THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR | 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)

FLASH! GEDNEY NEIGHBORS APPEAL LEFKOWITZ FASNY DECISION.

Posted on September 27, 2018 by John Bailey

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. By John F Bailey. September 27, 2018:

The Judge Joan Lefkowitz decision in August denying neighbors of the former Ridgeway Country Club, now eyed as a new campus for the French American School of New has been appealed to the New York State Appellate Court.

The appeal was filed Wednesday, and the plaintiffs have six months to perfect the appeal. This may delay movement on the French American School of New York project for possibly a year, considering when the Appellate Court takes up the appeal.

State Releases 2017-18 NEW, IMPROVED, FAIR ELA AND MATH ASSESSMENT SCORES ON NEW ASSESSMENT TESTS. 45% PASS ELA, 44.2% PASS MATH — 5% IMPROVEMENT IN PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH AND MATH

Posted on September 27, 2018 by John Bailey

The State Education Department Wednesday released the results of the 2018 Grades 3-8 English language arts (ELA) and mathematics tests.

In ELA, 45.2 percent of all test takers in grades 3-8 scored at the proficient level (Levels 3 and 4). In math, 44.5 percent of all test takers in grades 3-8 scored at the proficient level.

Due to the State’s new two-session test design and performance standards, the 2018 Grades 3-8 ELA and math results cannot be compared with prior-year results.

The new baseline established this year will enable comparisons with student scores in 2019 and 2020.

% of Students Proficient in Grades 3-8

	2017	2018	# of Test Takers
Statewide Combined Grades ELA	39.8	45.2	966,661
Statewide Combined Grades Math	40.2	44.5	931,449

“The Regents and I remain focused on educational equity for all children,” Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa said. “That’s why we’re providing students with multiple ways to demonstrate their success in meeting the state’s proficiency standards. And it’s why we’re providing our highly qualified teachers with professional learning opportunities. With this support, New York’s students will benefit from our Next Generation Learning Standards and revised assessments in ways that will improve teaching and learning throughout the state.”

“To close the gaps in student achievement, we need information that identifies where those gaps exist,” State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia said. “The State assessments help establish a foundation to identify the grades, schools, and groups of students that need more support. However, it’s important to remember that while test scores provide us with needed information, they’re only one measure of performance, and we must always look at the whole picture. Our state ESSA plan does that by expanding the measures of student and school performance.”

2018 Results

It is important to again note that due to the State’s new two-session test design and performance standards, the 2018 Grades 3-8 ELA and Math results cannot be compared with prior-year results.

The standards review process brought together panels of New York educators from across the State who are certified in each area to establish the performance standards for their grade level. These educators followed a standardized, research-based process to discuss expectations for students in each performance level. They reviewed the actual test questions and made recommendations on the knowledge and skills required of students at each grade level. Once the standards were established, they were applied to individual student tests to make proficiency level determinations.

Big 5 City School Districts

Of the Big 5 city school districts, New York City continues to have the highest percentage of students proficient in both ELA and math, with Yonkers having the second highest in each. In ELA in 2018, New York City exceeded the statewide proficiency rate by 1.5 percent, with 46.7 of students achieving proficiency, compared with 45.2 percent statewide. In math, 42.7 percent of New York City students scored at the proficient level, compared with 44.5 percent statewide.

% of Students Proficient in ELA in Grades 3-8 – Big 5 City School Districts

	2017	2018
NYC	40.6	46.7
Buffalo	17.8	23.4
Rochester	7.6	11.4
Syracuse	13.1	15.4
Yonkers	29.6	26.7

% of Students Proficient in Math in Grades 3-8 – Big 5 City School Districts

	2017	2018
NYC	37.8	42.7
Buffalo	17.2	21.0
Rochester	7.9	10.7
Syracuse	11.0	13.5
Yonkers	28.3	29.4

Black and Hispanic Students

In 2018, the achievement gap between black and Hispanic students’ proficiency narrowed slightly when compared with their white peers; however, significant gaps persist.

In ELA, the gap between black students and their white peers narrowed by 0.8 percentage points from 2017 to 2018; the gap between Hispanic and white students narrowed by 1.2 percent in that same time.

In math, the gap between black students and their white peers narrowed by 1.1 percentage points from 2017 to 2018; the gap between Hispanic and white students narrowed by 1.0 percent in that same time.

The Board of Regents and the Department continue to focus on gap-closing initiatives, including the expansion of prevention, early warning, and intervention programs through My Brother’s Keeper, implementation of the State’s ESSA plan, and a focus on educating the whole child through social emotional learning, culturally responsive-sustaining education and school climate initiatives.

Westchester Sales Tax Receipts set Record Pace, Up 5.6% (record pace) in 7 Months.

Posted on September 26, 2018 by John Bailey

On Pace for $30 Million Surplus Over Sales Tax Revenue from last year.

“Deficit” requiring Astorino Airport lease deal already wiped out in cash surplus. White Plains has soft August. WP Hopeful for September.

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. From the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Reporting by John F. Bailey September 26, 2018:

New York State reports Westchester County continues on a record breaking pace in its economy over 7 months, earning $354,759,043 through August of 2018 compared to $335,973,431 through August of 2017.

Despite a 1% decline in August sales tax receipts for the county from $42.6 Million last year to $42.1 Million this year, the county maintained its close-to 6% pace average monthly growth for the year.

To date, the county has seen sales tax receipts increase 5.6% over the first 7 months this year, delivering an $18.8 Million increase in sales tax dollars over this time last year.

This surplus makes up just about half of the $37 Million predicted by the county auditors that was needed to close the budget gap in 2018.

Should the county continue that 5.6% a month expansion, it will achieve an additional $10,614,221 in sales receipts that will deliver $200,153,888 in sales tax bonanza bringing in a record $555 Million in sales tax dollars through December.

The deficit bemoaned by the county legislators and the county financial experts last spring will be substantially met with this lovely cash.

The County Executive George Latimer in his WVOX radio appearance Tuesday morning said that if the trend continued the county would be more optimistic about the deficit, but warned that the growth rate may not continue (as it has for the last 7 months), or could fade. Latimer said the county has attempted to save money in other ways.

He said they have reduced electricity costs; has moved to “get more from” Arbnb hosts in the county by subjecting them to the hotel occupancy tax; also, he saved $4 Million with the new Liberty Lines contract.

He was more optimistic on the radio that the county could keep any property tax increase to under the 2% tax cap, so did not rule out a tax increase, but his remark on the ability to keep it under the tax cap holds out optimism that a major increase in taxes is no longer necessary.

White Plains Laments

In the City of White Plains, August was not a good month in sales taxes.

Whereas the county did see a $401,000 decline in sales taxes from August of 2017 (a 1% decline), White Plains suffered a $812,859 dollar decline from August, 2017 of 17.3%. July was an unusual big time month “handle” in sales taxes with the city getting 7.1% more in sales tax receipts $4,163,747 compared to $3888,289 last July.

Now in August it declines precipitously. What is disappointing is July was the first month White Plains had exceeded the county growth rate in sales tax (6%)all year.

This performance may improve in September numbers. But with two months gone in the White Plains fiscal year 2018-19, the city has collected $537,401 less than they did in July and August last summer.

That is an overall decline of 6.3% 12% below the Westchester County overall growth rate for the first 7 months

The city can receive some comfort from the caveat the Department of Taxation and Finance attaches to its monthly reports that month to month results should be looked at considering the third month results of each quarter. So perhaps White Plains will have a whopper result when the September figures hit October 19.

Cross your fingers.

SEIU 32BJ: STRIKE MONDAY of 500 Residential Buildings IF NO PROGRESS ON CONTRACT

Posted on September 26, 2018 by John Bailey

WPCNR LABOR FRONT. From the Service Employees International Union. 32BJ September 26, 2018:

Hundreds of SEIU workers voted earlier this month to authorize a strike, beginning Monday at 500 residential buildings throughout the Hudson Valley, if the contract expires without a tentative agreement.

Today at 5:00 PM., hundreds of superintendents, porters, handy people, elevator operators and other residential buildings workers from across the Hudson Valley will gather in Scarsdale to rally for a fair new contract by the end of the week. The contract is an agreement between the workers’ union, 32BJ SEIU, and the employers and building owners that provides for fair wages, benefits, and basic rights on the job.

The current contract between 32BJ and the Building and Realty Institute of Westchester and the Mid-Hudson Region Inc. (BRI) will expire at midnight on September 30. Hundreds of workers voted earlier this month to authorize a strike if the contract expires without a tentative agreement.

“We work 24/7 to ensure the safety, comfort and well-being of 100,000 tenants, co-op shareholders and other building residents across Westchester and surrounding counties,” said John Ryan, a member of 32BJ for over 30 years. “As a member of the bargaining committee — and as a dedicated superintendent who singlehandedly oversees a complex with eight buildings and 88 units — I know full well that the owners and property managers need to maintain current staffing levels for the best service. Reductions would hurt a huge percentage of the residents we care for. Already, two-thirds of the properties we oversee have only one or two workers at the site. The BRI needs to recognize the vital importance of a contract that protects these staffing levels, and that provides a sensible cost-of-living increase in our wages.”

Workers will gather at 5:00 PM at the church parking at 5 Strathmore Road then march to an area behind the baseball field at Garth Road Park for a rally that will include support from State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, Assemblyman David Buchwald, and other elected officials, as well as from labor and community allies. The gathering will then march up Garth Road, carrying signs and banners demonstrating the workers’ determination to win a contract that will continue to build better lives in the Hudson Valley.

If a strike takes place on Monday, October 1, it would be the first strike in more than 30 years for the 1,400 residential building workers at 500 apartment buildings, co-ops and condominiums across the region.