WHITE PLAINS WESTCHESTER DAILY NEWS SERVICE VISITS SINCE 2000 A.D. 25TH YEARl REPORTING THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW News Service Since 2000 A.D. 2026 WILL BE OUR 26TH YEAR OF COVERING WHITE PLAINS NEW YORK USA . John F. Bailey, Editor (914) 997-1607 wpcnr@aol.com Cell: 914-673-4054. News Politics Personalities Neighborhoods Schools Finance Real Estate Commentary Reviews Policy Correspondence Poetry Philosophy Photojournalism Arts. The WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER. TELEVISION: "White Plains Week" News Roundup, 7:30 EDT FRI, 7 EDT MON & the incisive "People to Be Heard" Interview Program 8PM EDT THURS, 7 PM EDT SAT on FIOS CH 45 THROUGHOUT WESTCHESTER AND, ALTICE OPTIMUM WHITE PLAINS CH 1300 Fighting for Truth, Justice and the American Way. TOP 10 VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD :1. USA. 2.BRAZIL3.VIET NAM 4. CHINA 5. JAPAN 6.UK. 7.CANADA. 8.INDIA. 9.AUSTRALIA 10.IRELAND 11.GERMANY 12..ARGENTINA 13.BANGLADESH 14.RUSSIA. 15.NEWZEALAND. 16. FRANCE. 17.MEXICO. 18.UKRAINE. 19.SOUTH AFVRICA. 20. IRAQ.
WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the Governor’s Office. March 31, 2019:
The state lawmakers and governor will get raises in pay (legislators to $89,500 a year) as part of the agreement reached Saturday between Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and state house leaders. The budget is expected to be passed this evening because the raises only go into effect if the budget is not late.
The governor was able to get agreement on his main issues:
The 2% tax cap on school and city budgets is to be made permanent.
Congestion pricing for motor vehicle entry into Manhattan at below 61st Street was agreed to, (to pay for MTA improvements to the New York Subway system). Congestion pricing will not begin until 2021.
A panel will be appointed to determine which of 12 nyc bridges would be subject to congestion pricing raises (currently 59th Street bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Third Ave. Bridge have no tolls)
Legalization of recreational sales of marijuana was not adapted due to much doubt as the affects of marijuana and alcohol mixed use on driving safety.
Cash bail for virtually all crimes except violent felonies is to be eliminated.
School aid is to increased to 3.8% of the $175 Billion dollar budget probably meaning a little more state aid to the White Plains School Budget pending approval by the White Plains City School Budget and other districts in Westchester, depending on how the state aid formula is tweaked.
Medicaid aid was increased and Affordable Care Act statutes are to be adapted as law in New York State as part of the budget to be voted on by legislators today.
Retailers use of plastic bags to place purchases in was made illegal, taking effect at some future date.
$100 Million in public matching funds was allocated for future political fund-raising.
PICTURES OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY SOLDIERS WITH THEIR HOMETOWNS AND THE DAY THEY DIED IN ACTION DURING THE VIETNAM WAR WERE DISPLAYED IN THE ROTUNDA IN CITY HALL THIS AFTERNOON ON THE FIRST OFFICIAL VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL DAY ORGANIZED BY WESTCHESTER COUNTY AND THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS AND VIETNAM VETERANS WHO REMEMBER THEIR COMRADES.MAYOR TOM ROACH OF WHITE PLAINS REMEMBERED MEN IN HIS FAMILY GOING TO VIETNAM AND DESCRIBED THE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THEIR SACRIFICE.COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER EXPRESSED REGRETS ABOUT HOW VIETNAM VETERANS MET AN INHOSPITABLE WELCOME WHEN RETURNING HOMECHAIRMAN OF THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS BENJAMIN BOYKIN OBSERVED PERSONAL MEMORIES OF A VIETNAM “GRUNT’ WHOM HE KNEW.NAM VETERAN RON TUCCI TOLD OF HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF VETS LIKE HIMSELF WHEN THEY CAME BACK.A WREATH WAS PLACED BEFORE THE PLAQUE, RIGHT HONORING WHITE PLAINS VIETNAM WAR DEAD WHOSE NAMES ARE ENGRAVED ON THE PLAQUE ON THE CITY HALL ROTUNDA AT RIGHT.LAWRENCE DENSMORE WAS ONE OF THE 26 WHITE PLAINS VIETNAM DEAD. HE WAS A VERY CLOSE BUDDY OF DAN GRIFFIN WHO HANDLES VETERANS SERVICES FOR WESTCHESTER COUNTY. ALL THE VIETNAM WAR DEAD EACH HAD A REMEMBRANCE CARD LIKE THIS ON DISPLAY IN THE ROTUNDA. THESE REMEMBRANCES COMPILED FOR THIS OCCASION BRING HOME THE MEANING OF THE LOSS OF YOUNG MEN LIKE MR. DENSMORE, BECAUSE YOU SEE THE PERSON, THE SPIRIT, THE REALNESS OF A PERSON LOST TO US FOREVER. WPCNR SUGGESTS YOU GO TO CITY HALL AND LOOK AT THE CARDS, THINK, AND REMEMBER.
OVER 3,000 COMPLAINTS ON NOISY PLANES FROM ARMONK TO CHAPAQUA. 60 MOB AIRPORT HEARING –HIGHER LANDING FEES NEEDEDNORTH 60 A LOT MORE THAN JUST BIOTECH OFFICES
Today the Bronx Bombers return to Yankee Stadium. In the honor of Opening Day, WPCNR brings back this original celebration I wrote about why Opening Day is the best day of the year
OPENING DAY is better than Christmas Day, When you look out and know they’ll play, Dreary gray or brilliant spring sunray Opening Day means The Big Show is back today.
Decades past, Opening Day for fanatics starved, Eager for sharp crack of ash on horsehide carved; Pennants snapping in northwest winds Top ramparts of inviting walls arches and sculpted friezes wistfully escarped.
Fans lucky to get away with ducats Marvel at flannels sharp whites pristeen, To play in the warm zephyrs in NY blazened caps, Dashing specks of white warmup on the greenest green.
Motor cars pant in traffic jams on the Deegan, Down Yawkey Way, on 35th and Shields or Waveland’s jam. The first glimpse of storied Park, The place where ball is played, where ghosts of Ted, Babe, Duke Mel, Spahnie, Whitey, Mickey, Willie, Yaz, Minnie and Sandy lark.
Pay a fortune to park, pass stogie smoking old men at the same gates for a hundred years,
Now out into the street
You go, aroma of roasting chestnuts, pungent cigars sweet,
Cries of “scorecard heah” “programs,heah” shout out, neath light towers to heaven.
Fans in cap and uniform, little boys and girls gawk in awe hoping to make the Anthem Never seeing such sheer walls, topped with the legend “GameToday 1:30 PM.”
Clutching slim cardboard tix to Section 14 Upper Deck up to the turnstiles Festooned with souvenirs more dear as diamonds, beyond, the lure of endless aisles.
Into press of crowd, grizzled usher,
RIPS YOUR TICKET. Turnstile turns, clicks, and into the cathedral of ball you go Into the rotunda greeted with magic signs dazzling the senses — UPPER LEVELS SECTIONS 1 to 39, 2 to 40
Hawkers shout –Voices of Flatbush — colorful books in hand
“Yearbook heah,” “Dodger Yearbook here,” “Hot dog, heah,” Assail ears! Up ramps you climb to the sign “NEXT HOMESTAND”
Walking the catwalk,sliver of blue is first look of the magic sphere Into the sunlight splaying the vast rake of the mighty stand.
Below are baseball knights of the diamond in white hues Cavorting, snapping throws across immaculate red clay As majestic fungo bats — CRACK! send white spheres soaring to filling bleachers a mile away, Bunting flutter from the deck rails red, white and true blues.
Old Glory furls on highest pole in centerfield Colorful signage deliver the manly flavor of the only real game, GILLETTE To Look Sharp, The Red Sox use Lifeboy, Schaefer It’s A Hit Hey, Neighbor Have a Gansett, White Owl Cigars, Hit Sign Win Suit
From old friendly walls, to Gladys Gooding on the organ Comfy old green scoreboard display Today’s games in the bigs BETTER THAN CNN CHI CLE BOS DET, CHI STL, NY WAS make you king for a day. Two Bits for a scorecard, usher wipes your seat, ballpark fills your heart.
Starters wheel,deal, kicking high on sidelines fueling expectancy
Men in blue, arms folded solemnly conduct the home plate regimen Casey, Ralph , Walter, Joe,Sparky exchange lineup cards and knowing Ground rules by heart, go over them for ritual’s sake. Bob Shepard “The Voice of God” entones “Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Welcome to Yankee Stadium.”
“Please rise for the playing of our national anthem,” Nancy Faust at organ note by note renders baseball’s theme song Rising on the breeze, uniting do-rag and ball cap, Fedora, ponytail and bouffant in the spirit of the great game.
Grass is never greener on opening days Strikes are louder, long drives electrify alleys Beers with whiter than white high creamy heads, Taste crisp cold mellow best brew you drink all year
Smashes laser through short in the gap in raucous rallies
Magicians without wands start 6-4-3s, (if you’re scoring at home)
Backhand sure hits losing their caps
“Oh what a play”s crackle on WGN with “CUBS WIN!”‘S
Jack and Mel, Vince, Red, Curt and Murph , Gussie, Marty, John and Suzyn , Ernie, The Gunner, are back at mikes turning mundane days
Into joy with a ninth inning elixir and “happy recaps”
Pete Rose at the Plate,1975
Thunderous ROARS accolades the 2-out winner again creating big kids’ grins.
WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2019. Special to the CitizeNetReporter. March 27, 2019 UPDATED 5 PM EDT:
Brian Maloney, Chairman of the White Plains Republican City Committee announced to WPCNR Thursday evening that the Republicans have nominated three candidates to oppose Democratic Nominated Candidates for Common Council, Nadine Hunt-Robinson, Victoria Presser and Jennifer Puja.
Maloney in a telephone message left with WPCNR said the Republican Challengers are:
Andrew Custodio, an engineer by profession and currentlyCo-President of the Council of Neighborhood Associations who ran for council in 2017 on the Republican Reform party.
He and his wife chose a home in White Plains five years because they liked the combination of suburban and urban in White Plains. He grew up in Sleepy Hollow and his wife grew up in New Rochelle and they have settled in the middle of the county, White Plains.
He worked for the Westchester County Department of Public Works when first out of college, then moved into the engineering and project management field with the WSP engineering firm which has 500 offices in 40 countries.
His reasons for running are that he wants to help small businesses come to White Plains because he is not happy with the vacant storefronts downtown. He suggests a program to attract small businesses to White Plains, not just big developers. He has a website, andrewcustodio.com
AnneMarie Encarnacao, a local realtor and owner of her own insurance agency, who will be running for council a third time. She tells WPCNR, “I will run to the last breath in me till I get elected, I truly want to be Mayor one day! I want to spread kindness,.”
“My two pet peeves are parking and littering, homeless shelters .address senior housing, homeless people. Parking is my biggest pet peeve, the main cause of empty storefronts. My palm card of five years ago still addresses those same issues.”
Brian Peroni, of White Plains, owner of Arthur Avenue Wood-Fired Pizza in Pleasantville NY told WPCNR he has been in the food service and catering business for forty years. He was director of puchasing for the Beach Point Club in Mamaroneck for 25 years. He decided to run because he wanted to “give back” to the community.
He wanted to participate in the Common Council to address parking in White Plains, “it’s a big issue.”
He says building is getting a little “too much,” and wants to explore tax incentives for smaller businesses who want to come into White Plains downtown.
Architect rendering of North 60 view south to the Westchester Medical Center. Provided by Fareri Associates.
WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Fareri Associates. March 27, 2019:
Plans to transform a vacant 60-acre site adjacent to the Westchester Medical Center into an innovative bioscience, technology and lifestyle campus has taken a major step forward in the approval process for the $1.2 billion project which has been in the works for nearly a decade.
Representatives of Fareri
Associates recently made a presentation to the Mount Pleasant Planning Board
about the project known as the North 60. The Planning Board is expected to
schedule a public hearing on the project’s scoping document in May.
In conjunction with the start
of the approval process, Fareri has launched a project website providing
background and details about the project, thenorth60.com. The website will be updated to reflect the
latest information abo the project and the review process.
The project’s approximately three
million square feet will include biotech-medical technology space, research and
medical office space; neighborhood-style retail space; a hotel with conference
facilities; a health and wellness center and structured parking. The first
phase of construction, including essential infrastructure, is expected to begin
in the fall of 2020.
The North 60 campus will be
designed to create a true sense of community, with a pedestrian-friendly Main
Street lined with shops, restaurants with outdoor dining, landscaped plazas, pedestrian
bridges and bikeways connected to a regional bike network.
The project will also include
a first-of-its-kind Children’s Living Science and Learning Center. Along with
creating a dynamic educational experience focused on influencing behavior and
minimizing future health risks for both children and adults, this unique
facility will provide career training and job readiness programs in the bio-tech
and research fields for area residents.
In January, Westchester
County Executive George Latimer signed a 99-year lease for the 60-acre site
which is owned by the County. Fareri plans to combine the North 60 property
with 20 acres of adjoining land already owned by his firm.
When fully developed, the North
60 is expected to generate an estimated $9 million in annual real estate taxes
to the County, Town and Mt. Pleasant School and Pocantico Hills School
Districts. The project will also generate an estimated $7 million in new annual
rent to the County. Fareri is prepared to fund infrastructure improvements and
enhancements required to develop the site, including sewer, water, storm-water
run-off, traffic, safety, wetlands and other environmental issues.
The North 60 is expected to
have a natural symbiotic relationship with the nearby Westchester Medical
Center and the New York Medical College’s Biotechnology Incubator offering
opportunities for a range of collaborations. The North 60 is also in close proximity
to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, a leading biotechnology company in nearby
Tarrytown.
The project will create more
than 4,000 new construction jobs and 8,000 new permanent jobs, from entry-level
to professional employment opportunities. It will also create career
opportunities for students in the emerging bioscience field by forming
partnerships with nearby Westchester Community College, Pace University and New
York Medical College.
WPCNR County Clarion-Ledger. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. March 27, 2019:
The Westchester County Executive George Latimer issued an interim statement on proposed legalization of marijuana yesterday, now under discussion in the state legislature. He indicates he is going to wait and see what final legislation is passed and signed by the governor before considering how to apply the law in Westchester County and communities. Here is that statement:
“The New York State Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo are currently contemplating legalizing marijuana for adult use. While it is unclear if the proposal will pass now, or at a later date, some neighboring counties have already declared they will be “opting out.”
While I respect their decision to draw a line early on, here in Westchester County I prefer to wait. We need to wait and see what becomes law, and in what form. Further, it is possible, that there may not be an opt-out clause in a final document.
“While opting out may be a provision of the final bill, it should be noted that it does not affect the legal use or possession of marijuana in the County. The impact that it will have is to prohibit the sales or cultivation of marijuana within that county.
“The issue is being intensely debated in the community at large, with both pro and con arguments raised. That advocacy should be directed to our state officials, who have the sole authority to pass or deny legalization or decriminalization.
“Should the measure pass this year, and should a County opt-out provision be included in the law, our Administration and the Board of Legislators will meet to determine how to handle our role in the matter. Until then, we welcome all opinions and arguments on either side, as befits our policy of inclusion of all public input.”
WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. Oped from Marsha Gordon and John Ravitz, Westchester Coalition for Smart Development and the Business Council of Westchester. March 26, 2019:
With the
shock of Amazon’s decision to abandon its plan for opening a second
headquarters in New York still fresh, New York State now is facing another
decision with the potential to be even more damaging to the State’s
increasingly fragile economy. It’s called Prevailing Wage legislation and it is
a construction project killer.
Both the
Assembly and the Senate have included Prevailing Wage language in the new State
Budget scheduled for adoption by April 1. If passed, this legislation, that is
strongly backed by the construction labor unions, would require that any
development project receiving state funding assistance would be required to the
pay prevailing wages for all construction labor. The requirement, which would
apply to private development projects as well as projects built by not-for-profits
including hospitals and colleges, would increase labor costs by 30 percent or
more.
What would
this mean? However well-intentioned, instead of helping construction workers, it’s
a job killer. In simplest terms, any project receiving financial assistance
would pay union wages for all work. While laudable on the surface, the
consequences are far-reaching and would bring a large percentage of the major
construction projects planned in communities across the state to a standstill.
The most severe impact would be on urban downtowns such as in Yonkers, New
Rochelle and White Plains that are on the cusp of unprecedented revivals after
decades of little or no new investment.
Why? Without
state subsidies, the vast majority of projects being planned in urban downtown
locations will simply not be built. State and municipal subsidies provide the financial
cushion to make these costly construction projects financially viable. The vast
majority of the affected projects are residential, meaning much needed new housing
at all levels, including affordable housing built by non-profit groups, could
not move forward.
The
significantly increased labor costs resulting from the proposed legislation
would be particularly harmful in Westchester where residential rents are considerably
lower than in New York City.
In
Westchester, more than 30 prominent development company leaders have joined
with the Business Council in forming the
Westchester Coalition for Smart Development to present the facts about the
unintended consequences of the proposed legislation. We have met with the
entire Westchester legislative delegation, as well as other leaders in Albany to
promote an open public dialogue before passage of this far-reaching
legislation. We have also joined with the Business Council of New York State in
this effort.
We need look
no farther than Yonkers to see the consequences of requiring Prevailing Wages.
For 18 months the City’s Industrial Development Agency (IDA) imposed the
requirement for any project it funded. What happened? The additional labor
expense was far greater than the IDA
benefits would have been. The net result? Not a single major proposal
came before the IDA during that period.
We have no
opposition to union labor. In fact, most major projects employ some union
labor. But requiring all construction projects receiving public financing of
any kind to pay union wages will effectively assure that most of the projects
won’t move forward. That is certainly not an outcome that anyone wants.
We strongly
urge that the Prevailing Wage legislation proposals be put on hold until a
thorough and thoughtful discussion of all consequences takes place. New York State
cannot afford to do otherwise.
Slow Fade: WP Sales Tax Revenues
Decline in 6 of Last 8 Months, Down 2.7%, $1 Million
County Sales Tax Dollars Up in 6 of
last Months. Up 4.5% 1st Two Months of 2019.
WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. From the New York State Department of Taxation & Finance with analysis by John F. Bailey. March 26, 2019:
White Plains is in a slumping economy.
Perhaps March with its inclement weather and March Madness will turn things around.
It has to, because after 8 months of the city fiscal year, the city has earned $33,038,728, $929,896 behind the 2017-18 pace, a 2.7% decline. White Plains sales taxable activity has declined almost 5% below the inflation rate which is about 2%.
Meanwhile, Westchester County is 4.5% ahead the first two months of its new fiscal year, the county economy has grown for the 7th straight month and maintained its average of approximately 5% growth each month. That is more than double the inflation rate.
White Plains, as it plans its 2019-20
Budget, should be concerned.
If White Plains pulls in last year numbers the next 4 months it will receive $49.147 Million in sales taxes.
If the 3% declining rate is continued over the next 4 months, the revenue will erode to $48.664 Million in sales tax receipts.
With labor negotiations in mind, where a 3% increase is expected to be lobbied for by all unions, in line with the precedent the county set in its negotiations, a 3% decline in sales tax revenues (that fund White Plains year to year raises in the payrolls)—
PLAY BALL! TIGER PITCHER FIRES THE FIRST PITCH OF THE WHITE PLAINS FASTPITCH SOFTBALL SEASON ON A NEW FIELD (WITH BIG LEAGUE FOUL POLES), WITH NEW TIGERS!THE TIGER STAKE THE FIELD–ALWAYS A THRILL ON OPENING DAYFIRST HOMEPLATE MEETING OF THE SEASONTHE TIGERS WARMING UP ON FASTPITCH WEATHER 50 DEGREES FEELS LIKE 30 DEGREES ON O’DONNELL’S BLUFF. AND GET A LOAD OF THOSE REAL FOUL POLES! AND A BRAND NEW INFIELD.THE JOHN MCGRAW OF SOFTBALL…TED O’DONNELL STARTING HIS 24TH SEASON AS WHITE PLAINS TIGERS VARSITY SOFTBALL COACH, HIS 30TH CONSECUTIVE SEASON OF COACHING AND DEVELOPING PLAYERS WITH HEART, COURAGE, AND CLASS. HE HAS COACHED THE GREATEST GAME FOR 30 YEARS. BEFORE THE GAME, HE SAID, “We have quite a number of tough games but the girls have been working hard. This is the youngest team I have ever had; 5 Frosh, 4 Sophs, 2 Juniors and no seniors.” THEY WON THEIR OPENER IN A THRILLER, 14-3.
