Abinanti First Representative to Call on Governor to Use Bank Settlement to Fund $1B of Tappan Zee Bridge Construction, Opposes Environmental Fund “Bridge Use”

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The New NY Bridge Under Construction July 2. BRIDGE still needs $3.5 Billion in financing and state has not announced where that is coming from. Assemblyman Abinanti says why use the windfall of $3 Billion from the French Bank Settlement?

 

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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From The Office of Assemblyman Thomas Abinanti. July 13, 2014:

Assemblyman Tom Abinanti (D-Greenburgh/Mt. Pleasant) this week praised the NYS Department of Financial Services (DFS) for successfully enforcing the law against a multi-national bank and urged that the $3 billion settlement (Editor: due to be paid August 1 into the New York State “General Fund”) be used not for short-term budget fixes but projects that are long-term investments in New York’s future.

“We should invest the $3 billion dollars in open space and parkland, in New York’s infrastructure and in the new Tappan Zee Bridge,” said the Westchester Assemblyman. “We should not squander this huge sum on inappropriate one shots but instead we should fund projects that will give New Yorkers long term benefits.”

Assemblyman Abinanti said that the one-time $3 billion bank settlement should be invested, in equal parts, to acquire open space and parklands ($1b), restore New York’s aging infrastructure ($1b) and fund part of the Tappan Zee Bridge ($1b).  He noted that the one-time $3 billion bank settlement eliminates the need to raid the Clean Water Fund to provide short-term financing for the new Tappan Zee Bridge.

New York will receive more than $3 billion from the $9 billion French bank BNP Paribas SA will pay after pleading guilty for violating sanctions on transferring money to Iran, Sudan and Cuba. The penalty is a record sum for a bank accused of doing business with countries that face United States sanctions.

 

Assemblyman Tom Abinanti (D-Greenburgh/Mt. Pleasant) has also announced his opposition to the proposed $511 million loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (the Clean Water Fund) to the New York State Thruway Authority to pay for its Tappan Zee Construction Project.

In a statement issued last week , Assemblyman Abinanti argued that the State should be maximizing clean water projects, not diminishing the number of projects by diverting monies from the Clean Water Fund.

He also argued that it is inappropriate to use monies intended to remedy existing damage to the Hudson River to pay for activities that will further damage the river.

Finally, Assemblyman Abinanti argued that the proposed use of the Clean Water Fund will create a hidden taxpayer subsidy for the cost of construction.

“The cost of preventing or mitigating harm to the environment should be included in the actual cost of bridge construction,” said Abinanti. “The State should not be hiding the true cost of the project in an environmental fund that is dedicated for other projects.”

Several environment advocacy groups have already voiced their opposition to the proposed loan.

 

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20-Something? College Grad? Not a College Grad? Unemployed? Paul Feiner to the Rescue.

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WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Town of Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner. July 13, 2014:
Can’t find a meaningful job like you expected? Create one!

Opportunities abound for college students and recent graduates willing to embrace the challenge of entrepreneurship.

Are you an innovative college student or recent graduate? Are you ambitious, curious, and here to “make it?”

You don’t want to miss this special networking event on Tuesday, July 15 @ 7:30pm – Greenburgh Town Hall.
It’s a unique opportunity to get an insider look at what it takes to make it in the professional world from successful entrepreneurs.

For more information regarding this event, please visit:
www.greenburghny.com or email eskovron@albany.edu or pfeiner@greenburghny.com.
Elizabeth Skovron is a student intern who has been working on this initiative this summer.
If you are not a recent college graduate and are unemployed – I have a job club. E mail me at pfeiner@greenburghny.com and I’ll add your name to the list.
If you work at a company that has job openings, share the info with me so I can get the word out.  Let me know if your know of any entry level jobs for recent graduates. Or jobs for others.
PAUL FEINER
****************************************************
Visit our web site at www.greenburghny.com and view archived Supervisors Reports.
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WPTV’S PEOPLE TO BE HEARD HEARS CHRIS DAY — CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS WESTCHESTER-ROCKLAND 17TH DISTRICT ON YOUR INTERNET NOW AND MONDAY NITE AT 10 P.M.

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PEOPLE TO BE HEARD

WESTCHESTER COUNTY’S MOST RELEVANT INTERVIEW PROGRAM

WHERE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY

HAVE THEIR SAY

HEARS

2014711chrisday 002

CHRIS DAY

CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS IN THE 17TH DISTRICT

WHY HE IS RUNNING

HIS STRATEGY

THE MOOD OF THE PEOPLE

MAKING OBAMACARE WORK

IMPROVING EDUCATION WITHOUT THE COMMON CORE

IMMIGRATION REFORM — HOW HE WOULD FIX IT.

WHY THE BORDER PATROL IS NOT WORKING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO FIX IT.

CUTTING THE DEFICIT WITHOUT PAIN

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JOHN BAILEY AND JIM BENEROFE INTERVIEW CHRIS DAY ON HIS RUN FOR CONGRESS IN WESTCHESTER-ROCKLAND DISTRICT 17, ASKING THE QUESTIONS YOU WOULD ASK.

HEAR ALL ABOUT IT

DOWNLOAD THE ACTION  INSTANTLY AT

www.whiteplainsweek. com

OR SEE IT MONDAY AT 10 P.M.  OR THURSDAY AT 8 P.M.

VERIZON FIOS CHANNEL 45  WESTCHESTER WIDE

OR CABLEVISION 76 IN WHITE PLAINS.

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WHITE PLAINS WEEK:INSIDE THE FASNY HEARINGS SAT. SUN. MORNINGS at 8:30 A.M., VERIZON FIOS 45 & CABLEVISION 76. ON THE NET 24/7

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MASTERS

OF

NEWS!

005

 

 

 

 

 

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PETER KATZ
ANCHOR FOR ALL SEASONS

 

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JIM BENEROFE
DEAN OF WHITE PLAINS JOURNALISTS

 

photo

JOHN BAILEY
THE CITIZEN NET REPORTER

 

TONIGHT ON

THE CABARET MORATORIUM

ALL FASNY ALL THE TIME-THE ULTIMATE HEARINGS START

CON ED’S SHOCKER OF THE WEEK

THE GRIM NUMBERS ON THE CITY ECONOMY

THE GRIM NUMBERS ON THE CITY SALES TAX

THE GRIM CON ED RATES

THE GRIM TRAFFIC ON I-95

THE $2.2 BILLION THE STATE AND THE MEDIA DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT

AND MORE

SEE THE MASTERS ON CHANNEL 76 CABLEVISION OR COUNTYWIDE ON VERIZON FIOS 45 AND ON THE INTERNET AT

www.whiteplainsweek.com

 

 

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E-Z PASS WARNS NOT TO ANSWER E-MAIL SAYING YOUR E-Z PASS ACCOUNT IS BEHIND.

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WPCNR SCAMMING TIMES. From the New York E-Z PASS CENTER. July 10, 2014:

E-Z Pass is warning Tag Holders “there are emails being sent claiming that drivers owe money for unpaid tolls. This is not an email from E-ZPass or the E-ZPass toll agencies. Please do not open or respond to this email if you receive it. If you require more information, please contact the E-ZPass New York Customer Service Center at 800-333-8655 (TOLL).

WARNING – PHISHING SCAM
We have recently learned of an email phishing scam which appears to be an attempt to collect tolls. An example of this email is shown below. Please be advised that this is not an authorized communication from E-ZPass or the Toll Agencies associated with E-ZPass. We advise you not to open or respond to such a message should you receive one.
If you have any questions about the validity of any message received from E-ZPass, please contact your E-ZPass Customer Service Center.

Here is a copy of that e-mail:
From: E-ZPass Info [mailto:team@wptrainingacademy.com] Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2014 10:59 AM To: Subject: In arrears for driving on toll road
E-ZPass Service Center

Dear customer, You have not paid for driving on a toll road. This invoice is sent repeatedly, please service your debt in the shortest possible time. The invoice can be downloaded here.

 

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Westchester Home Prices Stall; County Inventory of Unsolds Increases; County Sales Off 12% in Second Quarter

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WPCNR REAL ESTATER. Special to WPCNR from the Hudson Gateway Multiple Listing Service. (Edited) July 9, 2014:
Westchester and Orange Counties experienced the largest percentage year to year falloffs from 2013, in sales at 12.0% and 12.2% respectively in the spring quarter ending June 30..

In Westchester the slowdown was concentrated in the single family house sector, 13.5%, followed by condominiums, 10.1%.  Orange County’s single family house sales were down by 12.1%.  Putnam County sales were down by just 2.9%.  Rockland County stood out from its neighbors with an actual overall increase of 6.2%.
Home Prices in Westchester posted a median1 sale price of $651,250 for single family houses, an increase of only $1,250 or 0.2% from last year, though still well above its medians for 2011 and 2012.  Its condominium sector picked up, however, with a 5.5% increase to a $363,750 median.

Inventory of homes up for sale increased in the last quarter as Westchester single family home prices stayed steady:  Westchester experienced an increase in inventory of 3.0%, to 6,342 units; its single family house inventory increased more by 5.7% to 3,913 units.

Closed residential real estate transactions during the second quarter of 2014 slackened in relation to the same period last year.

Realtors participating in the Hudson Gateway Multiple Listing Service, serving Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and Orange Counties, reported 3,195 closings in the four counties, a decrease of 9.2% from the 3,519 closings reported during the second quarter of last year.  These grand totals comprised sales of single family houses, condominiums, cooperatives and 2-4 family dwellings.

The second quarter closings largely reflected listing and showing activity that took place during the early months of the year. Many data providers and analysts, including the National Association of Realtors, ascribe at least some of the slowdown in sales here and nationally to exceptionally difficult winter weather conditions that discouraged prospective purchasers from getting out and researching properties of interest.

The lower Hudson region undoubtedly experienced some of that effect, but in our case there may also have been an equal or even larger effect from a simple market correction of the fast pace of sales in 2013 and the first quarter of 2014.

Overall inventory registered with the multiple listing service at the close of the quarter (June 30) amounted to 12,383 units. Orange County, whose real estate market is only about one third of Westchester’s, closed the quarter with 3,023 single family houses listed, an increase 19.9% from last year.

Orange County’s recovery from the recession has been hampered by the need to work through a supply of distressed properties as well as short sales that take longer than average to process, both factors that allow inventory to accumulate.

Also gaining in price were Rockland County single family houses, with a 4.8% increase to a median of $408,750.  Rockland also did well with condominiums, 3.5% to $222,500.

Putnam and Orange counties posted decreases, however.  Putnam’s single family house median decreased by 8.2% to $285,000, and Orange’s decreased by 3.0% to $232,500. Again, Orange County’s market is constrained by its relatively larger supply of problem properties compared to the other properties.

The pause in price gains and sales volumes in the Hudson Gateway region is not severe but it is a bit of a surprise in that there are no obvious external factors that drove it, other than bad winter weather, an assertion that is likely but cannot be proved.

For example, mortgage interest rates have remained low, ranging from an average 4.6% on a conventional 30-year loan made during the winter months, to about 4.2% at the close of the second quarter.  Admittedly, tougher lending criteria have made it harder for consumers to obtain a mortgage but that is a condition that has been in place for several years now.

Two other factors that are confidence builders for home buying decisions are the unemployment rate and the state of the equities markets.  For the former, there has been at least a full percentage point decrease in each of the four counties in the past year.  The most recently posted rates range from 4.7% (Putnam) to 5.7% (Orange), with 5.1%  (Westchester) and 4.8% (Rockland) in between.  As for the equity markets there has been a vigorous bull market leading up to, and surpassing, the 17,000 threshold for the DJIA.

The best bet, then, for figuring out what occurred with prices and volumes during the second quarter is to patiently wait for another quarter to see if there was no more than a  technical correction or if some other trend is in play.

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Council Hears 31 on FASNY Proposal. Many do not stay to speak because of Heat. Unique Dual Hearings Continue in August. Moratorium on Cabarets Voted. Bans on # 6 and #4 Fuel Oil Approved.

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER By John F. Bailey. July 9, 2014:

It was a hot and steamy night Monday evening in City Hall rife with hot air, rancor, and downright confusion  during the opening hearings on the closing of Hathaway Lane and the French American School of New York Site Plan for the old Ridgeway Country Club.

The highlight of the evening was the French American School hearings which can be viewed in their entirety  (including a summary by FASNY attorney Michael Zarin on how the official new site plan was developed to meet City of White Plains objections raised previously by the Council Finding Statement on the environmental review of the project. The entire hearings may be viewed on the city website at http://whiteplainsny.swagit.com/play/07072014-786

Of the 31 speakers, 17 urged the Common Council to not approve the project, and 14 spoke in favor.About half who spoke in favor were connected with the French American School in some way.

Opposition to the project centered around the closing of Hathaway Lane that Zarin said was suggested to move entry to the school from Ridgeway, and prevent “cut-through” traffic from Bryant Avenue to Ridgeway. Denise Demarzo,  a resident of Hathaway made a compelling case that traffic even if encouraged to use the Hutchinson Parkway to travel to the proposed campus, would most likely use Mamaroneck Avenue instead and “cut-through” the cross streets of Gedney Esplanade, Heatherbloom, and Ridgeway to access north south residential streets (Dupont, Murchison, Seymour Place, to name just a few to get close in to the school, or avoid North Street backup. She criticised the lack of detail on the effects of heavier traffic on those narrow residential, no-sidewalk streets,  “in peak hours”calling for a more detailed traffic study. She drily noted that the site plan notes the traffic in those streets “might be an inconvenice.”

(WPCNR points out that the Hutchinson River Parkway northbound into White Plains and Southbound for that matter, is normally bumper-to-bumper between 7:30 A.M. and 9 A.M. during the week all the way from New Rochelle to White Plains.) Closing of the street, she said would generate  resident traffic exiting the Gedney Farms neighborhood to seek outlets on the residential streets to the west of the campus also adding to the traffic. Her comments were the most compelling of the evening.

Other opponents of the project demanded compensation to the city for closing Hathaway Lane, ignoring the fact that the city in working with the French American School as FASNY developed  the site plan in some way lead FASNY to come to the decision to suggest a site plan eliminating entrance to the school off Ridgeway.  Mr. Zarin indicated  the city role in crafting the site plan on his appearance on People to Be Heard, the White Plains TV WPCNR interview program, Monday night.

A speaker  against the project, Dan Seidel criticized Mayor Roach and Councilman John Kirkpatrick for taking political contributions from firms associated with the French American School saying the Mayor and Kirkpatrick should recuse themselves from voting on the project.  Another speaker John Sheehan said holding the hearing in the crowded confines of city hall the night after a return from the 4th of July holiday was “a disgrace.” He challenged the Mayor in a fiery exchange to promise the September meeting would be held at White Plains High School in a larger setting. The Mayor did not. The Mayor said the city was not going to change its schedule and that was why Monday’s hearing was held.

Mayor Roach did his best to maintain order in the steamy hearing chastising rooters and booers and hecklers who interrupted and interacted. The Mayor did a dogged job in preventing personal attacks.

Other persons against the project, critcised the size of the buildings, urging they be scaled down since the student capacity of the campus had been lowered from 1,250 to 950. “Why do they need so much space?” one speaker commented.

Other comments were  more general, that the project was too big to put into a residential neighborhood; that it was only a matter of time that the school would attempt to expand; that home values had declined.

Fourteen persons spoke in favor of the project. John Botti, a new resident of White Plains, who is on the Board of FASNY, flatout said that in the last six yuears  price per square foot of homes in the Gedney area were up, sales were up and sales volume were up.  Others pointed out how FASNY would add a great attraction to White Plains. Phil McGovern was the most positive saying addition of FASNY would be “transformational.”

The Hathaway Lane Closing hearing began approximately  8:30, and the second hearing on the site plan was opened about 10:30. Originally it was understood that both matters the closure of Hathaway Lane and the FASNY Site Plan and Request for Special Permit would run simultaneous. This is apparently no longer the case, with one hearing being opened first, adjourned around 10:30 and the second opened.

 

In other major action, the Council voted 6 in favor with Councilwoman Nadine Hunt-Robinson obstaining to declare a moratorium on issuing new cabaret licences after a public hearing on the resolution. Dan Coughlin, owner of The Colisseum made an impassioned plea not to declare a moratorium saying White Plains had within 1 mile of city  hall 160 vacant store fronts. He said he knew of  5 businesses recently attempting to establish wine and cheese bars, running afoul of White Plains cabaret requirements such as “cabarets must have full kitchens.” Mayor Roach tried to defuse and assure businesses the moratorium was being declared just so the city could work with cabaret owners to upgrade supposedly more liberal and modern regulations reflective of new trends. Roach assured prospective cabaret entrepreneurs proposals for cabarets would continue to be accepted and processed under the moratorium.

The city also voted to approve a new Air Pollution ordinance, moderated by suggestions proposed by the attorney James Glaathar, whose letter to WPCNR and the Mayor prompted the city tweaking of the ordinance. The Mayor gave Mr. Glaathar full credit for improving the processes apartments especially have available to them to change from Number 6 and Number 4 fuel oil. (More details to follow).

The city voted to spend $125,000 to fix the leaking and presently inert Renaissance Fountain and repair and create more effective chemical storage in the fountain. Milagros Lecouna said that an outside  fountain consultant will be retained to analyze the fountain and see if it could be saved and restored or whether another use could be found for it. She said the fountain should be working in about a month. Currently it is not working and has not worked since last summer.

The council scheduled a public hearing August 4 to hear comments on renaming the Traffic Commission the “Transportation Commission” and revise its membership requirements and duties.

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County Collected Mortgage Taxes Receipts PLUNGE 19% in first 6 Months

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Office of the Westchester County Clerk. July 8, 2014:

Revenue figures released today by Westchester County Clerk Timothy C. Idoni indicate that county mortgage tax receipts in the first half of 2014 are the lowest seen since 2009.

The mortgage tax, considered a major county revenue source, has languished in recent years as the national economy and our local real estate market recovered.

The county received $6,112,266.30 in the first half of 2014, down 19% from last year.

“In 2012 and 2013, second half mortgage collections significantly outpaced first half collections,” stated Idoni whose office collects mortgage tax for Westchester County.

“However, monthly revenues dropped at the end of 2013 and have not recovered. We have not collected even a third of what the administration budgeted for 2014.”

The total 2014 mortgage tax for the county is budgeted as $19,826,409, less than half of the $39,836,895 collected in 2005 when the real estate market was at its recent peak.

County mortgage tax collected in 2013 totaled $16,997,949.29.

First Half Mortgage Tax Collected (County Portion Only)

 

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014
J

2,056,319.02

889,557.74

1,282,613.77

1,220,971.17

921,922.83

1,392,542.95

1,013,744.09
F

1,548,107.56

742,254.33

1,076,926.44

1,053,435.79

983,990.54

954,144.70

889,047.28
M

1,645,935.52

986,920.91

1,004,317.86

1,264,484.45

941,777.86

1,157,556.16

905,596.92
A

2,063,210.95

867,946.38

973,320.28

989,363.76

957,918.21

1,092,380.85

1,084,327.75
M

1,664,575.33

681,629.24

947,784.00

959,536.22

1,157,089.03

1,460,763.25

1,045,034.32
J

1,815,404.69

1,104,923.76

1,193,917.39

1,102,862.41

1,207,755.15

1,492,226.69

1,174,515.94

10,793,553.07

5,273,232.36

6,478,879.74

6,590,653.80

6,170,453.62

7,549,614.60

6,112,266.30

 

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