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. | 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.

ARC OF WESTCHESTER LEADERS TALK ARC FAMILY RESOURCES DAY MARCH 14 ON THIS WEEK’S PEOPLE TO HEARD ON www.whiteplainsweek.com

Posted on March 7, 2015 by John Bailey

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WHITE PLAINS WEEK-MARCH 6 SHOW-ON INTERNET NOW www.whiteplainsweek.com

Posted on March 7, 2015 by John Bailey

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LABOR DEPT: Jobs Increased 1.4% in a year in Hudson Valley. Lags behind State(2%) Nation (2.8%)

Posted on March 5, 2015 by John Bailey

WPCNR 9 TO 5. From the NYS Department of Labor. (Edited) March 5, 2015:

For the 12-month period ending in January 2015, private sector employment in the Hudson Valley increased by 10,400, or 1.4 percent, to 742,200. Westchester-Rockland and Orange Counties increased 1.5%

Although the regional job market continues to expand, private sector job growth in the Hudson Valley lags that of the state (+2.0 percent) and the nation (+2.8 percent).

The job picture in the private sector continues to be mixed, with growth recorded in five of the nine sectors.

Aided by a strong health component, educational and health services (+5,300) remains the region’s leading job generator.

Other job gainers included: natural resources, mining and construction (+2,700), which despite inclement weather conditions, posted the best year-to-year gain for any January since 2007; other services (+2,100); professional and business services (+2,100); trade, transportation and utilities (+1,400).

Meanwhile, job losses were largest in leisure and hospitality (-1,200), information (-800), and manufacturing (-800).

Overall, private sector employment growth occurred throughout the region. Job growth was fastest in the Kingston metro area (+1.8 percent); the Orange-Rockland-Westchester metro area (+1.5 percent); the Dutchess-Putnam metro area (+0.8 percent); and Sullivan County (+0.6 percent).

NY Attorney General Exposes For-Profit Charity Telemarketers Keep $156 Million Intended for Charities. They “Vulture” 52 Cents of Every Dollar Raised. HOW TO HANDLE PUSHY CHARITY CALLS

Posted on March 5, 2015 by John Bailey

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the Office of the New York State Attorney General. March 5, 2015:

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today released his annual “Pennies for Charity” fundraising report showing that for-profit telemarketers operating in New York in 2013 retained the majority of the funds they raised on behalf of charities – more than $156 million that was intended to support charitable causes.

Telemarketers registered in New York reported raising more than $302 million for charity in 2013, a 20% increase over the previous year and the most ever reported in the history of the New York Attorney General’s annual Pennies for Charity report.

The Lower Hudson Valley is the exception to the rule where charities actually kept 85% of what their professional fundraisers raised.

Of those funds, $146.5 million went to organizations’ charitable missions, about 48% of the total money raised. In 75% of the fundraising campaigns run by telemarketers, the charities retained less than 50% of the funds raised.

“New Yorkers who are generous enough to donate their hard-earned money to charity deserve to know how that money is really spent, including how much is used to pay for-profit telemarketers,” Attorney General Schneiderman said. “Our Pennies for Charity report is an important tool for transparency because it informs the donating public what portion of their charitable contributions made through telemarketers went to the outside fundraisers’, and how much was left to support charitable programs.”

At 48%, the share of funds raised by for-profit telemarketers that went to charity in 2013 increased significantly in comparison to 2012, when only 37% of the funds raised went to the charitable missions donors intended to support.

The Pennies for Charity report has been published annually for the last 12 years, drawing attention to this issue.

The “Pennies for Charity” report aggregates information from fundraising reports filed with the Attorney General’s Charities Bureau for telemarketing campaigns conducted in the previous year.

Other significant findings from analyzing the 573 fundraising campaigns covered in the Attorney General’s report include:

In 75%, or 435 of the 573, the charities retained less than 50 percent of the funds raised.
In 49.2%, or 282 of the 573 campaigns, the charities retained less than 30% of the funds raised or expenses exceeded contributions.
Of the 573 campaigns, 316 were conducted on behalf of organizations located outside of New York.

Statewide, the rate of return was lowest for donations solicited in the Central New York area, specifically Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Otsego, St. Lawrence, Tioga and Tompkins counties.

Based upon the address contained in documents filed with the Charities Bureau, each charitable organization listed in this report has been assigned to a particular geographic area. The following is a list of these geographic areas, the counties included in each area, total gross dollars raised on behalf of charities located in each area and the net amount received by these charitable organizations:

Geographical Area	Counties	Gross Receipts	Net to Charity	Retained by Charity
1 – New York City	Bronx, King, New York, Queens, Richmond	$39,451,348.76	$21,505,637.39	54.5%
2 – Long Island	Nassau, Suffolk	$8,901,262.08	$2,437,476.21	27.4%
3 – Lower Hudson Valley	Delaware, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, Westchester	$75,754,186.73	$64,762,271.85	85.5%
4 – Capital District and Eastern Adirondacks	Albany, Clinton, Columbia, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren, Washington	$4,952,785.37	$1,483,934.89	30.0%
5 – Central NY and Western Adirondacks	Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Otsego, St. Lawrence, Tioga, Tompkins	$853,312.56	$91,807.55	10.8%
6 – Rochester and Surrounding Area	Chemung, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Yates	$1,492,643.82	$834,017.48	55.9%
7 – Western NY	Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming	$1,800,429.87	$719,953.74	40.0%
8 – All Others	Locations outside New York State	$169,382,350.80	$54,625,720.68	32.2%

Despite improvements in the share of funds going to charitable purposes, telemarketing remains an expensive and intrusive method of raising funds for charity, and suffers from significant limitations compared to other forms of fundraising:

it encourages “me-too” charities which sound like respected and effective charities, but are much less effective; for example, the me-too charity “Kids Wish Network” – which sounds like an affiliate of the well-known “Make-a-Wish Foundations” – pays out more than 2/3 of its telemarketing revenue to fundraisers;
the largely anonymous interaction between telemarketer staff, located at a remote call center, and the call recipient is difficult to detail after the fact, making policing or proof of misrepresentation difficult;
many charities fail to actively monitor the fundraisers they engage and hold them accountable.
The Attorney General has found a number of fundraisers with significant histories of violations who continue to secure fundraising contracts, seemingly with little board oversight or involvement. For example, InfoCision, Inc., which has voluntary assurance agreements with multiple states arising out of their improper conduct, and recently settled a class action misrepresentation suit, had 41 contracts filed with the Office of the Attorney General, and kept 66% of the proceeds of its fundraising activity.

To assist charities in addressing this issue, Tips for Charities are included in the report. In an effort to help people who give to charity to ensure that their donations support the causes they intend, Attorney General Schneiderman issued the following tips when making donations via phone solicitation:

Resist Pressure To Give On The Spot.If you receive a call from a telemarketer, do not feel pressured to give over the phone. You can ask to receive information about the cause and a solicitation by mail.
Ask The Telemarketer.Ask the caller what programs are conducted by the charity, how much of your donation will be used for charitable programs, how much the telemarketer is being paid and how much of your donation the charity is guaranteed.
Ask How Your Donation Will Be Used.Ask specifically how the charity plans to use your donation, including the services and organizations your donation will support. Avoid charities that make emotional appeals and are vague in answering your questions. Be wary if an organization will not provide written information about its charitable programs and finances upon request. Any legitimate organization will be glad to send you this information.
Look Up Charities.Review information about the charity before you give. The Attorney General’s interactive website allows potential donors to easily search the “Pennies for Charity” report by the name of the charity or by region in New York State. (A link to the search tool can be found on the Attorney General’s charities website atwww.charitiesnys.com.) Users can also see how much money was raised by a professional fundraiser and how much money actually went to each charitable organization. Also confirm that the charity is eligible to receive tax-deductible donations by searching the IRS website at www.irs.gov.
Give To Established Charities.Donate to organizations you are familiar with or ones with a verifiable record of success in meeting their charitable missions. Closely examine charities with names similar to more established organizations.
Never Give Cash.It’s best to give your contribution by check made payable directly to the charity. This is safer than giving by credit or debit card and far safer than sending cash. Be careful about disclosing personal or financial information; never give out such information to an organization or individual you don’t know.
Report Suspicious Organizations.If you believe an organization is misrepresenting its work, or that a scam is taking place, please contact the Attorney General’s Charities Bureau at charities.bureau@ag.ny.gov or (212) 416-8401.

A copy of today’s report can be accessed here.

Port Washington, NY Corporate Kingpins Sentenced to Jailtime for Kickbacks.

Posted on March 4, 2015 by John Bailey

WPCNR FBI WIRE. From the Federal Bureau of Investigation. March 4, 2015

Gilbert Fiorentino, 54, and Carl Fiorentino, 57, both of Coral Gables, Florida, were sentenced yesterday in Federal Court in the Southern District of Florida, in connection with their participation in an illegal scheme to obtain more than $11 million dollars in kickbacks and other benefits, and to conceal this illicit income from the IRS, while employed as senior executives at Systemax, Inc. (“Systemax”) and its subsidiary, TigerDirect, Inc. (“TigerDirect”).

Carl Fiorentino was sentenced to 80 months’ imprisonment. Gilbert Fiorentino was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. A hearing to determine the remaining amount of restitution owed to Systemax by the defendants, who are brothers, has been scheduled for April 3, 2015.

Systemax had its principal place of business in Port Washington, New York, and sold personal computers and other consumer electronics through its websites, retail stores, and direct mail catalogs including TigerDirect, CompUSA, and Circuit City. In fiscal year 2010, Systemax had annual sales revenue of approximately $3.6 billion according to its public filings. Gilbert Fiorentino was a director of Systemax and was the Chief Executive Officer of its Technology Product Group, including its subsidiary TigerDirect. Carl Fiorentino was the former president of TigerDirect. Both defendants worked at TigerDirect’s Miami offices before they were terminated on April 18, 2011.

On December 2, 2014, Carl Fiorentino pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and one count of tax evasion, and Gilbert Fiorentino pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and to impair and impede the lawful functions of the Internal Revenue Service.

The sentences were announced by Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Diego G. Rodriguez, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office; and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office.

U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer stated, “Gilbert and Carl Fiorentino hid their ill-gotten financial gains from the IRS and the shareholders of Systemax. They violated their positions of trust by accepting illegal kickbacks, driving up the price of the consumer electronics and passing the price increase to the consumer. Yesterday’s sentences demonstrate our commitment to root out corporate fraud and enforce the laws that protect investors in financial markets.”

“For years, the brothers Fiorentino financed their luxury lifestyles with illicit kickbacks, all the while concealing their fraudulent gains from the shareholders of Systemax and the IRS. Such illegal self-enrichment, at the expense of a publicly-traded corporation and the IRS, cannot be tolerated,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “Yesterday’s sentences should serve as a stern reminder that those who commit corporate fraud will be held accountable.”

Diego G. Rodriguez, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, stated, “The Fiorentinos financed their extravagant lifestyle with $11 million in kickbacks. These kickbacks paid for, among other things, a waterfront Florida mansion. But the excess ends today. This sentence should put anyone who plans to shakedown shareholders on notice.”

IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Kelly R. Jackson stated, “These high-ranking corporate officials undermined the process of fair and open competition and broke the law when they obtained unlawful kickbacks. They then took steps to hide these kickbacks from Systemax and the IRS. Yesterday’s sentencing sends a clear message to other corporate officials that this type of criminal behavior will be punished. IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to investigate corporate officers who misuse their positions of trust and violate the tax laws.”

As senior executives of Systemax and TigerDirect, Gilbert Fiorentino and Carl Fiorentino had responsibility for, among other things, purchasing and sourcing hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of computer and electronics items for Systemax and its various operations. Gilbert Fiorentino and Carl Fiorentino conspired with each other and third parties to obtain unlawful kickbacks in exchange for steering business to companies that paid the kickbacks.

For example, Carl Fiorentino received millions of dollars in payments from one TigerDirect supplier, including more than $3 million to pay for his waterfront residence in Gables Estates and millions of dollars’ worth of luxury furniture, art, and high-end electronics. Gilbert Fiorentino received hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments. These included deliveries of gold coins, cash handed over in the parking lot of the Miami offices of TigerDirect, and furniture and other goods and services delivered to his Gables Estates waterfront home.

In connection with this scheme, Carl and Gilbert Fiorentino filed false United States Individual Income Tax Returns and also regularly signed conflict of interest questionnaires in which they falsely and fraudulently concealed from Systemax their receipt of cash and other remuneration from vendors who did business with the company. In doing so, they mislead Systemax’s auditors and prevented them from performing accurate reviews and audits of the company’s books, records, and accounts. Additionally, when Carl Fiorentino learned that he was under investigation by the government, he obstructed justice by instructing witnesses to lie to federal authorities to conceal his criminal conduct.

This case was originally investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York with the assistance of the FBI New York Field Office and the IRS-CI Miami Field Office. Carl Fiorentino was previously charged in the Eastern District of New York on June 18, 2013, with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, multiple counts of mail and wire fraud, and money laundering. The case involving Carl Fiorentino was transferred to the Southern District of Florida by court order on January 6, 2014.

The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Jose E. Martinez.

The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerrob Duffy of the Southern District of Florida and Whitman G.S. Knapp of the Eastern District of New York.

Today’s announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it is the broadest coalition of law enforcement and investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state, and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions, and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,900 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.

Mayor Roach Will Address White Plains Rotary with Annual State of the City Address March 10

Posted on March 4, 2015 by John Bailey

Mayor Roach Addressing the Rotary of White Plains last March

WPCNR News and Comment. By John F. Bailey. March 4, 2015:

Mayor Thomas Roach will deliver his “annual” State of the City Address to the Rotary Club of White Plains next Tuesday, March 10.

It will be the second State of the City the Mayor has delivered to the Rotary Membership.

Among the topics the Mayor might be expected to address to the membership would be:

1. The state of future developments already approved in the city.

2. Property vacancies in the downtown and efforts to fill them.

3. State of the city economy; the plans to attract more investment in the city.

4. Status of the Winbrook “Revitalization,” and availability of financing for the continued development of a new Windbrook (the first building is now going up).

5. The revision of cabaret conditions of operation.

6. The timetable and status of a Common Council decision on the French American School of New York proposal for the former Ridgeway Country Club.

7. City approach to negotiations with all city union contracts which expire in June.

8. Analysis of city vulnerability to new tax refunds sought by business owners in the town due to the soft economy the last four years.

9. The city real estate market uptrend in prices while the assessment role grew by less than 1%;

10, Details on the new Westchester Avenue mall, hotel, and apartment complex introduced last week.

11. Status of the survey the city was funded $1 Million by the state to review possibilities for development of the White Plains Metro North Railroad Station. Perhaps his thoughts of what should go there besides the station.

12. Efforts of the areas Mass Transit Task Force to determine where a new Bus Rapid Transit hub would be in the White Plains area.

13. Status of zoning: Is White Plains entered into an era of “Flex-zoning?”

14. Efforts to preserve and promote development on Westmoreland Avenue.

15. The White Plains City approach to the Governor’s Tax Cap–What must the city do to allow White Plains Citizens to receive Governor Cuomo’s tax rebates if cities hold budgets under the property tax cap allowed increase? Is this possible? Can the City budget be cut?

16. Revision of the City Comprehensive Plan Timetable.

17. The Secret Ingredients of Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti’s “Nicoletti-tini” the magic cocktail that has kept White Plains moving during snow and ice storms all winter?

18. Parking Policy: Is it Working or Driving Consumers Away?

19. What does the BID Survey of the Down Business District Say about the Downtown?

Anyway, if I were the Mayor I would attempt to address these issues with the Club and repeat his State of the City at the next Common Council meeting because solving them all will definitely lead to an improved State of the City and renewed confidence in the citizens.

Perhaps the Mayor will visit every Neighborhood Association and deliver his State of the City, too, that would help get the message out how well the city is doing.

Or better yet, perhaps the Mayor’s public relations team can video the speech and post it on the city website for all to see.

White Plains January Sales Tax Receipts Soft–Down 1.2% –ON TARGET for $47 MILLION– $1.8 MILLION OFF LAST YEAR PACE

Posted on March 3, 2015 by John Bailey

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE Special to WPCNR From the New York State Department of Taxation & Finance with Reporting by John F. Bailey March 3, 2015:

January Sales Tax collections to the City of White Plains declined 1.2% from the January of 2014..leaving the city with $25.5 Million collected through the first seven months of the 1014-15 fiscal year.

If consumer buying picks up in White Plains matching the 2014 February through June figures through June 2015, the city will collect $46.9 Million in total sales taxes, leaving the city with a $1.8 Million shortfall in revenues from sales tax. $48,700,903 was collected in fiscal 2013-14 by the city. That projects as a 4% decline in sales tax receipts, pending of course a robust 4 months ahead.

A $2 Million decline in sales tax receipts would need a 6% tax increase to close the budget gap, since approximately $5 Million in sales tax receipts is needed to fund city payrolls as they now stand (pending any negotiated increases.

Westchester County January sales tax figures also declined but only by 1/2 % as the county started their fiscal year.

ASSESSMENT ROLL STAYS VIRTUALLY THE SAME. UPSHOT YOUR TAXES GO UP UNLESS CITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT HOLD LINE. MIDDLE MARKET HOME TAX: $14,400

Posted on March 2, 2015 by John Bailey

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. March 2, 2015:

The White Plains City Assessment Roll for 2015, upon which property taxes are levied, was released today on the city website. The roll stayed virtually the same, gaining $75,915 to $277,055,010 compared to the 2014 Roll of $276,979095. A miniscule gain of .0002 %.

This is dissappointing in one respect since it shows continued softness in the real estate tax base. It means, too that the school district the city’s largest taxer will not have to automatically raise the tax rate to make up for a lowered roll. However the district is already talking about a 4% tax rate increase in preliminary numbers if they keep the present budget going and figure a 2% labor settlement in wages across the board (all city union contracts are up).

Last year with the city raising the tax rate to $196.14 with no wage increases across the unions, and the school district raising their tax rate to $600.22 (per $1,000 of evaluation, the $650,000 middle market home paid $3,200 to the city and about $10,000 to to the school district and $2,000 to Westchester County which did not raise taxes.

If the city and school district keep pace (a rollover in spending by the city and the district, a rollover of present spending levels you are looking at a $400 increase in property taxes which would mean an overall tax bill from the City, School and County of $16,000, up from $15,200. Deduct the STAR EXEMPTION of $1,585 if eligible, and the tax could be $14,415.

The White Plains middle market home ($650,000) is looking at another

Governor: Tax Cap is Working. Reveals How his Proposed Property Tax Credit Works: Westchesterites Get Back $1,210 if Passed.

Posted on March 2, 2015 by John Bailey

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the Governor’s Press Office. (EDITED) March 2, 2015:

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today detailed projected savings for New York taxpayers as a result of the Property Tax Relief program, which provides 1.3 million homeowners significant financial relief. The $1.66 billion program, which also includes a renters’ credit, is part of the Governor’s 2015 Opportunity Agenda.

“We must ensure economic opportunity in New York – and that means putting money back in the pockets of hardworking homeowners who have been struggling under the crushing burden of property taxes for far too long,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo.

“During the last four years, we capped property taxes, and then we froze them. Now we are going to cut them. This program addresses the one of the most important challenges we face as a state – making New York affordable – by providing real, meaningful, significant tax relief that will make a difference in people’s lives.”

In Westchester County under the Governor’s proposal, 94,174 persons would qualify and receive an average $1,210 in refund on their property taxes.

In Rockland County, 37,551 would receive a $1,136 average refund, and in Dutchess, 36,088 would receive average refunds of $1,005.

A statewide county-by-county breakdown of 1.3 million homeowners can be viewed here. More details about the program can be viewed here.
Who Qualifies?

The property tax relief is available to homeowners with incomes below $250,000 whose property taxes exceed 6 percent of their income.

The credit is valued at up to 50 percent of the amount by which property taxes exceed the 6 percent burden threshold, depending on household income. The specific amount of the credit within that 50 percent is determined on a progressive income scale, so that New Yorkers with the highest tax burdens and lowest income levels will receive the greatest amount of relief.

How Does Property Tax Relief Work for New Yorkers?

The 2011 statewide property tax cap has been extraordinarily effective at lowering the tax burden for homeowners across the state.

Through the first three years of the cap, the average property tax payer will have saved more than $800 compared to if taxes had continued to grow at the previous average rate of growth.

Those savings will increase to $2,100 in local property taxes by 2017 if this trend continues.

The property tax freeze, which was enacted last year, provides direct relief to New York homeowners.

Over three years, the program will result in more than $1.5 billion in direct property tax relief, and the average New Yorker will receive approximately $656. The freeze also addresses one of the primary drivers of the State’s high property taxes by incentivizing local governments and school districts to seek efficiencies and share services.

The new Property Tax Credit strengthens the property tax cap because outside of New York City, only the taxes levied by a tax cap-compliant jurisdiction are included in the credit calculation.

All facets of the program will be phased in over four years, and only school taxes will apply in the first year. More than half of the full benefit will be phased-in by Tax Year 2016, and 81 percent will be phased-in by Tax Year 2017.

The Governor is calling on New Yorkers to get involved and help make his Opportunity Agenda, which includes the Property Tax Relief proposal, a reality by visiting www.NYGetInvolved.com.

Spears Jury Verdict: Guilty of Depraved Murder in the Second Degree.

Posted on March 2, 2015 by John Bailey

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. From the Office of the District Attorney. March 2, 2015:

Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced that Lacey Spears (DOB 10/16/87) of 247 Travis Road, Scottsville, Kentucky was convicted after a jury trial to the count in the indictment charging her with:

one count of Depraved Murder in the Second Degree, a class “A” Felony,

relating to the death of her 5 year old son, Garnett-Paul Spears, who was declared dead at Westchester Medical Center on January 23, 2014.

“Throughout his five years, Garnett Spears was forced to suffer through repeated hospitalizations, unneeded surgical procedures and ultimately poisoning with salt, all at the hands of the one person who should have been his ultimate protector: his mother. Using the child’s “illnesses” to self aggrandize herself, her actions directly lead to her son’s tortured death. We will continue to ensure that his mother is held accountable and that justice for Garnett Spears will be served in his memory,” said District Attorney Janet DiFiore.

On January 19^th 2014, Garnett Spears was transferred to WMC from NyackHospital in RocklandCounty by Medivac helicopter when without any medical explanation his sodium level rose from 144 to 182 meq/L, – milliequivalents per liter – an extremely dangerous level of sodium.

The normal range of serum sodium in the blood is 135-145 meq/L.

The child’s diagnosis was acute hypernatremia.

The defendant provided the medical staff with a medical history for her son, including extensive medical visits, hospitalizations and invasive surgical procedures. This history coupled with an unexplained rise in his sodium levels at NyackHospital prompted the doctors at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of the WMC to suspect Lacey Spears of harming her son prompting their call to the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.

Based on the CPS call and referral to law enforcement, an investigation immediately commenced.

Investigators focused on the child’s recent history and actions of the defendant:

Friday, January 17th, 2014, the defendant brought the victim to NyackHospital reporting seizure activity and he is admitted to rule out seizures.

Sunday January 19^th 2014 at 10:08 p.m. the victim is airlifted to WestchesterMedicalCenter and admitted.

Tuesday January 21^st2014, at 7:15 a.m. the code bell goes off. Medical staff respond. The child is on his back, unresponsive, and barely breathing, both pupils were blown, he was pale gray in color.

At 11:57 a.m. the head of the Hospital’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit calls in a Child Protective Services report to the State Central Register.

At 12:00 p.m. an EEG showed electro cerebral silence.

Thursday, January 23, 2014, Garnett Spears is declared deceased.

Search warrants were executed on the Spears’ residence. During the case evidence relating to the child’s condition was recovered including feeding bags containing extraordinary amounts of sodium.

On June 17th, 2014 the defendant has an indictment against her unsealed charging her with the murder.

Sentencing will be on April 8th, 2015.

The defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty five years to life in prison.

Second Deputy District Attorney Patricia Murphy, Chief of the Superior Court Trial Division, Assistant District Attorney Doreen Lloyd, Chief of the Child Abuse Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Christine Hatfield, Deputy Chief of the Child Abuse Bureau are prosecuting the case.