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

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WPCNR Legacies of White Plains. March 21, 2008: Seymour L. “Sonny” Katz, City Marshal of White Plains for more than 37 years, died March 21, 2008, at his home in White Plains. He was 86 years old, and remained active in his municipal position.

Sonny Katz

1921-2008

Seymour L. “Sonny” Katz, City Marshal of White Plains for more than 37 years, died March 21, 2008, at his home in White Plains. He was 86 years old, and remained active in his municipal position.

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WPCNR GUEST EDITORIAL. By Henry Ferlauto. March 20, 2008: In a few short months, one of the most important infrastructure and public works projects of our lifetime for the New York City tri-state region will be decided by a committee of people; most of whom are people we have never net, and will never know their names.  The Tappan Zee Bridge, which directly connects Westchester and Rockland Counties and ties together the entire tri-state area in so many ways, is aging and none too gracefully.  Yes, it’s true; our 50 year old bridge doesn’t look a day over 75.

 

Tappan Zee Bridge from 10,000 feet.

Commuter Rail from Rockland County Across the “New” Tappan Zee from Hudson to Port Chester?

 

Incredibly, the elected leaders of the region at every level of government, most of whom who have made public statements for reducing foreign energy dependence as well as reducing our collective carbon footprint have been largely silent on this very important issue.  I personally find this quite surprising. 

Even more surprising is the lack of public enthusiasm from the construction companies and labor unions as this project would be of tremendous direct benefit to both groups of interest.  But the needs of these two special interest groups pales in comparison to the needs of the masses that simply need to get from “Point A” to “Point B” on a daily basis so they can put food on their table.

 

Every municipality that presently has a railroad station in the Mid-Hudson Valley stands to greatly benefit from “Option 4A,” which in short calls for the full replacement of the Tappan Zee Bridge and the construction of approximately 30 miles of commuter railroad from Suffern to Port Chester. 

For those municipalities that are cities such as Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Poughkeepsie, Stamford, White Plains, and Yonkers; a large pool of employees would become newly available to the corporate citizens in those cities that have a presence within them.  It also means those same cities can easily attract more companies to them because they can easily attract the required talent on a daily basis. 

 For the smaller towns in between, their citizens gain new sources of potential employment whereby they can leave their cars at home; and in the process ease the congestion of our over-crowded local streets and major highways as well as reduce our dependency on foreign oil and reduce our emissions of green-house gasses.

Many may say that it is too big in scope and simply too expensive; if not outright crazy.  The project is most certainly large by just about any measure.  But if we look to our past, we will quickly recognize that we have been at a similar crossroads before. 

The Erie Canel Was laughed at, too.

Approximately one hundred ninety years ago, this area, in particular New York City, which was much smaller in terms of the land that was in use at the time; and of course as was its population, was faced with a similar dilemma regarding its future.  A New York governor, very early in to his first of four terms, who also was previously a ten term mayor of New York City by the name of DeWitt Clinton pushed forth a 100+ year old proposal that was by all accounts in that day, utter lunacy. 

 President Thomas Jefferson called the idea, “little short of madness.”  He (Clinton) had the audacity to push that the State of New York spend $5,000,000, quite a hefty sum in those days, to essentially dig what amounted to a 363 mile ditch from Albany to Buffalo.  That “ditch” became known as the Erie Canal. 

Mr. Clinton’s previous claim to fame was the proposal and construction of “the grid” in New York City, which is how the avenues and cross streets were laid out back in 1811.  It is a structure that has helped Manhattan maintain order during its enormous periods of growth, even to the present day.

Deja Vu All Over Again

The arguments against the construction of the Erie Canal almost mirror the arguments being made today to not build a full commuter railroad across Rockland and Westchester Counties.  It’s too expensive, too massive in scope, and will never yield a return on investment. 

“Clinton’s Ditch,” as it was referred to by those against the project, was actually generating revenue before its completion and most importantly saved New York City by retaining its dominance as the major port on the eastern seaboard.  It also brought great fortunes to the cities that were dotted along the route.  Schenectady, Utica, Rome, Syracuse Rochester and Buffalo all experienced periods of great economic expansion. 

Dream Big

If the State of New York had not had the vision and courage to dream big and work hard, we would have ceded our leadership as the premier port in North America to New Orleans.  This is because until the construction of the Erie Canal, the only way to easily get goods past the Appalachian Mountains was to sail all way around the tip of Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico to the port of New Orleans to ship goods up the Mississippi River.  The investment of our ancestors paid off in spades; and paid off for all New Yorkers.   

Moving Human Capital Today

Fast forward to the present day.  Our most valuable resource is now human capital.  The literal moving of minds should be our highest priority.  Very simply put, the easier it is to transport human beings from one place to the other; the better off the entire tri-state region will be as a whole.                                   

At the risk of using a double-negative, I would argue that the tri-state area cannot afford to not embark on such a construction endeavor.  Our roads are overly congested, in particular I-287, I-95 and Route 9A.  The cost of widening those roads would pale in comparison to constructing a 30 mile rail line connecting a total of 5 north / south rail arteries to create a “grid” of rail lines for the entire region.

This one project is comprised of the two great ideas from our past brought forth by DeWitt Clinton that laid the groundwork for economic expansion in New York for well over 100 years.  It transports our most valuable resources with much greater efficiency and creates a grid of routes for such transport.

The Justification of Cost

From the perspective of pure direct cost to New York State, Option 4A may actually cost New Yorkers less than the others, even though in total it costs more.  Here’s why:  With Option 4A, the states of New Jersey and Connecticut get pulled directly into the equation.  They will have a much greater interest in the project’s success.  Both the other states would gain the same way New Yorkers would.  The cities would have access to a greater population pool and the smaller towns in between do not need to flood their roads with drivers. 

This means there will be far more influence with the United States Congress to allocate Federal funds for the project.  Instead of one governor, we would have three.  Instead of two senators, we would have six.  Our Representatives in The House would also be much greater in number.  No one is going to swing for the proverbial fences for extra funding for glorified buses that no one would ever want to take.  Rail has proven itself as the preferred method of mass transit for this area and many others over the past 100 years.  And its popularity in recent years has been dramatically on the rise.

The Stewart Factor

The full commuter rail option also lays a large portion of the groundwork for an even greater comprehensive regional transportation infrastructure that we so desperately need.  There is serious consideration for the construction of a rail link to Stewart Airport in Newburgh, which has seen it usage skyrocket in the past year.  920,000 passengers utilized Stewart in 2007, over triple the figure of 300,000 in 2006.  This strategic plan would give a mass transit option to another major airport and ease the congestion at LaGuardia Airport as well as the roadways and bridges to it, which is often the mode of choice because LaGuardia Airport has no rail options whatsoever. 

If we as a society are serious about encouraging the use of mass transportation, reducing the congestion of our roadways, reducing our dependency on foreign oil, reducing our carbon footprint and creating an economic foundation to sustain this area for generations to come; then I encourage you to contact all those elected officials whom represent you. 

Tell them we need “4A All The Way.” 

Mr. Clinton would be quite proud.

Henry Ferlauto

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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS.  From Assemblyman Adam Bradley’s Office. (Edited) March 18, 2008: Assemblyman Adam Bradley (D-White Plains) announced the Assembly passed legislation today (A.9679), authorizing the city of White Plains to add a one-quarter percent sales tax that will help curb additional property tax hikes. The legislation was advanced after the Assemblyman convinced city officials to keep the increase to only one quarter, instead of one half percent.

 

Bradley said the quarter per cent sales tax increase still had to be passed by the State Senate, but did not know when this would happen. He said “I expect they will pass it as soon as possible.”

 

Bradley added that the hotel tax measure possibly would be passed in May. Both the sales tax and hotel tax measures are being considered separate from the state budget.

 

 

 

“This legislation will help mitigate city property taxes by shifting more of the burden to the non-resident weekday population of more than 250,000 – individuals who benefit from important public services like police, fire protection and sanitation,” Bradley said.

Bradley pointed out that White Plains:

 

• Will continue to have the lowest sales tax rate of all major cities in Westchester County1;

 

• Is ranked fifth in the state’s annual sales volume;

 

• Records more than $1.3 billion in annual retail sales; and

 

• Is the center of Westchester County’s retail activity. ²

 

“This minimal sales tax increase will go a long way towards helping alleviate high property tax increases on White Plains families, yet it ensures that White Plains maintains a competitive advantage over comparable communities in Westchester by maintaining a lower sales tax rate,” Bradley said.

The quarter per cent is expected to yield $6 Million in new revenues to the city for the 2008-2009 city budget, due at the end of the month.

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WPCNR NEWS & COMMENT. By John F. Bailey. March 15, 2008: Well you can tell the Clintons are really out to get Senator Barack Obama now.  

Somehow two of America’s right wing commentators got the DVDs of Senator Obama’s church pastor into the hands of CNN and the Reverend’s impassioned comments have been glommed over by the CNN commentators  like cocks fighting for two nights now on the 10 o’clock Cooper 360 Program to CNN’s lasting discredit.

It’s not a story. Just as Geraldine Ferraro’s comments are not a story. These are “Get Obama” commercials. And CNN and the rest of the point and shoot TV newsboys are falling for it hook, line and expense account.

 

 

Friday night on a day when the stock market dropped 195 points, President Bush addressed the economy in New York, introduced a credit program to help pull the nation out of its economic nosedive, Bear Sterns got billions from JP Morgan and the Fed to stop a bankrun; Eliot Spitzer faded into the sunset; and a tornado hit Atlanta  right outside the CNN studios (which was ignored into the final 10 minutes of the hour), Cooper and the CNN editors interviewed Obama on his Pastor’s fire and brimstone comments, replaying the most inflammatory commentary over and over.

 Obama was cool and collected, disassociated himself from the comments, but was attacked repeatedly and integrity questioned in the interview.

What a “get” job.

This is a news network? Please!

Cooper on Thursday evening even attempted to justify running the tape, obviously feeling a little guilty.

Then he compounds the felony of being used by a political party, by running it over and over Friday evening, when a few other things went on Friday.

Where was the commentary on the economy; the explanation of the Bear Sterns blunders; the panic on Wall Street, and analysis of inflation, which the government says is down, but everyone knows it’s not!

Who’s editing this show? The Clintons? John McCain? “Very Right Wing- I’m-not-a-Klansman-Fascist-or-a-Nazi-But-I’m-Close Radio?”

This country is in so much trouble economically and no one knows why or cares at the big CNN?

Once a pesky upstart, now a genuine threat to derail the Clinton express back to the White House, Barack Obama has to be stopped by the Clintons at any cost in Pennysylvania – that’s what CNN’s masochistic rerunning of the Pastor Tape was designed to do and possibly will do – even if the yo-yos who made this news judgment do not know it yet.

CNN may as well have run a 30-minute Clinton infomercial. The Republicans apparently want Hillary Clinton after all to run.

But maybe it’s the power establishment –  both the McCain camp and the old guard, old money, old oil, old insurance, old pharmaceutical,  supporters of the democrats, who are very comfortable with Bill and Hil – who want to make absolutely sure that Senator Obama is finished off  by a Hillary Clinton decisive Pennsylvania win.

Pennsylvania’s voters should have the sophistication to realize the race card  (“You don’t want a black man as President, do you?”) is being subtlely played for the Clintons, however inadvertently by the establishment right — whether they are liberal or conservative.

Far be it that the Clintons would even think to play the race card in the Keystone State!

Why did this surface?

Because Senator Obama must be stopped in Pennsylvania cold.

The Clintons must win Pennsylvania big time to turn the Superdelegates to the Clintons’ way on the second ballot. This has been apparently the Clinton strategy all along, to string Obama out, but beat him on the second ballot.

Even now the disingenuous Clintons are plotting to get the Michigan and Florida delgations to the convention on their side –  in readiness for the all important second ballot – which could tip the nomination to them, I believe.

That has been the strategy all along.

However, should Senator Obama come within 5% or 10% of Senator Clinton in the Keystone State – and still hold his lead in delegates with the popular votes and caucuses – the Clintons will have a hard time swinging the nomination her way on the second ballot (when all pledged delegates are released!) because it will be unseemly.

Hence this tape coming out.

Actually, it is a little too early to affect Pennsylvania. Or, maybe it is just right. For four weeks, Senator Obama is going to have to be answering questions and attacks throughout Pennsylvania on how he can support his former Pastor, whether he heard these remarks before.

The white support for him is shaky at best.

Mr. Obama’ s integrity will be questioned for a month. It is a very insidious ploy by  “Very Right Wing- I’m-not-a Fascist-or-a-Nazi-But-I’m-Close Radio.” (Great line, don’t you think? I liked it so much I used it twice. )

Meawhile, John McCain solidifies his ties with his Christian zealot preachers – which he was shown doing Friday on the same CNN program. The “Pastor Play” this week works both ways it embarrasses and taints Obama, exploits white fear and prejudice, and paints this as a racial choice — not a policy choice in the worst way.

Far be it that the Republican candidate has any ideas for fixing the mess we are in. Set up a fear and strength campaign and ignore the chaos that is their strategy.

The Republican strategy you would almost think was brokered by the Clintons. But, how can that be true?

This was the big news Friday evening on CNN – the Obama Pastor comments. This on a day when the dollar sank against the Euro to $1.56 per Euro.  Bear Sterns sank. Atlanta got hit with a tornado. And, oh, yeah the Fed is considering another cut in the prime rate – the third in about a month – isn’t it?

That is an unbelievable story in and of itself!

Hey, Anderson – how about getting Lou Dobbs in for just a little commentary on finance? Just a weence?

Imagine say if the Vince Forster suicide had surfaced in some manner –  by some other commentator raising doubts about whether it was a suicide  — boy would the Clintons have cried foul.

Earlier this week, Geraldine Ferraro did the racial job on Mr. Obama too, saying essentially he’s only winning because he’s black, then claiming that statement was not racist.

Could the Clintons and Mr. Obama and the McCain camp wake up and look around?

This campaign is not about race or religion.

We are not going to pray our way out of the financial storm.

We’re not going to hate our way out of the financial storm.

 

By November, whoever wins is going to be studying Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration and be reviving it to get persons back to work.

By November, no one is going to be taking out loans, banks are going to be paying persons to take loans, the prime rate should be below ZERO then.

By November, retirement portfolios are going to be a shadow of what they are today.

The Democrats could run Eliot Spitzer and he’d win then.

The stimuli are not working, because the banks are keeping the money to shore up their balance sheets, folks.

How come Mr. Obama, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. McCain are hiding their heads in the sand and talking religion?

How come CNN and the news media are even covering the comments of a Pastor that were previously echoed in hyperbole and invective and disgusting prayers against certain groups by conservative Christian religious stars in previous years and covered seriously?

Giving credence to outrageous statements is crazy.

When has religion turned from a philosophy of love into a philosophy of true believers? My faith is better than yours?

American guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

End of discussion.

What Senator Obama’s pastor says means nothing.  And besides as harsh as the Pastor’s words sound, he is right. The black community has come a long way, baby, but really not so far.

 It was just very uncomfortable to hear if you’re a white person. And, far be it that anyone should be made to feel guilty.

But you know, focusing on this defocus  at the ignoring of the problems our great country (and great state for that matter) face, is a very bad thing.

To devote at least two hours of prime time to this, two nights in a row in the face of the real news that CNN and MSNBC ignored is a disgrace. The innuendo that Mr. Obama should have known these views of his pastor, and he was being dishonest about it, was subtle — whether intentional or not.

Wake up and turn in your teleprompters, CNN.

There’s big news that you are choosing not to cover or do not understand enough to cover, let alone find out who is to blame for the financial miscalculations and blunders, and just plain dumbo management that is a threat to our nation right now.

Cover the real stuff, please.

The Anchors and Editors of America  should turn around and look at the financial Titantic  being captained the last 35 years by America’s brilliant financiers and capitalists whose greed, invention of phantom products, and ruthless exploitation of working man and woman and young person and minority has set the stage for the wrecking of the economy due to a system of rewarding their rich friends and the oil-rich export nations to this nation’s peril.

 

 

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. March 14, 2008: White Plains sales tax is on target for a surplus in Sales Tax for the 07-08 fiscal year, City Commissioner of Finance Gina Cuneo-Harwood told WPCNR Friday. Harwood said that her contacts with Albany have told her that sales taxes continue up across the state, and White Plains is 6% ahead of last year. Harwood will not predict a final number, but said she had no doubt that the city would “exceed budget.”

WHITE PLAINS SALES TAX AHEAD OF 06-07 PACE: UP 6% THROUGH FEB: Harwood.

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. March 14, 2008: White Plains sales tax is on target for a surplus in Sales Tax for the 07-08 fiscal year, City Commissioner of Finance Gina Cuneo-Harwood told WPCNR Friday. Harwood said that her contacts with Albany have told her that sales taxes continue up across the state, and White Plains is 6% ahead of last year. Harwood will not predict a final number, but said she had no doubt that the city would “exceed budget.”

The total for the first six months of fiscal 2007-2008 to date was $22,759,093 compared to the comparable July through December period last year, $21,977,064.  The city was up 6.3% through December 31, and that trend continues, Harwood told WPCNR. In January and February 2008, Harwood reports the city received $7,656,720 in sales tax receipts, which is up 4% over last January and 6.5% over last February – bringing the city sales tax handle to $30,415,813 with four months left.  The city needs to generate $43 Million to meet the 2007-2008 budget. Last year the city collected a record sales tax of $44.9 Million ($44,853,308). If the second half of 2007-2008 generates last year’s January through June collections of $22.8 Million the city will make its sales tax target ($43 Million), with a surplus, of $2.5 Million ($45.6 Million). The city needs $15,143,000 ($3.8 Million a month) to reach the $45 Million level. To meet the sales tax budget of $43,000,000, the city needs to generate $3.2 Million per month through March, April, May and June.