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

NYPD Brings The Pole Dance Workout to White Plains

Posted on August 23, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR SPORTS. From Wendy Traskos. August 24, 2008: “New York Pole Dancing” has recently opened up a studio at 110 Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains, bringing a trendy new fitness craze to Westchester County — poledancing. This latest fitness trend has gotten thousands of women in shape, from young hot Hollywood to trendy China, and has finally arrived in White Plains.

Pole Dancing is an athletic art form taking the dance and fitness industries by storm all over the world. It provides excellent health benefits for every day women as they are challenged to build strength, flexibility and endurance through various spins, climbs and floor work. Compare to other forms of dance, pole dancing allows women to work more individually to find their own style and beat instead of dancing in unison. “NYPD” offers all of the above in our daily classes along with the spirit of simply having fun.

The latest fitness trend of pole dancing has gotten thousands of women in shape, from young hot Hollywood to trendy China, and has finally arrived in White Plains. To learn more, call, 917.586.9065

Assembly Circuit Breaker Law–Cuts 70% Prop Tax Window to 20%–Preserves STAR R

Posted on August 22, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. By John F. Bailey. August 22, 2008: The Circuit Breaker Bill passed by the Assembly Tuesday of this week, lowered the tax relief proposed originally by Assemblyperson Sandra Galef’s bill that had been the basis for the new bill the Assembly passed, and subject of an extensive analysis by WPCNR this week, showing the effects of eliminating the Middle Class STAR Rebate. The Middle Class STAR Rebate is preserved under the whirlwind rewriting of the bill. However, the tax relief has been cut substantially. WPCNR will provide an analysis of how it affects White Plains.

The new bill was introduced for the first time in the Ways and Means Committee August 16, after WPCNR’s interview with Assemblyperson Sandra Galef, the original sponsor of bill A01575.

The new legislation cleared the Assembly Tuesday after 5 days of being given life.

Taxpayers earning below $90,000, will be eligible for a refund of only 25% of their property tax bills exceeding 5% of their income, instead of the previous 70% in Assemblyperson Galef’s original proposal. Taxpayers earning between $90,000 and $125,000, would receive a refund of 20% on property taxes exceeding 5% of their income, and taxpayers earning between $125,000 to $250,000 are cut down to 15% of the property tax exceeding 7% ot their income– down from the original 70%.

Renters now are included in the tax relief, being allowed to a special tax reduction based on relationship of income and rent.

The gentry are profoundly affected by the Circuit Breaker Law the Assembly passed. Persons earning between $1 Million and $5 Million, will pay a new tax rate of 7.85% on all of their income; taxpayers with incomes above $5 Million would pay 8.6% on all income.

Signifcantly missing from the Assembly bill, Assemblyperson Galef introduced, is the repeal of the Middle Class STAR Rebate, which Ms. Galef saw the Circuit Breaker replacing. Now the Circuit Breaker is in addition to the Middle Class STAR Rebate, though the “Assembly approved” Circuit Breaker puts significantly less of individual taxpayers’ property taxes subject to the tax refunds granted by the “Breaker.”

Fire at Hydrogen Filling Station Contained, Extinguished. Lectric Malfunction.

Posted on August 21, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. August 21, 2008 UPDATED 10:07 A.M. EDT. UPDATED 11 P.M. E.D.T.: Fire broke out at the hydrogen filling station at the White Plains Department of Public Works garage this morning shortly after 9 A.M. according to Melissa Lopez, press spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office. It was contained and extinguished by 9:45 A.M.

Ms. Lopez in a statement received by WPCNR Thursday reports that Commissioner of Public Works, Joseph Nicoletti reports it was an electrical malfunction inside a Hydrogen Compressor that caused the fire. The sensors at the facility notified the fire department immediately. It occurred at 9:11am.

Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety Daniel Jackson reports to WPCNR that the fire was called in about 9:10 A.M because of a compressor, used to cool the hydrogen had apparently overheated. Jackson said “there definitely was a fire there, but our guys are trained for this situation.” He said at no time was any hydrogen ignited. There was no explosion.

Should New Affordable Housing Projects Continue to Be Considered?

Posted on August 20, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR MR. & MRS. & Ms. White Plains Poll. August 21, 2008 UPDATED August 22, 2008: This week, ground was broken on a new 14-unit “affordable housing” project on Minerva Place. Since this and projects like it have been funded with contributions to the affordable housing fund made by developers who have opted to “buy out” of building actual affordable units in their projects, WPCNR wondered how the populace feels about this continued policy of subsidizing projects like this. The last two projects took some $1.1 Million in city money. The Minerva Place project will use another $1 Million. Some of the apartment units themselves built previously approach $300,000 per unit to build, and generally pay the developer a developer’s fee, and provide the land at reduced cost.

Paul Wood, the Mayor’s Executive Officer, wrote WPCNR saying to make clear no tax payer dollars were used in these two products, that all money came from the Affordable Housing Fund, that is funded by developer contributions in lieu of building affordable units. However, tecnically it is city money to use as the council sees fit within the purposes described by the Affordable Housing Fund.

The affordable housing is meant for so-called “workforce” housing for police, teachers, city employees, then it is thrown open to every one else. How do Mr. and Mrs. White Plains feel about this on-going effort? Choose from the following choices: