WHITE PLAINS USHERS IN NEW TAXI REGULATIONS NEW TAXI RATES–METERS–DOUBLES COST OF CAB RIDES–TARGETS UNAUTHORIZED CABS CRUISING AND RESPONDING TO WP CALLS.

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WPCNR TAXI TAXI! GET ME TO THE TRANSCENTER AND STEP ON IT! By John F. Bailey. April 8, 2016 UPDATED APRIL 9, 2016:

The Common Council voted to approve a sweeping revision of White Plains taxi regulations Monday evening, which sets new standards for taxi operations in the city and prohibits cabs and cab companies who do not have White Plains medallions from picking up customers within the White Plains city limits.

Of paramount interest to the consumer, the ordinance approved on the consent agenda sets new taxi rates, effectively doubling what you pay for a cab — the chart below shows the new rates. No longer will there be set zone fees, the taximeter, required in all White Plains cabs, instead you will pay by 1/8 of a mile traveled.

The rates below take effect approximately July 1.

10-TAXI REGS

The Ordinance appears to take an aggressive stance to private ride services responding to cellphone requests for rides from the White Plains downtown, and to target for fines and jailtime if caught picking up riders without having a White Plains-issued taxi medallion and an ovehead rooflight. The fines for unauthorized operation of a taxi in White Plains are detailed in the following graphic — direct from the city ordinance:

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The new ordinance completely reorganizes taxi operations in White Plains and installs the new fees (above) for White Plains taxicabs, to wit:

 Authorizes five (5) additional White Plains taxicab medallions to be assigned to accessible vehicles only. White Plains will be the first Westchester municipality to incentivize the inclusion of accessible vehicles as part of its taxicab fleet;

 Allows hailing within a defined ‘Hail Zone’ located in the downtown area;  Replaces the Zone Map, which currently governs fares, with a requirement that all White Plains taxicabs utilize taximeters. The Hail Zone Map is largely regarded as confusing and has been a frequent source of customer complaints.

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THE NEW CAB HAIL ZONE AS DESCRIBED IN THE NEW TAXI ORDINANCE.

All White Plains licensed taxicabs are required to install a taximeter within 3 months from the enactment of the ordinance; Fares will increase as each cab ride progresses according to the graphic above.

 Requires that all White Plains licensed taxicabs be painted a uniform color (white) and attach a White Plains taxicab medallion sticker (to be provided by the WPPD) to the vehicle so that the riding public as well as the Police Department can easily identify licensed White Plains taxicabs.

The color requirement will take effect at the next annual medallion renewal. Medallions are generally renewed in November and December of each year;

 Requires that all White Plains licensed taxicab drivers submit to annual drug testing;

 Reduces the overall age and improves the condition of the City’s taxi fleet by requiring that cars be taken out of service when they reach 400,000 miles. This will ensure that the fleet is comprised of newer, more fuel efficient and lower-emission vehicles.

The maximum vehicle mileage requirement will take effect 6 months from the enactment of the ordinance;

 Simplifies the rate structure and provides a modest rate increase for all White Plains licensed taxicabs. The last rate increase was approved 14 years ago; and

 Requires that owners and drivers of taxicabs maintain vehicles in a clean and safe condition. These changes come on the heels of the installation of two Taxi Starters (Special Patrol Officers)

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New Fees as provided in the new City Ordinance.

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NOW ON PEOPLE TO BE HEARD: White Plains Jimmie Morricone on Uber Cabs and Westchester County…on www.wpcommunitymedia.org

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ON PEOPLE TO  BE HEARD,

JIMMIE MORRICONE

WHITE PLAINS LIMO DRIVER, MOVIE PRODUCER

AN EXPERT ON THE TAXI AND LIMO SITUATION IN WESTCHESTER

TALKS

UBER

AS THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE TAKES UP WHETHER TO REQUIRE UBER TO BE LICENSED IN THE COUNTY.

IS UBER WRONG FOR WESTCHESTER OR RIGHT?

IS UBER SAFE FOR THE PUBLIC?

WHAT ARE THE COSTS?

WITH JOHN BAILEY SEE IT AT 7  SATURDAY EVENING ON

CHANNEL 45 VERIZON FIOS COUNTYWIDE

OR

ON WHITE PLAINS CABLEVISION CHANNEL 76

OR

GO TO

www.wpcommunitymedia.org

to see the program NOW

 

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87% of White Plains 3rd to 8th Grades TAKE the New State “Reviewed for Fairness” ELA Assessments; 13%, 414 OF 3,185 HELD Held Back by Parents

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the White Plains City School District and John F. Bailey. April 6, 2016:

Michele Schoenfeld, Clerk to the Board of Education reports that  87% of approximately 3,185  Grade 3 to 8 students took the ELA assessments yesterday.

A total of 414  students (13%)  of approximately 3,185 students in Grades 3 to 8 were held back by their parents from taking the English Language Arts Assessment Tests administered across White Plains’ five elementary and 2 middle schools yesterday.

Last year 10%, 327 of 3,213 students eligible to take the ELA Assessment tests in Grades 3 to 8 were held back by parents from taking the exams.

The ELA Assessments this year, were carefully gone over by 22 teachers for appropriateness and answerability by grade level.

According to a news release from MaryEllen Elia, released March 16, the tests administered Tuesday though originally created by Pearson, (the international educational materials publisher dismissed last spring as contractor for creating NYS assessments), were vetted for appropriateness by grade.

Ms. Elia in the news release went on record, assuring teachers and parents the tests this year should be “fair,” for all students each grade taking them, to wit:

“We hired a new company to help us develop future assessments (Questar, credited with upgrading Minnesota state assessments success). We brought teachers from across (N.Y.) state to review every reading passage, word problem, and multiple-choice question on this spring’s tests to make sure they’re fair. In all every item has been reviewed by at least 22 educators. Going forward, we’ll bring even more teachers into the process.”

On Tuesday, the majority of students held back in White Plains attended the middle school (grades 6 to 8). Here are the opt-out figures by grade as of this morning supplied by the Clerk to the Board of Education.

White Plains Grades 3 to 5: 7%, 118 students.

Grades 6 to 8: 18%, 296 students

Total, Grades 3 to 8: 414, 13%

 

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WHITE PLAINS ANNOUNCES VIRTUAL ZERO TAX INCREASE IN NEW BUDGET–LOWEST INCREASE IN 16 YEARS

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CITY RAISES BUDGET $4.6M T0 $183.8 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF 2.6%, HOLDING TAX RATE TO $200.95

TAX RATE UP 21 CENTS 1/10 OF 1%!

WPCNR QUILL AND EYESHADE By John F. Bailey. April 4, 2016:

The White Plains city administration presented the 2016-2017 proposed City Budget to the Common Council this evening with a $183.8 Million budget raising property taxes 1/10th of 1 percent—the lowest tax increase since  before WPCNR started covering  the city finances (2000-2001).

In 2000-2001 the city tax rate per $1000 of assessed valuation was $91.48/M on a budget of $86,145,700 and now 16 years later it will be $200.95 per $1000 of assessed valuation on a budget of $183.9 Million.

The city Budget Director Michael A. Genito and Fiscal Advisor, Eileen Bradley presented a budget that rises $4.6 Million to $183.8 Million (a 2.6% increase from the $179.2 Million of 2015-16, (now in its 9th month)

However, the city has offset the increase with increases in licenses and permits of $1.6 Million and charges for services of $1.8 Million, (including an increase of 10% in parking permits).

The city plans a $5.1 Million appropriation to the general fund from the Tax Stabilization account which can only be used  “to address either a significant and unforeseen shortfall in a major revenue source; provide funding for a significant and unforeseen increase in expenditures and/or be appropriated in the adoption of an annual budget to reduce a property tax levy increase to no more than 2-1/2%. Section 68 of the City Charter further prohibits the Common Council from appropriating an amount in excess of the balance reported in the account at the close of the prior fiscal year.” The city transfers approximately this amount each year, which is why the Tax Stabilization Fund, created by a transfer of sales tax revenues each year, has not grown significantly.

The city says that the city tax rate will go up just 21 cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation, an increase of less than 1/10 of a percent.

The city says this will amount to a $3 (yes, $3 dollars) in city property taxes for the median home assessed at $13,600 assessed value.

The budget allows for all anticipated step raises and future negotiated contracts yet to be determined in the Reserve for Financing. The city is facing demands from three unions that are without a contract the fire union, the CSEA and the Teamsters mostly demanding parity with the police settlement through 2018 for 2%, 2-1/8% and 2.5%. According to the budget presented this evening the settlements the city anticipates are covered.

The city says sales taxes will decrease 2.4% to $45.1 million, though if March, April May and June sales receipts equal last year’s totals ($16 Million), the sales tax “take” will be approximately $54 Million, which would be an all-time high for the city.  The  city is forced by the Charter not to count revenue they have not taken in beyond the end of the last fiscal year.

The city budget document reports this the fifth year the city has proposed a budget within the New York State Tax Cap which this year plumetted to 1% of tax levy increase allowed. the tax levy is $56.3 Million (including the Business Improvement District) and is under the state levy cap by $13,000.
It is interesting to note that sixteen years ago in 2000-2001 the city tax rate per $1000 of assessed valuation was $91.48/M on a budget of $86,145,700 and now 16 years later it will be $200.95 per $1000 of assessed valuation on a budget of $183.9 Million.

The tax increases by the city in the last two years and the proposed 1/10 of 1% proposed for 2016-17 are the lowest in the last 16 years when increases averaged 5% a year.

 

 

 

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SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER MAKES PITCH VIA MAIL TO WHITE PLAINS RESIDENTS…

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WPCNR THE POWER NEWS. By John F. Bailey April 4, 2016:

Look for this envelope in your mail. Open it! Pay attention to it!

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Yours truly received it today.

It is from Sustainable Westchester and it is giving you 20 days to say “No” to joining in a group electricity rate for the residents of White Plains and 19 other communities, if you do not respond you are automatically switched to Sustainable Westchester.

The mailing contains this reply card:

WP_20160404_17_23_08_ProReturn this Reply Card checking the box to the “Please Do Not” LINE to turn down Sustainable Westchester savings and retain your present supplier, most likely Con Edison

The mailing contains this letter:

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The letter offers you this rate .0768 cents per kilowatt hour if you request the 100% Renewable Energy Supply (Green option) or a Basic Supply Option Rate of .0738 cents per kilowatt hour, both rates are compared to thre 12 month Consolidated Edison Rate average of .0809 cents per kilowatt hour.

If you do not wish to change your supplier of electricity to Sustainable Westchester you must call return the Reply Card within 20 days…or call Con Edison Solutions at 1-888-437-1722.

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THE ASSESSMENTS NEXT DOOR: FEINER–GREENBURGH NEW ASSESSMENTS WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT UNTIL 2017. MODIFICATIONS MAY BE MADE UP THROUGH SEPTEMBER

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WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. From Town of Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner. April 3, 2017:

Many residents contacted me this weekend. They just received their tax bills which are due at the end of April. The dollar amounts are using the old assessment numbers.

The reason: The tax rolls are finalized in September- not in April. Between now and September Tyler, the Assessor and the Board of Assessment will continue to make modifications in the assessment numbers that you received last month.

This is in compliance with NYS law.  The new assessment numbers will be finalized in September of this year and taxes will be based on those numbers starting in  2017.  Other questions: Do you have to reapply for STAR?  The answer: Only if you receive the enhanced STAR benefits (which is income based for seniors).

The Assessor, Edye McCarthy and Town Board want to make sure that you are assessed correctly. When I met with the Assessor on Saturday at Town Hall  she indicated that about 2,000 property owners out of 28,000 have so far contacted Tyler technologies making appointments for informal hearings to seek adjustments in the tentative assessment numbers. If you have not asked for an appointment yet please call Tyler at  1-800-273-8605. There are closer to 6,000 properties that will experience tax hikes after the reassessment is completed. I’m hopeful that those who feel that Tyler’s estimated property values were wrong will seek a meeting so that Tyler could make appropriate adjustments.
 
28,000 properties are a lot of properties to assess at one time (the first reassessment in 60 years). Tyler is making some adjustments. If residents meet with Tyler and in June you’re not satisfied with the results – the Assessor (at that time) has the option to make adjustments. And you also have the opportunity to file a grievance with the Citizens Board of Assessment Review. Look at the letter you received from Tyler last month as only a first draft. The final rolls won’t be finalized until September.

During the past few weeks the Assessor, Deputy Assessor, staff in the assessors office and I have been meeting with many residents –answering questions, providing them with records they are requesting that will help them when they meet with Tyler and discussing process. We’re more than willing to meet with individuals, neighborhood civic associations, even a handful of your neighbors during this process. We share similar goals: No one wants you to pay more than your fair share in taxes. If you would like to schedule a meeting with me and the Assessor or Deputy Assessor to discuss the process or to obtain more information about your own property, please e mail me at pfeiner@greenburghny.com.
 What should you bring to Tyler when you meet with them? photographs (inside and out), cost estimates of any work completed or in the process, an appraisal or a market analysis from a realtor, sales listing or contract of sale, comparable sales in your neighborhood, and lastly, everything and anything you feel would change the value of your home, such as, but definitely not limited to: your property floods, you live on a busy corner, or close to a highway or commercial property or tension wires, etc.  another example, may be, your kitchen and bathrooms have not been updated or they have, or the house is under construction.  Again, the more you tell them, the more information they will have to assess your property correctly.  By law, you do not have to let them, but it would surely help if they request an inspection.  There is a lot of information on the town website: www.greenburghny.com (home page). We are also adding more information on the Assessors page (on the left side of the home page there is a category called departments. Click Assessor and you’ll find some additional helpful info.
We are also planning to try to come up with some recommendations that could ease the impact of tax hikes for those who will be reassessed upwards. Most people in town will see no impacts or tax cuts as a result of the reassessment. But -others will experience hikes and it would be great if we could figure out a way to help them.  Please continue to e mail me your suggestions: pfeiner@greenburghny.com. Some of the mitigation recommendations will probably require State Legislative approvals.
Finally–although some people are upset that we are reassessing after 60 years because their taxes went up– it should be pointed out that reassessment is not a revenue generator for the town. The goal is fairness: people living in the same kind of house should pay similar taxes –not thousands of dollars in different amounts. Over the years some people added additions to their properties without notifying the town. During the reassessment process we’re able to adjust the taxes on these homes -based on the additional work that was done. There are taxpayers who have been overpaying for years. Now, after the reassessment is implemented their taxes will go down and they will pay only their fair share. And–once the reassessment is completed we should see fewer grievances. The town, school, county, fire districts have been issuing up to $10 million per year in tax refunds, paying significant dollars in defending these certiorari actions in legal costs. That will slow down.  So in summary – it was important to reassess. However – we want to make sure that your properties are assessed correctly.
Members of the Town Board are also interested in hearing from you. Feel free to e mail the entire Town Board at town board@greenburghny.com. Francis Sheehan, Diana Juettner, Ken Jones, Kevin Morgan and I want you to have confidence in what you’re doing and we would be happy to respond to your questions and suggestions. The Town Board also approved a law requiring periodic reassessments approximately every five years so the town will never experience this tax shift again.
PAUL FEINER
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WHITE PLAINS WEEK ON HILLARY CLINTON RALLY, THE NEW TAXI REGULATIONS, THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK AND DEBATE CHAOS.

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EXCLUSIVE WPCNR VIDEO ON HILLARY CLINTON HIGHLIGHTS–PETER KATZ REPORTING. WHAT YOU DID NOT SEE.

JIM BENEROFE’S TAKE ON AGING AND THE PRESIDENCY

JOHN BAILEY ON THE SURPRISE TAXI REGULATIONS BEING VOTED ON MONDAY AND THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK AND HOW YOU CAN ANSWER IT.

SEE IT NOW

ON YOUTUBE AT

TONIGHT 7 P.M. ON WHITE PLAINS WEEK ON FIOS CHANNEL 45 AND CABLEVISION CHANNEL 76 ON WHITE PLAINS TV

AND LATER ON THE INTERNET AT

www.whiteplainsweek.com

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WhitePlainsWeekkeysign

WHERE THE REAL NEWS IS

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HILLARY CLINTON STAKES OUT NEW HIGH GROUND- MOCKS REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES’ INEXPERIENCE, NAIVETE IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS, SECURITY, RECKLESS TALK DIVIDING NATION

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Hillary Clinton addressing supporters at State University of New York today in Purchase, NY

Hillary Clinton blasted Republican front runners as unqualified for the Presidency, today  saying she is best qualified for the Presidency because “I’ve done it all.”

She warned women that the Republicans want less government except when that comes to womens rights, voters rights, and immigrants.

She made the case that Republican campaign rhetoric threatened  security if any were elected due to their inexperience with the world community.

She said the key to ISIS is continuing to form a world coalition, a formidable task which she has done in the past in forming the Iran boycott which moved Iran to agree to the nuclear nonproliferation agreement.

On Health Care she chided both Donald Trump and Ted Cruz saying they want to roll back progress on health care.

Her overriding theme was the nation must “get over the inability to listen to opposing views.”

WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2016. By John F. Bailey. March 31, 2016:  Hundreds turned up early this morning to wait to see Hillary Clinton at a campaign rally in Purchase in person and on closed circuit television.

You can see the video of Mrs. Clinton’s speech this afternoon at

www.hillaryspeeches.com

They heard a new Presidential-like, no-nonsense Hillary Clinton not only sounding Presidential but walking the walk.

She delivered a message specifically criticizing Republican contenders for the Presidency and her rival for the Democratic Presidential nomination, Bernie Sanders for their lack of experience and lack of practical plans to deliver a better way of life for the American people and to keep us safe.

Republicans, she said were creating an atmosphere of hatred and violence, that she said was both “scary and dangerous.”

The messages of the leading Republican candidates, she said would make it very difficult to forge alliances with Europe and allies to defeat ISIS because of Republican anti-Muslim remarks, saying it would be hard to obtain cooperation from Muslim nations to participate in a coalition against ISIS. She said Ted Cruz’s idea of monitoring Muslims in America, was mocked by the NYPD and New York City Police Commissioner William Braaton  as “not knowing what the Hell he (Cruz) was talking about. “ She also pointed out that what would Cruz do with the 1,000 Muslim police officers in the NYPD.

She mocked Mr.  Sanders’ idea that health care had to be redone, by saying now 90% of Americans have health insurance, “so many persons have come up to me and told me how (President Obama’s) Affordable Health Care Act had saved their lives because they were able to go to a doctor. I know how hard it was to put together a Health Care program. It is better to keep what we have and build on it than start over.”

Citing Donald Trump’s statements on abortion,  immigration and women, she invoked Maya Angelou the poet whom she quoted as saying, “Listen to what a person says. They mean exactly what they say.”

She said Sanders idea of providing free college to young people that would be paid for by the states which she mocked as unrealistic. She said she planned to attack the student loan problem by lowering interest rates on the loans students have going forward, and having students work at colleges to lower their financial commitment. This is detailed, she said on her website. Also appealing to students she planned an entrepreneurial program to aid young graduates in starting their own businesses.

In a broader economic  statement she said she wanted to encourage keeping jobs in this country by making it less attractive to move businesses overseas, and  establish an infrastructure fund for the states to establish more jobs while repairing their physical plants.

She ended her 40 minute talk by saying “so much is at stake in this election.”

Shortly after her talk began a group of  Senator Sanders supporters interrupted her and marched out. Mrs. Clinton said, “I’d like to sit down and talk with you, but this is typical, no side wants to hear what the other has to say.”

She alluded to this theme at the close saying the nation has to stop this and work together.

She shook hands with as many persons surrounding the state as she could after the rally. I figured there were about 200 in the room and hundreds more watching on close circuit television in the larger SUNY Purchase theater.

There was heavy security in effect.

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Transit Study Reaches Out to White Plains Citizens with Online Survey Format: Asks 1st QUESTION OF THE WEEK

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WPCNR TRANSIT CENTER PROJECTIONS. From the City of White Plains March 31, 2016:

Downtown White Plains Transit District Study Launches “Question of the Week”

White Plains Mayor Tom Roach announced a new component of the public engagement plan for the Downtown White Plains Transit District Study. “Starting this week, we will be reaching out directly to the public with a Question of the Week,” said Mayor Roach. “This represents an additional means of public outreach and will complement the public engagement meetings that have already been scheduled.”

The Question of the Week may be answered up until April 10 at this URL

www.wptransitdistrict.com

(Paste above URL in your browser to have your say:)

You have to put in your email address for your answer to be accepted.

This week’s Transit District Question of the Week:

Which of these improvements would most impact your transit experience? (check all that apply to you)
 
 
Better pedestrian access
 
Separate areas for taxi and passenger drop off
 
Cleaner station
 
Better signage
 
Increased lighting
 
Food services
 
Other:
 

 

 

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SATURDAY ON WHITE PLAINS TV PEOPLE TO BE HEARD: MIKE KAPLOWITZ EXPLAINS HIS PLAN TO SAVE PLAYLAND-STANDARD DEAL –ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT www.whiteplainsweek.com

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COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS CHAIRMAN MIKE KAPLOWITZ ADDRESSES THE MEDIA ON MARCH 18 AT A NEWS CONFERENCE EXPLAINING WHY HE FEELS THE STANDARD AMUSEMENTS PLAN TO RUN PLAYLAND CAN MAKE SENSE FOR THE COUNTY IF THE COST OF PLAYLAND CAPITAL PROJECTS IS SHARED. 
THE NEWS CONFERENCE WILL BE REPLAYED IN ITS ENTIRETY ON PEOPLE TO BE HEARD, COUNTYWIDE ON CHANNEL 45 FIOS AND CHANNEL 76 CABLEVISION IN WHITE PLAINS SATURDAY EVENING AT 7 PM. IT IS AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING NOW ON THE INTERNET AT www.whiteplainsweek.com

 

 

 

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