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

WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2005. From Dennis Power. October 23, 2005: Friday afternoon Dennis Power, candidate for Mayor of White Plains held a short-notice news conference at Prospect and Soundview Avenues. Because WPCNR could not cover it, due to a prior assignment,  we present Mr. Power’s prepared remarks taking Mayor Joseph Delfino to task for taking a cavalier attitude about complaints and feelings of White Plains citizens who disagree with him during last Wednesday evening’s debate. The debate, held at White Plains High School was videotaped and is scheduled to be cablecast Monday through Friday at 8 P.M. on Government Access Channel 75. Mr. Power’s remarks:

Dennis Power at News Conference Friday Afternoon. Photo, Courtesy, The Power Campaign

“I’d like to thank all of you for coming. The residents of White Plains, the press, and most importantly, those of you who’ve been so unfortunately downgraded in priority by City Hall during the growth of White Plains.

 

I’m here to tell you there are better days ahead for you.

 

First, many of you are here because this past Wednesday night, at the League of Women Voters Mayoral Debate at White Plains high school, you saw the realization of a very frightening attitude displayed by my Republican opponent, Mayor Joseph Delfino.

 

And you called me about it.

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Because you saw this man refer to the serious issues affecting you —such as parking nightmares, traffic headaches, and most importantly, responding to your needs— as “minutiae.” 

 

You saw a position of Mayor Delfino’s which has been evident for many years of his terms in office and one which I deplore.

 

My neighbors, our city is at a tipping point in its growth and we have no room for irresponsible attitudes and blatant disregard for the people who live here.

 

To say I was disappointed to see our so-called ‘leadership’ so blatantly shrug off the things that concern you most is an understatement.  But that’s just a summation of what you’ve seen from our mayor for years: unanswered calls, unreturned emails, a cold shoulder to your ideas and zero response to your crucial needs.

 

We’re at a time in our city and a time in our country where there’s no room for ignoring the public concern. We’ve seen it on a national level with natural disasters, educational and financial policy. Now we’re seeing the same style of disregard for people in White Plains right now.

 

Our Mayor’s categorizing resident’s concerns as “minutiae” has cemented his position in this election loudly and clearly:  SPECIAL INTERESTS COME FIRST AND YOU, THE RESIDENT, COME SECOND.

 

That’s not a future for White Plains, but my policy is, and you all are very familiar with it: RESIDENTS COME FIRST.

 

But I am one man, having spoken to many of you in the last two days. I urge you to judge for yourself. Mayor Delfino’s cavalier statement from the other night is all on video for you to see. And I urge you to check it out on Public Access cable when it airs next week on Channel 75.

 

But we’re here not just to make you aware of our mayor’s telling comment but to tell you how we’re going to solve this grave problem of unresponsiveness in our city.

 

We need to look at the bigger picture in this city. Not just one of new buildings and downtown vitality.  We love that, of course. I love our new downtown and for one am intent on seeing it grow smartly and properly.

 

But revitalization is only half the picture. And my Republican opponent has been grossly ignoring what makes up the second half of vitality: YOU THE RESIDENT.

 

I have a plan for the complete picture of the future of White Plains. The one that takes economic growth AND YOU into account.  Where you’re the top priority.

 

Now, Mayor Delfino tells us in a live forum the other night he doesn’t do email. That sums up the state of communications by him with you. It’s time for a modern approach.

 

When I’m elected your Mayor, I am going to create a 311-style phone-in system that’s operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  It will serve the sole purpose of allowing you to have your concerns heard and addressed, and opening that door of conversation with your mayor that’s been shut for eight long years.

 

We’ll fund it with grant sources and we’ll make sure that this already economical idea is efficient and effective. In fact, every one of you could have a sticker like this on your fridge or in your wallet, so you can be in constant access to your City Hall and that City Hall will be listening.

 

As our city grows rapidly, this is no time for restricting the thinking of residents. Your voice counts as much as developers’ and I’m going to see that you come first in this town.

 

And you know the state of things today do not afford us the luxury of poor or non-response. We live in the shadow of uncertainty with Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. Kensico Dam. We need the proper channels and modes of communication with government open and ready.

 

We need to make sure you can communicate concerns the right way with City Hall and that’s an integral part of my platform.

 

My Republican opponent has been concentrating on big developments downtown, leaving YOUR concerns on the side for others to take care of. It’s been his reputation as mayor, and he showed us the same bad habit when he served on the County level.

 

But never confuse lip service with public service.

 

Here’s more of what I’m going to do when it comes to communication and involving people in the process of government:

I am going to make sure that all of City Hall is more responsive to public inquiries, including the commissioners. I will make that key staff have voice mail so people can actually leave messages instead of having to call back numerous times.

I plan on having meetings out in the neighborhoods with the appropriate commissioners present so we can address concerns right there on the spot.

I’m going to bring a few of the regularly scheduled televised Common Council meetings out into the neighborhoods.

I’m also going to televise the “Citizens to be Heard” Meetings before Common Council so more people know what’s going.  I will also open up the Council Work Sessions and hold them in the Council Chambers so more people feel welcome to attend.

 

In general. I will open up the channels of communication at City Hall and make sure that the residents know that their ideas and concerns are respected and heard.

 

Neighbors, Joseph Delfino may think that concentrating on both growing our city AND responding to your needs is too much to handle. “Minutiae.”

 

But I can tell you— from 36 years of management experience and cutting my teeth on the trading desk on Wall Street — I know how to handle three or four phone calls at once. AND email!

 

We’re at a stage in our country where we have no choice but to make sure our leadership can deal quickly & decisively at the neighborhood level while still being able to deftly handle the big issues we face. The ones my opponent sees as “minutiae.”

 

You need a White Plains that looks at you as people and not shoppers.

You need a Mayor that’s out in neighborhoods and responding to people’s concerns.

You know that public service begins with the public. Residents come first.

 

That’s the only way for our city to truly prosper, and you shouldn’t have it any other way.

 

I thank you for your time today and I look forward to serving you as a responsible and responsive mayor.  And there’s one thing I will never forget as mayor:

RESIDENTS COME FIRST!”

WPCNR Quill & Eyeshade . By John F. Bailey. October 21, 2005: The City of White Plains finally responded to WPCNR’s repeated requests for year-end financials today, and released its preliminary financial report on 2004-2005 for the fiscal year ending three months and three weeks ago.

 

The report confirms the city did actually achieve a $1.4 Million surplus in 2004-2005 and according to Paul Wood, City Executive Officer, did not have to spend any of the $7,707,637 allocated from the city fund balance.

 

2004-2005 City Financials Confidential No More.  Photo by WPCNR News

Wood solemnly told WPCNR the release of the final year figures at this time was “unprecedented” and that the city auditors had completed their analysis of the White Plains only within the last two weeks. He said the snapshot was not auditor-approved, but he was “100%” sure the numbers would not change.

Wood has maintained that previous administrations prior to the Delfino years had not released such year end data until November when the final audited report is submitted to the Common Council.

Former Mayor Alfred Del Vecchio told WPCNR, he could not remember if his administration ever put out final year financials prior to November, because, he said when the final figures were released was never an issue, because “whenever anyone asked for something they got it.”

 

One Sheet Snapshot.

 

The one sheet snapshot faxed WPCNR Friday afternoon shows a $1,451,437 surplus, (previously reported by the city to WPCNR in August), was generated in part by an 8.6% increase in sales tax collections ($40,929,781) over 2003-2004 ($37,698,714) and a 40% increase in collections of mortgage tax, ($4,019,245 was collected in mortgage taxes in 2004-05 compared to 2,876,033 in 2003-2004). The mortgage tax is attributed to the booming housing prices in White Plains the last year.

 

According to WPCNR’s mid-year figures released by city hall, the city earned $20,878,181 in the July-December  04-05 and $20,051,600 in the second half of the year ending in June.

 

Fines, City Charges Big Gainers

 

White Plains more doubled its revenues on Charges for City Services generating $13,346,928 in 04-05 as opposed to $6,112,023 in 2003-04, a 118% increase.  In the original 2004-05 Budget, before the city absorbed the Parking Authority to erase a budget shortfall, Charges for City Services were budgeted at $5.8 Million. When the Parking Fees from the new Department of Parking were included in this sector, it appears, based on the final figures that the Department of Parking may have been responsible for $7,234,905 in additional revenue in this category in 04-05.

 

Fines & Forfeitures also had a robust year. In the spring of 2004, the Department of Public Safety launched its highway safety initiative. In 2004-2005, revenue from F & F

took in $5,079,371 new dollars as fines on parking tickets, and violations, among other sources were sharply increased. Revenue from fines increased 267% over 2003-2004’s paltry $1,900,776. Still the $6,980,147 actually collected in 2004 in F & F, was $992,073 less than projected.

 

 

The city took in $3,219,713 more in property related taxes ($37,315,925) in 04-05 a year-to-year, an increase of  9.4% over 03-04’s figure of $34,096212.

 

The city took in 27% more in Intergovernmental grants and payments receiving $6,304,171 in 04-05 over 03-04’s $4,960,939.

 

The city collected Revenues of $118,968,349 in 2004-05, $2,737,491 short of what was budgeted ($121,705,840), coming within 2.75% of projection.

 

Expenditures

 

On the outgo side of the ledger, Personnel costs ($61,976886)  rose $5,365,015 from $56,611871, a year-to-year increase of 8.6%.

 

Employee benefits rose 39% from $20,044,788 in 2003-2004 to $27,891,449 in 2004-2005.

 

Total expenditures including $7,475,031 of debt service, and a $4,766,482 transfer to the Library Fund  were $117,516,912, which when subtracted from the total revenues of $118,968,349, leaves a surplus of $1,451,437 as opposed to 2004-2004’s loss of $3,239,303.

 

Some questions.

 

Since Mr. Wood  ended our telephone call, WPCNR did not get to ask some questions about certain items such as the  bond proceeds item of $2,350,000 on the revenue side and the 126% increase in interest income in 2004-2005 of $932,039, up from a mere $412,014 in 2003-2004; and where the $2,569,808 in “Miscellaneous Funds” came from.

 

Hopefully Mr. Wood can get back to us with explanations of those items.

 

 

Wood on Certiorari Payments: 60% of Payments are for Years Prior 2000.

 

Mr.  Wood at the request of WPCNR responded on another matter that has been raised against the city management of finances: tax certioraris.

 

Wood said the City Assessor, Eyde McCarthy advised him that of the city tax refunds given for tax years 2000-2005 so far in the year 2005, 60% included negiated settlement amounts from years prior to 2000.

 

The city according to Common Council records paid back $2,961,859.63 in certiorari refunds through April 2005. Add to that the $347,492 approved in certiorari refunds since then, and you come up with $3,309,351 in cert refunds in 2004-2005.

 

Using Wood’s 60% figure, that would mean $1,985,610 in refunds covers years prior to 2000, and $1,323,740 in refunds are based on taxes paid  for tax years 2000 to 2005.

 

The rash of certioraris began in 2004. Only $228,677 in certs was paid in 2003.

 

Clearing  the Docket: 1,300% Increase in Cert Payments in 22 Months.

 

Wood said the Delfino Administration had inherited a backlog of 1,700 certiorari cases when it took office in 1997. Wood reports that 1,400 of them have been settled and 300 are pending, and that is why there has been an increase in certiorari payments. “We are clearing the slate,” Wood said, “we do not want to leave this hanging for future administrations.”

 

Asked if the city would consider jawboning or inform possible certiorari filers of moves that the city would take if obviously successful organizations continued to file certioraris because of the equalization rate, Wood said he did not think that was fair. Wood pointed out that to fight a suit and lose would be more expensive in the long run for the city.