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 PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAY.  By the WPCNR Roving Photographer. June13,2009 UPDATED WITH MORE PIX, June 14, 2009: Juneteenth 2009 — the celebration of the freeing of the slaves in 1863, was celebrated by all walks and creeds of life today at the annual Juneteenth parade in White Plains. Despite a continuing steady drizzle during the hourlong parade which stretched from City Hall on Main Street to the beginning of Mamaroneck Avenue, an orderly and warm crowd cheered and waived to a large contingent of marching adults and youth, and a full compliment of politicians. Many enjoyed al fresco dining while waiting for the long contingent of celebrants to pass by. Here are some sights and sounds. The majority of groups marching represented White Plains organizations.

 

Dr. Olivia J.Hooker, a true heroine appeared in the White Plains Juneteenth Parade. Dr. Hooker is a survivor of the infamous Tulsa Riot of May 31,1921, in the racially segregated Greenwood Neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma. That night, in 16 hours of rioting, 35 city blocks were burned, 39 persons “reported” killed, 10 white and 29 Black. The Red Cross reported 300 Blacks were killed by local militia and others. The Tulsa Riot was the worst race riot in US history. To read eyewitness accounts of the riot, WPCNR suggests going to http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45a/147.html

 

Dr. Hooker, right, with Dr. John Hope Franklin in a 1999 photograph. Dr. Hooker and Dr. Franklin were children at the time of the Tulsa riot. Their stories my been seen in a video just released, which is available at http://www.beforetheydiemove.com

 

 

 

Here comes the Parade at Mamaroneck and Post Road.

 

Even the Renaissance Square Fountain was dancing.

The Black Scholars Recognized by WPHS

Calvary Baptist Church

Centro Hispano

The Board of Education.

Mayor of White Plains, Joseph Delfino (in Panama Hat), leading the Common Council

Common Council with with County and State Brass.

National Expression — steel drum band warmed up the crowd as the parade, made up predominantly White Plains organizations, made its way up the southend of Mamaroneck Avenue.

 

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. June 12,2009:  Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors confirmed today the settlement of a two year contract (through 2010-11) with the school district’s  Civil Service Employees Association employees who number about 500 workers.

 

Connors said the union members will receive a 2% salary increase in each of the next two years. They will have their co-pay on their medical plan go up $15 to $20, and the district eliminated one health care provider, enabling the district to reduce their premium.

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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2009. By John F. Bailey. June 10, 2009UPDATED June 13, 2009: Glen Hockley, the Common Councilman and politician who owed his political career to Adam Bradley’s legal expertise, today declared his candidacy for Mayor of White Plains on the steps of City Hall, intending to oppose Mr. Bradley in the November election.

 

 

Hockley said of the outgoing Mayor of White Plains, (whom  he called “the greatest and most accomplished Mayor in the history of our great city”), Joseph Delfino, “he is behind me  (for Mayor) 100%.”

 

Hockley said he intends to run as an Independent, having registered as a candidate at the Board of Elections Wednesday morning. He said he is hopeful of receiving the Working Families Party endorsement and line. That party, he said has not decided on whom it will support. Bradley has the Democrat and Republican lines.

 

On Saturday, June 13,  The White Plains Times reported Joe Fahey, head of the Working Families Party has decided his party will endorse Adam Bradley for Mayor, denying Hockley the labor endorsement he sought.

 

Surrounded by leaders of the city’s police, fire and CSEA unions whom he claimed were supporting his candidacy against Bradley, Mr. Hockley took Bradley to task for failing to come to the city’s aid by denying an additional ¼% sales tax, and declared his would be a revenue approach to government that would not raise property taxes, as the present Common Council has chosen to do. He told WPCNR he would not support a commuter tax for workers in the city who do not live in White Plains.

 

After recognizing the various union representatives who had turned out, Hockley said “I am here for you as a public servant.”

 

Hockley said that a telephone survey of voters on their preferences for Mayor which Hockley observed the results were so good, “I haven’t been this excited since the day when his son Max was born and the day he met his wife, Melody, who were on the steps of City Hall with him.

 

Afterwards the announcement, Duncan McRae, familiar with the results of the pair told WPCNR the poll showed Hockley to be “much closer” to Mr. Bradley according to the poll results than he (Hockley) had anticipated.

 

Hockley Plays News 12

 

Hockley said Mayor Delfino’s  accomplishments which he ticked off for the audience, “leaves tremendous shoes to fill.”

 

Hockley asked rhetorically “Do we want to reinvent the wheel? I think not. Don’t mess with success.”

 

He said White Plains needs an independent Mayor who will work for the benefit of the citizens, and not be beholden to “political hacks, political hopefuls and ideologies.”

 

Hockley told how the Democratic party in the city refused to nominate him for Common Council for reelection because of his votes with Mayor Delfino on issues and chided Mr. Bradley for  receiving  the Republican endorsement for Mayor – “Who’s the Republicrat, now, Mr. Bradley?” (bringing whoops and claps from the crowd).

 

He said White Plains needs a reformer – “who doesn’t answer to an organization but to you (the public).”

 

“The days of partisan politics are over,” Hockley said, promising his number 1 priority was to “take the property tax burden off the citizens and Number 2, seeking revenues and retaining city services. The bottom line is to get the job done.”

 

He critisized his opponent Adam Bradley (and the Common Council) for refusing to carry a request for an additional ¼% sales tax to the legislature, which he said has caused the layoff of 80 city workers. 

 

He accused Mr. Bradley of weighing political considerations above interests of the citizens, and being in consort with Bill Ryan, the County Legislator, telling how in Democratic caucauses, when Mr. Hockley would suggest policies, Hockley said, Ryan was always asking, “what’s the political considerations?” and Bradley would go along with Ryan’s suggestions, Hockley said.

 

He accused Bradley of influencing the Council to reject revenue enhancing measures suggested by the Mayor – the leasing of the Galleria and Library garages for an immediate revenue enhancement — that Hockley said would have wiped out the $12 Million deficit the city faces and funded labor settlements.

 

He blamed Democrat City Committee politics and Bradley indirectly for the Common Council decision “to blow a great opportunity – the Cappelli-suggested Station Plaza project  in 2007 – that he said could be being constructed now.

 

Hockley promised to create jobs, build infrastructure, keep property taxes down, but did mention how other than building revenues.

 

 

After the news conference, WPCNR asked Hockley if he knew that there were not actually 80 persons scheduled to be let go July 1, that other than 9 full-time CSEA workers, the other 69 were positions  budgeted for but presently unfilled. Hockley said he would check into that. It is impossible to tell how many live bodies are being let go by the city because City Hall has been tardy in supplying a list of the positions presently filled that are being fired as of July 1, and what positions are budgeted, but not filled now. Hockley said he would check into that.

 

WPCNR asked if Mayor Delfino was going to support Mr. Hockley’s campaign financially (the mayor having a large political war chest). Hockley said he had not asked Delfino for financial support.

 

 

Duncan MacRae (left) of the White Plains Labor Coalition told WPCNR that about 1,000 union members across all four city unions lived in White Plains and would be working hard to get the vote out for Mr. Hockley.

 

There is irony in Mr. Hockley challenging Mr.Bradley.

 

In 2001 when Mr. Hockley ran for Common Council and a voting machine jammed in District 18, costing then incumbent Councilman Larry Delgado about 120 votes which would have given Mr. Delgado victory, Adam Bradley defended Mr. Hockley’s right to be seated on the Common Council all the way up to the State Court of Appeals. 

 

Judge Francis Nicolai of Supreme Court, the Ninth District ruled that there should be a new election. Bradley made the case that present election law did not allow the courts to rule on elections. The Appellate Court in Brooklyn ruled against Mr. Bradley and Mr. Hockley, but Mr. Bradley took it to the state’s highest court and prevailed. The Court of Appeals ruled Judge Nicolai did not have authority to order a new election, and Hockley was allowed to be seated.

 

Glen Hockley and Adam Bradley in March, 2002 on morning of Mr. Hockley’s being seated on the Common Council. WPCNR News Archive.

 

Mr. Hockley was seated on the Council in March of 2002. Mr. Delgado subsequently brought a quo warranto action through then attorney general Eliot Spitzer’s office, resulting in Mr. Spitzer’s office decreeing that Mr. Delgado had won the election (based on Affidavits from voters who voted in the18th district, supplied by the Delgado camp). Mr. Delgado was seated on the council completed about 15 months remaining in his term, and chose not to run in 2005, when Mr. Hockley was renominated for the council and won reelection handily.

 

 

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. By John F. Bailey. June 9,2009 UPDATED 12:45 P.M. E.D.T. WITH TEXT OF COUNTY EXEC LETTER:  The Westchester County Executive is calling for  “revaluation”  by towns, cities and municipalities as the only solution to city and town tax roll erosion from commercial property owners filing successful certiorari actions. 

 

The County Executive asserts in a letter sent last Friday  to State Senator Jeff Klein,  that the Bradley Oppenheimer bill S-1706A, establishing a separate commercial assessment ratio for commercial property, that would relieve the tax roll drain causing budget problems for cities and towns across the county,  comes  “at too high a price.”

 

He calls the bill “wrongheaded,” and urges rejection due to long term implications without spelling out the alleged harmful specifics or the consequences for tax rolls of a countywide revaluation.

 

Adam Bradley sponsor of the bill with State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer hoped that if Executive Spano was coming out in favor of a revaluation that it would be done “the right way” revalling all cities, towns and municipalities in the county to avoid unequal taxation of school districts.

 

 In the Klein letter, County Executive Andy Spano calls on Senator Klein to “reject” bill S-1706A, the bill awaiting introduction to the State Senate floor, currently still in Senate Committee with no floor date.

 

 

Assemblyman Adam Bradley, speaking to WPCNR this morning, said that if the County Executive is calling for revaluation,something the County Executive has not called for prior, he Bradley hoped that the county would  conduct the reval”countywide, “the right way.”  

 

Bradley said individual cities and towns cannot undertake “revals” on their own because of school districts overlapping between two towns, creating unequal property tax burdens if one city revals and another town not revaling sends students to that revaled city school.. Bradley cited the example of  New Castle which sends its children to Ossining schools and North Castle and North White Plains which send their students to Valhalla schools as places that would experience unequal tax burdens if the county did not “reval” across the board.

 

Bradley also said yesterday’s Republican “coup” in the State Senate, in which the Republicans claimed to have recaptured the majority in the Senate, certainly puts the future of the certiorari bill in doubt since a Republican-controlled senate has refused to consider the certiorari bill since Bradley introduced the “Cert-Breaker” bill in March 2005.  He said “things are still playing out here and unfolding,” and whether the bill could pass the senate was more doubtful.

 

 

The bill  would establish a separate Commercial Assessment Ratio for  commercial properties in Westchester County in an attempt to end certiorari losses (refunds of taxes and reduction of future assessments based on certiorari filings by commercial property owners), by establishing a separate commercial ratio for commercial businesses.

 

Spano instead strongly endorses revaluation as a means of ending the certiorari drain:

 

“The root of the problem is revaluation,” Spano’s letter to Senator Jeff Kleinsays, “ which has been resisted by most of the local governments for many years. The passage of this bill might relieve some of the immediate (certiorari) situation, but it would probably contribute to the stalling of the much needed revaluation process. It is the very resistance to revaluation that has put our localities in the position they are in today.”

 

 

 The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Adam Bradley and co-sponsored in the Senate by Senator Suzi Oppenheimer,  has been endorsed by assessors as being a method of  putting a stop to the annual certiorari filings by commercial properties that have sharply eroded city tax rolls the last nine years.

 

Bradley said recent news releases but out by the Westchester County Association distorted the facts on what the bill would do. Bradley repeated that S 1706-A would not raise anyone’s taxes as the Westchester County Association news releases falsely claim.

 

Bradley said the opponents of the bill simply “don’t want to see their gravy train (tax certs) come to an end.”  Bradley said that for years commercial property owners have through tax certioraris created by including residential housing values in with commercial property values, have been able to shift unfairly their commercial taxes to the residential owner.

 

 

Here is the text of County Executive Spano’s letter to State Senator Klein, furnished by the Westchester County Department of Communications:

 

June 5,2009

 

Hon. Jeff Klein

New York State Senate

313 Legislative Office Building

Albany, NY 12247

 

Dear Senator Klein:

 

These are very difficult times and all of us are bearing the brunt of pressures from our constituents and our budgets. These are times when any decision that is tough to make usually comes with significant consequences. It’s also a time when we sometimes rush to fix something that’s happening now, without looking at long term implications.

 

Although A.4588-A/S.1706-A (the Certiorari Assessment Ratio bill)  seems to address the problem of certiorari to local governments it is wrongheaded at this time. The root of the problem is revaluation, which has been resisted by most of the local governments for many years. The passage of this bill might relieve some of the immediate situation, but it would probably contribute to the stalling of the much needed revaluation process. It is the very resistance to revaluation that has put our localities in the position they are in now with certiorari. This bill is a patch on a dysfunctional system.

 

The county government would benefit from this bill financially but Westchester’s quality of life would be permanently damaged if it had an effect on our business community. This is a distinct possibility. Therefore I cannot support the bill.

 

The business community is reeling from the recession and the recent (MTA) payroll tax. To add this (certiorari) burden is tantamount to saying “we don’t want you here.” Every business that leaves or does not come here means the loss of jobs, taxes and customers for our other businesses. Westchester County government has worked very hard to make this a business friendly county – which is not only good for business but good for our non-profits that these businesses support, good for our residents who work for these companies, good for the taxes they pay to our schools and governments. While this bill may seem to help municipalities with their budgets, I believe it comes at too high a price.

 

It is important to work the problem in a thoughtful way so that our businesses and our residents are taxed fairly. Please reject this bill.

 

Sincerely

 

Andrew J. Spano

County Executive

 

 

 

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Peter Bassano. June 8, 2009: White Plains High School junior Jennifer Damiano was nominated for a Tony award in the catagory of Best Performance by a Feature Actress in  Musical for her performance in the off-broadway musical Next to Normal.   

Ms. Damiano at the TONYS Sunday Night.Photo, broadwayworld.com.

Jennifer, only 16, is already a Broadway veteran, having been the youngest member of the original cast of the play “Spring Awakening” last year.