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 THE PARKING NEWS. By John F. Bailey. March 12, 2009: Paul Wood, City Executive Officer told WPCNR Wednesday evening the city is discussing a lease sale of the Galleria and Library parking garages to any of four parking management companies, for an estimated $30 Million. Wood described  one of the firms as the managing company for all Chicago parking garages and New York City’s leading parking garage operator (which would be Central Parking Systems). CPS, based in Nashville did not return WPCNR calls for confirmation.

Paul Wood, City Executive Officer Exploring the leasing of City Municipal Garages for Cash

Galleria Municipal Parking Garage, being eyed for lease to private operators.

Wood said the Common Council was informed of this lease plan in Executive Session two weeks ago prior to the Urban Renewal Agency meeting of last Friday morning. At that meeting, the Urban Renewal Agency voted to add The Galleria Municipal Garage and the area occupied by The Galleria itself,  and the Library garage  to the Urban Renewal area.

Wood told WPCR  this allows the Agency to lease or sell the properties in efforts to develop those areas. He acknowledged the city has been in preliminary talks with potential operators of the garage which in return for a lease fee would operate the garages, keep the revenues or possibly split them with the city (no arrangement had been worked out as of yet).  CPC collects parking exclusives.

Just for example, last year CPC  signed a five year extension with Broward County in Florida to continue to manage the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Airport where they have increased revenue from $9 Million to $37 Million in five years. They recently purchased and operate garages in Hoboken, New Jersey, where they charge as much as $3 an hour.  White Plains charges about $1 an hour at present rates. The agency can also service parking meters and gives out summonses as part of their operation services.

ImPark, another private company, based in Vancouver, Canada, operates the White Plains Mall Parking facility which charges the highest parking rates in the city. They, too,  may be in play.

Wood said the Common Council would be asked to consider such a leaseback or a purchase agreement. Asked by WPCNR if the city could expect money upfront in such a purchase, Wood said yes. Asked how much, Wood estimated about $15 Million  of a possible $30 Million which could be used to fill the anticipated holes in the 2009-10 city budget that the Mayor described last night as a “financial emergency,” last night.

Wood said such a down payment anticipated to be received in the 2009-10 budget year could replace fund balance he anticipated would be depleted by the anticipated $9.3 and up deficit the city is currently running according to Mayor Delfino last night. WPCNR notes this windfall would also allow funding union raises for 2009-10 currently held hostage to revenue shortfalls.

Asked why the city was considering such sale or leaseback arrangement, Wood said the city was following Governor David Paterson’s suggestion to municipalities that towns and cities outsource operations to the private sector to save expenses. “We’re just following the governor’s suggestion,” Wood said.

Another incentive for the city to sell or lease the two garages was both garages were at the stage where the city had to invest in major capital improvements such as resurfacing,

Asked for the engineering report detailing the flaws in the garage, Wood said it was being worked on by an independent firm, and that Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti had not completed his personal report.

Wood said the city needed an indication that the Common Council was interested in such a lease agreement, because the firms the city has received initial interest in leasing the garages did not want to invest dollars in doing extensive “due diligence” evaluating the garages if  the Common Council was not inclined to dispose of the municipal garages. Wood said one firm was interested in purchasing all the municipal lots, “but we decided we’d take some baby steps first,” Wood added.

The White Plains Library Parking Garage — also in play for private operator lease or other arrangement.

Asked if the garages were safe, Wood said they were, and said WPCNR needed to talk to Commissioner Nicoletti on what the garages needed. Recently,  WPCNR readers will recall capital project monies have been allotted to repair city parking lots and garages.

WPCNR asked why the garages in question needed capital investment since the Parking Authority, (the organization which previously managed all city-owned parking facilities and also paid for any capital improvements needed), used to handle that as a matter of course and manage the garages at a profit. Wood said the garages were profitable, but had reached a point where major, expensive maintenance was needed which the private firms, one of which was described as a smaller firm with local persons, would undertake at no expense to the city.

Rod Johnson, Deputy Commissioner of Planning, told WPCNR (which was on assignment at the time of the Urban Renewal Meeting), said the resolution moving the garages into the urban renewal area was a first step, and gave the city a number of options on the land to redevelop it, lease it, sell the properties – even to small local firms whose principals the city might know in order to redevelop the area. He said the city really did not know what it was going to do with the properties at the present time.

Asked if the owners of  The Galleria could prevent the city from selling or leasing the two assets to a private management firm, Wood said they could not, the city retains the right to change operators of the garage.

The possible lease of sale of the assets of the municipal garages for an upfront down payment in the near future the city could use to plug a budget shortfall in 2009-10  is remarkably similar to the LCOR 55 Bank Street project of 2006 where the city sold  municipal parking lot land to LCOR for a rental/affordable housing complex for $16.5 Million, for which the city has received some $11 Million to date. That sum helped to balance last year’s budget. The LCOR project is currently stalled because of the lack of availability of financing. LCOR, readers will recall negotiated a delay of the final approximate  $5 Million in payment until after the project is completed.

The sale of assets is similar to the sale of Railside Avenue lots several years ago to plug a smaller budget gap.

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. March 11, 2009: Mayor Joseph Delfino told the White Plains Common Council tonight the city was in a budget “emergency.”  Just four months ago in October, the city said it was in good shape  financially (after a robust first quarter) but watchful and worried. That has changed dramatically.

To address an immediate need to fill a $9.3 Million plus budget gap, Mayor Joseph Delfino  introduced three home rule requests Wednesday evening. The first  requests an additional ¼% in sales tax for the city from the state legislature, another establishing a municipal development agency and a third requesting the establish of separate commercial and residential tax rates for the city.

He hoped the council would grant the requests for home rule tonight in order that the Mayor could go to Albany before April 6 and lobby for passage of the ¼% sales tax, the municipal development agency and separate tax rates with Assembly Legislators Richard Brodsky, Legislator Adam Bradley and Legislator Amy Paulin.

The Common Council, with Dennis Power and Tom Roach citing lack of information on what cuts the Mayor had made in the budget,  voted 4-2 with Councilpersons Benjamin Boykin, Milagros Lecuona, to table the Mayor’s three “home rule”  resolutions until the pros and cons  could be discussed in public at the Common Council meeting of April 6 when the 2009-2010 budget is introduced. Councilperson Rita Malmud was not at the meeting. Councilman Glen  Hockley and the Mayor opposed the table.

The top side number of the 09-10  City Budget (projected by WPCNR at about $167 Million if the city rolls over the current budget at a 4%  and delivers union raises  of 3-4% across the board, and $161 Million if the city keeps the budget at the present level),   remains a mystery at this point. Paul Wood, Executive Officer, and the Mayor did not reveal what that budget number was currently on the table. There have been no public meetings called by the Mayor to discuss the budget since October.

Mayor Delfino  began the proceedings by saying he called the meeting to readdress budget issues that had come up last year ( a ½ % sales tax increase – which the council cut to ¼%–  and the city municipal development agency) that the council had rejected.

He said “the city is truly facing a financial emergency,” and that the issue of an additional ¼%  sales tax should be “relooked at as we look at so many things we’re doing and looking into the future, it’s important we look at every possible revenue, rethink and be extremely creative. There is no more (expenses)  to cut. We know the issues,” the Mayor said sternly, (sales tax ), “I need direction (from the Council). I cannot spend time in Albany talking to our legislators the next three weeks without a home rule request (from the council).”

Council President Benjamin Boykin said, “I’m a little confused, why it can’t be dealt with at our regular meeting in April.”

The Mayor testily replied it would take “considerable time discussing it (the three home rule requests) in Albany, and I’m not going to do that if I’m not assured I’m going to get a home rule request (from the Council).”

The Mayor continued, “We’ve massacred expenses,” saying the council would see that when they received the budget, “that’s the point.”

CouncilmanTom Roach (far left)  interjected, wanting to know what those budget cuts were. The Mayor’s Office has for the last six  weeks, declined repeated WPCNR requests for a detailed list of all budget cuts by department, layoffs and cost cutting moves. The Mayor declined to say how much he had cut from the budget tonight.

 “I can’t decide without information (on the cuts),” Roach said,  “I need to see more of the budget.”

The Mayor grumbled, saying the council should be aware the city is facing a $9.3 Million budget shortfall going into the next year  and “it could be higher.”  The Mayor said “There is no revenue.”

He said the fund balance would be used to take care of the present shortfall, leaving the city with no cushion for the 2009-10 budget, which was why the home rule requests were introduced, to get the revenue tools in play.

The Mayor repeated that the city faced a $9.3 Million budget gap because there was no development, dropping building permits issuances to almost zero. He chided the council for refusing certain projects (the Cappelli Station Plaza project comes to mind).  He also cited the sales tax is down and the mortgage tax collections, and parking fines are down (“you can’t fine cars that aren’t here.”)  He mentioned the Zoning Board did not meet and the Planning Board met for one hour at its last meeting.

Roach said, despite the Mayor’s argument the sales tax does not affect most residents adversely,“Before I can agree to raise taxes and more fees, “ he needed to see the expense cuts.

The Mayor said, “Every day our situation is getting worse.”

Councilman Dennis Power jumped in, saying  that when the Mayor described tonight’s meeting as an emergency financial meeting, he felt “the public needs to be involved.”

The Mayor majestically stated, “Mr. Power, I have noticed you are process oriented. I’m results-oriented.”

Power pointed out that the last two televised Common Council meetings lasted 20 and 19 minutes and the financial issue was not discussed.  However, no member of the Common Council spoke up on financial concerns at either of those two meetings, either.

Exasperated, Power introduced a motion to table the three resolutions until April 6. Benjamin Boykin quickly seconded. The Mayor wanted to discuss it further, but Power pointed out the motion to table had been moved and seconded. The roll was called. The resolutions tabled, 4-2  and the meeting abruptly.

The council was observed by representatives of the Civil Service Employees Association, and the police and fire unions, all of whom are working without contracts. Police and fire personnel were denied a 3.75% pay increase by the council in December.

By voting to table, the council missed an opportunity to call on Acting Budget Commissioner David Birdsall (whom they had rejected as unqualified for the position in December) to explain the budget and expense cutting in detail that had been done to date and to clarify what the possible budget now under consideration was.

Mr. Birdsall, Paul Wood, City Executive Officer, and City Assessor Lloyd Tasch, and Parking Department brass, Commissioner of Parking Albert Moroni and Deputy Commissioner John Larson were in attendance in the audience though no parking matters were on the agenda that concerned their agency.

Paul Wood interviewed by WPCNR said he could not comment on what the city position with the unions was. The union personnel left before WPCNR could collar them, but their leaders have not returned calls in the past. Two police officers asked by WPCNR what the union had been telling them about the state of their in limbo pay raise,  respectfully declined to comment

Wood declined to say what the projected budget was.

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. MARCH 10, 2009: A Special Meeting of the Common Council has been called for Wednesday evening at 6 P.M. On the agenda is a resolution calling for the state to allow White Plains to establish a Municipal Development Agency, and a resolution asking the state legislature to raise the White Plains Sales Tax an additional 1/4% (to 2.5%. 8-1/4% overall). None of the resolutions have been discussed during a  previous work session prior to this date to this reporter’s knowledge

The Agenda:

1.                  Communication from the Mayor in relation to requests for the passage of State legislation to establish a White Plains Municipal Development Agency, to support adoption of the classification of real property into two classes for purposes of allocation of taxes in certain cities, and adding an additional one-quarter of one percent Sales and Compensating Use Tax.

2.                              Resolution of the Common Council of the City of White Plains authorizing the certification of a Home Rule Request seeking enactment of State legislation amending the General Municipal Law to establish the White Plains Municipal Development Agency (Assembly Bill No. A1021).

3.                              Resolution of the Common Council of the City of White Plains supporting the introduction and adoption of State legislation to amend the Real Property Tax Law in relation to authorizing the classification of real property into two classes for purposes of allocation of taxes in certain cities.

4.                                          Resolution of the Common Council of the City of White Plains supporting the introduction and adoption of New York State legislation to amend the Tax Law in relation to authorizing the City of White Plains to impose an additional one-quarter of one percent Sales and Compensating Use Tax.

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WPNCR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. March 9. 2009: The Board of Education meets this evening and will unveil the latest version of the touchy 2009-2010 School Budget. Will they cut or will they not?

As analyzed on White Plains Week last Friday night and its internet telecast, at www.whiteplainsweek.com, (see the telecast at 7 tonight on Public Access 76 (Cablevision) or  FIOS Channel 45) WPCNR notes that with the drop of the city assessment roll of  about $5 Million dollars, the school budget going into this evening’s meeting ($185.9 Million) needs to raise taxes $16 per $1,000 to $519/$1,000 of assessed value to make up for the lost $4.3 Million in revenues due to the drop in the assessment roll to $186.8 Million. Tonight, it is expected the district will go over its expected revenues, which may or may not result in a larger tax increase.

Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors is expected to announce layoffs. The meeting is open to the public at 5 Homeside Lane, Education House at 7:30 P.M. Also on the agenda is approvals of substitute teachers and extra-curricular activity appointments.

The head of the White Plains Teachers Association, Kerry Broderick,  told WPCNR last week, the district is planning to fire 24 certified teachers, 20 Teaching Assistants, plus secretaries, custodians and security guards adding up to a total of 58 layoffs in order to make further cuts in the budget. The teachers union is currently in state-supervised mediation talks with the district over their impasse in salary and benefits negotiations,

Broderick said the mood of negotiations is not good. She charged that no administrators were being cut. The Superintendent of Schools, Timothy Connors told WPCNR, he did not know where those numbers came from and that there would “across-the-board” layoffs, including administrators. Broderick said the school board was taking the attitude that “the board thinks we (the teachers) owe them so much.” She charged that “negotiating with the School Board is like negotiating with JELL-O. Every time I think we have something, they change their mind. It (a new contract) is in their hands, I don’t know what they’re going to do.”

Connors said he would detail the cuts in personnel this evening.

From a city standpoint, the Common Council is expressing no interest or concern about the budget publicly. With the drop in the city assessment roll to $285.2 Million, if the city keeps the budget the same as it is this year, $161.7 Million the district needs $1 Million to “catch up” with the assessment drop. The city tax rate will go from $147 per $1,000 of assessed value to $151/$1,000 – if the city keeps the budget where it is.

If they roll over the budget to $168. Million, the tax rate will go up to $173 per $1,000 of assessed valuate. Your city tax for a $700,000 home will go from $2,700 to $3,200, up $500. If the city does a modest budget increase to $165 Million – they will need only a $159 per $1,000 of value and the city tax on the $700,000 will go up only $238 to $2,938.

Since the city has not even projected revenues yet  which the city says is expected to be down about $9 Million plus – that would have to be figured into any tax increase in addition, unless of course the city decides to cut the budget substantially.

To date, the city has said they have cut the budget, and there has been talk of the city entailing contingency budgets for next year. To date despite weekly requests by WPCNR for detailed lists of the cuts, the city has not confirmed any, and has not given a list of the cuts.

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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From Westchester County Association. March 9. 2009: Governor David A. Paterson  announced that the pension reform proposal included in his 2009-10 Executive Budget will save taxpayers a cumulative total of $48.5 billion over the next 30 years. The following announcement was made by the Governor’s office yesterday.  “I recognize the important contribution public employees make to life in New York.  But in this time of fiscal crisis, we need to implement reforms across all areas of State spending,” said Governor Paterson.  “The changes I have proposed will continue to deliver a secure retirement for pensioners, but at a more affordable cost to taxpayers.  We must use our current fiscal crisis as an opportunity to make smart choices today that will pay big dividends in the future, particularly for overburdened local property taxpayers.”
Governor Paterson’s Executive Budget would create a new tier of pension benefits (TierV) for most newly hired public employees.  Many of the proposed changes for Tier V would remove pension enhancements added in recent years to Tier IV.  These new rules include restoring the minimum retirement age from 55 to 62; requiring employees to continue contributing a percentage of their salaries towards pension costs for their entire careers rather than ending contributions after ten years; increasing the 2 percent multiplier threshold from 20 to 25 years; restoring the minimum years of service required to draw a pension from five to ten years; and others.
 
Local governments and the State would immediately realize savings from these proposals because their required contributions to their respective pension funds for new employee hires subject to Tier V would be lower than that for current employees.
 
Clearly we are gratified by the Alliance’s work led by Dick French President of RNN and we deeply appreciate the support of our membership.
 
A copy of the full impact of the pension reform is available at http://www.budget.state.ny.us/pubs/press/2009/finalPensionReport.pdf