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 COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. April 7, 2008 UPDATED 12 Noon EDT, April 8, 2008: Mayor Joseph Delfino and his administration delivered the lowest budget increase since 2001-2002 Monday evening as the Mayor introduced the 2008-2009 proposed budget. However, because anticipated union contract settlements for 2008-2009 are not included in the budget, the budget may rise, apparently without further cost to the taxpayer. The anticipated union settlements are temporarily being funded by drawing down on the city fund balance.

The Mayor said the increase in the budget  spending is 3%, which yields a City Property Tax Increase of 4.9%.

For the  median White Plains home ($700,000 on the market) this yields a city property tax increase of $130, a total city tax of $2,750. The Tax Rate per $1,000 rises about $6  from $141.93 to $148.88/$1,000 of assessed value.

Plugging in the numbers for Mr. and Mrs. White Plains median homeowner, this means the total school, county and city tax for 2008-2009 (as predicted by WPCNR and White Plains Week two weeks ago) will be $12,650 made up as follows:

School Tax–  $7,500

County Tax–$2,400

City Tax– $2,750.

Total 2008-09 Property Tax on the $700,000 home: $12,650.

Residents should note half White Plains homeowners will pay more, half will pay less. Condominum Owners are taxed at 50% of the homeowner rate.

The City Budget book uses the example of a home accessed at  S15,000, and notes the average annual incremental property tax will increase $104.32 (or 29 cents a day).  A $15,000 assessed home is approximately a $575,000 home  in White Plains and will pay  about $224 in property taxes next year.

Budgeted Salary Increase Does Not Include 2008-2009 Union  Contract Settlements.

The increase in salaries in the new proposed budget is  2% year to year for General Fund, Library Fund and Water Fund 77.1 Million in 08-09 compared to 75.4 Million in 2007-2008.  According to the Budget Book,  “Salaries and Benefits in the FY 2008-2009 proposed budget  total $107.2 Million without consideration for merit, cost of living, union wage increases or vacancies.”

 The city had projected a 5% increase in salaries for 2008-2009 to the state.  Employee Benefits go up 5% from 35.3 Million to $36.8 Million in the Proposed Budget. A sales tax increase of ¼% making its way through the State Senate at this time may be the anticipated source to fund additional salary costs resulting from the renegotiation of union contracts with the Police, Fire, Teamsters and Civil Service Employees Association, due to expire June 30, 2008.

Romancing the Ritz Stone.

In other action Tuesday evening, the Common Council voted not to sell the median on Renaissance Square to LC Main, LLC, the Louis Cappelli organization (currently containing a Ritz-Carlton marble marker). This despite Mr. Cappelli’s representative Mark Weingarten cautioning the Common Council this action would be considered “arbitrary and capricious.” After the vote was taken Mayor Joseph Delfino expressed , the Council felt so strongly on the presence of the Ritz stone marker and offered the Council an opportunity to reconsider the vote or express interest in discussing how the Ritz Carlton might make the traffic island safer, which was the council’s main concern. The council declined the Mayor’s effort at keeping “island diplomacy” in play. The Mayor told WPCNR he had no idea at this time when Cappelli Enterprises would be directed to remove the Ritz Carlton stone and make improvements to the island’s curb.

Mark Weingarten, Louis Cappelli’s legal counsel, demonstrating photographs of signs on city property which advertised private establishments like The Galleria and Westchester Mall.

The Ritz Stone shown on the disputed traffic island at left of picture. The Council voted not to sell its space to Cappelli Enterprises, opting for possible removal of the stone because of liability and safety issues. The stone was erected with city blessing on a request by the Ritz Carlton made to Louis Cappelli, the developer, according to the Mayor.

Weingarten said that Louis Cappelli feels that asking him to remove the Ritz-Carlton sign was a pesonal insult to him (Cappelli). Weingarten characterized the Council effort to remove the stone (which reads “Ritz-Carlton” and occupies the traffic island on Renaissance Square), could be considered “arbitrary and capricious” on the part of the Council. Each member of the council took grievous umbrage at this characterization and proceeded to vote 6-1 to  not sell the area the stone occupies to Mr.Cappelli.

Shock at Perceived Extension of Affordable Housing Deadline.

The council also expressed shock that Cappelli Enterprises was asking the Council to extend the site plan for building affordable housing at 240 Main Street until April 7, 2009. Rita Malmud and Dennis Power and Benjamin Boykin each demanded an explanation as to why the deadline for building the affordable housing Mr. Cappelli owes for 221 Main and the City Center was being extended, and appeared appalled that the letter admits Mr. Cappelli has “not actively engaged our subcontractors to move forward.”

What the council did not appear to grasp was that this request was an extension of a site plan approval, not a request to extend the deadline for the building of the affordable housing Cappelli owes. Without extension of the site plan, the Council could be, in effect, killing the affordable housing project for good, whether they realize it or not. The backup material clearly states the request is merely for an extension of the plan. It does not make any request to untie the affordable from the 221 Main condominium tower agreement in effect. 

State of the City.

In the Mayor’s State of the City message, he called the city “sound and extremely strong… vital and vibrant.” He made a strong case that the development over the last seven years has been very good for the city, and has mitigated property tax increases, citing a series of comparisons, leading up to his announcement of the tax increase and conservative increase in spending compared to the county (4.4%) and the school district(5.7%). He also declared his intention to refurbish City Hall, and explore possibilities to restore the grand old lady of 255 Main Street to her former glory. He also announced the purchase through a grant of two trolleys which will begin service in the downtown in 2008.

In 2001-2002, when the City Center was approved (September, 2001), the city budget was $97.7 Million. It was just about that a year earlier in 2000-2001. The tax rate was $91.48/$1,000 of assessed valuation. The year 2001-02 was the second straight year of no tax increases.

Seven years later, the 2008-2009 Proposed Budget last night is $161.7 Million, with a tax increase of 4.9% .  The city budget has grown 66% —  $64 Million in 7 years, an average of $9.1 Million a year. What cost $97.7 Million to buy in 2002, would cost $114.8 Million today. By that measure, the city budget has increased at a rate 40% more than the rate of inflation. Inflation has run about 3% a year over seven years.

In his State of the City Speech, the Mayor described the budget as having no cuts in services, and a rise year to year of 3%. According to the actual budget book, the budget actually rises 4.6% over “this year’s adopted spending plan,” and “4.35% TO $151.1 Million” in the general fund.

The Budget Book explains the 3% increase announced by the Mayor this way:  “When spending is compared to the city’s 2007-2008 revised budget,  the year over year increase in spending is $4.5 Million, or 3%.” The revised budget, WPCNR believes, is the savings achieved during the year, as cutbacks are made, but this needs to be checked out.

Albany Don’t Fail Us Now.

If the city should increase union contracts  later this year 5% as they call for in the 2008-09 projection to New York State, the budget will increase the salaries of the four unions about $5.3 Million. The anticipated sales tax revenue of 1/4% more enroute to White Plains if the State Senate approves it — will generate about $6 Million — enough to cover the union contract settlement of 4 to 5

Romancing the Fund Balance for $11.3 Million for Salaries, Open Space, State Aid.

Delving deeper into the budget book Wednesday morning, WPCNR notes the budget in the interim is being balanced by $11.3 Million from the city’s fund balance.

To wit, on page I-9, union increases anticipated to be awarded in new contracts, are covered thusly: “Full-time positions were budgeted according to current labor contracts; a provision for salary agreements that have yet to be settled was included in the Reserve for Financing” ($6.1 Million).

The Budget Book, separately on page I-38 gives the detail of how useful the city Fund Balance (about $28.9 Million) is. The city draws on it each year, anticipating future revenue sources, then replaces it when those revenue sources come true.

The strategy this year is to draw $11.3 Million, the book explains on Page I-38:

This includes $10 Million from the undesignated fund balance, $1 Million from designated fund balance for tax certioraris, $1.6 Million from the fund balance designated for open space (purchase) and $1.7 Million in anticipation of the increase in state aid….If the City is granted authorization to increase its sales tax revenue by 1/4%  by the New York State Legislature in fiscal 2008-2009, the City’s anticipated use of fund balance in fiscal year 2008-2009 will decrease significantly.

In a final note, the Venue project had its hearing continued until May 5.

The council also demanded noise reports on cabarets in the city, by law which have not as yet been delivered, even though Councilwoman Malmud has been asking for them for three months.

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. By Johnny Angel. April 5, 2008: Susan Katz’s Westco Productions brought another legend back to Westchester County Saturday night  — The legendary Lettermen – the slow dance kings of the 1960s.  They mesmerized, memoried and  mingled with over 300 adoring fans at  intimate Irvington Town Hall Theatre Saturday night in another of Westco’s marvelous “Blasts from the Past.”

 The three showmen extraordinaire,  The Lettermen singing one of their  signature medleys: The Way You Look Tonight, A Summer Place and When I Fall in Love beginning the second half of Saturday’s Lettermen extravaganza. Front to Back: Donovan Tea, founder Tony Butala, and Mark Preston

The trio of recording artists have been with Capitol Records for 47 years recording their standards of slowdance in 17 languages that were the soundtracks of the romances of the rock and roll generation. They delivered a  blockbuster concert singing, joking, and connecting with an international audience for more than two hours of actual onstage performance.

There was Duncan Tea singing Cowboy Love in the balcony, to Tony Butala, show here singing Maria to a real “Maria” chosen from the audience,  to their fabulous medleys of  the group’s signature 60s love songs

The Lettermen earned another  letter from the clapping, toe-tapping audience in the little theater on Main Street. The cleancut three complete with “Letter Sweaters” delivered the signature songs in strong update robust vocalizations that were better than they sounded on The Swinging Soiree when Murray the K played them on WINS when WINS was a rock and roll station. The boys  packaged their favorites in seamless medleys that they flowed into effortlessly.

 The Lettermen made old hearts young again. Couples held hands  when “their”  Lettermen song was brought back once more.

The trio features Tony Butala (Center) the leader of the group, and Donovan Tea,  (left)the lanky Texan looking incredibly like a blonde Righteous Brother. Mr. Tea has been with the group for 25 years and  Mark Preston (right) – the man with the Robert Goulet- Bill Medley baritone, a member for 23 years.

The group got everyone on a groovy trip back to the innocent 60s with a rousing, toe-tapping,  People Got to Be Free and  Look Inside Your Heart , and followed that ”double play” with Our Day Will Come and Love is a Many Splendored Thing, Memories/Hurt So Bad/Put Your Head on My Shoulder and that was only part of the first half of this “You got your money’s worth and more” concert. But of course, you always get your dollars’ worth at a Westco production!

When the group came down into the audience sing Beautiful Balloon and invited the audience in the orchestra seats to come up and have pictures taken with them – something this reporter has never seen in a concert – the audience bonded with The Lettermen

Throughout the show, whatever the boys did, the audience loved. And they did it well. Their backup band did not over shadow them. Their voices blended and as the leader Mr. Butala said, the Lettermen have always featured three strong singers who can solo and harmonize.

That was what kept this show delivering two hours of music without any dull parts. Every concert seems to have some songs that do not grab you – but not this Lettermen concert. From Donovon Tea’s (above) original song to his new daughter, Daddy’s Girl, and Mr. Tea’s Cowboy Love (sung from the balcony), you never knew what The Lettermen would do next. There were no dull moments! 

When Mr. Butala reminisced about his start in show bus`iness with the Mitchell Boys Choir in the 1950s, and did a trio of Cole Porter’s Kick Out of You, Under My Skin and Night and  Day singing them in the audience it was as entertaining as it was unexpected. When Mark Preston executed CopaCabana in the second  half, and worked the audience, shaking hands with them, well this was entertainment!

You Never Know Who You Might Meet at a Gold Star Event: White Plains Personalities, left to right, Dave Corcoran, Brenda Starr, Don Hughes, Candyce Corcoran and Mrs. Hughes  talk over the exciting first half of the concert.

The second half topped the first half, if that was possible.  Mr. Tea’s Little Boy’s Prayer, another original composition by Mr. Tea in honor of his 3 year old son was very nostalgic.

In Part Two of the evening, the Lettermen reported receiving lots of notes backstage and delivered two medleys that made their  signature hits of the 60s sound upbeat and irresistibly romantic better than ever.

The boys have kept their voices in blockbuster form, belting with heartfelt emotion, articulating tenderness flawlessly.

This reporter’s favorite of the evening was Ebb Tide, with Mr. Preston doing a Righteous Brothers riff on this  high school gym slow dance classic. (If you’re in your 60s, now you know what I mean by that.)

After Mr. Preston mesmerized the hall with his version of the Paul Anka classic Say You’ll Love Me, another smooth medley of The Way You Look Tonight, A Summer Place and When I Fall In Love, even Mr. Cynicism, John Bailey wanted to dance.

A large contingent of persons from the Phillippines attended the concert, and, in their honor, The Lettermen even sang Because of You in Filipino — which is just as pretty as it is in English. It was a moment that showed that America through its music, at least, and the music of The Lettermen delivers the emotions and the feelings that the world falls in love to. Here the boys pose with the group that came out to see them The boys will be performing in the Phillippines this July.

On into the night the boys sang – ending with three encores that included God Bless the U.S.A., and I Believe. You got the impression the boys did not want to leave. The audience of devoted fans were standing en masse applauding at the end.

Never have I seen a concert where the performers delivered this many songs all done well. The audience wouldn’t them go, and the boys did not want to leave.

And note to all performing groups – The Lettermen did not do  one “B-Side.” (A B-side in rock n roll radio,  children, was the non-plug side of a record, and if you do not know what a record is it is a like a CD with 2 songs on it instead of 18. When the record was delivered to the deejay – be it Alan Freed, Jack Lacey, or  Murray the K, or Dick Biondi, or Art Roberts, he was instructed by the record promoter to play the A side. )

The Lettermen did all A Sides tonight.

After the concert, the boys didn’t leave, they continued a wonderful feature of the Westco Gold Star Series,  staying a full hour afterward  to have pictures taken with fans, sign CDs and enjoy  the love.

Susie The K — White Plains’  First Lady of Westchester Theatre,  Susan Katz, Westco Founder with The Lettermen, Mark Preston, left, Duncan Tea, center, and Tony Butala. Ms Katz founded the Westco Gold Star series last year and has been attracting overflow crowds to see the groups and stars who created the soundtracks of our lives. 

The marvelous Irvington Town Hall Theatre has an informality and cordiality that seems to bring performers and audience together. In the audience tonight were Joe Segal who sang the lead for The Tokens on The Lion Sleeps Tonight, (who rendered the never to be forgotten  “Ee E E HEE” hat begins that song, which delighted the audience).  Three other  rock celebrities came up just to see the Lettermen sing. Next up in Wextco’s Gold Star Series is The Fifth Dimension (Beautiful Baloon-remember?) on April 28, Felix Cavaliere’s  Rascals  May 3 and next fall the New Christy Minstrels on  October 5.

Why do people come out to see the groups of the past? Why do the groups keep performing?

Tony Butala, the Lettermen founder in 1958, when The CitizeNetReporter  congratulated him on the super professionalism of the group, said, “We have been a part of a lot of peoples’ lives, and they tell us this. And you never get tired of hearing that.”

May the Lettermen continue to go to high school forever.

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WPCNR MR. & MRS. & MS. WHITE PLAINS POLL. April 5, 2008: As the County Tax Bill was sent to White Plains voters this week, and the School District after another week of hand-wringing cut $1 from the per $1,000 of assessment tax rate, which now sits at $506.61 per $1,000 of assessed value, and the city awaits with baited breath our last hope for tax stability: Mayor Joseph Delfino’s tax rate  Monday evening, the future for the White Plains tax payer has become clear.

At the present rate of annual tax acceleration applied by the county government, city government and the gorilla in the vault, the city school district White Plains property owners face this prospect: A tax bill that will at the present rate of compounding go up 7% a year, will bring taxes owed the school district, county and city to the $20,000 and up level in seven years..

If you own a median-priced home in White Plains, ($700,000), you will pay $12,240 in property taxes this year (persons with homes priced to go at over $700,000 will pay considerably more ) to the County, City and State (provided the City Tax increase is 5 to 7%).  If the city increase is  less than 7% you will be in slightly better shape.

Nonetheless half of White Plains property owners will pay $1,000 more in taxes a year if the three tax authorities keep their present rate of spending the way it is.

This means if you’re paying about $12,000 in property taxes now, you’ll pay $13,000 in 2009-2010; $14,000 in 2010-11 and so on.

By 2015, your property tax,  if the present rate of annual tax increase remains at 7% — your tax bill for that typical median home in White Plains will be $19,000 to the county, city and school district.

WPCNR would like Mr. and Mrs. and Ms. White Plains to tell us if they believe they can sustain the county, city and school district’s “7% solution.” Of course if tax increases are larger than that the escalation rate and taxes will be higher. Can White Plains homeowners accept a 7% tax increase rate annually? What do you think?

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WPCNR TRACKSIDE. April 3, 2008: The school district began installation of the Mondo “Olympic Standard” track at the new Loucks Field Wednesday with workmen beginning the process. The district has 34 days to install the track before the Loucks Games begin May 8. Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors said Monday evening the contractor needs warm (temperatures in the high 40s and 50s) weather to install the track and little rain. Work can proceed as long as there is no rain, he said, and surfaces need not be dry to resume installation after any rain has stopped. The track portion of the new stadium renovation is the final phase in the $5 Million field project, which is said to be on budget, despite most of the money built into the budget for contingency expenses.

Installation of Mondo Track Begins at Loucks Field, Wednesday.

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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. April 2, 2008: April Fools Day arrived Tuesday and with it came the Westchester County Tax Bill that amounted to $2,400 (including sewage and refuse disposal). The typical median White Plains home on the market for $700,000 and assessed at $18,475 ($14,775 with STAR exemption) now awaits White Plains Mayor Joseph Delfino’s promised tax increase April 7.

Looking at the county, school and city bills for 2008-2009, the conclusion can be drawn that half of White Plains homeowners can look forward next year 2009-2010 to paying just about $15,000 in property taxes and substantially more in taxes on homes marketed over $700,000.  If your home is a million dollar home you’ll be paying $20,000 plus in taxes; $1.5 Million, $30,000 plus in taxes.  But the inexorably, unstoppable spending of the schools, the city and the county compounds the property tax felony across all housing values.

The school district as WPCNR pointed out, if assessed values do not plummet over the next two years (due to the bottom falling out of the equalization rate in 2008 (2.75%), keeps its present conservative budget escalation rate the same 5.7% (a little less than double the inflation rate of 3.3% according to the way the state figures it) we can figure on another $35 being added to the tax rate, that will increase the tax rate to $540 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. But, the school district increase most likely will be more considering the certiorari time bombs and $50 Million in financing added to the budget. On the median home that means a tax of $8,000.

Throw in another county escalation of 10% in 09-10, with another county tax increase,  and you’re up to $2,600, and a city tax in 2009-10 of say another 7% — and you’re at $3,000 – for a total tax bill next year from our three public servant agencies of $14,000 — if your home is on the market for $700,000. 

 If the school district inflates its spending to 7% for example – half the White Plains homeowners will be paying $15,000 in property taxes and the highest priced homes about double or more.