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WPCNR SOUTHEND TIMES. By John F. Bailey. June 13, 2005: Brownouts hit about 200 Con Edison customers in the Highlands area Sunday evening at 10 P.M., and were restored within two hours according to Chris Olert, a spokesperson for Con Edison today. Brownouts continued to be reported during Monday morning to WPCNR in the Copper Beech Circle area, Old Mamaroneck Road and Gedney Way. Mr. Olert said he had no explanation for the brownouts and that he would have to check. The tenuousness of power reliability continued the Con Ed trend in White Plains established last summer and earlier this spring of power troubles on over 85 degree days. Today’s high (in the shade), was only 88 degrees at 2 PM. The power wavering can cause damage to your high tech equipment.

WPCNR asked Aaron Wordin, the WPCNR staff technologist what he recommends to cope with the Con Ed power unreliability that is happening with more and more regularity. Here is his report:

In service to your readers, here are some tips re: PCs and power:

1. Most so-called “Surge Protectors” just give you extra outlets.  To really
protect your equipment from brownouts and power spikes, purchase something
called a UPS unit – Uninterruptible Power Supply.  It’s essentially a quality
surge protector and high-tech battery rolled into one.  In addition to
smoothing out power nasties, it can provide up to twenty minutes’ worth of
steady juice to your PC and monitor (don’t connect your printer, especially a
laser printer – it will drain really fast, then!), giving you enough time to
save your current documents and do an orderly shutdown.

2. Don’t put your air conditioner in the same outlet as your computer – each
time it turns on, the sudden uptick in current draw can hurt the PC.

3. If you feel comfortable opening up your PC, pop the cover and use one of
those dusting cans to remove buildups of dust – too much of it can act as an
insulator, causing your computer to overheat inside, damaging the components.

4. If there’s an impending thunderstorm, give your PC some real protection and
simply unplug it from the wall, and disconnect your phoneline (if you use
dialup) and your cable or DSL modem if you have high-speed access.

—- Aaron

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      WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. By Assemblyman Adam Bradley. June 13, 2005:  No crime is more heinous than one that steals the innocence from a child. That is why I am committed to passing laws that keep sexual predators off our streets and strengthen the state’s sex offender registry.

 

The Assembly has already passed a litany of legislative measures that would strengthen our laws and provide better safety. A bill which I authored creates a new crime called compelling prostitution. A person would be guilty of compelling prostitution when, being twenty-one years of age or more, he or she knowingly advances prostitution by compelling a person less than sixteen years old, by force or intimidation, to engage in prostitution (A.6723). The crime would be considered a class B felony and an individual found guilty under the law could serve up to 25 years in prison.

 

Another bill which passed the Assembly this week would ban sexual predators from working on ice cream trucks (A.2550). Ice creams trucks attract young children as customers, especially in the summer. The only thing a child should have to worry about is what flavor to choose, not who is serving the ice cream. We must prevent sexual predators from taking jobs that bring them in close contact with youngsters.

 

Other tough new legislation passed by the Assembly would:

 

·        require that the photo of an individual on the sex offender registry be current upon registration— (A.1159/S.2843);

·        require public notices concerning Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders include any aliases the offender is known to use—(A. 2664/S.493-A);

·        increase the period of time Level 1 and 2 offenders must register beyond the current 10-year requirement—(A.1342);

·        require police officers to visit the residence of any sex offender subject to Megan’s Law who failed to file a required periodic verification form and obtain a signed verification form from the offender to confirm the offender’s location—(A.7707);

·        require sex offenders acquitted by reason of insanity to register under Megan’s Law after release from custody and in-patient treatment—(A.966/S.2797);

·        prohibit sex offenders from participating in community work crews operated by the Department of Correctional Services—(A.3156/S.966-A); and

·        require children’s overnight camps, day camps and traveling day camps to determine whether a prospective staff member is a registered sex offender—(A.5209/S.2803)

 

We need to work together in a bipartisan manner and create a safer environment for our children.

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. From Bruce Zakalik, Commissioner.WSSL. June 13, 2005: The
Westchester Senior Softball League, for girls ages 13-15, was plagued by bad weather and inconsistency the last three years, but this spring was pulled together this year by Bruce Zakalik and Tom Rinaldi, and a new breed of managers who played a schedule of approximately 10 games each with a good competitive balance. They completed their playoffs over the weekend, and here is Commissioner Zalinik’s report:

 

Hi Everyone!

Thank you for a very successful WSSL Spring 2005 season where we had a record number of teams participating this year.  Thanks also to Seth Lofton and his officials who did a great job this year, to Tom Rinaldi, to Eric Holtz and the Kensico Little League for the generous use of their Pat Henry field for our divisional championships, and to all coaches, assistants, town coordinators, umpires, and everyone without whom this league would not work.

Congratulations to divisional champions Kensico “A” and Yonkers “B”, to divisional runners-up White Plains Explosion in Division “A” and Mt. Pleasant “B”, and to all teams who participated in the league this year.  (The complete Spring schedules with scores are attached).

I want to wish everyone a great summer and hope to see you soon!

Thanks,
Bruce Zakalik

Play-Off Results (June 10 – 12):

“A” Division:   
                Round 1:
                White Plains  3   –   Yonkers  2
                Kensico  9   –   New Rochelle  5

                Championship:    Kensico  4  –  White Plains  1

“B” Division:
                Round 1:
                WP Orange  20  –  Kensico  2
                Mt. Pleasant  10  –  Scarsdale  3
                Ardsley  15  –  New Rochelle  8
                Yonkers  15  –  WP Black  5

                Round 2:
                Yonkers 14  –  WP Orange  7
                Mt. Pleasant 13  –  Ardsley  1

                Championship:    Yonkers  6  –  Mt. Pleasant  4

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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2005. News & Comment. By John F. Bailey. June 10, 2005: All right, how do you run a campaign to attempt to beat America’s Favorite Mayor? Obviously Democrat potential challengers with more to lose than Dennis Power thought Joseph Delfino was too popular to beat.  This reporter believes the Democrats were at the point of cross-endorsing Mr. Delfino, two weeks ago when they publicly announced they could not find anyone qualified enough to run for Mayor.

Today, Dennis Power makes his official announcement. Here are some of the issues he might raise.

Obviously the prospect of running Ron Jackson so horrified the Democratic poobahs that they talked Dennis Power into running, while paying lipservice to o Mr. Jackson’s declared candidacy. What Dennis Power was promised if he would run is the big question of the week. Was it a county position if he loses? Was it appointment to the Common Council when Mr. Greer can no longer continue?

 But, wait a minute, they couldn’t possibly do that could they? Not our Democratic Party. I’d be shocked, shocked if they actually did that.

 But, now Dennis Power is running. So how do you beat America’s Favorite Mayor?

 Here are just some of the Issues to Target, which you do not have to pay a consultant to figure out.

 You Run  on Credibility.

Any Mayoral candidate has a legitimate issue to roast the Mayor on when it comes to candor in government. Here are The Top Ten Spins of the Delfino administration that have been floated out unchallenged by the media, with the sole exception of this website which reported them. The Top Ten Spins Are: 

1. The Department of Public Works Garage/Pepe Garage/ Stop N Shop Swap  Will Not Cost us anything. (It cost $1.5 Million in new DPW garage construction overruns – plus another $2.7 Million in a tax certiorari proceeding. Were the two related? Perish the thought!!

2. The City Center Garage Will Make Money for the City. (The city says it is beginning to pay. But no hard figures have been released. As of Spring 04 it was not.
   
3. The Transfer of Development Rights Zoning was not tailored for use by Louis Cappelli. (He was the first to use it and benefit from it.)
   
4. The City Center development could be handled by the Main Street sewer. (The head of  the DPW privately told the Mayor in front of several commissioners that the city Main Street sewer would backup with disasterous consequences., a report that was denied by the Mayor, then partially admitted, then fully revealed that a memo saying so from the Commissioner of Public Works  had been suppressed from the Common Council, which instead of flatly demanding someone’s resignation for this coverup said not a peep.)
   
5. The White Plains Performing Arts Center would be home to local theatre at reasonable rents. (To date, 31 local groups, Westchester Conservatory and a small theatre company have afforded the WPPAC rents. The High School has not been able to use it for their productions, Fort Hill Players cannot afford it, and Westco cannot afford to use it.) 
   
6. The Renaissance Plaza Fountain would not cost tax payers a cent. (There are two maintenance persons working on maintaining the fountain, plus payments for the fountain computer consultant.)
   
7. The Parking Authority fund balance  would be dedicated to debt service. ($5.2 Million was allocated to something called “Economic Development,” an item not listed in the 04-05 city budget, except for the Executive Officer’s salary. )
   
8. The White Plains bond rating is not in jeopardy. (Common Council learned 5 weeks after the fact  last year that Moody’s had placed the bond rating on watch in March, while the Council was considering budget allocations.)
   
9. There would be halo effect from the City Center ( This is the one spin that appears to be coming true. We have terrific bar traffic every night of the week, and the sales tax receipts according to a high source in the Delfino Administration had a record 4^th quarter in June 05, and city officials cross their fingers for a $4 Million sales tax increase in 04-05)
   
10.  On the other hand the numbers have not been released to prove it, and they revised sales forecasts down $500,000 when approving the 05-06 budget.
    
11. Fund Balance is never used and never spent. This latest spin only comes true if the city generates  $50 Million in sales tax receipts in 2005-2006, because they are incorporating $8.7 Million in fund balance to balance the 2005-2006 budget just accepted.

You Run on Toothless Zoning and Spot Zoning

When the Delfino Administration presided over the rewriting of the Zoning Code, they made it possible for Louis Cappelli to transfer development rights to another site. They denied this was done specifically for Cappelli at the time, but he was the first to take advantage of it.  

They also offered special permits to take the City Center towers higher to 34 stories.

By these actions, the Delfino Administration has effectively thrown away its rights to enforce zoning restrictions that developers may not like, and to deny a developer  what they want on legal grounds. 

You Run on Planning for the Future.

The city has yet to tackle the implications of infrastructure improvements such as new sewers, new transit construction, and of course power needs for the future city.  

Is the Main Street sewer going to be o.k. with the lining procedure executed last fall? No one knows

With the ambitious plan to rezone office properties as mixed use announced by the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee Draft Report this week, is more sewer rehab and power demands needed? 

Con Edison has never explained to WPCNR, or any media, for that matter despite persistent requests, why feeder cables failed in the big transformer replacement last summer,  the other blackout in June (approximate) last summer, and the southend blackout last week. The other blackout in the Park Circle neighborhood was, according to Con Ed caused by a squirrel. (The furry perp was not apprehended.) Blackouts now are not reported by the media. Blackouts occurred last week in New Rochelle, Larchmont, White Plains. And now Staten Island. No media coverage. 

Did anyone ever check with Con Edison to see how much power the City Center, Bank Street Commons, and all the new high tech firms occupying space in the new office buildings were actually going to draw down through the feeder cables? If so, who did?

You Run on  Financial Management of the City. 

The city has been cannibalizing its fund balances and bonding for dear life.  As the City Center and downtown development perks up, so the Delfino Administration spins, this will go away. But will it? What will be the sales tax handle as of the end of June 30, 2005? Will it be revealed?

The meeting of sales tax projections, obviously much to the surprise of the Delfino Administration, since they have not had the intelligence and good sense to announce the real numbers publicly in a press release or a news conference, is a good thing.  

But does this mean that all the racheting up of parking fees, parking fines and meter rates was not really needed to balance the budget?

If the sales tax receipts continue to climb there was absolutely no need to raise parking fines, fees, hours in the first place.

 Democrats Can Claim Credit for Fiduciary Foresight. 

Of course since the Democrats on the council rubber-stamped the financial siphons the Delfinos used to balance their budget this year (but, is it balanced, Mrs. Reasoner?), the CitizeNetReporter will be very surprised if the great Democrat hope runs on candor and responsibility in financial management, since his Common Council running mates have shown little stomach for it.

Of course, Rosy Scenario, as Dan Seidel says, was correct, the sales tax numbers came rolling in and the city budget was on target. In which case, the financial management attack would be somewhat muted. 

However,  Mayor Delfino will most likely hold a huge news conference the very minute sales tax figures roll ahead of projections.

You Run on Candor in Financials. 

The citizens of White Plains and the Common Council need to demand and circulate (circulate being the key word) explicit, up to the week figures on the city budget as we grind towards April, 2006. The condition of the budget next spring, whether we are ahead or behind has to be explicitly revealed. If it is favorable to the Delfino Administration, the Mayor is definitely going to crow about it.

If it is unfavorable,  and the sales tax figures are in shortfall, suppression will have to be fought vigilantly, because suppress and finesse is  what this administration does. The Democrat Common Council allowed him to do that. 

You Run on  Communication with the public.

The Delfino Administration holds less news conferences than Al Qaida. 

The city website does not even post the city’s own news releases, of which there are few and far inbetween. The website did not  update the parking fee and fine structure a month after the fees had gone into effect. It is an embarrassment. It is in Spanish which is great — perhaps the one good thing the website masters have done with the site. No meeting notices. No calendars. It is terrible.

The city only issues advisories to the Journal News which prints them, but you have to know where to look.  

When the Delfino Administration holds a press event, they do not take questions from the floor.

The city does not announce a Mayor’s schedule of appearances and meetings each week, something they could do on their website, but do not, thus assuring the news media such as they are cannot show up.  You might argue this is a security precaution, because Mayor Delfino travels everywhere, often alone, so that argument does not wash.

 The city publishes agendas steeped in legal mumbo jumbo, which is not unusual as governments go, but makes it impossible for even intelligent people to figure out what a resolution does, unless they have the backup material. That should stop.

 You Run on  Management of  City Facilities.

There has not yet been a detailed accounting of the financial performance of the White Plains Performing Arts Center. Tony Stimac, the Producing Director of the WPPAC told  WPCNR the WPPAC spent $1.1 Million, its first year, well over what the original Request for Proposals called for. It took in $400,000 in admissions, and received $700,000 in contributions to break even, including a sizable infusion of cash from Louis Cappelli this spring.  

In a mailing to subscribers the WPPAC admitted it had not caught on with White Plains residents or reached out to the community adequately. So what is being done differently to change that? That is an issue. I would not want to see the theatre closed down and we lose a performing arts center because it is not being promoted and programmed properly, as their own literature sent to donors admits.

However, what did it cost to build the theatre?  Because no financial report was due by law until spring 2003, and the organization has a year more to render that report, we stiil do not know those actual figures of what the theatre spent and what it depended on in contributions. Because the theatre is now run by a private nonprofit organization, the city does not have to report such matters. And, the Common Council appears to care less how the theatre is doing. That’s an issue. 

The true cost of what the theatre is costing the city , to build, and to run day to day ops is a mystery as we write this.

You Run on Nickel-and-Diming

 Speaking of costs, everybody likes the Renaissance Plaza fountain experience. But, its maintenance is touchy. There are two persons on staff caring for the finicky innards of the fountain. What is that costing? At next year’s budget hearings there should be one whole work session dedicated to examining the costs of Public Works expansions brought on by new responsibilities for the fountain, Liberty Park, and of course, the future New York Presbyterian Hospital park. (Forgot about that one, didn’t we?)

 In any other city, the Public Works Commissioner is accessible routinely on these matters. Not in White Plains.

 The ballfield at Eastview was redone at a cost of $300,000, but used unclean city fill from the city dump, making it unusable according to the City School District. It continues to be used by the Little League and soccer leagues, but the school district does not like it. To spend $300,000 and use unclean, shot-through-with-glass fill is not good maintenance. The field still is not smooth in the outfield, does not have adequate grass. How do you spend $300G and come up with a lumpy, bumpy outfield? Especially when the city burned $2 Million on buying property along the Greenway and rejected artificial turf for Eastview for the same amount. 

SPEAKING OF GARAGES

The City Center garage, the city finance department reports,  continues to grow in receipts, and is expected to reach expectations of revenue. But it has not yet. Without Mr. Cappelli’s $300,000 contribution last  year it would not approached breaking even.  What are the implications of this for the city, which has to pay off $23 Million in bonding for that garage? That is an issue. 

The Department of Parking operations have to be examined in terms of costs of maintaining facilities vis a vis revenues taken in. Will the Department of Parking have sway over how much revenues they keep to maintain their facilities? Dedication of revenues remains an issue for any candidate running against the Mayor.

You Run on Future of the City 

Since all these issues written about in this column were rubber-stamped by the possible Democrat candidates for Mayor, do not expect them to be raised or considered.

 The other issue that is made to order is of course, the city’s future. The Mayor’s Office has gone on record as saying the Cappelli Hotel and Office Complex, and the Silverman Property (along Mamaroneck Avenue) are the final two segments of city development to be completed. Now with the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee preparing its first report we see that South Lexington Avenue, West Post Road and select office properties will be selected for mixed use with some parcels being targeted for those wonderful high buildings sophisticated developers like.

 A knowledgeable real estate source has said privately that parcels are already quietly being assembled to put together those 300,000 square foot development parcels that we are told “can’t happen here.”

Is the new downtown already planned in the warm, cozy, friendly, touchy feely Mayor’s Office at city hall? Where’s the model, where are the overheads? How about a little communication? 

Well, an issue is how will they be developed? And, how will South Lexington Avenue be Renaissanced? How will traffic be handled? How will development be controlled now that zoning changes have been engineered for favored developers.

What the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee has written (if this is the CPRC prepared report) indicates they are going along with this downtown of the future.

 You Run  on Taxes.

The Parking Authority demise and rebirth as the Department of Parking underscores the city scramble for new revenues.

Conversely, if Mayor Delfino’s rosy scenarios come true, he takes away a Democrat opponent’s issues on finance as outlined here, and claims he was a brilliant financial manager. 

You Run on New York Presbyterian Hospital.

It is almost September again, and no ground has been broken for the proton accelerator and biomedical complex at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Three years and no dirt shoveled.

The site plan has to be extended again. A case can be made that this entire project has to be reexamined environmentally from the standpoint of infrastructure,  power supply and financing, as well as the Hospital’s request to rezone the property for medical commercial in the north end of its property.

Played right and responsibly by an opponent, without hysteria, this perennial issue could again be a sensitive pinch in Mayor Delfino’s vulnerable backside. 

The word on the street from a knowledgeable source is that some well-known developers are going to get a piece of the New York Presbyterian Hospital property.  Maybe they will deliver Mayor Delfino’s park in time for the election. 

You Run  on Real Estate Values.

Should the traditionally low White Plains property taxes escalate as they have the last ten years, will this make White Plains housing prices decline? Considering the School Budget is going to be $200 Million in five years (it is $154.9 Million now and goes up a steady $10 Million a year automatically), and the city budget looks to be on target for 10% increases a year over the next several years, how will this affect home prices? Property Taxes. This is an issue. 

One of the most tedious issues the Democrats have always run on is affordable housing which they wave every election. Well, they have to address this inexorable rise in property taxes that is making White Plains homes unaffordable to stay in on fixed incomes, and with gathering apartment dwellers, lays the groundwork for the need for future schools to handle the influx of new families.

This reporter just has a gut feeling that these apartments are not all going to be filled by celibate couples who will not introduce children to the district. 

And how about those apartment rents? $2,000 a month, $3,000 a month and those condominium prices of $1 Million and up? Will they move? Will they be the start of more to come?

You Run on Subsidizing Housing for the Middle Class

Affordable Housing is a touchy-feely issue. Legislation was just passed this week to put the city in the banking business to provide down payments for persons who make pretty good money. 

This is hardly an issue Mr. Power will raise. But, it is a new bureaucracy in the making. This is housing for persons who make decent salaries, not the poverty level income. We have already learned from housing advocates that many applicants for mortgage funds do not pass bank credit checks.

So this means we want to help the middle class who supposedly know the value of saving and managing money to buy homes. Who may even have homes now.

 You Run on Atmosphere.

The transformation into White Plains as “the safest place to drink in Westchester County” according to young persons who come to White Plains to drink along Mamaroneck Avenue and East Post Road, is not necessarily a good thing. 

Now you can shoot a cannon down Mamaroneck Avenue and East Post Road at 9 PM on Thursday night, Friday or Saturday night and people will not have the reflexes to get out of the way.

Though the Department of Public Safety works the White Plains streets with great efficiency in controlling public drunkenness, this drinking sobriquet could be raised as a negative by a candidate. The candidate can also work the teen drinking issue.

 Now, what about illegal housing? (Forgot about this one, didn’t we?) How is that initiative coming along? The Task Force on Illegal Housing has been operating.

 llegal housing creates unsafe living conditions for both the persons in the illegal housing and the neighbors of illegal rooming houses. It should not be lipserviced  every election year then forgotten as it now appears to be. (Perhaps that will be the next news conference.) Has this been working?  The candidate needs to shine a light on the figures, and the progress. Mr. Hockley ought to be able to help Mr. Power with that.

The Pay Issue.

The Delfino Administration makes its commissioners and city employees rich with settlements and commissioner pay increases well above the inflation rate. The Mayor himself at his present rate of salary increases should have his salary up to $160,000 a year by the time he leaves office if he is reelected, and his top commissioners are getting well up there in the 140s. Many commissioners have seen their salaries inflated by approximately 25 to 30% in the last seven years.

Mr. Delfino may be a tough taskmaster but he takes care of his commissioners. But, hey, a little restraint, guys?

Of course, this bodes well for any Dennis Power administration.

The Nice Issue.

Finally, another reason to remove Mr. Delfino is that his administration and inner circle are not nice people. They renege on promises. They lie. They threaten. They promise and do not keep their promises.  They suppress information. They create an atmosphere of fear in City Hall and among the citizenry.

You can not have that in a government anywhere in America. Of course, the Democrats are not very nice either, so this probably will not be an issue they raise.

Will the Issues Be Raised?

Well, as a public service, WPCNR has detailed just some of the issues a possible opponent could raise against Joseph Delfino in the next five months. However, since the Democratic Council presided over the creation of these situations, and the Mayor is perceived as having revived the city, we will be very surprised if Mr. Power uses them. But, he should.

 Mr. Power, you now do not need to hire political consultants. Simply file this column away for quick reference, and just mention my name.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Music Recital Benefits Parent Child Center

The Parent Child Center, a drop-in playgroup in New Rochelle that serves families challenged by poverty, low levels of education and language barriers, was the beneficiary of a piano recital given recently by two White Plains High School students. The program, An Afternoon of Music with Joey Stevens & Alex Rainer, was at the White Plains home of Wilma Machover, Alex’s piano teacher. The two performed a variety of music from baroque to jazz as well as two original pieces they wrote. The event raised $400 for the Parent Child Center, a program of Westchester Jewish Community Services, whose Director is White Plains resident Patice Cuddy.