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)

Justice Department Investigates Gretsas Plan

Posted on April 6, 2005 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE CITY HALL ALUMNI NEWS. April 6, 2005, UPDATED with Links, April 7, 2005. 11:00 A.M. E.D.T. : Former Executive Officer of the City of White Plains, George Gretsas, now in Month 9 in his new job as City Manager of Fort Lauderdale has created a neighborhood cleanup program that is the subject of a Justice Department investigation, according to the Associated Press. The Gretsas-created program NEAT targeted a series of mostly black neighborhoods in Broward County for a code enforcement sweep called NEAT. The object: clean up garbage heaps and junked cars from yards, long eyesores. Fort Lauderdale Code Enforcers went door-to-door, writing up code enforcement violations.

George Gretsas, White Plains former Executive Officer, April, 2004 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Photo by Joe Amon From WPCNR News Archive.

The NAACP and Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now protested that the city was singling out poor people who are black for the sweep. Their protest included ambushing the Fort Lauderdale Public Information Officer, David Hebert, with television crews two weeks ago. Residents of the area, the AP reports, objected to penalties that included jail time and fines as high as $250 a day. The AP reports 1,700 code violations were issued, and 1,000 of them fixed by homeowners. The Justice Department is not commenting on their investigation. The AP reports three persons have been asked to cooperate with the Justice Department.

The Associated Press report may be read at http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles_p/local/C71796.

The Sun-Sentinel also filed a report and it may be read at http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cneat19mar24,0,5299480.story?coll=sfla-news-broward

Fort Lauderdale is also attracting a lot of sharks to its Spring Break beaches — ones with fins. On Wednesday, television network video showed hundreds of black-tip sharks frolicking in shallow water close to the Fort Lauderdale beaches.

City Budget Uses Fund Balance Again, Land, to Balance Books.

Posted on April 6, 2005 by John Bailey

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. April 6, 2005: The Proposed 2005-2006 city budget delivered without any Common Council or Mayoral comment at the Common Council meeting Monday calls for a $129,825,408 General Fund Budget, a $10,543,139 increase beginning in July, 2005 with a corresponding 3.9% property tax increase (about $70 on a $600,000 White Plains home).

The 2005-06 Budget Incognito. Photo by WPCNR News.

The budget averts a 27% tax increase (the property tax goes up by 3% for each million dollars of spending) by diverting $8.7 Million from the Fund Balance, ($3.1 Million more in fund balance rescue money than last year when the city balanced their budget when $5.6 Million was diverted from the fund balance). It is the fifth (not fourth as previously reported), consecutive year the city has drawn down its fund balance to meet expenses.

The budget plans on using the $3.5 Million in projected sales tax surplus for 2004-05 (over the $38 Million) to replenish the fund balance. Should all go according to plan the city’s Fund Balance that they can use for the budget will sit on $12.4 Million, after the $3.5 Million sales tax surplus is dedicated to the “Rerserve for Financing” (fund balance).

However, the budget points out that holding at a 3.9% property tax is contingent on selling city owned land for approximately $2,667,000. The Council is being asked to approve the sale of this land which is envisioned by the budget as being “sold to be developed, provides a permanent revenue stream in the future.”

Should the council decide not to sell the land, the proposed budget pegs the resulting property tax at about 9% (a $140 property tax increase on a $600,000 home at market).

The budget allows for a 4% pay increases for police and fire (in 2005-06) added to the 4% settlement with the Teamsters union in June, 2004.

At the time this article was being prepared, the sales tax figures for the third quarter (January through March 31) were not available yet, according to James Hricay, City Chief Deputy Budget Director. The city based on the first six months results projects an increase of $4.2 Million in sales tax (up from $38 Million in 2004-05.

The city has also taken advantage of Allan Havesi, the state comptroller’s largesse in allowing the city to amortize its police and fire portion of the state pension costs (amounting to $1.5 Million), saving another 4% in property sales tax, but delaying contributions now due.

SHAZAM! City Proposed Budget for 2005-2006 Quietly Arrives.

Posted on April 6, 2005 by John Bailey

WPCNR CITY HALL LEAKS. April 5, 2005: The big green and white book on City Councilpersons’ desk visible in the WPGA-TV, Channel 75 telecast of the Monday Common Council meeting Monday turned out to be the proposed 2005-2006 budget. The appearance of the budget shocked observers. The budget was apparently was delivered by immaculate conception by the capital projects committee and city budget committee at internal meetings inside city hall with virtually no notice to the media or the citizenry, and no mention of same by any member of the Common Council.

Preliminary reports on those familiar with the budget talking to concerned city hall sources indicate there may be a reason for that: The 2004-05 budget has failed to meet projections primarily due to an approximate $500,000 additional overrun in Department of Public Safety overtime and Department of Parking revenues falling $500,000 short, (of a projected $4.7 Million) making at least a $1 Million shortfall. If that is the limit of the shortfall, this translates into at least a 3% property tax increase to begin. These figures come from persons believed to be reliable, but since city hall never returns calls on budget questions, we cannot immediately confirm this. The budget book was not available to the media Tuesday, according to media sources who asked for it. It should be available in the City Clerk’s office Wednesday.

Susan Habel, Commissioner of Planning delivered good news on sales tax, remarking last night at the Comprehensive Planning Review Committee public meeting, that the city is projecting a $4 million increase in sales tax collections (putting the projection of sales tax increase to $42 Million by the end of 2004-2005 fiscal year in the new budget), which she said would be devoted to restoring the city’s fund balance. Ms. Habel is believed to be a reliable source.

One legislative official in attendance at the Comprehensive Planning Review Committee public meeting, said he was “shocked” to see the budget book appear when Ms. Habel held it up. So were most of the audience. Ms. Habel did not give any details on the state of the 2005-06 budget to the CPRC, except for the juicy nugget about the sales tax.

Swango Readies for April 29 Showcase at WPPAC

Posted on April 5, 2005 by John Bailey

WPCNR STAGE DOOR. April 5, 2005: The White Plains Performing Arts Center will present its final production of the season in its subscription series April 29 when the Rupert Holmes-Tony Stimac produced musical dance extravaganza comes to the WPPAC stage.

Swango features the world’s most sensual romantic dance, the tango going up against the high style of swing dancing showcased by a script by Tony Award-winning playwright Rupert Holmes. Swango excites, connecting the inspiring dances through a love story of two dancers, one a tangoist, the other a master of swing. Swango features four-time International Swing Dance Champion Robert Royston (Swing!)and Forever Tango choreographer and performer Mariela Franganillo. Their attraction to each other inspires them to create a new dance incorporating Tango and West Coast Swing.

The show opens April 29 and runs through May 8. For more, contact the White Plains Performing Arts Center at 328-1600, or contact the box office at 1-888-977-2250.