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)

St. Patrick’s Day Parade Selects Mary Ann Meegan Grand Marshallette

Posted on March 2, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR MAIN STREET DAILY. From John Martin. March 2, 2004:The White Plains St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee announced the selection of the honorees for this year’s parade at a reception attended by over 200 guests at Vintage Restaurant in downtown White Plains.

St. PATRICK’S DAY HONOREE: The 2004 Grand Marshal is Mary Ann Meegan, according to Parade Committee Chair John Martin. Mary Ann has long been active in Irish-American groups in Westchester County, having served as past president of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 17 of White Plains. Mrs. Meegan has been a member of the White Plains St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee since 1998. Photo Courtesy, St. Patrick’s Day Parade Commitee.

Aides to the Grand Marshal were announced as William Bertram, Timothy Connors, Mary Cuff, John Donahue, Anne Fitzsimmons and Dorothy Walsh. Mr. Bertram recently retired as a White Plains Police Lieutenant and Timothy Connors is the White Plains Superintendent of Schools. Mary Cuff is the Treasurer of the Women’s Club of White Plains and John Donahue is a White Plains Fire Department Lieutenant. Anne Fitzsimmons is a Captain in the White Plains Police Department and Dorothy Walsh was instrumental in the foundation of a joint Our Lady of Sorrows – Great Hunger Foundation program to adopt families in need at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

In addition to this year’s honorees, the 2003 Grand Marshal, Joseph Davidson, was presented with a commemorative Grand Marshal’s tricolor sash.

Chairman Martin also announced that this year’s parade, on March 13^th, will have 17 bands, the largest contingent since the parade’s inception, as well as several floats and many community groups.

For more information, call Parade Committee Chairman John Martin at (914) 686-0239 or the White Plains Downtown B.I.D. at (914) 328-5166.

Council Closes Cappelli Hotel Hearing. You have 10 Days to Comment.

Posted on March 2, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. March 2, 2004: The Public Hearing on the 221 Main Street project WPCNR refers to as the Cappelli Hotel, was closed last night by the Common Council, and then they approved the Final Environmental Impact Statement on the project. The public is being given 10 days to comment and address their remarks in writing to White Plains Common Council c/o City Clerk, 255 Main Street, White Plains, NY 10601. Comments are due by 5 P.M. March 12.

Only two persons spoke at the public hearing, Mark Edelman, speaking for the Business Improvement District, who praised the project for its design, preservation of the Bar Building, and benefits.

Dan Seidel, the only other speaker, urged the council to create a Supplementary Environmental Impact Statement to address the issues of sewage flow, water district issues, and he again pleaded with the city to build a new 27″ Main Street sewer line, otherwise, he pointed out, every new project on Main Street in the future would have to build its own direct connect. He alleged the figures provided for City Center on gallons of sewage averages were wrong, and if the two projects, City Center and 221 Main are to be considered contiguous, the estimates provided the council needed to be more closely examined.

He noted the Planning Department thinks 300 Mamaroneck Avenue (the JPI Jeferson project) connects to the Mamaroneck sewage treatment plant, while the Department of Public Works reports it connects to the Main Street sewer which would add to the effluent the Main Street sewer is expected to handle. “Which is it?” he asked.

Seidel also called for exploratory archeological diggings on the 221 Main Parking Lot area, since nothing had been built on it for 200 years.

Councilperson Rita Malmud speaking after the Council closed the hearing said that Louis Cappelli would pay the total cost of the direct connect Nicoletti Bypass sewer planned to carry the Cappelli Hotel effluent to the Main sewer line to Yonkers. She said the 20% reduction in size of the project was a big improvement on the project, as was the increase in open space by the mass reduction. Malmud noted that a lot of work had to be done, and that design of the project would be finalized during the site plan process.

Glen Hockley noted that development was an important part of the revitalization of the city, saying that without the development so far we would not have an increase in jobs in the city that is not the case nationwide. He also noted that the new development so far has meant increased funds for the school district.

Councilperson Benjamin Boykin echoed Ms. Malmud’s comments about reduced density making the project acceptable, and asked Louis Cappelli for “a signature building” at the design stage now in process.

Robert Greer requested a rooftop restaurant at the hotel in addition to his remarking that he too, was troubled when he first saw the project by its size and density, though Mr. Greer actually did say at the time Mr. Cappelli first presented the original two buildings, “What’s there not to like?” and encouraged more height.

Council President Tom Roach applauded development as a means of making White Plains a better city.

Councilperson Arnold Bernstein said he was impressed by the hard work and energy of his colleagues and the city as the project was moved to this point.

Mayor Delfino noted at the close of the hearing that his was not a development administration, but an administration that was trying to make White Plains better.

The project could be approved at the April Common Council meeting or by May at the latest.

In other action, the refurbishment of two pumper trucks for the fire department was approved; the site plan of the White Plains Housing Authority Headquarters was extended, with Glen Hockley saying he and Executive Director Mack Carter had agreed to work together to equip Winbrook buildings with video security.

City Assessments Drop $3.2M; School Tax Rate Up $30/ M

Posted on March 2, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey March 2, 2004: After a meeting with Mayor Joseph Delfino Friday, Superintendent of School Timothy Connors was able to receive information on the long awaited 2004 city assessments, with a balance of the figures coming to the District Friday, and updated figures delivered Monday in the late afternoon. The bad news was delivered to the Board of Education Monday evening at Education House.

$1.4 MILLION CUT…BUT — Assistant Superintendent for Business for the City School District, Terrance Schruers reported Monday evening that the city announced their assessments on commercial and residential property had dropped $3, 218,000 year-to-year (after adjustment for Payment in Lieu of Taxes increases), resulting, Schruers said in a 3.3% increase in the school tax rate, moving it to 8.45%, or $30 more per $1,000 of accessed valuation. Photo by WPCNR News.

Tax Rate To Move Up 3.3% to 8.45%

This erosion of assessments requires an increase in the tax rate from the 6.9% of 2003-04 to 8.45% for the school year of 2004-05 to maintain district revenues.

This means, Schruers said, a $30 increase per $1,000 of assessed valuation for the average homeowner. The revenue drop requires a raise from a tax rate of $349.03 in 2003-04 to $378.54/$1,000 of assessed valuation,

To put this into perspective for the resident, if you have a home assessed at $15,000 of assessed valuation, you would pay an additional $30 per thousand, (actually $29.51) or about $450 more in school taxes in 04-05, or a total of $5,670, up from $5,235 this year.

This situation has been created because the total assessments, according to the city’s figures supplied, have dropped from $316,196,649 to $304,718,459, according to the City Accessor Eydie McCarthy’s estimated figures provided to the School District.

Meanwhile, Budget Trimmed $1.4 Million to $143,910,784.

Mr. Schruers preceded the sobering assessment figures with details on $1.4 Million in cuts in the proposed 2004-05 School Budget trimming the budget from $145,340,666 to $143,910,784.

The $1.4 Million in cuts trimmed the total budget increase to 6.89%, a $9,278,152 increase over the 2003-2004 budget of $134,632,632.

Schruers reported $675,000 was reduced in salaries, by transferring grant money to cover increases, and through savings achieved in retirements, in which personnel would be hired at lower salaries. Another $80,000 in salaries was saved in transferring of grant monies, and $130,000 was achieved through new retirement announcements, for a total of $885,000 in savings on salary by finding alternate funding sources and personnel management dexterity.

The other approximate $500,000 in savings was executed through cuts, equipment cutbacks, and transfer of last year’s monies not spent in key budget categories.

Details of the cuts will be discussed at the Wednesday evening final meeting of the Annual Budget Committee at 7:30 P.M. at Education House.

GRANTS FULLY USED. NO PROGRAMS CUT. Superintendent of Schools Tim Connors said that prior to his coming to the district, the tendency of the district was to horde grant money not used in the current year for the next year. He has instructed that administrators use all grant money received in the current year and to look at ways grant money can be used to fund operations in keeping with the spirit of the actual grants. He told WPCNR that no programs are being curtailed or eliminated by any transference of grant moneys to trim the 04-05 budget. Photo by WPCNR News.

Second straight year Assessments have eroded.

After a long decline in assessments from a high of $440 Million assessed values in 1988, assessments stabilized at $320 Million in 1999, where they remained until 2002-03, when they declined to $316 Million, and now again in 2004, they have dropped to $304.7 Million.

Schruers said the $14,078,000 drop in assessments this year was primarily due to tax certioraris on commercial properties, the city reported.

Mr. Schruers said the city reported $14,078,000 consisted of certioraris over a two year period with $2,569,716 occurring in 2003 due to a Special Franchise Assessment set by the state “too late to be recorded on the 2003 assessment role,” according to the city figures.

In 2004, there was a $399,488 Special Franchise settlement, again “set by the state.” However a total of $7,826,275 in certioraris were substracted in 2003-04 involving the following business properties, a growing trend as Mr. Schruers has noted to the School Board at recent Annual Budget Committee meetings.

Hamilton Avenue, Westchester Avenue business campuses get reductions.

The business properties receiving certiorari judgments are:

Saint Agnes Hospital ($374,625), 777 Westchester Avenue ($300,000), 701 Westchester Avenue ($150,000), 707/709 Westchester Avenue ($591,000), 925/1025 Westchester Avenue ($391,000), 360 Hamilton Avenue ($972,050), 440 Hamilton Avenue ($1,551,500), 400 Hamilton Avenue ($1,624,100), 60 South Broadway ($268,000), Nordstrom’s ($1,204,000), and 1311 Mamaroneck Avenue ($400,000).

Schnurmacher Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing received a new exemption of $701,000. JPI (builders of The Jefferson at White Plains at 300 Mamaroneck Avenue), came off the tax rolls and their first PILOT payment of $345,000 starts in 2004, and 24 South Kensico, $8,400.

JPI to Pay $70,000 more in Taxes.

The JPI reduction, WPCNR has learned from a reader who questioned this, is a result of JPI coming off the tax roll and their PILOT “kicking in.” this year. Contrary to the impression the City School District handout gave, JPI has not had their PILOT reduced. (This anomaly of JPI reducing by $275,000 and contributing $345,000 on the same sheets handed out by the City School District Monday evening, means that JPI will contribute a net of $70,000 MORE to the tax roll this year, not $345,000 more, as they School District handout Monday indicated.)

$1,010,000 in Major Assessment Increases

The following businesses had their assessments raised in 2004:

120 Bloomingdale Road (Bloomingdale’s), up $150,000; 200 Hamilton Avenue (White Plains Mall), up $100,000; 111 Main Street, up $300,000, Sears, up $100,000, 75 South Broadway, up $50,000, and Crowne Plaza, up $310,000.

PILOTs Grow by 78.5%; bring Additional $4,856,650 to District. Louis Cappelli to the Rescue.

The city reports that the School District can expect Payments in Lieu of Taxes increasing in 2004 with PILOT payments from the following properties, growing by the corresponding amounts, Clayton Park, $75,750, Fortunoff, $1,200,000, Reckson, $80,050, Bank Street Commons, $578,400, JPI $345,000, Cappelli, $2,469,050, 333 Westchester Avenue, $8,400.

The School District estimates it will receive $6,273,767 in PILOT payments in its 2004-05 budget, up from $3,515,096 last year based on this new information on the increased PILOT payments. This is a 78.5% increase year-to-year increase. However, the overall decrease in assessments is driving the 3.3% increase in the school tax rate from 6.9% to 8.45%.

“That’s not what we like to hear,” Schreuers sadly commented on the 8.45% rate.

Assembly Passes Minimum Wage Bill, Raises it to $7.10

Posted on March 1, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. From District 89 Assemblyman Adam Bradley. (Edited) March 2, 2004: Assemblyman Adam Bradley (D-White Plains) announced that a measure he sponsored increasing the state’s minimum wage to $7.10 an hour was passed by the Assembly (A.9710). The bill now must be passed by the State Senate and signed by Governor George Pataki to become law.

“Creating a livable wage will go a long way toward helping our neighbors who work hard to put food on their families’ tables,” Bradley said. “This legislation reflects my strong belief that hard-working New Yorkers should be fairly rewarded.”

The legislation would increase the state minimum wage to $6.00 per hour on October 1, 2004; $6.75 an hour on July 1, 2005; and $7.10 on January 1, 2006. Currently, food service workers receiving tips have a minimum wage of $3.30 per hour. That would rise to $3.90 an hour on October 1, 2004; $4.40 per hour on July 1, 2005; and $4.65 an hour on January 1, 2006.

A full-time minimum wage worker earns only $10,712. Our neighboring states like Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island all have higher minimum wages than New York. In New York we have not raised the minimum wage since March of 2000.

Other provisions of the bill would permit an employee advocate to bring wage and hour complaints on behalf of mistreated workers, and ensure that the state labor commissioner has access to wage and hour records when investigating alleged violations.

“Our state’s antiquated minimum wage of $5.15 an hour has been an embarrassment to the New Yorkers who work in some of the toughest jobs,” Bradley said. “Families need an increased minimum wage to help make ends meet. I urge the Senate and the governor to join the Assembly in improving the lives of hard-working New Yorkers.”