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

WPCNR MR.and Mrs. and Ms. White Plains Poll. February 28, 2009: The school budget remains a mystery at this time, since the district does not know what the final Assessment Roll — due out Monday morning– will be. However the vast number of assessment challenges (855) filed this year — virtually 4 times the last year total would indicate the School Assessment Roll will decline from the $288.4 level reported out. This will mean that the tax rate currently configured to be $513 per $1,000 of assessed valuation — worst case about $517 per $1,000 of Assessed Valuation.

The School District is also anticipating a $2.5 Million in education aid — not figured into the present budget. The preliminary budget since it does not match up expected revenues against expenses is actually misleading. Because if the revenues do not cover the $185.9 Million budget– the tax rate will have to increase beyond the rate WPCNR has estimated it will take to cover the assessment shortfall.

WPCNR has also figured that by the City of White Plains own prediction of about an $11 Million shortfall in revenues for the present year,08-09,  that the city tax will have to go up in 09-10 to cover all the union contracts if they award increases, and if department cuts presently being scrambled for,  are not carried over into 09-10, and if the sales tax dips this year instead of increasing as it is expected to decrease,  a sharp increase  of about $1,000, pending whatever budget magic the city casts on their budget, might happen.

Say if the city keeps the budget the same you are still looking at about a  tax increase between city, county and school taxes. And, looking to the future of the school district budget, sure to face a precipitous plummet in assessed value next year due to the trends now accelerated, it might behoove the school district to cut more out of this year’s budget to keep the present tax increase at 2%. That given the case, would does Mr. and Mrs. and Ms. White Plains think about some of these options. Let us know by voting in the survey at the right:

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From the  Office of the Westchester County District Attorney. February 28, 2009: Lucien Chalfen, spokesperson for Westchester County District Attorney announced yesterday that aWestchester County Grand Jury had voted to charge Sheldene Campbell with felonies, in connection with the hit and run death of  Marie Bucci, a resident of the Haviland Manor neighborhood in White Plains, and the hit-and-run injuries suffered by  another resident of the same neighborhood on October 19. Chalfen reported Campbell would be  arraigned on the new charges in mid-March. Chaldene is being held on $200,000 bail in the Westchester County Jail.