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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS By John F. Bailey. April 16,2009: At the same time New York State legislative leaders and property tax reform advocates were declaring the legislature would provide property tax reform in this session of the legislature, the New York State Office of Real Property Services posted its new, lowered STAR BASIC and ENHANCED EXEMPTION tables on its website Tuesday, raising White Plainsians property taxes.
The ORPS-posting made it official that the state government has quietly increased property taxes in yet another creative way, across the state, raising another $1.2 Billion or so. The exact figure was not available.
The new Exemptions, as first reported by WPCNR and
The STAR BASIC EXEMPTION for under-65 homeowners, (which you deduct from your home assessed value for 2009) is now $2,960 for the City of
Geoffrey Gloak of the Department of Real Property Services told WPCNR the exemptions would decline an additional 11% next year, pending action to speed up or slow down the rate at which the exemption is being lowered.
As a public service to the rest of Westchester County, WPCNR offers the following new Exemptions for the cities and towns in the rest of Westchester:
White Plains BID Intros New Website: Launches BID CARD for Shoppers
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WPCNR MAMARONECK AVENUE AMBLER. From the White Plains BID. April 15, 2009: The White Plains Business Improvement District (BID) today officially launched its new website, www.WPBID.com, dedicated to the promotion of business, cultural arts, and retailers in downtown
The BID Card is introduced on the new website, providing discounts at local businesses
“Our new website provides important services for downtown business and residents,” said Rick Ammirato, Executive Director of the White Plains BID. “It is a great new resource by which all of our constituents can find and share information about downtown White Plains, as we continue together to strengthen and deepen our commitment to businesses and our economy.”
Services include marketing and promotion of our member businesses and sponsored events, streetscape improvements and enhancements; sidewalk cleaning and beautification; special events and advocacy on behalf of member businesses
The White Plains Downtown BID encompasses 145 properties with approximately 5.5 million square feet of office and retail space. Membership includes small business owners, national retailers, Fortune 500 Companies, and industry leading commercial property owners.
The BID’s Board of Directors represents the diversity of business interests in the Central Business District and is committed to creating an environment conducive to economic development and business growth.
For more information, visit www.WPBID.com.
Mayor, Boykin Reject 30% Tax Increase to balance budget.
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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICL EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. April 15, 2009: The Mayor of White Plains and the Common Council President are agreed that the way out of the city revenue shortfall is not through a massive tax increase. The two disagree on how to make up the deficit.
Acting Budget Director, (back to photographer)addressing the Common Council and Budget & Management Advisory Committee Tuesday evening. Cutting,not taxing, was the Common Council mantra.
After a three-hour walk-through of the new budget provided by the Acting Budget Director on the 2009-10 $160.2 Million Proposed City Budget last night at City Hall, Mayor Joseph Delfino, the outgoing Mayor of White Plains, told WPCNR he would not support a 30% Property Tax increase to balance the city’s “fund balance-balanced” budget at current spending and service levels (even though the Mayor has no political stake in the fall election).The Mayor said his administration has created a series of revenue-raising policies, he recommends to the Council to plug the $11 to$12 Million, give-or-take-a-million budget gap.
Benjamin Boykin, Jr., the Common Council President, asked the same question by WPCNR, about raising taxes 30% said “Absolutely not,” saying the answer to avoiding filling the city projected $11.4 Million revenue gap by drawing down fund balance to about $5.5 Million was cutting expenses.
If the $650,000 to $700,000 home in
Neither Mr. Boykin nor any other member of the Common Council in attendance at the first of a series of raised the issue of police and fire unions and the city in binding arbitration, that at WPCNR’S last information on this situation, was that the city was getting police and fire union approval of an independent arbitratration firm who had been selected by the city.
The head of the city Civil Service Employees Association was observing from the back of the Common Council Chamber.
Sheehan Says…Maybe the unions should be Advised…
The issue of the union arbitration was raised twice by Budget and Management Committee member, Timothy Sheehan. Sheehan suggested that the Council might acquaint the unions with the possibilities that a binding arbitration award in the 3 to 4% increase area could raise wages at the expense of union members losing jobs. Sheehan did not say union positions should be cut, instead he pointed out that this was a danger of a binding agreement presenting to the city and its workers.
Any binding arbitration result is predicted by the Mayor’s office to result in 3% to 4% labor settlements the next two years setting the pattern for the other two unions in the city. In going over expenses in the budget the Council repeatedly expressed doubt on whether the numbers were realistic, worried over whether the deficit would be greater.
WPCNR projected on this week’s White Plains Week television program, which may be viewed on www.whiteplainsweek.com that the city can continue funding a 3%-4% labor settlement across all four unions, continue present level of services, and fund the present budget with a straightforward 30% property tax increase. The tax rate would rise from the Mayor’s budgeted 4.9% $154.70 per $1,000 to $200 per $1,000 of assessed value that would inject the budget with $13 Million in revenues based on the current city assessment, and protect against any further erosion of city revenues.
The city could scale back that tax increase in future years as prosperity and a booming economy returned to the city. Last night, at least two city leaders, Mr. Delfino and Mr. Boykin flat-out rejected the taxing way out of the city revenue shortfall.
Rereading the Budget Book in 30 Pages.
In the first of a series of weekly meetings, (the next is April 21 at 5 P.M. when Parking, Public Safety and Planning Department expenses will be reviewed), Council members grasped at budget-cutting moves out of the blue: Councilperson Malmud wanted to know how much was spent by commissioners attending professional meetings. Mr. Boykin demanded of the Acting Budget Director, David Birdsall, “scenarios” of what 5% salary cuts across Commissioner and appointed employees ranks –not union positions– would save.
The Council raised questions of what was included in the Acting Budget Director’s projections.
Sales Tax Receipts Soft. Sales Down 25%
The Council and Budget and Management Committee meeting in joint session were told sales tax receipts for the third quarter were up 1.8% for the year (projected by WPCNR as being $34,588,645 through March 31, with three months in the fiscal year to go). Paul Wood, the Executive Officer for the Mayor, said when asked the exact figure, said that was a “verbal” from the state.
Tom Roach, the councilman, was a consistent voice for budget cutting, rather than raising another sales tax increase to help cut the deficit in half (by adding another $5.2 Million inh, according to Birdsall), saying, “I and others believe any tax is inflationary.”
Looking at the Record.
In 2007-2008, through the first three quarters of the fiscal year, the city received $33,977,058 in sales tax, without the ¼% increase that went into effect July 1 of 2008.
This means that third quarter city sales tax collections are only project to about $10,225,723, The city had $24,362,922 in the till the first half of this fiscal year as of December 31. The current quarter (if up 1.8% year to year) appears to be down about $1 Million from the third quarter of last year, even with the extra ¼%. Overall that computes to City Sales subject to sales tax, appearing to be down 25% in the third quarter..
In the final quarter of Fiscal Year 2007-2008, the city received $11,485,331 in sales tax without the 1/4% increase now in effect, translating roughly to $600 Million in sales. If that number from last year’s fourth quarter is met, the city will collect $46.1 Million in sales tax for the year.
If retail sales stay at the same level as last year’s 4th quarter, $600 Million, the city will collect about $13,500,000 in the final quarter and collect $48,088,645 for the year, clearing the sales tax target of $47.3 Million forecast in the 2008-2009 budget, and clearing the $47.3 Million budgeted in the 2009-2010 budget.
But if the city retail sales stay off 25%, that means only $550,000, 000 in sales level, that computes to a $12,375,000 sales tax handle, creating a sales tax for the year of approximately $46,963,645 – slightly less than the $47.3 Million forecast for this year. There is an outside chance that the $47.3 Million level might not be met.
When the sales tax increase of 1.8% was told the Council, Councilman Glen Hockley took the opportunity to point out the Council failure to request an additional 1/4% last spring when they had the chance. “What it is about is peoples’ jobs and peoples’ services.”
The question was raised by Benjamin Boykin about how real projections were, considering the loss of Fortunoff,
Councilpersons Rita Malmud,left,and Benjamin Boykin.
Rita Malmud expressed concern about the reserving a percentage of department expenses not to be spent until later in the year, the budget-labeled “reserve of 5%(about $7.5 Million) of budgeted departmental expenditures providing a buffer for fund balance.” Malmud said she wanted much more detail by department on what expenses made up this 5%. Birdsall said he would provide that. Mr. Boykin suggested why not cut the departments by that amount?
At this point, Commissioner of Planning Susan Habel (above) took the podium from Birdsall and explained that the City Charter provides the basis for executing just this kind of strategy. The council requested a copy of the section of the Charter.
Malmud said previously in this decade the city has been very conservative in its budgeting, and implied that holding departments back from spending money budgeted was something “We’ve never done before.”
Mayor Invites Council to Make the Cuts
The Mayor, who spent parts of the meeting walking about the council chambers, appearing to stretch his legs, as Birdsall painstakingly weaved through the budget, told Mrs. Malmud,
“Then don’t do it. Don’t do it that way.”
Boykin, flailing his arms, said raising his voice, “Why not do it (cut the departments) upfront?”
Pat Austin, a member of the Budget & Management Committee said “expenses must be tight.”
Tom Roach mentioned he has been getting e-mails saying ‘the (tax) increase must be cut…” and later, “there must be cuts in the long term, to put the city in a manageable budget position in future years.”
Mr. Boykin, in being greeted with slide after slide giving general information on how off the revenues were, asked rhetorically, “Are we comfortable with it?”
Rita Malmud wanted more detail from Mr. Birdsall because she wanted some assurance that the revenues were “not just wishful thinking.”
Birdsall said the city, in creating the budget had made “ (revenue and expense) trade-offs based on all potential sources of what’s out there.”
Austin, the committee member, said salaries constitute 70%of the budget, and asked Mr. Birdsall to “give us scenarios (on job cuts).”
Mr. Roach raised the issue of whether possible arbitrated union salary increases for unions were included in the budget. Birdsall did not specifically say they were or were not, and could not say whether the separate “Reserve for Financing line” budgeted at $6.1 Million for 2009-2010 would cover the full amount of salary increases expected to be paid. He again said he would provide more detail.
Tax Certs– more to come? No Info.
Mr. Boykin raised the question if the city knew how many more tax certioraris were in the pipeline (and presumably, the effect those certs would have on assessment). Birdsall did not have that number, but promised to get it for a future meeting.
Revenue Revivals. Cut Targets.
On the ways the Mayor’s Office said were strategies to raise money to avoid fund balance depletion, again Birdsall did not have the numbers on what sale of firehouses 4 and 5 would bring, but did provide sales figures for the price of new taxi medallions( they plan to sell 30 mediallions at $50,000 apiece, non-transferable, Paul Wood said) and towing medallions ($15,000). Mr. Wood said medallions were being transferred on the open market for prices from $75,000 to $90,000.
Birdsall and Mr. Wood said revenue projections, especially for leasing of city municipal garages would be provided in more detail at a future meeting. Mr. Boykin referred to an April 9 Wall Street Journal article reporting how meter fees had gone up in
Ms. Malmud and Councilman Dennis Power each expressed interest in the $142,000 in direct costs the city is still providing the
Mr. Boykin said he was looking forward to asking “
Mr. Roach, who discussed the need for cost-cutting cordially with the Mayor, said what was needed was expense “triage,” that the city had to “budget like a real family has to.”
Jim Benerofe, covering for suburbanstreet.com and Don Hughes both recalled that this was the first time in years that the council had raised so many pointed questions during the first presentation of the city budget.
Despite its duration, three hours, the meeting was characterized by the following omissions:
- There were no projections included of what different arbitrated settlements with unions might mean to the city salaries going out through 2010-2011, 2011-2012, and the present budget ability to cover those settlements into the future. (These projections were not asked for, either.)
- There was no specific detail on what real persons had lost their jobs through cuts made to date by the city and specific dollar savings. This has been asked for repeatedly by the media and council members, but was not provided last night.
- No councilperson voluntarily suggested cutting their $36,471salaries which would save the city $218,826 in wages.
- There were no tax increase projections made to show how higherproperty tax increases than 4.9% with varying interplay of revenues might solve the deficit.
- There were no certiorari projections or prognostications from the City Tax Assessor on the impact on the tax roll that another $5 Million drop or perhaps larger $10 Million drop in the assessments would mean to tax payers.
- There were no projections of increased pension fund contributions required in 2010, though Birdsall noted that they could be substantialas much as 50%. (The council requested more on this matter.)
Of interest, Beth Smayda and David Buchwald, unannounced but nominated the City Democratic Committee Nominating Committee for Common Council, were taking notes in the audience. Assemblyman Adam Bradley, announced candidate for Mayor was not in attendance, but perhaps he had a monitor of the proceedings in the audience.
Mr. Sheehan told WPCNR after the meeting that he had been invited by the Republican Party to run for Mayor, but he had not made a decision as of yet.
White Plains Considers District Wide Registration. Spends $42,000 Year Checking
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. April 14, 2009 UPDATED April 15, 2009: Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors presented Dr. Anne Lillis, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Services Monday evening, who reported on the scope of how many students are found attending
Connors said that
Dr. Lillis, in her report said of 1,345 students registering for the first time through April 1, 2009, 38 were investigated and found to be non-residents. In cases investigated this year, she said 70 non-resident children were discovered.
Dr. Anne Lillis, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Services, said
She said all new registering students with the district come through the
- A homeowner document with the home address on it, and a utility bill.
- A landlord affidavit,(attesting to resident).
She said that in 2008-2009 through April 1, 1,345 new students came into the
During the course of the school year 141 cases of suspected non-residency came to the district attention and were investigated. Of those, 44 were found to be non-resident families who had 70 children who were not residents
. The cost to investigate, she said was a total of $42,000.
Lillis said that in Mount Vernon and Edgemont, (an apartment-heavycommunity), there were no private investigators used, while White Plains does use a private investigator in caseswhere residence is questionable to check residencies.
Honeywell Selected as Energy Auditor, $1.9 M in Cert Refunds Approved
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. April 14, 2009: During the course of its business meeting Monday, the Board of Education approved the selection of Honeywell as the contractor to conduct its energy audit of district buildings. The expected savings for the district was $12.4 Million, with district payment for the improvements coming out of those savings, Assistant Superintendent for Business, Fred Seiler said. Honeywell would construct and install the devices and improvements resulting in the savings,and financing would not be forthcoming until 18months after the improvements had been up and running and producing the energy savings. Seiler said this would be about 2011.
The district also approved $1,911,027 in certiorari refunds on the following condominium properties: Juniper Walk Condominium, Summit House, Copper Beach Condominiums, JDJ Apartments, Robert Tolchin G&W Properties, 32 Apartments, South Broadway(110-112 South Broadway,
School Decisions Roundup Follows…
In other action….
New Furniture
The Board approved a contract to purchase $545,000 in new furniture to furnish the new
The Board authorized a refunding strategy on the $28 Million White Plains High School Project which, by taking advantage of today’s 2-1/2% interest rates would save the district bond serviceon the 5-1/2% rate those high school bonds issued in 2000 are costing the district. Seiler estimated the district would save $3,000 a year.
MTA TAX REPRIEVE?
In other action, the Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors said that the $330,000 in Metropolitan Transportation Authority tax included in the proposes 2009-2010 School Budget looked for awhile last week, as if the tax would be pulled by the state legislature, but at this point it is uncertain. Connors said he expected the legislature to take the MTA tax up again this week. Even should the MTA tax not be enancted,Connors said the money collected would be used for other expenses in the school budget at the discretion of the Board.
Strategic Plan Revisited
Connors announced the Core Committee responsible for guiding the District “Strategic Plan” would meet May 20-21 to address the progress of the Strategic Plan. Connors said that his designated successor, Dr. Christopher Clouet would be unable to attend those meetings because Clouet would be out of the country on a prior education commitment. Connors said Clouet would be in the district over the next month at times to acquaint himself with district issues involving the strategic plan. Connors said the Core Committee is looking for a parent from the community to serve on the Core Committee and two students.
Teacher Mediation Moves to Fast-finding. Amount of Raise Stumbling Block.
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. April 14, 2009: The Board of Education announced at its regular meeting Monday evening that school district labor negotiations with the White Plains Teachers Association, after three mediation sessions with a New York State Public Employee Relations Board appointed mediator had been “unsuccessful,” would now move to a “fact-finding” phase. Peter Bassano, a member of the Board Finance Committee said the salary increase in a new contract was the lone remaining issue. Privately, he told WPCNR the Teachers’ union was “out of touch” with economic conditions in the city.
Peter Bassano of the Board of Education, said that another state-appointed mediator would be appointed to meet with the two groups, which would present their positions and assemble “facts,” supporting their respective positions.
The mediator then recommends a settlement. The recommended settlement and both sides’ facts would be made public. The mediator-recommended settlement, would be non-binding, and the school board and the district would have to consider it or reject.
Bassano told WPCNR that the major block is the amount of salary increase. He said that the step increases based on years of serviceand academic degrees have been agreed upon, the amount of raises across the salary schedule is the roadblock.
Bassano: 2 to 3% step increases received this year. Administrators Agree to Freeze.
Bassano reported that all teachers this year, working without a contract, have received their step increases based on academicdegree progress and longevity, equal to 2 to 3% of salary, and in dispute is any additional merit increases.
Bassano said, “The teachers union is out touch with the economics of the City of
Bassano also told WPCNR that the Assistant Superintendents (in the Superintendent of Schools “cabinet”) and the Assistant Superintendents’staffs and management personnel and support staff had all agreed to freeze their salaries in the 09-10 year in the district. The freeze on wages comes after a substantial series of salary increases in the current school year budget.
Teacher Union Head Says Teachers Not Consulted
Bassano’s remarks, made as part of his report on the BOE Finance Committee, came at the close of the business meeting, after White Plains Teachers Association President, Kerry Broderick had taken the podium during the public comment session to denounce the district for not consulting the teachers on where layoffs (of teacher personnel) would take place.
Broderick said WPTA and CSEA members were never brought to the table to discuss the 20 teacher firings, 1 administrator and 24 assistant cuts. “They treated us as an afterthought,” she said. She accused the district of “doing a fine job of protecting (their) pet projects, and not consulting with who it affects (teachers) in school classrooms.”
WPCNR asked Mr. Bassano if it was true teacher cuts were made without consulting teaching staff.
Bassano commented, “I don’t know for sure, but I would want decisions about programmatical changes made based on an objective and data driven evaluation of the program by the administration. This is not a real issue because there were few program cuts.”
Bassano said layoffs were made “solely pursuant to union guidelines in the collective bargaining agreement: They are layoff based on seniority: Last in – first out. No regard for performance or effectiveness in the classroom.”
Mr. Bassano said the district had offered to work with the teachers to provide incentivized retirement, “If we got enough takers, it would have saved jobs, put cash in the pockets of some retirees and saved the district considerable money over the next few years. The offer has been on the table for months.”
Bassano told WPCNR the incentivized retirement offer was withdrawn in March when negotiations were stymied: “We asked to sever incentivized retirement from the salary negotiations and move forward with retirement incentives. The union refused, choosing to keep this as a bargaining chip. This prevented the saving of teaching jobs and the saving of money for the district.”
Bassano said Broderick misstated the one Administrator elimination, pointing out that the position of Athletic Director was eliminated by merging Athletic Director and Physical Education/Health Director.
Lowey Gets White Plains Schools Stim Money– But Will Not Affect 09-10 Budget
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. April 13,2009: Congresswoman Nita Lowey notified the press today that she had secured $1,504,218 in Federal Recovery monies for the
Asked if this money could be applied to the new 2009-2010 $185.9 Million School Budget, White Plains Superintendent of School Timothy Connors told WPCNR no officials on the state or the federal level have told the school district how and when these monies would becoming and what they could be applied to. Connors told WPCNR the new money would apply to the 2010-2011 Budget. “If you find out, John, please tell us,” Connors said who was going over the information with Assistant Superintendent for Business, Fred Seiler, when contacted by WPCNR.
Lowey’s release said that
State Hit on Con Ed 2%of Utility Revenues.Latimer Only NoVote
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WPCNR THE POWER NEWS . By John F. Bailey. April 13, 2009: The New York State Department of Budget has not been able to respond as of late this afternoon for a clarification on appropriations law S59B and A159, which contain the legislation enacting a $283 Million assessment on Consolidated Edison revenues this year, and assessments on all utilities in the state except telephone utilities.
Assemblyman George Latimer of
The law amends Article 18-a of the aising the portion of the legislation funding the Public Service Commission as follows: “The total amount which may be charged to any public utility company under authority of this subdivision for any state fiscal year shall not exceed one per centum of such public utility company’s gross operating revenues derived from intrastate utility operations in the last preceding calendar year.”
The legislation, in addition, amends Article18-a with an additional 1%charge, to wit:
“The temporary state energy and utility service conservation assessment shall be equal to two percentum of the utility operations in the last preceding calendar year, minus the amount, if any, that such utility entity is assessed pursuant to subdivisions one and two of this section (the public service commission funding) for the corresponding state fiscal year period.”
Latimerdescribed the text of the legislation as “quite dense.”
The complete legislation in all its “density” can be read on the New York Senate website, if you go to section “NN”, and read pages 55 to 59 on the following URL:
It’s Opening Night
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WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. APRIL 13, 2009: The New York Mets open new CitiField this evening on Opening Day with temperatures expected in the 40s wasting as it turns out, a beautiful day. So, in celebration of the best day of the year, Opening Day, WPCNR revives this original ode to the best day of the year.
WRIGLEY FIELD, 1975
Photo, WPCNR Sports
OPENING DAY is better than Christmas Day,
When you look out the window and you know they’ll play,
Whether dreary gray or billiant spring sun’s ray
Opening Day means the Big Show is back today.
In decades past, Opening Day was for fanatics starved,
Eager for the sharp crack of ash on horsehide carved;
The flutter of pennants snapping in northwest winds
Atop ramparts of inviting arches of walls, and sculpted friezes wistfully escarped.
Fans lucky to get away with ducats
Marveled at grown men in boys’ flannels and sharp whites pristeen,
Back to play in April’s warm zephyrs in NY blazened caps,
Dashing specks of white warming up on the sprawl of the greenest green.
Motor cars panting in good-natured traffic jams on Major Deegan,
Or down
Through windows you see first glimpse of the storied Park,
The place where ball is played, where ghosts of Ted, Babe, Duke
Mel, Spahnie, Whitey, Mickey, Willie, Yaz, Minnie and Sandy lark.
Paying a White Plains fine to park, passing stogie smoking old men
at the same gates for a hundred years,
Now out into the street
You go, aroma of roasting chestnuts, pungent cigars sweet,
Cries of “scorecard heah” “programs,heah” shout out, neath light towers to heaven.
Fans in cap and uniform, little boys and girls gawk in awe hoping to make the Anthem
Never seeing such sheer walls, topped with the legend “GameToday 1:30 PM.”
Clutching slim cardboard tix to Section 14 Upper Deck up to the turnstiles
Festooned with souvenirs more dear as diamonds, beyond, the lure of endless aisles.
Into the press of crowd, the grizzled usher, RIPS YOUR TICKET.
Turnstile turns, clicks, and into the castle of ball you go
Into the rotunda greeted with magic signs dazzling the senses —
UPPER LEVELS SECTIONS 1 to 39, 2 to 40
Hawkers shout –Voices of Flatbush — colorful books in hand
“Yearbook heah,” “Dodger Yearbook here,” “Hot dog, heah,”
Assail your ears up the ramps you walk to the sign “NEXT HOMESTAND”
Out the suspended catwalk where sliver of green,first glimpse of the magic sphere
Into the sunlight splaying the vast rake down of the mighty suspended grand stand.
Spread out are knights of the diamond in white hues
Cavorting, snapping throws across immaculate red clay
As majestic fungos CRACK! sending spheres soaring to filling bleachers a mile away,
Bunting flutters from the deck’s rails red, white and true blues.
Old glory unfurls on high pole in center field
Colorful signs deliver manly flavor of the only real game,
GILLETTE To Look Sharp, The Red Sox use Lifeboy, Schaefer It’s A Hit
Hey, Neighbor Have a Gansett, White Owl Cigars, Hit Sign Win Suit
From old familiar walls, to Gladys Gooding on the organ
Friendly old green scoreboard displaying
Today’s games around the big leagues BETTER THAN CNN
CHI CLE BOS DET, CHI STL, NY WAS make you king for a day.
Two Bits for scorecard, usher wipes your seat, ballpark fills your heart.
Penciling in the lineup 42 2B, 1 SS, 14 1B, 4 CF, 39 C, 6 RF, 23 LF 19 3B 36 P
Smell of beer, peanuts and salty pretzels entice
The air is nippy, warm rays sink into your face feels nice,
Starting pitchers wheel and deal, kicking high on sidelines fueling expectancy
Men in blue, arms folded solemnly conduct the home plate regimen
Casey, Ralph , Walter, Joe and Sparky exchange lineup cards and knowing
Ground rules by heart they go over them for ritual’s sake.
Announcer entones “Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Welcome to the friendly confines.”
“Please rise for the playing of our national anthem,”
The stadium organ note by note peels baseball’s theme
Rising on the breeze, uniting do-rag and ball cap,
Fedora, ponytail and bouffant in the spirit of the great game.
Grass is never greener than on Opening Days
Strikes are louder, long drives bound gleefully to the wall up the alleys
Beers with THICK creamy heads, taste crisp cold and mellow gold blaze.
Smashes laser through short and in the gap igniting raucous rallies
Magicians without wands start 6-4-3s,
Backhand sure hits losing their caps
“Oh what a play’s” crackle on WGN with “CUBS WIN’S”
Jack and Mel, Vince, Red, Curt and Murph are back at the mike to turn mundane days Into joy with a ninth inning elixir and “happy recaps”
Thunderous ROARS accolades the 2-out winner again creating big kids’ grins.
Albany Raises Con Ed Sessment 857%, Costing Westchester/NYC Customer s $283MILL
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WPCNR THE POWER NEWS By John F. Bailey April 10, 2009. Consolidated Edison revealed to The CitizeNetReporter this week that the state legislature voted to increase Con Ed’s Assessment to $283 Million in 2009-10, which will raise
The state assessment is a straight cash payment decreed in the new state budget. Con Ed is faced with an increase of 857% up from $33 Million the state charged Con Edison this year.The assessment increase affects all utilities’ intra (within) state revenues across the state and pours billions into the state General Fund for unspecified use “related to energy.”
The Con Edision assessment will raise all
How the charge will be applied will be considered by the New York State Public Service Commission April 21 in
The “secret” assessment Revises Article18-A of Public Utilities Law, In S59B, A59 Bills.
The Assessment is a new charge Con Ed customers will be facing in addition to a possible decision to increase the Consolidated Edison “Delivery Charge” that could increase that charge on your utility bill approximately 15%, according to Consolidated Edison’s filing and preliminary PSC findings, Jim Denn of the Public Services Commission Press Office confirmed to WPCNR.
Con
A 20% increase in the Delivery Charge for example, in the current White Plains electric bill where the kilowatt hour electric charge is 7.55 cents, would increase the Delivery Charge for White Plainsians to 9 cents per kwh. On usage of 648 kilowatt hours in a month this would increase your delivery charge to$58.32 this month as opposed to $48.90 – a $10 increase on a light electric month, possibly considerably more in high use summer months.
Last year the state assessment on utilities throughout the state previously had consisted of 1/3 of 1% of intra (within) state revenues. In the new state budget of 2009-2010 passed with much fanfare by the Governor, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Leader Malcolm Smith last week, that assessment, formerly simply a revenue raiser to support the Public ServiceCommission has been divided into two parts, according Public Service Commission spokesperson, Jim Denn, speaking exclusively to WPCNR Thursday afternoon.
The Bill, A00159, which included the 857% assessment increase, was passed in the Assembly and passed in the Senate, as S59B. Westchester Assemblypersons Adam Bradley,Richard Brodski, Sandy Galef and Mike Spano voted for the bill. Only Assemblyman George Latimer voted against it according to the New York Assembly website.
Mr. Denn said Part 1 of the Assessment will charge up to 1% of a NYS utility intrastate revenues “for sercices that would go to operation of the Public Service Commission and other related entities.”
Part 2 funnels “another 1% (of a utility’s intra “within” state revenues) to the state general fund for energy-related purposes.” Mr. Denn could not define “energy-related purposes.”
Denn said the PSC will determine how the new $283Million Con Ed assessment will be applied to future 2009 consumer bills in the April 21 hearing. When the assessment would be added, and what increment it would add to the customer bill has not been determined.
Split between Con Edison and ESCO customers.
Bob McGee, spokesperson for Consolidated Edison told WPCNR Wednesday that the state increased Con Ed’s assessment cost an additional $250 Million, up from $33 Million in 2008-2009.McGee wrote in an statement issued WPCNR Friday morning, “Not all the money Con Edison will be collecting is Con Edison customer money. A portion of it is being collected from ESCO (Electric Supply Companies), so the gross (assessment increase) figure appears to represent 800% or more increase, while for Con Edison customers it’s really a 500%increase.”
WPCNR emphasizes that the dollar amount, whether it is isolated out in the electric bill as a separate charge, included in the kilowatt hour rate, or in the Delivery Charge, and how much per month it will be for the individual customer has yet to be determined by the Public Service Commission. They will consider that April 21. The 500% figure mention by Mr. McGee does not mean the electric or gas bill is going up 500%.
Mr. Denn of the Public Service Commission told WPCNR, “At the end of the day, it’s going to impact the rate payer’s bill.”
Denn said that since the new 2-Part Assessment was just installed into the budget last week, it was a new issue the Public Service Commission would consider along with Con Edision’s Delivery Charge request, “and how best to accommodate these (new) charges.”
Meanwhile…back in the State Assembly…Fixed Electric Rates Probing
The WPCNR report of the new assessment, the scope of which is to be determined, comes at the time Associated Press reports today that an Assembly Committee is looking in to alleged “over charging on electric bills and is seeking evidence of conflicts of interests and collusion among
Meanwhile…back in the Governor’s Office…Utility Customer Rights Protection
The Assembly “investigation” parallels a news release from Governor David Paterson distributed to the media, in which the governor announced “a major consumer outreach effort to remind