WHITE PLAINS WESTCHESTER DAILY NEWS SERVICE VISITS SINCE 2000 A.D. 25TH YEARl REPORTING THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW News Service Since 2000 A.D. 2026 WILL BE OUR 26TH YEAR OF COVERING WHITE PLAINS NEW YORK USA . John F. Bailey, Editor (914) 997-1607 wpcnr@aol.com Cell: 914-673-4054. News Politics Personalities Neighborhoods Schools Finance Real Estate Commentary Reviews Policy Correspondence Poetry Philosophy Photojournalism Arts. The WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER. TELEVISION: "White Plains Week" News Roundup, 7:30 EDT FRI, 7 EDT MON & the incisive "People to Be Heard" Interview Program 8PM EDT THURS, 7 PM EDT SAT on FIOS CH 45 THROUGHOUT WESTCHESTER AND, ALTICE OPTIMUM WHITE PLAINS CH 1300 Fighting for Truth, Justice and the American Way. TOP 10 VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD :1. USA. 2.BRAZIL3.VIET NAM 4. CHINA 5. JAPAN 6.UK. 7.CANADA. 8.INDIA. 9.AUSTRALIA 10.IRELAND 11.GERMANY 12..ARGENTINA 13.BANGLADESH 14.RUSSIA. 15.NEWZEALAND. 16. FRANCE. 17.MEXICO. 18.UKRAINE. 19.SOUTH AFVRICA. 20. IRAQ.
WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From Westchester County Board of Legislators. January 25, 2009: Prior to the start of the County Board’s January 21, 2009 meeting, County Board Chairman Bill Ryan (D-IN-WF, White Plains) applauded three 5th graders from the Mamaroneck AvenueSchool, who last month won the 1st Place Team Award at the National Scholastic Chess Championship in Orlando, Florida. The students, Joshua Colas, Andrew Teller and Michael Ainsworth, are pictured [left to right, holding proclamations] in the attached photo with their parents and siblings, Chairman Ryan and County Legislator Lois Bronz (D-WF, Greenburgh), whose district includes a portion of the city.
The students, Joshua Colas, Andrew Teller and Michael Ainsworth, are pictured [left to right, holding proclamations] in the attached photo with their parents and siblings, Chairman Ryan and County Legislator Lois Bronz (D-WF, Greenburgh), whose district includes a portion of the city. Photo byChris Giliberti, Courtesy, Westchester County Board of Legislators
WPCNR County Clarion-Ledger. From Westchester County Board of Legislators. January 24, 2009 (EDITED): The plaza at 85 Court Street will be renamed for Christopher A. Ridley, the Mount Vernon resident and police officer slain by four Westchester County Police Officers when he would not drop his gun when instructed to do so by police officers on the plaza last January one year ago, while Officer Ridley was grappling with a man who had attacked a passerby.
Officer Ridley was off duty when he happened upon and intervened in the altercation in progress outside the county’s social services office building. County police exited the County Office Building and 85 Court Street guns drawn, approaching the fracas and noticing Ridley had a weapon, ordered him to drop it. When he did not, they opened fire, killing Ridley with 9 rounds. CountyExecutive Andy Spano proposed renaming the plaza to honor Officer Ridley. The CountyBoard approved the change at its meeting earlier this week.
“Detective Ridley died in service to the county,” said County Legislator Lyndon Williams (D-IN-WF, Mount Vernon). “Naming the plaza where he died in the course of trying to protect his fellow citizens is an appropriate way to honor this fallen hero. It’s a way to publicly recognize and pay tribute to Officer Ridley for putting his life on the line for others, the ultimate selfless act of courage.”
“I want to thank County Legislator Lyndon Williams, County Executive Andy Spano and his colleagues on the Board for a job well done,” said Stan Ridley, Detective Ridley’s father. “A year ago, my son’s life ended on this plaza doing what he stood for and what he died for —- caring for other people. By dedicating this site as Detective Christopher A. Ridley Plaza, the Westchester community memorializes my son’s sacrifice and honors the ideals he lived and died for.”
Mr. Ridley noted that his son’s death touched many people and led to the founding of the Detective Christopher A. Ridley Foundation. The foundation will support a variety of causes close to Christopher’s heart including scholarship support for a WCC student enrolled in the Criminal Justice course that Christopher graduated from; a basketball program for children and a Police Awareness Program that teaches young people how to interact with law enforcement in various situations.
Anyone interested in donating to the foundation can mail a check payable to the Detective Christopher A. Ridley Foundation to P.O. Box 88, Mount Vernon, NY10551.
The ChristopherRidleyPlaza dedication ceremony will take place on January 25 at 4:00 PM and will include the unveiling of a plaque by County Executive Spano and Legislator Williams.
WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS FOR THE RECORD. Transcript of Senator Kristen Gillibrand address to media. January 24, 2009: Senator Kristen Gillibrand made a rousing debut, accepting Governor David Paterson’s appointment to Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat with a wideranging personal and political address, continuing it until the end, even delaying taking President Barack Obama’s congratulatory telephone call to finish her speech. Here are Ms. Gillibrand’s remarks:
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand introduces herself to New York. Her acceptance of Governor Paterson’s appointment to Hillary Clinton’s former Senate seat is reprinted below. Just click READ MORE.
Thank you, Governor, for this incredible honor. I appreciate the opportunity that you have afforded me and the trust that you place in me. We are all blessed to have an extraordinary, effective and committed leader during these very difficult times, and I look forward to being your partner as we lift ourselves out of this budget crisis and restore opportunity to all New Yorkers. And thank you to our first lady, whose passion for children’s issues and their future inspires all of us.
I realize that for many New Yorkers, this is the first time you’ve heard my name and you don’t know much about me. Over these next two years, you will get to know me, but much more importantly, I will get to know you. As I represented the needs and the priorities of the 20th Congressional District of New York, I will represent the many diverse views and voices of the entire state as your senator. From the dairy farmers of western New York to the homeowners in Long Island facing crushing property taxes to the workers who have lost their job in this economic crisis to all the folks who work in our financial institutions, I intend to listen to all of my constituents, and all of my colleagues in government, to be part of the solution.
I am so grateful to so many of you who are here for your leadership and your service to our great state. Perhaps most significantly, I look to Secretary of State Clinton, whose seat with which Governor Paterson has now entrusted me, with extraordinary appreciation and humility. I aspire to follow in her footsteps, knowing her shoes I can only hope to fill. I cannot fully retell you how many times she has personally inspired me to action, but I will share just one. When she was first lady, she stood before thousands of people in Beijing and she bravely called the world to action to recognize that women’s rights are human rights and human rights are women’s rights. And I, too, on that day heard her call. As a recent law school graduate in New York City, I decided to become active in politics and I started to organize women and a lawyer and I worked on campaigns across the state and nationally. And I remember working on her first campaign and watching her become this extraordinary advocate for New York families, from finding new customers for our farmers in her Farm to Folk – excuse me, Farm to Fork — program to tireless advocating for health care and benefits for or 9/11 workers. Secretary Clinton has been a clarion call to so many like me who now hope to make a difference in the lives of others. Now all America looks to her as our secretary of state and to our new President Obama to rebuild America’s greatness around the world and restore the beacon of light and hope that defines our nation.
I grew up right here in Albany and my role model in politics was my grandmother. I don’t know how many of you knew Polly Noonan, but she was a woman who never went to college and she was a secretary, back at a time when very few women worked, in our State Legislature. Somehow she grew a passion for politics that grew during her lifetime. … Over a 50-year period she became such a powerful force in Democratic politics and government here. What I admired so much about her was her passion: It was politics and charity work and her grandkids. She had such a love for being involved and helping people. … I thought someday I may serve, someday I may be part of this. And I always knew that public service was something that we should aspire to, that it takes great courage, that it takes great commitment, that it matters because it affects everything in our lives, everything that we do for our children, everything that we do for our parents. And that’s what my grandmother taught me.
I’m going to get to the policy, here we go. We are all painfully aware that New York has been hit very hard by this economic recession. In upstate New York, years of manufacturing decline have made the new downturn even harder to bear for our families. Downstate, the sudden collapse of the financial industry last fall has echoed throughout our economy. Wall Street makes up more than 20 percent of our state’s revenues and the effect on our state budget has been devastating.
Governor Paterson … offered transparent, pragmatic, straightforward thoughts about what our crisis was and how best to handle it. He offered his ideas, he offered his priorities, and that’s exactly what the relationship between state government and federal government should be. … I just want to commend Governor Paterson for his leadership so early on in this process. Maintaining and preserving jobs, improving manufacturing … cultivating high-tech and biotech … We will pass a wide-ranging stimulus package which will create jobs in New York … making new investments in infrastructure, mass transit, high-speed rail throughout western and upstate New York, which Congresswoman Slaughter has taken a leading initiative on.
We want to invest in health care … it is something that will lower costs for everyone across this state and that’s something that will be in our fiscal stimulus package. … As much as 80 percent of the new jobs come from small businesses and New York’s entrepreneurial spirit is key to this growth. … I think our state is poised to take advantage of the energy revolution. The greatest market opportunity of our generation is the alternative-energy markets and conservation technologies. …
It’s about taking those innovations to market and creating products that use those energy technologies. That kind of innovation does many things. No. 1, it addresses our national security primary of becoming energy-independent. Second … world leader. Third, it’s the one thing that combats global warming so we can leave our world better for our children and our grandchildren.
We need tax cuts so families can afford to take care of their children. … I have a 5-year-old son, it is very expensive for pre-K and early childhood education. … If you are educated, you have the capacity to earn tens of thousands of dollars more than if you have a high school education. …
We also have to address the burden of property taxes. As Tom Suozzi demonstrated in his outstanding report and analysis on the issue, property taxes are one of the greatest burdens we have in the state. … We will find a solution that can lower property taxes, but make sure that we fund our schools, and that’s the kind of leadership that Governor Paterson will provide.
I will also strive for economic and social justice. I will advocate for marriage equality, women’s rights, preserving Social Security and the retirement that our seniors seem to be losing every day, and call for significant investments in education. … Our veterans and our farmers all need their voices heard in Washington. … I’d like to continue to serve on Armed Services and Agriculture.
During the last two years, what I’ve learned the most about my service is that it’s all about the people you serve. … I can look someone in the eye and hear their concern and hear their priority and then do something about it. This has happened over and over again over these last two years and I can’t tell you how meaningful it is to serve in that capacity.
I had one veteran … he was a Vietnam veteran. They were evicting him from his apartment and they were turning off his electricity. … Three calls later we got this gentleman the back pay he deserved. ‘Every morning I wake up, I strap on my leg.’ When you hear that from someone and know that the power of the office where we serve — in state, local and federal government — that is what we are all about. … It will be my honor and most humble duty to serve each and every one of you as senator. God bless New York.
Ms. Gillbrand also thanked about 15 well-known and not-so-well-known politicians and political figures as part of her remarks.
WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From Governor Paterson’s Press Office. January 24, 2009: The Governor’s office has published the following transcript of Governor David Paterson’s introduction of Kirsten Gillibrand as New York’s new Senator replacing Hillary Clinton, as Mrs. Clinton moves on to Secretary of State. Here is the Governor’s remarks to the media Friday, with a detailed biography of Senator Gillibrand:
Governor Paterson does the honors Friday, introducing Kirsten Gillibrand
“On Tuesday, we saw the power of our democracy at work. We witnessed yet again the peaceful and Constitutional hand off of power from one President to the next.
“Today, we must follow the laws of New York State. Our laws empower the Governor to appoint a new Senator if a seat should come open. It is my privilege and my responsibility to make this choice on behalf of the people of New York.
“That is why I am proud to announce my appointment of Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to represent New York in the United States Senate. I am appointing Kirsten Gillibrand because she is the right leader for this decisive moment in our history.
“Over the last two months, I have had the honor of interviewing a wide range of New Yorkers for this position. And I come away from this process deeply impressed with the number and caliber of people who could fill this seat.
“The next junior Senator from New York will have big shoes to fill. This seat has been held by icons of New York State: Robert Francis Kennedy, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
“I did not ask for this privilege. But I understand that this decision is one of the most important I will make as Governor. And from the beginning of this process, I have approached this choice with the utmost gravity.
“Throughout this process I have had an open mind. My administration first compiled a list of New Yorkers interested in serving. I then conducted individual interviews with potential candidates and spoke with other elected officials, advisors, and citizens from across the State to get a wide range of opinions about whom I should appoint. I asked each candidate to fill out a detailed, confidential background questionnaire, which was carefully reviewed by my Counsel’s Office. Finally, after thinking long and hard about it, I made my decision based upon who would best serve the needs of our citizens.
“I knew that we needed someone who will fight for working families. I knew we needed someone who could improve our State’s health care and education systems; someone who could help develop our State’s economy and help rebuild and restore the integrity of our financial services industry. I knew that we needed a leader for our times who can help us overcome the grave economic crisis we face. Finally, I knew that we needed someone who was committed to the next generation.
“I did not seek out a candidate because of their gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or regional base. I looked for the best candidate this State could offer.
“Hillary Clinton’s confirmation as Secretary of State was a bittersweet moment for all New Yorkers. On one hand, we were thrilled that someone of her caliber would be representing America to the world. But on the other hand, at a time of grave economic and fiscal challenges, we were losing one of our strongest voices and most powerful advocates.
“I am proud to say that we have found an extraordinary New Yorker to follow in the mold of Hillary Clinton.
“Kirsten Gillibrand is not only a rising star; she also possesses a deep understanding and a strong record of accomplishment on the issues that matter most today.
“In a time of economic and fiscal crisis, she has fought for responsible policies every step of the way—middle class tax cuts, quality and affordable health care, economic security for families, and assistance for family farms. She has worked on these issues since the administration of President Clinton, when she served as Special Counsel to the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Andrew Cuomo.
“At a time when we are at war, Congresswoman Gillibrand has a deep and thorough understanding of foreign policy. In fact, she was the lead sponsor of legislation that would implement the recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 commission.
“At a moment when New Yorkers and Americans are demanding reform, Kirsten Gillibrand is a leader on integrity and a champion of transparency—in fact, she was the first member of Congress in American history to post her public schedule and earmark requests online each day.
“And at a time when our nation is ready to put aside partisan divides, Congresswoman Gillibrand has a strong record of working across the aisle. In 2008, she received more votes than any other person running for Congress in New York State. Her immense popularity in her home district, which stretches across ten Upstate counties, is a testament to her ability to bring people together and to her tireless work as an advocate for the people of New York. “Kirsten has something fundamental in common with our new President-elect. As a young girl, growing up in an Upstate town, she was deeply inspired by her grandmother, Dorothea Noonan. Dorothea, known as Polly, was a founder of her hometown’s first Women’s Democratic Club and a fighter for women’s rights in her region.
“During her career in law, and during her tenure in Congress, Kirsten Gillibrand has lived by those lessons her grandmother taught her every day. I am deeply privileged and extremely proud to appoint her to represent the people of New York in the United States Senate.”
Biography for Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand
Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand was first sworn into office on January 4, 2007, and is serving her second term as U.S. Representative to New York’s 20th Congressional District, which stretches across the Upstate counties of Saratoga, Dutchess, Columbia, Rensselaer, Washington, Warren, Delaware, Greene, Essex and Otsego.
In her first term in office, Congresswoman Gillibrand established herself as an independent leader in Congress. She was the lead sponsor of legislation that would implement the bipartisan 9/11 Commission Recommendations, which will help protect our borders and keep America safe. She has been an advocate for decreased federal spending, and introduced legislation that would require the federal government – just as all New York families do – to balance their budget every year. Finally, she has made tax cuts for Upstate and North Country families, one of her highest priorities. She has authored legislation that would double the tax credit for child care expenses and make up to $10,000 in college tuition tax deductible.
Congresswoman Gillibrand has taken unprecedented steps to make her office accountable and transparent to her constituents. She was the first Member of Congress to publish their public schedule online at the end of each day, and as a strong proponent of earmark reform, she voluntarily released every earmark that she requested that would invest in Upstate and North Country priorities.
Congresswoman Gillibrand serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the Agriculture Committee. On the Armed Services Committee, Congresswoman Gillibrand serves on the Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities subcommittee and the Seapower subcommittee. On the Agriculture Committee, Congresswoman Gillibrand serves on the Livestock, Dairy and Poultry subcommittee, Conservation Credit Energy and Research subcommittee and the Horticulture and Organic Agriculture subcommittee.
In addition to her committee assignments, Congresswoman Gillibrand founded the Congressional High Tech Caucus with Representative Michael McCaul with the goal of ensuring that the United States remains at the forefront of emerging technologies and high tech industries.
During the administration of President Clinton, Congresswoman Gillibrand served as Special Counsel to the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Andrew Cuomo. At HUD, she played a key role in furthering HUD’s Labor Initiative and New Markets initiative, working to strengthen enforcement of the Davis-Bacon Act and drafting new markets legislation for public and private investment in building infrastructure to revitalize lower income areas across the nation. Following federal service, Congresswoman Gillibrand entered the private sector, joining one of the Country’s premier law firms. As a partner in the firm, she worked on a wide range of legal and policy related issues, requiring the knowledge and ability to negotiate on the highest levels, skills which serve her constituents well as a Member of Congress.
Congresswoman Gillibrand is a firm believer that those in a position to do so have an obligation to “give back” by serving their community. In addition to her responsibilities at the law firm, she maintained an extensive pro-bono practice for clients whose voices are seldom heard and needs seldom addressed. Her service on behalf of abused women and their children, and tenants seeking safe affordable housing without lead paint hazards has been tireless. At the heart of Congresswoman Gillibrand’s core values is the inspiration of her grandmother, Dorothea (Polly) Noonan, who was a founder of the area’s first Women’s Democratic Club and was a pioneer for women’s rights in the region.
Congresswoman Gillibrand has hit the ground running in her new position as the Representative for New York’s 20th Congressional District, she commits herself to deliver her best efforts to serve the people of the entire district regardless of political affiliations. She embraces her responsibilities with gratitude to the many thousands of voters who put their faith in her, and promises to never forget where she came from or whose interests she seeks to serve – the people.
Raised in the Capital Region, Congresswoman Gillibrand attended the Academy of the Holy Names and Emma Willard High School. She received a Bachelors Degree in Asian Studies from Dartmouth and a Juris Doctorate from UCLA.
The Congresswoman is married to Jonathan Gillibrand and they have two children, four-year-old Theo and infant Henry. The family resides in Hudson, New York.
WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. January 23, 2009 : Governor David Paterson appointed Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand of the 20th Congressional District (Albany area) to fill the next two years of former Senator Hillary Clinton’s senate term, as Mrs. Clinton ascends to the Secretary of State cabinet position. Governor Paterson praised Ms. Gillibrand for her courage and intelligence she has shown in her two years in congress. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2006, defeating a four-term incumbent, Republican John E. Sweeney, in a tough, uphill campaign, and reelected last month.
Mrs. Gillibrand in her remarks expressed her admiration for Senator Clinton, she mention how she had worked on Mrs. Clinton’s senate campaign. A new mother of an 8 month old son, and an 4-year old son, Mrs. Gillibrand introduced her family at the news conference, and spoke for about 25 minutes and is still speaking at this moment 12:52 PM. She appeared confident, promised to unite both upstate and downstate in common interests and a strong speaker actually sounding like a Hillary Clinton in the making. She will assume the Senate seat Sunday, Governor Paterson said.
She said would work to pass a wide-ranging stimulus package to revitalize our economy, new investments in infrastructure a greater N.Y. share of medicaid reimbursement, and a high-speed rail transportation network
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Introduced today by Governor David Paterson
WPCNR MARKETPLACE. From Johny Nelson, Labor Market Analyst, New York State Department of Labor. (EDITED)January 22, 2009 UPDATED 5:25 P.M.: As of December 31,2008, according to the New York State Department of Labor, there were 464,800 persons employed in Westchester County and 28,100 unemployed, an unemployment rate of 5.7%, up from 5.2% in November, according to statistics provided WPCNR by Johny Nelson, Labor Market Analyst with the New York State Department of Labor. In Rockland County, the unemployment rate is 5.5% where currently as of December 31, there were 145,400 employed and 8,400 unemployed.
Early today, Gustaff Herman, Deputy Commissioner of Labor for New York State annnounced in White Plains that the New York State number of unemployed persons statewide had risen by 49,300 persons to 7% in December , up from 6% in November, and 5.7% in November. Gustaf Herman, Deputy Commissioner of Labor for New York State told WPCNR that the Westchester and Putnam unemployment percentages were not broken out at this time.
Statistics circulated by Mr. Nelson to media late Thursday afternoon, report that the number of persons employed in the Hudson Valley Region which includes Westchester County, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan and Ulster Counties decreased 9,500 or 1.2 percent, to 758,000 for the 12-month period ending December 2008.
Private sector employment at 758,000 is the lowest November job count since 2005. Industries that were once resilient at the onset of the recession has now begun to show some marked weakness.
Despite all the financial woes, construction had continued to perform admirably up until 4th quarter 2008. For December 2008, the sector recorded a mere growth of 0.4 percent. For the same period last year they posted a growth of 1.3 percent and 6.3 percent the year before last.
Professional and business services sector which is highly sensitive to economic trends had also been performing well up until recent months. The sector has now begun to show signs that it’s not immune to the National recession. Employment in the sector declined by 2.2 percent. For the same period last year they posted a growth of 1.4 percent.
Meanwhile the financial crisis has begun to wreak havoc on the auto dealers in the region. Over the past year, five car dealers have closed operations as a result of tightness in credit.
Analyst observations:
Persistent economic woes- housing, credit and financial crises, along with a slew of layoff announcements at the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009 all point to a troublesome period for job seekers in the region. For December 2008, Private sector employment in the area declined by 9,500 or 1.2 percent. The construction and professional and business services industries which had been quite resilient in early 2008 have begun to show marked weakness, clearly a sign that the National recession is finally impacting the region.
WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. January 22, 2009 (EDITED): Larry Schwartz, who has served the Spano Administration from the start in top positions, is leaving his job as deputy county executive to take a high-level position in the administration of Gov. David A. Paterson.
Schwartz, a resident of White Plains, will serve as first deputy secretary to the governor, reporting directly to Paterson and Secretary to the Governor William J. Cunningham III as they work to address the range of issues affecting New YorkState.
Susan Tolchin, previously Director of Communications and Chief Advisor to the County Executive, Andrew Spano, will succeed Mr. Schwartz as Deputy County Executive. Ms. Tolchin’s position as Chief Advisor to the County Executive will not be filled. Tolchin is first in line to succeed the County Executive should something unexpected happen to Mr. Spano and he be unable to perform his duties.
The position of Director of Communications will be shared jointly by Donna Greene and Victoria Hochman, currently members of the Communications staff.
Schwartz, who originally held the title of chief advisor and then became deputy county executive in 2002, has essentially been chief operating officer for Spano, overseeing the daily operations of WestchesterCounty government. He played a critical role in the development and approval of the $1.7 billion annual operating budget, as well as all of the CountyExecutive’s intergovernmental operations. He also aided in the financial rescue and recovery of the WestchesterMedicalCenter.
“I thank the county executive for giving me the opportunity to serve in county government and the people of this county,” said Schwartz. “Now I look forward to new challenges and serving the people of New YorkState.”
Tolchin became communications director for the county in 1998, overseeing all public information efforts and media relations. She was additionally named chief advisor to the county executive in 2002, overseeing the operations of various county offices and departments.
Before that, from 1980-1993, she was elected to seven terms as town clerk for the Town of Greenburgh, Westchester’s largest town. She has long been active in civic affairs. She is currently a member of the board of the Westchester Arts Council, the Westchester Jewish Conference and the Jewish Community Center on the Hudson.
Said Tolchin, “I thank Andy for giving me his opportunity and for having faith in me. I have been proud to work for an administration that is open and ethical and to work for a county executive who really cares about the people of Westchester. Larry and I have been more than just co-workers. We have been very close friends, and I will miss him tremendously.”
WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From The County Clerk. (EDITED) January 22, 2009: The rate of initiated foreclosure actions slowed over the last 12 months. Westchester Countystatistics released by the County Clerk’s Office today show the number of initiated foreclosure actions have been steady the last two years and have kept pace in 2008 numbering 2,166 in 2007 and rising 2% to 2,206 more foreclosure actions in 2008. The rate of foreclosures continued steady, but is down sharply from 2005, and 2006. Foreclosure proceedings in the county grew 50% from 2005 to 2006 and 40% from 2006 to 2007.
Contributing to Westchester foreclosures slowing were the foreclosure reform measures signed into law last August. One part of the new state legislation requires lenders to send pre-foreclosure notices to borrowers at least ninety days before an action is started.That notice encourages the homeowner to seek help and provides contact information for local government-approved housing counselors.
“The measure not only mandates lending reforms for the future,” began Idoni, “but also provides immediate help to residents in danger of losing their homes.”And while 2008 statistics show an overall increase in foreclosure filings, they also reveal a significant drop in foreclosure actions filed in the last four months of 2008:
Filings Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
“The slowing of foreclosure filings is good news, but Westchester residents are still losing their homes and need help,” warned Idoni.“Without proper counseling, this respite will only be temporary.”Idoni urged local residents at risk of foreclosure to contact Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO),a non-profit housing agency with offices in White Plains and Mount Vernon.
A trained counselor can be reached at (914)428-4507 or visit www.wroinc.org for more information.
The Westchester County Clerk is the Clerk for the Supreme Court where foreclosure actions are heard.Please note that the commencement of a foreclosure action does not mean that a Westchester home will be lost to foreclosure.Filing a foreclosure action in the Westchester County Clerk’s office is the first step of a process which could result in the loss of a home or building.
If a foreclosure is granted, the home or building is sold at a foreclosure auction and the proceeds of the sale are used to pay off the loan.However, some homeowners enter into a repayment plan, secure a modified loan, refinance with another lender or sell their home on their own to avoid foreclosure. The office of the Westchester County Clerk is located at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in White Plains and is open Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) from 8 a.m. until 5:45 p.m.For more information, please call 995-3070 or visit www.WestchesterClerk.com.
WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From The Superintendent of Schools. January 20, 2009: Timothy P. Connors has released the laundry list of school budget suggestions voiced by about 100 citizens at last Thursday evening’s First School Budget Community Forum at White Plains High School at which the district announced it was seeking to cut the school budget $9.2 Million. Here is the Superintendent’s cover letter. To see the suggestions, click “Read More.”
January 16, 2009
Dear Friends of Education,
On behalf of the Board of Education and the Administration, we thank you for joining our budget forum last evening.
The attached are the recommendations you made that the Board of Education and I consider as we develop our preliminary budget.Your suggestions were thoughtful and informative and will be helpful in our deliberations.
We look forward to seeing you at our next budget forum on February 25th at 7:30 p.m. at White Plains High School.
Sincerely,
Timothy P. Connors
Superintendent of Schools
WORK SESSION #1
1.What are the programs and/or services the school district should reduce or eliminate?
Programs
Can we afford the Newcomer Center?
Some languages (especially at WPHS) i.e. german, latin
Elementary Summer School
Provide Pre-K program on an eligibility based method
Reduce or eliminate programs with lower attendance/enrollment
Reduce or eliminate out of district conferences
Try to bring back students being sent to other schools at taxpayer expense – Get services back in-house
Reduce non-teaching programs
Eliminate programs that are limited to a small population
Evaluate elective offerings
Eliminate free Pre-K to families that can pay
Eliminate programs that don’t work
Fewer Arts programs – how you spend money
Fewer sports
Is WINGS program necessary?
Streamline Special Education programs in Elementary Schools (maybe only 3 out of 5 schools)
Services
Can we afford the freshman sports teams?
How do we better coordinate non-varsity level sports with City?
Winter/Summer Enrichment and Bussing costs
Transportation
Field trips/Costly transportation
Streamline amounts of bus routes
Return to neighborhood schools – reduce busing
Go to neighborhood schools
Increase mileage for transportation – .25 to .5 miles
Eliminate 2:00 bus at Highlands/Eastview
Consultants
Reduce consultant costs – reduce amount of consultants – use inside staff
Review Staff Development training costs ( stop outsourcing)
WPCNR THE BIG EXTRA. News & Comment by John F. Bailey. January 19 2009: I wrote this column in 2004. It still stands relevant today, Monday morning at 8 A.M. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in White Plains, the man, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be remembered. His birthday was last Thursday. I am not that familiar with Dr. King’s life, but I do know that he, like other great men of America who have their days, Dr. King’s name stands for a value that America holds dear.
In the pomp and partying surrounding the Barack Obama Inauguration binge that’s been going on the last three days, Dr. Martin Luther King — the man who made Barack Obama possible has all but been forgotten. President-Elect Obama surely will mention him his speech Tuesday. If not, Mr. O, please put him in your speech now. Just a paragraph will do.
But let me revive this column, which began this way:
George Washington stands for honesty.
Abraham Lincoln for freedom
Columbus for discovery,
Dr. King’s name stands for Opportunity.
When I think of Dr. King, I think of the Selma marches, I think of Birmingham, I think of Little Rock, Arkansas, where he lead the African-American community in demonstrations asking for the right of equal opportunity in America: a seat on a bus wherever they chose; a restaurant or hotel of their choice; the right to apply for a job without being turned down because you were black. Blatant in-your-face- discrimination was publicized by Dr. King and America was shown it was not right.
It took fearlessness to do that. Who today has that fearlessness that Dr. King and his followers showed all of America?
Today, subtle discrimination denying equal opportunity, denying education, exploiting the poor and guaranteeing less opportunity are the evils that Dr. King, had he lived, would be attacking today.
When I write those sentences I just wrote, it seems incomprehensible to me that someone would deny another person that. When you think about it, it is an awful situation to think about. In the 38 years since Dr. King was murdered, the nation has come a long way in breaking down the visible barriers of racism based on creed and the color of one’s skin — and now, today, the language one speaks and where they are from. The education establishment with the exception perhaps of the Port Chester School District, as pointed out by the Journal News series on education running this week, continues to favor the English-speaking, the wealthied, and the well-situated.
Today the barriers to Equal Opportunity are more subtle and just as effective.
Barriers still exist: in the classroom. There is reluctance to deliver quality education to the black and Hispanic populations in America today. Last year, for the first time, the White PlainsCitySchool District has agreed to a pilot program of teaching English speaking and Spanish speaking students together in Kindergarten and the grades going forward. It is about time.
The only reason there is a concentrated effort to do so are the state achievement tests which showed the shame of our education programs for minorities. The Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors is to be commended for pushing this program.
On the other hand, there is the perception elsewhere that because your name and skin color are different, you automatically need help and are slow-tracked into remedial classes; the inclusion of the slower (read minority) children in one corner of a classroom so you can deal with the “problem children” all at once; the notion that it is all right to use millions of dollars meant for rebuilding poor performing schools with better buildings, better teachers, but is used to create educationalbureaucracies for the politically connected instead.
In the last ten years the products of this subtle unequal educational opportunity have been well documented and given a name: The Achievement Gap. The educational establishment invests millions in studies to fine solutions to it and they have learned a lot about it. It takes more School District heads to stand up and say like Dr. King, “we simply are not going to educate half the population any more.”Timothy Connors, to his credit, did that last year.
The lagging of minority youth is blamed on the home and family breakdown. Well then you have to bring more attention to the family unit and those youngsters’ home environment, putting the education in there. It’s expensive but if you want to solve the Achievement Gap you have to do that. The City of White Plains and the School District are reaching out to do that with the Family Excell program reported in WPCNR (the only media to do so last year). How is that doing?
The argument that you have to speak English in the schools and learn through English is racial superiority. Of course you have to learn to speak English, but really, Bilingual education is how we English-speakers learn another language. Port Chester has achieved this — and WPCNR pointed this out to the White Plains School Board six years ago. Why is this new?
Every new teacher being hired in the White Plains School District should be bilingual — that’s the first thing the new Superintendent just announced should work on when he comes in July 1. And how about for his new Superintendent’s cabinet a educator in charge of bilingual education and performance, just for starters.
Why not have teachers educate children in their own language with English simultaneously? It is proven to work in Port Chester and New Rochelle. It is time to stop the subtle prejudice that we do not want non-English speaking children in our towns and schools because they are too hard to educate and will cost us money to do that. They are children, you simply cannot throw them away because they do not speak English.
This discrimination Dr. Martin Luther King would find hard to take.
He would bristle at lowering standards for minorities, because he would see right through that argument, saying: when are you going to raise the standards for my people because you don’t have to work any harder at educating them if you do not raise your expectations for them.
I think Dr. King would look around today and appreciate how Blacks and Whites, Hispanics and Jews, Catholics and Protestants, Muslims andother races mingle together in today’s America.
I think he’d observe we are all becoming more appreciative and respectful of each other. But, I do not think he would like today’s buzz word :”diversity” and our smugness about our diversity.
He would say that’s nice, but let’s keep our eye on the prize, to borrow the wonderful motto of the White Plains Department of Public Safety, let us treat all with integrity, professionalism, respect, and to that add opportunity.
Now, let’s think how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would handle the present homeless situation in White Plains. Where souls were used for political posturing and to appeal to the fears of the citizens and not their sense of fairness and justice.
I believe Dr. Martin Luther King if he were in White Plains today would bring the homeless 40 or so spending nights in the woods and overflowing at 186 West Post Road at the warming shelter to breakfast with him. He’d have them camp out in tents at Andy Spano’s house or on the island at Renaissance Square. He would not let it pass. He’d run as many warming shelters as he felt necessary and get that television coverage when they were going to be closed down.
Dr. King was not only politically incorrect, but politically uncooperative.
He’d introduce the “feared 40” all around to the rich and the powerful and the well-connected and show them the people whom they are treating like cruel political pawns by our leaders on the county and the city level – all over this county.
He’d ask each to tell their stories at his breakfast. He’d prey for compassion from us the wealthy, the powerful and the decent, and the respectable to have compassion for the weak, the misdirected, the addicted and disturbed, and the mortgage-ravaged.
He’d ask White Plains leaders to accept the responsibility of leadership and by reaching out personally to the homeless to provide them meals and, perhaps jobs during the day, to welcome them in to White Plains somehow. To help them make a new start in White Plains in a firehouse, a church, or a vacant hospital. To challenge businesses to weave these persons into the fabric of the downtown, instead of telling them they are not welcome.
He’d challenge us to step up our humanity, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did when no one else would 39 years ago.
He’d shame the two governments, county and city, for not treating the homeless with simple human respect and adhering to the constitution, which prohibits you from being jailed for no reason – a policy incredulously being pushed by politicians who should read the constitution just once to reset their minds.
He’d ask White Plains to rise up and forgive the persons with the prison records who have done their time, and find jobs for them and through forgiveness, and respect for them, melt away the homeless persons’ suspicions and resentments, alleged by our “leaders.”
And about our gangs: Dr. Martin Luther King would go out to the streets of Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Port Chester, New Rochelle, Peekskill – the cities where gang activity has been reported – and speak to them about where they are going. (Perhaps he’d simply speak to White Plains youths, since we have been assured by our officials there are no gangs in White Plains.)
It is difficult to say Dr. King would say to the gang members of our area. But, I assure you he’d be in their midst confronting this problem and admitting it exists.
As we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Monday. Ask ourselves what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would think of the way we have treated the homeless on the Warming Center issue. What he would think about how we have “reached out?” Would he approve of the way we are working with our youth, our Hispanic population, about how dollars are being used for affordable housing and why it cannot be built faster, about how dollars are being spent in school districts whether on educating people or creating buildings or stadiums; how dollars are being spent by organizations supposedly helping the afflicted, and how they are really doing, and what are they doing with the dollars.
He’d excoriate the variable and below prime mortages now being foreclosed as a new form of financial redlining invented by the financial establishment to exploit. He’d ridicule the efforts of the government to “save” billion dollar financial institutions while allowing homeowners to lose their houses.
Would Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. approve?
He’d remind us that Jesus Christ chose to minister to the “hardcore” of his time. He went into their midst. He healed them and made them fishers of men.
The way to honor Dr. King tomorrow and at the “celebrated” holiday next week is to honor the afflicted, help the troubled with dignity, not humiliate them, not shun them, not “throw them out.”
The way Dr. King would view our world today?
He’d observe that “we need work.”
That the lynchings and the shutting of school doors are gone, but the attitudes remain.
And he’d point that out with that his long and finger pointing right at us.
He’d say, “I still have a dream.”
And he’d be celebrating Barack Obama’s election but pointing his finger at him for the pomp and party atmosphere that will exist Tuesday, and calling upon him to keep his eye on the prize and not on the power, the prestige, and the people who would steer him away from what needs to be done.
