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More details shortly. The defendants are being represented by Jonathan Lovett.
Galleria Assessment Crashes $120 Mill–BOE OKs Tax Refund of Record $4.1 Million
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WPCNR THE CERTIORARIAN. By John F. Bailey. June 23, 2009 UPDATED 12:10 P.M. E.D.T. (Updates in Italics): The Board of Education approved a $4,177,152.05 certiorari refund to The Galleria Mall Monday evening covering the years 2006,2007 and 2008, Assistant Superintendent for Business Fred Seiler reported to WPCNR this morning. City Assessor Lloyd Tasch said the city was negotiating with two other malls in the city on their assessments, indicating there may be more certiorari and assessment losses the rest of this year from those other two retail properties.
Seiler said the $4,177,152.05 Million sum will be paid in two parts, half this coming December and half in August, 2010. Seiler said the amount should be covered by the
City Assessor Lloyd Tasch confirmed to WPCNR Wednesday morning that the assessed market value of the Galleria has been lowered $120 Million (from $260 Million) for the last three years, and as part of the settlement, the usual “3 year freeze” preventing owners for filing assessment grievances for three years after being granted a certiorari, has been waived in The Galleria case, meaning a further drop in The Galleria assessment for this year 2009 is likely.
Tasch, asked how the $120 Million (in assessed market value)has been taken off the city tax roll said about “half”the $120 Million was taken off this year’s 2009 roll, and that the other half would be taken off the roll for 2010, however, Tasch revealed that because of the waiver of the 3-year freeze, the city and The Galleria are “still in negotiations” to determine the 2009 assessed value. Tasch told WPCNR that $2 Million of Assessed Value translates to $88 Million of market value.
Asked how the shortfall was made up on this year’s roll, Tasch said that the Ritz Carlton second tower had come on the market and that “made up for a lot of it (the Galleria market value decrease).
The amount the city will refund on the certiorari should be about $1 Million, since $4 dollars in school property taxes are collected for every $1 the city collects. The Common Council will be made aware of the city portion of the refund Thursday evening.
Tasch was asked if future assessments of The White Plains Mall and the Westchester Pavilion could be lowered. Tasch said the city was in negotiation with those two malls that could lead to lowering of their assessments.
Tasch said the city is not in negotiation with The Westchester, which Tasch described as the city’s “strongest mall, completely leased up.”
Incidentally, the news comes one day after the
BOE Approves Teacher Contract With No Comment. Did Not Touch Steps Schedule
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. June 20, 2009: The Board of Education tonight voted unanimously to approve a new three year contract with the teachers union, granting across-the-salary-schedule 2% (retroactive to the current 2008-2009 year), 2% in 2009-2010, and 2-1/2% on February 1,2011.
The Superintendent and the Board of Education made no public comment on the terms of the contract in the public meeting. Donna McLaughlin, President of the Board of Education told WPCNR after the meeting, “I’m thrilled we have a settlement and we can move forward, especially with the new Superintendent of Schools (Dr. Christpher Clouet) coming in.”
Kerry Broderick, head of the White Plains Teachers Association, speaking on different matter Monday night, in attendance, also did not make any public statement on the settlement agreed to privately Friday June 12, and first reported by WPCNR Monday, June14.
Kerry Broderick of the White Plains Teachers Association told WPCNR that the Board of Education had not attempted to negotiate any scaling back of the White Plains Salary Schedule for new teacher hirings during the 18-month negotiation.
Asked if the Board of Education had attempted downward adjustments to future new hires during the course of the negotiations, McLaughlin confirmed they had not, “Not this time.”
Asked why, McLaughlin said “This was a rollover. It was not a major negotiation.” She said the next major negotiation would take place in 2011. Asked if revision of the salary schedule for new hires would be part of that, Ms. McLaughlin declined to commit to exploring that as being on the table.
Asked why the school board suddenly settled after long months if any legal action was threatened by the White Plains Teachers Association based on Peter Bassano e-mails to teachers had anything to do with the district change of heart, McLaughlin denied there was any threat of litigation by the teachers that threatened suing the district for bargaining in bad faith.
Peter Bassano, the newly re-elected member of the school interviewed after the meeting by WPCNR asked why the Board of Education did not explain the settlement to the public, said, “We didn’t want to rub their nose in it.”
Asked what made the 17% increase in wages over three years, the first year retroactive a good deal for the district Bassano said “We got them to pay 8% and 9% of health benefits in the second and third year, and agree to a $5 to $20 increase in the Co-Pay which creates a net savings. We also got them to eliminate the most expensive health care provider, Blue Cross-Blue Shield.”
Bassano said that a third of the teachers were at the maximum step level any way so they only received 2%, 2% and 2.5% and that saved the district money. He also said retirements every year would mean new lower paid teachers would be hired to replace them, creating a savings – but he gave no figures, saying WPCNR would have to check with Assistant Superintendent of Business, Fred Seiler on those savings.
WPCNR expressed skepticism, asking what with the compounding of the salary schedule every year (based on higher salaries breeding high total dollar amounts), how can a $100 premium increase in pay the family level, possibly make up for increases totaling 5.5%, 5.5% and 6%?
Fred Seiler, the Assistant Superintendent for Business told WPCNR last October said the total premium for an individual with “SWSCHP” as it is known, this year (08-09)is $7,293, of which a teacher pays $625 annually (8.6%) . For a two-person family, the premium is $15,388, the teacher share they pay is $1,075 annually (7%). The premium for a family for more than two persons is $16,336, of which a teacher on the family plan pays $1,220 (7% of the cost).
Today, Ms Broderick said that a Family Plan of over two persons costs the district using Health Net, the premier carrier now left after the contract approval, pays $18,000.
The teacher now having such a plan pays $1,260 a year of that $18,000, and that would go up $180 beginning July 1 to $1,440. In July, 2010, that same teach with a family of over two persons would pay 9% of that and if the cost goes up 10% to $19,800 as predicted they would pay $342 more.
The average increase in salary for the teacher with one year of service going into 2008-2009 will receive $1,041 retroactively thanks to the 2% settlement on the wages in addition to the $1,831 they already received starting their second year with a B.A. This year will make $2,763 more in salary the first year of the three year contract. Teachers along the 20 year salary schedule of course receive more.It is unclear how a maximum increase inpremium the teacher pays at the family of more than two level, “nets” a saving for the district.
Mr. Bassano said the district would save a vast amount of money by the teachers eliminating the Blue Cross/Blue Shield health care choice but did not say how much. He advised WPCNR to get the numbers from Mr. Seiler.
Broderick told WPCNR Monday evening health care providers she has been told are keeping their health care insurance premium increases this coming year and next, lower than the10% predictions in health care costs made nationally, in the 4% range because, she said they do not want to give the Obama Administration ammunition to use as rationale for a national health care plan initiatives.
WPCNR asked Mr. Bassano why the district did not attempt step increase adjustments beginning with new highers. Bassano said the state United Federation of Teachers representative who was with Ms.Broderick during negotiations would not have allowed that. Bassano said the step levels are sacrosanct.
Teachers Approve New 3 Year Deal by Overwhelming Margin. Pay Up 17% in 2 Years
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. June 22, 2009: Kerry Broderick, President of the White Plains Teachers Association in a statement to the CitizeNetReporter moments ago announced the 651-member White Plains Teachers Association voted “overwhelmingly” to approve a new three year contract with the school district, upgrading teacher pay across all step and degree levels by 17%.
Kerry Broderick, President of the White Plains Teachers Association. April 13,2009. WPCNR News Archive
As first reported last week by WPCNR, the settlement, Ms. Broderick said, gives the teachers a 2% increase “across all step levels” retroactive to July 1, 2008, 2% as of July 1, 2009 (coming up in 9 days), and 2-1/2% effective February 1,2011. Broderick said the raise in 2011 is a “net” 1 and a quarter percent, but the contract expires June 30 of 2011, 6 months later.
Broderick said 400 of the 651 teachers are still in the step schedule, and 200 of those in the step schedule have been with the district less than 10 years.
On health care benefits Broderick confirmed the increase from 7% to 8% teacher share of their health care in 2009-10 and to 9% in 2010-11. Broderick said increase in the teacher share of health care would cost a family of more than two persons $150 a month.
Broderick confirmed all step levels and longevity increases would go up 2%, but she did not view it as receiving “2 raises” since teachers did not have the ability to change jobs for more money in the education marketplace as easily as the persons not in the educational field.
The increase across step levels in addition to the 2% equates to about 5.5% a year raises across all step levels, computing to 17% percent.
The School Board is expected to approve the contract this evening at the Board of Education meeting at 5 Homeside Lane.
Not So Fast: County Legislature Delays Vote on new County Assessment Commission
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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. By John F. Bailey. June 22,2009 UPDATED June 23, 2009 12:20 P.M. E.D.T.: With a single uttering of the word “Over,” County Legislator Tom Abinanti delayed consideration and a vote scheduled this morning by the 16 members of the County Board of Legislators of establishing a Westchester County Assessment Commission to upgrade data and assessment standards, that county area assessors and city managers said could lead to considerable increases in county and municipal assessibles
Ken Jenkins, the Legislator and Chairman of Government Operations offered this explanation of the “Over” Rule to WPCNR Wednesday:
By rule, any Legislator can “lay over” an item. The motion is not debatable. There are no changes that I plan to make to the Resolution.
Clearly the State Office of Real Property Services, the Westchester Municipal Officials Association and the Westchester Chapter of the NYS Assessors Association support this resolution. The item does appear have enough support to pass when it appears as unfinished business at the July 7th meeting.
Lloyd Tasch, President of the Westchester Chapter of the NYS Assessors Association, said the Association did not have a statement regarding the “over”.
Jenkins assured WPCNR that an item can only be “over’d” once so the item will be on the July 7 agenda for a vote. He also acknowledged some pressure from business groups may be being put legislators, in a written statement, Jenkins wrote WPCNR:
Legislators at every level get lobbied by interest groups all the time – so this is not unusual.
I believe that some legislators would like to move towards enacting legislation for county-wide revaluation. So they do not want to support what has been acknowledged by the real property assessment experts as a reasonable and responsible first step. Some may be feigning a better solution but are actually using procedures to delay.
As far as this legislation is concerned, my view as Committee Chair is that the delay in action until July 7th will not impact the goals of the resolution. I also expect that there is a set of best practices to develop a model for Westchester that will come quickly as we wait for the next available window to perform the photography (late fall ’09 or spring ’10).
The uttering of “Over,” by Mr. Abinanti, with no explanation to the public by either Mr. Abinanti or Chairman of the Board of Legislators came after a succession of assessors from Ossining, Yonkers, and city managers from Scarsdale and Ossining, and a representative from the Department of Real Property Services had spoken praising the legislature in advance, under the impression the establishment of the Commission, with its attendent appropriation for conducting oblique photography of all propertyies, commerical and residential in the county would up date assessment data characterized as fifty years out of date.
Assessors sitting in “Assessors Row,” expecting a passage of the resolution establishing the Commission, especially after a Board of Legislators’ press release issued Friday touting the possible passage of the Commission, were stunned.
WPCNR has contacted Mr. Abinanti’s explanation for the tabling of the resolution. Any legislator can prevent an item from coming to a vote by calling for an “over” which moves the resolution to the July Board of Legislatures meeting.
One of the speakers at the Citizens to Be Heard portion of the County Board of Legislators, the Assessor form the City of Yonkers, said Dade County Florida, found $1 billion of additional assessments based on a $1.2 Million expenditure of such a oblique photographic survey in $1 Billion in changes to property characteristics that were not on record.”
The “Overing” of the resolution comes two weeks after County Executive Andrew Spano called for a revaluation of Westchester county as an answer to establish fair and equitable property taxes.
School Budget on Track to Hit $194 Million and rising in 2010-11
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. June 21, 2009 UPDATED WITH SCHOOL BOARD AGENDA, 2 P.M. E.D.T. UPDATED 2:27, LAST PARAGRAPH WITH DETAIL: Monday evening the Board of Education meets to approve a new three year contract with the White Plains Teachers Association. After 18 months of stalled negotiations.
The teachers apparently have walked away with what they wanted in the first place: a contract that makes up for the 17% increase in costs of medical benefits they allege have happened to erode their wages the last two years, plus an Earnings Schedule that has been lifted across the board by 2% (retroactive to this year) and 2% next year and 1.25% in 2010-11. Although WPCNR has been told there is a provision in the settlement to lift that 1.25% to 2 1/2 percent in the spring of 2011.
The effect of the raises coupled with a projection of 9.6% in medical costs, projects a school property tax increase of $450 on the average White Plains home with a market value of $650,000 to$700,000 before factoring in other cost increases over the next yearin 2010-11. If assessments decline another $5 Million by next January (as they did this year) that $450 increase in school taxs goes up to $609 in 2010-11 just to make up the loss in the tax base.
It is reasonable to assume the union would balk at any attempts to scale back the ratio of the longevity and rewards for pursuing degrees in an Earnings Schedule that makes teachers in comparable school districts long to be a White Plains teacher.
The 5.5 percent wage increase and an expected upturn in health care costs of 10% (as reported nationally last week) saddle the school district as a result of this settlement of $5.5 million in salaries and roughly $3.4 Million in benefits costs if the benefits costs go up 10% due to market factors(not counting the union “givebacks” of paying 8% and 9% of health benefits this year and next.
These two trends alone — the 2% (actually 5.5%) raise and the projected benefits costs) create an increase of $9 Million in the budget before expected increases in retirement contributions, before utility increases, before increase in debt service, and before making up any drop in the city assessment roll.
PriceWaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institute projects a 9.6% increase in medical costs in 2009, and does not have a forecast for 2010 as yet.)
The result is that the median
On the other hand, if as City Assessor Lloyd Tasch told WPCNR last month, the city loses another $5 Million of the tax roll (as it did this year)as Tasch predicted, that tax goes up $609 to $8,601 and the tax rate per thousand dollars of assessed value goes up to $543 per $1,000.
Senior citizens over 65 will see less of a tax increase because their Enhanced STAR Exemption is higher.
The point of this is that new Superintendent of Schools Christopher Clouet has to start looking at the 2010-2011 budget from Day One, perhaps slowing the rate of spending to ready the district for the budget shocks coming from the Retirement Benefits increase (warned of Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli), and the laundry list of other expenses.
If the city should dodge the certiorari express headed down the track at next year’s assessment roll and assessments stay at this year’s level of $286.8 Million, then the district settlement and benefits will only cost the taxpayer who owns a $650,000 to $700,000 home the lower $450 increase (plus whatever all the other budget factors cost).
The 2 percent plus the built in longevity raises has the effect if raising the salaries of the district 16% over the three year length of the contract, 5.5% a year. If from what we here the last year of the contract may increase to 2-1/2%, though now reported by the Superintendent of Schools as 1.25%, that’s a 17% increase by 2011-12.
The 5-1/2 percent occurs thanks to automatic years of service increases and rewards for advancing towards academic degrees (Masters and Ph.ds) presents in pay of 16 percent. It is true they increase their share of health benefits to 8% this coming year and 9% in 2010-11, but this amount to about $100 this coming year, not a bad tradeoff for the pay increases.
The increase of 2% in the salary scales means that if no teacher advances at all in credits towards degrees, all still get a 3.5% longevity increase plus another 2%, increasing salary 5.5% to in some cases, 5.8% for 2008-09, and another 5.5% in 2009-10 and 4.75% in 20010-11. Total raise: 15.75%.
If the as-reported-to us-raise to 2-1/2% in 20010-11 POSSIBLE in mid year is correct and granted, the full increase through 2010-11 is 17%.
The Board of Education Agenda for Monday Evening at Education House:
SPECIAL BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
Monday, June 22, 2009
Education House
7:30 P.M.
PUBLIC HEARING ON CONTRACT FOR EXCELLENCE PLAN FOR 2009-10
I. Opening of Meeting:
Pledge of Allegiance
Oral announcements by the Board President, Board Members
II. Communications:
III. Public Participation: (The Board will entertain comments from the public on any issue, with a time limit of three minutes per person, and a maximum total of 25 minutes.)
IV. Superintendent’s Report:
Strategic Plan
Capital Project Update
Class Size
Acknowledgement of State Comptroller’s follow-up report
V. Summary Action Items:
1. Recommended approval to arrange for the appropriate program and services for students
with disabilities, as recommended by the Committee on Special Education: 2 cases, as
per attachment.
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2. Recommended approval to add the following to the list of organizations permitted use of facilities: White Plains Wrestling Club, St. Thomas Orchestra, White Plains Tiger Youth Group and Planet 90 Soccer.
3. Recommended approval of a consultant agreement with Dr. Louis McIntyre for Physical Exams.
Civil Service Staffing:
4. Recommended approval of the termination of employment of Isela Chacon, Food Service
Helper,
5. Recommended acceptance of the resignation of Shirley Harris, Food Service Helper,
High School, effective 6/23/09.
6. Recommended approval of the placement of the following on the preferred eligible list,
due to abolition of positions:
Brian Artis, Security Assistant, effective 7/1/09
Manolin Arismendez, Security Assistant, effective 7/1/09
Linda Donahoe, Office Assistant I (.40), effective 7/1/09
Frank Fontanello, Director of Security, effective 7/1/09
Susan Werner, Parent Information Center Assistant, effective 7/1/09
7. Recommended approval of title changes for the following positions:
3 Secretary positions to Office Assistant II effective 7/1/09
1 Secretary position to Office Assistant II effective 11/1/09
1 Requisition Control Clerk position to Office Assistant II effective 7/1/09
8. Recommended approval of the 26-week probationary appointment of Sergio Martinez, Senior Custodian,
provisionally).
9. Recommended approval of the permanent appointment of Frank Fontanello, Security Assistant, current location Middle School-Eastview, 7 hours per day, effective 7/1/09, resulting from the abolishment of the Director of Security position (replacing J. Palma).
10. Recommended approval of the substitute appointments as per Board approved
“Substitute, Summer School and Supplemental Rates” as per attachment.
Teacher Staffing
11. Recommended acceptance of the resignation of Leanne Archambault, Teaching
Assistant, George Washington, effective 8/31/09.
12. Recommended approval of the appointment* of district-wide substitute Teaching
Assistants, as per Board approved “Substitute, Summer School and Supplemental Rates,”
Jackie Simmons
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13. Recommended approval that the following Teaching Assistants with least seniority in the
Teaching Assistant tenure area, whose positions are being excessed effective 6/30/09, be
placed upon the Preferred Eligible List for 7 years, effective 7/1/09:
Camille Marquis
William Calvin Miller
Joyce Romero
Phyllis Arcuni
Elisa Groglio
Sandra MacGregor
Margie Soto
14. Recommended acceptance of the resignation for the purpose of retirement of Linda
Dolinko-Gold, Elementary Education Teacher (Instructional Specialist K-5), Church
15. Recommended approval of a request for an extension of childcare leave for Nicole Reis,
English Teacher, High School, effective 7/1/09-1/31/10.
16. Recommended approval of the appointment of Julie Pastore to the position of Adult Education Program Supervisor-Evening Program (10 hours per week), Adult &
Continuing Education Program, effective 9/9/09-6/23/10.
17. Recommended approval of the appointments of Louise Perret and Nancy Blaney to the
position of Adult Basic Education ESOL Teachers, Adult & Continuing Education Evening Program,
18. Recommended approval of the appointment of Nancy Blaney to the position of Adult Basic Education ESOL Teacher, Adult & Continuing Education Traditional Day Program,
19. Recommended approval of compensation for the following, as per attachments:
a) 2008-09 Summer Professional Development Activities,
Activities, and Technology Institute Activities stipends
b) 2009 Summer School appointments
c) 2008-09 Interscholastic-Co-curricular appointments
d) 2009-10 Technology appointments
20. Recommended approval of the Probationary appointments of:
Donna Killian* (Replacing L. Harris-Shoulders)
BS –
MLS –
Certification: Initial, Library Media Specialist & Permanent English 7-12
Tenure Area: School Media Specialist (Library)
Current Assignment: Middle School-Highlands, Library Media Specialist
Probationary Period: 8/31/09-8/30/12
– 4 –
Steven Seltzer* (Replacing E. Zuch)
BA – SUNY/Oneonta (English)
MS –
MS –
Certification: Permanent, Special Education
Tenure Area: Special Education
Current Assignment: Districtwide, CPSE/CSE Chairperson
Probationary Period: 8/31/09-8/30/12
VI. Other Action:
1. Recommended approval of a contract between the White Plains Teachers Association and
the
2. Recommended approval of the probationary appointments of:
Tashia A. Brown* (Replacing A. Chestnut)
BS –
MS –
Ed.M. –
Certification: Provisional, SAS, ESOL & Permanent, Elementary Education N-6
Tenure Area: Elementary Assistant Principal
Current Assignment: Assistant Principal,
Probationary Period: 8/1/09-7/31/12
3. Recommended approval of a reduction in position from 100% to 50% of full time, effective 7/1/09, for the positions of: Coordinator, Testing, Evaluation & Funded Programs (
4. Recommended approval of a reduction in position for Lucia De Rosa, Director, PreKindergarten Program, from 100% to 50% of full time, effective 7/1/09.
5. Recommended adoption of
developed by a WPHS Faculty and Administrative Committee, to be implemented in the
2009-10 school year.
6. Recommended acceptance of the Internal Auditor Report for the 2008-09 school year.
7. Recommended approval of Undesignated Fund Balance and establishment of 2008-09 Tax Certiorari Reserve.
8. Recommended approval of counsel’s recommendation for a resolution pertaining to tax
certiorari settlements.
9. Bids and contracts: exterminator services; security alarm monitoring and repair; fire alarm monitoring and repair; relocation and installation of fiber optic cable at Post Road School; printing of Adult Education Bulletin.
10. Recommended approval of a contract with Bootleg Productions for use of district facilities for filming.
11. Recommended approval of the Joint Facilities Agreement between the City of
VII. Board Discussion:
1.&
Hal Masback: A Restrospective. First Democrat elected to Common Council
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WPCNR MILESTONES. From the Masback Family. June 20, 2009: Harold E. Masback, Jr., 82, a long-time White Plains resident, automobile leasing executive, public servant, and former White Plains City Councilman, died June 17 at his home in White Plains. He had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Hal Masback, 1970, about the time he was elected to the Common Council as the first Democrat to hold a Common Councilship. Services will be held for Mr. Masback at 11 A.M. Monday morning at the Chapel in the Woods, Temple Kol-Ami, White Plains. Photo, from the Masbach Family Collection.
Born July 16, 1926 in Manhattan, NY, “Hal” Masback was a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology. His tenure at Georgia Tech was interrupted by his service in the United States Navy in World War II, from 1944-1946. During the war, Masback served as an aerial gunnery instructor and played for the All-Navy Baseball team, replacing Stan Musial at first base for the East Coast squad. Upon his return to Georgia Tech, Masback managed the Cross Country and Track & Field Teams, an experience that presaged a long and distinguished career organizing track and field championships such as the Women’s AAU Championships, and the Glenn D. Loucks Memorial Games, officiating at West Point and the Millrose Games, among many others.
After graduating from Georgia Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management, he joined his family’s business, Masback Hardware, then the largest wholesale hardware distributor on the East Coast. He went on to found and lead businesses engaged in lawn and garden equipment, recreational equipment and motorcycles, and automobile leasing.
Hal Masback served his community in many different capacities. In 1964, he helped found White Plains Boy’s Baseball, serving as its first Chair and President for over six years. He was appointed to the Mayor’s Recreation Advisory Committee in 1966, and was one of the founders of the White Plains Touchdown Club.
In 1969 he and a fellow Democrat were elected to the White Plains Common Council, the first of that party to be elected to any office in the history of the city. He subsequently ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of White Plains.
He was instrumental in the founding of the White Plains Youth Bureau, and remained engaged with that organization continuously throughout his life. In 1999, he was appointed to serve on the board of the White Plains Downtown Business Improvement District, and recently served on the WESTHAB Committee for homeless families and as the President of the White Plains Exchange Club. For his service, he was the recipient of numerous civic honors.
Hal’s first marriage to the former Iris E. Alford ended in divorce. Masback subsequently married Caral Rosenbaum and they resided in White Plains, operating Caraleasing, Inc. together until his death.
Survivors include his wife, Caral Rosenbaum Masback; three sons, Harold E. Masback III of New Canaan, CT, Craig Masback of Portland, OR, and Keith Masback of Alexandria, VA and seven grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held on Monday, June 22, 2009 at 11:00 am at The Chapel in the Woods, Congregation Kol Ami located at 252 Soundview Avenue, White Plains, NY 10606. Interment will follow at the White Plains Rural Cemetery, 167 North Broadway, White Plains, NY 10603.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Harold E. Masback, Jr. Youth Recreation Scholarship Trust, 85 Gedney Way White Plains, NY 10605
Calls for Transparency on Timely Disclosure of Tentative Settlements
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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. June 20,2009: In light of the revelation that governments and school districts have been violating the Freedom of Information Law when they withhold tentative settlements of labor contracts from the media and the public until they are ratified, WPCNR presents the testimony of Empire Center research, Lise Bang-Jensen’s February testimonty before the New York State Legislature Joint Legislative Committee detailing some of the pitfalls this practice creates for city governments and taxpayers.
Ms. Bang-Jensen’s testimony:
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County to Consider Vote on Establishing Assessment Standards–1st Step to Reval?
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WPCNR The Certiorarian. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators with reporting by WPCNR. June 19,2009: Westchester legislators will move to adopt a resolution which will establish a county assessment commission at Monday’s upcoming Board meeting. The proposed legislation creating the Westchester County Assessment Commission, due for a vote at Monday’s Board of Legislators meeting, would be responsible for the development of a regional model for the collection and maintenance of property data that would be used by local assessing units as the new standard for recording the characteristics of every parcel of property within the county.
White Plains City Assessor Lloyd Tasch reached Friday afternoon by WPCNR described this as the first step that would have to be be undertaken by the county in order to execute a countywide revaluation of property, if the county chose to do so. Tasch also said it was tied to a county effort to photograph-map the county from the air to be used as a resource by all county communities (and assessors). The cost of the aerial photography piece is $1 Million.
Revaluation was endorsed by County Executive Andrew Spano last week in a letter to State Senator Jeff Klein as the only solution to the certiorari practice of businesses filing for lowering of their assessments that have lowered Commerical Property Owners property taxes 9% in the last eleven years, while homeowners property taxes have doubled. Tasch said the establishment of the Commission would also enable communities to defend assessments more successfully.
“It is crucial to the commission’s work that parameters are in place to create a more uniform, transparent, equitable and efficient assessment practice,” said Board Chairman William Ryan (D, I, WFP-White Plains). “This measure will save taxpayer dollars.”
“It is crucial to the commission’s work that parameters are in place to create a more uniform, transparent, equitable and efficient assessment practice,” said Board Chairman William Ryan (D, I, WFP-White Plains). “This measure will save taxpayer dollars.”
Lloyd Tasch, White Plains City Assessor, President of the Westchester County Chapter of the New York State Assessor’s Association has been working with the county on the legislation.
Tasch told WPCNR it is an effort to standardize assessment data to determine assessments. Tasch said “it’s tryingto get the best data for the defense of certs (challenges of assessments).”
Tasch also said it is connected with another piece of legislation providing $1 Million paid by the county for creating aerial photography maps of all towns and municipalities in the county. Tasch said it would be impossible for individual communities to pay for this themselves. Tasch said this was not a county first step toward a county “revaluation,” but said, “It’s (the Commission’s) exact purpose has not been established, but it would determine countywide standards to gather data needed to do a “reval”
Despite keeping the county tax levy to a minimal increase of 1.77%, a recently released report by the Westchester County Tax Commission highlights a perennial problem that underscores the need to reform how real property is assessed within the county. A slight increase in county taxes can actually end up as a decrease on a property tax bill for some residents and an increase that varies from minimal to significant for others. The current assessment system that produces these wild gyrations year-to-year is outdated and long overdue for an overhaul.
“As Chair of the Board’s committee with direct oversight over tax collection and assessment, we are taking the lead in fostering true cooperation with all levels of government on this issue,” said Legislator Ken Jenkins (D, WFP-Yonkers), Chair of the Board’s Committee on Government Operations. “The proposed resolution would create a process of assessing real estate and personal property values in
The Collaborative Assessment Study committee concluded that the most appropriate and applicable model would a Municipally-Administered Model, wherein municipalities would either contract among themselves or with an independent agent to treat all parcels identically to achieve transparent, equitable and efficient assessment practices, as well as potential economies of scale. “The Collaborative Assessment Study Committee has worked tirelessly to create this study, upon which the
Superintendent Confirms 2%,2% and 1.25% Raises, 16.65% Over 3 Ys+Health Savings
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. June 18,2009 UPDATED With Step Increases 10:05 P.M E.D.T. UPDATE, PREMIUM INFO, 12:50 A.M. E.D.T. June 19,2009 UPDATED JUNE 20,2009: The Superintendent of Schools, Timothy Connors confirmed this afternoon in an e-mail to WPCNR that the School District and the teachers union raise increases are 2% retroactive to 2009-2009, 2% for the coming year beginning July 1 (2009-2010) and 1-1/4% in year three, 2010-2011. The Superintendent did not clarify whether the third year raise of 2-1/2% reported to WPCNR by persons familiar with the Memorandum of Understanding was contingent on economic conditions in year three of the contract, 20010-11.
Though the raise is being reported as 2%, the new contract if approved, actually means a 5.55% increase for each year of the new contract because of the 3.4% to 3.8% automatic salary increases that come with each year a teacher stays on the payrollup to twenty years.. Previously, based on a past Earning Schedule, WPCNR calculated the step raises at 2%. Checking the current earnings schedule each teacher from a second year teacher to a teacher in their 20th year receives a 3.4% to 3.8% raise automatically in addition to whatever scale increase is negotiated according to the current contract.
Roughly calculated by WPCNR this means the wage increases total top 16%.
In addition to the retroactive wage increase payment negotiated at 2% for this year, when you include 2% in wage increases for 2009-10 and 1.25% (according to the Superintendent) for 2010-11, the total wage package for three years creates a 16.25% Increase in salaries for teachers.
The contract increases wages 5.25% over three years,across all levels over and above the automatic step raises for longevity which are 3.8% for each year of service, creating an overall raise over three years of 16.65%.(5.8%, 5.8% and 5.05%) if the present 3.4 to 3.8% longevity increase remains.
Settlement Appears to Catch Teachers Up to Premium Costs, with the Longevity Increases.
Quoted in WPCNR last October, Fred Seiler, Assistant Superintendent for Business for the district confirmed that premiums with the Statewide Schools Cooperative Health Plan, the consortium the district has contracted with for health benefits have gone up 17% since July 2007. He said, Co-Pays have doubled from $10 to $20 for doctors visits.
Teacher Share of Health Premium, 7%.
Seiler said the total premium for an individual with “SWSCHP” as it is known, this year (08-09)is $7,293, of which a teacher pays $625 annually (8.6%) . For a two-person family, the premium is $15,388, the teacher share they pay is $1,075 annually (7%). The premium for a family Two Person, is $16,336, of which a teacher on the family plan pays $1,220 (7% of the cost).
Counting the 3.8% longevity step increases with the 2%, 2%, 1.25% wage increase catches the teachers almost up to the 17% health care premium raises they have faced the last two years.
Response to Confirmation request.
The Superintendent responding to a WPCNR request to correct any part of what was originally reported to us wrote in an e-mail response:
“There are other savings in insurance and the cost for the third year is 1-1/4 %.”
Connors did not deny that the teachers if they approve the contract would pay 8% and 9% of their health package in 2009-10 and 2010-11, respectively, and that Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield had been agreed to be dropped as a health care provider by the teachers. The 8% and 9% increase in the teacher share of the preimum is up over the 7% levels of the last contract.
Clouet off hook
The settlement gives incoming Superintendent of Schools Christopher Clouet a breather of 1-1/2 years before he has to negotiate the 2011-2012 teacher contract. Previously, Superintendent Connors told WPCNR only a two year contract was being considered, which would of required Clouet to begin negotiations in January. This gives Clouet a honeymoon to repair the acrimonious atmosphere between the Board of Education and the White Plains Teachers by the 18 month statemate over negotiations, which has ended with a 2% increase, should the teachers choose to accept the tentative settlement