WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. April 12, 2010: White Plains generated $3,724,875 in sales tax receipts in March, according to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, an 11% increase over March of 2009, bringing the sales tax total through three quarters to $32,454,035. It was only the second month the last nine that sales tax receipts were up, however if the city continues this rate of spending, or even meets the last quarter figures of 2009, the city will possibly meet its $43.5 Million revised projection of the sales tax, though falling short of the Delfino Administration prediction of $47.3 Million. The sales tax deficit still looks to be $4.3 Million, but the 11% increase is good news, reflecting merchants’ reflections that March sales were up.
MAYOR SPOUSAL ABUSE CASE RETURNS MAY 10. AGREES TO EVALUATION. NO PLEA. NO TRIAL
WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. April 12, 2010: Mayor Adam Bradley appearing in Westchester County Domestic Violence Court this morning, agreed to have himself evaluated by the county-run program SANCIA, as a condition of remaining free in his own recognizance. In a motion of Attorney Audrey Stone, Chief of the District Attorney’s Special Prosecutions Unit, the three misdemeanor charges the Mayor was charged with Thursday of last week were consolidated into the present case.
Judge Susan Capeci set a return date “for all purposes” of May 10, so the case against the Mayor continues.
The District Attorney’s office asked for a Full Order of Protection which forbids the Mayor to contact or see his wife, Fumiko, and the Judge granted the Full Order, and Mr. Bradley’s attorney and Mr. Bradley accepted that. He is still able to see his children.
The events of this morning effectively mean that the case will not have resolution until past the date when if there became a vacancy in the Mayor’s office, a special election to pick a new Mayor would be held within two months.
Mayor Bradley did not meet with the media after he left court, to this reporter’s knowledge.
Chief of the District Attorney’s Special Prosecutions Unit, Audrey Stone introduced two new charges against Mr. Bradley for alleged assault in the third degree, and harrassment, classified as violations stemming from an alleged tea throwing incident on January 11, in addition to assault in the third degree and three other counts stemming from February 28 when the Mayor was charged for alledgedly slamming his wife, Fumiko Bradley’s finger in the door.
The charges of Witness Tampering, 4th Degree, Harassment, 2nd Degree and Contempt in the 2nd Degree, stemming from the Mayor’s alleged violating of the Order of protection five times were added to the six charges, for a total of 9.
The SANCIA program, District Attorney spokesperson Lucian Chalfen, told WPCNR the SANCIA program which will evaluate Mr. Bradley was a routine program defendents are asked to go into in most domestic violence cases, though this was not applied when Mr. Bradley’s case began. On April 1 the District Attorney’s office had said they would consider disposition of the original charges if the Mayor would plead guilty and enter an anger management program.
Carl Albanese Declares for Mayor. Would Run in Special Election, if nec.
WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey . April12, 2010 UPDATED 12:25 A.M. E.D.T. April 13, 2010: Carl Albanese, a free lance videographer and television production specialist, describing himself as “a video producer with a production company in Westchester, 35 years in the Media Communications Business as a Business man and family man.”
Albanese, is a longtime city activist and close observer of city hall issues the last six years declared his candidacy for Mayor Sunday on the steps of City Hall, if a vacancy develops in the Mayor’s office. Monday afternoon, after Adam Bradley’s statement he would not resign from office, Albanese said it looked like there would be no special election for him to run in.
“I’m running because of the Mayoral Crisis and the Common Council failure to address adequately the financial crisis the city faces, and the issue of domestic violence. This is a failure of leadership. It is a failure of our political system and those who run it. I call on citizens to come out and take an active roll in the leadership of our city.”
Albanese said he grew up in a family where there were domestic abuse issues. He has seen first hand the hurt and devastation repeated domestic abuse inflicts on the family. He said not only had his father inflicted abuse on his mother and sister for years, but his sister, was a victim of domestic violence. “He (Mr. Albaneses’ father) could snap in an instant. And when he did all you could do was take cover.”
Albanese’s decision is poignantly personal. He revealed his sister at age 17, fell into a domestic abuse situation with a male 30 years old with whom she had a relationship:
“My sister spent 5 to 7 years at Bedford Hills Prison for defending her life against a man in his 30’s who tried to kill her with his illegal gun, beat her to a pulp beyond recognition. While he held the gun to her head, she fought for her life in the struggle, the gun went off, and he got killed with his own illegal gun. She did not have a good lawyer,” he said sarcasticly.
When the current domestic abuse charges were filed against the Mayor of White Plains with the city in financial disarray, Albanese said he could not stand on the sidelines.
Albanese said he would seek the nomination, acquire signatures for petitions and do what must be done to put the key issue of the city: financing operations back in focus. He said he would seek nomination from the Republican Party, the Working Families Party, the Independence Party and the Progressive Democrats Party, if a Special Election to elect a new Mayor became necessary.
There would not be a Special Election unless the Mayor’s office becomes vacant through either resignation of the Mayor, or his removal from office by the Common Council, or the Governor. The Common Council is empowered, somewhat ambiguously by Section 30 of the Charter as follows:
The Common Council may compel the attendance of absent members at any meeting propertly called, and may punish or expel a member for disorderly conduct, for the violation of its rules, or for official misconduct, or declare his(her) seat vacant by reason of absence, provided such absence has continued for the space of four months; but no expulsion shall take place and no vacancy on account of absence be declared except by the vote of three fourths of all members of the common council.
There would have to be a vacancy established in the Mayor’s Office before May 3 for there to be a special election called within 60s as provided by Section 46 of the Charter. Otherwise, the election for a new Mayor to finish out the current term would be held in November during the general election.
Likely candidates to contend would be County Legislator Bill Ryan, who once attempted to run for Mayor; Councilman Benjamin Boykin, former Councilman Glen Hockley, and possibly Councilman Dennis Power. Councilman Tom Roach might also be persuaded to run, should he have to step in as interim Mayor fulfilling his responsibility as Council President.
City Hall: Mayor Bradley Not Resigning.
WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. From The Mayor’s Office. April 11, 2010: Antoinette Biordi, Communications Director for the Bradley Administration of White Plains, issued this statement to WPCNR as of 6:40 Sunday evening in response to unsourced reports on News 12 that Mayor Adam Bradley was going to resign his position Monday:
“Rumors about Mayor Adam Bradley resigning are false. He continues to do the work he was elected to do.”
That was the end of the statement.
The statement came shortly after a White Plains citizen, Carl Albanese declared his candidacy for Mayor in any possible Special Election or election in the fall to fill the remaining portion of the Mayor’s term.
If the Mayor’s office is vacated before May 3, a Special Election would be held within 60 Days. If the Mayor’s offfice is vacated after May 3, a special election would be held in the general election in November, according to the City Charter.