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)

County Board: 2010 Was Better Year, $67 M Saved–Returned to Fund Balance

Posted on June 20, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTRY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators. June 20, 2011:

The Westchester County Board of Legislators (BOL) announced today that a review of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for 2010 shows a $67.3 return to fund balance.

Tom Staudter, spokesperson for the Board of Legislators said the $67.3 Million in money not spent in 2010 consisted of the company’s receiving more revenues than expected from sales tax which was up 7%, savings in personnel “mostly through early retirements,” and cutting of expenses. He said instead of spending $1.8 Billion, they spent $1.74 Billion. He did not have the personnel savings in early retirement money figures readily available but said he would get them.

WPCNR notes that the State Department of Taxation and Finance reported the County generated $442 Million ($441,845,000) in sales taxes in 2010, when it had budgeted $432 Million, accounting for $10 Million of the surplus. The rest was made up, Staudter said of cost-cutting in departments and other revenues higher than expected.

In addition to this $67.3 million, the Health Insurance Fund of the County is showing an increase in Fund Balance of nearly $17.5 million dollars from 2009. The fund balance in this account was previously $12,180. This increase is comprised of an allocation of nearly $15 million in savings in county health insurance, along with Early Retirement Reinsurance Program (ERRP) reimbursements of approximately $2.5 million.

Also reported in the CAFR is an increase in fund balance of $3.7 million in the County’s Retirement Fund. The additional monies now available in these two funds will help the County to stabilize the impact of unforeseen increases in both health insurance costs or retirement expenses in future years.

“The news from the county auditors reflects the balanced budget created by the Spano Administration and adopted in 2009 by the Board of Legislators,” said BOL Chairman Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers). “We have clearly been on the right path in terms of spending and being able to control costs while delivering important services to Westchester residents.”

If the County had chosen not to increase the fund balances (when it did in 2009, preparing the 2010 budget) in both the Health Insurance and Retirement Funds, the General Fund balance for 2011 would have increased by an additional $14.1 million.

“If you think of the surplus fund as a bank account, the 2010 budget necessitated the County to allocate $71.7 million to balance revenues against expenses,” said Legislator and Budget & Appropriations Committee Chairman José Alvarado (D-Yonkers). “The good news is we are only spending $4.4 million of that.”

In 2010, the County Executive reported that the county faced a “crushing” $166 million deficit for 2011. However, the BOL adopted a 2011 budget that cut the county tax levy by 2.2%.

“We’re continuing the sound fiscal policies that have resulted in this strong, fortuitous return of $67 million to our fund balance,” said Harckham. “Working together with the Administration, we will continue sound fiscal management of taxpayer resources.”

Asked if the County Board would continue to cut the budget in preparing the 2012 budget due in six months, Staudter said the Board is committed to continue to cut expenses and lower taxes.

Wine & Food Festival a Sellout at the Ritz.

Posted on June 19, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR ABOUT TOWN. June 19, 2011.

Westchester Magazine hosted the first annual White Plains Wine and Food Weekend at the Ritz-Carlton Saturday, attracting 800 persons at $85 apiece ($68,000) to experience wines and tasty fare prepared by celebrity chefs, 50 participating restaurants and tastings of 120 different wines.

Mayor Tom Roach of White Plains (second from right) with Peter Kelly of X20, far right, opens the Wine and Food Weekend Saturday at the Ritz-Carlton, with Ralph Martinelli (with scissors), organizer and sponsor of the extravaganza. At far left is Bill Rattner, consultins sommelier who assembled the roster of winemakers for the event. Seconed from left is Assistant to the County Executive, Christine Sculti. Folks from all over Westchester then moved in on the samples of foods from great restaurants around the county and fabulous vintages.

Saturday evening “The Winemakers Dinner” entertained 350 persons at $250 apiece (Approximately $88,000) who enjoyed a six-course formal dinner prepared by five of Westchester’s celebrated chefs; James Dangler of The Ritz, Peter Kelly of X20; Ethan Kostbar of Moderne Barn, Marc Lippman of Crabtree’s Kittle House and Anthony Concalves of 42, The Restaurant.

As much as $10,000 is expected to be raised by the dinner to benefit the Westchester Arts Exhange and the Food Bank of Westchster a spokesperson for the Weekend event told WPCNR. Wine seminars will be taking place Sunday with a live Top Chef Cook-off at 2:30 P.M when Ash Fulk and Dale Talde from Top Chef go head-to-head to create the winning meal for a panel of judges.

Ralph Martinelli , publisher of Westchester Magazine said he would be staging the Wine and Food Weekend again next year.

Gardella and Kittrell Pools Open in White Plains

Posted on June 19, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DAY. From the WPCNR ROVING PHOTOGRAPHER. JUNE 19, 2011:

White Plains Department of Recreation and Parks beat Westchester County to the punch by opening city pools yesterday at Gardella and Kittrell Parks. The WPCNR Roving Photographer captured the action

Swimmers said the pool temperature at Gardella was “Terrific.”

The City of White Plains, Mayor Thomas M. Roach and the Department of Recreation and Parks invite residents to splash and swim the summer away at Gardella and Kittrell Park Pools. The swim season will began yesterday and both pools are open this afternoon for Father’s Day Splashes.

Starting Friday, June 24 pools will be open daily from noon to 6:30 p.m. Late nights will be held at each pool once a week; Kittrell Park Pool will be open until 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday, and Gardella Park Pool will be open until 7:30 p.m. every Thursday. A White Plains Recreation I.D. card is required for admittance to both pools. The swim season will end on Sunday, August 28, 2011. For additional information please call the Recreation Office at 914.422.1336.

Astorino will Veto Spectator Fees Again.

Posted on June 17, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. J(Edited) June 17, 2011:

“For the Democrats on the board to change Playland’s pricing structure after the amusement park has been open for a month and to eliminate a substantial source of revenue is financially and operationally irresponsible,” County Executive Robert Astorino said Friday in a news release, promising to veto the measure July 2.. “What’s more, their plan is fundamentally unfair because it shifts the cost burden from patrons who use the amusement park to taxpayers who don’t.”

The Playland Amusement Park typically loses $3 million to $5 million a year. In 2009, former County Executive Andrew J. Spano initiated a spectator fee of $3 for county residents and $5 for non-residents. This fee is charged to patrons who don’t buy an unlimited ride ticket when they come into the amusement park. The rationale was to create a less expensive option for patrons who don’t plan to go on any rides but do use the amusement park’s other facilities, while at the same time giving the county a source of revenue to cover the costs of non-riding patrons.

As part of the 2011 budget, Democrats and Republicans agreed unanimously to raise the spectator fee to $5 for residents and $10 for non-residents as a way of stemming the losses at the amusement park. Over the last month, the Democrats have twice passed bills on their own to change the December budget agreement.

Astorino successfully vetoed the first proposal, which called for eliminating the spectator fee for residents and lowering it to $5 for non-residents. Implementing that plan would have cost the county as much as $1 million in lost revenues.

The latest plan again calls for no charge for residents and $10 charge for non-residents. The lost revenues associated with that plan, which were calculated by the county’s Budget Department as part of its fiscal analysis of the legislation, are projected at $377,000. Overall, the county already projects a budget gap for the government of about $100 million for next year.

“The question is: where is the money going to come from?” said Astorino. “Do we take it out of the Bee-Line buses or Social Services or Public Safety? It has to come from somewhere. Fees are the fairest way to pay for non-essential services. If people want to play golf, we charge them. If people want to go to our pools, we charge them, whether they go in the water or not because they are taking advantage of the facilities. Someone has to pay for the services and the fairest way is to charge those who use them. This is not a double tax on taxpayers, as the Democrats contend.”

Astorino emphasized that the spectator fee only applies to the amusement park. Playland’s boardwalk, seaside walk and the Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary are still open and free to the public.

In announcing his plans to veto the latest proposal from the board, Astorino rejected the Democrats’ argument that the lost revenue will be recouped by attracting more people to the park to spend money and that county residents (who pay taxes) should not have to pay to use the park.

“Letting people in for free and making up the cost on volume is just a mirage,” Astorino said. “The Democrats have provided no objective data to suggest revenues will increase.”

According to the analysis by the county’s Parks Department, the county receives an average of only 96 cents in additional revenue in ride fees from patrons who enter the park with spectator passes. That means 370,000 spectator patrons would have to come to the park just to make up for the lost revenue. Last year, total attendance was only 494,000. And that doesn’t include extra expenses associated with larger numbers of patrons.

In addition, Astorino rejected a proposal from Legislator John Nonna of Pleasantville that fireworks be eliminated at the park to save money. This, he said, would lead to fewer people at the park and even bigger deficits and possible litigation from the county’s fireworks vendor.

“Fireworks are one of the main reasons why people come to the amusement park,” said Astorino. “Attendance goes up 15 percent on the days we have fireworks and on July 3^rd and 4^th, – traditionally two of our busiest days – it’s probably the main reason people come to Playland. Eliminating fireworks would be like saying the Dragon Coaster is closed. It would be a disaster for attendance.”

The spectator fees that are included in the county’s 2011 budget ($5 for residents and $10 for nonresidents) remain in place for now. After Astorino’s veto, it will then be up to the board to either sustain or override that veto. Twelve votes are necessary to override a veto.

“This is an example of the problems with any party having a super majority,” said Astorino. “There needs to be a check on actions that are not thought through and are not in the best interest of the county at large.”