WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER 3,374,995 VISITS IN ONE YEAR—65,000 VISITS A WEEK BY 985,281 VISITORS

Hits: 0

WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. By New York State District 89 Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley. March 19, 2004: Budget reform is something that I have advocated throughout my career in public service.

I am pleased that the Assembly recently passed a comprehensive reform plan to make New York’s budget process more open, accountable and efficient (A.9615). This plan overhauls how the budget is negotiated and shines light on state spending by making more expenditures subject to budget negotiation checks and balances.

Now conference committees are being held with the Senate to iron out differences in each house’s version of these reforms and agreements have been made on many issues. The Assembly and Senate are closer to agreement on a budget reform package than they have ever been.

The Assembly and Senate are also considering a bill that creates a two-year education spending plan to give schools the information they need to plan timely budgets and prepare programs that meet high standards (A.9711). This bill will help remove the annual fiscal uncertainty and guard against unnecessary education cuts that could force school districts to raise taxes.

In the first year of the Assembly’s “Step Ahead” school budgeting plan, the Legislature would adopt an education budget for the next two fiscal years. Thereafter, the Legislature would adopt the education budget for the following fiscal year, letting school districts know a year in advance how much money they will receive. This will lessen the chance that school districts are forced to raise property taxes because of fiscal uncertainty.

Increasing accountability and timeliness

While discussions are still continuing, many of the Assembly’s proposals have been agreed to, including changing the beginning of the fiscal year from April 1 to May 1 (A.8989). Starting the state’s fiscal year a month later will lead to more accurate revenue forecasts and give the Legislature more time to review the details of the governor’s budget proposal so better decisions can be made.

The Assembly’s reform package would also:

·        open hearings on state agency budgets to the public;

·        require the governor to include more detail in his budget submission;

·        increase the tax stabilization fund – allowing the state to put more money away in “rainy day” funds; and

·        withhold the governor’s salary until the budget is passed, in the same way legislators’ salaries are withheld, encouraging the governor to become more actively involved in the budget process (A.8991).

Removing obstacles to budget negotiations

The Assembly’s plan also creates a state legislative budget office to provide objective, non-partisan analysis of state revenues, expenditures and management practices (A.8446-A). The office would be modeled after the Congressional Budget Office and the New York City Independent Budget Office. An independent budget office would make a revenue forecast that could be used to make decisions in a non-partisan manner.

Streamlining state operations and improving oversight

To improve efficiency and save taxpayers’ dollars, the Assembly’s plan would also:

·        create a strategic planning and performance measurement system to detail what the state budgets and spends, and determine how effectively and efficiently state agencies are operating (A.8990);

·        require additional reporting on the acquisition of information technology to keep officials and the public aware of how much money is being spent on those purchases (A.6977-A); and

·        provide state agencies access to information about responsible bidders on state contracts, helping them determine a bidder’s history of contract performance and compliance with laws (A.3730).

To address the lack of accountability within public authorities and public benefit corporations, the Assembly’s plan would also require spending by most authorities involved in state functions to be subject to legislative oversight.

Another portion of the plan creates the Health Care Reform Act State Budget Transition Fund which would receive HCRA revenues and place them under the watch of the state comptroller. More than half of the program, or approximately $2 billion annually, is currently “off-budget” and not subject to the normal financial checks and balances that would ensure accountability. The governor would be required to put this spending “on-budget” by providing appropriations for this program in his budget proposal.

We have a historic opportunity this year to pass a progressive set of budget reforms. I am encouraged by the progress made so far and will continue to work for meaningful reforms. I truly hope we can reach an agreement so New York can have the functional, efficient budget process its taxpayers deserve.

Hits: 0

            WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From Michelle Schoenfeld, White Plains City School District. March 18, 2004: Sixty White Plains High School students from four Winter Varsity Teams were honored as Scholar-Athletes by the Board of Education at its March Regular Meeting.  The New York State Public High School Athletic Association awards this status, based upon a team average  of  90 or better from a specified number of athletes.  Athletic Director Mario Scarano presented the  teams and their coaches to the Board.

              Seven students from the Women’s Basketball Team, coached by Sue Adams, qualified with a 90.879 average. From Men’s Swimming & Diving, Patty Gilmartin, Coach, 15 athletes qualified with an average of 90.048.  The Men’s Track Team, coached by Fred Singleton, had 17 members qualify with an average of 90.440. Finally, the Women’s Track Team had 21 athletes qualify, with an average of 90.735.  Ed Zemmel is Coach.

In addition, Mr. Scarano recognized five athletes who attained averages over 90, but whose  teams did not qualify.

Hits: 0

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester Office of Tourism. March 18, 2004: The newly-released publication, The Westchester Way Travel Guide, provides comprehensive travel information for this destination in southeastern New York State.  During the spring and summer months, advertisements in print and broadcast media will promote weekend getaways to Westchester County.

The annual 68-page, magazine-style travel guide, produced by the Westchester County Office of Tourism, contains detailed information on the county’s hotels, attractions, historical sites, performing arts centers, parks and recreational opportunities, shopping, nightlife and children’s activities. 

The Travel Guide’s calendar of special events describes the fairs, festivals, musical and theatrical programs, ethnic celebrations, museum exhibitions, holiday activities, craft, antique and auto shows, and major sporting events taking place county-wide throughout 2004.  The calendar includes the game dates of the USBL’s Westchester Wildfire, and a list of road races and marathons. 

There is additional information on parades, fireworks displays, Westchester movie and TV locations, and farms, orchards, and wineries.  A special section, “Dining, The Westchester Way”, highlights over forty of the best restaurants in Westchester.  Each restaurant that advertised in the guide is listed with information on the type of cuisine served, hours of operation, meal prices, availability for groups, and more.

An advertising campaign is planned in May and June to promote weekend getaway packages, with special rates offered at several Westchester County hotels.  The ads will run in newspapers and television stations in the New York City metropolitan area.

The Westchester County Travel Guide is available to the public free of charge, and can be requested by calling the Westchester County Office of Tourism at (800) 833-9282 or (914) 995-8500, or by visiting the Tourism website at www.westchestertourism.com.

Hits: 0

WPCNR Talk of  City Center. By John F. Bailey. March 17, 2004 UPDATED With New Photo Composite, 4:30 P.M E.S.T. : Cappelli Enterprises, as promised to WPCNR, started up construction on the Townhouse building on City Place Wednesday morning, adjacent to the City Center and the soon-to-be 34-story “house of elegance,” across City Place, the South Condoplex. In recognition of the return to construction today, Cappelli’s architect, Costis, Kondylis Partners of New York, architects of Trump World Tower in Manhattan, have released the new design of the southern citadel.

THE SOUTH CONDOPLEX TODAY: Just at the 9-floor mark, the Southern condominium has completed its interior and exterior redesign by Costis Kondylis and, according to Bruce Berg of Cappelli Enterprises construction on what Louis Cappelli, “The Super Developer,” promises to make the premier address in the county. Construction had been suspended for some six weeks to reconfigure engineering changes, floor plan changes to rearrange the infrastructure of the plex and to enhance the exterior. The picture that follows shows how the new building will look. Photo by WPCNR News

RENAISSANCE! at City Center on Martine Avenue. As promised by Louis Cappelli, the Costis, Kondylis  “Trump Touch” has added taller windows with a bronze hue, a rich, beige facade, and intriguing setbacks on the south side. The building on the left is the 11-story Townhouse condominium, and a portion of  ” The Bridge” from the City Center Garage to City Center is seen between the two renderings. Photo, Courtesy, Cappelli Enterprises.

SIDE BY SIDE: One City Place at City Center (left), as it appeared Wednesday morning, viewed from Renaissance Plaza, compared to the new design of, perhaps what will be Two City Place, lovingly enhanced and “Trumped” by Costis, Kondylis Partners of New York. Photo on left by WPCNR News. Photo, right, courtesy, Cappelli Enterprises.

Hits: 0

WPCNR City Hall Circuit. By John F. Bailey. March 17, 2004, UPDATED March 17, 2004, 12:30 P.M. with correction:  Tuesday night, the Downtown Business Improvement District and the administration introduced the national “French Market” specialists, Bensidoun USA, Inc., of Chicago as the firm that will create a new Farmer’s Market in White Plains in June.

 Sebastien Bensidoun, Executive Vice President, (foreground) introduced his firm to the Common Council during Tuesday evening work session.  Paul Wood, Economic Development Director corrected WPCNR’s understanding of the payment arrangement. He said Mr. Bensidoun’s firm would pay the city a nominal fee of $1,000 for the service of marketing the farmer’s market, which includes custom, homogenous booths with roofs, managing the market, and booking vendors. Last year’s vendors would be given preference on the first year’s operation.  Wood said, “Basically, their services are free to the City except for the labor for setup and breakdown of the structures on market days which the BID will provide.” Photo by WPCNR NEWS

 NEW LES HALLES IN WHITE PLAINS. The City Hall Private Parking Preserve will be cleared of cars Wednesdays and Saturdays and festooned with colorful awnings and booths of a Bensidoun USA “French Market” come June. City Hall is at right. Photo by WPCNR News

The site of the market, previously thought to be on Court Street by Macy’s, would move from Court Street to the city hall parking lot, a solution suggested by City Hall employees.

Mayor Delfino said the reason the famer’s market had to move was  a new project for developing Court Street along the Macy’s corridor would be presented to the Common Council at next Wednesday evening’s work session, which dictated that the Farmer’s Market be moved from the Court Street Area. Pressed as to the “Mystery Developer” bringing in the project, the Mayor said it was not Louis Cappelli or Leon Silverman.

Mr. Bensidoun said present vendors at the Farmer’s Market would be giving discount pricing, paying about $30 for a stall, with new vendors being charged $40. For more on the scope and expertise of Bensidoun, they have a website at http://www.bensidoun-usa.com/.

BENSIDOUN V.P. SHOWCASED his line of French Markets with a slide and webshow.  His markets have been highly successful in the Chicago area and around the country over the last five years. However, he admitted his company still has not turned a profit. White Plains will be his first entry into the New York metropolitan area. The firm sets up booths, supplies a manager who maintains order and decorum and enforces the rules. Vendors are not given contracts. In Wheaton, Illinois, one of 9 sites around the Chicago area, Bensidoun has 90 vendors in one market. Photo by WPCNR News