Cnty Execs Back New TZB as Gov Promises Bus Transit and Mass Transit Task Force

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Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino,(center) Rockland County Executive Scott Vanderhoef (right) and Putnam County Executive MaryEllen O’dell (left) today announced their intention to vote yes at the next New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) meeting to include the new Tappan Zee Bridge project in the region’s long-range transportation plan. A unanimous vote qualifies the project for federal funds.


 


WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. News Release from the Westchester Department of Communications supplemented by WPCNR Reporting From the Scene. August 16, 2012 UPDATED AUGUST 22, 2012:


 


Astorino told the news conference on the shores of the Hudson River in Tarryton he expected the Council to approve it sometime in September, paving way for the state to qualify for the TIFIA starter loan the state is waiting to receive to start the bridge. Astorino justified the withholding approval, because he and the other two executives felt strongly that mass rapid transit had to be guaranteed to be part of the new bridge with a mechanism set up to achieve that.


 


County Executive Astorino told WPCNR when asked if Governor Cuomo has indicated to either he, Vanderhoef or Odell whether bids on the new bridge (in hand at Albany since July 27 currently being vetted) were either higher or lower than the $5.2 Billion estimate the state has been using, Astorino said, “No.” Asked if the Governor had confided the hard numbers to the executives during their discussions, Astorino had earlier said “No.”


(On the White Plains Week television program Friday on Channels 45 and 76, viewable on the internet at www.whiteplainsweek.com — the next day — spokesman Brian Conybeare speaking for the Governor said all three bidders had told the state their bids were all not over $5.2 Billion.)


 


WPCNR also asked the three County Executives why they were so concerned about a potential $14 toll when New York commuters have paying $12 tolls on the Whitestone, Throgs Neck,  and Triborough Bridges, and Lincoln and Holland Tunnels.


 


Astorino said the rise in toll projected was a tripling of the rate, that the higher toll might hurt Westchester’s ability to attract business in the future. Astorino felt that a special discount could be put in place to mitigate the toll. He said that tolls would have to pay for the bridge.


 


Vanderhoef said that there was no idea what the new construction would cost and that cost would dictate the toll– though Conybeare said the bridge bidders have already gone on record saying the bridge would cost no more than $5.2 Billion)


 


 


The county executives said they support the project based on a framework developed in conjunction with Gov. Andrew Cuomo that addresses the need for mass transit on the bridge when it is built and in the future.


 


Under the terms of the framework:



· Dedicated bus lanes will be incorporated on the bridge from the start.


WPCNR asked Vanderhoef  whether since the Governor has committed to bus transit “from Day 1” the Tappan ZeExpress bus fleet would be expanded from its 87 Daily trips a day (42,500 riders a month, about 1,450 riders per day, compared to 138,000  vehicles that cross the bridge a day), when the bridge opened. He said that with a dedicated bus lane the service might see a lift in ridership since the buses would travel faster across the bridge.


· The bridge will be constructed with mass transit capacity compatible with a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system and Commuter Rail Transit.


· A Regional Transit Task Force will be created to study costs and options for regional transit, including commuter rail and a BRT system on the bridge and key portions of the Westchester-Rockland corridor.


· The Task Force will issue recommendations in one year, with a plan for short-term steps that can be considered for immediate commencement, as well as long-term plans for transit solutions.


· Incentives will be created for contractors that could be used to reinvest in regional mass transit or to moderate impact on toll-payers.


“I have been a strong supporter on the need for a new bridge but I’ve been equally strong on the need for some form of mass transit as a way to reduce congestion and pollution,” said Astorino. “Under the framework we announce today, mass transit will not be an afterthought in the building of the bridge. With plans to have mass transit as part of the new Tappan Zee Bridge we’re not waiting five years to start thinking about it, we’re moving forward now.”


“I am pleased to join with the governor and my fellow county executives in this important TZ Bridge agreement which outlines steps for constructing a mass-transit ready structure, as well as committing to moving forward in the future to address the region’s mass transit needs,” said Vanderhoef. “This agreement also commits to exploring toll discounts for regional residents.”


“The new Tappan Zee bridge project is going to provide a jolt to the economic vitality of the region, both in terms of the thousands of construction and engineering jobs, as well as the increased commerce for the region that will result from having a state-of-the-art new bridge,” said O’Dell. O’Dell also said the bridge would be a benefit to families throughout the region.


In addition, the governor and county executives agreed to establish a working group of Thruway, state, federal and local officials to examine ways to keep toll increases to the minimum necessary, including maximizing federal support, expanding discount programs for regional residents, and financing mechanisms that lower the cost of credit and borrowing.


 


*******


 


Observation: No representative from Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office was there for the conference. No representative from the town of Tarrytown attended.


 


Reporters were amused that midway through the news conference a pair of Canada geese overflew the official county executive trio, honking loudly while Mr. Astorino was speaking. Mr. Astorino was speaking at the time and the honking of the geese was very intense. (Mr. Astorino’s Department of Recreation and Parks recently authorized the killing of 500 geese who had been residing on the Sprain Lake and adjacent Sprain Lake Golf Course. A spokesperson for the geese was not available and it could not be determined whether the Geese were protesting the recent goose kill.)

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NY Comptroller: Thruway Should Cut Its Costs Before Raising Commerical Veh. Toll

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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. News Release from the Office of the New York State Comptroller. August16, 2012:


The New York State Thruway Authority should explore all other options to increase revenue and cut costs before going ahead with a 45 percent average toll increase on some commercial vehicles that could impact the state’s economic recovery, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said Wednesday.


DiNapoli released an analysis showing the Thruway Authority has increased operating costs by 36 percent over the past ten years, but revenues have not kept pace.


Debt service payments have nearly doubled to $181.9 million over the same time frame, necessitating increased revenue, while the authority has failed to publicly prioritize its capital projects.


DiNapoli also called for an independent review of the Canal System to identify savings and alternative revenue sources, and create a plan to make it a more viable part of the upstate New York economy.


 


“Imposing a large toll increase could have damaging effects on consumers and businesses at a time when many New Yorkers are struggling to recover from the recession,” DiNapoli said. “Too often in the past the Thruway has pushed costs and difficult decisions to the future by raising tolls or borrowing. The Thruway’s fiscal condition has deteriorated, but a new leadership team has begun to make changes. For years the authority has failed to make the improvements recommended by my office and independent consultants. The Thruway should do more before relying on yet another toll hike to make ends meet.”


In late May, the Thruway Authority announced a planned 45 percent average toll increase for larger commercial vehicles. The increase, slated to take effect Sept. 30, comes after toll hikes for all vehicles in 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010. A recent consultant report, commissioned by the authority, suggested that “further actions” may be needed by 2015 – raising the prospect of another toll increase, unrelated to the Tappan Zee Bridge, in a few years.


DiNapoli’s report found that from 2002 through 2011, Thruway-generated revenues grew by 4 percent on average annually, while expenses grew by 5 percent on average. In 2011, Thruway-generated revenue fell by 1 percent while expenses rose 7 percent. Over the past ten years, annual Thruway Authority operations spending has grown 35.8 percent, increasing from $310.3 million in 2002 to $421.3 million in 2011. The authority has consistently overestimated traffic levels, including in 2011 when actual usage was 12 percent below projections.


The authority expects its debt service costs to climb to $312.4 million by 2016, a 72 percent increase from current figures. That estimate does not include the costs associated with the planned replacement of the existing Tappan Zee Bridge.


Additionally, the Thruway has spent more than $1.1 billion since 1992 to support the Canal System. Thruway Authority estimates indicate that it will cost another $436.5 million to operate and repair the canals between 2013 and 2016. This drain of resources has contributed to the deterioration of the Authority’s financial condition over the past decade. And despite major investments and new amenities, boating activity on the Canal System is down by nearly one-third since the Thruway Authority assumed control.


The report suggests the Thruway Authority:



  • Identify options for operational cost savings, including recommendations by the Office of the State Comptroller, such as improving collection of E-Z Pass tolls, seeking other revenue gains from existing sources, and enhancing financial controls to minimize cost overruns on construction and maintenance projects;

  • Examine the SAGE Commission’s findings regarding potential savings from consolidation of certain functions with other transportation agencies;

  • Establish a prioritized plan for capital improvements, aligned with the authority’s financial resources and the infrastructure goals of the state as a whole, to provide the public and elected officials an opportunity to address the comparative importance of competing projects;

  • Commission an independent analysis of the Canal System to examine ways to streamline operations, seek new funding streams, and develop a realistically attainable vision for its future role in the upstate economy.

  • Analyze past and present traffic estimates to identify sources of erroneous projections that have led to revenue shortfalls and, if necessary, to fine-tune projections for the next few years.

  • Report traffic and revenue levels quarterly, and issue financial and management updates periodically throughout the year, to enhance public confidence in the operational streamlining and other improvements that Thruway leaders indicate are now underway.

In recent weeks, a number of New York residents and elected officials have reached out to the Comptroller regarding their concerns on the toll hike.


Auditors from the Office of the State Comptroller recently examined what actions, if any, Thruway Authority officials have taken to implement the recommendations in a 2008 report regarding maximization of E-Z Pass toll collections. They found that the Thruway Authority has made progress in addressing previously identified issues, but that additional improvements are needed. A copy of that audit can be found at: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/audits/allaudits/093012/12f2.pdf


For a copy of the Thruway report released today, visit: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/reports/thruway_policy_08142012.pdf


Since 2007, DiNapoli’s office has completed 14 audits and follow up reports on the Thruway Authority’s operations. For a list of those audits, visit: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/reports/thruway_fact_sheet.pdf.

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Peekskill Paramount Suffers Severe Drop in Funding–Needs $300,000 Cash Infusion

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. Special to WPCNR From the Peekskill Paramount Theatre Board of  Directors. August 15, 2012:









Due to cutbacks and the loss of traditional funding sources for non-profit institutions like the Paramount Center for the Arts (PCA), we are in a position that requires a candid, direct and honest plea to those who over the years have enjoyed what has been presented at the historic Paramount Theatre in Peekskill.











The Paramount budget has been cut to every extent possible zeroing in only on those expenses that are directly necessary for the organization to carry out its core mission. In short, more contributed revenue is needed now if we are to continue to provide the Paramount experiences you love.

 


The Old Paramount, Peekskill, N.Y.






 



 


 


For more than three decades, the PCA has provided our audiences and visitors with a diverse selection of live performances, high quality films and visual art exhibits that have been entertaining and enlightening. This has been possible because of the support of our patrons and the generosity of our members, government, certain arts organizations, businesses and corporate entities.


 



The Paramount’s revenue comes in two ways…box office sales and contributions of various types. Regardless of how successful box office sales are it is the latter that makes the difference in whether or not the Paramount is successful. The fact is the PCA has experienced a severe drop in contributed income over the past two years which has necessitated an immediate $300,000 fund drive aimed at those who have the closest connection to what goes on at the Paramount theatre…our primary audience, friends and lovers of the Paramount.


 



With new leadership in place at the theatre for the better part of 9 months, our programming and film presentations have become more successful than they have been in many years. Our theatre operations have never been better and our dedicated staff and hard working enthusiastic volunteers carry out their varied responsibilities in a highly professional manner on a daily basis.


 





Please take a moment to provide the Paramount with a contribution to assist us in this vitally important fund drive. While buying tickets to one or more of our upcoming shows would be great, contributions to support the institution of the Paramount Center for the Arts is of “paramount” importance. Please stop by the theatre, or mail your contribution to the Paramount Center for the Arts, 1008 Brown St., Peekskill, NY 10566. The quickest, easiest and best way to contribute is to visit our website at www.paramountcenter.org where at the very top of our home page you will find a quick and easy link to make a secure online contribut

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Woman Med Supplier Convicted of 10.7 Million $$$ Medicare Fraud

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WPCNR FBI WIRE Special to WPCNR From the Federal Bureau of  Investigation. August 15, 2012:


A federal jury in Central Islip today convicted the owner of a Long Island medical supply company of a $10.7 million Medicare fraud and wrongful disclosure of private patient information.


The conviction of Helene Michel,45, of Old Brookville, New York, was announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Janice K. Fedarcyk, Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office; and Thomas O’Donnell, Special Agent in Charge of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Office of Investigations, New York.












 


The evidence at trial established that over the course of four and a half years the defendant stole private patient information from various nursing homes on Long Island and then submitted thousands of fraudulent claims to Medicare. The claims sought payment for services and equipment that were never provided by the defendant’s company, Medical Solutions Management Inc., of Hicksville, New York.


Among the fraudulent claims proven at trial was the defendant’s demand for reimbursement for supplying boots and braces to an elderly patient who was in fact an above-the-knee double-amputee.


The defendant then used the proceeds of the scheme to purchase a $2.2 million home in Old Brookville, New York, as well as to fund a pension plan for herself and an investment brokerage account collectively worth $2 million.


The defendant, who used the alias “Dr. Elene Allonce,” among others, was charged in a three-count superseding indictment in March 2012 with conspiracy, health care fraud, and wrongful disclosure of patient information in violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, commonly known as “HIPAA.” The case represents one of the first criminal prosecutions in the nation for wrongful disclosure of patient information under HIPAA.


“To this defendant, the elderly were not patients to be helped, but pawns to be exploited for personal gain. Invasion of patient privacy and fraud against the health care program that the elderly depend upon are intolerable,” said United States Attorney Lynch. “Let today’s verdict stand as a warning to all that we will tenaciously investigate violators, protect patient rights, and vindicate the hard-earned support taxpayers provide the Medicare program.”


Ms. Lynch expressed her appreciation to Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, New York, for its assistance.


FBI Assistant Director in Charge Fedarcyk stated, “The defendant showed no regard for patients’ privacy rights when she stole their personal identity information to file false medical claims. She padded her own pockets at the expense of the Medicare kitty. The verdict today should serve as a warning to those who disregard privacy laws to defraud publicly funded programs meant to help our seniors.”


When sentenced by United States District Judge Joseph F. Bianco, Michel faces a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment on each count, as well as fines of up to $250,000 per count.


This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles P. Kelly and Burton T. Ryan, Jr.


Defendant:
Helene Michel, 45



 









 


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Carhart Association Receives Support from CNA to block Detox Center on De Kalb

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WPCNR Close-In Enquirer. Special to WPCNR from the Carhart Neighborhood Association. August 14, 2012:


The Carhart Neighborhood Association, spearheading the  opposition to the proposed detox center targeted for 37 De Kalb Avenue, former site of a nursing home has gathered some allies in the White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations.


 


 Members of the White Plains Council of Neighborhood Association (WPCNA), representing 14 other areas of White Plains, have spoken out against the proposed center at 37 De Kalb Avenue in  this quiet residential area.


 


Petitions from every corner of White Plains are being collected including online at www.nodetox.com. Shopkeepers and businesses along Mamaroneck Avenue have shown overwhelmingly support, posting bi-lingual flyers and asking patrons to sign the petition.


 


According to Diane Markert, transportation coordinator for the White Plains schools, at least 10 school bus stops are in the surrounding location. Safety is the primary concern of neighborhood residents. Besides the school bus stops, several liquor & drug stores are within a few short blocks from the site as well as a string of bars on Mamaroneck Avenue.


 


Sunrise detox is a voluntary facility and there is nothing to prevent patients from leaving at any time.


 


The Carhart Association feels there is ” no upside for the city of White Plains and the positive image it has worked hard to maintain to attract new residents and businesses here.”


 


There is a Common Council Work Session on August 23 on the issue and a public hearing scheduled on the issue September 4.


 


For further info contact nodetox@gmail.com

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White Plains ‘Stork Club’ Returns — the New City Limits is Unlimited!

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WPCNR BOULEVARDIER. By John F. Bailey. August 14, 2012: 


City Limits is back!



I had lunch today at the new City Limits Diner-Grill-Bar Bakery , “CLDGBB” the new Livanos Family makeover  of the former City Limits Diner on the outskirts of town with my news compadre, Peter Katz,(above) and this diner aficianado delivers this eyewitness report on another unique Livanos’ entertainment creation.


I had my fears when the family announced they were giving my beloved City Limits art deco news biz hangout a renovation. But I went in today with an open mind and mouth (my mouth is always open, much to manys’ chagrin).



It’s not too  far out on the highway. You park your car free out in the open and you walk inside!



The Livanos Family has created an adult contemporary atmosphere a cut above the bar/ restaurants in the “White Plains Downtown Drinking District” on Mamaroneck Avenue. What the  ambience of the place would be when I heard what they were trying to do, worried me, but what they have done works marvelously.



It is mature. The Livanos have kept the vibrant happening atmosphere of their casual diner of the past upgrading to an adult contemporary look of the 21st century without sacrificing their former establishment’s conviviality.



Rich almond and walnut paneling gives a j’ne c’est quoi hipster feel to the place. 



The Bakery with Coffee right up front.



The CLDGBB Cocktail Lounge at noon today.Cool, private with booths (below).



“CLDGBB” has more private booth seating with “rich, Corinthian leather,” (the seats feel like corinthian leather anyway), It has expanded their cocktail bar to where you can fit about 40 persons between booths and bar. But make no mistake, as the always perceptive Mr. Katz observed “this is not a bar with a restaurant, but a restaurant with a bar.”



The Main Dining Area — Private Booths –Comfy –warm, welcoming!



The Balcony in the Back — Note the lively Art —


 



New Booths on the side by the sophisticated art panel



The Power Alley on the Upper Level


The  menu prices are the same as your old favorite with slightly more elegant servings. The City Limits Burger tasted just as it always did with the fries neatly stacked in in a metal french fry caddy, and a dollop of ketscup. The coffee is the usual rich, jumpstart-a-reporter blend, and still the best in town.


You walk in and face an elegant trellis, and have three dining areas to choose from. The bakery greets your eye on the right,  easily putting that “takehome  dessert” idea in your mind. The intimate cocktail lounge at 12 noon had more patrons on a Tuesday than I have ever seen at a former City Limits lunch. You can choose from the elevated dining areas to your left, to your right and in the deep inviting interior.


It doesn’t have ashtrays with its name on it yet. It does not have coffee cups with logos on it, yet. But the acoustics are just as good. The deep brown-almond orange rug mutes the slap dash of the former restaurant. It is an even better place to meet a business associate, and it should definitely draw a 30s-40s dating crowd in the evenings. The cocktail lounge with sofa, booths and the long long bar is easily the most intimate and inviting in the city.


The decor is reminiscent of a high qauality hotel all-purpose restaurant –that changes personality depending on the patron’s needs. The stone pillars have the informal warmth of an Colorado ski lodge. The color art lifts the spirit.


City Limits you’re once again the place to go. We’ve missed you!


It’s not too far out on the highway(119), you park free in the open and you walk inside. A little cutie gives you a menu and she walks you inside, and you’re “Unlimited.”


It is now a place to take a young woman to dinner, a place to meet a business associate, a place to greet old friends, and a place to go out. It brings back a little of the old Livanos restaurant, that the family ran here before they created the old City Limits.


I haven’t located Table 51 here yet to establish the new White Plains Week table– but Walter Winchell would approve.


See you at lunch! It also serves breakfast

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Short Board Can Only Approve Resolutions for new $48 Million in Maintenance.

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. August 14, 2012:


 


Only 4 members of the Board of Education were available for Monday evening’s meeting and a vote for financing $48 million in preventive and preservative maintenance on  9  district buildings could not be taken.  A super majority of 5 members needed to be present. Three Preliminary Resolutions showing the board was behind the new bonding, the second in 5 years were passed.


 


The vote for the Board to approve the financing will take place August 28. Should the board approve it as expected, a referendum will be held October 23 for the voters of the district to approve $48 million in financing.


 


The $48 Million bond, according to Assistant Superintendent for Business, Fred Seiler, would result in a .72% property tax increase, a $65 a year increase in the debt service.


 


The funds from the bonding, if approved will execute maintenance on Eastview School ($8.4 M including roof,masonry,windows, pipes, wi-fi); Ridgeway School ($3.3 Million for roof and Wi-Fi) George Washington School ( $3.2.M, for windows, wall repair and Wi-Fi); Mamaroneck Avenue School ($1.3 Million  for windows, media center and Wi-Fi)), Church Street School ($809,000 for air conditioning, Wi-Fi) Post Road School ($257,000 for Wi-Fi); Rochambeau ($2.9 Million, for HVAC, doors, electric, Wi-Fi) Education House ($492,000 for exterior, Wi-Fi) and the high school ($5.4 Million, $757,000 for corridor windows, HVAC/Gym $488,000, HVAC auditor, little theatre, $1.6 Million), Highlands ($7.2 Million, $2.1M for the roof, $1 M for restrooms, $1 M for Wi-Fi, $578,000 for fire alarms, clocks, Public addresss, security, $575,000, stage, $204,000,  electric, $520,000).


 


Seiler said work would begin on Eastview next summer, with the rest of the schools completed by the beginning of the 2015-16 school year.


 


He said it has not been decided yet whether to finance the full amount next year, or break it up into three offerings. He said that once the resolution was passed August 28, the project had to be sent to the State Education Department for approval.


 


Seiler said that this should hold the district for about 5 to 6 years before any more major maintenance expenditures requiring another capital project is required.


 


Seiler said all buildings would be equipped with Wi-Fi capability, but the cost of that had been whittled down to $4.2 Million from $6 Million, by paying for some of the equipment of operating budgets.

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City Starts Fiscal Year With 3% Sales Tax $$ Increase Slightly Ahead of Inflatio

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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. From the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. August 13, 2012:


White Plains experienced its highest July sales tax collection in a decade with sales tax receipts reaching $4,027,853.05 in July,  the first month of the city’s new fiscal year.


This is a gain of 3%  over last July, double the year to year inflation rate of 1.6% for all items in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area.


Westchester County with 7 months gone by on its fiscal year is enjoying a modest 2.6% gain over last year’s sales tax collections, about $7 Million ahead of last year’s handle at $264,259,277,71.


The July inflation figures are due out tomorrow.

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Westchester’s Empire Casino in County Generates More Tax $$ Than Las Vegas and A

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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. From Westchester County’s Empire City Casino. (Edited) August 8, 2012


Legalizing “anything goes” gambling houses across the state could ease New York revenue woes considerably, according figures released by the Empire City Casino this week.


The New York Gaming Association is a bigger winner with a bigger handle than Las Vegas and Atlantic City combined without the big time games Nevada and New Jersey have.


NYGA members generated $620 million in tax revenue for New York during the first six months of 2012. By comparison, the Las Vegas Strip and Atlantic City, despite having full-fledged casinos and more combined gaming activity than New York, only generated $329 million for Nevada and New Jersey. That’s approximately $291 million fewer dollars than New York Gaming Association members.


Westchester County’s Casino is doing very well, too. The Yonkers-based casino at Yonkers Raceway generates one third of all education dollars raised through New York State gaming in July.





Empire City Casino had another winning month in July according to recently released data available on the Division of Lottery’s website. Of the nine racetrack casinos statewide, Empire City Casino was responsible for generating $23 Million, nearly one-third of the $71 Million raised for education this month through gaming, in partnership with the New York State Lottery.


In addition to directly funding New York’s public schools, the monthly revenues continue to help keep property taxes down for all New Yorkers by offsetting the cost of education.



“One of every three dollars generated for education this month in gaming was done so right here at Empire City Casino,” said Tim Rooney, Jr. of Empire City. “We have produced well over $1.5 billion dollars for education since opening and we look forward to increasing that support for schools in Yonkers and across this state.”



With seven million visitors a year, Empire City Casino has become a favorite entertainment destination in the tri-state area.


In addition to more than 5,300 slot machines and electronic table games offering roulette, craps, baccarat and sic bo, Empire City has year-round live harness racing, two restaurants, and live entertainment six days a week which includes everything from karaoke, comedy nights, jazz & blues, salsa and great party bands. Their first ever summer concert series, which continues through August, has brought in top tier talent such as Spin Doctors, The Marshall Tucker Band, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, and the Village People.



Currently undergoing a $50 Million expansion slated to open this fall, Empire City will be adding 30,000 square feet of additional gaming space, two new restaurants featuring nearly one hundred beers brewed right here in New York, dueling piano entertainment, antique bowling lanes, and much more.



“Empire City Casino continues to prove its worth and contribution to Yonkers and New York State,” said Mike Spano, Mayor, City of Yonkers. “These dollars generated by Empire City provide one of the greatest sources of educational funding for our students and their future, and we support the Casino’s ongoing development which will serve our schools and our City.”



To put these July revenues for education into perspective: Empire City Casino supported the equivalent of 1,977 teaching jobs in the month of July alone. New York State Department of Labor data indicates that the average monthly salary for elementary and secondary school teachers in New York is approximately $5, 800.



In addition, over $4.5 million was generated to support businesses connected to the racing industry, including family farms, the preservation of open space and over 35,000 jobs in the racing and breeding industry such as veterinarians, breeders, barn managers, trainers etc.



Statewide, the nine racetrack casinos that comprise the New York Gaming Association (NYGA) generated significant funding for education, contributing over $71 million in education aid and supporting over 12,000 teachers’ jobs in July alone.



Last month, NYGA announced that its members have generated nearly double the amount of tax revenue for their home state than Las Vegas Strip and Atlantic City casinos combined, according to statistics covering the first six months of 2012.

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Titan Air Selected to Sell Advertising at Westchester County Airport

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WPCNR AIR NEWS. From Titan Air. August 9, 2012:


 


Titan Air has won exclusive rights to represent Westchester County Airport.


 


The new contract, won competitively, began August 1, 2012. The advertising agreement covers all advertising within the airport, including state-of-the-art digital displays, which will provide news, weather and travel information as well as advertising. Titan will also be marketing new media in the airport, including a Digital Visitor Information Center that will allow passengers to reserve hotels, rent cars and make dinner reservations.


 


 


Other new initiatives that Titan will bring to the airport include work spaces designed to provide comfortable seating for passengers and charging stations for multiple electronic devices. These stations will feature high impact advertising and will be distributed throughout the airport.


 


This partnership marks the return of industry leaders, Michael Riley and Sam Hart, into the Airport advertising business. Messrs. Riley and Hart spent over a decade at the helm of Clear Channel’s Airport division, where they created and managed Airport and advertiser relationships with great results for all involved.


 


Titan will utilize its full sales team to sell local and national advertising into the airport. Local sales and marketing will be run from Titan’s New York headquarters, as well as from a new office in Westchester County.

“We look forward to working with Titan as it brings its technology savvy and innovative approaches to serving the traveling public at Westchester County Airport,” said County Executive Robert P. Astorino.


 


“We are delighted to begin our first Airport partnership,” said Don Allman, Titan’s President and CEO. “Titan’s proposition is centered around the ‘People in Transit’ philosophy, and Airports are a logical fit within our core competency. We have the best team in place to make a great success of this partnership.”


 


“Westchester County Airport delivers high-end consumers and the opportunity for high-end, high-impact media,” said Mike Riley, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Titan Air. “We’re looking forward to growing revenue for the Airport and delivering new ways of reaching consumers for our advertising partners.”

 


Westchester County Airport is served by seven airlines to 15 destinations in the United States. The airport has approximately 1.5 million passenger arrival and departures per year.

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