Paul Feiner Raises Issue of the “Unaffordable Cost” of Assisted Living Facilities. Wants 10% of new Assisted Living Units to be Required to Be Made Affordable in Greenburgh. Calls for Responses from persons on What They Pay for Assisted Living Care

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WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. Special to WPCNR from Paul Feiner, Town of Greenburgh Supervisor. December 9, 2018:

Your help is wanted.  I am planning to introduce legislation that would require 10% of all new beds in future assisted living facilities that have not yet been approved by the town to be affordable.  A few months ago I was speaking to a woman who told me that during the last months of her mom’s life she was paying up to $22,000 a month for all services at an assisted living facility. Is that the norm or unusual? I’d like to know.

There are many luxury assisted living facilities in the area but am not aware of moderately priced facilities.  Most Greenburgh residents cannot afford the assisted living facilities located in our area.

If  any family member lives at an assisted living facility -how much do you pay each month? What is the base fee?  What about extras? How much does it quickly add up to each month?  Please identify the facilities and the locations (municipality, county, state).

Assisted living facilities pay significant taxes to local governments –they are for profit businesses. They have a right as a business to market their facilities to people who can pay for the services they offer.  The school districts receive a few hundred thousand dollars a year in taxes from these facilities and it costs them nothing–no additional children.   And, assisted living facilities usually generate little traffic.

I will compile the responses I receive and share them with the community  and Town Board in advance of the January  9th public hearing.

I will also share your comments with other municipal, county, state and federal officials from around the county –hoping to encourage all officials to address this problem. We have a  growing aging population and most people cannot afford the assisted living facilities that are being built around the county.  Your thoughts welcome.  I also welcome any other suggestions —what can we do to encourage the development of less expensive assisted living?

 

CL 2 – 12/12/18
Resolution scheduling a Public Hearing for 7:30 PM, Wednesday, January 9, 2019, to consider a Local Law amending Chapter 285-10A(4)(f) of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh, entitled “Assisted Living Facilities,” to require that all new Assisted Living Facilities developed in the Town provide a minimum of 10% of living units for persons whose annual incomes meet Westchester County’s Affordable Housing Guidelines and comply with Westchester County’s Model Fair Housing Ordinance
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TONIGHT WHITE PLAINS WEEK ARCHIVE INTERVIEW WITH MAYOR ALFRED DEL VECCHIO. 7:30 PM EST ON CH. 45 FIOS, CH 76 ALTICE AND THE INTERNET

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For 12-7 has been posted  the youtube link is
the whiteplainsweek.com link is

JIM BENEROFE AND PETER KATZ

REMEMBER

MAYOR ALFRED DEL VECCHIO

with WHITE PLAINS WEEK ARCHIVE INTERVIEW

WITH  MAYOR DEL VECCHIO CONDUCTED JULY 20, 2001

PLUS

U.S. NAVY VIDEO REPORT ON

PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH’S

183 WORLD WAR II MISSIONS

THE COUNTY’S GROWING AT RISK POPULATION

NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AID INCREASED

THE SLOWING OF THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY ECONOMY

THE PLANET VENUS GLEAMS IN THE PRE-DAWN SKIES

TONIGHT AT 7:30 on WHITE PLAINS TV CH. 45 FIOS CH. 76 ALTICE

AND

www.wpcommunitymedia.org

www.whiteplainsweek.com

and YOUTUBE.

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77 YEARS AGO TODAY AT NOON EST. JAPAN ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR

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Out of the Sun

A Memorial 

Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor_Japanese_planes_view

Out of the sun on quiet Sunday morning they came

Birds of death blazened with red suns raining fiery havoc on Battleship Row.

One by one, ruthless planes dove, destroyed wantonly to their nation’s eternal shame.

Thunderous explosions scattered fiery death in Sunday dawn’s glow.

Flames belched from bowels of stricken Arizona, America’s pride,

The_USS_Arizona_(BB-39)_burning_after_the_Japanese_attack_on_Pearl_Harbor_-_NARA_195617_-_Edit

On Hickam Field pilots raced to planes to defend 

As their birds were crippled on ground by Zeros’ glide

Gunners in turrets on ships floundering filled skies with flack’s din.

In search of aircraft carriers, marauders could not find

Ruthlessly strafed and bombed leaving Pearl

 Smoking ruin. Ships sunk, burning as raiders flew  back into the Sun

 

The day of infamy had been ignited in the Zeros’ swirl.

 America listened a world away, somber FDR

Spoke of this day that will live in infamy.

America must never forget that Pearl Harbor Scar

When an unsuspecting America slept in complacency.

To the 2,403 perishing that day under merciless bombs

Hails of bullets,terror of torpedos out of nowhere

America must remember forces against our freedoms

Relentlessly work always to  remain aware of surprise of deadly bombs’ glare.

Vigilence is the price of freedom always to be defended

Against those who would destroy our republic from within

By dark forces in far off places we have offended.

 

The answer is not curtailing freedom at home rather it to champion.

d53d2ad690d4db89d7fa291342339e17

The USS Arizona lies today  in Pearl’s waters, bleeding lives

Of her men through the eerie eternal slick marking the rusting hulk.

Beneath Pearl’s waters, the blood of free people oozes from the shadowy bulk,

Bleeding forever, freedom’s spirit living eternally in lost lives remembered.

The Arizona never rests.

 Note: The Pearl Harbor attack took place 77 years ago today at 7 A.M. Honolulu time –just about 12 noon Eastern Standard Time.  Its aftermath is dramatically depicted at

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/pearlhbr/pearlhbr.htm

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County Will Build Mount Vernon Field. Will Be Bid Out in August

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications.  December 7, 2018:

County Executive George Latimer said: “For over 10 years, the prospective repair and re-opening of Memorial Field in Mount Vernon has laid fallow for a number of different reasons. While I have only been on this job for almost 12 months, I know Memorial Field well – it was where I had my High School graduation. Earlier this year, we held a meeting with City officials, after which we made the decision to make the offer through an inter-municipal agreement that the County will take the lead on the completion of this project – and solely for its completion – not its management. The Mount Vernon City Council approved the agreement, on Monday night the County Board of Legislators approved the amended agreement and I am signing it here today.”

Now that the amended IMA has been signed, the County has hired the design firm Woodard & Curran, the same firm who had completed the design plans roughly 10 years ago, to revisit the original design of Memorial Field. The first step will be to have a surveyor go and survey the property since so much time has passed since it was originally done – this is slated to happen December 17. Once the survey is done, Woodard & Curran can work on the preliminary design and then finalize the design. While the design will not start from scratch, the amended IMA requires we use the original plans. Final design is expected by the end of the summer – at which point the project will go out to bid.

ther, while this is happening, on a parallel path, the City of Mount Vernon needs to have a site remediation plan approved by the State Department of Environmental Conservation (“DEC”) to remove the construction debris that was dumped there. The City’s approved plan will outline the work that needs to be done for construction to happen. This issue is solely Mount Vernon’s responsibility.

Now that these plans are in place and signed, without any unforeseen issues – construction will begin in 2019 and Mount Vernon residents will soon have a new – and still historic – Memorial Field to enjoy for generations to come.

Latimer concluded: “We want to show people that reasonable people can work together, that we can work together across party lines, that we can work together across different levels of government in order to actually get things done and solve a problem.”

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FALL SHOPPING DECLINES. 6% SALES TAX TREND NOT SUSTAINED. 35% INCREASE IN NOV DEC NEEDED TO MEET $578 MILLION COUNTY PREDICTION.

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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE.  By John F. Bailey. Based on NY State Dept. of Taxation & Finance Statistics. December 4, 2018:

Westchester County Sale Tax Receipts experienced a lackluster October that was expected to be bolstered by start of school and consumer returns from vacation.

As the County Legislature prepares to approve the county budget, the approximate 6% increase in sales tax receipts has failed to continue into the fall.

The  County sales tax dollar momentum in July started to slow with a 4.7% increase over 2017  after demonstrating a strong 6% trending through the first six months.

In August  the county had its first decline compared to 2017—declining $400,000 from 2017 figures. In September, there was a ½% increase.

The figures for October,  from the State of New York  put in doubt whether the County Budget Department  estimate of $578 Million in sales tax dollars 4 weeks ago will be met.

WPCNR previously estimated that the county would hit the $550 Million level, (if 6% were sustained the last four months of the year.

Now with a very soft  2018 October of $41,374,329 , (1.5% more than October 2017), the trend of softer retail activity has to be of some concern.

The Department of Taxation and Finance does hold out hope that figures are not reconciled until the final month of the quarter, and there may be some  dollar lag.

  • The Westchester economy would have to generate a 35% lift over sales tax dollars received in November and December of 2017 ($95 MILLION in the two months of Nov-Dec in 2017 with 33.3 Million above that $95 Million) to break over the $578 Million figure estimated by the county in early November.
  • More realistically, a 12% Gain (returning to the growth sustained through the first 7 months of the year over the Nov-Dec totals last year)would create $106 Million(over last year’s final two month total of $95 Million  ) would generate a handle of $556.5  Million way off $578 Million
  • A 15% gain would create an additional $14 Million more plus the $95 Million and put the county at $559 Milion.
  • A 20% gain would mean $19 Million more over the 95 Million over the next two months and  $564.2 Million.
  • A 25% gain over last year’s $95 Million would add $23.8 Million and we’d be getting close: $569 Million
  • A 30% gain over $95 Million would add $28.5 Million and get County Sales Tax dollars to $573.7 Million
  • A 35% gain over $95 Million would add $33.3 Million (a total of $128 Million) and hit the target $578.4 Million

 

(Note: the above calculations start from the sales taxes generated so far this year $449,943,467. To that figure WPCNR figured what a 12%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, and 35%  increase in the $95.2 Million collected in November and December last year would bring in  then added those % increases to $95.2 Million and added the sum to $449,943,467 to figure roughly what the county needs to come close to their projection of $578 Million)

How likely is it that the receipts are way late in coming in in October?

Is it plausible the $95 Million generated the last two months of 2017 will grow by  $33.3 Million more generating the $128,511,517 needed to hit the $578 Million?

That  requires a lot of consumer buying, about $16 Million more in sales tax dollars each month over last year.

I  hope there is just a big delay in reporting in October to account for that anemic growth of 1.5%

The gruesome October figure of 1.5% was unfortunate had October rebounded to the 6% level of growth, the October handle would have been $2,446,437 more for the kitty.

A 15% Gain would put the county at $559 Million;  20% Gain in Nov-Dec would generate $564.2 Million. A 25% gain, had October been a rebound month.

The County Legislature may be wrestling with devoting the $25 Million surplus generated so far fully to fund balance to stabilize the county’s bond rating which the rating agencies lowered slightly. Or they could devote the surplus to cover the $35 Million existing at the end of 2018.

However the bigger picture that fall numbers are flat with last year’s pace is more sobering looking to county revenues in 2019. The county will definitely need an increase in the sales tax rate, or a BnB tax or an Uber/Lyft tax to keep pace.

Unless of course the county has been promised $578 Million in sales tax already, and the county knows that figure is coming. It is a mystery how the county arrived at the $578 Million figure even when the 6% trend did not compute to that high a figure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Mayor for All Seasons Has Passed Away

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ALFRED DEL VECCHIO

1923-2018

WPCNR MILESTONES. December 5, 2018 Updated December 6, 2018:

Mayor Alfred Del Vecchio, who served as Mayor of White Plains for 18 years from 1976 through 1993, died overnight Tuesday. He was 95 years of age.

The McMahon, Lyon and Hartnett funeral home has announced there will be a Visitation Sunday, December 9 from 3 PM to 8 PM at the McMahon funeral home,491 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains.

Mass will be held for the Mayor Monday, December 10 at 10 A.M. at Our Lady of Sorrows, 920 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains.

Mayor Del Vecchio brought White Plains into prominence during his years of service. He shaped the rebuilding of the White Plains urban renewal project which introduced The Galleria in 1980, and numerous office buildings that made White Plains a corporate center. He preserved the outer neighborhoods and created the “city in the middle of the neighborhood.” He was a strong leader negotiating development with an eye to improvements for the city in addition to success for developers.

He was a leader in every sense of the word. An engineer by profession, and a professor, he lead through expertise and intense involvement in negotiations, problem-solving, and his gregarious, but no nonsense personna.

He stood up for the city against outside political influences that only had their best interests, not the city in mind. He created the esprit de corp that made the Department of Public Works, Planning and management of the city, professional, dedicated and performance-oriented.

His financial management  made White Plains taxes the lowest and most attractive to homeowners for decades–a legacy White Plains still enjoys.

He left office in 1993 after losing a three-candidate race in 1993.

He was married to his wife, Claire for 73 years.

Early this afternoon, Mayor Tom Roach of White Plains issued this statement detailing more of Mayor Del Vecchio’s legacy:

“It is with sadness that I inform you of the passing of former Mayor of White Plains, Alfred Del Vecchio. Mayor Del Vecchio was our city’s longest serving mayor. He served 4 terms, from 1976 to 1993. During his tenure downtown White Plains saw significant change.

Mayor Del Vecchio guided the city through the process of urban renewal, which changed the face of the central business district.

As Mayor, he oversaw the modernization of land use regulation in the city.

Mayor Del Vecchio was an early advocate for the use of energy efficient technology. Under Mayor Del Vecchio the city first tested and utilized environmentally friendly alternative fuel vehicles.

He secured permanent, direct Community Development Block Grant Program funding for the city through special federal legislation. This funding continues to be used today for neighborhood and streetscape improvements.

Mayor Del Vecchio managed the complete reconstruction and expansion of the city’s Ebersole ice-skating rink, without the loss of any skating-season time.

He acquired the closed state armory on South Broadway and arranged for its conversion to senior citizen housing and a public senior citizens’ community center still in use today.

During Mayor Del Vecchio’s tenure, a new Public Safety/City Court building was constructed to house the police department and City Courts. This was also done on time and under budget.

He secured funding for the construction of the Bronx River Parkway exit ramp to Main Street, which permitted closing of the Woodlands Place exit, thus reducing traffic in the Fisher Hill residential neighborhood.

Mayor Del Vecchio negotiated the agreements under which the federal courthouse was constructed as well as the agreements under which the Galleria was built. He built the 2,800+ space municipal parking structure at the Galleria.

Mayor Del Vecchio was a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Manhattan College. He was elected to the Common Council in 1972 and served for one term before becoming Mayor.

Mayor Del Vecchio had the honor of hosting President Gerald Ford in 1976, when the President visited White Plains for our country’s Bicentennial celebration.

Mayor Del Vecchio’s family has continued to serve White Plains in various city departments, including the Department of Public Safety, Department of Public Works, and Parking Department

We send our condolences to the Del Vecchio family and our gratitude for the years of dedicated service he gave to our city.”

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IDA Provides Millions in Tax Exemptions to White Plains, Harrison Projects

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WPCNR REALTY REALITY. From the Westchester County Industrial Development Agency. December 4, 2018:

 The Westchester County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) has unanimously approved a resolution of intent to provide financial incentives for a $76.8 million transit-oriented, mixed-use residential project to be built next to the Metro-North train station on Halstead Avenue in Harrison.

At its November 29 meeting, the IDA Board approved $1,352,966 in sales tax exemptions for Avalon Bay Communities to develop the three-building complex which consists of 143 rental units, seven affordable units, 27,000 square feet of commercial space and 758 on-site parking spaces. The project also includes two landscaped plazas connecting the train station platform with Halstead Avenue. Monthly rents for the apartments are estimated at $2,500 for one bedroom and $3,000 for two bedrooms. The exterior design takes cues from existing storefronts opposite Halstead Avenue and will complement the Halstead Avenue streetscape. The project, which will be built in two phases over a 30-month period, is expected to create 410 construction jobs and 8 permanent jobs.

Avalon Communities is also constructing a parking garage on a lot adjacent to the residential building that is owned by the Metropolitan Transportation Association (MTA). The garage will have 475 spaces owned by the MTA for commuters, 77 spaces for residents of the residential project and 46 spaces for the commercial users.

“The IDA is pleased to provide financial incentives to Avalon Communities for this innovative   transit-oriented development that will bring new rental housing and retail space to downtown Harrison as well as improved access to the Metro-North train station. We are also pleased that this project will create more than 400 new construction jobs for the County,” said Bridget Gibbons, Director of the Westchester County Office of Economic Development.

In other business, the IDA board approved resolutions for final authorization for financial incentives for two residential projects in White Plains. The projects are:

131 Mamaroneck Avenue & 1 Mitchell Place (The Bridgestone) is a $223.4 million mixed-use residential development in downtown White Plains comprised of 434 rental apartments and approximately 8,000 square feet of retail space in three multi-story buildings with parking and other amenities.  Twenty-seven of the apartments will be affordable. The IDA is providing project developer Lennar Multifamily Communities with $27 million in real estate tax benefits, $3.25 million in sales tax exemptions and $1.5 million in mortgage recording tax exemptions.

 

440 Hamilton Avenue is a $203 million mixed-use residential development in downtown White Plains that involves the adaptive reuse of a 12-story office building for construction of 255 apartment units and 2,420 square feet of commercial retail space. Six percent of the units will be affordable at 60% of Westchester County Area Median Income (AMI). The plan also calls for developing an adjacent surface parking lot on Barker Avenue with an apartment building with

213 units and parking for the project’s residents and associated retail space. IDA benefits include $3,335,400 in sales tax exemption and $1,685,630 in mortgage recording tax exemption.

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Venus at Dawn–at its Brightest in White Plains New York, USA–Did You See Her?

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WPCNR PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DAWN. Photo by WPCNR.December 4, 2018:

It looked like a plane, or a flying saucer, she was so bright this morning adjacent to the crescent moon looking southeast as the dawn emerged.

It is the regal planet Venus.

Venus, traversing its orbit is now between the Earth and the sun, which began to move out of the night sky and into the morning sky on October 26, 2018.

This diamond in the sky this morning now assumes its traditional name as “The Morning Star”.  In early December it is in its most brilliant formal gown.

Tomorrow if it is as clear as this morning, it will be visible if you look into the direction of the dawn. You’ll the “Goddess of the Skies gleaming in the east, one hour before sunrise. ou’ll easily see Venus blazing away in the east an hour before sunrise and even after the sun rises.

The universe is awesome in its serene mysteries.

The planet Venus is the third-brightest celestial body to light up our sky, after the sun and moon.

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WHITE PLAINS WEEK THE NOV 30 PROGRAM NOW ONLINE at WHITE PLAINS WEEK DOT COM, YOUTUBE AND WWW.WPCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

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ALL OVER THE WORLD

WHITE PLAINS WEEK for 11-30 has been posted 
the YouTube link is
the whiteplainsweek.com.link is

TONIGHT 7:30 PM COUNTYWIDE ON FIOS CH. 45

IN WHITE PLAINS ON ALTICE CH. 76

John (Bailey) Peter (Katz) and Jim (Benerofe)

ON

JIM BENEROFE IN THE ORIENT

MARTIN GINSBERG’S NEW CITY SQUARE PROJECT GATEWAY TO WP

THE HARRISON EXPLOSION OF DEVELOPMENT ON WESTCHESTER AVE

CONSTRUCTION STARTS AROUND TOWN

SENATOR ANDREA STEWART-COUSINS POLICY PRIORITIES AS SHE TAKES OVER AS MAJORITY LEADER IN THE STATE SENATE

GOVERNOR  CUOMO REPORTS ON HIS MEETING WITH PRESIDENT 

GEORGE LATIMER BUDGET MESSAGE TO THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY ASSOCIATION.

AND MORE

 

 

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No Puff of Smoke from Michaelian Building on Playland-Standard Amusements Standoff. No Black Smoke either. They will meet again don’t know where or when.

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PLAYLAND: In Management limbo for 4 years. No reported progress. Photos WPCNR Exclusive  Archive

WPCNR PLAYLAND-GO-ROUND. Special to WPCNR. November 30, 2018:

WPCNR contacted the Westchester County Department of Communications today to ask about  the County Executive George Latimer’s long-awaited meeting with “principals” of Standard Amusements this morning.

Catherine Cioffi Director of Communications told WPCNR there would be “No statement.  It was a productive meeting and we are going to meet with them again in the near future.  Will let you know when there is more to say.”

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