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.

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WPCNR NEWS & COMMENT. By John F. Bailey. July 31, 2011 UPDATED 11:20 P.M. E.DT.:

 

This morning Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky had the audacity to tell Bob Schieffer on CBS  that the U.S. Congress would come together for the good of the American people.

 

They could have done that three months ago and spent some energy paying attention to the Missouri River flood.

 

Just as predicted by White Plains Week on this week’s program, instead of voting down the house program last night,now McConnell says they’re coming together for the American people.

 

Where have we heard this one before?

 

How did we know this compromise  was going to happen?

 

I bet the bill is already written and ready to go.  In fact, it is McConnell as I file this scathing commentary just announced the details.

 

Perhaps Sheldon Silver drafted it for them.

 

And, now, get this, they have to pass it real fast — taking a leaf from the Joe Delfino playbook!

 

The media has been mesmerized with this debt ceiling story for a month .It was a mass distraction. You always knew they would raise the debt ceiling.

 

The media’s job is to articulate to the American people the story that their government is working for them instead ofworking for the Senators and Congresspersons themselves and the elite they protect and subsidize and subject to selective enforcement.

 

Why?  Because default is a myth. It is a Bogeyman. It never really happens.

 

The government prints all the money it wants.

 

The congress, the administration are literally,  with this “surprise” “come-together” compromise,  extending foreclosure on America.

 

Foreclosure of  a morally bankrupt government that is run by the connected for the rich, by  the rich,

 

Forestalling foreclosure is something they would not do for the thousands of Americans who were and still are facing foreclosure.

 

No one in the government has come out and told the banks to stop Uriah Heep-ing their mortgage-holders. Lend out your assets or else. And, they still won’t.

 

Something they would not do to Wall Street for defrauding the public, creating the financial crisis.

 

The government made the Wall Street ganovim (how wonderful that word is to decribe them) whole with a couple of “show crucifixions” of companies selected to take the fall at the direction of one of the creators of the securities that collapsed.

 

However, this posturing of the McConnells, the Reids, the Boehners, and the Obamas has been incredible in that these folks are buying into cutting spending.

 

The scripted statements heard sickeningly every hour on the hour are a replay the TARP bailout approval process, hailed this week as one of the most financially successful government programs ever.

 

What a lie that is. It was successful for the firms that got the TARP funds. It was not successful for the unemployed who lost their homes.

 

It was not successful for the thousands of college grads (who other than business school graduates), are scrounging for jobs, and if they have jobs, those students  can’t even begin to buy a house or condo because they have tremendous college loans outstanding. No relief for them.

 

Sorry, kids, we have to take care of our financiers who have wrecked the American economy before we help you. Maybe you can start a professional beer pong league.

 

Those immaculately dressed talking heads at the podiums at the capitol (The Dome of Iniquity) are all actors saying their lines, (perhaps just a little bit too smoothly). I mean who are their writers? 

 

The talking heads of congress only want to be reelected to their positions of power and influence and free rides. They have to be laughing at you, and especially the middle Americans who believe that cutting spending will help the country recover.

 

I can see the 2012 campaigns now. “He came together to save the economy.”

 

You see the acting on the local level, too.

 

Our “leaders”  abuse their power, tell you a lie often enough that it is easier for the self-centered American public to believe it rather than realize the truth.

 

Cut spending? Sure. I have some suggestions.

 

Now I have no animosity toward Kentucky, but I think Senator McConnell’s state since it is not a major contributor to the economy, should be a big part of any cuts in spending as a poster child state for cuts, and be cut substantially in government payments and aid to make Senator McConnell’s position credible.

 

No state has more highway construction going on I think than Kentucky. The traffic around Louisville was at a standstill when I drove around it tediously two years ago because of the construction from the Rebuilding America legislation.  I venture to say the aid that Kentucky gets could easily help pay for our Tappan Zee Bridge.

 

The same should be done in Ohio, where House Speaker John Boehner is from.

 

I love Ohio. It has the best turnpike in the nation, the Ohio Turnpike. It has the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Indians, and a lot of farms. And of course Ohio State. It’s obviously a prosperous state. They should tighten their belt. 

 

Boehner should lead by example, and make sure Ohio takes a major cut in government mandate, grants, transit and construction – just cut it in half since the Buckeye state is better off than most.. I am sure Representative Boehner  is working on his Ohio cuts right now, aren’t you?

 

And how about Harry Reid, so eager now to cave.

 

Nevada with its gambling industry and vast amounts of desert, and its contribution to the deterioration of American morals and clean living, hardly needs any aid at all. Let’s slash their government spending allotments in half, too. They no longer do nuke testing there. Let’s close all those military bases.

 

What are the odds that is going to happen in the McConnell,Boehner and Reid states?

 

No, what any spending cuts will do is hurt those least able to cope and least likely to vote. 

 

Already in Governor Andrew Cuomo’s cuts in New York State, the spending on the disabled has resulted in hurtful layoffs.

 

There’s a young social worker with a new child who had his last day with a major provider of housing for thee disabled. He is one person I know directly affected by Cuomo’s cost cutting edicts. What will he do? When I spoke to him last week on his last day his voice was hollow, the voice of a person facing doom. The state might as well have guiolotined him.

 

There’s going to thousands of cuts like my young friend if congress has their way on spending cuts. It is heartless.

 

 And I predict when mandate relief cuts are recommended from Washington, as well as by Governor Cuomo’s commission, there will be more cuts to the disabled, the food stampers, unemployment benefits, ability to receive medical care, because they don’t  vote. Cuts to illegal and undocumenteds in survival services. Cuts to social programs for the homeless. You watch.

 

As of 11 P.M. Sunday night this sudden compromise was announced by our President and it consists of the following gobble-de-gook:

 

The president will be authorized to increase the debt limit by at least $2.1 trillion, eliminating the need for another increase until 2013.

The first cuts will come in at nearly $1 trillion. That includes savings of $350 billion from the Base Defense Budget, which will be trimmed based off a review of overall U.S. national security policy.

A bipartisan committee with enhanced procedural authority will be responsible for pinpointing $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction from both entitlements and tax reform, as well as other spending programs.

The committee will have to report out legislation by November 23, 2011.

Congress will be required to vote on Committee recommendations by December 23, 2011.

The trigger mechanism — should the committee’s recommendations not be acted upon — will be mandatory spending cuts. Those cuts, which will begin in January 2013, will be split 50/50 between domestic and defense spending. Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries and “low-income programs” would be exempted from those cuts.

 

But there will be no increases in taxes on the rich there will be no mandates to banks to lend to get the economy going. There will be no increases in the capital gains taxes.

 

But you will bet there will be cuts in social security payments by extending the age you can first start social security and entitlements. Where are the cuts going to come?

 

Perhaps not cuts, but possibly raised social security taxes.

 

Your President will have us believe as would Mr. Boehner that all this suddenly got thrashed out in 12 hours yesterday.

 

Are you kidding me? Don’t you think maybe this was in the background all the time?

 

How little respect thay have for the American people.

 

You can bet there will be no cuts in military spending. (Well, according to the compromise they are throwing homeland security spending into the defense spending pool, thus enabling them to perhaps cut homeland security money, but not defense.)

 

But the way I read this plan: spending cuts are inevitable, but there are no tax increases at all.

 

How perfect.

 

There will be no incentives to companies to bring jobs back from overseas, where they make record profits because they pay dirt wages. Where are the changes to tax overseas profits of companies which has lead the decline of jobs in America.

 

There will be no immigration reform to legitimize the persons here illegally who do the jobs no one wants to touch. But they will make darn sure to deny these people medical care. Just guessing.

 

The people in Washington work for the rich and the powerful and are in their pocket. They do not care about you. They have to be laughing at you all now.

 

Could these hideous people at least look like they are working? They make far too many appearances on T.V. Their ties all neatly up snug. Their shirts clean and pressed.

 

And now someone is going to write this bill all up by tomorrow? And of course no one will be able to read it thoroughly but they have to pass it. Is Mayor Joseph Delfino consulting to Boehner, Reid and McConnell? Sure sounds like it?

 

They do not even use the anchorman’s trick of the loosened tie, the rolled up shirt sleeves, or the always sure-fire stress indicator the sandwich buffet.

 

And you are out there thinking they are doing such a good job.

 

They’re phonies.

 

Don’t be fooled.

 

The very notion that they would ever consider a default on the debt that has been seriously considered by the media is poppycock that the media have once again sold to the public.

 

They could not let default happen because their bosses on Wall Street would lose too much money.

 

But now, since we have to cut spending as part of  any deal, by cutting services to those who need them, well that’s O.K.

 

In fact from what I read on CNN the new deal will be a “super congress” overseeing the cuts. I wonder who will be on that? Gee, and they expect us to believe they hammered that out in 12 hours overnight?

 

You know anyone on that gang of 12 will not have their states gored.

 

And still no raising taxes.

 

Pain ahead — explained away by the need to cut spending.

 

Tell that to my young friend who has worked for his firm for a year and a half, making a life in this country, only to have it taken away,  when all he wanted was to do good.

 

It is viscious firing.

 

No one in congress is there to do good. They are vicious and irresponsible and weak. Easily influenced by thousands of dollars instead of pity.

 

They are there for themselves.

 

This is how revolutions are made.

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WPCNR WATER WATCH. From the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. July 29, 2011:

The New York City Health Department Thursday evening lifted the beach pollution advisory for Sea Gate in Brooklyn as well as the beach closure notices for South Beach, Midland Beach and Cedar Grove Beach in Staten Island.

The Thursday evening announcement brings to a close the massive raw sewage pollution of the Hudson River north to Ossining and south to the environs of New York Harbor after 8 Days. The raw sewage had to be pumped untreated into the Hudson River due to a fire at the 135th Street and 12th Avenue sewage treatment plant, and the lack of backup systems at the plant to continue the treatment process.

The most recent water quality sampling indicates that bacteria levels found at these locations and in New York Harbor has returned to acceptable levels.

Additionally, the Health Department has determined that recreational activities may resume in the Hudson River, the East River from the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge to Verrazano Bridge, the Harlem River and the Kill Van Kull to the Goethals Bridge.

These waterways are now fit for recreational activities that entail possible direct contact with water.

Consuming fish caught from these areas is again permissible, provided that individuals follow the New York State guidelines for consumption of fish caught in New York City waterways. That information can be found at http://www.health.state.ny.us/environmental/outdoors/fish/docs/down_state_advisories.pdf.

Warning signs at beaches and kayak launches will be removed as a result.

 Specific beach information continues to be available to the public through website postings at the City’s beach website www.nyc.gov/health/beach, at www.nyc.gov under NYC Right to Know, and at www.nyc.gov/health, the City Information Hotline 311, and those who have signed up to Notify NYC will receive up to date status information relating to public beaches via Twitter, RSS, email and SMS.

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WPCNR DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN. From The Rotary Club July 28, 2011:

Neil Connelly was installed July 12 as the 2011-12 president of the Rotary Club of White Plains.  He will serve as president until June 30, 2012.  He succeeded Paul Katz, senior partner with MetLife in White Plains.

Neil attended local schools including the Virginia Road School, St. John the Evangelist Grammar School and Stepinac High School.  He was graduated from the University of Notre Dame and received his law degree from the New England School of Law in Boston.  Neil’s law office, located at 99 Church Street in White Plains, concentrates primarily in construction and surety litigation.  Neil and his wife, Susan, live in Hartsdale with their three children – Matthew, Kathryn and Christopher.

The Rotary Club of White Plains was chartered in 1919.  The Club has over 100 active members and is one of the largest Rotary Clubs in New York State. The Club meets over lunch every Tuesday at 12:15pm at the Crowne Plaza, 66 Hale Street, White Plains.  The Club sponsors various fund raisers throughout the year to support international programs such as eradicating polio, scholarships for students from local high schools, and many community projects.  To learn more about the White Plains Rotary and their programs, please visit their website, www.roatrywp.org.   

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the  Westchester County Department of Communications. July 27, 2011 (EDITED):

Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino in an attempt at damage control over county credit being give a “Negative Outlook” by Moody’s Investors Service issued this news release:

In recognition of Westchester County’s prudent management, all three rating agencies in the past week have reaffirmed the county government’s AAA bond ratings, Astorino announced. 

            “This is an important accomplishment for us,” said Astorino. “The reaffirmation is a recognition that Westchester County is being well managed as it works through a difficult economic environment. We are making tough but smart choices to reduce our workforce and cut spending, while continuing to provide essential services. In practical terms, having three AAA ratings means that our costs when we borrow are kept as low as possible.”

            However, Astorino noted that one of the agencies, Moody’s Investors Service, qualified its rating by putting the county government on a “negative” outlook, based on what it said was too much use of reserve funds to balance its budget. The two other rating agencies, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Reports, maintained the county government on a “stable” outlook.

 

            Astorino added that Moody’s has also made it clear in a separate report that what happens to the federal government, as Congress deals with the debt ceiling, could have implications on Westchester County.  If  the federal government is downgraded, Westchester is one of the 440 AAA-rated local governments that Moody’s says is “indirectly linked” to the federal government and could be downgraded as well.  

           

            Despite its concerns, in a report dated July 25, Moody’s reaffirmed its AAA rating for Westchester. The other rating agencies, S&P and Fitch reaffirmed, the AAA rating on July 25 and July 20 respectively.          

            Westchester County currently has a general reserve fund of about $160 million, down from $201 million in 2006. Rating agencies generally want a reserve fund balance to be about 5 percent of expenditures, a criteria Westchester County government currently meets.

 

“Moody’s warning is significant and cannot be ignored,” Astorino noted.”At budget time last year, I warned the Board of Legislators that they were on shaky financial ground when they dipped into our reserve fund to restore spending cuts that I had proposed. In my State of the County message last April, I said that the county was ‘fortunate but fragile.’ As the legislators look ahead to the 2012 budget, I hope they will heed this warning.”

   

            Here are highlights of the rating agency reports:

·        Standard & Poors: The AAA rating reflected what S&P said was  “maintenance of a strong financial position, despite the recent drawdown of reserves and low-to-moderate overall debt burdens with rapid amortization.” The agency noted that the county had made workforce reductions and had consolidated some departments to reduce costs. “The primary strengths are the county’s comprehensive budget planning and monitoring policies,” the report stated. The report further stated: “The stable outlook reflects our expectation the county will continue to control expenditures in light of the recently passed New York State property tax cap legislation, and maintain its solid financial position  and reserves.” 

·        Moody’s : The agency said the county has a large and diverse tax base and  a strong socio-economic profile, but noted that there will be continued pressure on operations due to the “narrowing” of the reserve and a dependence on “economically sensitive” revenues such as state aid and sales tax and hotel tax. On a positive note, Moody’s said the county’s debt load was “manageable,” and credited the county with recently shedding its obligations to guarantee the debt of the Westchester Medical Center.

·        Fitch: Fitch Ratings cited the county’s fiscal discipline and modest debt levels as key contributing factors to the high rating and “stable” outlook. Fitch said the county’s “active management of expenses” and a “…demonstrated willingness to reduce expenditures to moderate larger budget gaps and budget conservatively” have helped Westchester County to maintain a strong credit profile.

 

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WPCNR WATER WATCH. From the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. (EDITED) July 26, 2011:

Current health advisories remain unchanged since yesterday’s DEP decision to close Midland and South Beach, and Cedar Grove Beach in Staten Island, and Sea Gate in Brooklyn.

 DEP is still working around the clock to stabilize the operations that have been restored and is putting affected systems  at the 135th Street/12 Avenue plant back in working order. Of the plant’s five engines used to pump wastewater into the facility, only two engines need to be operating during dry weather to handle the wastewater flow into the plant.

The wastewater that is being processed is receiving primary treatment and chlorine disinfection, which are the key components of the sewage treatment process needed protect public health. DEP is making progress restarting a third engine at the plant, which will provide redundancy during dry weather and add additional capacity during storms.

Based on recommendations from the Health Department, the Hudson River, the East River from the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge to Verrazano Bridge, the Harlem River and the Kill Van Kull to the Goethals Bridge remain unfit for recreational activities such as swimming, canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing or any other water activity that would entail possible direct contact until the recommended use restriction is lifted.

Consuming fish caught from these areas is not recommended for anyone until the pollution advisory is resolved. It is recommended that individuals catch and release fish back into the water.

 Over the past few days, substantial progress has been made restoring secondary treatment. Two of the three critical systems necessary to achieve secondary treatment, aeration tanks and final settling tanks, have come online and are in operation.

The third system—aeration achieved by blowers that supply oxygen to the process—is partially operating, with two of the three blowers needed to achieve secondary treatment currently online.

 As a result, DEP today reached Total Suspended Solid Removal, a major indicator that the plant is making progress towards meeting secondary standards for treating wastewater.

Environmental, Health and Community Impacts

The New York City Health Department, as of Tuesday, July 26, has issued beach closure notices for the following locations:

·         South Beach in Staten Island

·         Midland Beach in Staten Island

·         Cedar Grove Beach in Staten Island

·         Sea Gate in Brooklyn.

Recent water quality samples from these beaches have shown elevated levels of bacteria related to the untreated sewer discharges from the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant that occurred last week.

Signs have been placed at the beach entrances to alert the public to the closure. The four beaches will remain closed for swimming and bathing until the Health Department has made a determination that it is safe to swim. The decision to close these beaches was based on a review of both water flow through the harbor and an evaluation of actual water samples taken at the shoreline.

Alternative beaches, such as Coney Island Beach, Rockaway Beach, Orchard Beach, Manhattan Beach and Wolfe’s Pond Beach, remain open and unaffected based on current water quality modeling and sampling. Fifty-four outdoor pools are open for swimming as well. Call 311 to find the pool nearest to you.

Beaches and status changes will be available to the public through website postings at the City’s beach website www.nyc.gov/health/beach, at www.nyc.gov under NYC Right to Know, and at www.nyc.gov/health, the City Information Hotline 311, and those who have signed up to Notify NYC will receive up to date status information relating to public beaches via Twitter, RSS, email and SMS.

In the event of rainfall that would trigger a wet weather advisory, the Health Department will issue standard wet weather advisories for public beaches through 311, Notify NYC and its Web page. Descriptions of wet weather advisories can be found at http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/beach/beach_adv.shtml#wetweather.

The city Parks Department is restricting access to the river at the 79^th Street Boat Basin and has placed signs prohibiting kayaking, canoeing and other recreational activities from all city boat launch sites along the Hudson River and other appropriate sites. The Hudson River Park Trust as well as the Battery Park City Authority also installed similar signs at sites under their jurisdiction. During the initial incident, the New York City Police Department Harbor Unit patrolled near the plant to ensure boaters kept a proper distance.

DEP and the Health Department continue to take samples in the harbor and at permitted beaches that could potentially be impacted. For the most up-to-date information, go to the NYC Health website at www.nyc.gov/health, the DEP website at www.nyc.gov/dep, or call 311. Individuals can also receive proactive alerts by signing up through 311 for Notify NYC, the city’s official source for information about emergency events and important city services. Riverbank State Park, located atop the treatment plant, is open. Westchester County and New Jersey DEP are also performing water sampling and water flow modeling to determine any impacts on their rivers and beaches.