In 2018: 1.1 Million Pages Viewed. 117,063 Unique Visitors Make 29,700 Visits a Month. 321 Visits a Day. 2,028,191 Hits NoBots, The White Plains Daily News Service Since 2000 A.D. John F. Bailey, Editor (914) 997-1607 wpcnr@aol.com Cell: 914-673-4054. News Politics Personalities Neighborhoods Schools Finance Real Estate Commentary Reviews Policy Correspondence Poetry Philosophy Photojournalism Arts. TV: White Plains Week 7:30 FRI, 7 MON & People to Be Heard 8PM THURS, 7 PM SAT on FIOS CH 45, ALTICE CH 76 "Fighting for Truth, Justice and the American Way. EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!
The parade will begin on Church Street between Main Street and Hamilton Avenue and proceed to the Rural Cemetery on North Broadway. Step off is at 10 a.m. The Parade will be immediately followed by memorial services and honors at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument at the cemetery.
The Grand Marshal for this year’s parade is Malcolm Baehr, United States Navy, World War II, Korean War, and Naval Reserve veteran and long-time White Plains resident. He is a member of the White Plains Jewish War Veterans, Post 191 and has served as Commander, as Chaplain, and is currently serving as the Quartermaster. Malcolm also serves on the Mayor’s Veteran Committee and is Treasurer of the White Plains Senior Citizens Advisory Committee. Malcolm served in the US Navy from 1945 -1948 and then re-enlisted from 1950-1952. During his service he was stationed at various naval stations within the United States. He also served on the aircrafts, Oriskany and Tarawa, and was involved in the operations for the Berlin Airlift. In 1977 he moved to White Plains with wife where he raised his family. He retired from Texaco after a 50 year career working in finance and tax accounting.
The Ceremony Honoree is John Kelly (deceased), US Army Vietnam Veteran, life long White Plains resident and White Plains Firefighter.
Additional parade marching groups include: White Plains Veteran Posts, WP Boy and Girl Scout troops, WPHS Marching Band, churches, schools and community organizations. The public is invited to support and remember our veterans by viewing the parade and attending the services at the Rural Cemetery.
Sponsorship and support for this event has been provided by White Plains Hospital Center.
City of White Plains Now Accepting Applications for a City Court Judge Position
The City of White Plains is accepting applications for a City Court Judge position. The City Court Judge position requires an attorney who is a resident of the City of White Plains and has been admitted to practice law in the State of New York for a minimum of five (5) years. The appointment will be for a ten (10) year term. Applications may be downloaded at www.cityofwhiteplains.com/judicialapplication and may be submitted to the City Court Judicial Review Committee, c/o Office of the Mayor, 255 Main Street, White Plains, New York 10601, or may be transmitted by e-mail to jcallahan@whiteplainsny.gov. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on May 30, 2019. Questions may be directed to Corporation Counsel John G. Callahan at jcallahan@whiteplainsny.gov or (914) 422-1411.
Father Tom Collins, President of Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains is interviewed on PEOPLE TO BE HEARD TONIGHT AT 8 ON FIOS CH. 45 AND CABLEVISION CH. 76 IN WHITE PLAINS on the progress of the school over the last 5 years.
ON DEALING PERSONALLY WITH THE NOTRE DAME FIRE
THE HONORS SYMPOSIUM CLIMATE CHANGE FINDINGS PROGRAM ONE WEEK FROM TODAY ON MAY 30, 6 PM AT THE SCHOOL
White Plains Kat Brezler’s attorney presenter her appeal to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in Brooklyn Wednesday for the court to reverse the New York Supreme Court decision that she had “insufficient number” of valid signatures on her petition to run in the Democratic Primary June 25.
Ms. Brezler issued this statement:
” We aren’t sure when the decision is expected. Hoping by the end of the week we will know.
Our lawyer felt like he put forth a compelling argument with a pathway for the justices to put us back on the ballot.
This process is exhausting and frustrating.
We believe that the people of White Plains will ultimately have the final say. We are on the ballot no matter what on the Workers Families Party line in November. “
When Ms. Brezler filed her petitions to challenge the nominations of Nadine Hunt=Robinson, Victoria Presser and Jennifer Puja as Democratic Nominees to run for Common Council, the Westchester Board of Elections approved her petition. Three persons filed a suit challenging the validity of the Brezler signees. The judge reviewing the case, ruled on May 7 to invalidate (Brezler’s) signatures based on them not matching registration cards. That ruling, in effect eliminated the primary election June 25.
Brezler appealed at the time, detailing why in this statement in a press release: “Signatures ruled invalid (by the judge) included those from women who had remarried, a voter afflicted with Parkinson’s, and newly registered voters.”
Brezler’s news release statement after the judge’s ruling the week of May 7 noted that she had
“collected 1,175 signatures of which only 696 were necessary to qualify for the ballot. The Westchester County Board of Elections validated 780 of them. We’re fighting for an appeal because voters should decide if we’re going to expand low-income and affordable housing in White Plains, not a few entrenched political operatives.”
Kat Bresler’s appeal to the Appellate Court in Brooklyn to have her petitions validated will be heard today.
Leo Glickman, of Stoll, Glickman & Bellina will represent White Plains’ Kat Brezler appeal argument for validation of her primary petitions to run in the June 25 Democratic Primary to the Appellate Court in Brooklyn today.
Brezler is contending that her petition signatures for the Democratic Primary approved by the Board of Elections were unfairly declared by a New York Supreme Court Judge as “insufficient” after the judge had reviewed them. The judge, Sam Walker declared her petitions invalid.
Unless the Appellate Court finds in Ms. Brezler’s favor, she will not be able to run in the Democratic Primary scheduled for June 25 against the Democratic Party nominated slate of Nadine Hunt-Robinson, Victoria Presser and Jennifer Puja for Common Council.
The argument is scheduled to heard at 10 AM this morning.
WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. May 21, 2019 UPDATED 12 mIDNIGHT.:
White Plains voters voted to approve the school budget by 85% today. The following video shows the moment when the final returns came in:
Michelle Schoenfeld, Clerk to the Board of Education emerged at 9:40 PM with the final results from Battle Hill and Church Street to complete the returns: recorded electronically and displayed on a screen, instead of the traditional chalk on the blackboard. WPCNR VIDEO
Dr. Joseph Ricca Superintendent of Schools expressed his thanks to the voters. WPCNR VIDEOBudget vote is displayed in the first two columns on the left. The votes for proposition 1 to spend $6.4 Million on infrastructure from the current Capital Reserve are in columns 3 and 4. The vote for Proposition 2, establishing a new $24 Million Capital Reserve are in columns 5 and 6. the last two columns are the votes for Sheryl Brady and Charlie Norris who ran unopposed for positions on the School Board.
As the school district explained in a previous briefing on the budget, Proposition 1, approved by a 994 to 106 plurality, does this:
Proposition #1 approves up to $6.4 million in expenditures for school improvement projects throughout the district, from the already existing 2016 Capital Reserve Fund.
(In 2018, the voters in White Plains approved a $10,000,000 expenditure out of the reserve fund created in 2016.) By WPCNR rough estimate the first Reserve Fund raised approximately 16 Million in its three year existance, spending $10 million last year, and another $6.4 million depleting the leftover cash was approved for the 2019-20 budget in Tuesday’s vote.
Proposition #2 approved by a 954 to 116 margin, approves establishment of a new 2019 Capital Reserve Fund of up to $25 million over a period of 10 years, to replace the 2016 Fund which will be depleted. Monies will be accrued through annual appropriation of unexpended funds and other legally available funds. No additional taxes will be incurred by either of these propositions.
The newly approved budget increases taxes by 3.44%, and is under the 2% property tax cap. Ann Vaccaro-Teich, Assistant Superintendent for Business said the budget was the result of good planning, cooperation, and hard work.
An unofficial total of 1,108 registered voters voted. There are 32,000 registered voters in White Plains, which means that 3.4% of voters eligible to vote voted. In 2017, 939 voters voted in the school budget election, meaning that voter participation increased 18% year to year.
This is Dr. Ricca’s second proposed budget the voters have passed. The first Ricca budget, the current 2018-19 budget , increased spending by 2.1 %. In the previous year, 2017-18, ending in June, the budget was increased 2.58%. Though the school district was allowed under the tax cap to raise the budget 3% in Dr. Ricca’s first year , the Board and Dr. Ricca held the increase to 2.1%.
Dr. Ricca’s second budget, passed Tuesday is up 3.66% from the $218.6 Million budget of 2018-19. However an influx of over $2 Million in state aid is behind that 3.66% increase in expenditure. Without the additional state aid you would have a budget of 224.6 Million, or an increase of 2.7% year to year.
With 7 Days to Go Before Westchester County terminates the Standard Amusements Playland Agreement County Executive Appears to Stand Firm:
WPCNR COUNTY CLARION LEDGER.Statement by County Executive George Latimer on Playland from the Westchester County Department of Communications. May 21, 2019:
“The County elected to terminate this contract because Standard did not engage in the ongoing process to resolve its breaches of the Playland Agreement. We outlined in detail ovCounty Executive With 7 Days to Go Before County Terminates the Standard Amusements Playland Agreement Appears to Stand Firm:er a year ago the basic problems we had with the original deal, and more recently, the failures of Standard to honor its commitments in the manager’s investment.
We wanted to work toward an amicable termination of the contract; later in the process, we offered an opportunity for Standard to provide consulting services in partnership with the County to reposition and strengthen the park.
Those meetings, held between counsel for both Standard and the County, was the opportunity for there to be a new construct of our relationship that could be beneficial to the park, and to the people of Westchester.
“Subsequently, Standard has embarked on a campaign to undermine public confidence in park health and safety, working to purposefully injure the County’s ability to operate Playland. This is disappointing behavior from a company that claims to be focused on the best interests of Playland.
“Standard’s public relations firm has also been falsely accusing the County of a lack of transparency. But it has been Standard that has failed to be transparent.
Our Administration met publicly with the Board of Legislators for 2+ hours to answer questions and outline our position. We have held press conferences answering all questions from the press about this matter.
On the other hand, Standard has not been forthcoming about the source and terms of the investment it claims is available to the company to satisfy its obligations to invest $27.75 million in Playland.
Standard has refused to allow the County to complete its audit of the amounts Standard claims to have invested in the park.
We already know that the vast majority of those amounts cannot properly be claimed as part of the company’s contractually defined Manager’s Investment.
Standard has yet to publicly answer questions about its investors, its specific plans for the park, the specific projects it would use its capital to fund, and a wide range of legitimate operational questions.
And financing an on-line petition that seeks to get people – who want to simply save Playland – to endorse their private takeover of the park, is deceptive.
“We all want what is best for Playland, and we agree that a public private partnership can accomplish that mission – but this deal with Standard Amusement is not a partnership; it is a giveaway of authority and responsibility of a precious public asset to a private organization whose motives and processes are at best, unclear, and at worse, deceptive.
“We would be derelict in our public duties to simply accept a bad deal struck by others, and meekly acquiesce to the end of public management of Playland for the benefit of the people of Westchester.”
WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From White Plains Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Joseph Ricca. May 20, 2019:
It’s time for our Annual Budget Vote & Election. We are very proud of the budget we’re proposing for next year, which is fiscally responsible, tax-levy compliant, and supports 100% of our current programming. The plan also adds exciting new learning opportunities for our students and keeps high quality teachers in every classroom. It totals $226,588,508 and has a tax levy increase of 3.44%.
Also on the ballot are two propositions relating to Capital Reserves.
Proposition #1 asks the voters to approve (as we are required to do) up to $6.4 million in expenditures for school improvement projects throughout the district, from the already existing 2016 Capital Reserve Fund.
Proposition #2 asks for voter approval (again, required) to establish a new 2019 Capital Reserve Fund of up to $25 million over a period of 10 years, to replace the 2016 Fund which will be depleted. Monies will be accrued through annual appropriation of unexpended funds and other legally available funds. No additional taxes will be incurred by either of these propositions. \
We think you will agree that this is a responsible, economical method of maintaining our wonderful facilities, rather than relying on bonding which, in itself, has a high cost. You may wish to learn more by viewing this short video: https://youtu.be/TT3obcD1rO8
PLAYLAND UP UP AND AWAY!BEST OPENING EVER–ATTENDANCE PROJECTIONSTHE UNFOLDING STORY BEHIND THE SCENESDR. RICCA ON THE 2 PROPOSITIONS TO FUND SCHOOL DISTRICT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR FUTURE WITH NO ADDITIONAL TAXES UP FOR A VOTE MAY 21
PLUS A MINUTE REVIEW OF THE SCHOOL BUDGET AND CITY SCHOOL COMBINED TAX IMPACT
Kat Brezler of White Plains has been denied a place on the Democratic Primary Ballot for Common Council by a New York Supreme Court decison May 7. She has appealed the decision to the 2nd Circuit Appellate Court in Brooklyn. Her hearing will be heard May 22.
WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2019. By John F. Bailey. May 16, 2019:
Kat Brezler, the White Plains Democrat who filed 1, 175 signatures on petitions to secure a place on the June 25, 2019 Democratic Primary Ballot to challenge Democratic Party official nominees Nadine Hunt-Robinson, Jennifer Puja and Victoria Presser has had her petition denied by a decision handed down by Supreme Court Judge Sam Walker May 7.
The denial was determined by presiding Judge Walker after a suit was filed challenging the Board of Elections approval of 780 of Brezler’s signatures (she needed 696 to make the ballot).
After the Board had approved the signatures, a suit was filed by Victoria Presser (one of the Party nominated candidates), Diane Travers and Stephen Walfish. Judge Walker examined the 780 signatures and found, according to the Board of Elections, Brezler “did not have sufficient signatures.”
Brezler’s office released this statement to WPCNR:
“The decision comes after the judge ruled to invalidate signatures based on them not matching voter registration cards, some of which were from the 1970’s. Signatures ruled invalid included those from women who had remarried, a voter afflicted with Parkinson’s, and newly registered voters.
“How many disenfranchised voters is too many? My answer is one is too many! Knocking good signatures off a petition is voter suppression. Keeping candidates from ballot access is voter suppression. We need to stop these dirty tricks and let the voters decide who they want to elect,”
Brezler’s campaign collected 1175 signatures of which only 696 were necessary to qualify for the ballot. The Board of Elections validated 780 of them.
“We’re fighting for an appeal because voters should decide if we’re going to expand low-income and affordable housing in White Plains, not a few entrenched local political operatives.
“We know we need to get big money out of politics, it infects every level of our system,” Brezler added.
Candidates Forum set for June 17, if Brezler is on the ballot.
A spokesperson for Ms. Brezler told WPCNR there is a League of Women Voters Forum scheduled for June 17 (no time or location set) that was supposed to feature the three Democrat nominees, Presser, Puja and Hunt-Robinson, and Brezler.
If Ms. Brezler is not on the ballot, there would be no primary and no forum. The League of Women Voters according to Andrew Custodio had not asked Republican Candidates, Custodio, Ann-Marie Encarnacao and Brian Peroni to participate.
The spokesperson for Brezler said, “By the end of this month we will have a definitive answer as to if we are participating in the Democratic primary (and therefore the forum, if it is only intended for Dem primary candidates.) Without Kat, there will be no primary. The party has endorsed 3 women for 3 seats so if that is the case I wonder if LWV will postpone this event until closer to the general election.”
Brezler will be back
The spokesperson announced that “According to their website, Working Families Party has only endorsed Kat, but I do know the White Plains Dems submitted WFP petitions for Jen and one other candidate, so they may very well be on the WFP line in November as well. Our WFP nomination has not been challenged, which is why we will appear on that line regardless in November.
