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)

Where the Affordable Housing Is

Posted on December 21, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. December 21, 2011:

Getting information on the community where an affordable housing opportunity exists is now easier with enhancements to Westchester County’s Homeseeker Web section.

Available at www.westchestergov.com/homeseeker, the site allows visitors to sign up to receive information on affordable housing opportunities. With the newest feature, visitors can also “see” the community in which the new housing opportunities are being created.

“With these enhancements, we have created a one-stop hub for information about available housing units, their neighborhoods and nearby services,” said County Executive Robert P. Astorino.

The housing page also includes links to the local government’s and school district’s Web sites, as well as a New York State database on daycare options. Click on “neighborhood map” and the user will see a detailed map of the neighborhood where the housing is located. The map shows other community facilities such as schools, public transportation and hospitals. The map also connects through Bing Maps to locate retail and commercial opportunities.

Those who sign-up and provide contact information will be notified of upcoming fair and affordable homeownership or rental opportunities that are part of Westchester County’s housing settlement with the federal government as well as those that become available through other housing initiatives.

The person signing up can check a box to receive information for homeownership information, for rental information or for both ownership and rental. Those who sign up receive notification of available homes and apartments, including information sessions and open houses, and homebuyer education seminars.

The housing settlement was entered into two years ago by former County Executive Andrew J. Spano with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Also approved by the Board of Legislators, it requires the county to ensure the development of 750 units of housing in 31 communities and to undertake marketing that ensures outreach to racially and ethnically diverse households. Nearly 300 of these housing units are in some stage of development, including accepting applications. Other county financed homes are also available and are accepting applications.

People who need assistance completing the forms can contact a housing counseling agency certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These agencies also have housing counselors who can assist Spanish speakers with the forms. The agencies are:

· Community Housing Innovations, Inc. (914) 683-1010

· Housing Action Council (914) 332-4144

· Human Development Services of Westchester (914) 939-2005

· Westchester Residential Opportunities (914) 428-4507

To qualify to purchase any fair and affordable housing, would-be homeowners are required to participate in a homeownership counseling program through one of these agencies.

Delay in Negotiations Now Means Layoffs Later: County Executive

Posted on December 20, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. December 20, 2011:

County Executive Robert P. Astorino said Tuesday that the declaration of a bargaining impasse by the CSEA continues a pattern of delay tactics by Westchester County government’s largest union that could lead to many more layoffs in the future.

“The Board of Legislators and I came to an agreement that saved more than 180 jobs in the 2012 budget,” Astorino said. “Unfortunately more than 40 layoffs will still be required. As long as union leaders keep insisting that taxpayers pick up the entire $100 million cost of their members’ health care, the county will have no choice but to eliminate more and more jobs going forward. We can’t employ people that we can’t pay for. The math doesn’t work any other way.”

Last week, the Civil Service Employees Association declared its negotiations with the county at an impasse. The county’s position is that the impasse could have been avoided if the union had engaged in good faith bargaining instead of stalling tactics.

· The union did not start bargaining until August, a month after the contract deadline for beginning negotiations. Astorino formally asked for the talks to begin in April.

· The union demanded that negotiations only be held when its representatives were on paid leave time from their regular county positions, insisted that meetings be of a short duration and argued about what room the meetings would be held in.

· The CSEA’s first health care proposal to save money was for the county to fill prescriptions with drugs from Canada, which is illegal.

· When the union finally made a health care proposal involving employee contributions, it was for its members to contribute $10 dollars per month, amounting to $120 for the entire year for a family health plan, which costs county taxpayers almost $20,000 per year.

· The same day it made the employee contribution offer, the union withdrew it.

“It is extremely frustrating,” said Astorino. “The CSEA’s behavior shows a complete lack of seriousness and respect for the collective bargaining process. Offering the smallest possible contribution – and then withdrawing even that miniscule concession – proves the union’s leaders do not understand the financial realities facing everyone in Westchester.”

As part of its healthcare contribution offer, the union tied it to substantial increases in wages and fringe benefits. In contrast, the CSEA’s parent union at the state level this year agreed to contributions as high as 31 percent of the premium for its health insurance plan, as part of a package that included multiple wage freezes.

When the county union was questioned by the county’s labor negotiator Vincent Toomey over this disparity, it responded by withdrawing its proposal to contribute anything towards healthcare.

“The CSEA says in its notification of the impasse that it had sought a contract that was fair to its membership, the county and to taxpayers,” said Toomey. “However, its actions tell a different story.”

In 2010, the average salary of a private sector worker in Westchester County was $62,900, according to the New York State Department of Labor. In contrast, the average salary of a public sector worker (state, local and federal blended together) in Westchester was $69,112 in 2010. The average salary of a Westchester County employee in 2010 was $71,324. When fringe benefits, such as pension and health care, are added, the average total compensation for county workers rises to $110,000.

With the two sides at an impasse, a mediator will be appointed, who will serve in an advisory capacity to the parties.

Astorino said he was particularly frustrated by the lack of urgency on the part of the CSEA union leadership, especially when the jobs of their members were at risk. For two years, in public and private, Astorino has been asking the unions to take him up on his “jobs for savings” offer, which asks the CSEA to make the same health care contributions as agreed to by the state CSEA and use those savings to minimize layoffs. Contributions at the state levels would save Westchester taxpayers an estimated $19 million.

“Our county workers do a great job and I want to keep as many of them employed as possible,” said Astorino. “But the unions have to help. Meaningful health care contributions will keep more people employed. That’s the jobs for savings plan. But each month that goes by without an agreement will only lead to more layoffs. ”

Holiday Grinch Delivers Layoffs to the County’s Largest Two Unions

Posted on December 19, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR WATCH ON THE RHINE. News & Comment by Westchester County Roving Correspondent, Nancy King. December 19, 2011:

Members of CSEA units 9200 and 9201 received pink in their holiday stockings this year. As of Monday December 19^th, 105 employees from the Westchester Medical Center had received layoff notices. County workers were looking at 30 layoffs as a result of County Executive Rob Astorino’s budget.

Nancy King

While Mr. Astorino vetoed 27 line items in a budget that was agreed on by both the County Board of Legislators and the CE himself, he did still veto those 27 line items that included cutting funding to community health centers and the Cornell Cooperative Extension. It is believed that when the legislators meet again on Monday, they will restore some of these program cuts and perhaps workers as well.

County Executive Astorino and Westchester Medical Center CEO Michael Israel have defended their respective layoffs claiming that they both need to close budget gaps caused by the loss of state funding. Also playing a role in the layoffs is the fact that both unions are preparing to negotiate new contracts in 2012.

At this time, neither locals 9200 or 9201 contribute to their medical benefits. Both executives are calling for union members to contribute anywhere from 15% to 34% for their fringe benefits. They are also calling for increases in employee pension contributions. However, union officials claim that while both Astorino and Israel have been cutting programs not to just save money, but that their tactics are really nothing more than union busting.

According to County Executive Rob Astorino who has been appearing all over the various media outlets that he is proposing a “jobs for savings” program to local 9200 which represents county workers. Karen Pecora, President of this local has stated that no one from her union has seen this proposal. It is believed that this proposal has employees making hefty contributions to their benefits in return for the privilege of keeping their jobs.

And it seems that the CE is calling out his reinforcements for this negotiation season by calling on the Westchester County Association to help mediate what is sure to be a contentious bargaining session. As expected, 9200 has said thanks but no thanks to this offer.

On the other hand, CEO of the Westchester Medical Center which is formally known as the Westchester County Health Care Corporation, laid off 105 civil service workers on Friday December 17^th. Included in those cuts where the clerical and facilities staff members who keep the cogs in that big wheel moving smoothly.

In the last two years, the Medical Center has closed the Taylor Care Center converting it to executive offices and has also cut the CPEP program which provided emergency psychiatric care to county residents. Also privatized at WMC has been laundry and courier services thus reducing the number of civil service employees to around 1400. It is also believed that 15 of the 45 vice presidents who oversee WMC have also been let go and that several department managers and supervisors have been downgraded.

Even sadder has been the termination of several hundred nurses.

One can suppose that you can always get a clerical worker or a tradesman to double up on the work of a terminated colleague but what happens when you are laying off the very individuals who actually provide patient care? Poor patient care one must assume. Of course, WCCHCC addresses that question by explaining that agency or “traveling” nurses will be called in ( at a much lower rate and with no benefits) to provide patient care when necessary.

As county residents wind their way through another holiday season, the season of fund raising, re-election and big bonuses is also coming into full swing. You can bet that it will be a bleak holiday and an even bleaker new year for those employees who got a pink slip from their respective CEO’s and CE. The next time you get an invitation to attend one of their black tie functions in the mail, just send your RSVP back on pink note paper with a big bah humbug.

Draft Hillary Movement Robo Calls Spread to Washington, D.C.

Posted on December 19, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2012. December 19, 2011 UPDATED 9:32 P.M. E.S.T. UPDATED 11:45 A.M. E.S.T. December 21, 2011:

Reports that the Hilary Clinton Run Hillary 2012 petition campaign have spread to the Washington D.C., area were received by WPCNR Wednesday morning, indicating that a national campaign to wrest the 2012 Democratic Presidential nomination from President Barack Obama may be developing.

WPCNR first confirmed reports as of 1:30 P.M. Monday that a series of recorded phone calls announcing the start of a draft Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for President 2012 went out to registered voters in Westchester County. No other news media by early Monday evening had picked this up, but the Huffington Post later Monday reported the calls are being made only in New York and North Carolina.

The recorded announcements urge recipients of the phone call to go to www.runhillary2012.net and “sign the petition.”

The website includes recent endorsement statements from Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Antonio Villaraigusa, Mayor of Los Angeles and earlier statements by journalist Bogdan Kipling, Rebecca Shambaugh and General Wesley Clark.