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)

Governor’s Econ. Development Council Awards $67 M to County: Castelli

Posted on December 8, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From Assemblyman Robert Castelli’s Office (A.D. District 89) December 8, 2011:

Assemblyman Robert J. Castelli (R, C – Goldens Bridge) reports Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that $67 million in funding has been awarded to the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council, continuing an effort to redesign the way state government works in order to drive economic growth and create jobs.

Castelli called the $67 million funding award the capstone of a historic week in Albany, with yesterday’s passage of a tax reform deal. “Westchester County families, seniors and businesses have been hit hard by the state’s high taxes like the MTA payroll tax, which has stifled economic growth and eroded jobs throughout the lower Hudson Valley. While the legislation we passed is far from perfect, I am confident that by reducing the job-killing MTA payroll tax’s impact on Westchester County job creators and by reforming the state’s tax code, our state’s economy can begin to get back on track,” he said.

“To further help promote economic growth, today’s funding awards will help rebuild our region’s decaying infrastructure and invest in high-tech job creation and education,” Castelli said. “Coupled with yesterday’s tax cuts, lawmakers have taken an important step to revitalizing New York’s economy. Now the Legislature must continue to work together to provide relief from unfunded mandates and reduce state spending in order to ensure that these investments are not undone by Albany’s tax-and-spend culture.”

A breakdown of some of the awards to the Mid-Hudson region follows:

Strategy for Investment in Region Resources and Emerging Bio-Tech Sector

The Mid-Hudson strategic plan was designed to take advantage of the region’s location and resources. The Mid-Hudson Region contains a diverse mix of urban, suburban, and rural areas, a full spectrum of businesses, local colleges and universities; a highly diversified and educated workforce; and proximity to New York City.

Biotech Incubator Center for Advanced Research at New York Medical College

$4 million will develop the New York Medical College’s Biotech Incubator Center for Advanced Research in Westchester County. This project, that Assemblyman Castelli worked on along with Assemblyman Steve Katz (R, I – Mohegan Lake), is part of a public-private effort to enhance job growth in the biotech sector and to enhance preparedness against chemical and biologic threats. This project will stimulate partnerships among scores of biotech companies not only in the Mid-Hudson Region, but also in Rochester, the Capital District and the SUNY academic centers.

Affordable Housing

More than $30 million will go toward the development of affordable housing and to community revitalization throughout the region, including $400,000 for construction of 10 single-family townhouse at Cockren Commons in the Hamlet of Armonk within the town of North Castle.

Industrial Development

More than $8 million will be invested in local manufacturing firms, including $5 million for San-Mar Manufacturing to upgrade its facility to develop the regulatory infrastructure requirements set by the FDA. An additional $950,000 will go to Silarx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to expand a manufacturing facility for quality generic liquid pharmaceutical products.

Infrastructure Investments

Over $3 million will go toward critical infrastructure investments for local municipalities.

Announced in July, the Regional Councils represent a fundamental shift in the state’s approach to economic development from a top-down development model to a community-based, performance driven approach which empowers individual areas to develop comprehensive strategic plans that invest in regional solutions to create jobs and economic growth. As part of the Regional Council process, a Strategic Plan Review Committee had analyzed and ranked the strategic plans for each region competing for specially targeted economic development funding.

“Regional collaborations and planning is a roadmap to get New Yorkers back to work,” Governor Cuomo said. “The plans submitted by all ten regions were truly extraordinary. For the first time, we are putting the power of the State Government behind the innovation of our people, giving them the tools to rebuild our economy.”

“The Mid-Hudson Regional Council’s plan tapped into our region’s assets, its scenic beauty, highly educated workforce, and close proximity to New York City, which makes it the integral link between upstate and downstate,” Castelli said. “This plan will generate high tech jobs, revitalize our infrastructure, like the Tappan Zee Bridge, and continue Westchester and the region’s role as the economic engine of New York State.”

The plans are the result of months of consideration by the Regional Councils and input from the public in each region. The process included holding over 100 public meetings, forums and community workshops across the State. Thousands of New Yorkers contributed to the development of the plans through these events.

In addition to the strategic planning grants made available through the Regional Council initiative, a Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) was created to give businesses and other entities streamlined and expedited access to economic development funding from nine state agencies and 29 existing programs.

$100M Typo in Astorino Budget Release — Or a Clever Built-in Surplus?

Posted on December 8, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. December 8,2011:

As the County Board of Legislators prepares to restore jobs and programs to the county budget proposed by County Executive Rob Astorino, in a Legislators meeting at 1 P.M. today, it has come to light that the original Astorino news release on his budget projected a sales tax revenue of $364 Million in 2012, however, Astorino’s actually proposed budget projects the sales tax figure of $464.8 Million — a $100 Million difference

This would of course, if Astorino job cuts and program cuts were passed as is in the 2012 budget, build in a hefty surplus in the 2012 budget for Mr. Astorino to point to in his reelection bid– perhaps even promise a tax cut in his 2012 reelection bid.

In the county press release distributed on the 2012 budget the figure was $100 Million less. WPCNR queried this at the time with the Westchester County Department of Media Relations, noting that the sales tax had already hit $364 Million through October. WPCNR was told by a press spokesperson that the County Executive was being conservative. Note the original press release:

http://www3.westchestergov.com/news/3102-astorino-proposes-2012-budget-with-zero-increase-in-county-tax-levy

The $464.8 Million Sales Tax projection in the County Executive’s proposed 2012 budget may be found at

http://www3.westchestergov.com/images/stories/budget/2012/2012ProposedOperating_SectionB.pdf

WPCNR pointed out previously that the $364 Million sales tax projection was way low considering that even if the county sales tax revenue was the same as last year’s November and December figures they would hit $450 Million. Instead, the Astorino budget for sales tax actually exceeds WPCNR’s “conservative” prediction.

After 6 Years of Planning, DEC Says Approval for Gedney Dump Closure in Sight

Posted on December 7, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR GREEN NEWS. December 7, 2011:

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation today issued a statement to the CitizeNetReporter to the effect that the agency will approve a closure plan for the contaminated city dump, under review by the DEC for the last six years will be approved by the end of the month. The statement from the DEC press office today:

“The Department is performing a technical review of the final draft of the Landfill Closure Plan for the Gedney Way Leaf and Yard Waste Compost Facility (Gedney Way Landfill). The Plan provides the detailed design information for the closure of the landfill under the state’s Part 360 Solid Waste regulations.

Formal approval of the plan has not yet been conveyed to the City of White Plains, but it is the department’s expectation that the Closure Plan can be approved by the end of the calendar year.

After approval, the City can then proceed to procure consultant and contractual services to perform the work outlined in the plan. “

Previously, Commissioner of Public Works for the City of White Plains, Joseph Nicoletti has said that he would not put the closure plan out for bid until after the DEC had signed off on the closure plan.

The clean-up and closure procedure, necessitated by the contaminants of TCE within the landfill is expected to cost the city approximately $10 Million.

70 Years of Infamy. Pearl Harbor

Posted on December 7, 2011 by John Bailey

Out of the Sun

The Arizona engulfed December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor

Out of the sun on the quiet Sunday they came

Birds of death blazened with red suns raining fiery havoc on Battleship Row.

One by one, ruthless planes dove, destroyed to their nation’s shame.

Thunderous explosions scattered fiery death on Sunday dawn’s glow.

Flames belched from bowels of stricken Arizona, America’s pride,

On Hicham Field pilots raced to planes to defend

As their birds were crippled on ground by Zeros’ glide

Gunners in turrets on ships floundering filled skies with flack’s din.

In search of carriers, marauders could not find

Ruthlessly strafed and bombed leaving Pearl

In smoking ruin. Ships sunk, burning as raiders flew into the Sun

The day of infamy had been ignited in the Zeros’ swirl.

The Attack Begins 8 AM December 7, 1941

As America listened a world away, somber FDR

Spoke of this day that will live in infamy.

America must never forget that Pearl Harbor Scar

When an unsuspecting America slept in complacency.

To the 2,403 perishing that day under merciless bombs

Hails of bullets, terror of torpedos out of nowhere

America must remember forces against our freedoms

Relentlessly work always to surprise with deadly bombs’ glare.

Vigilence is the price of freedom always to be defended

Against those who would destroy our republic from within

By dark forces in far off places we have offended.

The answer is not curtailing freedom at home rather it to champion.

The USS Arizona lies in Pearl’s waters, bleeding the lives

Of her men through the eerie eternal slick marking the rusting hulk.

Beneath Pearl’s waters, the blood of free people oozes from the shadowy bulk,

Bleeding forever, freedom’s spirit living eternally in lost lives remembered.

She never rests.

Note: The Pearl Harbor attack which took place 69 years ago today and its aftermath is dramatically depicted at http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/pearlhbr/pearlhbr.htm