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 NEWS & COMMENT. By John F. Bailey. March 15, 2008: Well you can tell the Clintons are really out to get Senator Barack Obama now.  

Somehow two of America’s right wing commentators got the DVDs of Senator Obama’s church pastor into the hands of CNN and the Reverend’s impassioned comments have been glommed over by the CNN commentators  like cocks fighting for two nights now on the 10 o’clock Cooper 360 Program to CNN’s lasting discredit.

It’s not a story. Just as Geraldine Ferraro’s comments are not a story. These are “Get Obama” commercials. And CNN and the rest of the point and shoot TV newsboys are falling for it hook, line and expense account.

 

 

Friday night on a day when the stock market dropped 195 points, President Bush addressed the economy in New York, introduced a credit program to help pull the nation out of its economic nosedive, Bear Sterns got billions from JP Morgan and the Fed to stop a bankrun; Eliot Spitzer faded into the sunset; and a tornado hit Atlanta  right outside the CNN studios (which was ignored into the final 10 minutes of the hour), Cooper and the CNN editors interviewed Obama on his Pastor’s fire and brimstone comments, replaying the most inflammatory commentary over and over.

 Obama was cool and collected, disassociated himself from the comments, but was attacked repeatedly and integrity questioned in the interview.

What a “get” job.

This is a news network? Please!

Cooper on Thursday evening even attempted to justify running the tape, obviously feeling a little guilty.

Then he compounds the felony of being used by a political party, by running it over and over Friday evening, when a few other things went on Friday.

Where was the commentary on the economy; the explanation of the Bear Sterns blunders; the panic on Wall Street, and analysis of inflation, which the government says is down, but everyone knows it’s not!

Who’s editing this show? The Clintons? John McCain? “Very Right Wing- I’m-not-a-Klansman-Fascist-or-a-Nazi-But-I’m-Close Radio?”

This country is in so much trouble economically and no one knows why or cares at the big CNN?

Once a pesky upstart, now a genuine threat to derail the Clinton express back to the White House, Barack Obama has to be stopped by the Clintons at any cost in Pennysylvania – that’s what CNN’s masochistic rerunning of the Pastor Tape was designed to do and possibly will do – even if the yo-yos who made this news judgment do not know it yet.

CNN may as well have run a 30-minute Clinton infomercial. The Republicans apparently want Hillary Clinton after all to run.

But maybe it’s the power establishment –  both the McCain camp and the old guard, old money, old oil, old insurance, old pharmaceutical,  supporters of the democrats, who are very comfortable with Bill and Hil – who want to make absolutely sure that Senator Obama is finished off  by a Hillary Clinton decisive Pennsylvania win.

Pennsylvania’s voters should have the sophistication to realize the race card  (“You don’t want a black man as President, do you?”) is being subtlely played for the Clintons, however inadvertently by the establishment right — whether they are liberal or conservative.

Far be it that the Clintons would even think to play the race card in the Keystone State!

Why did this surface?

Because Senator Obama must be stopped in Pennsylvania cold.

The Clintons must win Pennsylvania big time to turn the Superdelegates to the Clintons’ way on the second ballot. This has been apparently the Clinton strategy all along, to string Obama out, but beat him on the second ballot.

Even now the disingenuous Clintons are plotting to get the Michigan and Florida delgations to the convention on their side –  in readiness for the all important second ballot – which could tip the nomination to them, I believe.

That has been the strategy all along.

However, should Senator Obama come within 5% or 10% of Senator Clinton in the Keystone State – and still hold his lead in delegates with the popular votes and caucuses – the Clintons will have a hard time swinging the nomination her way on the second ballot (when all pledged delegates are released!) because it will be unseemly.

Hence this tape coming out.

Actually, it is a little too early to affect Pennsylvania. Or, maybe it is just right. For four weeks, Senator Obama is going to have to be answering questions and attacks throughout Pennsylvania on how he can support his former Pastor, whether he heard these remarks before.

The white support for him is shaky at best.

Mr. Obama’ s integrity will be questioned for a month. It is a very insidious ploy by  “Very Right Wing- I’m-not-a Fascist-or-a-Nazi-But-I’m-Close Radio.” (Great line, don’t you think? I liked it so much I used it twice. )

Meawhile, John McCain solidifies his ties with his Christian zealot preachers – which he was shown doing Friday on the same CNN program. The “Pastor Play” this week works both ways it embarrasses and taints Obama, exploits white fear and prejudice, and paints this as a racial choice — not a policy choice in the worst way.

Far be it that the Republican candidate has any ideas for fixing the mess we are in. Set up a fear and strength campaign and ignore the chaos that is their strategy.

The Republican strategy you would almost think was brokered by the Clintons. But, how can that be true?

This was the big news Friday evening on CNN – the Obama Pastor comments. This on a day when the dollar sank against the Euro to $1.56 per Euro.  Bear Sterns sank. Atlanta got hit with a tornado. And, oh, yeah the Fed is considering another cut in the prime rate – the third in about a month – isn’t it?

That is an unbelievable story in and of itself!

Hey, Anderson – how about getting Lou Dobbs in for just a little commentary on finance? Just a weence?

Imagine say if the Vince Forster suicide had surfaced in some manner –  by some other commentator raising doubts about whether it was a suicide  — boy would the Clintons have cried foul.

Earlier this week, Geraldine Ferraro did the racial job on Mr. Obama too, saying essentially he’s only winning because he’s black, then claiming that statement was not racist.

Could the Clintons and Mr. Obama and the McCain camp wake up and look around?

This campaign is not about race or religion.

We are not going to pray our way out of the financial storm.

We’re not going to hate our way out of the financial storm.

 

By November, whoever wins is going to be studying Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration and be reviving it to get persons back to work.

By November, no one is going to be taking out loans, banks are going to be paying persons to take loans, the prime rate should be below ZERO then.

By November, retirement portfolios are going to be a shadow of what they are today.

The Democrats could run Eliot Spitzer and he’d win then.

The stimuli are not working, because the banks are keeping the money to shore up their balance sheets, folks.

How come Mr. Obama, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. McCain are hiding their heads in the sand and talking religion?

How come CNN and the news media are even covering the comments of a Pastor that were previously echoed in hyperbole and invective and disgusting prayers against certain groups by conservative Christian religious stars in previous years and covered seriously?

Giving credence to outrageous statements is crazy.

When has religion turned from a philosophy of love into a philosophy of true believers? My faith is better than yours?

American guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

End of discussion.

What Senator Obama’s pastor says means nothing.  And besides as harsh as the Pastor’s words sound, he is right. The black community has come a long way, baby, but really not so far.

 It was just very uncomfortable to hear if you’re a white person. And, far be it that anyone should be made to feel guilty.

But you know, focusing on this defocus  at the ignoring of the problems our great country (and great state for that matter) face, is a very bad thing.

To devote at least two hours of prime time to this, two nights in a row in the face of the real news that CNN and MSNBC ignored is a disgrace. The innuendo that Mr. Obama should have known these views of his pastor, and he was being dishonest about it, was subtle — whether intentional or not.

Wake up and turn in your teleprompters, CNN.

There’s big news that you are choosing not to cover or do not understand enough to cover, let alone find out who is to blame for the financial miscalculations and blunders, and just plain dumbo management that is a threat to our nation right now.

Cover the real stuff, please.

The Anchors and Editors of America  should turn around and look at the financial Titantic  being captained the last 35 years by America’s brilliant financiers and capitalists whose greed, invention of phantom products, and ruthless exploitation of working man and woman and young person and minority has set the stage for the wrecking of the economy due to a system of rewarding their rich friends and the oil-rich export nations to this nation’s peril.

 

 

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. March 14, 2008: White Plains sales tax is on target for a surplus in Sales Tax for the 07-08 fiscal year, City Commissioner of Finance Gina Cuneo-Harwood told WPCNR Friday. Harwood said that her contacts with Albany have told her that sales taxes continue up across the state, and White Plains is 6% ahead of last year. Harwood will not predict a final number, but said she had no doubt that the city would “exceed budget.”

WHITE PLAINS SALES TAX AHEAD OF 06-07 PACE: UP 6% THROUGH FEB: Harwood.

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. March 14, 2008: White Plains sales tax is on target for a surplus in Sales Tax for the 07-08 fiscal year, City Commissioner of Finance Gina Cuneo-Harwood told WPCNR Friday. Harwood said that her contacts with Albany have told her that sales taxes continue up across the state, and White Plains is 6% ahead of last year. Harwood will not predict a final number, but said she had no doubt that the city would “exceed budget.”

The total for the first six months of fiscal 2007-2008 to date was $22,759,093 compared to the comparable July through December period last year, $21,977,064.  The city was up 6.3% through December 31, and that trend continues, Harwood told WPCNR. In January and February 2008, Harwood reports the city received $7,656,720 in sales tax receipts, which is up 4% over last January and 6.5% over last February – bringing the city sales tax handle to $30,415,813 with four months left.  The city needs to generate $43 Million to meet the 2007-2008 budget. Last year the city collected a record sales tax of $44.9 Million ($44,853,308). If the second half of 2007-2008 generates last year’s January through June collections of $22.8 Million the city will make its sales tax target ($43 Million), with a surplus, of $2.5 Million ($45.6 Million). The city needs $15,143,000 ($3.8 Million a month) to reach the $45 Million level. To meet the sales tax budget of $43,000,000, the city needs to generate $3.2 Million per month through March, April, May and June.

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. March 12, 2008 UPDATED 11:35 A.M. EDT:  As predicted by WPCNR for the last two years, the average school and city tax bill for the median priced home will top $10,000 in 2008-09. The School District unveiled a slightly lower school budget to the Annual Budget Committee Wednesday evening, having lowered it $600,000 to $184.2 Million (from the previous $184.9 Million introduced Monday evening).

The budget is now up 5.84% year to year, double the inflation rate, and the tax increase amounts to 7.26%. The new tax rate as predicted by WPCNR, last week ($511/$1,000)  is $509 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

This puts the school budget for 2009-2010 on target to exceed $200 Million, given anticipated 3% or more inflation, and $208 Million by 2010-2011.

 

For those with calculators not handy,  this means if you own a $700,000 home in White Plains, with assessed value at  14,775 (that includes the STAR Rebate), you would pay $7,521 in taxes in 2008-2009. This year that home paid $7,012 in school taxes, meaning the median priced home in the city on market for $700,000 would pay an additional $509 in taxes.

When you add the city tax increase of perhaps $200  (assuming a 7% city tax increase), the owner of a $700,000 home will pay about $10,321 in taxes to the city and the school district – before the county takes their cut. This is the first time ever the average tax bill exacted by city and schools on the median priced home has topped the $10,000 level.

The Final Cut to date:

Jacqueline Mackin of the School District Business Office explained to WPCNR that between Monday’s public hearing on the original budget, an additional $572,739 in cuts were found by cutting Supplies expenses $104,270 ( 5% across the board); cutting textbook costs $68,469( 12%), and chopping $250,000 by eliminating Transfers to Capital,  and an additional $150,500 previously planned for Consulting Services, adding up to $572,739. (approximate).

This number replaces the cuts expected in state aid ($539,464).

The year to year budget increase in expenses is now 5.84%, giving a budget of $184,237,624. Previously the budget was $184,828,900, an overall cut of $591,271.

However a factor that may work in favor of the budget-sensitive school district is the resignation this week of Governor Eliot Spitzer due to his indiscretions. Conceivably cuts in state aid might be restored, though how the state will fund that considering its own plummeting revenue remains to be seen. The Governor (who will be running the state for  four and a half more days,  miscalculated actual revenues in submitting his first budget). Albany observers are talking seriously about restoring education cuts.

The School District has not cut employees significantly in this budget.

It has four less certified teachers and administrators as of February, 2008 (702 this year compared to 706 in 2006-2007)).

It employs 5 less clerical staff this year (113 now compared to 118 in 2006-2007).

It has 5 less teaching assistants district-wide (238  in 2007-2008 compared to 243 last year)

It has not cut Facilities & Operations personnel at all, retaining a compliment of 90. The total number of full and part-time employees in the district is 1,253 (according to Superintendent Timothy Connors last week),

Despite the White Plains faculty retiring each year, one third of them (220 of 657)  are at the highest step level of the White Plains teachers graduated pay scale. Of the 1,253 employees, 895 are directly involved in teaching, and 358 are administrative, clerical and maintenance oriented.

The District maintains that if they cut staff class sizes will go up, and has steadfastly maintained this is what the district parents want.

 

The Swing Factors

$99,915,261 of the $184.2 Million budget is devoted to salaries, which are going up 4.14%, adding $4 Million to the budget. The Fringe Benefits are going up an additional $1.8 Million or 4.92%, accounting for $6 Million of the budget increase, with additional debt service (for certioraris and the capital project) accounting for an additional $3 Million. That debt service will continue to go up as the balance of the capital project is funded by future bonds and future certioraris take their toll and must be accounted for in the budget.

 

 The school district managed to cut $6 Million out of the original budget of $190.5 Million by postponing certiorari payments of an expected $3 Million by essentially ignoring them, expecting to bond at a future date. As WPCNR noted last week,

The balance of the approximately $3 Million in savings (in addition to offloading certiorari payments into bonds)  consisted of retirements and administrative  and personnel departures resulting in  $1,000,000 in savings in Salaries; $866,000 saved on Fringe Benefits because of only a 12% increase in health costs, less than expected; $230,500 in Tuition costs; $134,000 in Equipment;   $50,000 in repairs; $163,000 reduction in Utilities; $300,000 in Debt Service and $121,474 in miscellaneous cuts.

 

Next Year’s budget: $200 Million.

The 2009-2010 School Budget will peak if the school district continues the pattern of 9% expense increases adding 3% inflation , will hit $200 Million and hit $208 Million by 2010-11.

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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. March 12,. 2008: The Grand Jury  investigating the Court Street killing of Mount Vernon Police Officer (posthumously Detective) Christopher Ridley have found the officers who who him without blame in the matter.

The jury heard testimony of the four police officers who fired the shots that killed Mount Vernon police officer Christopher Ridley  on Court Street when the Mount Vernon officer was attempting to arrest a homeless person who had attached another.

Papers containing testimony of the officers made to the grand jury, apparently pre-leaked to the press by persons in possession of the papers were reported as saying the officer or officers  testified that Officer Ridley did not identify himself as a police officer.

However, it was reported at the time of the shooting  by the head of the Mount Vernon Police Benevolent Association, Kevin Mandel  that Ridley had identified himself to personnel in the County Office Building before going to help. Whether or not this was considered by the Grand Jury was not stated in the news release from the county today announcing the findings.

The Grand Jury announced today that the officers acted on the information they had at the time, that apparently did not  alert the officers that Ridley was police personnel. County Executive Andrew Spano and Westchester County Commissioner of Public Safety, Thomas Belfiore issued the following statements on the Grand Jury findings:

Papers containing testimony of the officers made to the grand jury, apparently pre-leaked to the press by persons in possession of the papers were reported as saying the officer or officers  testified that Officer Ridley did not identify himself as a police officer. (However, it was reported at the time of the shooting  by the head of the Mount Vernon Police Benevolent Association that Ridley had identified himself to personnel in the County Office Building before going to help. If this is true, it was apparently not communicated to the county police officers who responded and subsequently ended up shooting Detective Ridley to death when he did not respond to orders to drop his weapon.)

Whether or not this was considered by the Grand Jury was not stated in the news release from the county today announcing the findings.

The Grand Jury announced today the officers acted on the information they had at the time, that apparently did not  make  the officers aware that Ridley was police personnel. County Executive Andrew Spano and Westchester County Commissioner of Public Safety, Thomas Belfiore issued the following statements on the Grand Jury findings:

       “This has been a terrible tragedy for everyone involved: Officer Ridley, his family, the Mount Vernon Police community and the officers who were the subject of today’s Grand Jury decision,’’ said County Executive Andy Spano. “The Grand Jury has found that the officers acted in a manner that was proper based on what was known at the time. That said, the best way to honor the memory of this brave, young man is to make sure that we take a hard look at training and procedure to make sure this never, ever happens again. We have already put together an internal working group of respected experts to examine procedures within the Westchester County Police training as well as what is taught to recruits at our police academy.’’

 

Commissioner Belfiore commented: “Today the grand jury issued its findings. We respect the grand jury’s hard work and those findings. As I have said previously, the death of Detective Ridley was a horrible tragedy for the Ridley family, the Mount Vernon Police Department, the Mount Vernon community and all in the law enforcement community. Our officers here at the Department of Public Safety continue to live with the pain of what occurred. It is everyone’s desire that we do all that we can to make sure this does not happen again. One of the ways we have to work toward that end is training. Consequently, we have already commenced a training review work group that includes representatives of academia, law enforcement, police fraternal organizations and the Mount Vernon community. This group will review the Use of Force training and tactics taught at the Westchester Police Academy. Their thoughtful recommendations, which we expect within 60 days, will help us ensure a similar tragedy does not happen again,” said Public Safety Commissioner Thomas Belfiore.

               

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. Special to WPCNR from the County Board of Legislators. (Edited) March 11, 2008:   As reported earlier this evening to WPCNR by County Board of Legislators Chairman William Ryan of White Plains, the Board of Legislators followed Mr. Ryan’s lead and balked at the County Executive Andrew Spano’s proposal to purchase a building in Ardsley for a new Board of Elections headquarters. The site is owned by a high profile Spano political contributor and the deal has been temporarily stymied by the legislators due to the legality issue of moving the Board of Elections without consent of  Westchester County voters.

Board of Legislators back Bill Ryan and Demands Further Examination of the Spano-Contributor  Board of Elections Building  Deal. Photo of Mr. Ryan, WPCNR File Photo

Pending clarification of Section 216 of the New York State County Law concerning location of county offices, the Board of Legislators  tonight recommitted (sent back to committee) the proposal to purchase 450 Saw Mill River Road in Ardsley as headquarters for the Board of Elections.

The matter will undergo further scrutiny by the legislature’s committees on Budget & Appropriations and Government Operations. At issue is whether a referendum is required to relocate the Board of Elections outside the county seat of White Plains.

 

“I think it’s very important that the administration of the Board of Elections as well as the services heavily used by the public remain accessible in the county seat,” said County Board Chair Bill Ryan (D-IN-WF, White Plains).

 

Majority Leader Martin Rogowsky (D-IN-WF, Harrison) added, “We are continuing our due diligence on the proposed location of the Board of Elections and we need to fully understand the impact of Section 216 on whatever decision we make.”

 

The Board of Elections is under mandate to consolidate all of its electoral functions at the county level, including ownership, care, custody and control of voting machines, as part of the federal Help America to Vote Act (HAVA). The New York State Election Consolidation and Improvement Act is designed to bring the state into compliance with HAVA.

 

The 450 Saw Mill River Road plan calls for the purchase of an 85,000-square-foot building on 5.37 acres of land in the Town of Greenburgh from Ardsley Partners. The building would undergo renovations to accommodate the Board of Elections, hundreds of voting machines and related equipment and materials. There would also be a $1 million county commitment to Ardsley for projects in the village to offset the municipality’s loss of property tax revenue as part of the purchase.

 

 

In other Action Tonight —

 

Amend Lease for Lead Removal at Former Firing Range

Authorized county to amend lease agreement with the state to clean up lead paint contamination on approximately 8.4 acres of county property, the site of a former firing range, on Grasslands Reservation. (Vote: 16-0 Out: Spreckman)

 

Alternate Taxable Status Date for Local Towns

Approved law to allow local towns the option to use May 1^st instead of June 1^st as an alternate taxable status date. Local assessors requested the date change due to timing difficulties in accepting exemption applications, finalizing valuation of real property and meeting the requirement of publishing the Tentative Assessment Roll. (Vote: 16-0 Out: Spreckman)

 

Funding for Design of Molecular Diagnostics Lab

Approved $520,000 bond act to finance the design of the Molecular Diagnostics Lab in the Public Health Laboratory in the county’s Valhalla campus at Grasslands Reservation. The lab will permit DNA analyses in hours rather than in days or weeks. It will help reduce infection rates, isolation, hospitalization, costly treatment and emotional stress. (Vote: 13-3 Nays: Oros, Maisano, Burrows; Out: Spreckman)

 

Department of Health’s Occupational & Environmental Health Unit Employees

Authorization given to the county to enter into an agreement with the Westchester County Health Care Corporation Agreement for medical examinations and monitoring services for the employees of the Department of Health’s Occupational and Environmental Health Unit who may be exposed to hazardous substances or health hazards. (Vote: 16-0 Out: Spreckman)

 

Extend Salary & Benefit Protection for Members of Ready Reserve

Approved amendment to extend effective date for an additional year to provide certain salary and benefit protection for county officers and employees of Ready Reserve and who are, or may be, ordered to active military duty. (Vote: 16-0 Out: Spreckman)

 

North Castle: State Compensation for Route 120

Authorized the county to accept compensation for the taking by the New York State Department of Transportation of three parcels of county property located adjacent to Route 120. (Vote: 16-0 Out: Spreckman)

  

Tuckahoe: Improvements to Metro North commuter parking lot

Authorized county to enter into an intermunicipal agreement with the Village of Tuckahoe to convey federal and state funds to the village to make improvements to the Thompson Street Metro North commuter parking lot. (Vote: 16-0 Out: Spreckman)

 

Public Hearing Scheduled on Fair Housing Law

A public hearing on a proposed Local Law amending the laws of Westchester County in relation to the Westchester County Fair Housing Law is scheduled for Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 6 PM.

 

2008 Compensation Advisory Panel Members Approved

The three remaining members to serve on the seven-member 2008 Compensation Advisory Board were approved. The new members are:

Marion Sinek of Chappaqua,  former New Castle Town supervisor and past president of the New York State League of Women Voters

Gerald McGrath Sr. of Katonah, a senior client partner with Korn/Ferry International

Donna Pokorny of Goldens Bridge, a senior human resource executive with Verizon in White Plains

(Vote: 15-0 Out: Spreckman, Oros)

 

Resolution Opposing Broadwater Energy’s Proposal for a Natural Gas Facility Floating in Long Island Sound

Approved resolution opposing Broadwater energy’s proposal to construct and operate a natural gas storage and re-gasification unit and pipeline in Long Island Sound.

(Vote: 15-0 Out: Spreckman, Oros)

 

Postponed: New Rochelle: Waste Water Treatment Plant Expansion

Act to amend the county’s 2008 capital budget to increase the appropriation for the capital project – New Rochelle Waste Water Treatment Plant; and authorize a $28 million bond act for project’s composite performance implementation/plant expansion.

 

Recommitted: Purchase of 450 Saw Mill River Road as new headquarters for Board of Elections. The matter will be recommitted to the Committees on Budget & Appropriations and Government Operations for further consideration.

 

Appointments Approved

 

Electrical Licensing Board

§  Carl A. D’Angelo of White Plains

§  Michael Whalen of Cross River

 Citizen’s Consumer Advisory Council

§  James Herbster of Port Chester

 

Westchester County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Board

§  Hopeton A. White of Elmsford

§  Michael N. Romita of New Rochelle

Westchester County Fire Advisory Board

§  Michael DeVittorio of Port Chester

§  George C. Tockstein of South Salem

             

Westchester County Planning Board

§  Honorable Clinton B. Smith of Chappaqua

 

Westchester County Traffic Safety Board 

§  Chief John A. Kapica of the Greenburgh Police Department

§  Susan Larkin of Hawthorne

§  Sgt. Matthew J. Lombardo of the City of Mount Vernon Police Dept.

 

Westchester County Medical Services Advisory Board

§  Charles E. O’Connor of Croton-on-Hudson 

 

Westchester County Soil and Water Conservation Board

§  Stephen W. Coleman of Ossining

 

Westchester County Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board

§  Chris Kalish of Tarrytown 

 

 

 

Please visit our website at www.westchesterlegislators.com