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)

Dealing with Devastation

Posted on September 29, 2017 by John Bailey

Dealing with Devastation

Editorial by James C. Benerofe

With the onslaught of natural disasters in recent months, there are practical steps that we could take to make recovery easier and allow for dealing more effectively with long and short term recovery.

We have been faced with hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and earthquakes. Hurricanes and floods have devastated island and coastlines.

Why don’t we have some large cruise ships come into places like Puerto Rico and other tropical islands and house thousands of people until reconstruction of infrastructure can be completed?

This would be an immediate interim solution–an obviously temporary measure.

For the long term, FEMA should consider and evaluate building disaster recovery ships that would essentially be floating cities. These ships would be designed like cruise ships. FEMA might also explore buying and modifying existing cruise ships.

These ships would have the ability to move to a disaster area within a matter of days. The ships would be designed with all of the facilities that a community has–apartments, retail stores, medical services, recreational services, and a lot of other necessities. The ship would be stocked and maintained at all times. The ships would vary in size starting at accommodating 500 to 1000 people and going to as large as 5000 to 6000 people.

The objective of this concept would be to bring families and individuals back to some kind of normal lifestyle as quickly as possible.This kind of program will require extensive evaluation.

We are dealing with catastrophic events involving millions of people and we need to do something.

WHITE PLAINS BUSINESS HAS BIG HOT SUMMER. SALES TAX RECEIPTS UP 7% IN JULY AUGUST. AUGUST ’17 RECEIPTS UP 21% OVER JULY ’17. COUNTY UP 6.1% in 1 Month; 2-1/2% for 1st 7 Months of Fiscal Year

Posted on September 28, 2017 by John Bailey

WPCNR QUILL AND EYESHADE. From the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance with WPCNR analysis. September 28, 2017:

The first two months of the White Plains Fiscal Year are up 7.1% in sales tax receipts, according to figures released by the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, and 21% in August compared to July figures.

The August report shows White Plains receiving $4,702,800 in sales taxes in August compared to $3,888,289 in July.

Kevin Nunn, Executive Director of the White Plains Business Improvement District, theorized to WPCNR that part of the increase in the sales tax “handle,” (the largest month to month rise since WPCNR has been tracking White Plains sales tax receipts activity) may be traced to commercial vacancy rates narrowing from 22% to 16.1% from July-August 2016 to July-August 2017, (bringing more potential customers to restaurants and malls).

WPCNR notes the $4.7 Million August figure is just shy of average December “handles” (usually the highest month of sales receipts)numbers.

Westchester County up 9% in August ’17 over August ’16, Sales Tax $$ Up $8.5 Million for First 7 Months of 2017 Fiscal Year. 6.1% Increase from July 17 to August 2017

Westchester County sales tax receipts rose 9% in August 2017 compared to August 2016, and was up 6.1% over July ’17 to August ’17 in sales tax receipts, $42,598,007 in August ’17, to $40,112,175 in July ’17.

As the August sales tax report, released September 19, the county has collected $335,973,435 in sales tax dollars in the first 7 months of the County fiscal year compared to $327,528,593 the first 7 months of 2016. This has put the county ahead in sales tax collections by $8,444,842, a 2.6% increase pace.

WPCNR observes that the $8.4 Million is halfway toward covering the $15 Million deficit the county planned to cover by leasing Westchester County Airport to a private operator, perhaps eliminating the need to lease the airport altogether, if the money keeps on coming in at the present pace

HIV ORGANIZATIONS PLEA FOR AID FOR PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

Posted on September 28, 2017 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. September 28, 2017:

Now, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands need help too. Hurricane Maria has demolished homes and facilities across Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, leaving much of the islands without power or water. The destruction in these states and U.S. territories demands a rapid response from our community. In the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the HIV Hurricane Relief Effort was established to rapidly provide grants to support organizations serving the needs of people living with and affected by HIV in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas.

Today, we are expanding the scope of our efforts to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. So, we are calling on all our friends and supporters – individuals and organizations – to contribute to the HIV Hurricane Relief Effort here.

AIDS United established the HIV Hurricane Relief Effort as part of the rapid response arm of the new Southern HIV Impact Fund, a collaborative effort coordinated by Funders Concerned About AIDS with generous support from Gilead Sciences, Ford Foundation, Elton John AIDS Foundation, and ViiV Healthcare. Gilead Sciences has also made an additional $1 million available to the Fund to support immediate assistance to areas affected by the storms. NMAC is partnering with AIDS United by appointing an HIV Hurricane Relief Advisory Panel made up of constituents from the affected regions to identify priority emergency needs for the HIV communities in each area.

Our people and HIV service organizations are in desperate need. Since the announcement of the hurricane relief effort at the U.S. Conference on AIDS, applications have been received from HIV organizations in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico describing the need for millions and millions of dollars to address their emergencies. Applications are being reviewed weekly and funds are being dispersed quickly. Grants have covered everything from housing to food as well as medications and medical care.

The demand for help will soon outstrip current available funds. We don’t need to tell you that this assistance will be the difference between life and death for thousands of people living with HIV in the affected areas. There is no time to lose. Organizations, businesses, and individuals can make donations to the HIV Hurricane Relief Effort here.

Questions about the fund should be sent to Melanie Powers, Program Manager at AIDS United, at [email protected]. The communities affected by this year’s hurricanes are part of the epicenter of the U.S. epidemic of HIV. In 2014, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 100,000 people with HIV lived in Florida, more than 77,000 in Texas, nearly 19,000 in Louisiana, and more than 17,000 in Puerto Rico.

We must do all we can to help. Now!

Jesse Milan, Jr. Murray C. Penner David C. Harvey   Paul Kawata Michael Ruppal
President, CEO Executive Director   Executive Director Executive Director Executive Director
AIDS United   NASTAD   National Coalition of NMAC The AIDS Institute
STD Directors

George Latimer Receives Endorsements of Women’s Rights Advocacy Groups for County Executive.

Posted on September 28, 2017 by John Bailey

WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2017. From the Latimer Campaign. September 27, 2017:

On the steps of Westchester County Center, three major women’s organizations, WCLA PAC, National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund PAC, and NOW-Westchester announced their endorsement of George Latimer (D) for Westchester County Executive.

Joined by a cheering crowd of supporters and local leaders, Latimer made clear what was at stake in November’s elections.

“Make no mistake, Westchester is the front line of Donald Trump and Rob Astorino’s war on our values,” said Latimer. “Women’s rights, from reproductive health care to equal pay, are under attack in Trump’s Washington, and we can’t afford any local leaders who don’t take human rights seriously. I am honored to stand with WCLA, NIRH, and NOW, and their endorsements will help us guarantee that all Westchester women have equal economic opportunity and safe access to reproductive healthcare.”

“We’re proud to endorse George Latimer for County Executive. Rob Astorino showed us his true colors when he accepted donations from a man who joked about contraception. Astorino vetoed legislation to protect women’s access to health care; George will sign it. Rob Astorino stands with Donald Trump, a man who brags about sexual assault, coddles bigots, and suggests that the right to an abortion is a ‘straw man’ to distract from real issues; George Latimer fights for decency, justice and equal rights every single day. We stand with George Latimer because we know he always stands with us,” said Catherine Lederer-Plaskett, Director of WCLA PAC.

“The National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund PAC is proud to endorse George Latimer for Westchester County Executive. George has been a champion for the Reproductive Health Act and the Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act. At a time when our fundamental rights are under attack at the federal level, Westchester needs and deserves a County Executive that won’t play political games with our access to reproductive healthcare,” said Andrea Miller, President of the National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund PAC

“Whether it’s access to reproductive health centers, affordable childcare, closing the gender pay gap, or immigration protection; Westchester women can’t afford the backwards views and policies of Rob Astorino. It’s time for a County Executive who prioritizes the needs of Westchester women,” said Elizabeth Galani Zimmerman, Co-Chair of NOW-Westchester.

Latimer will be running on the Democratic, Independent, Working Families, Womens Equality, and Reform Party lines in the November 7^th General Election.