2,905,611 VISITORS VISIT 8,324,077 TIMES 3 TIMES EVERY DAY IN ONE YEAR. HIGHEST ACTIVITY IN WPCNR HISTORY.White PlainsCitizeNetReporter lifted its worldwide visits from unique visitors to wpcnr.com to 8,324,077,a 1,306,419 increase in visits in one year from 7,017,658 visits to the site last year which covers White Plains and Westchester County. The 8,324,077 visits were made by 2,005,611 unique visitors who visited wpcnr an average of 3 visits a day. ON JULY 20- -2026 visitors have accessed wpcnr and made 3,072 visits an average of 1.6 visits. In the last week 33,495 individual vistors made 54,458 visits, averaging 1.6 visits. In the last month, 152,940 visitors recorded 229,338 visits (1.5 visits)
WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. January 12, 2009: Town of Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner issued a statement on the Town of Greenburgh website Saturday he had been advised that an 18% cut in the STAR exemption is presently incorporated in Governor David Patterson’s 2009-10 budget. The Governor’s proposed 18% STAR cut was first reported by WPCNR two weeks ago.
Feiner foresees dire school tax consequences if the STAR Exemptions were enacted: “The cut in STAR exemptions, if enacted by the NYS Legislature, will result in higher school property tax bills since your school tax bills will not be subsidized by STAR to the degree that they once were. Schools, like every municipality, county, fire district, state governments are experiencing budget difficulties EVEN without STAR being cut. So this is very bad news.”
Mr. Feiner confirmed to WPCNR that Greenburgh is suffering from the legislature’s very quiet 10% slashing of the 2008-2009 STAR exemptions, because the town assessor’s office computed the STAR exemption incorrectly in original property tax bills to residents.
Feiner reports Greenburgh has sent out additional property tax bills to residents because his own assessor had missed this year’s 10% cut in the STAR exemptions so silently enacted. (No news releases announced the 10% cut, just letters were sent to assessors to announce it from Albany.)
Feiner is sensitive to state STAR tinkering because the 2008-2009 10% cut in the State STAR Exemptions that taxpayers receive as deductions from their assessed home values was so “quietly”enacted by the State of New York, some local assessors missed it completely. The Town of Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner confirmed to WPCNR Saturday, was one of those.
WPCNR had been advised of Greenburgh residents receiving additional property tax bills with the last month because of an error in Greenburgh computing the tax. Thousands of Town of Greenburgh residents are receiving additional bills from $50 to $100 based on the 10% cut in the STAR BASIC and ENHANCED exemptions, Feiner confirmed.
The 10% cut statewide helped to fund what was described locally as “additional education aid” was exclusively reported by WPCNR last April. No other media reported the state legislature decision to lower the STAR. Some local towns did not get the message. Greenburgh was one.
Feiner confirmed the oversight to the CitizeNetReporter: “A few Assessors in Westchester made similar mistakes – the state reduced STAR benefits in April and the town didn’t catch the mistake.” Feiner believes that Harrison, Yorktown and Mamaroneck also made the same mistake, and had to send out additional bills.
How Greenburgh handled the tax fallout:
“The town sent out a supplemental bill to all the residents,” Feiner said in a statement. “Most people received a bill that was in the low – mid $100 range. They would have had to pay the same amount to the town if the initial bill had been sent out correctly. The town is a collection agent for the school districts.
“I received a few complaints from residents and for the most part most people were understanding when we explained the reasons for the error. In the future we will be extra careful before tax bills are sent out so I don’t think this mistake will happen again.”
Another additional 18% STAR CUT Planned in Governor’s Budget.
WPCNR asked Mr. Feiner what the town expected would be the impact of Governor David Patterson’s announced 18% cut in the STAR exemptions this year, as reported by the Department of Real Property Services newsletter.
January Property Tax Monitor First Announced Governor’s STAR Cut plan: Above and below.
A WPCNR call to the Governor’s press office two weeks ago to determine if the 18% STAR cuts would erase the expected $2.7 Billion 2008 budget gap the state is now experiencing, has not been returned as yet.
Feiner said he did not have a handle on the impact on Greenburgh, saying “the assessor will provide board members with specific dollar estimates –highlighting the impact of the STAR cuts in each of the different school districts (in Greenburgh). The school district is independent of the town. But– the STAR cuts will increase school taxes.”
Feiner observed: “The poor economy, school tax increases, state tax hikes on new items –is having an indirect impact on town officials. Residents, who supported the funding of some programs, are now speaking out against some initiatives they previously had supported.”
Asked about his reaction to the STAR Cuts and the possible 18% cut, Feiner issued this statement:
“ I am not pleased with the way the state has handled the STAR cuts. I also believe that there is a need to take a new look at how governments in NYS are structured –we need to rethink the need for a county government, look at restructuring governments at every level — more sharing.”
Greenburgh Website message:
On Saturday, Feiner posted this message to the Town of Greenburgh website to his constituents, amplifying his concern and calling for government cuts in spending:
“I have been advised that the Governor’s submitted budget cuts an additional 18% from the STAR benefits. In recent years the state has been reducing STAR benefits to taxpayers who receive basic STAR and those seniors over 65 who receive enhanced STAR.
School districts are independent of the town.
The cut in STAR exemptions, if enacted by the NYS Legislature, will result in higher school property tax bills since your school tax bills will not be subsidized by STAR to the degree that they once were.
Schools, like every municipality, county, fire district, state governments are experiencing budget difficulties EVEN without STAR being cut.
So this is very bad news.
If a school tax bill stays flat (which won’t happen) you still will experience a school tax hike because of the significant STAR reductions.
I have asked the Assessor to provide the town with an analysis of the impact the 18% proposed STAR cut could have on each of the school districts within the town.
Members of the NYS Legislature will be reviewing the Governor’s proposed budget in the coming months and are constitutionally required to approve a budget by April 1st.
Although the town and school districts are independent of each other – the additional tax burdens that will be placed on schools highlight (in my opinion) the need for all governments to look for ways to tighten our belts, to make government more efficient. The Town Board and I will devote significant resources reviewing all operations in the town.
WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From U.S Department of Homeland Security. (EDITED) January 12, 2009: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today reminds travelers from all Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries that they are now required to obtain approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to traveling to the United States. This requirement, effective today, applies to all eligible citizens or nationals traveling under the VWP.
The VWP is administered by the department and enables eligible citizens or nationals of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.
The countries eligible for VWP are:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
To be admitted to the VWP, a country must meet various statutory requirements, such as more enhanced law enforcement and security-related data sharing with the U.S. and timely reporting of both blank and issued lost and stolen passports. VWP members are also required to maintain high counter-terrorism, law enforcement, border control, and document security standards.
You check in on Web.
ESTA is a web-based system, initially launched in August 2008, that determines the preliminary eligibility of visitors to travel under the VWP prior to boarding a carrier to the United States. To date, more than 1.2 million ESTA applications have been received, and more than 99.6 percent of applicants have been approved, most within seconds.
“We have been collecting information from visa waiver travelers for decades, and establishing a program to get that same information in advance is one enhancement that allowed us to extend the valuable benefit of visa-free travel to eight new countries in 2008,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “In addition to building business and cultural ties with our partners overseas, this is a commonsense step into the 21st century that will improve our efficiency in screening and welcoming international travelers at our ports of entry.”
In effect since 2007
DHS received authorization for VWP reforms through the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007. The VWP is administered by the department and enables eligible citizens or nationals of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.
To be admitted to the VWP, a country must meet various statutory requirements, such as more enhanced law enforcement and security-related data sharing with the U.S. and timely reporting of both blank and issued lost and stolen passports. VWP members are also required to maintain high counter-terrorism, law enforcement, border control, and document security standards.
The citizens or nationals of the following countries are currently eligible to travel to the United States under the VWP:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Eight of these countries joined the VWP in 2008, and their citizens and nationals have been required to comply with an ESTA since their designation as VWP participants: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Malta.
WPCNR GUEST EDITORIAL . January 12, 2009: In the current WPCNR survey in which WPCNR put up as an option for public opinion, should the city look into overcrowding at the White Plains Hospital Medical Center Emergency Room and explore the hospital cooperating with Greenwich Hospital (Connecticut) so Greenwich could ease the crush at the White Plains Hospital Emergency Room. WPCNR asked the public this question because the White Plains hospital appears to stressed because previous emergency room expansion was not handling the current demand due to the closing of St. Agnes Hospital and United Hospital in Port Chester. A total of 13% of votes cast to date (49 votes) felt this was an issue that needed to be examined.
Jon Schandler, White Plains Hospital Medical Center Chief Executive Officer takes the time here to assure the public that when the new emergency room opens six months from now, it will indeed be able to handle the current crush and future demands:
Jon Schandler, President, CEO White Plains Hospital Medical Center at recent opening of the Longview Municipal Parking Garage which serves the hospital.
To the Editor:
Your article (Editor’s note: survey question) “Examine Overcrowding of White Plains Hospital Emergency Room” contains several inaccuracies.
It is true that White Plains Hospital Center embarked on construction of a new emergency room to meet an increase in patients from White Plains and surrounding communities. However, the new Emergency Department, which will be completed in mid-2009, was designed to serve a significantly larger number of patients – 60,000 per year. In comparison, the current facility was designed for 30,000 and currently serves more than 45,000 annually due to the closing of two nearby hospitals and the growth of the population in the White Plains area.
(More)
Among the features of the new two-story Emergency Department will be an increase from 17 to 38 beds, nearly all in private rooms, in-room registration at bedside, and specialty treatment rooms for specific types of emergencies. The second floor will house a new Fast Track Unit, which will be dedicated to providing rapid care for patients with less serious medical needs. We strongly believe these upgrades will reduce crowding, and our plans have received much support from the community.
Working with Greenwich Hospital to “split the emergency room load” or “establish a Westchester satellite closer to White Plains” would not provide the most efficient and expedient emergency care for White Plains residents. EMS providers are required to take urgent cases, such as heart attack and stroke, to the nearest hospital Emergency Department.
It is the mission of Westchester’s hospitals to provide the very best care right here in the county. Therefore, White Plains Hospital Center is proudly expanding its Emergency Department to serve our area’s growing population close to home.
WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. January 10, 2009: The White Plains Board of Education meets Monday evening at Education Housethree days before the first-ever “Community Forum Budget Process” to start at the high school this Thursday, January 15 at 7:30 P.M.
The two-meeting process replaces the Annual Budget Committee procedure (of three to four meetings) used in years past. The reason given for the switch is to open the process of formulating the budget to the entire community to get behind a school budget the community supports in view ofthe state of financial crisis that the district faces.
However, the budget parameters reported to be presented to the citizens Thursday evening will not know the what they will be paying their teachers in 2009-2010. Building a budget without knowing what you are going to pay your teachers and administrators making up 80% of your budget is rather difficult even for a journalist. The district has taken a no-negotiate stance with the teachers, forcing the teachers and the district to go to mediation for what is believed to be the first time in the history of the district.
A Leisurely Mediation
Presently the district is at impasse with its 800-plus teachers and assistants on a new contract, one of five districts in the county operating without contracts with their teachers. The previous White Plains contract continues in effect, (containing an automatic 2% increase for each new year of service) while a state-appointed mediator, Karen Kenney. orchestrates the mediation process. A mediator-engineered settlement is expected that may result in a possible 2.7% minimum increase if inflation trends are followed, in which case the mediator can be blamed by the district for the increase even though they “tried to hold the line.”The present hostile attitude between teachers and district management suggests the district will face these negotiations every year given the deteriorating tax situation in the city. It is not going to get better.
Only one mediation meeting has been held to date which was a get-acquainted meeting where the mediator interviewed both sides of the dispute to ascertain their positions. A second meeting is scheduled in February, date as yet undisclosed, though the district has been asked. To date the district has not made an offer to the teachers since last June, prompting both sides to declare an impasse.The White Plains Teachers Association is demanding a salary increase to keep pace with the escalation in health benefits costs that took away a large percentage of the union’s previous wage agreement of 3%.
Settlement Mystery Compromises Process?
The lack of settlement of theteacher contract raises the question how the public, largely well-meaning, but with little grasp of the school budget complexities, subtleties and for lack of clarity, “mumbo-jumbo,” which they have for many years trusted the district judgment, can help decide the budget when it does not know what the teacher contract is which is about 75% of their budget.
Even the Annual Budget Committee (a group of about 30 persons, many who remained on the committee from year to year) reasonably knowledgeable was often mystified when confronted with District rationalization for expenses. The ABC Committee last year was unaware, for example of the double-inflation pace of administrative raises, first reported and so far only reported by this website, that many feel gave a message to teachers that they were underappreciated.
Teachers got 3% when administrator and curriculum coordinators received from 2.3% to as much as 13% in salary increases. The 42 full-time Coordinators/Directors/Principals/ and Assistants raises averaged 7.5%. The average raise for this group of was $10,584. Despite school district rationalizations about contract and promotion automatic raises being responsible for that round of administrative raises, that is what the salaries went up according to the math.
Superintendent Will Speak on the Community Forum Process
The Superintendent of Schools, Timothy Connors is scheduled to speak on the budget process which begins this week by the district inviting all of the White Plains community to review where the district stands now on their expected budget for 2009-2010.
Mr. Connors may give some details on the sketchy process which at this point is described as similar to the forums which formulated the district Strategic Plan a year ago. That plan, though adopted has not been reported on as of yet this year by the Board of Education. It remains to be seen whether the opinions of the Strategic Plan Action Committees working on this year’s objectives will be offered at the two Budget Forums coming up on Thursday, January 15 and on February 25, when a budget based on this Thursday’s forum’s suggestions will be presented for comment, WPCNR believes. Perhaps Mr. Connors will make this process clearer Monday night.
Hard Numbers
The television program, White Plains Week, and The CitizeNetReporter has estimated that if the school district continues its spending pace of the last 11 years, (an average of 7% a year) that the preliminary budget possibility is $197 Million dollars, up from the 184.4 Million budget this year, unless ofcourse the district cuts a significant series of expenditures out of the budget to begin the process.
In light of a $1.1 Million drop in the city assessable announced by the City Assessor, Lloyd Tasch this week the pressure of reduced assessments compounds the problem. If the present assessment numbers hold and do not decline it results in a $1.7 Million gap in school district property collections.
Barring increased revenues from other sources, this gap computes to a raise in this year’s tax rate of $503 to $510 per $1,000 of assessed valuation to catch up with this year’s budget – before the automatic 7% increase to keep pace with this year’s spending.
No Spending Cuts this year?
In December, the outgoing Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors would not commit, when asked by WPCNR, to say the district would cut the rate of spending of this year’s budget (to allow more surplus to fund the 2009-2010 budget). The district has about $14 Million in fund balance of which approximately $3 Million is committed. Peter Bassano, a Board of Education member told WPCNR last week that “nothing in the budget is off the table (for cuts).” Bassano said that fund balance might be used to limit the year to year budget increase.
Asked if the district may postpone going out for the final $15 Million in bonds to conduct “needed” repairs in district schools and buildings other than the Post Road School and Mamaroneck Avenue School construction projects, Bassano said that was a possibility. This would have the effect of limiting the increase in debt service expected in 2009-2010. Debt Service, according to the school budget is scheduled to rise approximately $2 Million from $10,639,998 in 2008-2009 (this year) to $12,745,368 in 2009-2010 according to this year’s budget.
This year’s spending continues unchecked at this time.
Monday Agenda: Spending Approvals
At the Monday meeting, the Board is scheduled to pass the 2008-2009 Interscholastic and Co-Curricular Appointments and stipends for coaches and conductors of district sports and other extra-curricular activities; the 2008-2009 Extended Day Program for this year; andthe 2008-2009 Program for Professional Development (of faculty and administrators. )
The Board will also be asked to approve contracts for maintenance of power and lawn equipment and furniture.
A new interim Assistant Principal, Francis Lahey, is scheduled to be hired for Eastview Middle School.
The Board of Education is also conducting the confidential process of hiring a new Superintendent of Schools, who Mr. Bassano predicts will be hired in March. No money has been discussed yet, according to Mr. Bassano as of last week.
The agenda:
WHITE PLAINS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
White Plains, New York
REGULAR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
Monday, January 12, 2009
Education House
7:30 P.M.
AGENDA
I.Opening of Meeting:
Pledge of Allegiance
Moment of silence in memory of retired staff members Mary Jane Johnson, Isabel Levy, Thelma
Rockwell and Michele Stevens
Recognition of Mamaroneck Avenue School Chess Team
NYSSBA Developmental Achievement Citation
Oral Announcements by the Board President and Board Members
II.Communications:
III.Public Participation:(The Board will entertain comments from the public on any issue, with a time limit of three minutes per person, and a maximum total of 25 minutes.)
IV.Superintendent’s Report:
2009-10 Budget Process – January 15th Community Forum
Dual Language Program
Emerging Scholars Program
V.Summary Action Items:
Recommended approval of minutes of the Regular Meeting of December 8, and the Special Meetings of December 3, 14, and 17, 2008.
Recommended acceptance of the following donations:
$750 from William and Georgia Pollak for the High School’s musical instruments
$250 from William and Georgia Pollak for “Project Early Read”
A clarinet from Joan Roberts, Ridgeway School teacher
Photography paper from Margarita Mateo-Saha, for the High School Art Program
A 35 mm camera from Mr. & Mrs. Fred Palma, for George Washington School
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Recommended approval to add Grandmaster B. M. Kim’s Tae Kwon Do to the list of organizations permitted use of facilities.
Recommended authorization for the Clerk of the Board to make all necessary arrangements and to incur such expenses and perform any duties necessary and proper for the conduct of the Annual Board of Education Budget Vote and Election to be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2009.
5.Recommended approval of the Board of Registration for the Annual Board of Education
Budget Vote and Election on May 19, 2009, as follows:Elizabeth Scardino (R) and
Melissa Scardino (D).
6.Recommended approval of a consultant agreement with Student Assistance Services Corp. to
provide two counselors at the Middle School, as per attachment.
7.Recommended approval to arrange for the appropriate program and services for students with
disabilities, as recommended by the Committee on Special Education:45 cases, as per
attachment.
8.Recommended approval to arrange for the appropriate program and services for students with
disabilities, as recommended by the Committee on Preschool Special Education:15 cases, as
per attachment.
9.Recommended approval that all employees previously granted a conditional appointment and
who have not received conditional clearance from the State Education Department be granted another conditional appointment for 20 days.
Civil Service Staffing:
10.Recommended approval of an increase in salary for Kathleen Contrata, Administrative
Assistant, Special Education, Education House, effective 1/13/09.
11.Recommended approval of the temporary appointment of the following:
Valerie Riddick,* Bookroom Clerk, High School, effective 1/13/09-6/30/09 (replacing
C. Finiani)
Richard Logan,* Attendance Liaison, High School, effective 1/13/09-6/30/09 (new
position)
Joseph Paulo, Custodian, Middle School-Highlands, effective 1/13/09 (replacing S.
Martinez).
12.Recommended approval of the 26-week probationary appointment of the following Food
Service Helpers, effective 1/13/09:
Edith Newkirk,* High School, 4 hours per day (replacing M. Principe)
Brenda Hardy,* High School, 3 hours per day (replacing M. Ramirez)
Isela Chacon,* Post Road School, 3.75 hours per day (replacing K. Negi)
13.Recommended approval of the substitute appointments as per Board approved “Substitute, Summer School and Supplemental Rates,” as per attachment.
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Teacher Staffing
14.Recommended acceptance of the resignation of Aguedo Camacho, Jr., Teaching Assistant,
Post Road School, effective 1/24/09.
15.Recommended approval of a request for unpaid leave of absence for Monica DiMatteo,
Teaching Assistant, Church Street School, effective 12/24/08-2/23/09.
16.Recommended approval of the appointment* of districtwide per diem substitute teachers and
substitute teaching assistants, and Adult & Continuing Education Teachers, as per attachment.
17.Recommended approval of a request for a part-time (.3) leave of absence for Pamela Daly,
Physical Education Teacher, George Washington and Post Road Schools, effective 1/5/09-
6/30/09.
18.Recommended approval of an extension of the probationary period for Andrea Steptoe,
Mathematics Teacher, High School, effective 8/31/07-10/19/10.
19.Recommended approval of compensation for the following, as per attachments:
a.2008-09 Interscholastic and Co-curricular appointments
b.2008-09 Extended Day Program
c.2008-09 Professional Development Activities
20.Recommended approval of the Part-time appointments of:
Rita Sanchez(New C4E position)
BA – Binghamton University(English)
MS Ed – Lehman College/ CUNY (TESOL)
Certification: Initial, ESOL
Assignment: ESOL Teacher, High School, 90% of full time
Dates of Service: 2/2/09-6/30/09
Eyleen Ortiz(Replacing M. Yoegel)
BA – Florida International University(Psychology)
MA – Teachers College, Columbia University(Behavioral Disorders/ABA)
M Ed – Teachers College, Columbia University(Instructional Services)
Certification: Permanent, Special Education & Provisional, SAS
Assignment: CPSE Chairperson, Districtwide, 70% of full time
Dates of Service: 1/14/09-6/30/09
21.Recommended approval of the Regular Substitute appointments of:
Suzanne Adams(Replacing T. Alfalla)
BA – Columbia University(English Literature)
MA – Teachers College/Columbia University(English)
