You’re Now Leaving the USA – German School’s Katharina on Skyliners Gold

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WPCNR RINKSIDE By Katharina Devitofranceshi, The German School, White Plains. May 4, 2008: Synchronized Skating: Those are two words you don’t hear very often and most likely tell you nothing (that is unless you’re in the 10th grade of German School New York in White Plains, then you know all about it.)






The Skyliners of New York, the Tri-State Area’s Zagreb Snowflake Trophy Junior Gold Medal Winners, skating in the Frasier, Michigan  Syncrhonized Skating Junior Qualifier in January. The Junior team holds tryouts tonight in Rye, and here a member of the team, attending the German School here in White Plains, Katharina Devitofranceschi reflects on the team’s unforgettable journey, representing the USA in Croatia in March.


 


 



Skyliners 2008 Juniors skating their Short Program in Frasier, Michigan in January.



The basic gist of it is, sixteen girls skate together as a unit and (most of the time) synchronized to complete a short program (2 and  ½ minutes), and a long program (4 minutes), each program is jam-packed with a series of difficult elements showing skill, strength and flexibility.


Sounds easy? It’s not. It’s hours of hard work both on ice and off, laden with sweat, lots of yelling, tears and blood, and I’m not over-exaggerating either. Most of us have the scars to prove it.


But, as a team with an incredibly close bound, we are always there for one another.


Being on The Skyliners is much like eating candy: We bit through the hard candy coating and are rewarded with a yummy, soft center.


 


 


In this case, the chewy center was an international assignment from United States Figure Skating to skate in Croatia and the title TEAM USA.


So overseas we flew in March to compete in the Zagreb Snowflake Trophy Competition March 9-14, a first flight abroad for most girls on our team, and 12 hours later we made it all the way to Zagreb. We all agreed that it was a surreal sensation to finally be there, after all the anticipation which had built up since August.


 


 



Katherina is third from left, front row — posing with the Juniors at the 2008 Eastern Regional Synchronized Skating Championship in February when the team finished second.


Photo, Courtesy, Lawrence H. Cooke


 


We spent most of the days leading into the competition having extra practices, fine-tuning the programs to perfection and listening to our coaches’ (Josh Babb and Jenny Gibson) and parents’ “motivational speeches.” (They got old fast, trust me.)


When the Zagreb Snowflake Trophy Competition actually began, it was absolutely nerve-wracking, knees shaking and jitters, all that good stuff. Our first shock came when we got our scores. They were much lower than anticipated. Dissappointed and heads hung low, we made our way to the locker room in silence, despite the fact we were in first place. But it didn’t mean anything because the favorite-to-win had yet to skate.


But our biggest surprise came when we found out, we, the underdogs, had won! Twenty of the loudest screeches erupted simultaneously. Naturally, celebrating and partying (with the awesome Aussies) ensued.


This year (2007-2008) has undoubtedly been the most trying year, what with juggling school and skating constantly, but our parents’, coaches’ and teachers’ support made everything that much easier. Those last moments in Croatia, standing up on the podium, were unforgettable. The Skyliners’ organization is still pretty young, so to have won the gold at our first international assignment (an accomplishment in itself, was unexpectedly incredible!


I know no matter what happens next year internationally, for good or bad, nothing can make me forget that unimaginable sense of accomplishment as a team.


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Disney Pixie Dust Blesses WBT Beauty with Soaring Belle, Sympatico Beast

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WPCNR CENTERSTAGE. Theatrical Review by John F. Bailey. May 3, 2008 Updated with Pix: Children of all ages will thrill to Westchester Broadway Theatre production of Beauty and The Beast, which opened this week, bringing the classic Disney movie and Broadway show  to close-up and personal life. All it takes is a liberal sprinkling of Disney Pixie Dust from Tinkerbell  to coax  new pyrotechnics and heights to the dinner theatre that has been giving its own unique stagings of Broadway classics in the round for 34 years.  Thursday evening the Disney magic – if not the  Broadway magic – recreated anew the enchantment of Beauty and The Beast.



A Love for a Once and Future Time: Rena Strober as Belle. Joseph Mahowald as The Beast make everyone’s favorite fairy tale new again at Westchester Broadway Theatre. All Photos, Courtesy, Westchester Broadway Theatre, by John Vecchiolla





Rena Strober is a strong, spunky Belle  who touches your heart, brings on the tears, and uplifts the spirit with her articulated, up-and-down-the-scale mastery of Belle’s reach-inside-and-make-you-feel songs : Home (We Are Where We Shall be Forever) with Maurice (her father), and the splendid song that delivers the essence of falling in love, A Change in Me . `



Joseph Mahowald’s Beast is simpathetic, human, though the book does not give Mr. Mahowald much dialogue to do so, he becomes more human in Act II.  The spunky, spirited heroine who stands on her own,  Belle, first vexes him, then charms him.  His grouchiness and temper come under control. 


Mahowald’s body language as the Beast conveys power and fierceness with a visage that will not terrorize the children – though in fairness to Mahowald he does not have much time in Act One to allow audience to see the good within or feel sympathetic to him.



Mahowald’s rich baritone fills the tiered hall on the Beast’s signature song in Act I – How Long Must This Go On?


Mahowald absolutely delivers  How Long Must This go On? portraying painfully the heartbreak within over his fate (doomed to a Beast’s existence for his treatment of an enchantress in the distant past).


The scene of his transformation opens the show – and electrifies the audience  — not as techno-ed up as Broadway can did  it – but the darkness, the lighting flashes and the explosive pops of flame are loud enough and bright enough to show magic is going on without scaring the young ones. The magic continues!


When Mahowald closes Act I, singing If I Can’t Love Her – you wonder why no one has never made a commercial recording of this song, the regret tears you up.  Mahowald’s vulnerable delivery in that big Riatt-like voice of his brings forth pity for the Beast and makes you root for him. But then, I am a sentimentalist.



Driving the forces of evil in a most devilish and entertaining way is whom I consider to be the ultimate Gaston, Jonathan Burgard – muscled, striding, bigger than life he seems to have stepped out of The Beauty and The Beast movie – into life.  Here he cavorts with admiring ladies, left to right, Jessica Dillan, Floryn Glass, and Katie Sina in the village square singing Gaston, his personal theme song.


A lot of others think so, too. He has played Gaston five times in productions up and down the East Coast. Thursday night he showed why. His preening and superior self-confidence was chuckle-heavy offensive. His comic delivery, clear. Voice deep and macho, and no actor sings about himself better on Gaston’s star-turns in Act One – Me  and Gaston in a marvelous scene. Burgard is aided in his cavorting by Adolpho Blaire as his Lefou whose acrobatics and sychophantic palling around with Gaston is a human recreation of the attitudes of the two  in the movie.`


 



The endearing, comic, daffy Beast Castle Staff — Left to right, Talana Deshaies as Babette, the elegant Lumiere (Rick Hilsabeck), William Hartery as the punctual, proper Cogsworth, Stacia Fernandez as Mrs. Potts and Marguerite Willbanks as Madame de la Grand Bouche — whose tricks with the dresser she is slowly turning into — will delight the children, and of course, Chip, the teacup, Michael Herwitz. 


 Belle’s beginning of captivity in the Beast’s castle is softened by Cogsworth  (solidly characterized by William Hartery as the butler turned into a clock by the enchantress, and Lumiere (played by Rick Hilsabeck with the perfect j’ne sais quoi) the chef, whose hands have become candlesticks which actually light – you have to see this. Hartery and Hilsabeck pick the dark tone of the opening and kick the enchantment up another notch.



The Pixie Dust magic casts its spell capturing you for the rest of the night with the staging of Be Our Guest. 


Be Our Guest, with plates dancing, the set expanding, opening up  to multi-levels before your eyes will make your jaw drop as the small stage gains depth and turns into a magnificent dining hall with the ensemble delivering a spectacularly choreographed number combining costumes and steps and pacing that is beyond Vegas. It is easily the best full-cast dance spectacular WBT has ever staged in the eight years this reporter has been reviewing their productions. Kudus to Director and Choreographer Richard Stafford on this number alone.


However Belle fleas the Beast’s lair when she invades the forbidden West Wing of the Castle. As The Beast dispairs, singing If I Can’t Love Her to end the hour and 20 minute first act – with the haunting lines “So little is left of me… “ and “Long ago I should have seen all the things I could have been…” The way Mr. Mahowald delivers this song will break your heart. He makes his hurt inside, hurt inside you.


The Second Act builds on the first, heightening dramatic intensity – but is so well acted – you even though you know the story – you are worried about the Beast and Belle.


Of course, when Belle flees the castle, wolves (a frightening bunch) attack her and The Beast viewing the action in a magic mirror, comes to her rescue. Romance then blossoms. A touching scene of her aiding his wounds, is followed by his gift of his library.


Two numbers by the terrific entourage of actors and actresses move the romance along in believable fashion, singing “Something There,” and Mrs. Potts (Stacia Fernandez) delivering the title song Beauty and The Beast – that tells you what is happening between the odd couple who dote more and more on each other.  Again the WBT set opens up to the stars magically, creating a grand romantic vista.


At this juncture Belle delivers her knockout love song – A Change in Me. Ms.Strober does not sing this, she  shimmers it exquisitely  endowing it with a grace that renders in melody blossoming love in bloom. It is exactly how a person in love feels.  Strober handles the Belle songs superbly and is every bit the Belle of the movie, wholesome, spirited, plucky.



Of particular note is Strober’s duet with David Titus, playing her father, Maurice. Their duet No Matter What” when his invention of an automated log splitter (hilarious at best) is a marvelous statement of how fathers and daughters feel about each other.  Titus gets the most out of his lines, too. His Rodney Dangerfield eyes bring instant merriment.


 Belle comes to aid her father, about to be asylumed due to a dastardly blackmail plot by Gaston.  The Beast is put in danger as Gaston leads a mob to the castle to kill him.


In the denouement, a duel between Gaston and the Beast, on a castle tower that rises up out of the stage, you almost think it is not going to end happily – preserving suspense to the end.


 


The famous final scene produces a magic happy moment producing bravos for Lumiere, Cogsworth, Gaston, Beauty and Beast, good triumphing!


The larger than normal live orchestra does not deliver the Big Broadway sound – however it stays under the singers so all words are not drowned out.


The sets are detailed and employ ingenious creative use of the WBT’s mechanical abilities. Rising turrets out of nowhere. Lurking wolves. Magnificent costumes create the Disney enchantment WBT style. The set design, through the magic of rotating arches turns the little stage into the illusion of a vast brooding castle.


Give me some of that pixie dust!


The Disney dream never fails.


Beauty and The Beast runs 2 hours and 20 minutes. It began at 8:20 and ended at 10:45 with a thirty minute intermission.


It runs through August 9. For information, contact www.broadwaytheatre.com.

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County Clerk — Avoid Deed Copy Ripoff Scheme.

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WPCNR BUNKO BULLETIN. From Westchester County Clerk’s Office. (Edited) May 3, 2008: Westchester residents are hereby advised that they need not pay up to $60 for a certified copy of a deed to their home, that certified copies are obtainable from the County Clerk’s Office for as little as $6.


 


Westchester County Clerk Timothy C. Idoni warns county residents to beware of a new series of direct mail solicitation letters sent from companies offering to obtain a certified copy of a homeowner’s deed.  Idoni advises homeowners to stay away from companies such as the New York Record Retrieval, Inc. that are charging excessive fees for a certified copy of a deed.   This company is sending out official looking letters to county homeowners advising that “[t]he U.S. Government Federal Citizen Information Center website recommends that property owners should have an official or certified copy of their deed.” The letter states that homeowners can order a copy of their deed for the fee of $59.50 by mailing in or faxing a return form with payment information.


 


Westchester County Clerk Timothy C. Idoni warns county residents to beware of a new series of direct mail solicitation letters sent from companies offering to obtain a certified copy of a homeowner’s deed.  Idoni advises homeowners to stay away from companies such as the New York Record Retrieval, Inc. that are charging excessive fees for a certified copy of a deed.   This company is sending out official looking letters to county homeowners advising that “[t]he U.S. Government Federal Citizen Information Center website recommends that property owners should have an official or certified copy of their deed.” The letter states that homeowners can order a copy of their deed for the fee of $59.50 by mailing in or faxing a return form with payment information.


 


 “If you receive a letter from a company asking you to pay an exorbitant fee for a copy of your deed, throw it away!” cautioned Idoni. Homeowners, who want a certified copy of their deed, can easily obtain it from the county clerk’s office for the minimal cost of only $5.00 for up to five pages and $1.00 for each additional page.  “Homeowners are not obligated to pay a non-government agency for a document which is kept on file and properly recorded in our office,” said Idoni. 


 


The Land Records Division of the County Clerk’s office records all documents pertaining to real property transactions in Westchester County.  Assuring homeowners, Idoni stated, “Once your deed is filed and recorded in our office, it remains valid whether or not you have a certified copy in your possession.” 


 


For homeowners, there are several options for obtaining a certified copy of a deed.   Visit the Office of the Westchester County Clerk, at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in White Plains, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. excluding legal holidays to speak with staff in the Land Records Division, who can assist you with your request.  Homeowners who cannot visit the office in person can call 914-995-3094.  “Make sure to have the exact name or names of the property owners and property address available before calling or visiting us,” said Idoni. Requests for certified copies can also be obtained by mail or email at


cc-land@westchestergov.com. Information on obtaining a copy of a deed can be found on the county clerk website at westchesterclerk.com.


 

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The Real Deal: Destination Weddings

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WPCNR’S THE REAL DEAL By The Wedding Jeannie, Jeannie Uyanik of C&G Weddings, WPCNR Columnista May 3, 2008: Destination events used to conjure up images of having to take a plane all the way out east – from Pennsylvania.  Its quite common now a days to have the majority of guests at an event flying in from all over the world, traveling for 16 hours one way just to join a couple for their big day.  It’s for this reason precisely, that rehearsal dinner rules and etiquette have changed so drastically (next weeks topic in depth); they don’t require the old yard stick of inviting anyone coming in from out of town as that would generally precipitate having two weddings.


 



Jeannie Uyanik, Planner to the World


The Wedding Jeannie


 


So for the purpose of this column’s discussion, a Destination Wedding is not one where most of the guests have to travel to attend your wedding, which is being hosted either in the couples’ home town, or the home town of one of the immediate families.  It is one where all the guests, including the bride and groom will have to travel to get to it; this does not mean that it has to be out of the country, a certain size or a certain distance away.  It simply means that neither you nor anyone attending the wedding actually lives where it’s taking place.  And then the fun begins.


 



 


Clearly, there are a few good reasons to do destination weddings, and as couples embark on a discussion of if they should or should not, consider the following:


 


1)      Is your aim to limit the budget or the guest list?


 


We find that most couples who begin to plan destination weddings do so because they are either trying to save money and figure that a far away wedding, will not only limit the budget, but also inevitably the guest list.  Neither is necessarily true.  Many of our clients are shocked when they realize how much more a destination wedding can cost.  And since most would have in theory preferred a big city locale, they are often pleasantly surprised to find that their dollars will go a lot farther at home.  Why?  Simply because there are so many additional costs that you have to cover when getting married farther away. 


 


i)                    You will usually have to foot the bill for at LEAST one trip to the destination of choice before the wedding.  Our experience shows that it will probably be two or three to make sure that everything is in place and in order.  This will require hotels, flights, transportation and food.  This adds up pretty quickly, particularly if you have chosen a destination that is also popular for the rest of the world.


 


ii)                   Hotel accommodations for guests when you are planning a destination wedding become a lot more important for the bride and groom to arrange for obvious reasons.  Many couples will choose to subsidize the room rate for the hotels, or they will feel obligated to if they have chosen a destination and time of year that is particularly costly.  This is something that many couples struggle with, but we find that since the hotel rates are usually the biggest reason that guests are not able to come, the majority of couples tend to subsidize rates. 


 


iii)                 Events as a whole for the time that guests are with you for your wedding become more important.  If you are doing a wedding in a city with which everyone is fairly familiar or lives, its less important to ensure that a) all guests are invited to the rehearsal dinner, or that there is a farewell brunch b) all guests feel that they are able to see the location, or be given a tour of some sort to get to know it and c) feel that they are participating in more of a “wedding weekend” rather than a 1 day event – especially if costly or lengthy travel is involved.


 


iv)                 Welcome baskets are a must.  When you invite every single guest to travel for your wedding, the least that you can do is give them a small token of your appreciation upon arrival – clearly, this is a lovely gesture for any wedding, but it’s an absolute necessity for a destination wedding.  Not doing so would be an egregious breach of etiquette and not spending the time or even money to make it something special or meaningful would be even worse!


 


v)                  Don’t ever expect that your guest attendance list will be lighter just because the wedding is farther.  The attrition rates for destination weddings tends to be in line with those close to home mainly because travel for weddings is so common place now a days and also because people use destination weddings as an excuse to get away or go see a location to which they have not been before.  The higher than expected rate of return always shocks destination wedding couples; both emotion and purse alike.  Many expect that the decrease in guest count will reduce the costs, but when the guests send the excited responses, the dollars go up!


 


2)      Do you have a specific location in mind, or are you willing to get married anywhere?


 


Many couples (given the above) will simply pick a destination randomly.  This is tough because it’s hard to fall in love with a place on demand and through intensive research on-line.  We always recommend that if a destination wedding is a must, choose a location that is genuinely meaningful to you and your fiance.  This will have a great impact on how guests feel about traveling there, about how you feel going there to prepare in advance of the wedding and of course, how the entire event takes shape.  It’s important to pick a destination wisely though especially since many couples assume that island weddings or international weddings will definitely be cheaper. 


 


That is certainly not the case.  With a currently weak dollar, the hope to stretch the budget is often just that. Often, even when services and goods are cheaper, so many things are more nebulous than when dealing in your own home town; in turn you have to take more expensive routes to ensure that details are being executed flawlessly. 


 


For instance, while you might not get married at the Four Seasons in New York City, given that it’s cheaper on a small island, you would and should consider a 5-star resort facility in order to guarantee quality.  What that translates to is that you will not necessarily have paid 5-star prices in the destination location, but it does not mean that you have saved money relative to doing it at home.   Often couples will pick a destination because of a specific resort or hotel (i.e. the Four Seasons in Costa Rica or the Ritz Carlton in Cancun).  Having your wedding or event at a hotel when doing destination planning is useful for everyone.  It removes the need and cost for transportation and eliminates an extra layer of complications. 


 


3)      Does the time of year that you would love to have your nuptials match that of the destination locations’ best or worst weather?


 


Many locations for destination weddings are of course warmer weather islands that couples flock to in the winter.  Of course, this can be a travel nightmare for guests, given that if you want to be in warm weather, the likelihood is high that everyone else does too.  What we see in response to that, is couples’ trying to go at off season times; in theory great, but off season is named that for a reason. 


 


Often this can be hard because hotels and restaurants shut down in the off months, either to refurbish or because traffic is low and hurricanes and or bad weather are typical during the off-seasons which would be risky for an event where airplane travel plays such a huge role.   High season is not only busy, but also expensive, so when determining location think about weather, and the likelihood that you might be competing with other guests not coming to celebrate your wedding. 


 


4)      Are you upsetting more people than you really want to by wanting to fly away?


 


Destination weddings can be contentious issues at family dinners when the families are not clear on why the couple is planning to “run away” to get married.  It’s important to explain to families the rationale behind the decision and to really attempt to include them as much as possible.  We have found that many families are only upset because they feel that they won’t be able to contribute as much, or that they will not have the same roles as they would if the couple were getting married closer to home (theirs or yours).  Preempting a lot of the concerns, responding PRO-actively rather than reactively to questions about details, hotels, flights, and dates will help pave the way for stress free planning that also gets everyone excited rather than anxious.


 


Destination weddings are a wonderful way to create an intimate wedding reception, provide a unique adventure for you and your guests and ensure that your wedding stands out from all the others.  We are huge fans of destination events, but it’s important to really understand all the issues with them before pulling the proverbial trigger. 


 


 


 


 


 


 

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Cappelli Lands TRO in Round One .Judge Halts City from Taking out Ritz Rock.

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. May 2, 2008: A lawsuit filed against the city by LC Main LLC  this week, accusing the city of “abuse of discretion,” in the city  effort to direct LC Main to remove the Ritz Carlton granite stone on the Renaissance Square traffic island, was continued to May 16 today.



City and The Super Developer Go to Court over The Ritz Rock on the traffic Island in center of picture on Renaissance Square.


 A Temporary Restraining Order issued by Acting Supreme Court Justice Susan Cacace, prevents the city from removing the Ritz Rock until arguments are heard. The city has until May 16 to submit their case for removal of the sign, and LC Main LLC has until May 23 to rebut.  Meanwhile the stone stands.


The Common Council considers the monument to have been erected without permission, dangerous to auto traffic and commercial use of city property.



 


 


 


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The News From Battle Hill

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WPCNR BATTLE HILL BLUES. From Battle Hill Association. May 2, 2008:  BHA contacted a fellow resident of BH and asked for his assistance with the noise pollution of cabs/taxis honking their horns on our residential streets.  They have been causing a quality of life issue on many of our streets honking their horns for their fares at all hours of the evening and early morning.  The Police have been working with us on solving this issue.  On April 18th our police were monitoring the situation and an arrest was made. Please review below article.

 

 

Quality of Life Issues and Concerns:

BHA contacted a fellow resident of BH and asked for his assistance with the noise pollution of cabs/taxis honking their horns on our residential streets.  They have been causing a quality of life issue on many of our streets honking their horns for their fares at all hours of the evening and early morning.  The Police have been working with us on solving this issue.  On April 18th our police were monitoring the situation and an arrest was made. Please review below article.


 

 BHA also contacted a fellow resident affiliated with the cab companies.  He also agreed with these quality of life concerns. Mario contacted the cabs and advised the companies not to have drivers honk the horn in order to solve the noise pollution.

 

We thank you Mario for working collaboratively with us and we look forward to continued positive results.

 

Battle Hill residents had concerns regarding the intersection at Chase and Alexander Ave.

Thank you Mr.McConnell for bringing this safety issue to the forefront.  Below is  the response from Lt. Christopher:


– 4 WAY – Stop – at Chase and Alexander. An Enforcement Action plan was performed.
Periodic enforcement took place at the intersection and summonses were issued. During
this enforcement 300 vehicles passed through the intersection and 5 summonses were
issued to violators. Please feel free to pass this information on to the association
members. Thanks Lieutenant Kevin Christopher

 

45 Battle Ave: Burnt out home for over two years.  Our board has been advocating for legislation/ resolution to have a time limit for these abandoned homes limited amount of time to either rebuild or renovated these unsafe and unsightly structures.  We have heard your complaints and concerns.  We strongly encourage you to ask the administration if we can look forward to any legislation regarding this on the May agenda of the common council meeting.  www.cityofwhiteplains.com

 

We will have more updates next week from building dept. with our ongoing violations and concerns.

 

Wandering Shopping Carts –BHA has also asked for legislation that mimics Greenburg legislation to combat the shopping cart problems.  The legislation will penalize the stores monetarily in combating this safety issue. Currently, our city DPW has been collecting them on our residential streets due to our locating them and only charges the stores a minimal amount $25.00 per cart only when the stores pick them up from the city dump.

 

24 Hour Bodegas — We also have heard your complaints with regard to the bodegas on Battle Ave that remain open until sometimes midnight in our residential area.  Many of you have asked why is Battle Hill different than the south end of town in which, Gedney Deli, Roosters, Rosedale Deli all close the business day at a reseasonable hour. BH has many 24hr stores at the foot of our hill within the commerical zone of both WP and Greenburg.

 

When we will we see resolution/legislation to solve this quality of life concern? 

 

Chatterton Ave Playground: The fence is broken and children were using the broken pieces in unsafe play.  The swings are broken and paint chipping from apparatus.

This playground was placed on the Capital Project Agenda last year for a new playground. This is the oldest playground in the city. 

 

The city responded and stated the updates will take place immediately. We hope to see this redone in 2008.

 

So for you folks that live and utilize this park.  Please let us know what type of repairs or activity you see in the next few days.  Remember you are the eyes and ears for us all over our neighborhood.

 

Fines on Housing Violations —  This past week the common council and administration are having work sessions to discuss our city budget.  As you are aware, BHA has been advocating for an increase in the building /housing code violations penalties for quite sometime. 

 

 In our communications with Assemblyman Adam Bradley this council and administration have not raised the fines to the ceiling in line with NY State.  We have asked WHY?  

 

Corporation Counsel  (Mr. Ed. Dunphy Esq) stated the fines and restructuring of penalities have been on his desk for quite sometime.  What is the delay?  We know Tony Magnotta the building inspector, has been working on these issues.  But according to the documentation and emails from all of you we are still having a serious issues of overcrowding and unsafe living conditions. 

 

We are asking for the penalty increase as a revenue stream and to economically deter unscrupulous landlords for lack of maintenance, health and safety risks they put tenants, children and families at risk.  These building and housing violations affect all our property values on the hill. Other municipalities in our county have raised the penalities significantly. (WPCNR notes that Damien Amadio, the Commissioner of Building reports that for the first time owners have agreed to make as part of their leases the right to inspect premises at any time, which Amadio described as a breakthrough and that the major landlords have agreed to conduct inspections for overcrowding.)

 

At this time the city administration is currently having work sessions regarding the city budget.  Please read some updates from White Plains CNR.

 


We encourage you to continue to report these unsafe conditions to the city administration for correction and follow up. Please use this form and report violations for immediate follow-up:     http://www.cityofwhiteplains.com/contact/building_complaint.html

 

Our next association meeting is May 15th 7:30pm  in our community room, in the old school.

Guest speakers: Building Dept, Sanitation Dept

We hope to see you, and bring a friend/neighbor

 

Battle Hill Association 

 

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Sales Tax to 8-1/8% June 1. Lost Sales Tax by Council Delay = 08-09 Tax Increase

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WPCNR Quill & Eyeshade. News & Comment By John F. Bailey. May 1, 2008: The failure of the Common Council to get the ¼ %  sales tax increase implemented sooner this year, possibly caused by a deliberate delay  by not getting the measure to the legislature until January, cost the city about $2 to 2.5 Million in revenue this year – dooming the White Plains taxpayers to paying an additional $2.1 Million in property taxes in 2008-2009.


The Common Council did not grasp that delay of sending the home rule request to Albany in January – and not giving the legislature a chance to pass the ¼% increase by December 1— when they could have legally done, could cost the city five months of collecting sales taxes at the increased rate quarter percent.


The projected revenue the ¼% might have generated for those five months, January, February, March, April and May, 2008 is directly equal to the tax increase in the city budget – $2.1 Million payable by White Plains taxpayers.


 


 


When Mayor Joseph Delfino Tuesday evening reported that the bill enacting a ¼% sales tax raising the White Plains sales tax to 8-1/8 %  was signed at noon in Albany Tuesday by Governor David Patterson, City Hall was jubilant, expecting the sales tax hike to click in today. 


According to Executive Officer Paul Wood Tuesday night, the tax was to begin to be charged beginning at midnight this morning.


However, the City’s Chief Financial Officer, Gina Harwood told WPCNR the sales tax increase was always planned to go into effect June 1 because the city merchants need 30 days to adjust their cash registers.


Ms. Harwood explained that the city sales tax may only raised by law four dates a year: June 1, September 1, December 1 and March 1. She said the sales tax had been acted upon “very expeditiously” by the legislature after the home rule was introduced in January.


Virtually No Impact this year.


Harwood also said that the June 1 increase would mean only “trickles” in increase in the sales tax for this year in how it effects the 2008-09 budget. The real impact of the ¼% windfall increase will contribute to the 2009-10 budget.


She said the city sales tax figures are computed on an accrual basis, explaining sales taxes charged in June would not be included as revenue in sales tax collections until July when the merchants file their sales tax returns with the state. Harwood noted that the revenues from a month’s sales are always realized in the next month, expecting little impact in raising the 2007-2008 final sales tax figures.


Legislature did Their Job for White Plains


Asked if the state legislature could not have acted faster, implementing the sales tax by March 1, Harwood said that was not the way the legislature worked.  Harwood said the city had always planned to have the sales tax in place by June 1 so the additional sales tax revenue would impact the 2009-10 budget. She said the legislature was not in session in late fall, except for special sessions when they were dealing with “other things,” and that the legislature does not act on sales tax measures until after they pass the state budget.


She said she felt the legislature acted “very expeditiously,” saying the bill was introduced in January and was signed by Governor Patterson this week. She said the city is very grateful for the legislature fast action on the bill.


Council Tabling the Issue Before Election Cost possible $2.5 Million in Sales Tax


There was  the possibility of getting a sales tax increase implemented earlier if the Common Council had not delayed the home rule request over the amount of the tax increase prior to elections in November.


Mayor Joseph Delfino had brought up the ½% tax increase in the spring of 2007 and at no time did the Common Council object strenuously to that amount until fall elections approached. When they began to table the issue, starting in September,  the Mayor was mystified.


 The Common Council dragged its feet on the sales tax increase issue leading up to the fall election – tabling the issue three months in succession that called for a ½% increase, and demanded budget projections from the Mayor (which the state already had on file from its Aid to Independent Municipalities requests, apparently unbeknownst to the council and Assemblyman Adam Bradley who was requesting the projections that the state already had, though he may not have been aware of it at the time. Mayor Delfino refused to make projections at the time, blaming he would jeopardize labor negotiations. )  


After elections were safely over, the council agreed to a ¼% sales tax increase.


Legislature Timing Delayed by Council Politicking


 Conceivably the legislature could have acted sooner and the city would have had increased sales taxes being collected this year.  ( In fairness, it is also possible the former Governor at the time, Eliot Spitzer might not have signed it and the same January introduction would have transpired anyway.)


With the sales tax in effect December 1 or even March 1 – (though according to Harwood, implementation if passed just after the election would not have been possible the way the legislature takes up issues — being out of session after elections.  The increase would have to be passed in the September, October period when the legislature was in session.)


With the sales tax quarter per cent in effect December 1, (in time for the holiday shopping season), White Plains conceivably would have gained five months of accrued $2.5 Million in additional sales tax (in January, February, March, April and May) from the extra ¼% increase. (The additional ¼% is expected to generate $5.6 Million in additional sales tax, according to city projections, an average of  $500,000 a month. )


The deliberate council effort  to delay the home rule request going to Albany so the legislature could have had the opportunity to enact it earlier apparently has cost the city $2 Million to $2.5 Million in sales tax, which could be a costly loss, given the continued soft Westchester economy.


It certainly is to the White Plains taxpayers who are paying an additional $2.1 Million in property taxes in the 2008-2009 budget – exactly equivalent to the failure to get the sales tax increase in place earlier – due to deliberate delay by the Common Council.


The Sales Tax Situation



To date, through March 31, 2008,  the city has collected $33.9 Million in sales taxes for the first  current fiscal year, 2007-2008 through three quarters, according to Ms. Harwood is 0.4% behind the 2006-2007 pace — off 7.6 % from the third quarter last year. 


As of March 31 2007, 2007 the city had collected $34 Million. If the city keeps pace with last year’s sales tax collection rate, it will receive $10.7 Million in sales taxes the final quarter ending June 30, 2008,  easily meeting its budgeted target of $43 Million, generating at this point an estimated $45 Million in sales tax – the projected amount in the city’s proposed 2008-2009 budget


What Might Have Been


The additional $2.5 Million the Council  gave up any shot of getting by their intentional possibly politically motivated delay  under the guise of protecting the taxpayer threw away – virtually burned by their election delay, would have increased sales tax collection to the $48 Million level this year.


Had the legislature only acted sooner and been given the chance to do so by the Common Council would  have easily put White Plains at the $48 Million plus level in sales taxes, generating a  surplus of $2.5 Million over budget ($43 Million in sales tax), now the surplus will be eroded by the $450,000 amount.


The case can be made the failure to act earlier by the Council hurt White Plains taxpayers rather than helped them.


Mr. and Mrs. and Ms. White Plains will be paying a 2-1/4%. sales tax to the City of White Plains  and a 1-1/2% sales tax to Westchester County; a 0.375%  sales tax to the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District, and a New York State Sales Tax  of 4% for a total sales tax of 8.125% (8 and 1/8 %).

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Study Necessary to Measure Ultimate Impact of White Plains Performing Arts Cente

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. May 1, 2008: In response to a request from WPCNR, Treasurer Ted Peluso of the White Plains Performing Arts Center Board of Trustees has provided more detail on the Arts Center halo effect on White Plains. Mr. Peluso and Chairman of the Board of Trustrees provided this detail on the Center’s impact on the city economy by its continued presence.


Mr. Peluso projects that in 2008-2009 the center will deliver $230,000 in local government revenues (not exclusively sales tax), and 95 full-time equivalent jobs (not all employed at the Arts Center). Mr. Peluso’s statement:


Here are the numbers I quoted Monday night:

 

Total economic impact              $2,900,000

Full time equivalent jobs             95

Resident household income       $2,070,000

Local government revenues*     $230,000

State government revenues *     $210,000

 

* Not sales taxes only

 

These amounts are derived from the projected economic impact of WPPAC’s activities for 2008-09, related to the methodology used in a 2005 study by Americans for the Arts (www.americansforthearts.org).  The study was done using 156 communities nationwide, including Westchester County. 

 

The WPPAC amounts are for 2008-09, while the study’s are for 2005.  No reflection has been given to effects of inflation from 2005 to 2008-09 and WPPAC amounts do not reflect economic impacts of activities attributable to programs done by organizations renting the theater. 

 

Obviously, these amounts are estimates.  The only way to obtain more precise numbers for WPPAC (but again still estimates) is to commission a study and survey for WPPAC which would cost money. 

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Council on Final Day, Extends Temporary Beds for Homeless

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WPCNR Common Council Chronicle-Examiner. By John F. Bailey. April 30, 2008: The meeting was called at 3:50 PM Thursday afternoon for 9 P.M. The reason, Paul Anderson-Winchell, Executive Director of Grace Church Community Services, had notified Mayor Joseph Delfino that  still no arrangements had been worked out for servicing undomiciled persons left homeless when Westchester County closed the Court Street Shelter August 6 of last summer, and who, to date have refused overtures to join the County Department of Social Services care system.


Winchell asked the Mayor to acquire Common Council approval for continuing service 19 additional undomiciled persons at Open Arms (14 men) and Samaritan House (5 women) through May 31. The additional beds were to have expired tonight.


The council voted unanimously, according to Council President Rita Malmud to extend the temporary service for one more month. She indicated this would be the last such extension for a temporary solution, and said there would be a meeting in May to bring together statkeholders to hammer out a solution as to where to house the reluctant to register homeless permanently evenings.


 


Council on Final Day, Extends Temporary Beds for Homeless Refusing County Services Though May.


WPCNR Common Council Chronicle-Examiner. By John F. Bailey. April 30, 2008: The meeting was called at 3:50 PM Thursday afternoon for 9 P.M. The reason, Paul Anderson-Winchell, Executive Director of Grace Church Community Services, had notified Mayor Joseph Delfino that  still no arrangements had been worked out for servicing undomiciled persons left homeless when Westchester County closed the Court Street Shelter August 6 of last summer.


Winchell asked the Mayor to acquire Common Council approval for continuing service 19 additional undomiciled persons at Open Arms (14 men) and Samaritan House (5 women) through May 31. The additional beds were to have expired tonight.


The council voted unanimously, according to Council President Rita Malmud to extend the temporary service for one more month.


Ms. Malmud said the council all agreed to extend the temporary beds, because “There was not a plan put into place to handle these homeless permanently.” Malmud reports to WPCNR the council hopes to have a meeting in May to resolve the issue of where the homeless who choose not to cooperate and participate with the Westchester County Department of Social Services will be able to stay overnight and where. She did not indicate whether Westchester County would participate.


Malmud said the council had been “compassionate” for some time but it was time for the county and the city(ies) to resolve the issue of what to do with the homeless who will not join the DSS system.


After the Court Street shelter closed in White Plains August 6, homeless persons not opting to cooperate with the Department of Social Services were on their own, mostly sleeping in woods surrounding the city. After local clergy balked at running county warming shelters,  making such homeless persons sleep in chairs at temporary church-run shelters, Grace Church stepped up to expand their shelter, getting paid $600 per person for housing some 19 or more homeless persons beginning in December. The 19-plus, said by officials to approach 25, have stayed at Samaritan House and Open Arms Shelter for five months.

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Stop Right There! Pay Panel: Legislators Freeze Your Salaries to 2010

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. By John F. Bailey. April 30, 2008: The County Legislators Compensation Advisory Board came out in favor of freezing Westchester County Legislators’ salaries until January 2010. They called for raises in salaries and stipends only to be voted upon after odd-year elections and to be limited to the cost of living price index.  Their recommendations are not binding, and the legislature can choose to raise the increases and implement them with impunity earlier  and higher if they wished. Chairman of the Board of Legislators Bill Ryan issued this statement on learning of the findings and cost of living increases recommended this morning:


“I would like to thank the members of the Compensation Advisory Board for their service to the people of Westchester. They worked hard over the last three months to address a difficult issue. The report they have submitted today is thoughtful and deliberative. The legislators will carefully consider their recommendations.”


 



 


The Chair did not respond to a WPCNR question as to whether the legislators would abide by the wage freeze recommendation, or the scope of the cost-of-living increases recommended, or would act to reward themselves despite the committee’s findings.


The Advisory Board found the job of County Legislator to be “a part-time job” and advised that legislators should not be recommending or voting to approve their own salaries, as a primary reason for delaying the Board’s recommended increases an average of 2.5% a year until 2010.


$49,000  Increased to $55,200 recommended


The Board, noting legislators are currently enjoying  compensation increases  made effective January 1, 2006, recommended the Legislators’ base pay should rise by a total of 7.5% effective January 2010 increasing their annual salary to $52,890. Stipends for Committee Chairs should rise $1,000.


The Board  advised that the position of Chair of the Board of Legislators,  currently held by White Plains’ Bill Ryan should be upgraded 7.5% ($3,000) to an annual stipend of $43,000, which added to his base salary would reach an estimated $98,000. The committee member WPCNR spoke with to confirm that figure estimated that was what the Chair would earn under the recommended guidelines.


In the course of the news conference, William Mooney, the Committee chair, noted pointedly that his committee concluded the job of legislator was, in Mr. Mooney’s words “At this time, we feel this is a part-time job.”


But it is a great part-time job


Mooney took one legislator’s pay and used it to note that should the Panel’s recommendations be followed, the legislator would receive $55,200 bade pay effective in Janury 2010, plus $25,000 in benefits for this “part-time” job. In addition to a $55,200 salary, each legislator receives $14,000 worth of medical benefits, $640 for Dental Care. Pension benefits $5,600,  and $5,000 more in benefits.


Public Commentary Running Against Original Proposals


Asked if public forum input swayed the panel’s feelings towards limiting legislator pay to the cost of living rate, Mooney said there was a good deal of support for increasing legislator pay more on the part of the public, but that the “cons” had the advantage by a slim margin.


The panel  strongly recommended legislators vote only on pay raises on odd-numbered years, and that they be limited to the cost of living.


The Chairman of the Board of Legislators (Mr. Ryan) ignited a controversy and much press attention, over legislator pay when he recommend his own stipend, using the argument that legislator and Chair is not a part-time job. The legislators’ original plan would have raised Ryan’s total pay $149,000 a year (more than the Mayor of the City of White Plains, who makes $145,881 presently).


More job description and oversight, please


Mooney said the fact that many Westchester residents are hurting in the present economy was a key element in the panel decision to keep wage recommendations to the 2.5% cost  of living increase.


Mooney chided the way 17 persons have been added to the Board of Legislators staff with no particular description of their duties – noting the budget of the Board of Legislators staff has doubled from $2.4 Million to $4.7 Million over three years.


Mooney said he had revealed the findings of the panel to Chairman of the Board of Legislators, Bill Ryan before the news conference and that the Chair had thanked him for their work.  Mooney stressed that the panel was only advisory.


Still, this puts the Board of Legislators into a touchy spot.


As Mooney put it in the news release, “Westchester residents have repeatedly expressed their concern about the growth and cost of government. This is also a difficult economic time when our society is facing significant stress from the cost of energy, job losses and rising taxes. This is the context  for the recommendations this panel is presenting to the legislators today.”

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