme against the Bank of America (BOA), which was the bank that held the mortgage for her house in Dutchess County, New York (“house 1”). In May 2010, she caused a forged cashier’s check for $316,966.05, purporting to be drawn on the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Ohio (“check 1”), to be sent to BOA in satisfaction of the mortgage on house 1. Believing that check 1 was legitimate, BOA filed a satisfaction of mortgage with the Dutchess County Clerk’s Office. BOA subsequently determined that check 1 was fraudulent and filed suit in New York State Supreme Court in order to have the mortgage reinstated.


Similarly, on June 2, 2012, Ferreira sent a check in the amount of $305,000 (“check 2”) to BOA, purporting to pay off the balance of her mortgage from BOA on house 1. When BOA tried to negotiate check 2, it was returned since the originating bank account had been closed. On the memo line of check 2, Ferreira wrote, in red ink, “For discharge of debit EFT only.” On the back of the check, she wrote several lines in a different color of ink, including the following: “Not for deposit; EFT only; discharge of debt.”


Ferreira’s scheme—sometimes known as an electronic funds transfer or EFT scheme—is a scheme often used by adherents to the Sovereign Citizens Movement, a group composed of individuals who, although they reside in the United States, assert the position that they do not have to answer to any government authority, including courts, taxing entities, motor vehicle departments, or law enforcement.


* * *


Ferreira, 60, of Lagrangeville, New York, is charged with one count of wire fraud, one count of filing false claims with the IRS, and one count of bank fraud. She faces a maximum sentence of 55 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000, or twice the gross gain or gross loss from the offense.


Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the IRS.


This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Jason P.W. Halperin is in charge of the prosecution.


The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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Astorino: No Tax Increase. Preserve Essentials. Defend Zoning.

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. April 23, 2013:


 


No property tax levy increase next year, continued protection of essential services and promotion of economic growth and resisting federal efforts to dismantle local zoning – these were among the pledges from County Executive Robert P. Astorino Tuesday, as he delivered his fourth State of the County address.


 


In the almost hour-long speech delivered in the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains, Astorino reflected on the accomplishments and challenges he has faced since taking office in 2010 and talked about his priorities ahead. The speech was delivered to the Board of Legislators and the general public, and was broadcast live on News 12.


 


“From day one, our goal has been to deliver results,” he said. “The public wants and deserves results. But results don’t come easy. Priorities must be set. Hard choices must be made. Partisanship must give way to partnership. Rhetoric must yield to leadership.”


 


His priorities remain what he calls the “three Ps” – Protecting taxpayers, preserving essential services and promoting economic growth. “Westchester County continues to move forward carefully and steadily. We pledged to protect taxpayers, and we did just that. We pledged to preserve essential services, and we did just that. We pledged to promote economic growth, and we did just that. And working together, we will continue moving Westchester County toward an even brighter future.”


 


In his speech, he detailed how he has kept focused on these three priorities.



                                     



PROTECTING TAXPAYERS


            Of property taxes, Astorino said, “For our social contract to survive, we need to strike the right balance between what the government takes and what the people can afford to give. My administration works every day on trying to get that balance right. Taxpayers are not faceless, bottomless ATM machines.”


            County property taxes account for about 15-20 percent of a taxpayer’s bill. The other taxes are levied by schools, local governments and special districts.


            On Astorino’s watch, the county property tax levy was reduced 2 percent in 2011 and was kept flat in 2012 and 2013. He pledged that the budget he submits in November for 2013 will again include no tax increase.


            “Cynics will say a 2 percent cut isn’t much. But contrast it to the 17 percent tax increase over the previous five years. We’re heading in the right direction,” Astorino said, noting that Westchester has the highest property taxes in the nation.


            Unfunded state mandates remain the largest obstacle to greater tax relief. These are state-mandated programs the county government must pay for, yet has no say over, such as the soaring costs of employee pensions and Medicaid. Just nine unfunded mandates will cost Westchester $466 million this year, or 85 percent of the county’s $548 million property tax levy.


            “To advocate for relief, my administration has been working with our schools and businesses – through the Westchester-Putnam School Boards Association, the Business Council and the Westchester County Association – to bring a unified message to Albany: We need relief now,” Astorino said.


 


PRESERVING ESSENTIAL SERVICES 


            Despite the challenges, “smart choices” have enabled Astorino to cut property taxes – and still preserve essential services (roads, bridges, airports, public safety, health and education, parks, open space, the environment, etc.) and protect the county’s most needy.


            The county’s ability to protect public safety was tested during Hurricane Sandy, an event that claimed three lives locally, downed hundreds of trees and left more than 200,000 households without power for days. Damage to county government property alone amount to more than $50 million, including $12 million in damage to Playland.


            Every county department was mobilized in response, Astorino said. “This was a team effort at every level to get our residents through the storm.”


            The county government also mobilized resources on a broad scale to address the issues of violence prevention, in the aftermath of the Newtown, Conn. school shootings. The result was Astorino’s Safer


Communities initiative, which included two symposiums that drew a total of 700 people, one that focused on public safety, particularly for schools; and the other on health and mental health issues. The purpose was to build coalitions, share resources and best practices to tackle this complex problem. 


            “Going forward you have my commitment that Westchester County will continue to lead a ceaseless effort to keep our kids, our schools and our communitiess as safe as they can be,” Astorino said. .


            Beyond what is accomplished in response to an emergency, it is imperative that the county continue to protect its most needy residents who don’t have economic security,  Astorino said.  


            Said Astorino: “One of the things I am most proud of is that Westchester’s commitment to the needy has been strengthened under my administration.”


             Some examples he mentioned:


·         Since coming into office Astorino has increased the budget of the Department of Social Services by $14 million, from $542 million to $556 million. During this same time, the federal and state governments have cut social services aid to the county.


·         The number of slots for subsidized day care for the working poor is up by 18 percent, to almost 6,000.


·          Adoptions are up 41 percent over the past three years and foster care caseloads are at an all-time low.


Astorino also touted a soon-to-be-launched food rescue initiative that seeks to reduce hunger in Westchester by recovering leftover food from local schools, hospitals, hotels and restaurants and redistributing it to food pantries and soup kitchens.


 


PROMOTING ECONOMIC GROWTH


            Economic growth is essential to keeping taxes down and paying for essential services. Towards that end, Astorino said his administration continues to aggressively court new business and work to retain those that are already here.


            “In Westchester, our approach is to show both our smallest entrepreneurs and largest global corporations that we want their business and that we will work hard to help them be successful in Westchester. We do that by creating an environment that allows businesses to prosper.”


            Among the accomplishments:


·         Since January 2010, the Westchester Industrial Development Agency (IDA), the county’s main outreach organization to businesses, has provided various financial incentives to 29 companies of every size. This has led to more than $500 million of additional capital investment in the county, the retention of 4,800 existing jobs and the creation of 4,600 new jobs. The biggest project to date – in fact in the history of the IDA – involves Pepsi’s decision to stay in Westchester and completely modernize its global corporate headquarters in Purchase.


·         The county’s new Local Development Corp. (LDC) is able to provide low-cost and tax-exempt financing to nonprofit agencies at no risk to county taxpayers. Northern Westchester Hospital and nursing home Kendal on Hudson are among the first to take advantage of the LDC.


 


PLAYLAND


            Playland will open on May 11 for its 85th season.  In his speech, Astorino gave an update on his plan to “reinvent Playland for the 21st century.” Earlier this month, an asset management agreement was approved with Sustainable Playland, a team of world-class operators to run the park (instead of the county) and reverse declining attendance and million of dollars in annual losses to the county. Sustainable will invest $34 million of its own money to make the park a year-round-destination and pay the county more than $1 million annually.


          The hope is to have all the approvals – including those from the Board of Legislators – in place by October so that Sustainable can begin the reinvention of the park.


(For more information go to www.sustainableplayland.org.)


 


HUD


            The county was sued in 2006 under the False Claims Act of 1863.  The charge was that the county accepted federal dollars from the department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) but failed to study whether race was a factor in housing opportunities. In 2009, former County Executive Andrew Spano and the Board of Legislators settled the case.


          “Critically important: There was never a finding of fact of wrongdoing on the part of the county nor an admission of guilt,” Astorino noted.


            As part of the settlement, the county agreed to help facilitate the construction of 750 units of affordable housing in 31 so-called “eligible” (predominantly white) communities by 2016. The agreement included annual benchmarks. To date, the county remains a year ahead of schedule in getting units approved and financing in place, through a cooperative effort with the local governments that are involved.


            “Everyone in the county should be proud of that record,” Astorino said. “I know I am. Not just because we are meeting our obligations. But because of the way we are doing it: By working smartly and cooperatively with our towns and villages.”


            Westchester, the county executive pointed out, has a long and proud history of diversity, with the county being the 4th most diverse county in the state in terms of the number of African Americans and Hispanics.              


          “I will defend with every tool at my disposal the right of people to live in any neighborhood in Westchester, in any home that they can afford.” Astorino said. “Let me say this loud and clear:  there is absolutely no place for discrimination in our county.”


            HUD for its part has a very different agenda and approach, Astorino said – noting that HUD has called Westchester its “grand experiment.” 


 


            He said: “Washington bureaucrats, who you will never see or meet, want the power to determine who will live where and how each neighborhood will look. What’s at stake is the fundamental right of our cities, towns, and villages to plan and zone for themselves. This home rule is guaranteed by the New York State Constitution. HUD thinks it can trample on Westchester because it has the misguided notion that zoning and discrimination are the same thing. They are not.”


 


            He added: “Zoning exists to keep traffic from endangering kids on their way to school, to prevent factory noise and smoke from invading residential neighborhoods, and to stop raw sewage from polluting our drinking water.”


 


            Recently, the Board of Legislators joined with Astorino in authorizing a legal action to prevent HUD from reallocating $7.4 million in federal funds that had been promised to the county and its communities. 


 


OTHER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


            Astorino used the occasion, as he has in the past, to pay his respects to the men and women of Westchester who are serving in the nation’s armed forces. In the last year, not one county resident died in combat. He paid special tribute to Nancy Schiliro of Eastchester, who was in attendance, a veteran who was injured in Iraq in 2009, but now works to help other injured veterans through Project Odyssey, which is part of the Wounded Warrior program. 


            The county executive also paid his respect to the memory of former County Executive Andrew P. O’Rourke who died in January.


            And he recognized three Westchester students who are Intel Finalists this year: Jiayi Peng of Horace Greeley High School; Chris Traver of Croton-Harmon High School; Daniel McQuaid of Ossining High School; two student athletes, Mary Cain of Bronxville and Saniya Chong of Ossining; and two sets of foster parents, Anthony and Brenda Gears of Mount Vernon and Marisol and Eduardo Gonzalez of Scarsdale.


            Also: Scott Vaccaro, the owner and head brewer of Captain Lawrence in Elmsford, and  Maria and Pablo Morales, owners up a small bakery, Bake-Me-A-Wish in Peekskill were honored as small business success stories.   


            The National Anthem was sung by Melinda Ademi of Yonkers, who made it to the top 40 of Season 12 of “American Idol.”  

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Police Seek Suspected Child Molestor in Wal-Mart Incident

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WPCNR Police Gazette. April 23, 2013:


White Plains police have asked the public’s help in locating a man suspected of inappropriately molesting a 7 year old girl Saturday evening in the Wal-Mart store in White Plains.


The man is 5 foot 10, was seen on Wal-Mart security video wearing an Louis Vuittone baseball cap, dark clothing and green sneakers. The child was approached when she became separated from her mother and wandered into the toy department. The suspect being sought took the child into room and touched her inappropriately.


Persons with knowledge of the individual should contact police confidentially at 914-422-6200, or 914-422-6006

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Ralph Lauren Clothing Agrees to Pay Penalty for Bribing Argentine Officials

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WPCNR FBI WIRE. Special to WPCNR from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. April 22, 2013:


Ralph Lauren Corporation (RLC), a New York-based apparel company, has agreed to pay an $882,000 penalty to resolve allegations that it violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) by bribing government officials in Argentina to obtain improper customs clearance of merchandise, announced Mythili Raman, the Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, and Loretta E. Lynch, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.


According to the agreement, the manager of RLC’s subsidiary in Argentina bribed customs officials in Argentina over the span of five years to improperly obtain paperwork necessary for goods to clear customs; permit clearance of items without the necessary paperwork and/or the clearance of prohibited items; and on occasion, to avoid inspection entirely.


RLC’s employee disguised the payments by funneling them through a customs clearance agency, which created fake invoices to justify the improper payments. During these five years, RLC did not have an anti-corruption program and did not provide any anti-corruption training or oversight with respect to its subsidiary in Argentina.


In addition to the monetary penalty, RLC agreed to cooperate with the Department of Justice, to report periodically to the department concerning RLC’s compliance efforts, and to continue to implement an enhanced compliance program and internal controls designed to prevent and detect FCPA violations. If RLC abides by the terms of the agreement, the Department will not prosecute RLC in connection with the conduct.


The agreement acknowledges RLC’s extensive, thorough, and timely cooperation, including self-disclosure of the misconduct, voluntarily making employees available for interviews, making voluntary document disclosures, conducting a worldwide risk assessment, and making multiple presentations to the Department on the status and findings of the internal investigation and the risk assessment.


In addition, RLC has engaged in early and extensive remediation, including conducting extensive FCPA training for employees worldwide; enhancing the company’s existing FCPA policy; implementing an enhanced gift policy and other enhanced compliance, control, and anti-corruption policies and procedures; enhancing its due diligence protocol for third-party agents; terminating culpable employees and a third-party agent; instituting a whistleblower hotline; and hiring a designated corporate compliance attorney.


In a related matter, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission today announced a non-prosecution agreement with RLC in which RLC agreed to pay $$734,846 in disgorgement and prejudgment interest.


The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Daniel S. Kahn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Sarah Coyne, Chief of the Business and Securities Fraud Section of the Eastern District of New York. The case was investigated by the FBI’s New York Field Office. The department acknowledges and expresses its appreciation for the assistance provided by the SEC’s Division of Enforcement.

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Police Press on to Binding Arbitration on any New Contract with City

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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. April 22, 2013:


The President of the White Plains Police Benevolent Association told the CitizeNetReport today that the police union, currently without a contract with the city since 2009-10, entered binding arbitration with the City of White Plains last Friday.


Officer Robert Riley told WPCNR that the union presented their positions to the arbitrator Friday, and they would have two more meetings, after which the arbitrator would present his or her findings that the city and the police would have to abide by.


Riley said the union chose to take their chances in arbitration rather than forgo  pay increases voluntarily in contract years 2009-10 and 2010-11 as they White Plains Professional Firefighters chose to do last week.


The firefighters union, according to its President, Joseph Carrier approved a five year contract last week.

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Mathew Anthony Solano, 1916-2013

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WPCNR MILESTONES. From Mary Ann Solano. April 21, 2013:

 

My Dad is Matthew Anthony Solano. He was born a full term twin at 2 pounds in Mount Vernon, New York on February 18, 1916. He grew in Mount Vernon and received a college scholarship for art. His step father would not allow such frivolity and sent him to work instead.

 

Following his marriage to my beautiful Irish mother,Catherine Patricia McCauley,who he met at work, and two sons later (Matthew Anthony Junior and Edward John), my dad lost his right hand in a printing press machine. He was to tell me many years later that two weeks after his accident a young woman at the plant lost her hand as well.



My grandmother is quoted as saying, “you had four hands between you and now you have three!” My then family moved to Queens Village where they owned & operated the corner stationary store, “Matty’s Candy Store” on the corner of Springfield Blvd. where my younger sister Kathryn Ellen and I were born. My mother worked evenings as a waitress as well as in the store. She washed all our clothes by hand and we enjoyed a home cooked meal every evening, except Mondays when my Dad took my sister and I to the local diner for a treat.



Although there were arguments about what words were acceptable in scrabble or which car was more practical, I never heard my mother or my father complain about life.



We moved to Patchogue, Long Island and upon my mother’s passing my Dad moved to Franklin Avenue in White Plains. He could be seen at various city events, shopping, watching the buildings rise in White Plains and enjoying the people and life here in the city. The Senior Center may remember a police escort to accompany my Dad home from Atlantic City to meet the bus (he thought it was an overnight trip) or the Police Chief warning seniors not to allow strangers to accompany them to their residences, (my Dad at 86 years overpowered someone on his doorstep who dared this ruse).



Last year his health necessitated a move to Ridgefield Nursing Facility where he passed on Saturday morning at 97 years. He referred to his residence as a hotel and treated that professional staff accordingly. He is survived by his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. I know that Kenny and, Dillon Jefferies, Peter and Alice Dobrie will carry his inspiration and his gifts.



As for me, I imagine he and my mother slipping away as they did on rare evenings from the store in Queens to an adventure away in Coney Island, their idea of heaven. God bless you, Dad.

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