WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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WPCNR QUILL AND EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. February 11, 2005, UPDATED WITH CHART PIX, 3:30 P.M. E.S.T.: The city issued its  Interim Financial Report for the first half of the fiscal year Monday evening.

The city, as Mayor Joseph Delfino mentioned in his State of the City Message, is running 12% ahead of last year’s pace in sales taxes. However, the beeps, boops and blips of city store and restaurant scanners slowed their pace during the holiday season October, November, December from the First Quarter (July, August, September) when sales were running 15.6% ahead.

WHITE PLAINS OFFICIAL SCORECARD: Six Months in the Books. The above figures show the sales tax collections in the current fiscal year, 04-05, through the first six months. $10,117,695 was collected in the First Quarter (July, August, September), and $10,760,486 in the Second Quarter (October, November, December). The percentage spread over and under compred to 2003-04 is at far right hand column, by month and quarter. Photo by WPCNR News.

Commissioner of Finance, Gina Cuneo-Harwood, who personally turned over the finance report to this reporter, commented  the city was “looking good.”

As the city started January, the report has the city taking in $20,878,181 in sales tax the first six months. The city projected $37,698,723 for the year. It is on pace to hit approximately $42 million in sales tax receipts, leaving some $4 Million more sales tax revenue to make settlements with the police and fire unions (which expire June 30), manage certioraris, replenish the fund balance, and plug unforeseen financial leaks.

That $42 Million figure should be hit if the city maintains its $10 Million a quarter pace. In January to June of 2004, the city collected $9,691,617 in sales tax in Jan-Feb-March, and $9,240,938 in April May June, to just make its  $38 Million budgeted sales tax figure for 03-04. 

 Best Holiday Quarter Jump in Sales Tax in 10 Years.

This year’s  holiday season did $642,791 more in sales taxes  than the summer first quarter (10,117,695), WPCNR’s early projections of a $45 Million sales tax take (with a 15.6% increase in the Christmas Quarter or more, fall by the wayside, unless the Albany coffers find major sales tax “windfalls”  in the fourth quarter coming in with White Plains’ dibs on it. 

The $642,791 jump from first quarter to second quarter, though it may be dissappointing,  is the largest First Quarter to Second Quarter increase in 10 years. The previous largest increase quarter to quarter was $700,000 in 1995 when The Westchester opened.

What Might Have Been.

Doing the math, had the city simply sustained the 15.6% pace during the holiday season, retaining the First Quarter fast start, it would have generated an $11.5 Million Second Quarter and had approximately $21.5 Million and heading towards a $42 Million-plus Sales Tax total by June 30.

More to the point if the city had attracted more Holiday Shoppers with their new downtown retail mix, (Fortunoff, Barnes & Noble, Target, Circuit City, Filene’s Basement in place), you might have expected to see a 16-17 even 18% increase over the First Quarter. But that did not happen.

Sales were  up 7.5% over the holiday season of last year. It is nice to dream what would have happened had White Plains been a holiday shopping destination.  

Dreams for Christmas Future.

An 18% increase over last year’s holiday quarter (which beeped up $10,013,674 in sales tax revenues), would have generated  $11.8 Million in sales this year, and the city would be breathing a sigh of relief. Instead we tacked up $10,760,486.

Reality is that the city only generated $642,791 more in the second quarter this year (with City Center and Fortunoff, Morton’s, The Cheesecake Factory, Legal Seafood, and Zanaro’s in place) over the first quarter. That works out to a 7.5% increase over last year, when there were, by my count, 4 less restaurants.

 The rosy scenario WPCNR painted  in October, a pipe dream of an 18% second quarter increase when we reported on the first quarter results, would have the city earning $21.8 Million and with sustained quarters of $10 Million plus each in the upcoming third and fourth quarters, the city would be pushing $44 Million in Sales (close to the heady $45 Million). That would give them a shot at a balanced budget even with the 4% Police and Fire pay hikes expected.  It still could happen.

If the city equals last years numbers in the third and fourth quarters coming up, they will come in at $18.9 Million or $39.8 Million, a mere $1 Million in sales tax receipts over fiscal 03-04.

THE TOTALS AFTER 4-1/2 INNINGS: Last year’s Sales Tax Numbers appear in the left hand column for January,February, March 2004, and April-May-June, 2004, showing what the city brought in to narrowly tie up their projection at the very last moment in June 2004, to make their $38 Million project. The city is currently running $10.3- $10.4 Million a quarter (as noted in right hand column). Can White Plains wallets open up and sustain the first half sales tax flow to bring us into the promised land? Photo by WPCNR News.

On Target. No Margin for Error.

The good news is that the present city economy seems to be sustaining a $10.1 Million handle every quarter in the city. The $10 Million trend is up and growing. This generates a $20.2 Million second half, combined with the $20.8, first half would have the city hit $41 Million in sales tax revenue on the nose – the figure the city told Moody’s it expected to generate in fiscal 04-05.

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. Special to WPCNR. February 11, 2005: The first meeting of the Mayor’s Comprehensive Plan Review Committee convened Wednesday evening in the Common Council Chambers to an audience of 9 persons, with all 15 members of the committee on hand.

In the course of the historic meeting that was not attended by Mayor Joseph Delfino, a WPCNR reporter on the scene reports Commissioner of Planning Susan Habel announced there will be a series of  four public hearings held among the city’s neighborhood associations to gather their “recommendations” and “input” on issues affecting their community. Association presidents are to expect a letter inviting them and their residents to participate in the hearings. It was also announced that all the clergy in the city would be consulted. The next time the committee will meet has not been determined. They did however take home a lot of homework.

John Martin, Co-Chair of the Committee, (with Mary Cavallero), said he expected the committee to complete its work in 4 months.

The fifteen members were given a set of indexes prepared by the Planning Department which should make Susan Habel’s  hastily prepared, inconclusive 186-Page 1997 Comprehensive Plan Review and Analysis more navigable as the committee members begin their task of working through Ms. Habel’s review, seeing how far the plan has gone and adjusting the 1997 Comprehensive Plan goals for the five years ahead.

Anne Edwards, committee member, expressed the opinion that Ms. Habel had done a great job on the book. The book was presented January 13.

Intros.

They had an agenda, and Martin and Mary introduced it, and Susan (Habel) had a good deal to say. They were given their background by Sue on comprehensive planning and what it means. She spent quite a bit of time. Surely the people in the committee are trying their best to catch up. They want to set the timetable for 4 public meetings, and clearly feel they have a lot of stuff to digest. They were given copies of the 97 Comprehensive Plan, other packets, all kinds of assurances from Mary Cavallero that it was not necessary to be expert in anything.

Ready to go.

What really came out in the end there, was they were really ready to start going into public hearings. And, here was Eli Schoenberg somehow saying,  wouldn’t we do a better job of understanding what people were talking about in those hearings if we ourselves had a little more time to learn the stuff we’re supposed to know.

Another observer said the committee was ready to start thrashing out the downtown issues Wednesday night, but they opted for more time to consider the material.

A little while later, Louis Trippett steered it a little bit, and people started hanging on to what he was saying. He started to explain what kind of subcommittee system there was last time, instead of just having one meeting where everybody and their kid brother just sort of gets up and complains about everything. That’s what I believe what Sue (Habel) had handed out to Mary (Cavallero) and John (Martin) to make it happen, just to say we’ll give you the stuff people, then we’re going to have these public meetings, then we’re going to get together  and do the report. It’s not come out like that yet.

Thjey had an orientation  meeting, they introduced themselves to each, they learned some of the history of the plan. They got some better idea of what their charge in the task might reasonably be. What needs more work is that they have to become more familiar with the material and they  agreed they’d have to set another meeting merely to continue that discussion so they can set up a process for not only getting the public in general to meet, but they want to send out to not only neighborhoods but areas of interest, the BID, and all that sort of stuff.”

Jim Benerofe, who attended, speaking to WPCNR said Habel made clear why the Common Council did not “adopt” the plan, but instead, “accepted” it. Benerofe said Habel explained to the Committee that if the council adopted it, making the 1997 Comprehensive Plan “law,” they would have been obligated to overhaul all their zoning to conform to it, and that was why the plan was “accepted” and not adopted, to give the city more flexibility.

Another WPCNR reporter on the scene said that when Ron Jackson, one committee member asked what authority the committee actually had to set priorities, he was met by silence.

Conspicuous by his absence was Mayor Joseph Delfino who made no appearance. No explanation was given for his whereabouts. Commissioner of Planning Habel and Eileen McCarthy (“The Trusty Secretary of the Planning Board”), were city liaisons to the meeting. Rod Johnson, the Deputy Commissioner of Planning was in attendance.

The members of the committee are: John Martin, Mary Cavallero, Co-Chairs; Patrick Austin, Steve Brown, Guy D’Antona, Ann Edwards, Virginia Falzarano, Vito Fragala, Ronald Goldstein, Ron Jackson, Carlos Roskell, Eli Schoenberg,Louis Trippett, Isabelle Villar, and John Vorperian.

Our observer reports that mention was made by Ms. Habel that “we have to get notice of these meetings out, we should be on Bailey’s (The CitizeNetReporter).”

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. February 7, 2005.: Mayor Joseph Delfino addressed the Common Council this evening delivering a glowing report card on the city’s “Renaissance.”  He claimed strong economic resurgence of the city during the last year. He downplayed the negative bond rating recently continued by the Moody’s Investor Service, even saying Moody’s was impressed by the city sales tax progressions.

The Delfino Network: Mayor Joseph Delfino of the City of White Plains addressing the city on WPGA-TV, White Plains Government Access. Photo Capture from Channel 75, by WPCNR News.

Among plans he announced were a rubber-wheel trolley, and he said he would introduce an initiative to involve merchants, residents and property owners to revitalize the West Side of the city as part of his Phase IV Revitalization program,  assuring that Winbrook, the city’s largest public housing complex would continue to be the anchor of that sector of the city.

Our sales tax (receipts) has increased 12% this year alone. Our mortgage recording tax and our pilot  payments are adding new and increasing revenue streams to our budget.  The investments we’ve made in our future the last four years are just beginning to show returns and they are better than even we had expected.”

WPCNR reported that at the close of the First Quarter, September 30, sales taxes were reported running 15% ahead of 2003-04, and now after the Christmas October November, December quarter,  according to the Mayor, they are running at 12% ahead of last year’s pace.

The B-Word:  Bond Rating is Addressed. 

The Mayor then touched the “B-Word,” discussing the negative bond rating Moody’s Business Service continued last month after meeting with the Mayor:

“Much has been said about the negative outlook attached to our bond rating six months ago (actually one year ago in January). Our bond rating is one of the highest in the country for a suburban city. Moody’s Bond Agency Rating (er) explained to us in a visit to our city recently, that they would like to see an entire year’s returns on all of our new development before lifting our negative outlook. This is reasonable.

In fact, Moody’s proclaimed that after that visit with us, the rating agency was not overly concerned and that our sales tax was coming in strong.”

What did Moody’s Really Say?

The Mayor’s statement appears very optimistic because the Moody’s report issued January 18, as a result of that visit to White Plains appears to take a different view:

Moody’s writes as of January 18: “The negative outlook reflects challenges the city faces restoring structural balance and maintaining a satisfactory financial position following three years of operating losses and expenditure pressures for fiscal 2005 and beyond.”

Perhaps the Mayor draws his inference from this language from Moody’s  that compliments the city’s efforts in a long paragraph describing exactly the development the Mayor spent most of his State of the City speech talking about: “fiscal 2005 is expected to end with a slight surplus reflecting an increase in the property tax rate, fee increases, and stronger than budgeted sales tax revenues….The city expects sales tax to exceed budget in fiscal 2005 by $3.3 Million.”

Moody’s also expressed this view of the city financial position: “Moody’s expects the city’s financial operations, which reflect losses in each of the past three years, will be challenged to stabilize or improve in the medium term given continuing expenditure pressures.”

Moody’s report of January 18, 2005, notes that to change the rating (remove the negative outlook), the agency would like to see “Structural balance of General Fund operations for fiscal 2005.”

However, Moody’s cautions they could move the rating down if the city experienced “A fourth consecutive year of operating deficits and an erosion of the General Fund balance.”

Bonds Go Like Hot Cakes.

The Moody’s Report not withstanding, the Mayor said, investors were snapping up the city’s bonds at low interest rates:

“ I can tell you investor confidence in our city has never been higher. Our recent bond issue (that Moody’s was rating in the report just quoted) traded at some of the lowest interest rates the market has to offer, 2.1% and 3.9%, and for the first time in years, our bonds required no insurance. There’s nothing negative about that. Investors realize we are managing our growth effectively and managing our finances superbly. We are trading at Triple A levels. Banks want our paper. Our financials are more than healthy, they’re in exemplary shape.”

The Mayor did not speak at all on budget challenges for the new year, the numbers of sales tax receipts after two quarters, nor labor challenges, nor fund balance erosion and how he was going to address those thorny matters. The message on finances was the city is on target and O.K.

City of Downtown Living.

The Mayor extolled the continued success of rentups and condo purchases in new units in the downtown, reporting that  90% of Bank Street Commons was leased; 95% of Clayton Park is leased, and 162 of the 211 condos at Trump Tower at City Center have been taken to contract. “Each of our city’s neighborhoods offer their own unique setting and amenities as well. It’s not just downtown it’s our city.”

He said “My  administration’s smart growth policies in Phase I and II plans have created the exciting urban environment White Plains was destined to be while protecting the residential character of our neighborhoods.

Eye on 2005 – Maple Avenue Resolutions & Trolleys & West Side Story & BID Expansion.

The Mayor said the city was working on two residential proposals (on Hale and Maple Avenues)  “which continue to be modified by working with the residents and the developers to insure that the projects work well with the neighborhood that’s open government at its best.”

The Mayor announced  “I’m looking forward to develop a rubber-wheeled trolley in the downtown. Last year we received $250,000 from the Department of Transportation to develop the system. It will be a unique and energetic addition to our downtown.”

The Mayor officially announced for the first time that the West Side Story revitalization is going to be a reality, saying,

“I’m very excited about the East Post Road and Lexington Avenue Corridor. With cooperation between my administration, merchants, residents, clergy and other stakeholders, this truly promises to be the most rewarding and yet unique outgrowth of our city’s renaissance, encompassing a wide range of redevelopment small business assistance, recreation and cultural opportunities. We’ll be working with  representatives of the Winbrook community to insure they play a major role in the planning effort and that their neighborhood remains a vital part of our city’s core.”

The Mayor promised development of a Phase IV Economic Development Plan to address the West Side Development project.

The Mayor said he was looking at expanding the BID (Downtown Business Improvement District), into the Lexington Avenue and East Post Road area of the city “in order to bring its programs and services to these and other areas of our city.”

Affordable Housing.

The Mayor promised he was going to “manage our economic growth effectively in order to help those in need of affordable housing and to distribute the economic benefits derived from our new development for the good of all our residents.” Earlier the Mayor mentioned he had been responsible for bringing 184 affordable housing units to the city.

He held  out hope that soon he would be able to announce acquisition of more open space from New York Presbyterian Hospital, and another effort to make White Plains a more walkable city.

Saying how “grateful” he was to be “your mayor,” and that he was “invigorated and excited by all that lies ahead,” the Mayor thanked his wife Ellie for putting up with his long hours and the support of his son, Joe, and daughter Cindy.

Big Close

He closed with these words, saying as he came to deliver this speech this evening, he was

“so happy to live in a city where population is up and crime is down. Where developers residents and administration officials can sit down together to design the best project. Where cultural diversity is celebrated not ignored. Where government leaders try to find a compromise  and fall prey to partisan politics. Where it’s less than a mile walk from our train station to our Westchester (Mall). Where you can drive 10 minutes and be on a flight to anywhere in the world.

The years ahead promise to be even more exciting. Soon the new hotel and residential project will begin rising in the new downtown, bringing even more activity and vibrance to the heart of our city. We’ll continue to work to produce affordable housing at every opportunity. Open space acquisition will continue to be a top priority. We’re working as hard as ever to improve the quality of life for our city residents, to create linkages throughout the city and spread the revitalization throughout all our husinesses. And we’ll continue the smart growth policies that encourage investment in our downtown, while at the same time provide protection for our city’s neighborhoods.

“We are a growing city. We are managing that growth effectively. I thank each and every one of you for your contributions and understanding. It’s been an outstanding seven years. It’s been years of progress for our city, and we’re beginning to reap our rewards. To see more than 2,000 of our residents turn out for our Christmas Tree Lighting, and more than 12,000 for our New Year’s Display, is truly overwhelming and truly gratifying. It’s all about people. It’s all about quality of life. It’s all about the city of White Plains. Thank you very much.”

The Council Response is an Endorsement. Tom Roach, President of the Common Council followed the Mayor with a laudatory endorsement of the direction the city is going. Roach complimented White Plains Commissioners whom he said were selected for their expertise and not as political appointees. He also complimented the Rotary, the White Plains Beautification Committee, among others were helping White Plains grow. Photo Capture from Channel 75, by White Plains News.

Tom Roach, is his Response Speech, was very complimentary and essentially said the council was behind the Mayor’s policies.

The speech was conspicuous in not making any comments on the health, or lack thereof, of city finances, or what the Democratic councilmembers were going to work toward in improving the city’s financial picture, or that of the School District.

Roach did say that affordable housing was an issue the Council was going to work for by possibly increasing the payment required of developers who opt to pay off their affordable housing responsibility with a set fee, instead of building actual affordable units.

Roach said  the approaching overhaul of city supplemental building codes, had been distorted by the media as being a boon to developers. (An example, installation of plastic pipe for plumbing, instead of copper) He said the council viewed relaxation of the codes permitting more modern technology as being cheaper for the homeowners, too, not just the developers.

Roach sent a message of partnership with the Mayor: 

 “Though the Mayor and I serve in different parties, I believe that for the most part, this council is united in their desire to see the best things possible for our city, and on most issues, they agree. To sum it up, in our downtown, life has returned. This was a dead downtown… It has returned to its former glory. Anyone who was here during the holiday season can attest to that….the key to redevelopment…is residential life in the downtown area. The days of building an aquarium, or a convention center to bring life back to a downtown are gone. It’s realized now that if people live in the downtown, shop downtown, walk downtown, it creates an aura of security and encourages other people to join them, and that’s what we have in our downtown and it’s building rapidly.”

In other action,

Comprehensive Plan Review Committee: The mayor announced his Comprehensive Plan Review Committee had been formed, however, did not announce the names of the persons selected to that committee. For those of you who missed the earlier WPCNR report on who these committee members are, they are:

 John Martin and Mary Cavallero, Co-Chairs,  Ann Edwards, Ron Jackson, Louis Trippet, Isabelle Villar, and John Vorperian. They are joined by Patrick Austin, Guy D’Antona, Steve Brown, Virginia Falzarano,  Vito Fragala, Ron Goldstein, Carlos Roskell, and Eli Schoenberg.

Condo Jam: The public hearings on the Hamilton at Church and Barker and the condominiums at Hale and Maple Avenues were adjourned to March 7.

Galleria Makeover: In the lone public hearing, the Common Council approved Mills Properties plans for opening The Galleria to Main Street and creating five restaurants with sidewalk cafes to energize the West End of Main Street. Their architect anticipated beginning the project this spring.

Cappelli Watch: Elsewhere on the agenda,  Councilpersons Rita Malmud and Arnold Bernstein expressed concerns about the Louis Cappelli-Martin Ginsburg legal dispute over ownership of 240 Main Street. The Mayor told Ms. Malmud and Mr. Bernstein that Mr. Cappelli had a deed to 240 Main, implying it was appropriate for the council to refer out Mr. Cappelli’s plan to build 41 units of affordable housing on that site adjacent the Ginsburg “Pinnacle Project.” 

Certioraris (tax refunds and therefore forever lost revenues) in the amount of $419,924. 10 were approved by the council for three properties known as the Gateway 1 Group at One North Lexington Avenue, as a result of a negotiated settlement between the city and those owners. Their assessments were reduced a total of  $3,889,300 covering the years 2002/03,03/04, and 04/05.

Cappelli Watch II: The 221 Main Zoning amendment raising the height of buildings allowed in the Central Business District to 400 feet with a special permit, was scheduled for a public hearing March 7.

Voting Machines: Tom Roach, in his response speech, announced the good news that the city has quietly overhauled all of its mechanical voting machines, and that they stand ready for the 2005 election. Roach said that the expected statewide switchover to an electronic voting machine system, based on technology expected to be chosen by the state last year, has been  put off indefinitely, due to questions raised in the recent Presidential election that electronic voting machines are subject to manipulation and fraud.

Roach reported the city employed a voting machine firm to inspect machines, replace parts if necessary, and refurbish the city’s fleet of voting machines

Employee of the Month: Patricia Staffiero, Youth Specialist with the White Plains Youth Bureau was named Employee of the Month for her innovations and efforts at the Bureau.

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. February 4, 2005: Mayor Joseph Delfino and the Common Council have mutually agreed on fifteen White Plains citizens who will serve on the citizens’ committee that will review and make recommendations on the City Comprehensive Plan, beginning with their first meeting, Wednesday,  February 9, at 7 P.M., WPCNR has learned.

The citizens will be introduced at Monday evening’s Common Council meeting. WPCNR has learned that the “Reviewing 15” will be, as reported by WPCNR, John Martin and Mary Cavallero, Co-Chairs,  Ann Edwards, Ron Jackson, Louis Trippet, Isabelle Villar, and John Vorperian. They are joined by Patrick Austin, Guy D’Antona, Steve Brown, Virginia Falzarano,  Vito Fragala, Ron Goldstein, Carlos Roskell, and Eli Schoenberg.

The group is comprised of three members of the Council of Neighborhood Associations: D’Antona, Falzarano, Vorperian; Mr. Trippett, a former member of the School Board; Mr. Roskell and Mrs. Cavallero of the Planning Board; Mr. Brown from the the Northend of the city; Ms. Villar from  the Centro Hispano organization; former councilman John Martin, and Ron Jackson, the leading advocate for Winbrook, the city’s largest public housing sector.

They will be charged of analysis of the Department of Planning Comprehensive Review submitted by Commissioner of Planning Susan Habel in January.

Speaking for the Citizens Plan Committee, whose ad hoc analysis of the Comprehensive Plan embarrassed the city into rushing out their own review by Ms. Habel. Robert Levine reacted to the  announcement of a newly appointed committee to review the  implementation of the City of White Plains’ 1997 Comprehensive Plan: “We are pleased that the Mayor and the Common Council have responded to  the community’s call for a straightforward and thorough assessment and up-date of the City’s development goals and look forward to participating in the upcoming public engagement.”