Monday is Family Day Proclaims the Mayor. Urges Families to Dine Together

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. From Melissa Lopez, The Mayor’s Office. September 20, 2007: Joseph M. Delfino, Mayor of the City of White Plains, has proclaimed Monday, September 24 as Family Day — a special day to commemorate, encourage and celebrate the tradition of families sharing meals together.  The commemoration of Family Day is an annual activity of the White Plains Community That Cares Coalition (CTC). This year White Plains Community That Cares Coalition celebrates Family Day by focusing on practicing the message of Family Day.  We invite all families to celebrate Family Day and emphasize that sharing a meal withyour children results in building stronger families.
“Family Day, A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children™” is a national movement that began in 2001 and encourages parents to frequently eat dinner with their kids and become involved in their children’s lives.Family Day is celebrated on the fourth Monday in September. 

Studies show that the simple act of sharing a meal together results in youth making positive and healthy choices for themselves.  The White Plains Community That Cares Coalition and this year’s partners emphasize that although Family Day is officially celebrated once a year, the City Of White Plains embraces this message every day throughout the year. 

This year, the City of White Plains and the White Plains Community That Cares Coalition is hosting a number of events throughout the month of September to encourage family meal time.

Some of this year’s Family Day activities include:

– Wal-Mart sponsored Breakfast for Families – September 29, 2007
– White Plains Public Library Story Times (Family focused) and
Information Displays
– White Plains Youth Bureau After School Connection Art Projects
focusing on celebrating family meal time memories
– Applebee’s “Family of the Month” Meal partnership
– Movie Preview Screening- Family Day preview slide featuring Mayor
Delfino to be viewed prior to 500 movies   
– Whole Foods Cooking Demo
– National Amusements Movie and Dinner Event
– Partnership with the Ministerial Council members:
– Bethel Church bulletin announcement and sermon announcement as well 
as information distribution at their Ministry Fair
        – Mt. Hope Information distribution
        – Lonnie White Information Distribution

The White Plains CTC Coalition promotes a safe and healthy environment by utilizing community resources to help its youth and families live healthy, productive and self-sufficient lives. 

“Family Day is a time for us to reflect on and practice family traditions and family values. Families that enjoy mealtime together are proven to be closer, and better at communicating. This in turn helps our
children make positive decisions.  I am encouraging all families in the City of White Plains, and beyond, to mark this special day by having dinner together throughout the year,” stated Mayor Delfino.

Regular family meals are opportunities for families to be together, talk together, laugh together and eat together.  While everyone’s family and everyone’s food is uniquely their own, every family benefits from the deliberate and consistent routine.

# # #
For more information on Family Day Activities please contact Monica
Gonzalez, Coalition Coordinator, White Plains Community That Cares
Coalition 422-1378; mgonzalez@ci.white-plains.ny.us

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Tigers Scrunch Scarsdale, 21-7 on Mitchell 66 Yard TD and 27 Yard TD Run

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. September 20, 2007: Ray Mitchell ground through the line on second and 1 on the Tiger 34 on the first play of the 4th quarter, carrying Maroon-clad Raiders on his back, shrugging them off, twisting, turning powering out of their grasp busting through twin safeties at the 45 into daylight! And the race was on, but they weren’t going to get him. Mitchell, lengthening his stride stepping into high outran his pursuers producing a deafening roar from the crowd of some 100 White Plains fans that it sounded like the Big House. Mitchell’s TD was the second run Ray made to set up a Tiger score, to make it 14-0 with eleven and a half minutes to go in the contest.


The Tigers held on to win 21-7 at Dunn Field in Scarsdale, in gathering darkness to move their record to 2-1 and upend Scarsdale in a game the Tigers thoroughly dominated. After Scarsdale, after a lengthy injury delay, scored to make it 14-7, with 4 minutes to play, their onside kick was recovered by White Plains, and the Tigers added another 27 yard long touchdown run by Mitchell to make  the final score 21-7.



Ray Mitchell, hanging slightly back, about to set up a TD (Center of action) following James Bryant about ready to throw a key block that would spring The Rayman  at 3rd and 10 from the 39 for a 24 yard run to the 15 yard line to set up the first Tiger Touchdown in the second quarter


 


Savaughn Green stopped at the 1 yard line on a 4th and 7 from the Scarsdale 13. after he took a Mike Howard snap pass to the sideline and tight-roped down the sidelinefor the key first down to set up the Tiger first score at the 10 minute mark of the Second Quarter. The Tigers had had a touch down called back due to a holding penalty, and Savaugn’s reception and run rescued the drive. William DoSantos scored on the next play on a “fullback blast” up the gut on first and goal from the 6 bulldozing into the endzone. 


Only personal foul penalties which stalled two drives and a false start that nullified an opportunity in the red zone kept the Tigers from scoring more. The Red Raiders just did not take care of the football today, or perhaps it was the Tiger hunger for the ball, as the Raider quarterback fumbled four times in the first half and the Raiders were unable to mount any sustained drives until the 4th quarter. By the second half the Tigers were moving the ball at will through the Raider line.


The Tigers chewed up six minutes of the third quarter with James Bryant  and Mitchell carrying steadily up the middle, defending a 7-0 lead at halftime. The quarter was highlighted by a beautiful back-to-ball interception of a Raider pass on third down at the Tiger 25 by defensive back John Briggs. The Tigers then stopped Scarsdale on downs when they got the ball back on the Tigers first play with Savaugn Green and Mike Howard making great stops on attempted sweeps. The Tigers then mounted a drive culminating in the Mitchell 66 yard cruise. 


The Tigers were penalized for over 100 yards in this contest, otherwise the offense would have scored more.



New Director of the White Plains High School Band, conducts the Best Pep Band in All the Land at halftime…


in Kung Foo Fighting!


 

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Teachers Negotiations to Start After 08-09 Budget Decided

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. Plus School Board Report From Michele Schoenfeld, Board of Education. (Edited) September 20, 2007: Discussing goals for the school year, Superintendent of Schools Connors said they include moving the capital project forward, proceeding with Strategic Planning, conducting an effective budget process for 2008-2009 (budget is now $174.1 Million), completing negotiations with the Administrators & Supervisors Association, and beginning negotiations with the Teachers Association in the spring.



Timothy Connors, Superintendent of Schools, June 2006


WPCNR, in view of the budget pressures on the district, which at its average 7% a year increase will go over the $200 Million level by 2010-2011  talked to Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors about why, if negotiations with the teachers will be a big part of the budget this year they will not negotiate earlier:


    


 

WPCNR: Why wouldn’t you begin 2008-2009 teacher negotiations earlier this year?


Superintendent Connors: I said that as one of the things we were going to be doing during the course of this year in the spring. We extended the contract for this year and we’ll try and come to a new three year agreement.


WPCNR: Would you know what you would expect to settle for before you prepare the 2008-2009 budget (which has to be passed in May).


Superintendent:  No, obviously we have to go in good faith in terms of negotiations. As we look at the budget we’ll plan for, but it’s too early to be thinking about them right now.


WPCNR: Why wouldn’t you be thinking about it (what the teachers want and are willing to do) (and talking about it) right now?


Superintendent: One of the things that all school districts do is we look at what’s out there in terms of the market, what are the settlements going to be in at, what is our situation and work with the schools and the teachers to come to an agreement that’s going to move us forward. Not that we don’t think about it, we certainly know what the market is, but things change over time, so it would be premature for me to quote any figures. Certainly we’ll be ready to budget the program out and enter into negotiations in the spring.


WPCNR: Would you  be looking for more benefit givebacks?


Superintendent: You answer your own questions. The issues that always are part of our discussions will be salaries and benefits. If you watch what’s going across the state and the country those are the big items in negotiations.


WPCNR: Will you convene the Annual Budget Committee earlier this year?


Superintendent:  No, we always get started sometime in late January sometime after January will be our first meeting with them.


WPCNR: Wouldn’t it be to your advantage to have them (the ABC Committee)  start with their concerns now instead of being presented with a budget that you think you want?


Superintendent: Unfortunately if we start the budget process  very early and there’s a lot of unknowns from the state and all of those things. I think the timetable we have is fine.


WPCNR: Of course there’s always some variables from the state, but there’s nothing variable about the budget right now, as far as expenses. Why wouldn’t you be looking harder at expenses now with the  community?You had a good budget this year (in terms of inflation)…


Superintendent: We’ve had a good budget for the five years I’ve been here. We’re going to have another good one in the coming year. We work hard to plan appropriately. We review where we are and we watch our expenditures, and by letting some time pass during this fiscal year we’re better able to analyze where we are, and what are needs are and I think between the Board, Mr. Seiler and myself  we’ll be ready to move forward with the budget process internally first then going to the ABC Committee on pretty much the same timetable as in the past.


(Editor’s Note, Mr. Connors’ first school budget he supervised was the 2003-2004 budget which stood at $134.6 Million. The 2007-2008 Budget is $174.1 Million. The budget increases in each of the five years on Mr. Connors’ watch have been  6.08%; 6.82%, 7.6%, 7.2% and 4.4% this year. The tax increases have been 6.89%, 7.53%,9.36%,8.12% and 6.95% )


WPCNR: Would you anticipate since the city is seeking $10 Million in new sales tax, asking the city for a piece of that?


Superintendent (amused): Do you have coffee in the morning and ask these old questions you know the answers too? We look at our budget process in terms of revenues. That comes up every year with the Budget Committee. Those things are pretty clearly defined. The city gets those revenues one way or another. The  taxpayers are going to paying an amount out. We’re looking at our revenues that we have and the city does it with the revenue they have?


WPCNR: Was that a No?


Superintendent: You’re running down an old street that isn’t worth my addressing at this time. We’re looking at next year’s budget. We’re going to get a handle on this year’s budget. Take advantage of the good takeoff we’ve had with the schools at this time.  As always we’ll be ready to work with the board and the ABC Committee to put together the best budget we can.


Michele Schoenfeld, reporting in the monthly BOARD REPORTS also brings us this school news:


Connors announced that, as part of planned audits of school districts by the State Comptroller’s Office stemming from irregularities in other districts, officials will come in later this month to begin work.  Mr. Connors said the district continually receives awards for its financial reporting and welcomes the opportunity to have our procedures reviewed.


           


Although funding from the State’s “Contract for Excellence” has been postponed several times, the district expects to use this money to begin a full-day Prekindergarten class  for at-risk students in November.


 


High School & Post Road School Capital Project


 


In an update on the capital project, Assistant Superintendent for Business Fred Seiler said roofing at the High School is complete, field work continues — on schedule and under budget, and site work for Post Road School has been approved by the State Education Department.  Mr. Seiler and Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Services Anne Lillis have also been working to insure that building Safety Teams are functioning well.


 


School Conference Day– 58 New Teachers


 


Mr. Connors reported on a very informative opening conference day for staff and an excellent start for students.  Dr. Margaret Dwyer discussed her Curriculum & Instruction presentation and said the focus at the elementary level this year will be on early literacy and use of the data warehouse and mentoring to inform instruction.  Work in differentiated instruction will  continue at the secondary level.    


           


Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Dr. Lenora Boehlert noted the addition of 58 new teachers who received four days of very focused training prior to school opening.  Included was a tour of White Plains with complimentary lunch provided at Outback Steakhouse.


 


Hall of Fame Nominees


 


HALL OF FAME:  High School Principal Ivan Toper announced the selection of four alumni to be inducted into the Hall of Fame on November 13th.  They are:  Harry J. Russell, ’49, social services and mental health administrator; Josephine Falcone, ’55, White Plains community and civic leader;  Jane Pincus, ’55, women’s movement activist and author; and Dr. Joseph Antin, ’70, internationally known hematologist and pioneer in bone marrow transplant research.  Mr. Toper also introduced Teacher Michael Roma, who is coordinating the program this year.


 


       China Exchange Students


Mr. Connors mentioned that the excitement is building over the arrival on September 28th of the exchange students from China.  They will stay with host families and attend White  Plains High School through October 4th.


           


 


 

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Super Developer Saves Nook. Council Grants 4 Month Extension on Affordables

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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. September 19, 2007: Louis Cappelli, President of Cappelli Enterprises has struck a deal with the Dimitrakakis family, owners of The Corner Nook Cafe, the 25-year diner institution across the street from City Hal . Peter Dimitrakakis will be compensated for his costs of leaving the Nook for 14 months, with Cappelli agreeing to build a brand-new Corner Nook restaurant into the 8-story 42-unit now luxury apartments he will build to satisfy his 24-unit obligation required under his 221 Main Ritz-Carlton development.



Super Developer Louis Cappelli with his new partners, Peter Dimitrakakis, his wife Antoinnette and daughter at City Hall last night. Mr. Cappelli will put Mr. Dimitrakakis in business at The Nook’s same old stand in  Cappelli’s glamorous affordable housing building shown below. Mr. Cappelli will start the building November 1



The new glass and granite 240 Main Street planned by Mr. Cappelli, new home of The Nook in 14 months –and 24 units of affordable housing to complete Cappelli’s obligation on the 221 Main Ritz Carlton project. View is from City Hall, Trump Tower is in the background.


 


Cappelli and Dimitrakakis arrived at an understanding where the Nook owners could return to their present location after Cappelli’s glass and granite building is completed by December 31 of next year. In return the council indicated to Mr. Cappelli they would grant him a 4-month extension tacked on to the August 8, 2008 deadline when his 24 units have to be turned over to the city, in order for him to get a Certificate of Occupancy for the second office/residential tower in the Ritz-Carlton complex. Details of the financial arrangement were not disclosed.


Cappelli and the owners were present as the Super Developer explained to the Common Council that he and Dimitrakakis were thrown into a circumstance where Cappelli’s obligation to build the affordables lapsed back to him after Martin Ginsburg’s Pinnacle project expired. Ginsburg was to have built the units for Cappelli.


Council PresidentRita Malmud having listened to Mr. Cappelli’s announcement of the deal and the shortened 4-month extension request, gave her blessing to the deal that will enable Cappelli 14 months to execute the 8-story building.


The Super Developer has redesigned the exterior into a granite and glass upscale building perhaps the ritzy-est affordable housing building ever.  He said the building would be luxury on the interior,too with granite countertops and upscale kitchens and appointments. Malmud said the exterior was an improvement and she saw no objection to granting the extension. Cappelli had originally wanted a one year extension. No reason was given why he cut the time he had originally said he needed. 


Councilmen Power and Boykin, who were cool to any extension last night, did not comment on the extension. The matter will come before the council in October, and the plans were referred out to the various departments. Cappelli said he’d be demolitioning the present building November 1, and that he already had building permits and demolition permits, and the paper work.


The Super Developer told WPCNR last week  he was moved by a crusading column by Journal News columnist Phil Reisman, pointing out the Dimitrakakis’ plight, and decided he would attempt to find a way he could build his affordable housing commitment to the city, and save the Nook and keep it in business. He said he had suffered much bad press lately over the subject and he did not want to be perceived as the bad guy.

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Boykin Pushes for Financials to Bradley on Sales Tax. Will Hawk Finances.

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. September 19, 2007: At this evening’s Common Council Special Meeting, the Sales Tax 1/2 Per Cent increase resolution will be discussed. On Election Night, Benjamin Boykin,  one of three Nominee-Elects declared to WPCNR the Budget and Management Committee would be looking at all financial issues going forward, and that he expected the Mayor (Joseph Delfino) to comply with Assemblyman Adam Bradley’s request for a substantiation of why White Plains needs the $10 Million plus injection of revenue the half percent increase would bring to the city.


Assemblyman Bradley said he needs that substantiation to sell the home rule legislation to his colleagues in Albany. Boykin held forth to WPCNR on how the Council will treat financials of the city and the coming budget in the next few months. Bradley told WPCNR he needed a justification rationale before he can submit legislation in January.


WPCNR: “Are you going to look at the (next) city budget a lot more carefully in coming months?”


Boykin: “We constantly look at the city’s budget. We constantly are aware of issues that effect the city’s financing moving forward. And we’ll do what is necessary to keep our property taxes low and to come forward with a reasonable budget.”


WPCNR: “When will you convene the Budget and Management Committee again?”


Boykin: “I don’t know when the next meeting will be.”


WPCNR: “After November 6 (Election Day)?”


Boykin: “The meeting will take place at some point.”


I pointed out that Assemblyman Adam Bradley hoped for financial justification from the city administration  for the need for the half-per cent sales tax.


Boykin: “He wants a projection of the long term finances, of what there may be any budget gaps and it’s an important issue that he be given (those projections).”


WPCNR: What do you think you can do to facilitate that?


Boykin:   “He has asked the Mayor for that information and I expect the Mayor to comply with that request.”

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Put The Nook First? Power, Boykin Cool to Cappelli Extension. Malmud Mum

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COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. September 19, 2007: Councilmembers Benjamin Boykin and Dennis Power turned a cold shoulder to Super Developer Louis Cappelli’s e-mail circulated offer to Council President Rita Malmud last week. Cappelli offered to keep everybody’s favorite diner, The Corner Nook in business and find them a new location, if the council would extend his deadline to provide affordable housing units at the Nook site, which he needs to build and finish to open the second tower of his Ritz-Carlton Westchester complex


 



Will the Council put The Nook First? Cappelli’s Extension Plea to Keep the Nook in business needs 4 Councilpersons for approva.



Campaigning at the railroad station Tuesday evening, Power said, “I’ve seen the e-mail. I don’t react to e-mails. He needs to put legislation before the council.” Boykin on Election Night, went a giant step farther, demanding the affordable housing. Rita Malmud, the President of the Common Council to whom Mr. Cappelli made the offer, has not responded to repeated requests for comment by the press on the Cappelli Save the Nook Initiative. 


Cappelli has pointed out that the only reason The Nook must go is because he has to demolish it starting November 1  to build the Affordable Housing he owes by August 8, 2008 to open his second residential/office tower. Cappelli is planning on moving his Valhalla headquarters to that tower.


In discussing Mr. Boykin’s new philosophy of White Plains having “the right development at the right time,” WPCNR queried Boykin as to whether the Council would consider Louis Cappelli’s request for an extension of the time Cappelli had to complete his affordable housing of 41 units at 240 Main Street, so Mr. Cappelli could keep The Corner Nook in business and find the sentimental diner a new place in White Plains.


Boykin hedged, saying, “We are looking forward to the affordable housing that is owed to us by the owner of 221.”


WPCNR gently suggested that Cappelli had made an offer through an e-mail to Rita Malmud, and would the Council consider the extension to Cappelli to save the Dimitrakakis’ family’s livelihood. Boykin was steadfast, “I’ve seen the e-mail, I’ll have no response to that other than to say the developer owes us 41 units of housing and we look forward to getting that getting the housing in the very near future.”


WPCNR persisted for an answer, “So you don’t know whether you’ll entertain it or not?”


Boykin repeated “We look forward to getting the housing in the very near future.”


“That’s a no? ” I asked striving for clarification.


“He owes us 41 units of housing, there’s been no change to that,” Boykin said.


 CNR politely noted there was an offer on the table, “Whether or not you extend him (Cappelli) or not, that’s his offer.”


Boykin said, “We do not entertain anything (meaning Cappelli’s offer) unless it comes through the legislative process.”


I asked what Mr. Cappelli has to do.


“Does he (Mr. Cappelli) have to file an amendment , legislation or something (before you’ll — the council will consider it)?”


Boykin: “That’s part of what the process would be.”


WPCNR followed up, “So you expect a formal declaration from his…?”


Boykin thundered, “I will not entertain any extension of Cappelli. We’re looking for the 41 units of housing, period. End of story.”


4 for  the Nook


Now that Councilman Arnold Bernstein is a lame duck Councilman until December 31 the Mayor, Bernstein and Councilman Glen Hockley could conceivably vote the extension, and it would take either Ms. Malmud, Mr. Boykin, Mr. Roach or Mr. Power to be the compassionate swingman to keep The Nook in business, without a break while Cappelli, as he said he would, worked with the Nook to find him another place.

Journal News columnist Phil Reisman who inspired Mr. Cappelli to create this Save the Nook strategy, pointed out that Mr. Dimitrakakis the owner of the Nook had complained the rents of locations he could move to in the do

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Publisher Sues City of Yonkers for Conviscating its News Racks.

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WPCNR PRESS NOTES. From The Westchester Guardian. September 19, 2007:  Westchester Guardian Publisher Sam Zherka will in Federal Court in White Plains, Friday, Sept. 21st, 10am. 


Mr Zherka is suing the City of Yonkers, Mayor Phil Amicone,  Police Commissioner Hartnett, and DPW Commissioner, for Content Based Discrimination, and Freedom of Speech violations after The Westchester Guardian printed articles calling the Mayor “Dumber” and “Yonkers Mayor a Huge Flop” 



Yonkers DPW and Police under orders from the Mayor, confiscated 56  Westchester Guardian news racks from public and private property in order to silence the press, and issued over a dozen violations and threats of arrest to Guardian Employees for distributing The Guardian Newspaper on Public Property.

 

A class action lawsuit, representing as many as 100,000 Yonkers Citizens may also be filed as early as Friday morning.
 

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Dems Vision of City: What People Make It Lecuona, Power Say.

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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2007. Post Election Reaction. Gathered by The CitizeNetReporter.  September 19, 2007: Post triumph interviews at Dunne’s Pub , Democrat Headquarters, by WPCNR with Nominees-elect Milagros Lecuona and Dennis Power yielded promises that the council was going to be slowing down and taking a closer look at development and would reassert control over the direction the city takes in the future. When pressed for what their vision of the city is, Power said citizens would be involved extensively in the formulation of that vision and the council would, he hoped, not be building White Plains from now on based on outsider’s desires to build what they want in White Plains. 



 Milagros Lecuona  and Dennis Power, victors in the Democrat Primary in White Plains last night,  together voiced  the hope that the Democrats’ “Vision for White Plains” and that the concept of “Balanced Development” would evolve. Lecuona said she was going focus hard on development with her professional expertise in architure and planning.


I asked Milagros Lecuona what she hoped to do to prepare for the Common Council, (assuming she’s elected in November):


Milagros Lecuona: “Thank you very much for those encouraging words, I hope so.  I don’t think I’m going to be anything different than I have been until now, which is being a professional and working and listening to the people and what they’re needs are, and I am part of it so I am very aware of it all the years I am living in White Plains.  I am going to try and use my professional experience and my involvement in the community for the best of everybody.”


I asked what she felt this vote for her means for the people of White Plains, she added,


ML:  “This vote means a lot for the people of White Plains, this is kind of a referendum on the way the development and the concern for the development of the city is going, and it is the type of work that I am going to be focusing on.”


Asked if she was going to be asking sharp questions of developers touting projects, Lecuona said, “Whatever.”


Dennis Power right on Boykin just 36 votes behind him, with 1,602 votes said, “The people have spoken.”


WPCNR asked him if he thought the election (in November) was in the bag for the trio. ( Power, Lecuona, Boykin, Robert Stackpole, Robert Levine, Anthony Pilla,Cass Cibelli, Augie Zicca and Candyce Corcoran will be contending in the November general city election for the three council seats.)


“Oh no,” Power said, “November 6 is when it’s over, not before. There are a lot of issues to be addressed in the city ofWhite Plains. I think we’ve begun addressing them tonight. The people have spoken in terms of the direction we should be going.”


Power Interprets Direction


CNR encouraged Mr. Power to explain what that direction is: “It’s careful deliberation, responsible consideration of issues, whether it’s development, whether it’s affordable housing, sales tax all those kind of things you have to look at things and make sure we do our due diligence before we just kind of blow it out.”


Power expanded: “ I’m just pleased the people have made a  — or at least the Democrats (about 1,650 of 13,500 registered Democrats) have decided they want to have considerations of the residents come first as opposed to having developers and others design the future ofWhite Plains.  I think this is one of the biggest issues in White Plains this year in that people said you know what we’ve got this conflict, this future of suburbia and urban development. I think we’ve got a thriving downtown. People have said let’s craft a balance between the two, because if not, decisions are going to be made for us and the suburbia that we know will be forever gone. ”


WPCNR asked what does balance mean?


Power said “It (balance) is going to develop over a period of time. It means making careful decisions. It means not making snap decisions, just knee-jerk reactions. It means we have to consider things and that we have to be more in control of things, as opposed to instead of just being dealt and reacting to.”


WPCNR asked Power how is the council going to stay in control of things when you (the council) don’t know what you want to do to the rest of the town, do you agree with the West development for example?


Power fielded that one this way:  ‘What it takes, what it means is that you work listening to the people, involving people in decisions, involving planning groups and not just reacting to decisions about who else wants to develop the city of White Plains. So it’s going to be careful deliberations. It’s going to evolve over the course of time and it’s going to be a lot of good things coming together. It’s not going to be a knee-jerk reaction to what some people want for the City of White Plains. I think basically tonight the people have spoken and they’d like some careful deliberation as to where the vision of White Plains goes.”



 Candyce Corcoran, who gathered 694 votes, who will be on the Conservative Line in the November election vowed, “First I would like to thank the1300 White Plains residents who signed my petitions and those citizens who believed enough in me to come out to vote. As any sports fan knows, they do not call a game at halftime. We still have another half to play in the general election. I graduated from White Plains High School, and we are known as the Tigers. Tigers never give up and quit. The campaign still goes on.”



Arnold Bernstein, finished  fourth and has no line on the November ballot at this time. When WPCNR arrived at his headquarters for postmortem, he had already left the building.


 

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City’s Bad Timing of RFQ Doomed Bernstein — Handed Dems a Hammer

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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2007. By the Armchair Analyst. (Edited) September 19, 2007: Interesting results to have a cup of tea with; Arnie Bernstein was down when I went to bed at 11:00.

But the numbers are very much along with the discussion we had  yesterday; contrasting the difference between a poll and and an election  comparatively.

There can be an majority of people in support of an outcome (a train station redevelopment), but unless that same sample represents the actual voters who decide the issue (which include uneven participation across a spectrum  of voters), the results will not be identical.

So if more women, over 50 do not like a particular development, despite their husbands liking the same project, ultimately, the project goes nowhere because the minority in the first instance overcomes the majority in the actual voting.

In short, while the husbands blow hot air, and do not vote, their wives, who do vote, cast their ballots in a certain way.

Thus the “poll” is both correct and incorrect: it correctly logs voter opinion based on easily identified items, and then because an actual election might be twisted, more women than men participate, the results change.

The ultimate point is, the RFQ killed Arnie.

Yesterday was a long day; today will be longer..

About the results, I’m not too surprised.  Candyce Corcoran did not do a thing.  Nor did Arnie.

But the Request for Qualifications killed Arnie.   And the stupid full-page ad did not help. By the city giving the Democrats a ready-made issue – the Request for Proposals – springing it on them and including a 30-day reply date —the Dems were able to tie Bernstein to supporting the RFQ.


( WPCNR notes: Councilman Benjamin Boykin one of the victors last night even confirmed unasked to WPCNR that the council will not consider any qualifications coming from the RFQ, the Request for Qualifications for potential Redevelopers of the White Plains Railroad Station Urban Renewal property)


 


RFQ ultimately could turn the city against Cappelli because the city’s push on the RFQ, on top of the clandestine exclusivity agreement In the spring. That is what killed Arnie.  They did not understand the difference between an opinion poll and a post election poll.

Who votes, and their opinion, counts.  A majority may approve of a  project, but if they do not vote, hard knocks results.

Women, over 50, do not support development without checks.  Their husbands might, but you would have to be an idiot to believe  that really matters.

Both from a happy marriage point of view and that of a political analysis.

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Dem Mastermind: Right Candidates Right Issues. Boykin’s Vision.

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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2007. By John F. Bailey. September 19, 2007: In the giddy atmosphere at Dunne’s Pub after the victory of Benjamin Boykin, Melagros Lecuona and Dennis Power in yesterday’s primary, the Democratic City Committee Chair, Liz Shollenberger, who lead the Democratic City Committee Candidates to prevail over incumbent Councilman Arnold Bernstein and challenger Candyce Corcoran, attributed the  nominees’ across-the-board win to having presented “better candidates with better issues, that’s why we won.”



Benjamin Boykin, leading vote-getter said it was a great victory, and promised a vision for White Plains. Shown, April, 2007.


 


Shollenberger said her Democratic nominees won “pretty much across the board. ” Bernstein only carried Battle Hill, according to a poll-watcher in that neighborhood. WPCNR asked what these results said to her, she commented, “The result shows we have a strong Democratic people and we’re going to win in November. This is a mandate on these three candidates.” 


Asked if  the party had done anything different to get out the vote,  “No, not really. We did what we could. Everybody worked hard. Everybody got behind our candidates. I hope all Democrats will come behind our Democratic candidates in November.”


Benjamin Boykin the leading vote-getter with 1,638 votes, said, “It was a great victory for the Real Democrats of the City of White Plains. It was a great victory for the people of White Plains, for the future of White Plains.”


Asked what he thought the result said, Boykin noted, “The result says that we have a strong field of outstanding candidates that won a strong race.”


I asked Boykin why he thought the  money barrage of mailings and attacks by the Bernstein camp the last few days leading up to Tuesday’s primary did not work, Boykin said, “It was sleaze money that had no impact because it was untruths and it was too little, too late and we are continuing to focus on the vision of the city of White Plains, and we’re not running a negative campaign but we’re talking about the great things that lie for the future of this city.”


WPCNR encouraged Mr. Boykin to elaborate on what he saw as a “vision of White Plains:”


Boykin said, “The vision for White Plains is smart growth, balanced development,  it’s for open space, including green space downtown. It’s for keeping property taxes low. It’s for having citizens’ input, which means we’re going to have open government.  It means we’ll have integrity in government. And that we’ll continue to keep our property taxes low.”


WPCNR  asked Mr. Boykin how he defined “balanced development:”


“Balanced development is smart growth,” Boykin warmed to the subject, “It means that you do due diligence, that you take your time , that you look at all angles, that you look at the needs of the citizens, and that you make sure development responds to and meets the needs of its citizenry.”


WPCNR queried as to whether balanced development meant one type of building in one section of the city, and another use or project in another part. Boykin said “no, balance has to do with planning, due diligence, and putting the right development in the right place at the right time.”

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