2,905,611 VISITORS VISIT 8,324,077 TIMES 3 TIMES EVERY DAY IN ONE YEAR. HIGHEST ACTIVITY IN WPCNR HISTORY.White PlainsCitizeNetReporter lifted its worldwide visits from unique visitors to wpcnr.com to 8,324,077,a 1,306,419 increase in visits in one year from 7,017,658 visits to the site last year which covers White Plains and Westchester County. The 8,324,077 visits were made by 2,005,611 unique visitors who visited wpcnr an average of 3 visits a day. ON JULY 20- -2026 visitors have accessed wpcnr and made 3,072 visits an average of 1.6 visits. In the last week 33,495 individual vistors made 54,458 visits, averaging 1.6 visits. In the last month, 152,940 visitors recorded 229,338 visits (1.5 visits)
WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS.By John F. Bailey. April 8, 2019:
The White Plains School Budget for 2019-20 was approved by the Board of Education Monday night, calling for $226,588,509 in spending. The budget increases the tax levy 3.44%, the budget from last year sees spending go up 3.66%. The Tax Rate per $1,000 of assessed valuation moves to $672.66 from $644.66 last year, an increase of $28.
Dr. Joseph Ricca told WPCNR the increase in state aid ( he announced Sunday) over the current school year, 2018-19, was 11%, taking a large step towards receiving the White Plains City School District its appropriate state aid share.
Ricca told WPCNR the White Plains district is only receiving 57% of aid it should receive under the state formula. Ricca quantified that:
He said, if the full share the district is entitled to by formula was restored to the school district, the district would receive $11 Million more dollars in state aid a year.
Ricca said the district would use the new $1.5 Million in state aid to fund projects in the district that would serve the district long into the future and not have to be cut, should the aid not materialize in the 20-21 budget the school year after 2019-20.
A Tranquil Sea in Real Estate. Statistics from Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors
WPCNR REAL ESTATE REALITY. Statistics from the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors. Comment by John F. Bailey. April 8, 2019:
Westchester residential sales declined 3.5% in the first
quarter of 2019 from the first quarter of 2018.
The median price (price of a middle of the market single family home the home most in demand) declined to $605,000 from $612,500 a year ago. Sales of Single Family Homes declined 5.6% from last March.
Buyers are considering co-ops and 2 to 4 family homes more than single family residences and condos..
The 2 TO 4 Family Home median price went up over $100,000 13.8% to $535 ,000, up from $419,052 a year ago. The average price of a 2-4: $551,007, an astounding advance of 16.2% (to this reporter). Aside: it remains to be determined whether these are speculative sales by real estate investors, or actual first home buyers.
Condos declined 1.5% in sales but gained in price with a median sale of $360,000 up 2.5% from March 31, 2018. The average condo sale was $426,251 up 2.5% over a year ago.
Co-ops hummed going up 9.7% in price (median: $170,000 up $9,000 from $155,000 from the end of last March. Average price of a coop: $193,968, about $5,000 more than last year at this time.
Single Family Homes– the in-demand market —not so good.
The Single Family Homes were down 5.6% at 983 sales, 41 homes less 1,024 in last year’s 1st quarter. The midpoint sales figure of all sales of Single Fams, half above, half below sold above or below this price was $605,000. Down from $612,500 from a year ago, a 1.2% decline.
Average price of single family home this first quarter $758,219, down 8.1% from a year go. The higher average price reflects sales of more expensive homes inflating the median figure of $605,000 to $758,219.
The Hudson Gateway Assocation of Realtors notes:
“Westchester and Rockland Counties, the areas with the highest price points, saw an easing of critical inventory shortages which could translate to healthier spring sales a result of better product (housing) selection and an easing of upward pressure on prices.
“Overall the entire service area (Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange and Sullivan Counties) is experiencing a high level of economic activity and very low rates of unemployment. These factors coupled with particularly attractive mortgage rates are indications that the housing market should continue on solid ground.”
THIS CARTOON FROM THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER WON THE PULITZER PRIZE
IT WAS DRAWN BY CARTOONIST DOUG MARLETTE AND IS ON DISPLAY AT THE BRUCE MUSEUM IN GREENWICH WITH OTHER PULITZERS AS PART OF THE MUSEUM OF CARTOON ART MASTERPIECES EXHIBIT OF 100 MASTERS CELEBRATING THE HISTORY OF THIS UNIQUE ART FORM IN AMERICA.
YOU WILL SEE THE WORK OF THE COMIC STRIP GREATS: ALEX RAYMOND, CHESTER GOULD, MILTON CANIFF.
MEET OLD FRIENDS: CHARLIE BROWN, DICK TRACY, JULIET JONES, STEVE CANYON. FLASH GORDON. THE YELLOW KID, POPEYE, BLONDIE, AND MORE.
EXPERIENCE THE DRIVE OF SPARSE NARRATIVE AND SWEEPING EMOTION THE COMIC STRIP INTRODUCED THAT HELD THE BREATHLESS LOYALTY OF MILLIONS
MR. MARLETTE’S CARTOON ABOVE IS AS RELEVANT TODAY AS IT WAS WHEN PUBLISHED 34 YEARS AGO
WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the White Plains City School District. April 7, 2019:
On the day before the White Plains Board of Education vote to adopt the 2019-2000 School Budget tomorrow night for presentation to the voters May 21, the Superintendent of Schools has announced the state has increased aid to the school district by $1.5 Million
Dr. Joseph Ricca, the Superintendent wrote WPCNR this morning;
“We were very pleased to learn that the final ( NY state) budget included an increase in state aid for the WPCSD. We are grateful for our elected officials’ advocacy for the WPCSD.
The allocation of funds now brings the district closer to being fully funded with regard to the foundation aid phase in.
With the addition of $1.5 million, we are now nearing 57% of the state aid phase in.
In the proposed budget, the proposed levy increase remains within the tax cap (3.44%). Unfortunately, while very helpful to the district, the additional state aid would not offset the levy.
We do anticipate that the budget to budget increase will remain below 3.9%.”
