WHITE PLAINS WESTCHESTER DAILY NEWS SERVICE VISITS SINCE 2000 A.D. 25TH YEARl REPORTING THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW News Service Since 2000 A.D. 2026 WILL BE OUR 26TH YEAR OF COVERING WHITE PLAINS NEW YORK USA . John F. Bailey, Editor (914) 997-1607 wpcnr@aol.com Cell: 914-673-4054. News Politics Personalities Neighborhoods Schools Finance Real Estate Commentary Reviews Policy Correspondence Poetry Philosophy Photojournalism Arts. The WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER. TELEVISION: "White Plains Week" News Roundup, 7:30 EDT FRI, 7 EDT MON & the incisive "People to Be Heard" Interview Program 8PM EDT THURS, 7 PM EDT SAT on FIOS CH 45 THROUGHOUT WESTCHESTER AND, ALTICE OPTIMUM WHITE PLAINS CH 1300 Fighting for Truth, Justice and the American Way. TOP 10 VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD :1. USA. 2.BRAZIL3.VIET NAM 4. CHINA 5. JAPAN 6.UK. 7.CANADA. 8.INDIA. 9.AUSTRALIA 10.IRELAND 11.GERMANY 12..ARGENTINA 13.BANGLADESH 14.RUSSIA. 15.NEWZEALAND. 16. FRANCE. 17.MEXICO. 18.UKRAINE. 19.SOUTH AFVRICA. 20. IRAQ.
WPCNR MARKETPLACE. From Johny Nelson, Labor Market Analyst, New York State Department of Labor. (EDITED)January 22, 2009 UPDATED 5:25 P.M.: As of December 31,2008, according to the New York State Department of Labor, there were 464,800 persons employed in Westchester County and 28,100 unemployed, an unemployment rate of 5.7%, up from 5.2% in November, according to statistics provided WPCNR by Johny Nelson, Labor Market Analyst with the New York State Department of Labor. In Rockland County, the unemployment rate is 5.5% where currently as of December 31, there were 145,400 employed and 8,400 unemployed.
Early today, Gustaff Herman, Deputy Commissioner of Labor for New York State annnounced in White Plains that the New York State number of unemployed persons statewide had risen by 49,300 persons to 7% in December , up from 6% in November, and 5.7% in November. Gustaf Herman, Deputy Commissioner of Labor for New York State told WPCNR that the Westchester and Putnam unemployment percentages were not broken out at this time.
Statistics circulated by Mr. Nelson to media late Thursday afternoon, report that the number of persons employed in the Hudson Valley Region which includes Westchester County, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan and Ulster Counties decreased 9,500 or 1.2 percent, to 758,000 for the 12-month period ending December 2008.
Private sector employment at 758,000 is the lowest November job count since 2005. Industries that were once resilient at the onset of the recession has now begun to show some marked weakness.
Despite all the financial woes, construction had continued to perform admirably up until 4th quarter 2008. For December 2008, the sector recorded a mere growth of 0.4 percent. For the same period last year they posted a growth of 1.3 percent and 6.3 percent the year before last.
Professional and business services sector which is highly sensitive to economic trends had also been performing well up until recent months. The sector has now begun to show signs that it’s not immune to the National recession. Employment in the sector declined by 2.2 percent. For the same period last year they posted a growth of 1.4 percent.
Meanwhile the financial crisis has begun to wreak havoc on the auto dealers in the region. Over the past year, five car dealers have closed operations as a result of tightness in credit.
Analyst observations:
Persistent economic woes- housing, credit and financial crises, along with a slew of layoff announcements at the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009 all point to a troublesome period for job seekers in the region. For December 2008, Private sector employment in the area declined by 9,500 or 1.2 percent. The construction and professional and business services industries which had been quite resilient in early 2008 have begun to show marked weakness, clearly a sign that the National recession is finally impacting the region.
WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. January 22, 2009 (EDITED): Larry Schwartz, who has served the Spano Administration from the start in top positions, is leaving his job as deputy county executive to take a high-level position in the administration of Gov. David A. Paterson.
Schwartz, a resident of White Plains, will serve as first deputy secretary to the governor, reporting directly to Paterson and Secretary to the Governor William J. Cunningham III as they work to address the range of issues affecting New YorkState.
Susan Tolchin, previously Director of Communications and Chief Advisor to the County Executive, Andrew Spano, will succeed Mr. Schwartz as Deputy County Executive. Ms. Tolchin’s position as Chief Advisor to the County Executive will not be filled. Tolchin is first in line to succeed the County Executive should something unexpected happen to Mr. Spano and he be unable to perform his duties.
The position of Director of Communications will be shared jointly by Donna Greene and Victoria Hochman, currently members of the Communications staff.
Schwartz, who originally held the title of chief advisor and then became deputy county executive in 2002, has essentially been chief operating officer for Spano, overseeing the daily operations of WestchesterCounty government. He played a critical role in the development and approval of the $1.7 billion annual operating budget, as well as all of the CountyExecutive’s intergovernmental operations. He also aided in the financial rescue and recovery of the WestchesterMedicalCenter.
“I thank the county executive for giving me the opportunity to serve in county government and the people of this county,” said Schwartz. “Now I look forward to new challenges and serving the people of New YorkState.”
Tolchin became communications director for the county in 1998, overseeing all public information efforts and media relations. She was additionally named chief advisor to the county executive in 2002, overseeing the operations of various county offices and departments.
Before that, from 1980-1993, she was elected to seven terms as town clerk for the Town of Greenburgh, Westchester’s largest town. She has long been active in civic affairs. She is currently a member of the board of the Westchester Arts Council, the Westchester Jewish Conference and the Jewish Community Center on the Hudson.
Said Tolchin, “I thank Andy for giving me his opportunity and for having faith in me. I have been proud to work for an administration that is open and ethical and to work for a county executive who really cares about the people of Westchester. Larry and I have been more than just co-workers. We have been very close friends, and I will miss him tremendously.”
WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From The County Clerk. (EDITED) January 22, 2009: The rate of initiated foreclosure actions slowed over the last 12 months. Westchester Countystatistics released by the County Clerk’s Office today show the number of initiated foreclosure actions have been steady the last two years and have kept pace in 2008 numbering 2,166 in 2007 and rising 2% to 2,206 more foreclosure actions in 2008. The rate of foreclosures continued steady, but is down sharply from 2005, and 2006. Foreclosure proceedings in the county grew 50% from 2005 to 2006 and 40% from 2006 to 2007.
Contributing to Westchester foreclosures slowing were the foreclosure reform measures signed into law last August. One part of the new state legislation requires lenders to send pre-foreclosure notices to borrowers at least ninety days before an action is started.That notice encourages the homeowner to seek help and provides contact information for local government-approved housing counselors.
“The measure not only mandates lending reforms for the future,” began Idoni, “but also provides immediate help to residents in danger of losing their homes.”And while 2008 statistics show an overall increase in foreclosure filings, they also reveal a significant drop in foreclosure actions filed in the last four months of 2008:
Filings Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
“The slowing of foreclosure filings is good news, but Westchester residents are still losing their homes and need help,” warned Idoni.“Without proper counseling, this respite will only be temporary.”Idoni urged local residents at risk of foreclosure to contact Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO),a non-profit housing agency with offices in White Plains and Mount Vernon.
A trained counselor can be reached at (914)428-4507 or visit www.wroinc.org for more information.
The Westchester County Clerk is the Clerk for the Supreme Court where foreclosure actions are heard.Please note that the commencement of a foreclosure action does not mean that a Westchester home will be lost to foreclosure.Filing a foreclosure action in the Westchester County Clerk’s office is the first step of a process which could result in the loss of a home or building.
If a foreclosure is granted, the home or building is sold at a foreclosure auction and the proceeds of the sale are used to pay off the loan.However, some homeowners enter into a repayment plan, secure a modified loan, refinance with another lender or sell their home on their own to avoid foreclosure. The office of the Westchester County Clerk is located at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in White Plains and is open Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) from 8 a.m. until 5:45 p.m.For more information, please call 995-3070 or visit www.WestchesterClerk.com.
WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From The Superintendent of Schools. January 20, 2009: Timothy P. Connors has released the laundry list of school budget suggestions voiced by about 100 citizens at last Thursday evening’s First School Budget Community Forum at White Plains High School at which the district announced it was seeking to cut the school budget $9.2 Million. Here is the Superintendent’s cover letter. To see the suggestions, click “Read More.”
January 16, 2009
Dear Friends of Education,
On behalf of the Board of Education and the Administration, we thank you for joining our budget forum last evening.
The attached are the recommendations you made that the Board of Education and I consider as we develop our preliminary budget.Your suggestions were thoughtful and informative and will be helpful in our deliberations.
We look forward to seeing you at our next budget forum on February 25th at 7:30 p.m. at White Plains High School.
Sincerely,
Timothy P. Connors
Superintendent of Schools
WORK SESSION #1
1.What are the programs and/or services the school district should reduce or eliminate?
Programs
Can we afford the Newcomer Center?
Some languages (especially at WPHS) i.e. german, latin
Elementary Summer School
Provide Pre-K program on an eligibility based method
Reduce or eliminate programs with lower attendance/enrollment
Reduce or eliminate out of district conferences
Try to bring back students being sent to other schools at taxpayer expense – Get services back in-house
Reduce non-teaching programs
Eliminate programs that are limited to a small population
Evaluate elective offerings
Eliminate free Pre-K to families that can pay
Eliminate programs that don’t work
Fewer Arts programs – how you spend money
Fewer sports
Is WINGS program necessary?
Streamline Special Education programs in Elementary Schools (maybe only 3 out of 5 schools)
Services
Can we afford the freshman sports teams?
How do we better coordinate non-varsity level sports with City?
Winter/Summer Enrichment and Bussing costs
Transportation
Field trips/Costly transportation
Streamline amounts of bus routes
Return to neighborhood schools – reduce busing
Go to neighborhood schools
Increase mileage for transportation – .25 to .5 miles
Eliminate 2:00 bus at Highlands/Eastview
Consultants
Reduce consultant costs – reduce amount of consultants – use inside staff
Review Staff Development training costs ( stop outsourcing)
WPCNR THE BIG EXTRA. News & Comment by John F. Bailey. January 19 2009: I wrote this column in 2004. It still stands relevant today, Monday morning at 8 A.M. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in White Plains, the man, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be remembered. His birthday was last Thursday. I am not that familiar with Dr. King’s life, but I do know that he, like other great men of America who have their days, Dr. King’s name stands for a value that America holds dear.
In the pomp and partying surrounding the Barack Obama Inauguration binge that’s been going on the last three days, Dr. Martin Luther King — the man who made Barack Obama possible has all but been forgotten. President-Elect Obama surely will mention him his speech Tuesday. If not, Mr. O, please put him in your speech now. Just a paragraph will do.
But let me revive this column, which began this way:
George Washington stands for honesty.
Abraham Lincoln for freedom
Columbus for discovery,
Dr. King’s name stands for Opportunity.
When I think of Dr. King, I think of the Selma marches, I think of Birmingham, I think of Little Rock, Arkansas, where he lead the African-American community in demonstrations asking for the right of equal opportunity in America: a seat on a bus wherever they chose; a restaurant or hotel of their choice; the right to apply for a job without being turned down because you were black. Blatant in-your-face- discrimination was publicized by Dr. King and America was shown it was not right.
It took fearlessness to do that. Who today has that fearlessness that Dr. King and his followers showed all of America?
Today, subtle discrimination denying equal opportunity, denying education, exploiting the poor and guaranteeing less opportunity are the evils that Dr. King, had he lived, would be attacking today.
When I write those sentences I just wrote, it seems incomprehensible to me that someone would deny another person that. When you think about it, it is an awful situation to think about. In the 38 years since Dr. King was murdered, the nation has come a long way in breaking down the visible barriers of racism based on creed and the color of one’s skin — and now, today, the language one speaks and where they are from. The education establishment with the exception perhaps of the Port Chester School District, as pointed out by the Journal News series on education running this week, continues to favor the English-speaking, the wealthied, and the well-situated.
Today the barriers to Equal Opportunity are more subtle and just as effective.
Barriers still exist: in the classroom. There is reluctance to deliver quality education to the black and Hispanic populations in America today. Last year, for the first time, the White PlainsCitySchool District has agreed to a pilot program of teaching English speaking and Spanish speaking students together in Kindergarten and the grades going forward. It is about time.
The only reason there is a concentrated effort to do so are the state achievement tests which showed the shame of our education programs for minorities. The Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors is to be commended for pushing this program.
On the other hand, there is the perception elsewhere that because your name and skin color are different, you automatically need help and are slow-tracked into remedial classes; the inclusion of the slower (read minority) children in one corner of a classroom so you can deal with the “problem children” all at once; the notion that it is all right to use millions of dollars meant for rebuilding poor performing schools with better buildings, better teachers, but is used to create educationalbureaucracies for the politically connected instead.
In the last ten years the products of this subtle unequal educational opportunity have been well documented and given a name: The Achievement Gap. The educational establishment invests millions in studies to fine solutions to it and they have learned a lot about it. It takes more School District heads to stand up and say like Dr. King, “we simply are not going to educate half the population any more.”Timothy Connors, to his credit, did that last year.
The lagging of minority youth is blamed on the home and family breakdown. Well then you have to bring more attention to the family unit and those youngsters’ home environment, putting the education in there. It’s expensive but if you want to solve the Achievement Gap you have to do that. The City of White Plains and the School District are reaching out to do that with the Family Excell program reported in WPCNR (the only media to do so last year). How is that doing?
The argument that you have to speak English in the schools and learn through English is racial superiority. Of course you have to learn to speak English, but really, Bilingual education is how we English-speakers learn another language. Port Chester has achieved this — and WPCNR pointed this out to the White Plains School Board six years ago. Why is this new?
Every new teacher being hired in the White Plains School District should be bilingual — that’s the first thing the new Superintendent just announced should work on when he comes in July 1. And how about for his new Superintendent’s cabinet a educator in charge of bilingual education and performance, just for starters.
Why not have teachers educate children in their own language with English simultaneously? It is proven to work in Port Chester and New Rochelle. It is time to stop the subtle prejudice that we do not want non-English speaking children in our towns and schools because they are too hard to educate and will cost us money to do that. They are children, you simply cannot throw them away because they do not speak English.
This discrimination Dr. Martin Luther King would find hard to take.
He would bristle at lowering standards for minorities, because he would see right through that argument, saying: when are you going to raise the standards for my people because you don’t have to work any harder at educating them if you do not raise your expectations for them.
I think Dr. King would look around today and appreciate how Blacks and Whites, Hispanics and Jews, Catholics and Protestants, Muslims andother races mingle together in today’s America.
I think he’d observe we are all becoming more appreciative and respectful of each other. But, I do not think he would like today’s buzz word :”diversity” and our smugness about our diversity.
He would say that’s nice, but let’s keep our eye on the prize, to borrow the wonderful motto of the White Plains Department of Public Safety, let us treat all with integrity, professionalism, respect, and to that add opportunity.
Now, let’s think how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would handle the present homeless situation in White Plains. Where souls were used for political posturing and to appeal to the fears of the citizens and not their sense of fairness and justice.
I believe Dr. Martin Luther King if he were in White Plains today would bring the homeless 40 or so spending nights in the woods and overflowing at 186 West Post Road at the warming shelter to breakfast with him. He’d have them camp out in tents at Andy Spano’s house or on the island at Renaissance Square. He would not let it pass. He’d run as many warming shelters as he felt necessary and get that television coverage when they were going to be closed down.
Dr. King was not only politically incorrect, but politically uncooperative.
He’d introduce the “feared 40” all around to the rich and the powerful and the well-connected and show them the people whom they are treating like cruel political pawns by our leaders on the county and the city level – all over this county.
He’d ask each to tell their stories at his breakfast. He’d prey for compassion from us the wealthy, the powerful and the decent, and the respectable to have compassion for the weak, the misdirected, the addicted and disturbed, and the mortgage-ravaged.
He’d ask White Plains leaders to accept the responsibility of leadership and by reaching out personally to the homeless to provide them meals and, perhaps jobs during the day, to welcome them in to White Plains somehow. To help them make a new start in White Plains in a firehouse, a church, or a vacant hospital. To challenge businesses to weave these persons into the fabric of the downtown, instead of telling them they are not welcome.
He’d challenge us to step up our humanity, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did when no one else would 39 years ago.
He’d shame the two governments, county and city, for not treating the homeless with simple human respect and adhering to the constitution, which prohibits you from being jailed for no reason – a policy incredulously being pushed by politicians who should read the constitution just once to reset their minds.
He’d ask White Plains to rise up and forgive the persons with the prison records who have done their time, and find jobs for them and through forgiveness, and respect for them, melt away the homeless persons’ suspicions and resentments, alleged by our “leaders.”
And about our gangs: Dr. Martin Luther King would go out to the streets of Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Port Chester, New Rochelle, Peekskill – the cities where gang activity has been reported – and speak to them about where they are going. (Perhaps he’d simply speak to White Plains youths, since we have been assured by our officials there are no gangs in White Plains.)
It is difficult to say Dr. King would say to the gang members of our area. But, I assure you he’d be in their midst confronting this problem and admitting it exists.
As we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Monday. Ask ourselves what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would think of the way we have treated the homeless on the Warming Center issue. What he would think about how we have “reached out?” Would he approve of the way we are working with our youth, our Hispanic population, about how dollars are being used for affordable housing and why it cannot be built faster, about how dollars are being spent in school districts whether on educating people or creating buildings or stadiums; how dollars are being spent by organizations supposedly helping the afflicted, and how they are really doing, and what are they doing with the dollars.
He’d excoriate the variable and below prime mortages now being foreclosed as a new form of financial redlining invented by the financial establishment to exploit. He’d ridicule the efforts of the government to “save” billion dollar financial institutions while allowing homeowners to lose their houses.
Would Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. approve?
He’d remind us that Jesus Christ chose to minister to the “hardcore” of his time. He went into their midst. He healed them and made them fishers of men.
The way to honor Dr. King tomorrow and at the “celebrated” holiday next week is to honor the afflicted, help the troubled with dignity, not humiliate them, not shun them, not “throw them out.”
The way Dr. King would view our world today?
He’d observe that “we need work.”
That the lynchings and the shutting of school doors are gone, but the attitudes remain.
And he’d point that out with that his long and finger pointing right at us.
He’d say, “I still have a dream.”
And he’d be celebrating Barack Obama’s election but pointing his finger at him for the pomp and party atmosphere that will exist Tuesday, and calling upon him to keep his eye on the prize and not on the power, the prestige, and the people who would steer him away from what needs to be done.
WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Westco Productions. January 18, 2009:Building on the success of its Magic To Do Players theatrical workshops for children and young adults with developmental special needs, such as Down Syndrome and autisim, Westco Productions will be offering a new workshop focusing on dance and movement skills for participants with special needs, it was announced today by Susan Katz, Westco’s Executive Director.
“Unlike the Magic To Do Players, the new workshops will not be directed toward preparation for a theater performance,” Katz said. “Instead, the participants will be working towards improving their coordination, concentration, and dance skills through specialized instruction and individualized attention,” she added.
Plans call for the workshop sessions to take place after school on six Tuesdays beginning April 21. There will be two sessions, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The workshop will meet at Westco’s rehearsal studio in the Westchester Arts Council’s ArtsExchangeBuilding at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains.
Further details, including prerequisites for participation and registration, can be obtained by calling Westco at 914-761-7463.
WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. January 17, 2009: A fire broke out in the basement of 60 Lake Street opposite the Getty Service Station Saturday afternoon. Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety Daniel Jackson describes the incident:
There was a “Fire in the basement of a 1 story commercial building. Knocked down quickly.
Adjacent building evacuated as a precaution for about 30 minutes. No injuries.
Believed to be caused by someone using a torch earlier in the day to unfreeze a pipe.
WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. January 16, 2009: WPCNR has learned that Circuit City the large electronics retail center adjacent Barnes & Noble in the City Center, White Plains, will close March 21, according to sources. The Circuit City website reports that the organization plans to liquidate and will not reorganize. The closing leaves White Plains without a major “big box” electronics draw in the city.
The Circuit City website reports it plans to close all of its chain by the end of March.
WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the Board of Education. (EDITED) January 16, 2009: White Plains Board of Education has announced it has selected Dr. Christopher Clouet as the finalist in the search for a new Superintendent of Schools.If a site visit and contract formalities proceed as anticipated, the Board of Education reports Dr. Clouet will be appointed in February and will succeed Tim Connors as Superintendent in July. In letter to the Community, President of the Board of Education Donna McLaughlin wrote, “We believe that Dr. Clouet has the experience and record of success we were seeking in order to continue the outstanding leadership that Mr. Connors has provided.”
Ms. McLaughlin’s letter states Dr. Clouet will be in the district on January 28th to visit schools and meet staff.A meeting with the community, open to the public, has been arranged for that evening, at 7:30 P.M. in the. Media Center at White Plains High School.
Currently Superintendent of the New London (CT) Public Schools, Dr. Clouet has eight years’ experience as a superintendent.He is in his second term as Chairman of the Connecticut Association of Urban Superintendents and was named Connecticut Multicultural Educator of the Year in 2000.He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.A graduate of Southern Connecticut State University, he has Masters’ degrees from Brown and Fairfield Universities.He earned his Doctorate at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Forty-two candidates from seven states and the District of Columbia were evaluated by consultants John Chambers and Deborah Raizes of the search firm of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates.After initial interviews with top candidates, the Board narrowed the list and expanded the interview team.
McLaughlin’s letter reports that a number of persons from the school district hierarchy, as well as PTA and community groups, in addition to the Board of Education interviewed the key Superintendent candidates. They include representatives from the Civil Service, Teachers, and Administrators and Supervisors Associations, the Superintendent’s Cabinet, PTA Council and Centro Hispano.We wanted to include as many people as possible in the final interviews but were aware that we had to maintain confidentiality, or we would lose impressive candidates.
WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. January 15, 2009: In an unprecedented promise, Fred Seiler, Assistant Superintendent for Business, told an audience of 100 persons at tonight’s Community Forum on the budget that the district was not going to do a roll over budget plus increases for 2009-2010. He promised the district would be looking to keep the budget at this year’s number: $184.4 Million. This would necessitate a $9.2 Million cut in spending, based on Seiler’s estimate of a 5% increase to continue at the present spending level.
Outgoing Superintendent of Schools, Timothy Connors, addressing over 100 residents at the Community Forum on the school budget Thursday night. Mr. Connors successor has been chosen, but the Board of Education did not reveal the identity of the new Superintendent or that they had accepted last night.
WPCNR has also learned from a member of the Board of Education that a new Superintendent of Schools to shepherd the district after June 30 has been chosen by consensus by the Board and that person will be announced to the media Friday according to Michele Schoenfeld, Clerk to the Board of Education.
The candidate has accepted and the money has been preliminarily agreed upon. No one WPCNR talked with would reveal the identity of the new superintendent choice. Persons familiar with the choice said all 4 of 5 of the finalists had excellent financial backgrounds and were outstanding candidates.
Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors said he had not had a role in reviewing the candidates, but expected to work with the new hire after they join the district. Next in the process will come site visits by the Board to the new superintendent’s district, and vice versa. WPCNR was told by our Board source that the money had been “worked out.”
Assistant Superintendent for Business, Fred Seiler announced the budget policy goal in his opening remarks, briefing slightly over 100 citizens at the first Community Forum on the budget at White Plains High School. Seiler confirmed WPCNR projections on the budget saying if the budget was rolled over it would increase 5%, or $193.6 Million. WPCNR had predicted at the district average 6.4% rise over the last 11 year, $196.3 Million.
Seiler detailed cut after cut in anticipated district revenue loss, painting a gloomy picture of lost state aid amounting to $4 Million-plus , and additional debt service of $1.7 Million. The projected shortfall has prompted the district to set a no-increase goal for this year.
Though Seiler did not mention what a roll—over figure would be. His estimate of “about 5%” of $184.4 Million would work out to $9.2 Million and that would total $193.6 Million. Average increase in the school budget the last 11 years has been 6.4%, as WPCNR has noted in past articles.
Donna McLaughlin said that the anticipated increase in the White Plains Teachers contract had been “figured in,” despite the contract negotiations being in mediation at this time.
The Pressures
Seiler said that the anticipated aid cuts including the new debt service related to the capital project to be put out for financing shortly would create a 9.3Million shortfall, (if, mind you the governor’s education cuts for 2009-10 is not changed).
Seiler told WPCNR, two legislator he talked to said they did not expect those cuts to be changed.
Seiler added that assessments and equalization rates had not been set and it was too early to tell that impact.
However, the preliminary assessment roll figure did come out January 1 is in and it is $288.4 Million, resulting in a shortfall in the levy, if it holds at that level. In order to keep the budget where it is, the budget has to be cut an additional $1.7 Million down to $182.7 Million to avoid a $7 increase in the tax rate.
Certioraris Forever
Seiler also predicted school liability for $8 to $10 Million in certiorari refunds in 2009-2010 and going forward “annually,” giving no indication when the certiorari drain will stop. This certiorari debt payment was apparently not figured into the cuts, or did not appear to be, but may be. How that debt would be paid was not addressed last night.
It is worthwhile for school board members and the newly chosen Superintendent of Schools to note, that the new 2008 White Plains equalization rate of 2.75, last year’s was 2.74. This is the magic number that drives certiorari filings. It portends a wave of repeat certioraris in the years ahead from big name successful cert filers of the past. If that comes to pass, it could mean dire problems for the city and the school district and ultimately the tax payers, unless of course the state, or someone legislates a freeze on certiorari filings.
Seiler has reported previously that the $8 Million in certs for 2009-2010 will go out for financing with the capital project bond since interest rates are at their lowest point in years.
STAR Mayhem Revealed
Additonally, Seiler said the Governor’s 2009-2010 budget included a further 10% STAR reduction for each homeowner. The Department of Real Property Services reports that the reduction included in the Governor’s budget actually is more than that for BASIC (under 65 Homeowners) and ENHANCED STAR homeowners (over 65), it is 18%. This will cost each White Plains BASIC taxpayer $300, and each ENHANCED Star Recipient, $596 in taxes from the start. Seiler mentioned also that the STAR Rebate up to $1,000 has been eliminated in the Governor’s new budget.
Things may not be as dire as painted last night, if the state legislators throw out the Governor’s cuts and President-Elect Barack Obama shoots massive billions in aid to New York State as a green tourniquet for New York as a financial disaster area, wiping out the state $15 Billion deficit in one swoop.
Seiler said the Governor has proposed a decrease in state aid to the district of $2 Million (taking away last year’s increase in state aid 75% of which was actually paid for by White Plains taxpayers thanks to the legislature stealth STAR Exemption cut of 10%. WPCNR reported this last April. In fact WPCNR told the School District about this cut at the time.
Give us Your Ideas for Cuts
With this as a gloomy background the 100 residents of White Plains arriving on the snowy night were then given a chance to weight in with suggestions for cuts. Theresa Niss gave the group their marching ordersand each table was asked to give the district their ideas on how the budget would be cut.
The Superintendent said the district wanted the attendees ideas on how to cut the budget and what areas should be cut. Two 20-minute lightning-round discussions were held at each table to discuss the following issues:
The First 20-minute Lightning Round Questions the respondents were asked were:
1.What are the programs and/or services the school district should cut or eliminate?
2.What are some other ideas that would generate cost savings within the school district?
3.With less revenue, what can the district do without?
The Second 20-minute Lightning Round Questions respondents were asked to comment on were:
1.What areas of personnel (staffing) can be reduced or eliminated?
2.In what areas can class size be increased?
3.How could we generate additional revenue?
After each session, Superintendent of Schools circulated among the tables reminiscent of Jerry Springer asking a spokesperson from each of the tables to give one suggestion. The suggestions were written up on large easels at each table. They will be tabulated and e-mailed to participants.
Suggestions were written on easels at each table. They were collected and will be e-mailed to participants prior to the next Community Forum on February 25.
Wrapping up the evening, it was said that the Board and administrators would be looking at the suggestions and using it to craft a budget, apparently no larger than $184.4 Million. The new budget would be presented February 25 again at the high school with the district decisions for public comment.
The primary announced suggestions were cutting benefits, cutting personnel, cutting administration, a long-range budget cutting plan, expanding class sizes, cutting transportaion. But this is not an all-inclusive list.
