GREENBURGH FACES $7 MILLION REVENUE LOSS. FEINER SHARES KEY COUNTY DATA:

WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. April 21, 2020:

Current Westchester Data

Westchester Cases: 24,306 (+503) (UPDATED 4:20 pm– NOW 24,656)
Westchester Tests: 73,340 (+1599)
Westchester Fatalities: 776 (+33)

New York State Cases: 247,512 (+4,726)
New York State Tests: 633,861 (+16,301)
New York State Fatalities: 14,347 (+478)

Unincorporated Greenburgh: 675 tested positive;  Tarrytown: 168; Dobbs Ferry: 147; Elmsford: 106; Hastings: 73;  Ardsley:60; Irvington: 52

Editor’s Note: MAYOR TOM ROACH OF WHITE PLAINS last night advised White Plains residents there were 1,010 coronavirus cases in White Plains and of Westchester 24,306 cases, 10,008 were active of whom 1,089 were hospitalized

Last night the Greenburgh Town Board met with all department heads and with the Hartsdale Fire Chief, Ray Maseda and with the Fairview Fire Chief, Howard Reiss for our weekly update -how departments are functioning during the Covid-19 crisis. The Greenville Fire department declined to participate. The meeting can be watched on the link below.

TOWN ANTICIPATES 7 MILLION DOLLARS IN LOST REVENUE: 

The major topic discussed: the impact  this crisis is having on local governments, like the town of Greenburgh.

Comptroller Roberta Romano estimates that unless the United States Congress passes another Stimulus package to help towns like Greenburgh – we could lose 7 million dollars.

We anticipate a 2.4 million dollar revenue shortfall in the A budget (town and villages) and a 4.6 million dollar shortfall in the B budget (unincorporated Greenburgh).

I participated in a conference call with United States Senator Chuck Schumer last week (with other town and county officials) and will participate in a conference call with US Senator Gillibrand tomorrow afternoon–we all are lobbying Washington to provide financial help to local governments.  The Congress is considering but it’s not a done deal.

MAJOR CUTS HAVE TO BE MADE TO AVOID TAX HIKES 

Members of the Town Board and I recognize that many residents are out of work and don’t have the incomes they used to. As a result -we are going to have to make difficult choices that no one will like: cuts in our budget.

  The Board discussed deferring 2020 capital budget items that were previously approved to the future. Bulk pickups -which many enjoyed, has been suspended. DPW is considering either eliminating this service or charging residents for the service. All purchase orders will require Town Board approvals.

Discussing  legislation from Albany to authorize early retirement packages which will make it easier to reduce our workforce. New hirings on hold.  Other initiatives are also being considered and will be an announced when finalized.

DEFERRED- COURT HOUSE AND POLICE HQ

The Board discussed deferring plans for a new Court House and Police HQ but will appropriate funds for essential short term  safety initiatives such as making space available for a women’s locker room so that the police can hire additional female officers. We need to address ADA compliance concerns.  We need a new court house and police HQ but this is not the time for a significant new capital expenditure.

During the work session (which you can watch below) Jared Rosenberg, head of our EMS unit, gave a very depressing account – at least 33 Greenburgh residents are dead from this virus.  

HELPING SENIORS WITH FOOD & VIRTUAL MARRIAGE LICENSES AND CEREMONIES

Gerry Byrne, Commissioner of Parks and Andre Early, Commissioner of Human Resources at the  Theodore Young Community Center discussed our outreach efforts – helping local seniors obtain food. And Town Clerk Judith Beville mentioned that her office is preparing for virtual marriage licenses and ceremonies -authorized by NYS last week. 

WAITING TO HEAR FROM COUNTY EXEC WHETHER LAW COUNTY LEGISLATURE APPROVED RE: REDUCED TAX PENALTIES WILL BE SIGNED INTO LAW

Receiver of Taxes Anne Povella inquired about the law approved by the Westchester County Board of Legislators last week authorizing towns to reduce penalties on the April taxes for late payments. If the law is signed by the County Executive penalties for paying your taxes in May will be a half of one percent. And 1% till July 15th. I contacted the Deputy County Executive last night who advised me that the County Executive has 10 days to sign or veto the legislation. No decision has been made as of last night.
LINK TO TOWN BOARD DISCUSSION WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS- UPDATE ON COVID 19 RESPONSES AND BUDGET MATTERShttps://greenburghny.swagit.com/play/04212020-510

Paul Feiner

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The 7 NORTHEAST Governors of CT,DE MA,NY,NJ,PA,RI, ANNOUNCE MULTI-COUNCIL TO PLAN ORGANIZED OPENING OF ECONOMIES STATE BY STATE

   

WPCNR RECOVERY REPORT. From the Governor’s Press Office. April 21, 2020:

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, Delaware Governor John Carney, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo and Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker Sunday announced their appointees to the multi-state council to restore the economy and get people back to work. The appointees include one health expert, one economic development expert and the respective Chief of Staff from each state.

The appointees from each state include:

New York

  • Melissa DeRosa, Secretary to the Governor
  • Robert Mujica, Director of NYS Division of the Budget
  • Michael Dowling, President and CEO, Northwell Health

New Jersey

  • George Helmy, Chief of Staff to the Governor
  • Dr. Richard Besser, President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Jeh Johnson, former United States Secretary of Homeland Security under President Barack Obama

Connecticut

  • Paul Mounds, Jr., Chief of Staff in the Office of the Governor
  • Indra Nooyi, Co-chair of the nonprofit organization AdvanceCT and former chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
  • Dr. Albert Ko, Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine and department chair at the Yale School of Public Health

Pennsylvania

  • Michael Brunelle, Chief of Staff, Office of the Governor
  • Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, Department of Health
  • Secretary Dennis Davin, Department of Community and Economic Development

Delaware

  • Sheila Grant, Chief of Staff, Office of Governor
  • Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Secretary, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services
  • Kurt Foreman, President and CEO, Delaware Prosperity Partnership

Rhode Island

  • David Ortiz, Chief of Staff to the Governor
  • Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health
  • Stefan Pryor, Rhode Island Commerce Secretary

Massachusetts

  • Kristen Lepore, Chief of Staff
  • Michael Kennealy, Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development
  • Lauren Peters, Undersecretary at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services

“We have been collaborating closely with our neighboring states to combat this pandemic through a uniform approach to social distancing and density reduction and it has been working well. Now it is time to start opening the valve slowly and carefully while watching the infection rate meter so we don’t trigger a second wave of new infections,” Governor Cuomo said. “This is not a light switch that we can just flick on and everything goes back to normal – we have to come up with a smart, consistent strategy to restart the systems we shut down and get people back to work, and to the extent possible we want to do that through a regional approach because we are a regional economy. New York is partnering with these five states to create a multi-state council that will come up with a framework based on science and data to gradually ease the stay at home restrictions and get our economy back up and running.”

Governor Phil Murphy said, “No one has given more thought or is more eager to restart our economy than I am, but if we don’t get the sequencing right, we put more lives at risk. The only path to a sustainable economic recovery is through a strong healthcare recovery. Then, and only then, do we position ourselves to fully ignite our economy and get the residents of our state back to work while minimizing the danger of this disease. A coordinated, regional approach, informed by a multi-state council of experts, will help us avoid a major setback with potentially disastrous consequences. I look forward to the day when the facts on the ground allow us to ease our restrictions and move our regional economy forward.”

Governor Ned Lamont said, “One thing that’s undeniable is that this virus does not stop at the border of any county, state, or country, but the impact is the same when it comes to our respective economies and healthcare systems. Working as a regional coalition to make the right decisions will lead to the best public health results for all of our residents. We must solve these problems together.”

Governor Tom Wolf said, “Our highest priority remains protecting the health and safety of Pennsylvanians. While my administration continues to take critical steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, I also recognize that we must look ahead and take a measured, careful approach to prepare for the future while ensuring that we don’t undo all of our efforts. Pennsylvania will work collaboratively with our partners both in state and in surrounding states to develop a comprehensive strategy that first focuses on health but also addresses the need to gradually restore our economy.” 

Governor John Carney said, “We still have a situation in Delaware that is getting worse. Infections of COVID-19 and hospitalizations are rising. Delawareans should stay home. Don’t go out in public unnecessarily. Don’t visit Delaware unless you need to see a doctor, or care for a family member. You’ll only increase everyone’s risk. At the same time, we need to look forward. We need a consistent approach for moving our states out of this crisis, when that day comes. I’m grateful for the partnership of my fellow Governors in the region. They are all working around-the-clock to prevent surges in COVID-19 cases, protect hospital capacity for the most critically-ill patients, and save lives. We’ll get through this by working together.”

Governor Gina Raimondo said, “States are taking the lead as we fight to slow the spread of coronavirus and save lives. I’m proud of the steps we’ve taken, and I’m constantly thinking about what it will take to safely reopen our economy. But we know that this virus does not recognize borders, and it’s clear we need a strong, coordinated regional approach to avoid a second wave of this disease. I’m grateful to my fellow governors for their leadership during this crisis and I’m confident that this new partnership will support our efforts to get Rhode Islanders — and all Americans — back to work safely.”

Governor Charlie Baker said, “The Baker-Polito Administration looks forward to participating in discussions with neighboring states and experts regarding the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Massachusetts also remains focused on efforts to expand testing, ensure hospital capacity and provide the necessary PPE to those on the front lines to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.”

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RED TAPE CUT!NYS STATE SLASHES BACKLOG OF DELAYED UNEMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS FROM 275,000 TO 4,305 IN 1 WEEK

New Yorkers seeking to file an unemployment insurance claim should visit labor.ny.gov or call the Telephone Claim Center at (888) 209-8124. Below are some resources that will assist New Yorkers in filing their claims:

Cumbersome federal policy that slowed New York from distributing benefits lifted

Monday morning rollout of improved application, over 3,100 DOL representatives solely dedicated to answering unemployment benefit needs in improved process

WPCNR CORONAVIRUS REPORT. From the Governor’s Office. April 21, 2020:

The New York State Department of Labor Monday announced the launch of a new application for New Yorkers to apply for traditional Unemployment Insurance or the new COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.

Melissa DeRosa, Secretary to the Governor, said in the Governor’s News Conference Monday, long-awaited checks for the 271,000 cleared backlogged applications, should be arriving by direct deposit within a week if mailed, two weeks. She encouraged new applicants to choose direct deposit in filling out the new application.

This one-stop-shop for unemployment benefits will connect New Yorkers with the benefits they deserve faster, without requiring them to call the Department of Labor.

Prior to Monday, due to cumbersome federal guidelines, New Yorkers were required to apply for regular Unemployment Insurance and be rejected before applying for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.

With this new application, which aligns with updated federal policy, New Yorkers will be able to simply fill out one form to get the correct benefits.

In conjunction with this morning’s rollout of the improved application, DOL has been deploying over 3,100 representatives solely dedicated to answering unemployment benefit needs seven days a week. This is up from 400 who previously manned the DOL call center prior to the pandemic.

Since the COVID-19 crisis began, DOL has paid approximately $2.2 billion in Unemployment Insurance benefits to 1.1 million New Yorkers. The application call backlog prior to April 8 has been reduced to 4,305 from 275,000.

“I have been unemployed before myself, and I understand the pain, fear and anxiety New Yorkers are facing. The DOL’s mission is to help our neighbors through some of their toughest days, and in the last week we have made great strides in updating our systems,”NYS Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said. “While it appears the coronavirus pandemic is beginning to stabilize — at least from the public health perspective — we know that many New Yorkers are still facing an uncertain economic future, and the Department of Labor will continue to dedicate every resource available to helping New Yorkers weather this storm.”

The updated unemployment benefits application system, available here, will determine which unemployment program — unemployment insurance or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance — New Yorkers should apply for and then prompt them to answer a specific set of questions.

The application builds on the new online system the department rolled out on Friday, April 10th, in partnership with the State Office of Information Technology Services and Google Cloud, to help manage the exponential and unprecedented increase in new claims resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which was included in the Federal CARES Act, provides unemployment benefits for individuals who are ineligible for traditional unemployment insurance. Examples of those covered by PUA include:

  • Self-employed New Yorkers;
  • Independent contractors;
  • New Yorkers who worked for an app-based company (i.e. “gig workers”)
  • Farmers;
  • Those diagnosed with COVID-19 or who have COVD-19 symptoms and are seeking a diagnosis;
  • Those living with a household member who has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
  • Those providing care for a family or household member diagnosed with COVID-19;
  • A primary caregiver for a child unable to attend school or another facility due to COVID-19;
  • Those unable to reach their place of employment due to an imposed quarantine or because they have been advised by a medical provider to self-quarantine due to COVID-19;
  • Those scheduled to commence new employment that cannot reach their workplace as a direct result of COVID-19;
  • Those who became a major breadwinner because the head of their household died from COVID-19;
  • Those who quit their job as a direct result of COVID-19;
  • Those whose place of employment closed as a direct result of COVID-19;
  • Those with insufficient work history and affected by COVID-19; and
  • New Yorkers otherwise not qualified for regular or extended UI benefits and affected by COVID-19

In addition, New Yorkers concerned about food insecurity are reminded that resources are available across the state. Anyone looking for assistance can find a local food bank, including those supported by New York State, by visiting Feeding America’s website here.

The New York State Department of Labor is dedicated to ensuring that every New Yorker who is entitled to unemployment insurance benefits will receive all benefits due.

New Yorkers seeking to file an unemployment insurance claim should visit labor.ny.gov or call the Telephone Claim Center at (888) 209-8124. Below are some resources that will assist New Yorkers in filing their claims:

Fact sheet on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

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NY MOVES TO OPEN ADDITIONAL BIRTH CENTERS TO PROVIDE MOTHERS SAFE BIRTH ALTERNATIVE TO STRESSED HOSPITALS. REVIEW COVID IMPACT ON PREGNANCY

WPCNR CORONAVIRUS REPORT. From the Governor’s Press Office. April 21, 2020:

Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa and the New York State Council on Women and Girls today announced the creation of a COVID-19 maternity task force to examine the best approach to authorizing and certifying additional dedicated birthing centers in an effort to provide mothers a safe alternative to already stressed hospitals amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

The task force will make recommendations to Governor Cuomo by the end of the week.  

Additionally, the task force will work with Regional Perinatal Centers to review literature and make recommendations on the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy.   

“This pandemic strained our hospital system in a way no one could have ever imagined, and while New York leads in ensuring laboring mothers were able to have a healthy partner, friend or family member with them during childbirth we can and should explore additional ways to make the experience less stressful,” Melissa DeRosa, Secretary to the Governor and Chair of the New York State Council on Women and Girls, said. “Birth centers can serve as a safe alternative for low-risk pregnancies — relieving the strain on hospitals and providing a supportive environment for mothers during an already stressful time. I look forward to working with Christy and this diverse task force to develop recommendations for the Governor to review as quickly as possible.” 

“Governor Cuomo and New York State have been national leaders in the fight against COVID-19 and the fact that they are prioritizing the health and safety of women and families during this crisis only further underscores that,” said Christy Turlington Burns, founder of Every Mother Counts. “I’m honored to be working with Melissa and the other members of this task force to urgently protect mothers and ensure women have much-needed safe birthing options.” 

The task force – chaired by Melissa DeRosa – will be comprised of stakeholders from obstetrical providers, pediatric care providers and family planning agencies in conjunction with the State Department of Health. The list of members is available below:

  • Christy Turlington Burns, founder of Every Mother Counts
  • Christa Christakis, MPP – Executive Director, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists District II
  • Sascha James-Conterelli, DNP, RN, CNM, FACNM – President, NYSAssociation of Licensed Midwives
  • Loretta Willis, Vice President Quality & Research, Healthcare Association ofNYS
  • Lorraine Ryan, Sr. VP Legal Regulatory & Professional Affairs Greater NY Hospital Association
  • Rose Duhan, President & CEO, Community Health Care Association of NYS
  • Ngozi Moses, Executive Director Brooklyn Perinatal Network
  • Nan Strauss – Every Mother Counts
  • Dr. Deborah E. Campbell, MD – Montefiore Medical Center
  • Whitney Hall, CCE, LM, CLC – President, NYS Association of Birth Centers
  • Natasha Nurse-Clarke, PhD, RN – Regional Perinatal Center Coordinator, Maimonides
  • Dr. Dena Goffman, MD – NYP/Columbia
  • Rev. Diann Holt – Founder/Executive Director Durham’s Baby Café
  • Cynthia Jones, MD, MPH – Mosaic Health Center 

The task force will maintain an ad-hoc status throughout the COVID-19 state of emergency to address any additional issues related to COVID-19 during pregnancy through postpartum period.

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