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

WPCNR BACKROOM BULLETIN. By John F. Bailey. February 8, 2010, UPDATED  12:10 P.M. E.S.T.: The Robert Castelli campaign for the 89^th Assembly district seat vacated by Adam Bradley (when he was elected Mayor of White Plains) has enjoyed the support of the New York State Republican Committee on an unprecedented level for an Assembly Race.

 

Peter Harckham, left, and Bob Castelli, right, on the Lohud.com internetcast of the Editorial Board’s interview with the candidates on issues. Mr. Harckham and Mr. Castelli each said there was a need to reform Albany. They each said they wanted to consolidate departments and cut costs of state government.

They differred on property tax issues: Harckham said he supported a Circuit Breaker bill to cut property taxes proportionately based on income (though the effects of that bill have never been fully explained by the legislature), while Castelli favored eliminating the Triboro Amendment (that automatically extends union contractors’ contracts), and the Wickes Law. Harckham stood on his record as voting in support of  cutting the county budget and the county legislature budget. 

Harckham told WPCNR he would sponsor a 1/4% sales tax increase to help the current White Plains city budget in distress, while Castelli said he would not immediately support such an increase, unless he was assured the city had done all it could to cut its costs.

 

The Democratic Party is also pulling out the stops to elect Peter Harckham the Democrat from Katonah-Lewisboro, their latest efforts include a robo-call from Attorney General Andrew Cuomo Monday, urging voters to support Mr. Harckham. Monday’s Republican Robo-Call “celebrity” has not made his or her debut yet. Mr. Cuomo’s recorded message is in addition to a recorded message from White Plains Mayor, Adam Bradley which went out Friday.

 

The race has been the subject of three polls trying to ascertain the mood of the electorate. The polls apparently tried to gauge the strength of Mr.Castelli among voters.

 

The Special Election in one of the county’s most affluent districts is held tomorrow throughout the 89th district.

 

Judging by the way the Democrats have been sending out flyers in support of Mr. Harckham and generating robocalls (including one from Adam Bradley), a personal letter from Mr. Bradley, and a hand-delivered flyer touting Mr. Harckham’s media endorsements, the Democrats may be worried.  The mailings, one of which touted Mr.Harckham as a supporter of “pro-choice” appear to me making an effort togalvanize the White Plains Democratic base which re-elected Mr. Bradley into the seat by a 25,000-17,000 vote over Castelli four years ago. Mr. Bradley had no opposition in his rerun for the seat in 2007.

 

On the other hand, the New York State Republican Committee is spending on Mr.Castelli as if he were Henry Cabot Lodge, Nelson Rockefeller, and the  late Senator Jacob Javitts. Do the Republicans smell blood in the water? Does their polling show Castelli strong against Harckham?

 

Mayor Adam Bradley called to correct WPCNR and point out that in that 2005 election against Mr. Castelli which Bradley won, the Republicans spent $350,000, the second highest amount spent in an Assembly Race in the state that year. Bradley said he was “heavily targeted” that year.

 

Consider that the Republicans are aiming at White Plains Democratic voters with robocalls from newly elected “reformer” County Executive Rob Astorino who asked voters on Friday to give him “an ally” in Albany in Mr. Castelli. Former Governor George Pataki, in a rare political effort, called Democratic voters on Saturday, assuring voters Mr.Castelli is the man needed to “clean up Albany.”

 

On Sunday, White Plains’ own Bob Hyland, New York Giants/Green Bay Packers legend, called on Super Bowl Day encouraging Democratic voters to send Mr. Castelli to Albany  to cut taxes and support small business and lower property taxes. Hyland narrowly lost (on absentee ballots) to Bill Ryan in Mr. Hyland’s challenge of Ryan for County Legislator District 5 representing White Plains last November. Hyland was targeted by a mailing alluding to tax problems and  past incidents at a former restaurant location where Mr. Hyland did business which angered a lot of voters.

 

The Democrats have sent out flyers almost matching the Republicans’ furor, including a personal letter from White Plains Mayor Adam Bradley, and robocalls from Mr. Bradley in support of Harckham.

 

Can robocalls from Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer, and Kristen Gillebrand be expected today in support of Mr. Harckham, to counter the Republican effort for “reform” and “tax-cutting?” Stand by your telephone.

 

Meantime in White Plains, the polls open tomorrow at 6 A.M. and are open until 9 P.M. at the following polling places for the 89^th Assembly District:

 

Here are the locations where White Plainsians vote tomorrow by election district,furnished by the White Plains City Clerk. If you have any question what election district you vote in, contact the Board of Elections at 995-5700

 

 

Eastview Middle School: Districts 19, 20, 24, 26

 

 

George Washington School: Districts 18, 27

 

German School: Districts 1 & 14

 

Highlands Middle School: Districts 5,6,7,12

 

Mamaroneck Avenue School: Districts 3, 11,8

 

Recreation Department: District 4

 

Ridgeway School: Districts 9, 13

 

Solomon Schecter School: Districts 10, 15

 

St. Bernards: District 42

 

Presbyterian Church: District 23

 

White Plains High School: District 2

 

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. February 4, 2010: Prior to agreeing to initiate a lawsuit to overturn the police 12-hour patrol work shift settlement of 2008,. as reported exclusively by WPCNR, the Common Council had voted unanimously Monday to establish a  Contingency and Tax Stabilization Fund to be a repository for another ¼% increase in the sales tax, dedicated to rebuilding the city depleted fund balance. The groundwork for increasing the city take of every eligible sales tax item to 2-1/2% was first reported by WPCNR last week and the legal framework was established Monday night.

 

Mayor Bradley noted that the spanking new contingency fund with nothing in it yet,  could not be tapped (for city expenses) without a 2/3 vote of the Common Council (5-2). Either Assemblywoman Amy Paulin or the winner of the Democrat, Harckham and Republican Bob Castelli Special Election taking place next Tuesday, February 9 for Mr. Bradley’s former 89^th District, seat would carry the ¼% request to Albany in the spring. Harckham has told WPCNR he would support the increase. Mr.Castelli told WPCNR he is withholding a decision on support until he is assured all cost cutting measures by the city have been explored.

 

The council also implemented a series of budget cuts(including 10 layoffs involving actual filled positions and line item cuts)  and elimination of positions totaling $3.3 Million. The layoffs were reported by WPCNR last Friday.

 

In other action, the council voted to spend $6,000 a year  on a system allowing visitors to enhance their “parking experience” by equipping White Plains Parking Garages and parking lot meter kiosks to accept payment for parking via cellphone. Doing so would enable persons to “feed the meter” by dialing the service provider and extending their parking time remotely. There will be a 35 cent additional service fee for the use of this service.

 

Mayor Bradley promised changes in parking policy were in the making to make White Plains parking less adversarial to visitors to the city.

 

The Council approved appointments of Adam T. Bergonzi, Steven H. Hochman and Saul Yanofsky to the Budget and Management Advisory Committee and appointed Dennis Power, the Councilman as Chair of the Recreation Advisory Committee. Michael Genito, the new Commissioner of Finance was approved as interim Budget Director.  Larry Delgado and Joe Lenchner were dropped from the Budget Committee.

 

The Council approved a $851,000 expenditure to replace White Plains Public Library windows, but in comments afterwards, they pointed out that  $650,800 of the $851,000 was being furnished with “stimulus funds” from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was achieved through the efforts of Congresswoman Nita Lowey. The council also agreed to issue bonds for a $502,000 “Electrical Upgrade” to the library, which is solely the city responsibility.

 

The Council approved changes in Department of Recreation and Parks Fees which are expected to raise an additional $180,000 revenue into the city, if usage remains the same.