Ryan Proposes Charter Revision Commisson to Study Streamlining–Due March 2011

 WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Tara L. Martin, Westchester County Board of Legislators (EDITE) December 16,2009 Updated 9 P.M. E.S.T.:Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Bill Ryan (D-WF, White Plains) today announced the launching of Westchester Renewed, a far-reaching initiative  creatiing a citizen-run Westchester County Charter Revision Commission to study and recommend how to make Westchester County more efficient and cost-concious.


The commission, assuming the legislature creates by passage of Mr. Ryan’s bill, will have until March 1, 2011 to make it’s report, and the County Board of Legislators will be required to act upon its recommendations within 3 months (approximately June, 2011), meaning any reform is at least 24 months away.


“It’s time to take a thorough look at how Westchester County government is running, how it operates and how it can be improved.  What steps should we take to right-size our government? How can we streamline its operation and make it more efficient and less expensive.  We need to come up with a revised Charter that reflects today’s realities and tomorrow’s hopes.” 


Westchester’s Charter Revision Commission would be made up of 31 members representing a cross-section of the county, reflecting the resident taxpayer, business, non-profit, labor and government sectors of the Westchester community. It would examine structural innovations for, and alternatives to the current form and structure of County government. Recommendations would be submitted to the Board of Legislators for implementation or, depending on what’s proposed, brought before voters in a referendum. 



The Charter Revision Commission shall be composed of total of 31 members to be appointed as follows:


·         Each of the seventeen County Legislators shall individually appoint one (1) member to the Commission 


·         The Chairman of the County Board of Legislators shall also appoint one (1) additional member to serve as the Chairperson of the Charter Revision Commission


·         The Westchester County Executive shall appoint two (2) members to the Commission


·         The County Clerk, District Attorney, Chief Administrative Judge of the 9th Judicial District shall each appoint one (1) member to the Commission


·         By a majority vote of the County Board of Legislators, one (1) member shall be appointed from each of the following seven organizations: the Westchester County League of Women Voters, the Westchester Putnam Central Labor Body, the Civil Service Employees Association, the State Association of School Boards, Westchester County Municipal Officials Association, the Business Council of Westchester, and the Westchester County Association, and one (1) member from a non-profit agency providing services in Westchester County


 


Ryan said “The Charter Revision Commission should examine all the alternative forms (of county government)  and come up with a recommendation. If it recommends changing Westchester’s two-branch government (County Executive and the Board of Legislators), the people will have a chance to decide in a countywide public referendum.”


Ryan said other types of issues that could be considered include:


·         Consolidating/merging/eliminating various county departments and functions


·         Centralizing various services now handled by municipalities; consolidation of local functions and programs and regional service delivery as needed


·         Turning over certain discretionary county services to local municipalities and/or community based organizations


·         Reducing the size of the Board of Legislators; changing the form of the legislative body


·         The need for and composition of a Board of Acquisition and Contract


·         Establishing an Office of County Comptroller



The role and structure of the Board of Legislators should also be examined,  but could not be abolished, Ryan said: 


 “The county legislature is required under State Law,” Ryan said. “Because of this, abolishing it is not an option and certain of its functions and responsibilities cannot be altered. However, the size and composition of the legislature and the way it operates can certainly be changed if that’s deemed appropriate.”


Ryan also said that doing away with Westchester county government was not an option to be explored.


“Those who argue for this obviously know nothing about local, county or state government,” Ryan said. “New York is run through counties, Getting rid of Westchester county government would require getting rid of county governments throughout the state. Anyone arguing for that can speak to their state representatives. This Commission is designed to be productive, generating real options that could improve our government and deliver benefits to our residents and taxpayers sooner rather than later.  The Commission would not engage in meaningless exercises.”


Westchester Renewed will be independent of county government, except for the responsibility of county government to see to it that it has the resources it needs to function.  That includes reasonable funding for consulting and support services. 


The Commission will also review the work of Westchester 2000—an earlier citizen study on consolidation of government services—to see if any of its recommendations should be reintroduced. That group looked at Charter revision, although that wasn’t its primary charge.




 

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WP Nov Sales $$ Stabilize-off 7.3% for 09-10. Cty off 13% $61.5 M in Red Ink

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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. December 16, 2009 UPDATED December 17,2009 6:30 P.M.: White Plains shoppers came within 1.7% of last year’s November spending pace in November, according to the  November statistics on sales tax furnished WPCNR by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Tuesday.


 


If the city’s December numbers match last year’s and sales tax collections match the first half of 2009, the city sales tax deficit will be $2.5 Million behind the 2009-10 city projection of  $47.3 Million.


 


The county news is not as good. Sales Tax collections for November throughout the county were down 4.5%, an improvement over the lacklustre 12.5% the county has run the first 10 months. If the county hits last December’s holiday numbers in December, the county will still finish the year with a $61.5 Million deficit in sales taxes, finishing at $416.5 Million when the county had budgeted to collect $478.2 Million in sales tax in 2009.


 


According to Westchester County Communications Director, Donna Greene, the disappearing $60 Million in county sales tax was covered by the infusion of increased federal medicaid reimbursement as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009. In a statement Ms. Greene sent, she writes: The $60M has been offset by a combination of expense reductions and FMAP revenue. (Remember, the expense reductions have been ongoing the entire year.”


 


FMAP  is an anachronym for “Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentages.” In 2009, the New York State reimbursement was increased from 50% to 55%, allowing New York State to return money to Westchester  County for the County’s share of expenses.  Greene told WPCNR Thursday afternoon that the FMAP money was fungible and could be returned to the County General Fund, to be used as the county saw fit. 


 


Asked if the county could quantifiy “to the penny” how much FMAP money was used to fill the sales tax gap, and what savings paid the rest, Greene said that was not available at  the present time.


 


The appearance that White Plains is attracting retail shoppers at a pace double the rest of the county would appear to indicate that sales are off severely in the other major retail centers: Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon and Port Chester.


 


 


 


If shoppers return to the White Plains malls in droves in December and match last December’s sales tax receipts ($4,287,434) the city will have  $22,879,003 in till towards the 2009-10 Sales Tax target of $47.3 Million.


 


In January to June of 2009. the city collected  $21,947,874 in sales tax.


 


If the city runs even with that January to June pace, the city will collect $44,826,877 in sales tax for the year, a projected budget deficit on sales tax receipts of $2,473,123. The important factor is that retail sales do not fall off the next six months to the pre-holiday season doldrums. Citizens should cross their fingers that the buying doldrums that began in July, do not return.


 


The city deficit at this time if city sales tax collections have indeed stabilized and will continue on last year’s pace amounts as follows, figures come from Commissioner of Finance Gina Cuneo-Harwood’s figures she told the White Plains Common Council November 23:


 


$2.473 Million in lost Sales Tax (as of Dec. 15)


1.2    Million in lost Mortgage Tax


400,000 in Parking Revenues


500,000 in lower Fines & Forfeitures


$6.9 Million in fund balance


$3 Million in Labor Settlement


 


Total City Deficit: $14,473,000


 


Worse News for the County


 


Despite comments in a letter from County Legislator Michael Kaplowitz sent the Journal News Monday and published today (Tuesday) that “sales tax for 2009 is running over $45 Million less than last year,” the deficiet is a lot more  more – about $61,483,764 behind sales tax projections – a figure estimated by this reporter in August and September, and pointed out to the county by this reporter at the time.


 


The county however has not good news according to the November  County sales tax. In November, through eleven months of the fiscal year, the county, according to the state Department of Taxation & Finance has collected $375,507,685.61in sales tax. The county expected to collect $478.2 Million.


 


If the county matches last December’s sales tax collection of $41,008,551.17, the county will receive a total sales tax handle of $416,516,236, creating a revenue deficit this year of $61,483,764. 


 


The County Board of Legislators Monday night saw fit to cut County Executive Andrew Spano’s budget by $1 Million.


 


 


Details on how the sales tax shortfall in the current budget is being addressed by the county as this year’s budget was not detailed in the county news release trumpeting the Board of Legislator’s approval of the 2010 budget last night. The county is addressing the possibility of the deficit continuing into next year.

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Wood’s Skills Admired.

.WPCNR MILESTONES. By Duncan MacRae. December 15, 2009: I am saddened by the passing of Paul Wood, the City of White Plains Executive Officer. 


 I knew Paul for some time and had numerous dealings with him regarding labor relations and various employee issues confronting the city.


He was always responsive, but not afraid to say no when “no” was appropriate.  I will miss his great personality and the touch of his Boston accent.  I will miss his ability to see the big picture unlike so many in government who are out there.  I admired  his ability to deal with citizens and workers with a tone that was not acerbic and gave every interest it’s time to talk.


He has made a lasting impression on me.  I have been dealing in labor relations for some thirty five years in White Plains and have never met an individual that could so captivate and impress you and get you to go to his side.


To say he was remarkable would be an understatement.


I miss you, dear friend.


 God bless you


 


 

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Tribute to Paul Wood

WPCNR MILESTONES.By Carl Albanese. December 15,2009:


In honor of Mr. Paul Wood, Executive Director City of White Plains.

For the many residents or anyone who ever hade the wonderful opportunity to know Mr. Wood at a city meeting or in the Mayor’s office you would come to respect this man for his unique gifted personality.

A guy regardless of his, yours, or the Mayor’s position on policy always welcomed and respected you and treated you with the highest level of consideration and respect.  To Mr. Wood it didn’t matter who you were, walk in the halls of City Hall, the Mayor’ s office and Mr. Wood welcomed you and received you with dignity and his personality first.

Not because of his position, because of who he represented, but because that was just Paul. Mr. Wood had karma of kindness, consideration, soft-spoken voice, receptive, with a remarkable level of patience and cooperation.

A man of great character, enjoyed a laugh, smiled and shared that with you.

If there ever was a guy you would want by your side, loyal and dedicated it was Paul. Passionate about his role and contributions he made to the city and to Mayor Delfino.  A protector, a defender, a devoted Executive Director to the city and always in my opinion worked for the quality of life and improvements of White Plains.

He will be dearly missed, never forgotten and always remembered for who he is.

A really great guy I was able to stand in City Hall with after a battle shakes hands with and thank.

Thank you Mr. Wood for serving our city.

To Mr. Paul Wood and his family, we honor you.

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