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

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(VIDEO IS FROM A TOWN HALL MEETING AT WHITE PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDED BY LOWEY, AND INCLUDES EXCERPTS OF AN INTERVIEW WITH HER BY THE BUSINESS JOURNAL’S PETER KATZ.)

Nita Lowey, who from 1989 until 2021 served in Congress representing Westchester, has died at age 87. In 2019 she announced that she would not for reelection in 2020. Among her achievements in Congress was to become the first woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

Lowey’s family announced her passing. She died at her home in Harrison, surrounded by her husband, chlldren and other family members. She had battled breast cancer that had spread to other parts of her body.

Governor Kathy Hochul on Sunday announced that flags will be flown at half-staff in honor Lowey beginning immediately and through sunset on Monday, March 17.

“I’m deeply saddened by the passing of my friend, former Representative Nita Lowey,” Hochul said. “As a freshman member of Congress, Nita helped show me ropes as I was learning how to navigate Washington. She was a tireless fighter for the State of New York and never stopped working to deliver for the people of Westchester and Rockland.”

Lowey served for 32 years in the House of Representatives, representing parts of the Hudson Valley. She died on March 15 in Harrison and was survived by her husband of 64 years, Stephen Lowey; her children Dana, Jackie and Douglas; and eight grandchildren. 

House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said,

“The Empire State and the entire country have lost a principled, passionate and powerful public servant with the passing of Congresswoman Nita Lowey. Over the course of her historic career, Congresswoman Lowey courageously served her constituents and stood up for New Yorkers while shattering multiple glass ceilings along the way.

“Born and raised in the Bronx, Nita was a true New Yorker to her core. In 1988, she was elected to a district in Westchester and Rockland Counties, which she represented passionately for over three decades. Congresswoman Lowey always used her hard-fought power to make sure that New York was front and center at the negotiating table, helping deliver much-needed resources to our state following the devastation of September 11, 2001, Superstorm Sandy and the coronavirus pandemic,” Jeffries said.

Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said, “Westchester County mourns the passing of former U.S. Congresswoman Nita Lowey. She was a tireless advocate for our County, a mentor, a friend and always a beacon of hope. Serving as a U.S. Representative from 1989 until 2021, she championed integrity, honesty and the values of good government. Lowey made history as the first woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee, leaving a legacy of breaking barriers and improving lives. Her commitment to public service will continue to inspire and guide us.”

CNN’s Jake Tapper said, “It’s hard to encapsulate the impact she had in 914 (Westchester). Lowey simply defined a whole generation of public service in NY. I know there will be a lot of broken hearts today.”

In one of the numerous honors she received during her lifetime from Westchester organizations, The Open Door Family Medical Center’s School-Based Health Center Program changed its name to the Nita M. Lowey Center for Health in Schools.

The program provides primary health care services for students in elementary, middle and high schools in Port Chester and Ossining. Services are available regardless of a family’s ability to pay and there are no out-of-pocket costs.

“The name change pays tribute to our long-standing partnership with Congresswoman Lowey, who has been a major supporter of the Open Door since the program’s beginning,” said Lindsay Farrell, president and CEO of Open Door at the time. “She has been instrumental in securing the funding for the launch and growth of our School-Based Health Center program over many years.”

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Dear Neighbor,   Happy Spring! It has been a busy few weeks in DC, with the President giving his first address to Congress, my first bill passing out of Committee, and my first virtual conversation with residents of Westchester and the Bronx.   I want to take a moment to honor the life of Dr. Hazel Dukes, who passed away earlier this month and was laid to rest this week. She was a President of both the national NAACP and its NY chapter and was a courageous trailblazer who left a lasting impact on our state. She will be missed but her legacy will live on.   This month is also Women’s History Month, and last week we celebrated Women’s History Day. As your member of Congress, I will continue working to protect a woman’s right to choose, support women-owned businesses, and promote equal access to quality education. This support is even more important this year.

In DC

Last week I held my first district conversation, this one via Zoom, with over 800 people joining for all or part of it, and over 600 questions submitted. I am glad I was able to provide an update on what my colleagues in the Democratic Caucus are doing to stop President Trump and Elon Musk’s unconstitutional actions. I was also able to answer questions on how tariffs are affecting our local economy, the proposed Con Edison rate hike, and how we are combatting House Republican policies that could result in cuts to Medicaid.   I look forward to doing more of these conversations, both in-person and virtually, in the coming months!   Also last week, the first bill I introduced passed unanimously out of the House Small Business Committee. This bill will increase transparency and predictability for small businesses that contract with the federal government. Oftentimes small businesses put in a lot of effort and time applying for these contracts. And they deserve to know if a federal agency decides to cancel a solicitation and why. This bipartisan bill now heads to the House floor for a vote. I will keep you updated on its progress. You can watch my remarks here.   The President delivered his first address to Congress last week. I was hoping to hear him lay out his plan to help everyday Americans. You can read my full statement here.   This week I voted against the partisan government funding bill, that did not include sufficient guardrails for how federal agencies and Elon Musk can spend the money Congress appropriates. Congress needs to reassert its authority on the power of the purse and this bill gives this power away. Additionally the bill has significant cuts to housing programs for seniors and domestic violence survivors, and cuts funding for veterans’ healthcare. My priority is to make life less expensive for working families. This funding bill does not achieve that goal. It does the exact opposite. Read my full statement here.

Meetings in DC

In the last two weeks, I held a number of meetings with groups from our district and across the country. These include the YMCA, local firefighters, the Tourette Association of America, and Fight Colorectal Cancer.

At Home: Westchester and the Bronx

I would like to highlight a recent win my constituent services team had helping local business owners who were the victims of identity theft perpetrated against the Small Business Administration. They lost $20,000 because of this identity theft and my staff was able to recoup this money for them.   If you need help with getting in touch with a federal agency or are struggling to receive federal benefits, my office may be able to help. Contact my White Plains or Bronx offices to start the process.   Along these lines, I am excited to announce that my casework team will be starting up mobile office hours. Their first stop is at The Doles Center in Mount Vernon on March 27th from 1-5pm.

Social Post of the Week

Floor Speeches

WSJ Editorial saying Trump’s tariffs hurt his own voters How cuts affect the federal workforce What is in the partisan government funding bill

Stay in Touch

Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, Twitter/X and YouTube to stay up-to-date on what I am working on. If this newsletter was sent to you by someone else, you can sign up for it here: https://latimer.house.gov/contact/newsletter-subscribe   As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to my offices with concerns or questions. We are here to serve you!   More soon.

Sincerely,

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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE By John F. Bailey. March 15, 2025:

THE ROLL STAYED EVEN TOTAL ASSESSED VALUE WAS  JUST ABOUT THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.

THE GOOD NEWS FOR THE COMMON COUNCIL IS THEY DO NOT HAVE TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES TO MAKE UP FOR CERTIORARI LOSSES. THEY ARE HEADED FOR A $60 MILLION INTAKE OF SALES TAX RECEIPTS IF THE PRESENT TREND CONTINUES.

THE HUD REBUILDABLE PROGRAM BUILDINGS THAT NEED REPAIRS HAS BEEN DEALT A GAME CHANGER– A BILLION DOLLAR EXPENDITURE WAS ENDED BY THE PRESIDENT WEDNESDAY AND THAT IS A BLOW TO MANY CITIES AND TOWNS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE BILLION DOLLAR CUT IS BEING CHALLENGED IN THE COURTS

IN THE CURRENT  CITY BUDGET 2024-25 THE CITY POINTS OUT THE DREARY STATE OF ASSESSMENTS:

Assessed value has decreased by $3.0 million after decreasing $4.5 million in FY 2023-2024. Over the past ten years, the assessment roll has remained flat due to the decrease of the past two years. Much of this is due to properties that were transferred from the Assessment Roll to PILOT payments.

Until projects currently approved and/or under consideration are constructed and transfer back from PILOT payments to the Assessment Roll, it is anticipated that there will be no substantial growth in the City’s total Assessed Value.

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THE CARDINAL COMES TO TOWN AT WHITE PLAINS ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

WE TAKE YOU THROUGH THE JUNGLE ON THE BOTANICAL GARDEN CANNONBALL

METRO NORTH IS THE ROAD TO RIDE. COMMUTERS COME BACK TO THE RAILS SILVER LINING OF CONGESTION TAX

QUEEN OF THE ARTS! JANET LANGSAM IS PUTTIN’ ON A SHOW AT NEUBERGER MUSEUM APRIL 2 HER PAINTINGS OF HER LIFE!

PLUS 2025 WHITE PLAINS ASSESSMENT ROLL ALWAYS A BIG EVENT!

WHITE PLAINS ECONOMICS AT MID FISCAL YEAR

GOVERNOR HOCHUL HAS TO GET SOME WORK OUT OF THE LEGISLATORS AND WHIP THEM INTO ACTION

WITH JOHN BAILEY AND THE NEWS 

EVERY WEEK ON WHITE PLAINS WEEK

FOR 24 YEARS

OUTSTANDING AND HE IS MILD

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KEEPING NEW YORK MOVING MORE!: GOVERNOR HOCHUL CELEBRATES METRO-NORTH RAILROAD AND LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD’S ON-TIME PERFORMANCE  AND RIDERSHIP MILESTONES

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad trains are achieving significant milestones so far in 2025, with high on-time performance records and strong ridership gains, building on record service reliability documented in 2024.

Ridership Achievements on the Commuter Rails up 17%

There was a strong rebound across several ridership categories. Commutation ridership was up 17.1 percent, including a 17.1 percent increase for monthly ticket ridership and a 17.8 percent increase for weekly ticket ridership.

Single trip ticket ridership was up 8.7 percent overall, including a 24 percent increase in peak single ticket ridership. Although off-peak single ticket ridership was down 3.4 percent, CityTicket — tickets good for one-way travel that begins and ends within New York City — ridership increased 15.8 percent.

The first two months of 2025 have seen exceptional service for Metro-North Railroad with an upward trajectory in both ridership and on-time performance, including a 100 percent on-time performance day across all three train lines on Sunday, March 9 — the 21st time the railroad has reported 100 percent on-time performance since 2023. Long Island Rail Road customers have seen record levels of on-time performance, with a 2025 year-to-date on-time performance of almost 97 percent — three percent above the established monthly goal and almost two percent over 2024’s record of 95.65 percent outside of COVID years.

“We are delivering a faster and consistently reliable mode of public transportation to riders with each milestone the commuter railroads achieve,” Governor Hochul said. “New Yorkers know that they can depend on the Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road trains every single day — whether it’s for their daily commute to work, or for a trip to a different part of New York State.”

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “Even with surging ridership and hundreds of trains running every day, MTA’s commuter railroads keep delivering better and better service. LIRR and Metro-North continue to set the national standard for safe and reliable mass transit.”

Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi said, “The best way to keep people coming back to public transportation is to provide safe, clean and reliable service every single day and that’s what Metro-North does. Last week more than 99% of Metro-North trains operated on time. That means when our customers arrive at their station their train will be there making it easier to plan their activities for the day.”

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said, “Today’s announcement by Governor Kathy Hochul is a testament to the incredible progress we are making in improving transit access. The Long Island Railroad and Metro-North Railroad are not only meeting but exceeding expectations, providing reliable service and enhancing ridership. These milestones are particularly exciting for the Bronx as our community continues to benefit from greater connectivity and more dependable transit options. As we move forward, I am committed to ensuring that our borough remains a priority in these transportation improvements and that we continue to see these positive changes for all Bronxites.”

On-Time Performance Data

Metro-North Railroad

On-time performance (OTP) for the week of February 24 through March 2 was 99 percent — marking an improvement across all three lines and meaning that almost every single train was on time. This was the ninth time since 2023 that all three of the Metro-North Railroad (Metro-North) lines operated at 99 percent or better OTP in the same week.

• Hudson Line 99.4 percent

• Harlem Line 99.2 percent

• New Haven Line 99 percent

These incredible numbers from the first two months of 2025 follow a remarkable year for the railroad in 2024 — a year that saw Metro-North’s OTP hit an all-time high, exceeding 98 percent. The Metro-North also saw an average daily ridership of 176,414 passengers the week of February 24 through March 2 — an increase of 13.8 percent from the previous week.