WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. February 3, 2009: In one of the shortest Common Council meetings of all time, lasting just 35 minutes, devoid of any drama, or commentary on the state of the city finances, the Council approved $250,000 in bonds for rehabilitation of fire houses; approved a $650,000 budget for the Downtown Business Improvement District); agreed to $190,043 in certiorari refunds to four condominium complexes in the city. It also approved new Department of Recreation and Parks fees for residents and non-resident use of city recreation facilities and activities for 2009-2010.
The meeting was interesting to note that no one on the council or the Mayor addressed the current city financial efforts to cut the current city budget, how much it was being cut, or when details of the cuts would be released. No mention was made of the recent Councilperson Rita Malmud announcing she would not run again. No comments were made on how the city is approaching the new 2009-2010 budget. The only person who mentioned the financial pressures the city faces was The Reverend Jacob Stukes of the Lonnie White Memorial Church of God in Christ who prayed that the Lord would help the city through these times in the Invocation.
The Council also voted to submit the city ¾% sales tax to the state legislature to renew the sales tax, and voted to submit a request for a hotel sales tax within the city limits to the legislature. A request to adjust the sales tax another ¼% as promoted previously by the Mayor within the last two weeks, was not part of the request.
Condominium Erosion in Value Begins to Impact Tax Roll.
Certiorari refunds of $98,447.90 were approved for Bryant Gardens covering 2005/2006, 2006/2007, 2007/08; and 2008/2009, with a total assessment reduction of $260,000. Parkview Condominiums was granted a $66,508.15 refund for tax years 04/05/, 05/06, 06/07, 07/08 and 08/09 and a $130,000 assessment reduction. Wesley House received a $21,935.85 refund for years 04/05,05/06, 06/07,07/08 and 08/09 and an assessment reduction of $51,500. Tanglewood Gardens received a $4,051.60 refund and a $14,000 lowering of their assessment.
The total of $190,943.50 in refunds will cost the White Plains City School District approximately $764,000 in refunds this year. (For every dollar the city refunds in property taxes, the School District has to refund 4 due to the higher school property tax assessment.)
City Assessor Lloyd Tasch told WPCNR today that the $455,000 in lowered assessment is currently reflected in the 2009-2010 Tax Roll, ($288.4 Million).
The creeping financial worry of more condominium certiorari filings on relatively moderate priced condos, reflects the slow and growing erosion of condominium prices locally.
Condominium Mean Sale Price in Westchester County in the 4th quarter was down 12.2% from 2007 to an average $393,560, below the average price of $400,672 in the 4th quarter of 2006, according to the Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
BID Sails On on a lower budget.
The counci approved a $650,000 budget for the Downtown Business Improvement District with no increase from last year.
The BID plan includes $303,793 in salary expenses; $176,000 in BID Services (to the city); and $90,000 is planned to be spent on programs to increase business in the downtown, including $60,000 for the New Years Eve Gala, $30,000 in the Taste of Downtown Food Festival.
The budget (including contributions) is down about $84,000 to $686,743, from the 2008-2009 budget of $770,730. It should be noted the BID is funded by assessments of member-businesses in the downtown.
The BID Services include Public Relations and Marketing that plans $18,000 in BID advertising; Meals, $3,000, Travel, $500; Meetings, $1,500; Dues and Subscriptions, $500; Printing, $5,000; Conference and seminars, $750.
The Clean Sweep program (crews sweeping streets) costs $132,000; Supplies for Clean Sweep, $20,000; Gumbusters (Gum machine operation), $7,000; and Green Machine street sweeper, $12,000. The monthly costs for the Clean Sweep program have been reduced by $48,000.
Albany Asked to Extend Sales Tax, Enact Hotel Occupancy Tax.
In approving the resolutions for the extension of the city’s 2-1/4% sales tax, the next step is for Assembly and State Senators representing the city to introduce the continuation of the home rule request in the state legislature to continue the sales tax for two years through 2011.
The approval of the resolution of the hotel tax, requests the legislature to enact a 3% hotel sales tax within the City of White Plains city limits, to December, 2012.
Fire house improvements infrastructure financing approved.
The $250,000 in fire house improvements include redoing the floor of one fire house, brick improvements and plumbing, energy efficiency upgrades, window and door replacement, waterproofing and site work. The improvements as described appear structural and not related to amenities.
Kensington Extend.
The council also extended for 60 days the period for due diligence on the Kensington senior living project adjacent the Lexington avenue Municipal Garage at the corner of Maple Avenue through March 31. Kensington is awaiting HUD guarantee of any loans and financing negotiated by Kensington for building of the $30 Million site. Financing as of this time has not been obtained by the Kensington group.
The council referred out a request by The Metropolitan, the planned condominium development at Maple and DeKalb avenues extending that approved site plan for another year.
Tim James and Jeane Garment were reappointed to the Library Board.
Rec Fees Advanced.
The Recreation and Parks fees raised rental fees for Delino and Gillie Parks 2-hour day rentals for out of town industrial and non-profit organizations to $375 and $350 respectively. Evening rentals remain the same for industrial out of town at $450 for two hours and non-profit out-of towns, $400. Resident groups pay $175 for a two-hour rental, the same as last year.
Secondary fields (Eastview, WPHS, Ridgeway, Ralph Ave., George Washington, Gardella and Battle Hills, rentals rose $10 an hour for residents, from $35 to $45 ($90 for the two-hour minimum); while non-resident not-profits pay $110 for 2 hours; Resident Industrial groups pay $220 for two hours, up $10 an hour), Non-resident Industrial Groups, $175; Not-for-Profit Out of Towners, $200, (up$20 an hour), and Industrial out of Town groups pay $240 for two hours, up $20 an hour.
There were also increases in bus transportaion for summer camp programs.
