WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. April 6, 2010: David Buchwald, the new Councilman was the first to, after looking at the 2010-11 Proposed Budget on his council desk Monday evening, to say to the Mayor, the $160.2 Million budget incorporating a 19% property tax increase was “unacceptable,” because it struck at White Plains “affordability.”
Later in the Council meeting, Councilman Benjamin Boykin flatly declared, in discussion of approving 12
The council approved,7-0, after much soul-searching by Councilman Buchwald, the 12 new layoffs which will save $975,000 in the new 2010-11 budget, and about $250,000 the last quarter of this year. The measure eliminates $525,000 from the Department of Public Safety personnel costs in 2010-11.
Boykin in the city hall parking lot told WPCNR, “This budget is Dead on Arrival. The administration needs to go after the unions for furloughs, wage cuts, and failing that, layoffs.”
Asked if he had a specific target in mind as to what the property tax increase should, Boykin said he could not pin it down now.
As an guide for the White Plains citizen, in order to get the property tax increase down under 10%, the council would have to cut approximately $4 Million out of the budget. To get it down to 5% the cuts would have to top $6 Million. Out of the $148 Million budget proposed. Michael Genito, the Budget Director/Commissioner of Finance told reporters Monday afternoon that each percentage of property tax equals $440,000 of expenses.
Beth Smayda, chair of the Budget and Management Committee said in discussion of the 12 positions being eliminated, that if the twelve positions elminated were not eliminated, that by her own calculations the property tax increase for the new budget would be 21% not 19%.
Smayda said that the passage of the Sewer Rents legislation which passed 7-0, was a financial device (charging by usage for key services) that the committee and the city should be looking at to find other sources of revenue. The sewer rents charge water users, including tax-exempt properties, 15% of their annual water bill. It is expected to earn the city a $1.1 Million net a year after the $700,000-plus in annual sewer costs is paid for. Smayda relayed the information that 200 communities across New York State employ the Sewer Rent device to pay for sewer services. No persons spoke at the public hearing on the Sewer Rent legislation, though one person attempted to, after the hearing was closed, but was denied the right to speak by Mayor Bradley because the hearing had been closed.
Thomas Roach in his comments on the layoffs approced Monday night, said laying people off had to happen because 70% of the city budget was labor costs. Dennis Power did not favor cutting the property increase directly, and said the council would get together over the weekend and think about cuts.
In other key action, the Council approved continuing Bensidoun
The council approved a new parking violation: parking without a valid registration. The fine if a vehicle does not have a legal and valid registration will be $50, a second office $100, and a third $120, according to Commissioner of Parking,Albert Moroni.
The new budget will have its first public hearing on May 3 (the next public Common Council meeting).
The media was also informed by Budget Director and Commissioner of Finance Genito Monday that the city would be looking at the feasibility of developing a “Rent” charge applied to Garbage Collection, charging a fee passed upon garbage service. Genito said the state allows such a charge to be collected by communities.
The public hearings on permitting outdoor dining at Elements Restaurant, and parking of motor vechicles at service stations in the BR-1 District were adjourned to future Council Dates.
