WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER 3,374,995 VISITS IN ONE YEAR—65,000 VISITS A WEEK BY 985,281 VISITORS

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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2007. By John F. Bailey. October 22,2007 UPDATED 12:15 PM: In the third Common Council Forum last night, Augostino Zicca, Cass Cibelli, and Anthony Pilla,  the three Republican candidates roasted and toasted incumbent Councilmen Benjamin Boykin and Dennis Power as soft on illegal housing, and chided what they described as Council consistent stalling on an IDA for the city, implying they were representing county interests and not White Plains. Zicca called for commercial property owners to pay more city taxes, perhaps by PILOTS.

The White Plains Common Council Field debated their positions at the White Plains Public Library last night before 97 persons. Left to right, Robert Levine, Melagros Lecuona, Anthony Pilla, Benjamin Boykin, Candyce Corcoran, Robert Stackpole, Dennis Power, Augostino Zicca. Cass Cibelli participated but was away from the dais at the time.

Boykin  the incumbent, steadfastly maintained he was proud of his record and had worked as Chair of the Budget and Management Committee to balance growth and development  and  services and keep taxes low (though they have gone up twice the rate of inflation the last four years). Candidate Power, Boykin’s running mate noted city taxes had gone up 35% in 7 years. 

(Editor’s Note: To amplify Mr. Power’s tax comment, in 2001-2002, the property tax collection was $28.2 Million. In 2007-2008, it is $41.1. In the five years since 2001-2002, city property tax levy has increased 46%)

Now they Can Consider Sales Tax

Boykin said that now that the Council finally has the financial information (future projections) they asked for from the Mayor they will be able to come to a decision on the sales tax and “carefully review where the (budget) gaps are.” Power also said the White Plains taxes were among the lowest in Westchester County. Power maintained the County IDA fees of  $3 Million county wide, would not bring White Plains that much more in revenue if the legislature granted White Plains its own Industrial Development Agency. 

Power promoted open government and diligent cost cutting, that going forward the council had to look at all costs and trim spending, and televise more meetings, work sessions, and special meetings. Power also trumpeted the council’s rejecting the Station Plaza Exclusivity Agreement and the New York Presbyterian Hospital Memorandum of Understanding proposal.

In carrying the ball for the ticket, Power said the Council had supported efforts by Assemblyman Adam Bradley to establish a separate Commericial Tax Rate for residential tax relief. Bradley, though it should be noted, has no indication that he can get this bill through the present New York State Senate in the present climate.

New York Presbyterian Hospital Land Rises From Dead

When asked how they could work to get New York Presbyterian Hospital to reconsider turning parkland over to the city (a 35-year crusade), most said they would work toward developing an atmosphere with the hospital to do that. Corcoran said her long standing in the community as an activist and her professional, personal relationships with New York Presbyterian Hospital executives, she was in a unique position to rekindle a dialogue with the Hospital on the land and would if elected.

Zicca said it would be prudent to develop money sources to gear up to buy the land eventually, suggesting that the Council erred in not negotiating more from New York Hospital during the time the Memorandum of Understanding proposal was on the table, (floated by the Delfino Administration),  trading development for land in a more favorable ratio to the city. (The city would only have received 6 acres.)

IDA granting atmosphere disputed.

Council a “Blockade”

When Power voiced his opinion that White Plains has little chance of getting an IDA, because the state  has not granted one in twenty years, Cibelli said that was not true,  that Hamilton Township was granted an Industrial Development Agency in 2006.

Cibelli boomed that the present council was stalling on issues, calling them “a blockade for not passing legislation and it’s got to stop. They limit passing legislation,” referring to the Council stalling the sales tax and the City IDA promoted by the Mayor, because of the Council alledged allegiance to the county.

Bring in Feds  (ICE) if you want to Clear out Illegal Housing.

Mr. Zicca returned to the theme of quality of life stressing that illegal residences were killing the city. He called on the city to partner with federal authorities under the Section 287G law (on the books since 1996) to come in and crack down on illegal housing once and for all. Zicca recalled observing owners of overcrowded housing, whom he did not name, laughing at the fines in city court. He suggested racheting fines up to $35,000 for starters for property owners maintaining overcrowded residences.

Mr. Pilla, not Mr. Zicca, reported how the City of Albany receives $22 Million from the state of New York in PILOTS, suggesting White Plains should receive similar PILOTS from Westchester County.

(Editor’s Note: The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRAIRA), effective September 30, 1996, added Section 287(g), performance of immigration officer functions by state officers and employees, to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This authorizes the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies, permitting designated officers to perform immigration law enforcement functions, pursuant to a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), provided that the local law enforcement officers receive appropriate training and function under the supervision of sworn U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

Railside Rises From the Dead Again

Mr. Boykin was questioned again by  a resident of Railside on the Railside Avenue sale on how much money was made from that sale after all the curb and drainage improvements reported that the sale brought in $2.5 Million and the city spent $260,000 to prep the street for the new property owners leaving a “profit” of $2,235,000. Boykin said the city no longer needed to do one-shot land sales and he and the council would not do it in the future because it was not needed. All candidates agreed on no more sales of city assets.

Voice of Finance

Mr. Stackpole cautioned that the sales tax was a “false hope” and the passing of a city IDA was unlikely, that the city needed to do the hard work of bringing the budget under control, cutting costs, and planning.  He said this election was a unique time for the citizens of White Plains to make a change in leadership, instead of just complaining about where the city was going. He said if the voters wanted that change they should give their vote to him and Mr. Levine. Otherwise they should not.

A question on how the council stood on granting driver’s licenses to illegal aliens was semi-supported by Mr. Power because of the complexities and personal situations of illegal aliens, as well as aliens here legally in the state, and the need to insure driver safety. Mr. Boykin said he had no position because of the complexities of the issues. Mr. Zicca, Mr. Cibelli, Ms. Corcoran, Mr. Pilla, were all opposed to the policy. Mr. Stackpole said it was a state issue and very complex and noting he was 1/8 American Indian,  he would not take a position. Mr. Levine said he had no comment.

One question that was not asked by an audience member who did not get an opportunity to ask the question from the floor was given to WPCNR to ask in this article. A senior citizen asks “If elected, would you vote breaks for developers which will result in a building tax burden on those of us on fixed incomes?”

Anyone want to take that one?

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WPCNR Photos of the Day. By The WPCNR Roving Photographer October 21, 2007: The Sunday Photos of the day show the Parker Stadium in the home stretch of its renovation Sunday afternoon 30 days before kick on Thanksgiving Day when the field is planned to be completed with artificial turf and stands and slopes to accommodate the 500 to 1,000 fans expected for the traditional game. Actually, there are 24 workdays to complete the field for Thanksgiving Day play, 30 days if you include the weekends. (More pix follow if you click “Read More”)

Parker Stadium: South view of new metal stands in place with slope coverings. Old stone bowl removed. October 21, 2007

Field leveled with drainage, gravel in place and asphalt track, awaiting artificial turf installation.

View looking north of the stands.

View from the North endzone, looking South.

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WPCNR’S THE REAL DEAL By The Wedding Jeannie. Jeannie Uyanik. October 19, 2007: The old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words is never truer than at an important event.  Often, it’s the only tangible memory that you will have from a wedding or party that reminds you of how it all came together.  

Rule number one, it’s important to find a photographer that you love and really trust.  You are not only with them all day, the post production process is as important as the shooting and this can take months to a year.  At a wedding, there is no one with whom you will spend more time than your photographer so make sure that your personalities click. 

When beginning the photography search process, there are a few simple guidelines that are important to follow.  In initiating a search, photographers’ websites are a great resource in helping to determine if someone’s style is right for you.  However, it’s important not to rely solely on a website in making a decision to nix or hire a photographer.  Websites are not always representative of the full range of a photographer’s talents, so if you have heard great things about someone whose work you have also seen, but hate their site, give them a chance in person.  It’s an hour of your time and could prove useful. 

If however you decide to meet with photographers solely on the basis of recommendations from friends, tread carefully and do your own due diligence.  Everyone has different criteria and priorities and don’t feel embarrassed if your best friend’s photographer is not the one for you.  It’s essential to make independent decisions about a photographer’s work, personality and the post production process. 

Digital or Film?

A common question that we hear relates to the medium that a photographer uses – digital or film.  While there are pros and cons for each (although fewer and fewer negatives for digital as technology continues to evolve) we highly recommend that you select a photographer based on his or her work and not solely on the method that they use to capture the day.  Don’t choose not to meet with a photographer because they shoot digital or film – simply be well versed in what you like about one or the other and see if those techniques or shots can be replicated by the photographer of choice. 

It is however important to understand the type of equipment that your photographer is using.  From a digital perspective, important questions to consider are the type of camera that is being used, the method of backing up or storing photos throughout the night and after the event, and what if any corrections are made to the photos (some photographers automatically retouch all the images that they submit to the couples, others will go through this process only for album photos). 

B/W vs. Color Ratio of Shots

For film, it’s important to determine what the ratio of black to white photos will be, how much film will be included in the package (and in turn pictures), what the process of printing is after the wedding and if digital conversion is possible, automatically done, or a process that would need to be outsourced. 

During initial meetings, ascertain what capabilities your photographer or their studio has in album preparation.  Some photographers will digitally design or manually prepare both the parent and couple album; others outsource the process and some prefer not to be involved at all.  It’s essential to understand the photographer limitations, skill set and product offerings. 

If a photographer only offers traditional leather bound albums and you only want a coffee table book – learn this up front.  This will allow you to weigh your options and potential costs before committing to a contract.  Album preparation can be expensive – especially when doing digitally designed books with pages numbering more than 40.  If you wait to have these discussions after the hiring process, a couple might find that they would have proceeded along a different route.

The Cost.

Pricing varies for photographers at different levels and with different packages.  Compare apples to apples and make sure that you really understand what each includes (8 hours versus 10 hours, negatives versus no negatives, albums versus print credits, digital proofs versus hard copy ones).  Couples are often surprised by how expensive photography can be – but if you consider that this is the one thing that you really take away from the event, the costs are always worthwhile if you have done your research well. 

Rights to Negatives

A common point of discussion where price can be an issue is that regarding negatives.  Copyrights for the photos always remain in the hands of the photographer, but these days, many will provide their negatives (or high resolution images in the case of digital photography) in a package or for a fee.  We feel that it’s very important to secure rights to the negatives simply so that you have access to your images at will.  That having been said though, we always recommend that you go through your photographer for prints or albums even if the negatives are yours.  They know the photos better than anyone and will take care to make sure that the quality of the prints matches those of the shots.  Album production is tedious and difficult, so we never recommend that a couple go it alone unless of course a photographer just is not willing to partake in the post production process (which should enter into consideration when making a decision). 

Finally, find a photographer that you know will work well with you and your guests and your other vendors (especially a videographer, which we will get to in next week’s column).  He or she is there for every single important moment and will be the most critical person in catching those images for posterity. 

In turn though, bad photographers are the ones who can irritate everyone the most; standing in front of the entire ceremony to shoot; pushing the bridal party around in an aggressive manner, not communicating with the maitre d at the venue so that no moment is missed – from the escort card table to cake cutting. 

Your photographer is a key player at your wedding or event, so don’t rush the process and don’t take it lightly. 

 
Note: Got a question or a comment for The Wedding Jeannie? Ms. Uyanik will answer your questions. Simply e-mail her at weddinggenie@candgweddings.com 
                           

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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2007. By John F. Bailey. October 18, 2007: The always civilized White Plains Woman’s Club held their traditional Candidate’s Forum and Luncheon Wednesday.  Uncivil campaign fireworks erupted as six council challengers criticized council land sale decisions, laissez faire council budget supervision and “running the city at a loss,” as Mr. Pilla, the Republican put it.  Council knowledge of budget matters was sharply criticized by Independents Robert Levine and Robert Stackpole, who pointed out the Council and Mr. Boykin and Mr. Power should have known of the existence of the city projections sent to the Department of the Budget last spring and first revealed  two weeks ago by The CitizeNetReporter.

The Big Eight– Benjamin Boykin leads off with Opening Statement, while, left to right, Milagros Lecuona, DennisPower, Anthony Pilla, Augostino Zicca, Candyce Corcoran, Robert Levine and Robert Stackpole marshall their thoughts at the Woman’s Club Candidate’s Forum & Luncheon Wednesday.

 Incumbent councilperson Dennis Power disassociated himself from Mr. Boykin on the city sales of land, his incumbent running mate, repeating that it was not he (Power) who had voted for the Railside land sale to “balance the 2005-2006 budget,” but did point out that he and Boykin had stopped the Memorandum of Understanding on New York Presbyterian Hospital subdivision, and the Exclusivity Agreement Cappelli Enterprises sought for the train station area.  

These examples of Council proactivity,  were witheringly dismissed by opponents as strictly responding to a massive e-mail campaign against the Exclusivity Agreement after it had been revealed by WPCNR that the Council knew (with the exception of Mr. Power who declined to attend his  briefing with the Cappelli organization when invited),  about the Exclusivity Agreement in advance and the council incumbents did nothing to stop it until public outcry overwhelmed the Council on the issue.

Mr. Power responded to blunt criticism from former Mayor Alfred Del Vecchio that the council condoned operating without a Budget Director at Mayor Delfino’s suggestion. Del Vecchio complained that a Budget Director would be a second set of eyes and judge of the budget.

Benjamin Boykin defended his Railside Avenue sale vote as evidence that he had “real leadership.”

An intimate, but demanding gathering of citizens and candidates gathered for the affair.

After an elegant luncheon of chicken marsala, the Council Forum started out with the usual gentility with candidate statements, from the candidates for judgeships. Next came County Legislator candidates William Ryan and Lois Bronz who were running unopposed. All statements were timed  to the second by the Woman’s Club Official Timekeeper who broked no overruns by the aspirants.

The Woman’s Club Official Timekeeper — to the second and assertive — with stopwatch in hand. There would be no comment overruns at the Common Council if she were handling the action.

Incumbent Councilman Benjamin Boykin, pointing to his seven years of experience on the council, taking credit for White Plains “outstanding renaissance,”  saying “I have made the difference,” and cited the recent Kensico Terrace opening last Thursday, a senior affordable housing complex, as one of his accomplishments, and preservation of 50 acres of open space. He said it was important to listen “to all of our citizens.

Milagros Lecuona, running for Council for the first time, announced to the public that she came to this country 20 years ago and has lived in the city for 18 years, becoming a U.S. Citizen two years ago. She mentioned she had founded La Casa de la Cultura, a city community organization; had been co-president of the PTA, and would bring her experience on the County Planning Board and as an architectural designer to the council. In her duties on the Westchester County Planning Board she has participated in the County’s Patterns 2025 project which will be fortcoming, she said, which will aid communities in developing their cities and towns through a better understanding of zoning and county regulations. She pointed to her experience within the White Plains community, the school bond review, and professional expertise in development matters as assets that prepared her for the council.

Dennis Power, the other incumbent Councilperson, said he had returned to the council because his daughter and son-in-law had moved back into the city and this inspired him to return to politics. He prided himself on voting no the Exclusivity Agreement and previously the New York Presbyterian Hospital Memorandum of Understanding, and recently supporting and voting for eliminating paper streets on the Greenway to preserve that park perpetually.

Then the challengers picked the Democratic Slate apart.

Anthony Pilla, the Republican,  described himself as a 10-year resident of Battle Hill, who had become community-involved over traffic issues, quality of life issues and legal housing, and most recently over lack of reporting by authorities of convicted sex offenders living in the Battle Hill area. He shifted gears and called for financial accountability and would push for fiscal responsibility in the city, and would push for the ½% sales tax increase which the incumbents have not supported to date.

Agostino Zicca, Republican challenger,  said the city progress was being held back by a “block of people” the incumbents who  posture during Council meetings, holding up important legislation. “It’s a circus. They work for themselves…I’m sick of it.” He championed safety issues in the streets, the reporting of resident convicted sex offenders, more police and firefighters, and the need for a new Superpumper for high-rise fighters.

Cass Cibelli, the third Republican Challenger is a principal in the New York City school system (and Wednesday was a school day), and was unable to attend the mid-day forum.

Candyce Corcoran, the lifetime White Plains resident, running on the Conservative line, recited her long resume of community involvement and experience in the banking industry, and posed the question whether “you like the way the city has grown into a real cosmopolitan city?” She called for White Plains to be “fiscally responsible,” and that a projected 7% City Tax Increase was twice the rate of inflation and said “It is obvious that we have serious financial issues that require serious people to solve it. You need someone who can analyze the situation, without being compromised by unions, developers, Westchester County or political bosses.”

Robert Levine, one of  the two Independent candidates,  Mr. Stackpole being the other,  took the microphone and said he was running because “elected officials have to listen to the people,” accusing the incumbents and the Common Council have having “sold it (the city) out” He said it was obvious that the city has gone astray in two areas: money and planning of development. “I have the professional qualifications to deal with planning and finances of the city.”

Stackpole, the second of the two Independents, cited has long experience on the Planning Board (ten years)and his role in stopping the New York Presbyterian Hospital Robert Martin proposal in the early 80s, as credentials for his ability to serve competently and achieve results against the odds. He criticized the city’s reliance on sales tax as a revenue staple because in a recession, “it does not mean you’ll have the revenues.” He called for fiscal planning.  He said the people of White Plains needed to be listened to on what they wanted for the next twenty years. “The council has not been listening, because you have a gong show at the council, {where persons are not allowed to speak more than 5 minutes).” He called for putting the city ‘in the hands of the residents.”

Selling Land

Then, Co-Chair of the event Jo Falcone opened the floor to questions. Paula Peikos asked about the Exclusivity Agreement and the sale of Railside and the fireworks began.

Corcoran said she found the Railside sale, voted positively by incumbent Boykin, “appalling,” as well as the sale of land to balance the budget (on the Bank Street affordable housing project, which both incumbents running (Boykin and Power) voted to approve.

Zicca, too, said he did not believe in selling land to balance the budget. Zicca, from the Battle Hill neighborhood,  said he would consider development of the railroad station area, but rejected the notion of selling the firehouse there. He called for remodeling the train station with a walkway over into the Battle Hill area into the Veterans Park. Stackpole said any Exclusivity Agreements he was dead set against it, because it limited competition. Pilla noted that once any land was sold, when it was not there the next year, “you’re in a big hole,” alluding to his call for better budgeting.

Dennis Power, took pains to point out that, he, Power, did not vote for the Railside sale. “Unfortunately, it happened,” pointing out that the council did kill the Exclusivity Agreement in April, and the RFQ proposal in September.

(Editor’s Note:There was no mention of the fact by any candidate that the RFQ was rejected by the council in the press, possibly for what some would think was political effect before the primary September 18, but the same Council did not hold back the RFQ when they had a chance to stop it from going out in the third week of August during the work session when the Commissioner of Planning presented  the RFQ. Instead the Council objected to the RFQ in the press after the Council allowed the RFQ to be distributed.)

Milagros Lecuona, who did not vote on the Railside plan, said “It is an aftermath and there is no profit in whether we improved or there is a benefit. “ (In her future possible decisions), “The City of White Plains needs to consider the real impact…what it would do for the entire city.”

Boykin dryly pointed out it was a 4-3 vote to approve Railside, and defended the sale, saying, “As a leader of this city, you’re faced with difficult decisions, that’s real leadership.”

 Why Raise Taxes and Expenses Every Year?

When a senior citizen rose, he witheringly asked the incumbents why they continually raised taxes and spending every year. Zic ca, the Republican warmed to the task, calling for “commercial property owners to pay their fair share (of property taxes). (This brought spontaneous applause.)

Corcoran referred to the revealed budget projections, indicating a number of tax increases (7% a year for the next three years) in the next few years’ budgets, and called for analysis of expenses and what any possible breaks for commercial developers would cost the city in taxes compared to full value assessments when the developments were completed.

Boykin waded in defending the council budgets, saying,  the Budget and Management Committee attempts to keep the expenses and taxes as low as possible. He said the city negotiated PILOTS (payment in lieu of taxes) from developers worth $12.8 Million, but that they were shared with the county and school district with the city only receiving 20% of the $12.8 Million. What he did not say to answer Corcoran’s policy suggestion on PILOTS computation, was how much those PILOT-wanna-be properties are or will be worth when construction is completed and what the gap between maximum possible real estate tax and the tax their PILOT pays actually would be.

Our Budget Director is Missing Alfred Del Vecchio, former Mayor of White Plains (1976-1993) rose from the audience, and challenged the incumbents as to why they continue to operate without a Budget Director, who provided an independent view of the budget. (Ann Reasoner, former Budget Director, left the city for undetermined reasons in June 2006.) Currently only one financial officer prepares the budget and overseas all things financial and that is the Commissioner of Finance, now with the title of Chief Financial Officer (Gina Cuneo-Harwood).

Mr. Power seized the microphone, and jumping on this one, saying, “I agree and disapprove of this (operating without a Budget Director) as well…it (hiring a Budget Director) is still an item in planning. We’e going to force and push for it.

Mr. Stackpole, his eyes gleaming,  said, “I couldn’t agree more.”  He then chided Mr. Boykin and Mr. Power and their colleagues (on the Common Council) for not knowing that the AIM (Aid & Incentives to Muncipalities) $5.7 Million in state aid, required a multi-year budget projection, when it was right in the budget. Referring to the multi-year projections the Council claimed they did not have  (that the Council has professed they had no projections to go on in denying the recently requested ½ % sales tax increase, the same projections published in their entirety by WPCNR), Stackpole  said of the Council, “They’re not doing the job.”

With that, it being 2 PM, the forum ended.

To be continued at the next forum, Monday evening, sponsored by the League of Women Voters at the White Plains Public Library at 7:30 P.M.

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WPCNR’S ELIOT SPITZER’S Letter from Albany. By Governor Eliot Spitzer. October 16, 2007: After months of inaction, the Senate Majority has agreed to return to work on October 22nd. Much work from the spring still remains undone:

Senate Majority Returns to Work October 22 to the hallowed confines of the Senate Chamber in Albany.

Wick’s Reform: Reforming Wick’s Law to lower construction costs on public projects is imperative. The failure to act by the State Senate in June has since cost New York taxpayers over $34 million dollars.

Approving Key Appointments: Eighty-seven highly qualified individuals have been nominated to fill critical positions in my administration, yet the Senate Majority refuses to approve their roles. Crucial leadership has been left in limbo in the areas of Energy, Economic Development, Health Care and Transportation.

Cutting off “Albany’s Golden Spigot”: In July, the legislature agreed to major campaign finance reform, yet the Senate has stalled on passing a bill. The changes would lower contribution limits, enhance enforcement, and increase disclosure and transparency in the way campaign funds are raised and spent.

Its time for the Senate Majority to stop playing the politics of self-preservation and start showing the leadership it so ardently claims to possess.

Your legislators are accountable for the work they do—or fail to do—and I encourage you to communicate to them our shared belief that the status quo is simply no longer acceptable. At www.spitzer2010.com, you can contact your legislator and ask them to carry out the people’s business when he or she returns next week.