WPCNR Campaign 2005. By John F. Bailey. October 27, 2005: The final Candidates Debate unfolded in the friendly confines of Battle Hill Condominiums last night. Mayor Joseph Delfino and the incumbents and challengers (councilpersons) fielded a series of general questions. The right to ask questions was limited to Battle Hill residents by the chairpersons of the Battle Hill Association, apparently to avoid alleged “embedded agents” from asking pointed questions which marked last Wednesday’s uncivil exchange between Mayor Delfino and alleged Dennis Power supporters prompting the Mayor to refer to citizen complaints against development as “minutiae.”
The Battle Hill Debate Wednesday Evening”: Left to Right on the dais, Mayor Delfino, Rita Malmud, Larry Delgado, Tom Roach, Glen Hockley (standing), Dennis Power, Frank Mastraccio, John Carlson. Photo, WPCNR News.
Incumbent councilpersons Roach, Malmud and comeback candidate Glen Hockley as well as the Mayor and Councilman Larry Delgado defended their $1.2 Million in grants of Affordable Housing Assistance Funds to Kensico Terrace and Lake Street Partners to build affordable housing projects at 24 Kensico Avenue and Silver Lake, but offered no explanations why they did not make the grants in the forms of loans to be paid back as suggested by Council Candidate John Carlson to perpetuate the funds.
Tom Roach said the funds did not come from the General Fund, but were earmarked specifically for affordable housing assistance or for the building of affordable housing, without addressing why the money was just given away with no guarantees. The Mayor said market rental housing was a minimum of $1,500 a month and that level was simply not affordable and affordable housing needed to be addressed. He also did not defend the outright gift nature of the “grants.” Rita Malmud justified the grants as being the city’s way of “partnering with developers” to create affordable housing
Larry Delgado said he felt making the affordable housing grants was good use of the money since the city was partnering with non-profit organizations to build these projects, whose object was not to make a profit (though the cost of the units by WPCNR calculations approach the cost of the city’s most recent cost/per unit built in the North Tower at City Center).
Mr. Power, the Mayoral candidate expressed his desire that the set-aside for building units be raised to 15% from the present 6%, and that it be expanded to the whole city, including the outer neighborhoods. He said the city should be more aggressive with negotiating with developers for affordable housing, and that the city should work more with the county.
Power said he supported the county senior citizen project planned for the former Post Office parking lot behind the Board of Elections building.
The Mayor said he was adamantly opposed to expanding the set-aside affordable housing legislation to include the outer neighborhoods. The Mayor said developers, especially Louis Cappelli have given more than their fair share, noting that Mr. Cappelli had contributed $1.5 Million beyond what he was required to do regarding his 221 Main Project.
Frank Mastraccio, a candidate for Common Council said that affordable housing had to be targeted and discussed with individual landowners as a way to spur growth in Affordable Housing.
A question about the rise in school busing costs to the Youth Bureau, and day care charges for after school programs prompted a range of responses. Glenn Hockley, bidding to make a return to the Common Council, said “We’re one city,” and that the city should combine purchasing power with the schools and see how they could work together to lower costs.
Finances Not Touched By Candidates.
John Carlson brought up the point of eroding commercial assessments and city certiorari givebacks, and said he would work and lobby hard with Albany to find solutions to stop this trend which he said hurts all taxpayers. The other candidates did not address this canard. Though Rita Malmud said the city had tried to hold the line on taxes, but occasionally a tax increase is necessary. Tom Roach, deferred with Carlson saying the city’s financing was on the upswing, and the Council had addressed the problems of the past, saying that other cities “would like to have our sales tax ($40.9 Million).” The sense of Roach’s take on the finances was that the city had turned the corner, dismissing Carlson’s concerns.
Dennis Power, Mr. Delfino’s opponent, called for a joint meeting between the School Board and the Common Council “on a regular basis” to address common problems. The Mayor said he met regularly with the Superintendent of Schools, but that the Board of Education had never expressed their desire to meet with the city regularly. The City School District expressed dissatisfaction last spring in getting specific PILOT tax payment projections from the city last spring, however, the City Assessor did meet with the Board of Education to give them a short-term view of tax payments to be expected from the new development.
Battle Hill Issues.
The questioning was turned by the moderators to Battle Hill issues which revolved around traffic and enforcement of housing codes. Larry Delgado said, “we listen to your concerns.” Tom Roach said he was concerned that housing code violations were taking too long to work their way through the court system and he would be working to speed that process of litigating against the landlords. Mr. Hockley maintained that speeding enforcement had to be stepped up. Dennis Power, the Mayoral candidate, said there had to be better speed enforcement and that the neighborhoods had to be involved more by city hall, referencing the city’s Comprehensive Plan review needed to continue with more neighborhood input sought.
When John Carlson tried to raise the issue that violent crime was actually more than it was in the year 2000, Virginia Falzarano, the Moderator attempted to cut him off saying the discussion was on traffic. The audience said they wanted to hear him on it. Carlson noted that violent crime was steady and an issue that needed to be addressed in the downtown. Later in the evening, the Mayor said, he did not care that as far as he was concerned crime was at a new low. What Carlson has brought to light is, and the police agree with him, that violent crime, especially assaults is 10% more than it was in the year 2000, and it is only when property crime figures are mixed with the violent crime figures that crime shows to be down.
A questioner asked the candidates what their visions were for the city.
Mr. Power said he wanted “A very open city, more responsive to needs of residents, ” and that the city not be developed “at the expense of the residents.” He said the vision of the Comprehensive Plan of 1997 had to be followed, and he would make sure that was implemented. He shied away from attacking the Mayor for his “minutiae” remark of the previous week where the Mayor characterized the vast majority of citizen complaints as “minutiae.” Power’s comment on finances called for holding property tax increases to 3% and projecting a three year budget plan. In fact, Mr. Power was diffident this evening, as were all the candidates, as if trying smooth over the unseemly rancor of last Wednesday’s debate.
John Carlson said he wanted to “restore financial health to the city,” and he would work to find solutions to the city’s dwindling tax base, and expenditures. Mr. Delgado said he wanted to expand the “rejuvenation” of the downtown, extending it to Post Road and South Lexington Avenue.
Frank Mastraccio, the Common Council Candidate said he wanted to work for a viable public transportation system for White Plains.
In a question about what the candidates would do for the Hispanic population, all candidates lapsed into platitudes about the diversity in White Plains, and the many opportunitys except for Mr. Hockley who said more had to be done for Hispanic Day Laborers. Hockley revealed that he had been working to set up a building in the city where day laborers could meet to be available for day hires, eat, and receive counseling if needed. Hockley said a prominent Hispanic leader whom he did not name was responsible for at least temporarily blocking this initiative of his.
Salaries
In a question on council salary increases, the Mayor responded he had not had a raise in eight years. The Mayor has had a lapse of memory. According to the official budget, he received two raises in 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 from $125,000 to $130,000 in 2003-2004, and an increase from $130,000 to $134,875 in 2004-2005. Budget Books for previous years were not immediately available to check back further. The Mayor said he would be willing to serve without a raise next year.
WPCNR thought it would be interesting to note how the Mayor’s Cabinet Salaries have fared over the last four years.
The Mayor has raised salaries of key Commissioners roughly 4% a year since 2000-2001 over the last four years, (through 2004-05), while the city was running deficits. WPCNR thought it would be interesting to note how the Mayor’s Cabinet Salaries have inflated over the last four years when inflation was under 2%.
The Assessor’s salary has gone up over $20,000 from $82,560 in 2000-2001 to $104,000 today.
The Budget Director has moved up $17,000 from $108,275 in 2000-2001 to $125,381 this year.
The Commissioner of Building’s stipend has moved up $17,000 from $102,168 to $119,521.
The Commissioner of Finance has moved up $17,000 in four years from $108,214 in 2000-2001 to $125,381 in 04-05.
The Information Services Director was paid $92,880 in 2000-2001, and is paid $108,655 today, up $16,000 in four years.
The Corporation Counsel has had his salary increased $20,000 in four years, from $121,401 in 2000-2001 to $140,661.
The Personnel Officer has moved from being paid $101,962 in 2000-01 to $124,480, an increase of $23,000 in four years.
The Mayor’s Executive Officer has gone from a salary of $104,000 in 2000-2001 to a salary of $130,000 today, a $26,000 increase in four years.
The Planning Commissioner’s Salary has moved from $115,528 in 2000-2001 to $134,822 .
The Public Safety Commissioner position pays $20,000 more than it did in 2000-01, from $126,000 to $146,894 today.
The Commissioner of Public Works position is up $21,000 from 2000-01 to $142,896, compared to $121,000 in 2000-01.
The only commissioners not participating at the same level are the City Clerk, up $11,000 in four years, and the Commissioner of Recreation and Parks, up $10,000 from 2000-01 to $118,060.
The Mayor recounted his accomplishments and said he wanted a chance to continue the work he had begun in redeveloping the city. He promised to pay attention to all the issues, including “the small ones.” Overall the Mayor appeared in complete command this evening in one of his strongholds which has long supported him. He made no gaffes, projected an air of concern and earnestness and benevolence. He said he had involved all the neighborhoods in projects concerning them.
