WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

Hits: 441

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the New York State Senate Majority Committee. March 24, 2021:

Today, the Senate Democratic Majority will pass the Treatment Protection Act that repeals previous immunity protections that prevented health care facilities, administrators, and executives from being held accountable for harm and damages incurred at facilities.

In addition, this package will make sure residents have necessary information on the Long-term Care Ombudsman Program, require that the patients’ bill of rights is offered in New York’s six most spoken languages, and make information related to nursing home assets and operations publicly available.

Today’s bills build on legislation passed last month by the Senate Majority to better support and protect nursing home residents. The Senate Majority also held joint statewide public hearings this past year on residential health care facilities and COVID-19 to discuss various issues and concerns directly with the public. 

“The tragic situation in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed a dire need to guarantee greater transparency and accountability,” Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said. “This legislation, in addition to the nursing home-related reforms recently advanced by the Senate Democratic Majority, continues our strong commitment to prioritizing the wellbeing, rights, and needs of residents and their families. I thank the sponsors for their work on these pressing issues, and we will continue to find ways to improve these facilities.” 

The legislation being passed by the Senate Majority includes:

• Emergency or Disaster Treatment Protection Act: This bill, S.5177, sponsored by Senator Alessandra Biaggi, repeals the extra protections from liability granted to nursing homes, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities for treating patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• Mandatory Translation of Rights and Information on Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program: This bill, S.4377, sponsored by Senator Rachel May, mandates a prominent display to inform residents of the Long-term Care Ombudsman Program and requires the Department of Health to translate the nursing home residents’ bill of rights into the six most common non-English languages spoken in New York State. 
• Improved Certificate of Need Process: This bill S.4893A, sponsored by Senator Gustavo Rivera, will reform the review process for change of ownership or operations proposals brought before the Public Health and Health planning Council. This added transparency ensures nursing home assets and ownership information are made public.

Bill Sponsor, Senator Alessandra Biaggi, said, “During the early months of the pandemic, the Legislature granted healthcare facilities broad corporate immunity stripping grieving families of their right to seek proper legal recourse and potentially incentivizing nursing home executives to cut corners.

Now knowing that we would lose over 13,000 nursing home residents to COVID-19, we have a duty to right this wrong and fully repeal the remaining protections. I’m proud to sponsor S.5177 and vote for this legislative package in honor of the thousands of New Yorkers we lost in nursing homes and their grieving families looking for answers.”

Hits: 832

Dr. Joseph Ricca described the White Plains Schools “Comeback” this way:

“ Wonderful; absolutely wonderful! It’s fantastic to have the children returning fulltime. All is well and we look forward to moving to the next phase of the process. “

Hits: 571

“GOOD MORNING FROM WHITE PLAINS NEW YORK USA WHERE IT IS 40 FOGGY WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER DEGREES. TALK WAS THE STORY IN WHITE PLAINS THIS WEEK.

MAYOR TOM ROACH TALKED EXPANSIVELY TO WESTCHESTER MAGAZINE ABOUT THE NEW –WHAT AMOUNTS TO REBUILDING OF THE GALLERIA ON MAIN STREET BY PACIFIC RETAIL CAPITAL PARTNERS OF CALIFORNIA.

 THE MAYOR  HE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THE MALL WILL BE OPENED UP, INVITING PEDESTRIANS TO WALK THROUGH IT. THE MACY’S STORE THAT IS CLOSING IN JUNE, WILL BE TORN DOWN THE MAYOR SAID, EXPANDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE NARROW PLAZA ON COURT STREET JUST ACROSS FROM THE COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING—ESSENTIALLY EXTENDING THE RENAISSANCE PLAZA ALLOWING PERHAPS NEW USES.

“THE MALL ITSELF, THE CENTER BUILDING, WILL BE COMPLETELY REHABBED UNDER THE CONCEPTS THAT I’VE SEEN,” THE MAYOR SAID.

THE TUNNEL OVER MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD THAT RUNS THROUGH THE GALLERIA WILL BE BRIGHTENED AND MADE MORE APPEALING AS WELL.

ROACH HAS OFTEN TALKED ABOUT THE GALLERIA BEING ACTIVATED FROM MAIN STREET. In the beginning 2000s THERE WAS A LARGE SEAFOOD CAFETERIA OFF MAIN STREET AND AN ENTRANCE TO THE GROUND FLOOR INTERIOR LEVEL OFF MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD AND THE STYLISH FLOOR OF THE MALL AND ALSO THROUGH THE MARTINE AVE GARAGE.

THE PROBLEM WAS THAT ACROSS MAIN STREET THERE WERE JUST OFFICE BUILDINGS AND STILL ARE.

WITH THE WHITE PLAINS MALL DEVELOPMENT STALLED WAITING FOR FINANCING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRAIN STATION CITY PROPERTIES, YOU SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH ENTICEMENTS OR PEOPLE RIGHT FREQUENTING THE SIDEWALKS

BASED ON THE HIGH CLASS UPPER END RETAIL TENANTS PACIFIC RETAIL CAPITAL PARTNERS ATTRACTS TO THEIR MALLS ACROSS THE THE NORTHEAST IN HICKSVILLE AND ALBANY : CHICOS, WHITE HOUSE/BLACK MARKET,PINK, COACH, H & m SEPHORA, BEST BUY, OLD NAVY, REI, COST PLUS WORLD, ITALIA PIZZERIA, STARBUCKS, OLIVE GARDEN, PLAY LIVE NATION, TOTAL WINE, IKEA, ROUND 1 BOWLING,KAREOKE, BILLARDS, PING PONG THE NEW GALLERIA WILL RIVAL IN CLASS AND INVOLVEMENT SHOWPLACES, THE WESTCHESTER MALL WILL BE CHALLENGED FOR THE CARRIAGE TRADE.

LAST WEEK THE URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY MOVED AHEAD ON ONDISCLOSED PLANS FOR EAST POST ROAD ACROSS FROM WHITE PLANS HOSPITAL. 26-28 POST ROAD , 42 POST ROAD A STRIP OF  MEDICAL STORES AND 60 POST ROAD  WHICH IS THE FIRESTONE TIRE SURFACE CENTER.

TODAY THE COMMON COUNCIL WILL APPROVE CITY PURCHASE OF THOSE PROPERTIES FOR $9.8 MILLION OF CITY MONEY.

RUMOR HAS LONG HAD IT THAT THE BUILDINGS WILL BE RAISED AND WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL WILL BE GIVEN THE PROPERTY FOR OFFICES, HOUSING FOR STAFF AND EXPANSION. WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS TRUE. NOBODY IS COMFIRMNG THIS IT IS JUST A RUMOR BUT THE BUILDINGS ARE GOING TO BE ACQUIRED FOR A PURPOSE TO BE NAMED LATER.

THE GALLERIA THING IS AT LEAST 5 YEARS OFF THE RENEWAL PROJECT WE’LL LOOK AT THAT AS AT LEAST 7 YEARS AWAY.  MEANWHILE THE MITCHELL AT POST ROAD AND MAMARONECK CONTINUES TO GO UP.

IN ANOTHER TALK ISSUE, THE WHITE PLAINS LIBRARY FOUNDATION PRESENTED MARA GAY THE NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST AND MSNBC COMMENTATOR ON ZOOM INTERVIEWED BY BILL FALK OF “THE WEEK”.

MS GAY IS A GRADUATE OF WHITE PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL AND FORMER EDITOR OF THE ORANGE. MS. GAY COMMENTED ON THE CANCEL CULTURE WHICH HOLDS PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THINGS THEY HAVE DONE OR SAID IN THE PAST THAT ARE PUT OUT THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

MS. GAY SAID THAT WHEN CONDE NAST PUT PRESSURE ON THE RECENTLY HIRED TEEN VOGUE EDITOR FOR REMARKS SHE HAD MADE IN THE PAST, SHE SUGGESTED CONDE NAST SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE PERSONS WORKING FOR TEEN VOGUE HOW THEY FELT ABOUT WORKING FOR HER. YOUR PAST IS NOT NECESSARILY THE PERSON YOU ARE NOW WAS HER POINT.

 SHE SHARED HOW SHE HAD NEVER HAD EXISTING HEALTH ISSUES AND SHE GOT VERY SICK FROM COVID AND STILL SUFFERS FROM A THROAT CONDITION RESULTING FROM THE COVID DISEASE.

  SHE ALSO SAID THAT NEWS PERSONNEL ON THE TIMES DO NOT INFLUENCE COMMENTARY OR SUGGEST WHAT COLUMNISTS LIKE SHE IS SHOULD WRITE.

SHE IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE TIMES ENDORSEMENT FOR WHOM TO ENDORSE FOR MAYOR SHE IS INTERVIEWING ALL 12 CONDIDATES  RUNNING.

ASKED ABOUT WHETHER SHE RECEIVED THREATS, MS. GAY SAID SHE DID RECEIVE HATE MAIL AND TWEETS, BUT DOES NOT KNOW IF THEY ARE ” JUST RUSSIAN BOTS.”

SHE EXPRESSED DOUBT WHETHER THE NATIONAL MEDIA CAN EVER REALLY REACH OR PERSUADE THE PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS THAT MAJORITIES OF AMERICANS HAVE OF THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA. 

SHE SAID AS A JOURNALIST, “OUR JOB IS TO TELL THE TRUTH.” 

I MIGHT ADD IT TAKES A LOT OF GUTS TO DO THAT.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, DENNIS AND TONNY, I APPRECIATE IT“

Hits: 699

https://youtu.be/i6ofgs4biGo

WPCNR COUNTY EXECUTIVE COVID-19 UPDATE By John F. Bailey. March 22, 2021 UPDATED WITH COVID NUMBERS FOR THE WEEK:

Here is today’s “Take-Away,” from Westchester County Executive George Latimer’s regular Monday Covid briefing ended moments ago:

The number of new active Covid cases in the county continues to go down but at a slower rate, the County Executive said.

The state did not update the Covid tracker until about 3:30 PM this afternoon and the 7 days of covid infections reflect the County Executive’s uneasy attitude that cases of new positives are sustaining the rate infection.

In the 7 days since last Monday, 73,547 Westchesterites were tested. Of those tested, 2,731 tested positive. That is a positive infection rate of 3.7%. This results in 390 new positive cases in a week. The number of new positives for the last month now have averaged close to 400 a day.

Since the hospitalization rate of infections has not been provided by the county since Mr. Latimer said the hospitalization was at 4.3% of all cases testing positive it may have lowered. But if it is the same, it has a balloon effect.

But, as WPCNR has pointed, at that average rate of 3.7% of persons testing positive, 390 to 400 new covid cases continue to sustain the number coming into the hospitals for covid care over 15 days from infection,, with covid, stressing medical personnel.

Should residents loosen up their covid precautions the infections may continue drift inexorably up. Positives hitting 3.5 % on a large testing sampling say 12,000 tests gives you 420 positives, over two weeks. If two hundred are discharged from covid hospitalizations in two weeks, you 420 more coming in.

You cannot count the number hospitalized lowering as a positive you have to deduct those discharged from the hospitalized and project who is bound to be hospitalized in the next two weeks. If it is even you are not going down. It is not clear whether we are curing more hospitalized patients faster or learning more how to treat the disease for a quicker treatment or whether the cases coming in are more serious and demanding more attention.

The next two weeks are going to be very social.

Vacations from the schools, spring break travel, (already swamping Miami Beach, causing a curfew), and more and more eating out at restaurants, and movie house attendance, religious observances, the next few weeks will be a test. Make those vaccination appointments tomorrow.

Mr. Latimer said that persons from age 50 to 65, may begin to call for appointments for their first vaccine shots beginning tomorrow at 8 AM at County facilities at the Westchester County Center, the Grasslands site, the Yonkers armory facility and the County Health Department on Court Street in White Plains. The County Executive also announced pharmacies are now able to vaccinate 50 and over county residents, too.

He said 150,000 Westchester residents have received both shots of the vaccine, with another 289,000 (going up daily) expected to receive their second shots by the end of the month, meaning the county is on target to have 20% of the county population vaccinated by the end of March. He said he expected 40% of the population to be fully vaccinated by the end of April.

Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins emphasized it was important to keep testing before persons get their first vaccine shot and announced that Westchester Medical Center is continuing to provide mobile testing units visiting Westchester’s smaller communities. Westchester has 12 testing sites covered by the Mobile Testing Units provided by the Westchester Medical Center: In Elmsford, Port Chester, Peekskill, Sleepy Hollow Tarrytown, Mount Kisco, Mamaroneck, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, and West Harrison. Testing is also available at Glen Island.

Hits: 752

Dear Friends,

In last week’s newsletter (which you can view here), I explained the basic process for adoption of the NYS budget. On Monday, March 14, the Assembly passed the “Assembly One House Budget”, which is the Assembly’s response to the Governor’s budget proposal. The State Senate also adopted its “Senate One House Budget”. While there are not gaping differences between the two proposals, the two chambers are now coming together in budget conferences to develop a single budget response to the Governor’s proposal. As a new member, I was honored to be appointed to one of the conference committees. 

The Assembly One House Budget makes historic investments in health care, housing, education, higher education and local governments, and includes funding for critical transportation projects, small businesses, environmental protection, people with disabilities, veterans and more.

The Assembly also passed important legislation this week to modify the practice of solitary confinement in our prison system, as well as to expand the number and accessibility of Veterans Treatment Courts.

---

2021-2022 Budget Update

The recently-adopted American Rescue Plan provides significant pandemic relief funding to New York, at all levels of government (we are very grateful to New York’s Democratic Congressional Delegation – most especially Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer – for fighting to make this happen). At the same time, economists have revised upward the state’s revenue projections, due in large part to New York’s economy pulling out of the recession faster than anticipated (although we still have a ways to go).

These two critical developments explain, at least in part, why the NYS legislature feels it is prudent and responsible to propose higher spending levels than the Governor proposed. And it is also for these reasons that the Assembly and State Senate proposals do not include most of the funding cuts sought by the Governor in his budget.  
 

Highlights of the Assembly One House budget:

• $208.3 billion spending plan, which is $15.6 billion or 8.1% over the 2020-21 budget adopted during the onset of the pandemic-induced recession. The higher budget levels are critical to helping our communities recover and restart New York’s economy.
   
• The proposal would increase the top personal income tax rate from 8.82% to 9.85% for single filers earning more than $1 million and couples earning more than $2 million. It would also establish two new brackets: 10.85% for taxpayers between $5 million and $25 million and 11.85% for taxpayers over $25 million. 
   
• Continuing the phase-in of the ongoing middle-class tax cuts, which the Governor had proposed discontinuing. Under these reforms, when fully phased-in, these rates will be the State’s lowest middle-class tax rates in more than 70 years.

• Significant investments in our schools, including a $1.4 billion increase in Foundation Aid (the largest unrestricted aid category supporting public school district expenditures). The budget also includes $10 million for homeless students and $10 million to support mental health in schools.
   
• $18.6 billion in higher education, including increased funding for opportunity programs. The budget also rejects proposed tuition increases for SUNY and CUNY. 
   
• $3.125 billion in combined federal and state dollars for programs that provide rent relief, as well as $200 million to reduce homelessness. 

• $1 billion for a new Small Business Reopening and Relief Grant Program, to aid small businesses (including farms).
   
• $11.3 billion for the state’s transportation network. This includes significant funding for local road repairs.
   
• Significant investments in environmental protection, including$400 million for the Environmental Protection Fund (which includes $100 million in anticipated federal funding) and $500 million for clean water infrastructure projects.
   
• $94.2 million for the Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) to create new service slots, including an expansion of certified housing supports, community habilitation, respite services, housing subsidies, self-direction of services and an expansion of day programs and employment options.

• $20.84 million for veterans programs, an increase of $1.19 million over the Governor’s proposal. This budget restores funding to critical programs that help veterans receive their benefits, smoothly transition into civilian life, and improve their mental health during these unprecedented times. 
   
• $1.8 billion in federal funds for expanded access to childcare. The plan also includes $500 million for additional state funds to support childcare providers and families, and expand eligibility and access to subsidies.
   
• $100 million in funding for an Arts Recovery and Revitalization Program.
   

Once the Conference Committees finish their work, and an updated budget is reported back to both chambers, additional negotiations will then take place with the Governor. A final budget must be voted on by March 31.

I will keep you posted on the progress of the budget. In the meantime, if you have any questions about the information above – or about any budget-related issues not mentioned above (as these were the highlights) – please don’t hesitate to reach out.