THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR

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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the Office of the Governor, David A. Paterson. November 30,2009: Governor Paterson’s Press Office has issued the following letter to constituents and the media commenting on what he expects the legislature to deal with this week at the special session of the State Legislature.

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Governor David Paterson. WPCNR News Archive Photo

The stakes could not be higher for the future of our state.

During the state’s budget battles of the last year, I have fought to do what’s right for the people of New York despite intense opposition from special interests and state legislators who refuse to confront fiscal reality.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve been fighting for a deficit reduction program that would close our current $3.2 billion gap in our current fiscal year and reduce the nearly $7 billion next year. We have to make immediate, substantial cuts reducing our spending.

We cannot raise taxes — New Yorkers’ tax burden is already high enough. We should not borrow any more money — it will cost us more in the long run. And we simply cannot spend money that we don’t have. We need responsible solutions to cut the deficit and we need them now.

This is why on Tuesday(November  24), I delivered a clear message to the legislature: cut this deficit with me or give me the power to do it myself.

I have submitted two bills to the legislature.

The first is my Deficit Reduction Program. It is a plan of shared sacrifice with responsible, recurring spending cuts across every area of the budget. It is a road map to putting New York on the road to fiscal recovery.

The second is my Executive Option Proposal. This would grant me, as Governor, a one-time authority to cut our spending, preserve the integrity of our credit rating, and keep New York safely afloat.

The legislature has been choosing to sit on the sidelines while our state risks running out of cash. Running out of cash has severe consequences for the state, just like it would for any family. A cash-strapped New York means delayed payments to schools and critical services hindered. I will not let that happen. This is why I have taken these steps.

In short: if the legislature is unwilling to make the necessary cuts, I will. If the legislature is unwilling to do what needs to be done, I will. If the legislature is unwilling to endure the criticism and the consequences, I will. It is only because the legislature has been plagued by inaction and unwillingness that I have sought these measures.

So far, New York has been able to avoid the devastation suffered by other states. In fact, we’re ahead of nearly every other state. It’s so important that we keep our foundation strong so that we can be ready for the next wave of innovation and new economy jobs.

Please call your legislator and say the time for action is now — and click here to let me know you stand with end the delays, cut our spending and close the deficit. I need your support to help send a powerful message to Albany — the time for playing politics is over and the time for recovery must begin now.

This is a crisis. This is a time for leadership. I’m willing to make the tough choices.

Thank you for standing with me. I’ll always stand with you.


 New Yorkers often ask me how we got into this deficit in the first place. The very short answer is two-fold:

we have declining tax revenues and we’ve suffered from decades of excessive spending.

The legislature has found it easy to increase spending over the years, but now refuses to make the difficult decisions to reduce spending. I believe that if New Yorkers can make those decisions in their own lives and households during these tough economic times, so should our legislature.

Governor David Paterson

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. November 26,2009: Daryl Schuler’s 8 Yard scamper around left end in the waning moments of the Third Quarter today, proved to be the winning TD as White Plains held off a two-touchdown rally by Stepinac in the final stanza to snap Stepinac’s winning streak in the traditional Thanksgiving rivalry between the two teams. White Plains Doug Sewitch made a game-saving shoe-string tackle behind the line of scrimmage to stop Stepinac on 4th down deep in Tiger territory in the third quarter, to stall a touchdown drive, which at the time did not seem like a big play, but as it turned out it was a game-saver.

MR. UNSTOPPABLE, Daryl Schuler, leaves Crusaders behind him as he scores the third and deciding Tiger touchdown with two minutes to go in the Third Quarter. Unofficially, WPCNR had Schuler rushing for over 200 yards in the contest. Schuler keyed two drives in the third quarter to give the Tigers a 21-0 lead. Stepinac rallied on an onside kick to launch a  drive that cut the lead to 21-14 with seven minutes to go in the game, but White Plains held them off on two possessions in the final moments to hold on to the win before approximately 6,000 fans. Schuler also scored the first WP TD midway in the second quarter.

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. November 25, 2009: In this time of year when many organizations are staging benefits asking for donations, Westco Productions, Westchester’s most popular, loved-by-all-ages nonprofit theatrical company, held an intimate buffet and cocktail gathering at the Westchester Arts Council rehearsal space Westco leases, last week to thank the donors who have supported Westco over the last 30 years.

Serena Russell, center, member of the Westco Board of Directors welcomes donors and supporters of Westco last week. Susan Katz, founder and impressarioess of Westco Productions is at left.

White Plains Susan Katz, founder of  Westco in 1979 has been staging shows and experiences that matter throughout the county, such as  The Magic to Do Players (show business experience for disabled youngsters, lauded by WARC and parents, that is in need of more support to keep the program going), Healing Walls, Bedside Buddies (actors visiting hospital-bound kids),  original educational shows in schools around the county, plus Ms. Katz’s Gold Star Concert Series – the county’s most successful, affordable popular artist’s series, which helps fund Westco’s public service performances. On hand were many of the persons who support the arts, including Chester Day, Jim Benerofe, Assemblyman-White Plains Mayor-Elect Adam Bradley, and others.

Susan Katz — reminisced about how Westco grew out of a county program she originally began in the County Center with Westchester  — which eventually turned into Westco Productions

Among the foundations who support Westco work are The Shirley G. Benerofe Foundation,The Bossak/Heilbron Charitable Foundation,The Louis R. Cappelli Foundation,The Thomas & Agnes Carvel Foundation, Drew Industries, Edith Glick Shoolman Children’s Foundation, Fein Foundation, Glickenhaus Foundation, Hitachi America Ltd., Hitachi Foundation,The H.O.P.E. For Youth Foundation, HSBC Bank USA (which funded the cocktail party) , Hudson Valley Developmental Disabilities Service, Office of Westchester County Hudson Valley National Foundation, James A. Macdonald Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts,New York State Senate, Paul & Harriet Weissman Family Foundation, The Janis & Alan Menken Foundation, The John H. & Ethel G. Noble Charitable Trust, Westchester ARC, Westchester Arts Council, Westchester Delegation of New York State Assembly

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. November 23, 2009: The Common Council and Mayor-Elect Adam Bradley  learned Monday evening from the City Chief Financial Officer, Gina Cuneo-Harwood that the city is running a worst case scenario budget deficit of $13.9 Million.   Harwood said she expected White Plains sales tax to stabilize and equal the last year sales tax “handle”  and only be down 2.6% if sales tax collections over the next eight months equal the last year total of $30,066,929 over those 8 months. To date, as reported on White Plains Week, and this website last week, sales tax is at $14, 879,395.

Common  Council Hears a Bit of Bad News. Common Council hears Chief Financial Officer Gina Cuneo-Harwood, head of table, give the numbers on the budget after four months Monday evening at City Hall. Attending were Adam Bradley, the Mayor-Elect, Beth Smayda and David Buchwald, new councilpersons-elect.

After the meeting, Mayor-Elect Adam Bradley, right,observed to reporters, after Ms. Harwood’s report,  the deficit is finally being reported by the city in line with the deficits he had expected, and told reporters in the rotunda of city hall afterwards he expected it would rise up to $20 Million, not $13.9 Million.

Harwood said declines of $1.2 Million in mortgage recording tax (given the “dead” state of home sales in the city), $400,000 in parking and permit fees, $500,000 in fines and forfeitures, and $6.9 in fund balance, the revenue deficit at this time she forecasts will be $10.4 Million.

If sales tax were to decline farther, as Councilman Benjamin Boykin pointed out, the projected budget deficit of 2009-10 (current year)would be worse. Boykin this would mean there would be no fund balance reserve to help balance the 2010-2011 budget the council has to begin work on.

Harwood drew a bleak picture in 9 of  13 revenue categories. Only one source was up and that was Hotel Occupancy Tax that is expected to bring in $400,000, based on preliminary reports of the first two months of hotel tax from the county, Harwood said. Even with that cash injection new this year the total revenue shortfall is $12.9 million.

Harwood reported that $12.9 million revenue decline was offset by a $2.5 Million decrease in expenditures due to cost-saving measures, for a forecasted variance of $10.4 Million.

Looming Labor Settlement Spikes Deficit

However, Harwood laid out the grim reality that if the labor settlement expected perhaps early next month on the police and fire binding arbitration matter with the city (the decision is now being formulated by the arbitrator), is 3.75% to 4% this would add $3 million to this year’s budget. (The administration had only budgeted a 2% increase in the reserve for financing.  This would increase the $10.4 Million forecast budget gap to $13.9 Million.

Harwood painted the prospect that the fund balance appropriation of $6.9 Million would have to be increased by taking another $7 Million from the $19.8 Million fund balance available June 30 of this year. She said that only $8.9 Million is undesignated and available for making up the deficit, meaning a $7 Million transfer from the fund balance would leave the city with just $1.9 Million going into the 2010-11 budget.

What a difference two months makes.

Council President Benjamin Boykin observed grimly that two months ago Ms. Harwood had said the city was running $3.8 Million in deficit, and that two months later it was up to $10.4 Million.

No member of the council raised any voice as to whether the city was planning to cut more operating expenses to turn back the rising tide of red ink. Tom Roach queried Harwood and Mayor Joseph Delfino as to whether the city departments were operating close to the bone. Delfino said they were. There was no call for new direct spending cutbacks by any council member.

Adam Bradley announced  to reporters after the meeting he would announce  some appointments to his new administration next Monday.

Mayor Joseph Delfino had no comments on the state of the budget after Harwood finished her presentation.

What Might Be Done to Cut the Deficit.

WPCNR notes that a $14 Million deficit could be made up and present city services and work force preserved by a one-time 42% increase in the city property tax, or a budget cut of 21% with a 21% property tax increase. As a general rule to generate one million in revenue, the city property tax has to increase 3%. The present city expense budget would have to be cut $6 Million to achieve a 20% decrease.

The city tax rate would have to raise from $157.06 per $1,000 of assessed valuation to $188.48 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, (providing the assessment roll does not decline. That would mean the city tax on a $650,000 to $700,000 home would go from $2,901 in 2009 to 2010 to $3,473 in 2010-11 if a tax increase was used to make up the other $6 Million and change in the projected deficit, not covered by budget cuts.

To eliminate the deficit next year, without raising city property taxes it would have to be cut $15 Million or more, other revenue to cut into that $15 Million hole. After all if the assessment roll continues its death spiral, the deficit will project even higher into 2010-11 and that has to be made up in more property taxes, too.

The city tax rate would have to go up 42% to clear out the present worse case deficit, the optimistic Ms. Harwood projects assuming the sales tax holds steady to last year’s numbers.

A 42% increase in city property taxes would increase the tax rate from $157.06 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, $66 to $223 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

You’re wondering what a 42% increase would do to your city taxes? It would mean that the $650,000 to $700,000 home in White Plains would increase from $2,901 in city taxes this year to $4,120 next year — a $1,219 tax increase.

Of course, any tax increase would be subject to additional pressure for expansion if the city assessment role currently at $285.2 Million were to decline further.

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. November 23,2009: Westchester County Board of Legislators various committees swing into action this morning reviewing portions of the outgoing County Executive’s 2010 Budget.

On tap at 10 A.M., the Budget Committee takes up the budget of the County Clerk, Emergency Services, and the Department of Transportation/Westchester County Airport. At 3 P.M., the Environmental Committee examines the Water Distribution System including $9.8 Million for district 3.

The Schedule:

What’s Happening at the County Board: Week of November 23, 2009

Board & Committee Meeting Preview: Items for Discussion

Please note: Latest Board and committee meeting agendas posted online at www.westchesterlegislators.com/calendar

Monday, November 23, 2009

10:00 AM

Budget & Appropriations—Hon. Jose Alvarado, Chair; Coordinator: Sally Schecter (995-2832)

2010 County Operating Budget Review

The following departments are scheduled to appear:

• County Clerk
  
• Emergency Services
  
• Transportation/County Airport

3:00 PM

Environment & Energy—Hon. Tom Abinanti, Chair; Committee Counsel: Christopher Crane (995-2104)

• Water Distribution System Improvements – Water District No. 3: The Committee will review proposed legislation to finance and implement water distribution system improvements in County Water District No. 3 (total authorized amount $9,800,000).

• Pest Management Committee Report: Representatives of the Pest Management Committee will report on their activities to the Committee.

7:00 PM

Regular Meeting of the County BOARD OF LEGISLATORS – Streamed Live from www.westchesterlegislators.com starting at 7:00 PM

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

10:00 AM

Budget & Appropriations—Hon. Jose Alvarado, Chair; Coordinator: Sally Schecter (995-2832)

2010 County Operating Budget Review

The following departments are scheduled to appear:

• Planning
  
• Information Technology
  
• Public Safety

Joint with

Public Safety & Security—Hon. Vito Pinto, Chair; Coordinator: Sunday Vanderberg (995-4604)

• Tracs Program-Use & Dissemination Agreements: Act authorizing the County to enter into Use and Dissemination Agreements with local municipalities, pursuant to which the County will act as lead agency to coordinate the local municipalities’ use of New York State‘s Traffic & Criminal Software Program and act as liaison with the New York State Police.

• Prisoner Transport IMA (Greenburgh): Act authorizing the County to enter into an Intermunicipal Agreement (IMA) with the Town of Greenburgh in order to provide reimbursement for prisoner transportation to the Westchester County Jail.