County Legislators Approve 2.9% Tax Increase, 2% Less than Orig. Budget

Hits: 0

 


 


WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators. (Edited) December 14, 2009: The Westchester County Board of Legislators reached final agreement on the 2010 budget today, and, tonight, voted to approve it by one vote, 9-8 in a sharply divided decision. The $1.8 Billion budget offers an overall 2.9% tax increase as opposed to County Executive Andrew Spano’s previously proposed 4.9% tax increase.


 


However, in White Plains the property tax increase actually amounts to a WPNCR estimated 11% for residents due to the higher assessed property values in White Plains. If tax rates stay the same in White Plains the typical $650,000 median priced home would pay $283 more in county property taxes when the county property tax, sewer tax and sanitary taxes are taken into account. County property tax rates vary from city to city and municipality in the county.


 


The County $1.8 billion dollar budget includes 3.3% estimate of sales tax growth in 2010. If the county sales tax collections equals last year’s sales tax collections in November and December (the figures for November are due out this week), the county will finish the year at $418,032456 in sales tax for 2009.


 


An assumption of a 3.3% increase in collections in 2010 is very modest and if it comes to pass in 2010, the county would gross $431,827,527 in 2010–a far cry from the 2009 budget of $478,000,000 in sales tax. 


 


However if the 11.5% rate of decline in sales taxes experienced the first 10 months of 2009 continues in November and December of this year, the sales tax handle will go down another $8.5 Million, reaching $53.5 Million, and hitting only $409.5 Million for 2009.


 


 The budget eliminates a combination of twelve filled and vacant staff positions and took a vacancy factor in almost all county departments for added savings, includes a consolidation of the county’s departments of health and mental health and continues the transfer of non-mandated programs.  Furloughs of county personnel previously discussed were eliminated.


 


The Budget includes keeping vital day-care slots available for needy families and preserves programs for county seniors.


Highlights of the 2010 proposed budget include:



·  Millions in savings in federal aid from Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP)


· Transfer of non-mandated programs to local providers


· Reduction of staff positions countywide (transfer of non-mandated programs & vacancy factors)


· $13.6 million dollar Capital program for road  and other critical infrastructure projects


· No raises for Commissioners or Deputy Commissioners


· Full restoration on proposed countywide furloughs for all employees


 This budget includes a 4% increase of in contractual raises for union employees; millions in additional state and federally mandated social services; and other mandated costs. If these costs were not addressed, it could have resulted in a 4.9% property tax increase.  


 


FINAL VOTE TALLY:


 











































YES (in favor of approval)

NO (not in favor of approval)


Rogowsky, Martin (D)

Harckham, Peter (D)


Oros, George (R)

Nonna, John (D)


Ryan, William (D)

Kaplowitz, Michael (D)


Bronz, Lois (D)

Myers, Judith (D)


Abinanti, Thomas (D)

Burton, William (D)


Williams, Lyndon (D)

Maisano, James (R)


Spreckman, Bernice (R)

Burrows, Gordon (R)


Jenkins, Kenneth (D)

Pinto, Vito (D)


Alvarado, Jose (D)

 


 

 


 

 


 

Posted in Uncategorized

County Legislators Did not Know Sales Tax was down. Is Incompetence Impeachable?

Hits: 0

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. News & Comment By John F. Bailey. December 13, 2009: I spilled my coffee on the editorial page of the Journal News Sunday morning when I read the Editorial Board analysis of county legislators  Mike Kaplowitz , Ken Jenkins, Judy Meyers, John Nonna, Bill Burton  and Peter Harckham  $7.6Million cut on the budget the six announced last Wednesday, because they had learned just last week the county was in trouble financially.


 


The exact line in the editorial reads, “Kaplowitz said the group was spurred to act by the stark realization that there was a $45 Million tax hole – from overestimating sales tax revenue – in Spano’s Budget.”


 


Stark realization? Glory be!


 






Had Mr. Kaplowitz and his “Slashing Six” been doing any work the last five months, or been reading this website on a regular basis, they would have known this.


 


Or if they were at all concerned they could have called up the County Budget Director.  The County Department of Communications told this reporter in August that the county was monitoring the sales tax collections. Some monitoring.


 


Kind of like monitoring the Asian Carp getting into the Great Lakes?


 


Did we see any cutback in spending by the Spendo administration?


 


Did we hear any talk from the Slashing Six about, hey Andy, maybe we should cut a little?


 


In August,  this website published the mid-year figures from the Department of  Taxation and Finance, and we did so again in September. In September the deficit projected at $60 Million if the November, December period did not perform well ahead of last year. After seven months, county sales tax was running 12.5% below the 2008 pace, a $38 Million shortfall, if the trend continued.  In September it compounded to a $60 Million deficit, on projected revenues of $478.2 Million (see http://www.wpcnr.com/article7642.html).


 


 


Now that’s just using simple baseball statistics. What do these clowns do all day at the Michaelian Building anyway? Monitoring. Are you kidding me?


 


They were asleep at the wheel. They were budgeting  “BUI” (Budgeting Under the Influence of Cashohol.) They should have their budgeting license revoked.


 


Any group of fools could run a county $45 Million in the red. There are a lot of them in Albany who are so smart they have run the state into a $3.2 Billion deficit.


 


Since the county budget is about to be voted on in a few hours, I suggest this Kaplowitz-Jenkins, Meyers, Nonna,Burton, Harckham thing is a face-saving ploy so that these six legislators can say they were for budget-cutting, and attempted to cut the budget next time they run. I am so sorry I skipped this news conference.


 


If I were a real cynical reporter, and  the fact that the six legislators had the nerve to say this deficit was a surprise, is an insult to every person in the county, not employed by county government.


 


I would say this is just pre-2011 election posturing positioning by these six persons. They take the cost-cutting position, and let the rest of their legislators carry the ball and pass the budget as is.


 


But the $7.6 Million cut still will kill the taxpayer with pretty much the same tax increase because these axe-wielders are cutting the budget by  POINT 4% — less than a half percent cut!


 


I want that to sink in, folks.


 


The KJMNBH  $7.6 Million budget cuts amount to POINT 4% LESS than a HALF percent cut in the budget.


 


Boy you can call these guys real slashers!


 


This, by the way is about half what the county paid for the Saw Mill River Road warehouse to pay for housing election machines.


 


This is cost-cutting? We have a lot to look forward to.


 


Your legislators have shown once again the contempt they show for the people they govern by this grandstand play.


 


What is even more laughable, is County Legislator Board Chair Ryan’s statement that, according to the Journal News quoting Mr. Ryan,  the Kaplowitz team play was decribed by Bill Ryan as  “this is a long laundry list of management cuts put forth without analysis and no indication as to whether or not it will improve government or not.”


 


Analysis? The county analyze? 


 


Usually it’s how does this benefit our supporters is the only analysis they do.


 


Improve government? Now that’s a concept!


 


What might improve government for starters both in the County Legislature and the White Plains City Council is paying attention.


 


Not just showing up and jawboning and wringing hands when the tax dollars have already been spent, and more to the point the statistics foreshadowing the budget hole have been right there in your face for the last six months, ladies and gentlemen.


 


Someone should have told Andy.


 


This is incompetent government.


 


Now, just suppose the $7.6 Million proposal of  Kaplowitz, Meyers, Nonna, Burton and Harckham goes through. They now can claim the mantle of budgeteers and will be reminding you all of this in 2011 when you go to the polls to vote for them again!


 


They are on-record as opposing Mr. Ryan, and are betting this will position them as in favor of efficient spending cuts. (That’s mighty strong political hay with a ½% budget cut.)


 


Honestly, we pay these guys for this kind of performance?


 


Where were they six months ago?


 


They  could have been calling on Andy Spendo to cut the budget.


 


But, they could not conceive that Uncle Andy would lose the election, and certainly didn’t want to get Andy mad at them. So they said nothing.


 


Now they’re worried.


 


Where are they going to be six months from now?


 


They will be fighting for all those services their supporters want, protecting them from County Executive Rob Astorino’s “draconian” “stark” budget cuts, and crossing their fingers that the “recovery” is strong.


 


What a job they have, and it’s only part-time.


 


It would be nice if they worked part of that part-time, wouldn’t it?


 


 


Perhaps make a phone call once in a while and say, hey Andy, how is the sales tax going?


 


Ya think?


 


 

Posted in Uncategorized

Paul Wood is Dead at 50. City Executive Officer dies after long hospitalization

Hits: 0

WPCNR MILESTONES. By John F. Bailey. December 13, 2009 UPDATED Midnight December 14, 2009: Paul Wood, the city’s Executive Officer died Saturday evening at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey where he was being treated from complications related to a long illness.  Mayor Joseph Delfino, in a statement released Sunday evening, said, “I can never thank him enough for the contribution he made to the Renaissance of the City of White Plains. He will be sorely missed.”



Paul Wood, City Executive Officer, December 2006.  


1959-2009



Mr. Wood, in a familiar pose at Common Council Meeting, December 2008


Wood, 50, worked for the city from 1999 up to his death, starting as an assistant to George Gretsas, the previous Executive Officer in the Delfino Administration. Mr. Wood began his career with the city as a press spokesperson handling media inquiries then moving  more deeply into city policy making with Mr. Gretsas.  When Gretsas left to take a position as City Manager with Fort Lauderdale in 2004, Wood was appointed Executive Officer by Mayor Joseph Delfino, replacing Gretsas in July 2004 and since that time Wood has been the man behind the scenes,  managing the day-to-day decision-making at city hall with the Mayor since the Gretsas departure.



Mr. Wood with  Melissa Lopez, (left) City Director of Economic Development, Coordinator of Public Information, and Yajaira Suarez, Graphics Technician, at his 50th birthday party, February, 2009. Photo, Courtesy, the Mayor’s Office.


Wood began his career as a reporter in New Jersey where he covered Mr. Gretsas when Gretsas ran for the school board in a local community (believed to be Park Ridge) and won at the age of 21. Gretsas brought Wood to White Plains when the Mayor appointed Gretsas Executive Officer when Mayor Delfino defeated Bill Brown in 1997 to win Delfino’s first term as Mayor in White Plains. Wood was responsible for the upgrading of city publications and public relations positioning of the city as Westchester’s “Renaissance City” when the City Center and the Ritz-Carlton were brought to White Plains in 2003 and 2006.



Mr. Wood, left, with John Ioris of the White Plains Performing Arts Center Foundation and Susan Garofalo, of the Mayor’s Office, celebrating Mr. Wood’s 50th birthday ten months ago. Photo, Courtesy, The Mayor’s Office.


In obituary information released Sunday evening by Melissa Lopez of the Mayor’s Office, Mr. Wood is described as the implementor of Mayor Delfino’s Smart Growth Program, which is credited with lowering the city’s building vacancy rate, from 34% to 10%  and helping to orchestrate the nuts and bolts of the development of Cappeli Enterprises City Center and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel complex.


This reporter can tell you he worked extremely hard, late into the evenings and articulated city positions on controversial matters very cleverly and delivered statements known for their bluntness in dealing with Common Council opposition to Mayor Delfino’s policies. He delighted in exposing Common Council public reversals of previously agreed-upon positions with the Mayor without mercy, and extreme irony.  He rarely took any vacations of excessive length.


This reporter often enjoyed Mr. Wood’s sense of humor about the adversarial relationship between the press and himself. He had the ability to laugh at himself, be mad as hell at you one moment then laugh at your joke the next. He could take a ribbing, and was not as sensitive as typical press officers have a tendency to be. He never took things personally and was the consummate aide-de-camp to Mr. Gretsas and the Mayor. You could not have a more loyal or dedicated and trusty sidekick than Paul Wood.


Most recently Mr. Wood negotiated the contracts for the police and fire unions which the Common Council rejected, only to have upheld just last week by the binding arbitration arbitrator, Alan Vianti.  Wood had predicted that the aribitration procedure would award the very amount the common council had rejected last December (2008,3.75% and 4%), which is exactly what happened.



Wakes will be held for Mr. Wood Monday evening from 6 PM to 9 PM at the Van Emburgh-Sneider-Pernice Funeral Home, Ramsey New Jersey at 109 Darlington Avenue, and from 2 to 4 P.M. and 7 to 9 P.M on Tuesday evening. A funeral mass for Mr. Wood will be held at 10 A.M. on Wednesday at St. Gabriel’s Roman Catholic Church  88 East Saddle River Road in Saddle River, New Jersey



Mr. Wood  was the son of Owen and Kathleen Wood of New Bedford, Massachusetts, born February 13, 1959. Mr. Wood graduated from The New School, and worked as a reporter for Community Life newspaper in Westwood, New Jersey, before becoming politically active.


In 1994, he was press secretary for Edward Hyne in his bid for Bergen County, New Jersey County Executive. He joined the City of White Plains in 1999 as Director of Economic Development and was appointed acting Executive Officer in 2004.


This reporter remembers Mr. Wood talking about his coaching his sons in basketball as late as last summer and how enthusiastic he was in talking about the experience to me. He was very active in Allendale’s Department of Recreation, volunteering as a basketball coach.



He is survived by his wife, the former Valerie Pannullo of Allendale, N.J., and his  four sons, Ryan, 28 of Plymouth, Massachussetts, and Jerry, Michael and Matthew of Allendale, New Jersey. Mr. Wood’s brother, Peter Wood resides in Florida. Ryan Wood was at his father’s bedside when he passed away, and is beloved by his three younger brothers, according to a family friend.


  White Plains Commissioner of Public Works, Joseph Nicoletti, described Mr. Wood, as running the day-to-day operations of the city since 2005. He said Wood was “always very level-headed.  Any time emergencies or crises came up he was always calm and very analytical in approaching the problem. He was a gentleman to work with, and I enjoyed working on problems with him.”


The family asks, to please send tributes, memories and condolences to www.VanEmburghSneider.com.

Posted in Uncategorized

Effect of Budget Cuts on the Disabled Defended as Not Affecting Services

Hits: 0

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. Letter from The Commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities. December 11, 2009: The Commissioner of the OMRD has forwarded a letter to service organizations claiming that only $1 Million of some  $35 Million in Governor Paterson’s cuts will directly affect services. Here is the text of that letter:


I want to take this opportunity to update you on OMRDD’s Deficit Reduction Plan (DRP) which is required in accordance with budget-related Legislation that was passed on December 2, 2009.  The actions called for in this DRP are expected to generate current year State fund savings of $2.7 billion, of which the OMRDD “Aid to Localities” share is estimated to be approximately $35 million.  


After receiving input from various stakeholders and being given the flexibility on how best to achieve these savings, OMRDD developed and submitted its DRP for approval on December 7, 2009.  Our plan was approved within 24 hours and is now in the implementation stage.



While reductions of any kind are difficult, I am pleased with the fact that our plan has the potential to only have a minimal impact on current services being provided to people with developmental disabilities.  Of the $35 million reduction in the current year, only about $1 million will result in a reduction of funding to providers of service. This 10% reduction in spending in this specific area may impact workshop, day training and other services funded through contracts with OMRDD or the Counties.


 (Continued)




I want you to know that my goal remains the same as it has been through all of our budget struggles, and that is first, and most importantly, to minimize impact on direct services to the people we support and serve and to maintain the services they are currently receiving.  The remaining $34 million in savings will be achieved through natural delays in spending and cash management strategies that will not impact payments to providers.



The Governor has made it clear that the actions taken by the Legislature still fall short of the $3.2 billion needed to fill the current-year gap by $500 million.  So far, approximately $30 million in additional savings has been assigned to OMRDD to help close this gap. Again, OMRDD was given the flexibility to manage this additional reduction and as a result will be able to do so without reducing payments to providers which could have impacted current services.



In summary, OMRDD has been given a current fiscal year savings target of approximately $65 million of which only about $1 million has the potential to impact current services.  In addition to minimizing the potential impact on current services, our DRP does not change my commitments for current projects or new services.



While this is extraordinarily good news for the current State fiscal year, we remain very guarded. The Governor had previously projected a two-year, $10 billion gap, and we still don’t know the impact of these current year actions on next year’s budget.  Obviously, we still have a long way to go.



Thanks again to all who helped inform our thinking and decision-making throughout this arduous and nerve-racking process.  The partnership that OMRDD has with you, families, individuals with developmental disabilities and providers must remain strong especially in these strident times. All of us will need to continue our advocacy as we move into the next budget cycle, to do what is right in support of the people with developmental disabilities that we serve and those in need of services.


 


Sincerely,


 


Diana Jones Ritter


Commissioner

Posted in Uncategorized

Astorino Communications Director Appointed. Former Reporter

Hits: 0

WPCNR County Clarion-Ledger. From The County Executive-Elect Rob Astorino Transition Team. December 10, 2009: Westchester County Executive-elect Rob Astorino (R-I)  announced Thursday that he has appointed corporate communications specialist and former Gannett and New York Times journalist Edwin J. (Ned) McCormack of Greenburgh to serve as his Communications Director. 



Mr. McCormack is currently a communications executive at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he is responsible for communications involving Global Banking, Markets and Wealth Management Technology & Operations. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch in 2006, Mr. McCormack held a series of communications positions at JPMorgan Chase starting in 1993. He began his career as a reporter with Gannett Westchester Newspapers, now known as the Journal News, and moved from there to the Bergen Record in New Jersey and then to The New York Times.

 As the Westchester County Communications Director, Mr. McCormack will oversee multichannel communications for the Office of the County Executive and all the agencies under its direction. 

“Ned McCormack has been a trusted friend and advisor for many years, and I am thrilled that he has agreed to serve as the county’s top communications professional,” County Executive-elect Astorino said. “There is a great deal of work to be done in turning Westchester  County government around and I am confident that Ned will be able to communicate both our overall vision and our day-to-day progress to  the myriad Westchester constituencies.  The job of a communications director is a critical one, and I am fortunate to have Ned McCormack aboard.” 

“I am honored and excited to be part of the team,” Mr. McCormack said. “Our goal will be to connect Westchester residents to their government, communities and each other by providing them with information that is accurate, clear, timely, accessible and useful.”

Mr. McCormack lives in Greenburgh, where he and his wife, Evelyn, raised their two children. He is a graduate of Georgetown University, where he majored in Government, and he has a Master’s degree in Business Administration from New York University.

 

Posted in Uncategorized

Police Union Head Announces Arbitration Award– 3.75% -08-09;4%,09-10

Hits: 0

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. December 7, 2009 UPDATED 9:25 A.M. E.S.T.: Alan Vianti, the neutral arbitrator assigned the binding arbitration procedure agreed to by the White Plains Police Benevolent Association and the City of White Plains in their year-old labor dispute, handed down a decision Monday deciding the White Plains Police, based on settlements around the region are entitled to a 3.75% retroactive increase in the previous 2008-09 salary year and 4% across the board in the current salary year now underway  (2009-2010), WPPBA President Jim Carrier told the CitizeNetReporter today.


Carrier said this morning, the police will again be without a contract as of July 1, 2010, meaning the new Bradley administration will be negotiating with the police again within weeks of taking office.



WPPBA President, Jim Carrier announced a binding arbitration award of 3.75% and 4% for the Police Monday covering 2008-09 and 2009-10 to WPCNR.


Carrier also said that the raises are across the board, all salary levels, and that the arbitrator rejected the city request for a freeze at the current entry level for all subsequent new hires.


Carrier also told WPCNR, the arbitrator rejected the city request that the number of years of service required to reach the maximum level of pay at a position be increased from 3 to 5 years. The arbitrator limited the union request for supervisors’ raises to 1% additional (the union had requested 2%), and detectives’ raises to 1% (again 2% was requested). Assorted other city demands were rejected by the arbitrator, including police demands for longevity increases.


The 3.75% and 4% raises are the same pay increases the Common Council rejected one year ago, leading to binding arbitration. It is expected that White Plains Fire Fighter raises will parallel that of the police award. The Fire Fighters are also in binding arbitration, being evaluated by a different neutral arbitrator, Roger Maher.


The 3.75% and 4% pay increases usually set the pattern for other city contracts coming up, with the Teamsters and the CSEA. The Police contract is for two years, meaning the new Adam Bradley administration taking office in January, will have to being negotiations anew with the Police and fire unions within weeks after taking office.


Jim Carrier, of the WPPBA, noted that the second year of the new agreement expires in sixth months, meaning the new Bradley administration will be conducting negotiations on a new contract within months, even weeks of taking office.


The settlement was not anounced to the public by the Mayor at Monday evening’s Common Council meeting, even though the meeting was televised and the award information was given to this reporter earlier in the day.


Asked if he had any comment on the possibility of layoffs in the months ahead due to city’s running a deficit, Carrier said he had no comment.


Joe Carrier, the President of the White Plains Fire Fighters, told WPCNR that Roger Maher, the independent arbitrator considering the fire fighter demands, has not notified him of his decision yet, but expected a decision from Maher shortly.


 

Posted in Uncategorized

Out of the Sun: Pearl Harbor Attack Remembered

Hits: 0

Out of the Sun


 



The Arizona engulfed December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor


 


Out of the sun on the quiet Sunday they came


Steel birds of death blazened with red suns raining fiery havoc on Battleship Row.


One by one, ruthless planes dove, destroyed to their nation’s shame


Thunderous explosions scattered fiery death on Sunday dawn’s glow.


 


Flames belched from bowels of stricken Arizona, America’s pride,


On Hicham Field pilots raced to planes to defend


As their birds were crippled on ground by Zeros’ glide


Gunners in turrets on ships floundering filled skies with flack’s din.


 


In search of carriers the marauders could not find


They ruthlessly strafed and bombed leaving Pearl


In smoking ruin, ships sunk, burning as raiders flew into the Sun


The day of infamy had been ignited in the Zeros’ swirl.


 



The Attack Begins 8 AM December 7, 1941


 


As America listened a world away, a somber FDR


Spoke of December 7 as ever a day that will live in infamy.


America must never forget that  Pearl Harbor Scar


When an unsuspecting America slept in complacency.


 


To the 2,403 who perished that day under merciless bombs


Hails of bullets,  terror of torpedos out of nowhere


America must remember forces against our freedoms


Relentlessly work always to surprise us with deadly bombs’ glare.


 


Vigilence is the price of freedom that must always be defended


Against those who would destroy our republic from within


As well as the dark forces in far off places we have offended.


But the answer is not curtailing freedom at home rather it to champion.


 


The USS Arizona lies in Pearl’s waters, bleeding the lives


Of her men through the eerie eternal slick marking the rusting hulk.


Beneath Pearl’s waters, the blood of free people oozes from the shadowy bulk,


Bleeding forever, freedom’s spirit living forever in lost lives remembered.


 


She never rests.


 


 



Note: The Pearl Harbor attack which took place 65 years ago today and its aftermath is dramatically depicted at http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/pearlhbr/pearlhbr.htm

Posted in Uncategorized

All Night Lights! New Post Road School Blazes 24/7 Due to Poor Electric Design

Hits: 0

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. December 4, 2009: The $38.5 Million “green building, eco-efficient, energy-saving” Post Road School opened to rave reviews in September with no reported glitches. However, the security lighting system in halls and stairways and entrances cannot be controlled efficiently due to flaws in the electric system controlling the lights.


 


Neighbors may be wondering why the new Post Road School has blazed like an airport terminal all night long 7 days a week these past three months. Fred Seiler confirmed the problem with the lighting to WPCNR Thursday.  The school according to Assistant Superintendent for Business, Fred Seiler, has too many lights that are security lights which cannot be dimmed and are not motion-sensitive, and apparently, (it is not quite clear why), cannot be turned off individually.


 



 


Seiler confirmed the electrical-design perpetual lighting problem  in the new school Thursday afternoon to WPCNR, after a parent contacted WPCNR complaining about the waste and how long it has been literally going on.


 



Post Road School, Sterling Avenue entrance. Wednesday 11:30 P.M


According to Seiler the district became aware of the problem when the school opened in September and they have had “many discussions” about how to fix it. It seems the lights cannot be turned off individually. The lights in question are the main entrance interior lights, the three hall levels and the stairwells. Individual classroom lights are motion sensitive, and even dim according to the amount of light coming in the windows, as well as being switch-controlled.


 



New Post Road School, Wednesday Evening 11:20 P.M. Soundview Parking Lot.


 



Post Road School Cafeteria, Soundview Avenue side. 11:35 P.M. Wednesday Night.


 


Seiler said the problem stems from a misunderstanding between the architect, Kaeyer, Gartment & Davidson which called for the lights (which Seiler said were too many), and the way in which the electrical contractor wired the lights. “People say, well why don’t you just turn them all off,” Seiler explained, “but that’s no good either , because then you have no security lighting, at night.”


Seiler said the project for rewiring the lights has been put out to bid. He said he had no idea how much it would cost.


 


Parents familiar with the problem contacted WPCNR complaining about the problem. One said the lights have been on for months and they considered it a waste of money.


 


Seiler said the school district did not have an idea of how much the 24 hour lighting has eaten up in additional electricity bills.

Posted in Uncategorized

Legislature Cuts Community Residence Agencies But Not as Much as Predicted

Hits: 0








WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the New York Association of Community and Residential Agencies. December 4, 2009 A Deficit Reduction Plan (DRP) was approved by both houses of the State Legislature Wednesday. The State Assembly approved the measure early Wednesday morning with the State Senate taking action before Noon. The next step to enact the approximate $2.7 billion in cuts is approval by the Governor -which is expected.


The State Legislature rejected the Governor’s proposal to cut all OMRDD local assistance by 10%. While NYSACRA continues to obtain specific details as to the exact nature of the cuts, it appears that non Medicaid services may be subject to the 10% reduction, Medicaid services receiving a 5% cut and ICF services excluded from a cut. This translates into an estimated $37 million cut to the OMRDD voluntary sector. It is important to underscore that the Commissioner will have the flexibility in decision- making as to exactly how the reductions will be implemented and stresses that the $37 million reduction is an approximate figure. Likewise to serve as a reminder, the DRP reflects mid-year reductions to the current fiscal year (2009-10) and will be effective November 1, 2009.


The total $550 million in local assistance reductions will be achieved through targeted actions ($160 million) and 12.5% local assistance cuts (deemed across the board reductions) to unspent 2009-10 funds ($390 million). OMRDD sister agencies, OMH and OASAS will be subject to the 12.5% across the board reductions.


There remains a $500 million deficit in the current fiscal year and uncertainty as to how the Governor will achieve these savings. Additionally, discussions continue as to the severity of the State’s cash flow and whether the Governor will seek to address this through payment delays to providers.


 


 

 

Posted in Uncategorized

Astorino Taps Plunkett Deputy County Exec, Meehan County Attorney

Hits: 0

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Transition Office of the County Executive Elect, Rob Astorino. December 3,2009: Westchester County Executive-elect Rob Astorino (R-I), who promised to attract to his administration the “best and brightest Westchester has to offer” to reduce the cost of county government, today announced two senior administration appointments, Kevin J. Plunkett as Deputy County Executive and Robert F. Meehan as Westchester County Attorney.



Kevin Plunket, left, newly appointed Deputy County Executive with County Executive Elect, Rob Astorino, and member of the Astorino transition team, Kay Karsky. WPCNR NEWS ARCHIVE


Mr. Plunkett currently serves as Chairman of the Astorino Transition Committee and Mr. Meehan is the Mount Pleasant Town Supervisor.  These appointments are the first announced by the County Executive-elect, who takes office on January 1, 2010.


“Kevin Plunkett and Bob Meehan will bring to these positions a wealth of experience in government and sound public policy judgment,” County Executive-elect Astorino said. “They are  highly skilled and accomplished professionals who will be great assets to Westchester County government.  I have known Kevin and Bob for more than two decades and they will be indispensible to me as I work to move this county forward.”


 



Kevin J. Plunkett – First Deputy County Executive


Mr. Plunkett is a partner at the law firm of DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise & Wiederkehr, LLP, which is based in White Plains, NY. He has a distinguished public service resume: Mr. Plunkett is a Member of the Governor’s Judicial Screening Committee for the Second Department. He is a Board Member of the New York State Thruway Authority; a Member of the Taconic State Park Recreation and Historic Preservation Commission; a Member of the Board of Visitors at Pace University Law School, and Chairman of the Greenway Conservancy for the Hudson River Valley, Inc. Mr. Plunkett has served as counsel to many Westchester County communities.


Robert F. Meehan- County Attorney


Mr. Meehan has served as the Mount Pleasant Town Supervisor since 1990. He was admitted to the New York bar in 1974 and has extensive experience in municipal and related areas of law. He received his B.A. from Fordham University and J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law. He has served as a Law Clerk to Supreme Court Justice Richard F. Kuhnen and as the Mount Pleasant Town Attorney prior to being elected Supervisor. Mr. Meehan has extensive community and public service credentials. He is a current member and past President of the Westchester/Putnam Town Supervisors Association and the Westchester Municipal Officials Association.


“I am honored to have been chosen to serve as Deputy County Executive,” Mr. Plunkett said. “County Executive-elect Astorino and I share a vision of a more efficient Westchester government that puts taxpayers and economic growth first. Westchester is facing many challenges, and we are assembling an outstanding team to meet those challenges head on.”


“I have known and worked with Rob Astorino for 25 years,” Mr. Meehan said. “I am thrilled that he has asked me to serve in this capacity.  There are many critical legal issues before this county, and I am grateful for his confidence in my abilities to manage them.” 

Posted in Uncategorized