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 ALBANY ROUNDS. From The Goverrnor’s Press Office. December 21, 2008: As part of his 2008-09 Budget Revisions, an his 2009-2010 Budget released last Tuesday, currently being sharply criticised by State Legislators for the cuts and proposals involving power state unions, and reportedly swaying the legislators to raise state taxes on persons earning over $250,000, the governor proposed a sweeping seriesof changes in state Medicaid programs. Here is the Governor’s news release going into the detail on Medicaid cuts.

Governor David A. Paterson last Tuesday  announced that his Executive Budget includes a comprehensive $3.5 billion health care savings package that will help rein in unaffordable growth in the New York’s Medicaid program. Additionally, these proposals will continue the process of reforming our State’s reimbursement system to invest in more effective and cost-efficient primary care settings and incentivize higher quality care.

If no actions were taken to control costs, State Funds Medicaid spending would grow 12 percent to $17.3 billion. The Executive Budget proposes actions to limit State Funds Medicaid spending to $16.0 billion, an increase of 3.8 percent from 2008-09. The recommendations focus on reforming ineffective hospital, nursing home and home care reimbursement systems to direct spending to more appropriate primary and community based settings. Even after these actions, total federal, state and local Medicaid spending would still increase by $432 million or 1 percent compared to 2008-09 to a total of $45.4 billion, and New York’s program would still be the most expensive in the nation.

“Especially in times of fiscal difficulty, we must continue our efforts to reform health care and create a more rational reimbursement system, which targets our resources to those investments that will produce real results for patients,” said Governor Paterson. “Additionally, it is clear that even after these reductions, New York would continue to make a substantial financial commitment to health care.”

According to the most recent federal data, New York spends a greater amount on Medicaid per capita ($2,283) than any state in the nation and more than twice the national average ($1,026). Additionally, projected 2009-10 All Funds Medicaid spending ($45.4 billion) would still represent an increase of $15.3 billion or 51 percent compared to 1999-00.

The Executive Budget will produce health care savings across every sector, totaling $3.5 billion in 2009-10. None of these reductions will impact benefits currently given to individuals. A full, itemized list of individual health care savings actions is available at www.budget.state.ny.us.

Hospitals (2009-10 savings: $699.7 million). Continues the second year of a four-year plan to reform New York.s health care reimbursement by shifting funding from inpatient services to more appropriate and cost-efficient primary and community-based care settings, updating reimbursements to current costs, and calibrating inpatient rates to reflect patient severity. Additional savings are achieved through across-the-board rate reductions, eliminating the 2008 and 2009 trend (inflation) factors, reducing unspent funding for selected HCRA programs, and other actions.

Nursing Homes (2009-10 savings: $420.2 million). New York spends $7 billion annually on nursing homes, about the same as California and Pennsylvania combined. The Executive Budget creates a more rational reimbursement system that is simple, transparent and uses an average regional price adjusted for the needs of the residents, not the individual facility.s costs. These proposals will improve quality and efficiency and help control rising nursing home costs, making New York.s payments more consistent with other states over time. Additional savings are achieved for the 2008-09 fiscal year through across-the-board rate reductions, eliminating the 2008 and 2009 trend factors, reducing recruitment and retention grants for public facilities, and other actions. The budget invests a portion of the savings described above to phase-in 6,000 new assisted living beds over five years; support financially disadvantaged homes; and recognize the costs of hard to serve patients

Home Care (2009-10 savings: $189.4 million). Home care is the fastest growing area in Medicaid. From 2003 to 2006, home care spending increased by more than 43 percent while the number of people served declined by 3.6 percent during the same period. New York spends far more on home care than any other state in the nation, and will continue to do so after these proposals are implemented. These proposals create a more rational reimbursement system that, that, similar to Medicare, uses a pricing methodology based on patient condition to help control the growth of home care costs.

Pharmacy (2009-10 savings: $111.4 million). Recommendations reduce State spending and maximize non-state revenues by directly negotiating with manufacturers for drug rebates and accessing Federal Medicare Part D coverage for New York.s seniors. Common sense utilization control measures employed by commercial drug plans to ensure patients receive cost-effective high quality care are also proposed, among other actions.

Insurance Industry (2009-10 savings: $855.3 million). Targeted assessments on the Insurance Industry reflect the need to receive contributions from each sector of the state.s health care system for gap-closing purposes, and are used to supplement health care spending and improve access to quality health care for low income individuals. These public health investments will help lower health care costs in the future.

Medicaid Fraud Prevention (2009-10 savings: $125.0 million). Over the last two years, the State has substantially increased resources used in identifying fraud and abuse in the Medicaid system. The number of staff targeted to fighting fraud in the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General has been significantly increased (more than 200 since 2006-07) and OMIG.s computer systems have been upgraded, utilizing state-of-the-art technology to detect fraudulent practices before payments are made. These investments are paying dividends. The state share of collections from Medicaid fraud enforcement in expected to reach a record level of $820 million in 2009-10, an increase of $125 million or 18 percent over 2008-09.

Utilization and Management of Services (2009-10 savings: $24.0 million). These proposals continue efforts commenced in recent years to manage the provision of Medicaid services to ensure that they are appropriate, meet patient need, are provided in a cost efficient manner including requiring hospitals and clinic claims to contain accurate patient-specific diagnostic and practitioner codes to prevent inappropriate billing, among other measures.

Public Health and Aging (2009-10 savings: $525.9 million). To combat obesity, the budget proposes an additional 18 percent tax on non-diet soft drinks to discourage consumption of beverages that contribute to obesity, diabetes and heart disease, with all of the revenues to be dedicated to health care programs. Additional measures will reduce funding for certain programs and senior services, raise the retail tobacco fee, eliminate a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for public health and aging providers, and other actions.

Other savings actions outside these areas would total $639.6 million, including delaying a $400 million 2009-10 Medicaid payment by one day, capping marketing expenses for Family Health Plus and Child Health Plus, limiting participating in case management services and other actions.

The health care savings plan included in the Executive Budget has enabled Governor Paterson to propose several targeted investments, including:

• Extend HEAL NY. Extending for two years the HEAL NY program, which provides capital grants to health care institutions to improve their efficiency. Authorized appropriations for this purpose would total $650 million over the next two years.
  
• Streamline Access to Coverage. To enable eligible children and adults to secure and keep coverage, face-to-face interview, finger imaging, and asset test requirements are eliminated. Also, barriers to enrollment in Family Health Plus by public employees and 19 and 20 year-olds who do not live with their parents will be removed.
  
• Assist Seniors with Medicare Part D. Providing $2 million in additional funding for local Area Agencies on Aging and community-based organizations to assist Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) program seniors in selecting, accessing and maximizing appropriate Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.
  
• Reduce EPIC Cost Sharing. Reducing out-of-pocket expenses for low-income seniors by eliminating EPIC fees for those with incomes below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) . currently those below 135 percent of the FPL pay no fees. This will cost $10 million in 2009-10.
  
• Enhance Lead Poisoning Prevention. Funding for the Childhood Lead Poisoning Primary Prevention Program is increased by $2.5 million and this pilot program is made permanent. The increased funding will allow further expansion of existing pilot projects to additional zip codes, support enhanced local activities including coordination with municipal building code departments, and add one to five more counties to the program.
  
• Support Obesity Prevention Programs. New funding of $1.0 million is recommended for local organizations to work together to create environmental and policy changes that support access to sustainable, healthy, affordable food and accessible safe environments for physical activity and play.
  
• Increase Cancer Screening. Additional funding of $3.2 million is recommended to support the cancer services program which funds free mammograms, ovarian cancer screenings and colorectal screenings for uninsured and underinsured people.
  
• Increase Food Banks Funding. Providing $4.4 million in increased funding to food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens and emergency shelters to address growing needs in difficult economic times.
  
• Finance Emergency Preparedness. Providing $1.2 million funding to help maintain pharmaceutical supplies and medical equipment in the event of an emergency.

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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. News and Commentary By John F. Bailey. December 20, 2008: Well G-Rod has the entire Illinois legislature calling for his impeachment. I’m shocked, simply shocked that Illinois senate seat was being shopped.  What’s wrong with that if it’s done by good people who do not use the F-word?

After all, it’s been done in New York for years, where everything with power attached to it is for sale. No one does anything for nothing in NY.  Everyone in New York knows that. Money wins elections and the ability to raise money for the party – is a key factor in who runs for office. It even trumps qualifications.

 

Here in New York, G-Rod  we talk this way instead of , “I contribute to your campaign, you don’t pass legislation that is going to stop me from making money, get it pal? I’ll expletiving sue you,”  becomes, “Tom, these provisions cutting back our interest charges are really going to hurt us recover in this economy, we’d really appreciate it if you could postpone them for a year and a half, and I’ll see you at the inaugural.”

Trouble is G-Rod was just a little crude about working his prospects.

He lacked telephone etiquette. Perhaps the FBI should run some taps on New York’s present elected representatives, and G-Rod might hear some very different, very gentle businesslike conversations to take some pointers. In New York, G-Rod could claim a “best practices” defense.

But, he’s learning.  

His 3-minute news conference Friday  in the Windy City showed that he’s definitely picking up some finesse – he said he’s done nothing wrong. And, you know he’s right.

 He just got a little tough on the telephone, asking for political support, instead he asked in an oblique way (rather crudely) for money in return for a Senate seat, according to some of the tapes. Well that’s done in New York all the time.  

In fact, it’s being done now.

 See here in New York, G-Rod, where everything is for sale, and nothing gets done unless you pay for it, we’re ladies and gentlemen about it. We cover our money trails. We leave discreet intervals before the payoffs are made. 

Somehow the Feds leave us alone and the deals go through, over and over again.  Nobody raises an eyebrow.

Once in awhile we catch payoff schemes, disbar a lawyer, but eventually we reinstate them if they’re nice. Once in awhile we get a phone tip about an employee buying things with government money, and he is pilloried in press, but still departs with a juicy pension. It’s the way New York works in the corridors of power though it’s all coming apart lately. Big time.

You just have to be subtle. Hold cocktail parties.  Golf outings.  Parties at country clubs. Set up Political Action Committees that raise money for a candidate or a string of candidates. Have “Friends of” committees that feed money into city committees who support candidates who vote in project after project.

But New Yorkers above all,  love names without  substance. We’re suckers.

You  have to cultivate a name and if you have a name and the ability to fundraise – when you want something like a senate seat, you’re real subtle. You have your close friends and relatives promote you as a wonderful public service oriented individual who will be great for New York.  

Remember the line, “Let’s put Bobby Kennedy to work for New York.”? That’s how Bobby Kennedy did it in New York in 1964 when he established residency and defeated Senator Kenneth Keating. Senator Hillary Clinton followed a similar schtick in 2000, beating the unknown Rick Lazio, when Rudolf Giuliani did not run. This game is getting tedious.

If you’re from a rich or politically connected family on first name basis with other names in high places  who can get you cushy jobs in Washington or New York, you’re in great shape. New York is a sucker for big name.  And when you come back to N.Y  from Washington, you’re a name. New York just has one party, too, that makes it even sweeter. You’ve got an Assembly Seat, State Senate Seat, Senate seat, Congressional seat for life.

We’ve had a lot people like that come to New York and come in here to represent us. There was Bobby. There was Hillary. Mario. Daniel P. Andy. Now there is Caroline.  

Quick, can any one see what is the unique thread here – they all could raise money, supposedly enough to help those presently in office raise more money on their own.

 When they were not in office, they used their charisma to raise money for their party and local and state politicians. They showed up and worked for the party. They glad-hand. When an opening comes up, they naturally are tapped.

 A grateful party sees they have name recognition and in they go. A President moves to New York, raises tons of money for party nationally  and locally, and suddenly his wife gets the Senate nomination? No connection, of course.  She’s so qualified.

 A former Attorney General sets up a residency in New York after his brother is assassinated and he runs for Senator  of New York and wins. It is a familiar pattern. 

New York has become a reincarnation venue for big name politicians without a job, and our Democratic Party loves running them in here. We bring in political super stars like the Yankees bring in Free Agents. These people know the old New York money. They know the powerful because they are powerful themselves. New York power types fawn over them like celebrities.

These carpetbaggers get to run for high office because they have magic names that translated into money to buy spots, offices, polls, lawyers. They work fundraising events, chair foundations, work locally in high profile agencies and know everybody. They attract money bees like pollen.

 Candidates on the local level have been told in the past they need at least $25,000 to run for city governments.  Now I do not know how much they contribute – but they do hold fundraisers to pour money into the party.  Even long elected officials who are not facing any opposition run fundraisers.  You have to be able to raise money. As you move up you have to raise more money for the party, not just yourself.

Now if you’re not running for anything, why hold a fundraiser? Who gets the money?  Oh, we’re always told they have to raise it for the next campaign whatever it may be. For State Senate, Assembly, congress, or maybe Senator.

Well everybody is all over G-Rod because, well obviously someone wanted to get him, and the FBI did their duty with their incriminating tapes. G-Rod contributed with his mouth. But, did anyone ever give him money for an office seat? Soliciting as he did was done crudely –  no manners, simply making it a little too plain how politicians operate. He was embarrassing.

Come on.  In New York State it is a way of life.

Just look at the projects that have been approved recently. A well-known developer contributes lots of money to a certain community leader and bingo, the governing body eventually buys the builder’s  building, saying it was the best buy. How convenient. Coincidence, of course.

Anything wrong here? Hello Gangbusters.  Just go over the developing that’s done by the familiar suspects and you’ll see the big names on the big political elected officials PAC Committee lists. It’s shall we say, perhaps a cost of doing business? (Don’t wait for tips on horny Governors to start an investigation).

  In New York, we do not call this bribery, or soliciting, we call it “providing support.” Now if G-Rod in his conversations, he might have rephrased to Senate Candidate 5, as saying “I love you Jessie, we really need you in the Senate, how can our organizations work together and make both of them stronger, and coordinate what we need in  Chicago with what you can do for us  in the senate?” Now that sounds a lot better doesn’t it?  Where is an etiquette, ethics coach when you need them.

People who get places and swing deals say things like that here in New York. People wanting things from elected officials lobby them, and committees solicit money and dole it out to politicians, and low and behold regulations get loosened, projects get approved, zoning codes get changed, Special Permits by the dozen get granted. Tax abatements are a breeze. IDA commitments, no problem-O.

Funding of housing projects that cost far more than they should gets done – take years more than they should to complete — with taxpayer money. Look no farther than the faux Yankee Stadium and the pathetic Citi Field giveaways to the two richest teams in baseball. New York  City extracted a suite from the Yankees – was that a bribe – no way that was – well, what was it? A courtesy? A gift to the city. What was that anyway?

Certain PAC Committees collect money from developers and then distribute the money to candidates, some do not even say how they spent their money and nobody cares because there are no penalties for disobeying the reporting laws.

Caroline Kennedy has been touted by her supporters for our Senate Seat for her humanity, her good works, and her ability to fundraise. This was the first plum dangled to Governor David Patterson by the Caroliners.  

Isn’t that offering a very subtle bribe to Governor Patterson publicly? But, wait, not a bribe, an advantage dangled.

The other candidates are no names – who bring no money to the table, but 100% more legislative experience. Caroline Kennedy has never written a law in her life. She’s written a book on the constitution, with a collaborator. She has never worked for a law firm, apparently, according to her biography, but has worked for major fundraising organizations in New York specializing in education. Perhaps she can be the education Senator.

Essentially, she has enough money and fame, to spend most of her time keeping the Kennedy mystique alive, and also being on the A-list as an attractor of rich people with money who can write checks. Big ones. Lots of them.  What a legacy! Just what we need in New York, and the only skill really respected.

Now  other than the fact she will command a lot of face time in the senate saying all the right things for New York, perhaps that’s all you want in a Senator, whose job mainly is to pump money into the state from federal coffers, and send out press releases about it.

Judging from Senatorial performance the last 8 months, she can’t do any more harm than the 100 bought-and-paid  legislators in there now.  Because, make no mistake the lobbyists run Washington. Chris Dodd, the Senator who runs the banking committee got $4 Million from credit institution interests and he has been sitting on credit reform for years. They work for their contributors, not you, and that’s who they listen to.

 

Here’s a prediction.  Who do you think  will be the next to get a bailout?

 The big losers in the Madoff $50 Billion Caper.

$50 Billion? That’s a drop in the bucket. You can bet that Senators’ and Representatives’ telephone lines are burning up with calls from the rich and famous this minute, saying, “You Son-of-a-expletive, you’re not getting another dime unless you make me whole. I’m  expletiving ruined. I made you and you have to make us whole.”

What do you think? No one has thought at all about saving you, Mr. and Mrs. and Ms. White Plains. I want to hear what Caroline thinks we should do before she goes up to the Senate.

However, Governor David Patterson has to get some sort of quid pro quo from the Caroliners.

He has to be assured that the party will not throw him under the bus and put Andrew Cuomo, his rival for the next Gubernatorial Nomination – coming up in 2010—behind the big wheel of the Democratic Party Super Cruiser.

Putting Andrew Cuomo into the senate clears the decks for Patterson, however, that could backfire if the Democratics then decide to run Caroline for Governor – hey if Caroline would be a great Senator, she’d be a great governor, too, wouldn’t she? And she’d be so easy to manipulate.  On second thought, I take that back, send her to Washington where she will hurt us less.

Something Governor Patterson is not, is manipulatable. Otherwise he would never have shown the legislators up so much.

Governor Patterson is making a lot of enemies in Albany by showing – YES, we can get a budget submitted before Christmas. YES, we can cut the state budget , and YES we can cut state aid to education, and YES, we can consolidate departments.

This is heresy to every last State Senator and Assemblyperson, every union head, every bureaucracy, every development agency.  He has made the legislature look unprofessional, which of course they are – but they are very smart professionals actually  who have been stealing from us for years, and we thank them very much, they never could have done it without us.

Governor Patterson is the enemy to them. They want him out of there in the worst way.

Our Senators, Charles Schumer, and Ms. Clinton have promised the ObamaBucks will bail New York out. More Medicaid refunds to New York.  $50 Billion will do it (and include the Tappan Zee Bridge, no doubt.)

Perhaps Governor Patterson should appoint himself to the Senate Seat that Hillary the latest Carpetbagger is leaving. That would fix them all. But, I do not think he can do that.

Oh – and by the way, no one should ever watch Saturday Night Live again after that sorry, embarrassing, tasteless skit about The Governor last week.

The network should seriously consider firing the sorry minds who approved all the way to the top. It was back to ridiculing the handicapped. Something the non-funny comedians do very well.

The Governor memorizes all his speeches because he cannot read teleprompters or pages.  Something the skit performer might not have done in his little horrible skit.

He and his budget director have put every financial officer to shame by overhauling this state budget so thoroughly faster than any governor ever.

And as far as appointing the next Senator –  I do not know what I would do in his position — perhaps one of our NY Congressional Representatives who are at least in congress now.

If Patterson is not nominated to run for  Governor – you heard the reason why  here first.

He’s trying to work for you.

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. From The Mayor’s Office. December 18, 2008: Mayor Joseph Delfino’s office has issued the following statement clarifying the exchange between Councilpersons Rita Malmud and Benjamin Boykin regarding Mrs. Malmud’s request for a meeting with the Mayor before Wednesday’s rejection vote.

Mayor Joseph Delfino clarifies Boykin-Malmud-Delfino interchange on the Police-Fire Contract. File Photo of Mayor, taken October 24, 2008

The Mayor’s Office released this statement Thursday afternoon from Melissa Lopez, the Mayor’s press officer:

The Mayor had asked me to contact you to let you know that the statement made by Councilwoman Malmud is incorrect. 

Ben Boykin and Rita Malmud did in fact contact the Mayor for a meeting but the Mayor did not deny meeting with them instead he requested that he does not meet solely with just two members of the council.  He suggested that Ben and Rita contact their fellow cou`ncil members and schedule a time where they could all meet with the Mayor.  No one ever called the Mayor back.

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WPCNR VOICE OF DA FAN. December 18, 2008:  Ahh, the spirit of giving is in the air! As the Associated Press reported two weeks ago, and The New York Times reported several weeks ago, both the Yankees and the Mets who have just signed several high-priced free agent players, the managements of both teams have asked New York City to float them more city financing to finish their new Stadiums, both scheduled to open in April.

This is amazing chutz-pah. Cheeky, even in the midst of the city’s biggest financial crisis since the early 70s (when Abe Beame “knew the buck”).  As if the Yankees and Mets ever contributed anything to the city with their $7 beers, $5 dollar hot dogs and $5 Sodas, $40 nosebleed seats, and decaying ballclubs and lousy baseball last year. And the Yankees are still fighting the city over the right to sack the old Yankee Stadium for the memorabilia profits. Well the Metropolitans and The Yankees sure do know the buck — as well as Goldman Sachs.

The Yankees have asked the city for $259 Million in tax-exempt bonds and $111 Million more in taxable bonds  to be floated on their faux Yankee Stadium in addition to the $940 Million in tax-exempt bondies and $25 Million in taxable municipal bonds for the $1.3 million ball park in the Bronx. These bonds can be resold at a profit by organizations they are issued to.

The Metropolitans are not asking for as much begging for a mere $83 million more over the $615 Million approved for their $800 Million Citi Field (that name still fills me with disgust.)

Shortly after these requests, these financial juggernauts signed pitchers for massive contracts. You could make the case the city owns those new players.

The point of today’s Voice of Da Fan Poll is should the city float this extra financing for these private organizations — whom their managements have said are not for sale and do not need “bailing out?” Vote in the poll on the right.

 

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. Special to WPCNR from Don Hughes. December 17,2008 UPDATED 11:25 P.M. E.S.T.: Before an audience of about 50 firefighters and police officers, the Common Council rejected the 3-year, 3.75%, 4% and 4% contract with work rules changes, presented them by the Mayor,  turning down the contract a vote of 5-2 this evening.

Paul Wood, City Executive Officer in a written statement released to WPCNR tonight said,

“We’re disapointed that what we considered a good contract for the City was rejected. I’ll have to speak to the union and see if we go back to the negotiating table or to mediation. “

Councilpersons Benjamin Boykin,  Milagros Lecouona, Rita Malmud, Dennis Power,  and Tom Roach voted against the contract.   Councilman Glen Hockley and Mayor Joseph Delfino voted for approval of the contract. The contract is reported to have been negotiated exclusively by Mayor Delfino and Executive Officer Paul Wood.

With each councilperson speaking at length on the topic, the major sticking point for the five nay-sayers was length of the contract.

Those five voting against it preferred a one-year contract, instead of committing the city to 4% in both years two and three. It was unclear whether the council members voting against it were comfortable with the 3.75% in the first year.

Paul Wood was queried by WPCNR late Thursday evening on whether any member of the Common Council ever informed the Mayor or him that they only wished to make a one year agreement, and Mr. Wood said, “No.”

No members of the public were permitted to speak for or against the contract. The members of the council appeared to be supportive of the work rules changes in which police would be permitted 12-hour duty tours and firemen 24-hour duty tours.

Councilman Benjamin Boykin rejected Mayor Joseph Delfino’s contention that the rate of inflation was 4.7%, Boykin saying it was 2.7%.  It was unclear at the close of the meeting what the next step on hammering out an agreement would be.

The Council was presented with the agreement in Executive Session four weeks ago on November 12 in Executive Session. Details of the contract were not available to the public until this week when WPCNR reported them

 Councilperson Dennis Power told the Mayor last night,  that Councilpersons Malmud and Boykin wanted to speak with the Mayor about the contract. Delfino said that the Council should have spoken collectively in the work session on the contract.

In a presentation to the Council after the vote on the budget situation, Gina Cuneo-Harwood, the city Financial Officer offered no new revelations on the budget, predicting the city expected a sales tax collection for the year of $50 Million, which would beat the city target of $45 Million. She also said she expected mortgage recording taxes to be down $1.3 Million, also not exactly new news.