THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. From New York State Department of Taxation & Finance. August 12,2010:

The July Sales Tax Report was handed down to WPCNR today by  Susan Burns of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance showing White Plains July sales tax collected $286,053 more in sales tax receipts over last July’s figures. (July is the first month of the new city fiscal year

 City Sales tax receipts of $3,717,403 beat the county July sales tax pace, benefiting from a ¼% city sales increase that went into effect June 1, raising July sales receipts 8.34%  (though short of the proportionate increase in the sales tax, 12%) while County Sales Tax receipts continued robustly, up 7.63%.

The city sales receipt for July ($3,717,403), is below the July, 2008 high water mark of July collections of the last five years of $3,938,114, reflecting the pace of sales prior to the beginning of the 2008 economic downturn.

On the county side of the sales tax ledger,  county sales tax continues headed for a surplus with its continued strong showing in July with its 7-1/2% rate of growth sustaining itself another month. Should the county continue on this 7-1/2% sales tax increase trend, the county will generate an $11 Million sales tax surplus, realizing approximately a $444 Million sales tax handle for fiscal year 2010, generating a $12 Million surplus in sales tax receipts over the expected and forecast $432.6 Million.

WPCNR County Clarion-Ledger.. By John F. Bailey. August 10, 2010:

County Executive Rob Astorino in chatting with WPCNR after addressing the White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations in White Plains Tuesday night, said he would deliver a balanced budget to the county legislature by November 1, with no increase in the county property tax.

County Executive Rob Astorino addressing the Council of Neighborhood Associations Tuesday at Education House.

He said his administration had already cut $36 Million from a deficit of $166 Million, and had identified $40 Million more in savings, projecting the present deficit as $90 Million. He told WPCNR that if the County Board of Legislators added back spending, he would exercise his line item veto, telling WPCNR, “They have made it clear they have no problem raising taxes, so I will veto.”

County Executive Rob Astorino spoke with WPCNR after he made to this reporter’s knowledge the first appearance ever by a Westchester County Executive before the White Plains Council ofn Neighborhood Associations.

Addressing the audience of 45 persons, beginning at 8:50 P.M. Mr.Astorino covered a range of subjects, mostly having to do with budget issues.

 In his general remarks beginning with Playland, say it would not close, but held out the possibilities of less rides, or possibly more rides, licensing a private vendor to run the park and adding other uses to the historic park, citing the success of the Tiki Bar on the Boardwalk that had amazing success. He said that 70% of the users of the park are not residents of Westchester County, and “that has to change.”

He said that the county needed to cut the  $32 Million it spends in child day care by raising the qualifications to participate in county day care services.

In response to a question whether the county would exercise a countwide revaluation of real estate, (to equalize property tax burdens),  Astorino said he would not unless a majority of the cities and municipalities asked for it, echoing his predecessor, Andy Spano, on that question..

Astorino said he did not feel the County Police force could be trimmed significantly because of the services it provides for villages and municipalities which do not have detective services, bomb squads, and lab facilities, but did say he had achieved significant savings in overtime by transferring county police personnel back to patrol duty.

The County Executive also said he was working through commissioners to get them to come up with savings in their departments, saying, “I do not have all the answers, but I can ask a lot of questions.”