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.

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WPCNR MEDIA-GO-ROUND. From River Towns Media. December 5, 2019:

Westchester-based River Towns Media LLC, publisher of the River Journal, today announced plans to launch River Journal North, a new monthly publication which will be delivered to every household and business in Peekskill, Cortlandt, and Croton-on-Hudson.

The monthly circulation will be more than 28,000, and when added to the River Journal’s circulation of 20,850, River Towns Media will reach nearly 50,000 households and 107,000 readers in the River Towns from Irvington to Peekskill. The first issue of River Journal North will be published in March 2020.

Alain Begun, Owner and Publisher of River Towns Media LLC, acquired the River Journal and www.riverjournalonline.com in October 2018.

The River Journal has served the Westchester County, NY, river towns of Briarcliff Manor, Irvington, Pocantico Hills, Sleepy Hollow, and Tarrytown for over 21 years. Bucking the national trend of an overall decline in the print media industry, River Towns Media has grown their print advertising 40% in the year since taking over the publication. 

Begun attributes the success of the publication to major changes implemented over the course of 2019, including:

• Increasing the circulation to include 3,100 homes and 590 businesses in Ossining
• Redesigning both the print publication and website (www.riverjournalonline.com)
• Adding new features including Scholar Athlete of the Month, Putting STEM to Work, Local Authors, Local Books, My Westchester and, everyone’s favorite, River Journal Pet of the Month
• Hiring a new editorial, creative, and ad sales team

“In the year since acquiring the River Journal, we’ve made the investment in the resources we needed to improve and grow the product,” said Begun.

“That investment has paid off with an increase of 40% in advertising revenue in the past year. And that ad increase has allowed us to provide even more local editorial coverage than ever before. In fact, we’ve grown the River Journal from an average of 20 pages per issue when we took over to an average of 32 pages per issue for the 2^nd half of 2019. We currently have over 150 adverting partners many of who run in six or more issues. We know those small businesses wouldn’t keep spending money with us if their ads didn’t work.”

According to Begun, the northern-most Westchester River Towns have long-been underserved by local media without having a single publication delivered to homes in those communities.

“River Journal North will be unique in that it will be delivered by USPS free-of-charge to every home and business in Croton-on-Hudson, Peekskill, and all the villages that make up the town of Cortlandt,” said Begun. “We plan to deliver local coverage of the schools, the businesses, the people and personalities, the events, and local politics that make those communities so unique. And we plan to fill key advertising sales and editorial positions with local residents.”

When the River Journal North launches, River Towns Media will reach nearly as many households on a monthly basis as Westchester Magazine The weekly Enterprise prints 25,000 copies per week of their four editions, but those are not delivered to homes but are available at coffee shops, restaurants, and in newspaper vending machines.

“We look forward to serving all the residents and businesses of these thriving communities for many years to come,” said Begun.

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PROPOSED 2020 COUNTY BUDGET BANKS ON WESTCHESTER SALES TRIPLING IN ONE YEAR

 BALANCES BUDGET PREDICTING 27.9% INCREASE IN SALES TAX DOLLARS on a 1% SALES TAX INCREASE.

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. NEWS & COMMENT By John F. Bailey. December 1, 2019 UPDATED 3:45 PM EST:

Jake Barns, the Foreign Correspondent in Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises,  has the perfect analysis of the 2020 Westchester County Budget they take up this month.

Lady Brett Ashley, the woman Jake loves, tells him in a taxi on the way to the airport in Madrid at the close of the book,

“We could have had a damn good time together.”

A policeman holds a baton ahead forcing the taxi to swerve, throwing Brett against him, reviving a dream that might have been.

Jake staring at the beautiful Brett answers with one of the great last lines of all time:

“Isn’t it pretty to think so?”

Heads up, Board of Legislators. 

You now have in your hands a PROPOSED 2020 Westchester County budget touted as a plan that lowers county property taxes, rebuilds the fund balance, has settled labor peace, raises your salaries by 50%, and establishes plans to build affordable housing. It is a wonderful thing.

The new budget is a pipe dream built on a revenue structure based on the prediction that the Westchester sales tax revenue and  economy will grow by 27.9% in 12 months.

The greatest economy in the world, the U.S. GNP only grows 4 to 5% in its best years. So Westchester’s economy is growing 28%? I think the legislators taking up this budget have to demand how this happens? What are the trends saying this will happen?

Put another way, how can you predict a 27.9% increase where the county has ONLY HAD ONE SUCH phenominal increase in Sales Tax Dollars  year to year– 33% in 1992—and that was 26 years ago.

The largest increase since 1992 was 16% in 2004 ($398.1 MILLION COMPARED TO $342 MILLION in 2003)

Sales Tax Revenues Performance of  Westchester County 2008-2019

2008    $462,898,900,     0%

2009    $415,113,254     -10%

2010     $441,845,931    + 6.4%

2011     $450,885,825    +2%

2012     $459,596,102    +2%

2013     $488,045,564    +6.2%

2014     $503,802,272    +3.2%

2015     $499,527,981    -1%

2016     $505,878,099    +1.2%

2017     $525,513,104     +3.8%

2018     $550,562,481     +4.8%

2019—through 3 Quarters–$438,405,917

           Projected in 2019 4^th Quarter, based on meeting 2018 4^th Quarter

         TOTAL 2019  $581,819,193  UP 5.7% (includes 1% sales tax increase)

If the county exceeds last year’s October, November, Dec. sales tax receipts, the increase in 2020 in sales tax revenues could be more. But it is hard to see where the 27.9% increase in  sales tax receipts is achievable based on the past results the last 10 years, or the last 26 years results.

WPCNR made two requests to the Westchester County Department of Communications last Monday for an official explanation of why the county expects a 27.9% in sales tax revenues in 2020. To date there has been no response.

27.9% of $582 Million is $157.1 MILLION. Add that to 582 Million and you get $739 million the projected figure of sales tax revenues in the County’s 2020 budget.

But that contains the assumption the county economy or sales tax activity will triple next year.

It has only tripled once in a year in 26 years. Unless of course the state has guaranteed the county this money out of next year’s sales tax receipts.

Editor’s Note: The 1992 sales tax revenues increased 33%. It was inflated by County Executive Andrew P. O’Rourke transferring $14.2 Million of the January 1993 sales tax receipts into the 1992 budget, to avoid a deficit that would have caused a 4.3% property tax increase. You can read about this at

https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/15/nyregion/budget-gap-is-closed-by-sales-tax-advance.html

With the transfer of the January sales tax dollars of January 1993 into the 1992 budget the increase in sales taxes would only be a 24% increase in 1992, so technically the 27.9% increase contemplated in the 2020 budget is the largest increase in sales tax dollars projected in 26 years.

When the Astorino administration predicted a 15% sales tax receipts increase in 2016 in crafting the 2017 budget , they only got a 4% increase. Democrats approved that budget for 2017, then criticized Astorino for creating deficits. You read about the 2017 budget here at

County Selling Austin Avenue Sale “Big Box” Store By County to Make Up Portion of Optimistic Sales Tax Projection of 14%

You can read about the 2016 Budget problem here:

County Executive Astorino Holds Line, Proposes $1.8 Billion 2017 Budget. Floats Leasing the County Airport to Fill Sales Tax Revenue Overestimate.

In 2017, the same thing happened. Astorino attempted to balance the budget in 2018  with leasing the airport. The Democrats refused to do that, because County Executive Elect George Latimer was not in favor of leasing the airport, one of the ways Astorino wanted to balance the budget.

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I was casually flicking up the labyrinth of the 2020 budget on the county website when my eye by serendipity what the anticipated the 2020 sales tax with a full year of the recent 1% increase and I saw the  comparative figure for sales tax revenues with the 1% compared 2019 with just 6 months of 1%.

$740,718,401 Sales Tax Expected for 2020, compared to 2019’s $578,717,000

The sales tax increase in effect for a full year is not going to net out an additional $161,683,845 based on previous sales tax receipts over the years. Westchester would have to be packing the malls and restaurants to do that.

$161.7 million is the difference between projected 2019 sales tax receipts ($578 Million)   at the current Westchester Economy’s pace and 2020 projected sales tax receipts at this time will hit $590 million, not $740 Million.

The October sales tax receipts are not in yet. They are usually furnished by the state on the 19^th of each month. They are late.

The Westchester County 2020 budget is betting sales tax receipts will increase to $740 million.

That is  optimistic.

The county sales tax handle increased 33% in1992; 12% in 2000; 16% IN 2004.

But, the 1% sales tax is not going TRIPLE tax receipts by itself.

The pace of purchases of sales taxable items has to pick up beyond belief to hit $740 Million in sales tax receipts in 2020.

Of course the Westchester economy could go through the roof. People could max out their credit cards; Amazon could move here; billionaires could snap up every million dollar home and furnish them; the minimum wage could go up to $20 an hour; car sales could double. The Democrats could win the election and every one would have one big party.

The county in their extensive explanation of the budget has not explained their rational for a 27.9% increase in sales tax receipts.

If  the county got  1% more in sales taxes for the full year of 2019, the county will receive an additional $5,787,177  

Add that to a full year of 2020 at  12 months of 1% increased sales tax that means you would only receive  $11.6 Million in additional sales taxes, at the present rate of sales tax receipts growth. 

That would mean the sales tax receipts would only hit approximately $591.6 Million ($580 Million plus $11.6 Million , not $740 Million)

A Possible Deficit of $150 Million?

This means the county is perhaps, knowingly creating a deficit of $150 Million dollars with this pie in the sky budget; MILLIONS more in possible deficit than the Astorino administration ever did in 2016 and 2017.

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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2020. From Buchwald for Congress. December 2, 2019:

State Assemblymember David Buchwald, running for Congress in Rockland and Westchester Counties (NY-17), has received emphatic endorsements from two more local Democratic committees, the White Plains Democratic City Committee and the Harrison Democratic Committee.

White Plains is the largest city in the 17th Congressional District. Reflecting his strength in the district, Buchwald carried the White Plains party’s backing with a resounding 61-2 vote (expressed as a weighted vote of 9,910 to 156). In addition, Buchwald won the Harrison Democratic Committee’s endorsement unanimously.

Buchwald previously was endorsed by the North Castle Democratic Committee (also unanimously), more than 40 local elected and former elected officials, and Assemblymember Amy Paulin, who represents White Plains along with Assemblymember Buchwald. 

“I am proud to have the support of the White Plains and Harrison Democrats. Throughout my years serving our community, I have worked to build relationships across the Lower Hudson Valley, and I will be a representative all of the 17th Congressional District can count on. From defending reproductive rights to reinstituting the SALT deduction to protecting our environment, my message of taking on Donald Trump and Washington Republicans is resonating with Democratic voters,” said Buchwald. 

“The White Plains City Democratic Committee is excited to endorse David Buchwald in his run for Congress. David got his start in government here by being elected to our Common Council and has broad support across our city. From securing gun safety measures to standing up to Trump, he has been a fighter in Albany, and we know he will be the strongest voice for us in Congress,” said White Plains Democratic City Committee Chair Tim James. 

“Harrison Democrats are completely behind David Buchwald as he runs for Congress. Throughout his years of service, he has fully delivered for Harrison — working to hold leaders in government accountable, supporting our schools and libraries, and passing the SAFE Act to keep area residents and children safer from gun violence. We are confident he will deliver real results for people across the Lower Hudson Valley,” said Harrison Democratic Committee Chair Frank Corvino. 

Raised in Westchester, Buchwald is a four-term member of the New York State Assembly who has enacted over 65 pieces of legislation. Last year David introduced the New York TRUST Act, which allows the sharing of the State tax returns of top government officials, a law which Donald Trump is now suing to block. He is a former economic analyst with National Economic Research Associates and was a tax attorney at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP before entering the Assembly. He received a B.S. in physics from Yale University, a J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School and a Masters in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government. He lives in White Plains with his wife and two daughters.

Editor’s Note: Presently according to Ballotpedia, Mr. Buchwald is expected to be contested for the nomination in a Primary, June 23, 2020. The following candidates have expressed interest in running in the primary:

• David Buchwald
• David Carlucci
• Asha Castleberry-Hernandez
• Evelyn Farkas
• Allison Fine
• Mondaire Jones
• Adam Schleifer

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WPCNR STORMY WEATHER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. December 1, 2019:

Westchester County Executive George Latimer is urging County residents to take precautions for the weather event hitting our area today into tomorrow. 

“We are doing everything we can to prepare for the storm, and keep our residents safe,” he said. “I also urge our residents to take practical steps now to ensure that they are prepared to weather this storm, particularly if prolonged power outages occur.”

Under Latimer’s direction, County personnel are monitoring storm preparations and the County’s response and recovery.  The County will be ready to assist municipalities with resources if requested, he said.

“As much as possible, stay off the roads during and immediately after the storm to give cleanup crews time to respond,” he said. “Doing so will keep everyone safe, and help crews get the job done faster.” 

The County’s Department of Emergency Services and Health Department offer practical advice to help residents prepare for a major winter storm and stay safe both during and after. Please visit http://keepingsafe.westchestergov.com and www.westchestergov.com/health for more information.

**Winter Wonderland at Kensico Dam IS canceled for this evening.  Tickets already purchased for this evening are good for the duration of Winter Wonderland. For more information go to http://www.wwinterwonderland.com/ **

     Before the storm arrives:

• Have plenty of batteries on hand for flashlights and battery-powered radios. Keep them where you can find them easily if the power goes out at night.
• Keep cell phones and other important electronic devices fully charged.
• Turn the freezer and refrigerator to the highest setting. This will preserve food longer if the power goes out.
• Assemble a three-day supply of water and non-perishable foods, needed medications and extra clothing and blankets. Have a go-bag ready in case you must leave your home.

     During the storm:

• Remain indoors if possible.
• Stay off the roads.
• Do not walk or drive close to snow plows; it is difficult for plow operators to see you.
• Do not go near, or drive over, downed power lines.
• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using alternate heating sources like space heaters and wood burning stoves.
• Do not place a space heater within three feet of anything that may catch on fire, such as drapes, furniture or bedding, on top of furniture or near water, and never cover your space heater.
• Never leave children or pets unattended near a space heater, fireplace or wood burning stove.

If the power goes out:

·         Call the local utility company to inform it of the power outage. Con Edison’s 24-hour hotline is 1-800-75-CONED (752-6633) and NYSEG’s hotline service is 1-800-572-1131.

·         Leave a light on to let you know when power has been restored.

·         Use flashlights or battery-operated lanterns instead of candles, as candles are a fire hazard.

·         Limit opening refrigerator and freezer doors as much as possible. 

·         Do not operate electrical generators indoors, (this includes the garage) as it could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Only use them outside in a well-ventilated area, far away and downwind from your home.

·         If you use a fireplace, wood stove or portable kerosene heater to stay warm, be sure to adequately ventilate to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide build up in your home. Never use a natural gas or propane stove to heat your home.

·         Never use the stove or gas range in your kitchen to heat your home.

After the storm:

·         Dress warmly in windproof clothing to prevent frostbite and hypothermia.

·         Wear several layers of loose-fitting clothing to trap body heat. Remember gloves, scarves and a hat that covers the ears.

·         Shovel snow in moderation, particularly if you have any medical condition or you do not exercise regularly. Clear snow off the roof of your car to avoid creating a hazard for other drivers. Do not shovel snow from driveways and sidewalks into the street.

·         Never start or operate a snow blower or chain saw in your garage.

·         Clear the area around hydrants near your property, if possible.

·         Before driving, clear snow from vehicle windows and roofs.

·         Be on the lookout for falling ice and snow from roofs and gutters. When a lot of heavy snow and ice has accumulated on roofs, do not stand under structures that are not well-supported.

·         During a prolonged power outage, these foods are potentially hazardous if not stored below 41 degrees Fahrenheit and should be discarded: meat, poultry, seafood, cold cuts, hot dogs, eggs, cream, sour cream, yogurt, milk, custards, puddings, soft and shredded cheeses, cut fruit, cooked vegetables, pasta, casseroles, unbaked cookie and bread dough, gravy, creamy salad dressings, fish sauces, hoisin sauce, opened spaghetti sauce and garlic in oil. Remember, when in doubt, throw it out.

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WPCNR Thanksgiving Portfolio, all photos by WPCNR:

On this Thanksgiving, let us remember the band of hardy intrepid souls who crossed an ocean in a boat no  bigger than a large Chris Craft and settled in an unforgiving landscape and started a country in the cold landscape of New England.

They were immigrants.

They were helped by Indians who welcomed them, without whom they would not have survived. And, remember, those pilgrims were immigrants.

A salute to this brave band. A salute, too, to the indians who accepted them without visas, without jobs, with no background checks. No border wall. No fear on the part of the Indians and their humanitarian leader, Squanto

The pilgrims sailed into a bay, dropped anchor and just carved out a living after living in incredible conditions in a ship’s hold for weeks, crossing the storm-tossed North Atlantic. Here are some views of America’s hometown by the WPCNR Roving Photographer.

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Plymouth Rock Landing. Plymouth, Massachusetts.

The Mayflower II. Plymouth Harbor.

Indian Statue of Squanto welcoming the Pilgrim Settlers. Plymouth.

Governor William Bradford Statue on the Shores of Plymouth Harbor

“Plymouth Rock,” The landing place of the pilgrims.

Settlers Home, left, circa 1690.

Church, Plymouth late 1700s. .

The Jury: Old Burial Ground, Plymouth. Last resting place of the pilgrims overlooking Plymouth Harbor. The sacrifices, bravery and perseverence of these persons stand as examples to Americans today. How are we doin’?