The Tarrytown Music Hall is notifying patrons holding tickets to the Friday night Garrison Keillor concert that the concert has been cancelled. Asked whether the Music Hall cancelled it or Mr. Keillor, the Tarrytown Music Hall person said it was Mr. Keillor who cancelled the concert. The Music Hall said all ticket holders would receive full refunds within 10 days.
County Legislators Democratic Caucus Calls for 30% Tax Increase “Over Time” to Cover a $120 – $155 Million Increase in Spending to Fix Gaps in Astorino Budget. Rejects Airport Deal. Calls for Increased Wages, Increased Spending for Social Services, Infrastructure.
WPCNR WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators Democratic Caucus. (Edited) November 29, 2017:
After a thorough review of the Astorino Administration’s proposed 2018 Operating Budget, Westchester Democrats have discovered a potential budget gap in the range of roughly $120M-$155M. A gap of this size will take time to fix – with the fiscal impact being an Astorino tax increase of nearly 30%.
(WPCNR Editor’s Note: if the legislature decides to raise property taxes in the county the full 30% they say is needed, the White Plains median priced home assessed at $650,000 value which paid $2,400 to the County in property taxes in 2017, would find the county property tax to that White Plains going up about $700 to over $3,000. If the tax increase is spread out over several years it would be less. It should be noted that the Democrat controlled County Legislature passed all of Mr. Astorino’s budgets the last eight years.)
“The current administration didn’t prioritize needed repairs to our roads, didn’t prioritize funding vital social programs like those aimed to combat domestic violence and child abuse, and has used years of accounting gimmicks to support a budget ideology at the expense of taxpayers,” said Majority Leader Catherine Borgia (D-Ossining). “This year, there are no more rabbits to pull out of the hat – this legislature must roll up our sleeves and get to work for the people who sent us here.”
“A large portion of this enormous gap is due to the Astorino Administration’s insistence of balancing this budget on the backs of Westchester’s workers,” said Majority Whip Alfreda Williams (D-Greenburgh). “It’s likely that any contract settlements with our unions will include retroactive back pay. The proposed 2018 budget, as it stands, makes no attempt to allocate funds for this huge necessary expense.”
“County policy states that our budget must maintain a fund balance of not less than 6% of net operating expenditures,” said Legislator Ben Boykin (D-White Plains), Vice-Chair, Committee on Budget & Appropriations. “This proposed budget puts us at 7.85% – which is just too close for comfort. This is exactly why the State Comptroller ranked us 53 out of 57 when it comes to fiscally stressed counties.”
“Before we even account for the cuts to needed staff or funding for community based organizations that make up for the vital services that County departments once did, this budget begins with a $30M hole due to the inclusion of an irresponsible airport deal that voters have rejected and under the best situation is impossible to have fully approved in time for inclusion,” said Legislator Catherine Parker (D-Rye). “The same deal we put a bi-partisan stop to when it was only $15M of fictional revenue.”
“The nearly $155M budget hole is evident when considering the many unfunded vital programs and services in the proposed budget as well as the speculative revenue projections. The elimination of programs and services like parks curators and child care funding diminishes the quality of life for families in Westchester County” said Legislator Lyndon Williams (D-Mount Vernon). “Westchester families rely on these vital programs and it’s the County’s responsibility to provide them.”
“We have a massive backlog of capital projects in our County – our roads and bridges are crumbling,” said Legislator MaryJane Shimsky (D-Hastings-on-Hudson). “This is, in part, due to the reckless depletion of our Department of Public Works, a depletion that continues under this budget with cuts to 12 engineer positions. This is just blatant irresponsible government at its worst.”
White Plains Kindergarten Registration begins January 4 through February 22. You Must Make in Person Appointment. Call to set Appointments beginning Dec. 4
FORMAL KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION PERIOD ANNOUNCED
The White Plains Public Schools’ Family Information Center (FIC) announces that the Formal Kindergarten Registration Period will begin on Thursday, January 4th and will continue through Thursday, February 22nd.
All children born in 2013 (January 1st – December 31st) who are living in White Plains are eligible for Kindergarten in September 2018.
Parents are encouraged to call as early as December 4, 2017 to begin scheduling their child’s registration appointment.
Registration appointments must be made in advance by calling (914) 422-2038 – no walk-in appointments will be accepted.
Parents who do not register their children on or before the February 22nd deadline risk losing their sibling guarantee (where applicable) and may not be able to submit their elementary school preferences as part of the Controlled Parents’ Choice Program.
For more information, please call the Family Information Center at (914) 422-2038.
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Kindergarten Registration Period
Thursday, January 4, 2018 through Thursday, February 22.
DEMOCRATS: SPOIL THE PRESIDENT’S FUNDRAISER IN NYC SATURDAY MORNING
WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. November 28, 2017:
Friends –
Trump’s secret is out. He and his big donors tried to keep the location of their upcoming fundraiser a secret, but no longer! That’s right – Trump and his friends will be at breakfast at Cipriani’s on 42nd Street on December 2nd, and we want to take our message straight to him.
Instead of being across town, take your voice directly to Trump and his supporters at our rally on the street near Cipriani’s. We are moving the time up to 9AM to coincide with his breakfast and to greet him and his guests.
The rally will be on Vanderbilt Avenue just north of 42nd Street. Attendees should enter the rally at 43rd and Vanderbilt, and arrive on foot or, using public transportation, exit Grand Central on the west side to avoid interfering with security.
Our message is simple: New York isn’t buying what Donald Trump is selling – we stand for inclusion, fairness and progress, not division and fear. Donald Trump and Republicans in Washington have targeted New York’s values and our bottom line, and we are fighting back. We are fighting against attacks on our healthcare system, a tax plan that gives millions to corporations at the expense of the middle class, and policies that threaten Dreamers, women, people of color, the LGBTQ community, workers, and many more.
Please join us, and bring your voices.
When: This Saturday, December 2nd, at 9AM
**NOTE CHANGE IN TIME AND LOCATION
See you there,
Geoff Berman
Executive Director
New York State Democratic Committee