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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey January 19, 2008: Efforts by Glen Hockley, White Plains Councilman, sources say have convinced the Mayor, as  Reporter Keith Eddings of The Journal News reports this morning that Mayor Joseph Delfino will place the two lots owned by developer Michael Neubauer on Orchard Street (near the New York City reservoir), on the open space acquisition list for consideration when the Open Space Committee meets January 30.

The Perceived Threat: City Sell-off of land is feared for development out Orchard Street way if Bernard Place paper street and 3 lot subdivision is approved by Planning Board. The city has refused comment on if it plans to sell the property, Councilman Hockley has through behind-the-scenes diplomacy convinced the Mayor to consider acquiring property from the Developer.

WPCNR has learned that  Mr. Hockley, holding behind-the-scenes talks with activist Al Gasman and the neighbors on Orchard Street, was key in pursuading the the Mayor to take a look at preserving the property. Hockley announced these intentions in a letter to The White Plains Times that he would bring up the Orchard Street property, located contiguous to the reservoir at the end of Orchard Street, as a possible open space acquistion at the OSC meeting. Hockley also expressed the hope that the paper street the developer wants to build and the lands the city owns parallel to Orchard Street be dedicated as parkland. 

Mr. Hockley, according to sources persuaded the Mayor to consider the property at the January 30  meeting. Neubauer’s plan currently before the Planning Board scheduled for January 31, is to subdivide the two-lot subdivison to build three homes, which could be worth up to a million dollars or more considering their pristine location. Acquisition by sale from the developer to the city by the developer would most likely cost the city approximately $3 Million or more by WPCNR estimates, considering what the developer stands to lose in possible sales of the homes.

Mr. Eddings reports that the six Democratic members of the Common Council support buying the land, but reports the Mayor’s Office as saying it has to proceed “cautiously” since the Planning Board is considering Neubauer’s application.

Over $5 Million spent to date paid to private owners for open space 

Previousy, in the Delfino administration, the city has paid $5.2 Million to purchase natural land (with various funding sources, but predominantly city money) from property owners  to prevent development on developable parcels. 

The $5.2 Million includes  $1.6 Million for the Grieco property, $1.8 Million for the Simon property adjacent the Greenway, and $1.7 for the D’Elia property alongside the Greenway, a total of $5.2 Million. The city pays $1 a year for the Liberty Park 30 year lease from County.  However, the Liberty Park acqusition has cost the city over $500,000 to develop the park that has been closed to the public due to extensive algae problems for most of the last two summers.

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Board of Legislators. January 18, 2008: County Board Chair Bill Ryan (D-I-WF, White Plains) said that Albany needs to take immediate action to give the state and the county a shot at retaining the film industry business which is leaving New York for   neighboring states that have put more competitive tax incentive programs in place to attract the industry. 

As reported in Wednesday’s Greenwich Times, the relocation of Blue Sky Studios from White Plains to Greenwich and the expansion of two NBC Universal’s studios/units in Stamford were being hailed by Connecticut state lawmakers as the advent of a ‘Hollywood East’ based in their state.

“The move by Blue Sky Studios highlights a problem that’s been obvious for quite some time,” Ryan said. “State leaders are not watching this and they need to be. Connecticut put a 30% incentive in place and New York did nothing. We’re constantly looking for ways to relieve the burden on property taxpayers. The New York film industry is worth billions in direct and indirect revenues to the state. Because of Albany‘s inaction, now it will be worth billions to neighboring states’ taxpayers instead.” 

Ryan pointed out that six months into its new tax incentive program, Connecticut reported $52 million in new film production revenue, compared with only $750,000 for the six months prior to the start of its program. Ryan said that Massachusetts, like Connecticut, is enjoying increased film industry revenue because it also put a more competitive tax incentive program than New York‘s in place. 

“The state needs to make our program of incentives competitive again,” said Ryan. “Clearly New York State has the economic muscle to reform the tax incentive program and  prevent any further loss to New York taxpayers of the benefits of what was once a thriving industry.”

Ryan, 2nd Vice President of the New York Association of Counties (NYSAC), was able to secure the organization’s approval of a resolution he introduced calling for the governor and the state legislature “to review and overhaul the State’s system of tax credits with the purpose of making New York State pre-eminent in the entertainment industry again.” The resolution said that the state’s “antiquated, non-competitive tax credit policy” has cost it both film industry jobs and revenues.

“NYSAC’s action moves the measure to a prime-time spot on the powerful organization’s Albany lobbying agenda,” said Ryan. “The issue falls squarely into what is be one of the organization’s major thrusts in 2008—economic development.”