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.

Hits: 0

 

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. News & Comment. By John F. Bailey. February 6, 2008 UPDATED 5:45 PM EST: Last month the school district introduced a preliminary $190.7 Million budget. The key word here was “preliminary.” This evening, Assistant Superintendent for Business Fred Seiler, will present perhaps a trimmed budget to the first meeting of the Annual Budget Committee of 30 prominent citizens in the Annual School Budget Committee Process.

The budget is taken up as inflation of 4% nationally is affecting operating costs, and driving White Plains inflation levels to 4-1/2%.  WPCNR has provided an enhanced chart showing the White Plains budget trends related to inflation, roughly adjusted to White Plains inflation, over the last decade.

The “preliminary” year-to-year school budget increase of 9.5% was more than three times the rate of natonal inflation. In 2007 the national inflation rate was 2.85%, but in White Plains it was more than that, 3.14%, according to WPCNR analysis.

If you adjust the cost of living in White Plains where it costs 12% more to live than if you live in the midwestern Chicago metropolitan area,  the inflation  for White Plains was not 2.85%, but 3.14%.  Presently the current rate of inflation is 4.08%, adjusting for White Plains (+12%) brings a rough rate of 4.5% inflation currently.  This is sure to rise with the escalation of oil prices approach $100 a barrel. News reports  have suggested gasoline prices of $4.50 a gallon by summer.

The current school budget was the first time in the last decade the budget increase had been even close to the inflation rate. The district has consistently averaged close to doubling the inflation rate in their budgets.

In the previous four years the inflation per year, adjusted for White Plains (12% higher than national inflation rate) are 

               Inflation In White Plains Compared to School Budget Increases

National Avg Infl Rate     White Plains Adjusted        School Increase   Tax Incr. 

2007:  2.85%                             3.19%                                     4.4%                      6.95%

2006:  3.24%                             3.62%                                     7.16%                   8.12%

2005:  3.39%                             3.79%                                     7.61%                   9.36%

2004:   2.68%                            3.00%                                     6.82%                   7.53%

2003:  2.27%                             2.54%                                     6.08%                   6.89%

2002:  1.59%                             1.78%                                     6.94%                   8.59%

2001:   2.83%                            3.17%                                     7.94%                   7.94%

2000:  3.38%                             3.79%                                     6.34%                   7.64%

1999:  2.19%                             2.45%                                     4.95%                    6.72%

1998 :  1.55%                            1.74%                                     3.43%                    5.51%

1997:   2.34%                            2.62%                                     2.82%                    4.94%

The White Plains inflation factor is based on a comparison with the Chicago metropolitan area where according to Inflationdata.com, if you earned $100,000 in Chicago in 2007, you would have to earn $112,000 in White Plains to equal your salary buying power if you moved to White Plains. If you add 12% to the national inflation rate, you get an approximation of the White Plains Inflation Rate.

Largest Budget Increase in 17 Years

Against this economic backdrop, the School District unveiled a January “Preliminary” 2008-2009 Budget that is the largest year to year increase in 17 years with no cuts.  Assistant Superintendent for Business of the White Plains City School District Fred Seiler introduced a “preliminary” school budget for 2008-2009 of $190.7 Million, $16.6 Million more than the current year budget of $174.1 Million at last night’s first Board of Education meeting of the new year. The last year an increase this size was contemplated was 2001-2002 when the district adopted an 8% increase.

In the chart above, it shows the school district has consistently padded inflation increases with quite a bit extra, maintaining spending, and actually increasing it. The tax increases, dictated by assessment erosion, the equalization rate, and just plain paying for the increases, have exceeded  the budget increase percentages for a decade.

Doubling the Budget Increase

The size of the 2008-2009 preliminary school budget increase is more than double this year’s  increase  of 4.4%. Seiler cautioned that these were “preliminary” numbers based on worst-case scenarios for a year-to-year rollover budget.

Seiler introduced only the expense budget, and did not project possible 2008-2009 revenues. He said he anticipated less state aid than the district received last year.  

He said the major driving force was salaries and benefits up 5.26%  (which  includes the projected settlement with the teachers union currently being negotiated), plus the debt service for bonding for the current school capital project and borrowing for certiorari tax refunds of approximately $7 Million.

Commenting on the all-important assessment roll recently announced by the city as having slightly increased as of January 1, Seiler said he expected that to drop because it usually does based on challenges to assessments.

Tote that Bale. $800 a year tax increase on median home. 

Last year  a $9 Million budget increase (the smallest increase in ten years), yielded a $35 per $1,000 of assessed value tax increase. The jumbo $16.6  Million increase  offered up in January would mean a $57 dollar per thousand increase in the tax rate  to about $531 per thousand – if the city assessed value stays at the present level of $290 Million.  If it drops, the tax rate will go up higher.

This would mean a yearly tax increase for the $700,000 home of over $800 a year, bring the school tax on the median White Plains home to about $8,000 a year – still considerably less than similar priced homes in other school districts – it should be pointed out.

Cosmetic Cuts Expected

To be fair, in January, Seiler stressed the figures were preliminary that the school district had not gotten their primary health insurance increase yet, and that he anticipated state aid to decrease – and that there might be some property tax relief cap initiated by the governor. Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors said he did not expect that the property tax cap idea advanced by the Governor would be a reality any time soon.

Driving the increase was $7 Million debt service taken on when the district opted to borrow to pay certiorari refunds ($4 Million), and decided to take on the $66 Million Capital Improvements project ($1.5 Million), and previous certiorari bond commitments, and the $5 Million in increased salaries and benefits.

Seiler expected the preliminary increase to drop as the district reexamined the numbers.  

 

Hits: 0

 

The Ballad Of 

The  Impossible Drive

 

Eli Manning: The Mississippi Slinger

Listen Big Blue Fans and you shall hear

Of the Rebel Kid without fear,

On the 3^rd of February, 08, in Season 07

Every NY fan who saw his Impossible Drive

Will remember this famous day and year.

 

With evil New England ahead 14-10,

The Kid’s Giants were all thought done.

Pundit and sportscaster, fan, swell and exploiter

Thought with but 2:42 on scoreboard clock,

The peerless leader had too many yards to reconnoiter.

 

“Impossible to penetrate the Patriot defense steadfast,

He cannot get this done. Belichick the genius will stop them at last

Crown New England the most illustrious team of the NFL past.

Through blitz and blast, Number 10 surveyed the 83 yards to glory.

With shock of dark lock and furrowed brow,

He bent to his task to write the gridiron’s most improbable story.

 

Then he said “HUT. HUT.HUT” and stamped his right foot,

A swing pass to Toomer for 11 yards  on the sideline to the Big Blue 28

Started the drive of all-time. Two passes fell short, one thrown late,

The second a TD if Plaxico had not had the misfortune to hesitate,

 

The despair of the hopeful millions reached a low,

3^rd & 10 on the 28 with 2 minutes left

Giant fan hopes were bereft.

The Quarterback Kid threw up the middle against a blitz of Patriot mortality

The elegant Toomer catches the pass in traffic a yard shy at the NY37

 and it is one play for the season.

 

Fourth and 1 on the Giant 37 hash,

New England had but to close the door for immortality.

Eli coolly gave the ball to  Jamming Jacobs on a drive for the crucial first. 

 

The Giant white line rips the New England blue wall asunder

Jacobs driving through the gap in the grass. The “ Impossible” is  alive in an eruption of thunder.

 

From the 39 now, Eli the Dream-believer, trapped runs to the 44 right

Stopped after 5 yards and the clock of doom is stopped

In rush of fearsome blue, the Ole Miss Rebel has pass batted down.

Is it New England’s night?

On a 3^rd and 5, a play for the Pantheon, blue Patriot hordes charge!

 

Over the top , here  comes the beef ,

splitting, thrusting aside valiant defenders scattering red numbers

Tattooed arms the size of  Glouster pilings – chests wide as Peterbilts descend over the Mississippi slinger slight.

 

 But with nimble dodge and gambler guile, Eli the Eel slips out of the decending  pile,

Out from under the deluge,  an elegant flip of a  high right hand  launches a  humpback

Floating Missile over the middle in tantilizing arching style.

 

It finds the kid from Montclair  at the Pat 24–  the incomparable Tyree

 Between two Patriot pickets, up, up, up the big guy climbs. He tips! He juggles at the crest; 

Fights off the claws of defenders distraught

Clasping pigskin to  back of his  helmet, Tyree never lets it  go to save the day.

With the toughness of Bavaro,

Crashing to greensward white line, he cradles the pass to nowhere

to chest and it is caught!

The ballet of brute grace gives the Missisissippi slinger four cards to play.

 

Belichick’s behemoths come with blue wave and drive Eli to earth for a last timeout.

Four plays for glory. Anxiety afflicts New Englanders. Hope for the impossible is dared to shout.

A pass to Tyree falls and it is 3^rd and 11 on the 26.  Another sure schtick

 

Like a Tennessee sharpshooter, the young Rebel slings a waist-high rifle shot

To the nimble Smith at the far side down stick

With ballet twist, Smith twisting left brings the bullet in to his left waist

Between two defenders,

 Sidesteps around the stick to stop the dwindling seconds.

 

To the Yankee 13  with no timeouts and New England reeling  in discord.

The Mississippi slinger drops back , the blue NY helmets hold off the desperate horde.

In mastermind Belichick’s dreams, he sees the single Hobbs  on Plaxico the Magnificent.

 

The Rebel with an Arm,  scans right, lofts “The Impossible Pass” with shrewd feint

New England’s hapless Hobbs has been fatally deked by Burress, now backpedaling in Disneyland waiting for 6 points to arrive!

Into the two hands of Plaxico the Magnificent  the ball floats to complete the Impossible Drive.

 

So as long as Giant fans who saw it they will remember and tell of   Eli’s Team

Of the Mississippi Slinger who slung the Giants into history.

Coughlin’s heroes of hope join the names of Giant Legends :

 Conerly,  Gifford, Tripplet,  Rote , Schnelker and Tunnell –

 

Place the laurel wreathes on the brows of Jacobs, Toomer, Smith,  Plaxico  and Tyree.

The defenders valiant join the likes of Huff, Big Mo and little Mo, Sva and Svo, Patton  and Lynch

Welcome Pierce, Strahan, Tuck, and Corey Webster. For as long as Giants fans who are alive

They will remember the teammates of  and the kids of

Eli Manning’s Impossible Drive.

Hits: 0

WPCNR’S THE REAL DEAL By The Wedding Genie, Jeannie Uyanik. February 2, 2009: Do we have to have a bridal party?  Can we really have an uneven number of bridesmaids and groomsmen?  Would it be possible for my best friend Joanne to officiate the wedding?  Should the ceremony start on time?  Does my father have to walk me down the aisle alone?  Is a receiving line mandatory?

 

Jeannie Uyanik, Planner to the World

The Wedding Genie

WPCNR Columnista

 

These are just a handful of commonly asked questions that we often get relating to the ceremony and the do’s and don’ts that often accompany its planning.  All are very straight forward and none of the answers rocket science, but sometimes it’s nice to have concrete responses from a professional.   And as we said in our first column, and we are sure that we will say in the last, the most important part of the entire day relates to the exchange of vows and the ceremony itself.  So as you plan your nuptials, make sure that the set-up that you have for the ceremony, religious or not, is one with which you feel comfortable. 

 

The questions that are most often addressed immediately about a ceremony relate not at all to the questions of marriage and how to ensure that you really are man and wife at the end of your ceremony.  The first questions surround the tricky business of anointing those closest to you part of the bridal party.  Depending on the ages of the couple (for those under 27) this is the most intense and exciting part of planning the wedding.  Who gets to be my maid of honor; who will be upset if they are not labeled a bridesmaid; how do I tell Marsha she is not in my wedding?  All valid questions; here is how to break it down. 

 

Especially for women in their 30’s, bridal parties have gone the way of poofy sleeves; out the window.  Your wedding party should be those nearest and dearest to you.  If the bride only has three friends that she adores and the groom 10, while it might look slightly askew to have 10 groomsmen and 3 bridesmaids, that’s certainly not a reason to add to or cut from either side.  The bridal party is not a fashion statement and it’s not a décor piece (although once in place, they certainly can be used as such).  It’s a way to surround yourself with those whom you trust and love the most and make them part of the inner circle on your wedding day. 

 

It’s not a time to repay friends for letting you be in their wedding party.  Just because someone asked you to be her Maid of Honor does not mean that you have to reciprocate.  If the feeling is not genuine behind the action, don’t take it.  If you have two future sister in laws, but you only want one in the bridal party (and there is no good excuse – i.e. the second is 40 years older) as to why one would be excluded, for the sake of family harmony, consider giving each other roles to avoid hurt feelings. 

 

It’s all common sense, but we will often have clients look at us with genuine confusion and ask “what do the books say”.  The bottom line of creating your bridal party and your recessional/processional (respectively who goes down the aisle when and how they all leave the ceremony area) is that you feel good about the outcome.  If you have a situation where you want to bend tradition (i.e. who gives the bride away) just be careful as to how you approach the situation, but make a decision that best suits you.  These are decisions that you are going to have as memories for the rest of your life and at the end of the day, the people who make up your bridal party (anyone who is part of the processional is how this is categorically described) should be those you love the most. 

 

Usually once the question of who gets to wear the dress and the rented tuxes are answered, everything else is a bit more straightforward.  Generally, for religious ceremonies, couples often choose an Officiant that represents their faith and often, whom is already known to the family.  If you want a religious ceremony, but no such person is known to you, or if you are getting married far from home, finding a religious Officiant is very easy; there is someone for every faith that can be brought in for the ceremony. 

 

After Joey on NBC’s hit show “Friends” officiated Monica and Chandler’s wedding, we saw a huge up-tick in couples wanting friends to marry them.  While this is a lovely sentiment and the internet has provided quick ways for regular people to be ordained, you must make sure that the chosen friend can eloquently administer your vows.  And, if you choose a friend, make sure that he or sure can project well and speaks easily in front of crowds. This like marriage is not something to be entered into lightly. 

 

Determining if you are having an on-site or off site ceremony is one of the first questions that should be answered as this will automatically set the stage for the rest of the day.  Timing for a ceremony depends greatly on the venue; many catering location and churches will not allow a “fake” invitation time, whereas all Jewish weddings mandate a ½ an hour earlier invitation to allow for the Ketubah signing.  Make sure that your venue or house of worship is aware of the invitation timing; don’t just assume that they will be ok with whatever time you choose. 

 

 Receiving lines are not common anymore, but still done occasionally.  Please allow at least 10 minutes for every 100 guests when calculating the timeline; not everyone just walks by with a kiss.  We often advise that greeting guests during the cocktail hour or the reception is more enjoyable for the couple and attendees.  But for more traditional ceremonies, a receiving line can be a gracious way to welcome and thank everyone more formally. 

 

If after reading all this, you still wonder if Uncle Bob needs to do a reading, please feel free to email us directly with specific questions and we will do our best to put all ceremony queries to rest seamlessly. 

 

 

 

 Note: Note: Ms. Uyanik knows all kinds of events! Got a question or a comment for the Wedding Genie? Ms. Uyanik will answer your questions. Simply e-mail her at weddinggenie@candgweddings.com

 

 

 

Hits: 0

 

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. January 31, 2008 UPDATED February 1, 2008 : The Budget & Management Committee learned Tuesday night that Assemblyman Adam Bradley has not yet put the city home rule request for a ¼% increase in the sales tax  and a $3 per room hotel tax home rule into action in the assembly and the senate.  Paul Wood, the Mayor’s Executive Officer, said city hall requests to Mr. Bradley have produced no indication when Mr. Bradley plans to put the home rule requests in play.  WPCNR speaking to Mr. Wood Friday would like to correct any impression that Mr. Wood had said the  two bills had not been introduced yet. Mr. Wood Friday said the bills had been introduced and did have bill numbers but they may not be passed in time to contribute to the current budget.

WPCNR checked with Mr. Bradley on the status of both home rule requests. As of  nightfall Wednesday, Mr. Bradley had called WPCNR (but we could not connect)  and WPCNR expects to have a report from him Thursday on how the sales tax increase is going and when it can be expected to pass the legislature.

 This information left in question whether the tax increase and new hotel tax would go into effect to aid city revenues in the current fiscal year, or for the new fiscal year coming up. The Budget and Management Committee also raised concerns over city benefits, the need to see a preliminary rough budget within a month.

 

        

May We have a Rough Budget Please?

Pat Austin of the committee bid strongly that the committee see a run-through of the budget from Commissioner of Finance and Chief Financial Officer Gina Cuneo-Harwood – information they did not receive during the  Committee’s deliberations in last year’s budget session. Ms. Harwood said it was impossible to provide the complete budget to the committee prior to the Council receiving the budget. Mr. Austin recalled that in the past the committee had received “preliminary budgets” enabling the committee to make recommendations

Tim Sheehan, another member strongly suggested  in a long and involved statement, that the committee focus in and consider where employee benefits might be trimmed, since wages and benefits would add, even without increases, a $6 Million increase in the city budget (sitting on $154.5 Million).

All Unions up for Contracts 

Paul Wood acknowledged that all city unions, Teamsters, Police, Fire and CSEA, contracts had to be renegotiated for 2008-2009. 

Benjamin Boykin  (in response to committee member David Corcoran’s comment that in his company  salaries over six figures  were being held to no increases, and raises otherwise under six figures were holding at 3%), said that city raises had reflected inflation. 

However, WPCNR notes city contracts for police, fire, and teamsters negotiated In 2005 ( the last election year), that have been in effect the last three years were negotiated at 4% a year when inflation averaged about half that figure at the time of the negotiations, and has only on a couple of months in the New York area topped 3%. Ms. Harwood said the 4% only affected start salaries for the unions and did not apply to the step increases.

Information, Please! Please!

Mr. Austin pressed the issue on getting information  on what the budget would look like in rough form so the committee could make suggestions. Mr. Boykin, the Chair of the Committee, who pressed for the same expense information from Harwood last year, and did not get it, and did not press the issue last year,  told WPCNR after the meeting he would try to get expense run-throughs for the committee to review within the next month.  Harwood said she would get department budgets by mid February, but did not commit to showing the committee a budget  run-through 

The committee also requested information on where assessments stood. Mr. Sheehan said that though educating themselves was nice, he felt the committee would be better served reviewing benefits to make suggestions where to cut. Larry Delgado, committee member, suggested that as persons paying taxes in the community and also enjoying benefits, that the committee members could make benefits budgeting proposals sensitive to how union and salaried employees would accept them.

Boykin says he will try to get the info.

Mr. Boykin said he would attempt to get benefits information to the committee for discussion, but did not elaborate what form that would take. Ms. Cuneo-Harwood was silent on this issue and how the benefits discussion would ensue.

Lying on the Land

Joseph Lenchner, a  committee member said that during the campaign the Budget and Management Committee had been characterized as saying it was all right to sell land to balance the budget. He said those who said this were “lying”.  Committee members and Mr. Boykin agreed that possible sale of land had been discussed as ways to increase revenues saying that the Council should consider selling the land but not to raise the budger. They technically did not say you could sell properties to balance the budget, but that was the effect of the Railside Avenue sale last year, and the way it was explained publicly by members of the Council who voted for it, including Mr. Boykin.

 Lenchner asked what the giveaways the city had been accused of giving to developers were. Mr. Boykin warmed to this subject and said that there were no giveaways, that any PILOTS reflected fair market value, and generated important revenue to the city. Boykin said the PILOTS provided the city with revenues – for properties assessed at $35 Million that were off the city tax roll because they received County Industrial Development Agency. 

A Comparison by WPCNR.

 

For the record, according to documents made public by the city,  the city received $2.6 Million in pilot payments in 2006-2007 from the following properties: 57 Ferris Avenue, White Plains Housing Authority, Power Authority of State of New York, Nine West, Cohen Brothers, 360 Hamilton Avenue, Clayton Park, Bank Street Commons, Fortunoff and City Center.

City appears to lose $2.4 Million a year due to PILOT-ing. School District, $9.6 Million a Year.

If Mr. Boykin is correct and those properties have assessed value of $35 Million, if they were on the tax rolls would pay  a city tax of  $4,997,000 (35,000 x $142/ $1,000 Assessed Value.  The city appears to  lose $2.4 Million a year in taxes from those PILOTED properties a year over the course of their PILOT years. 

The impact is more dramatic when you look at school district figures. The School District loses 4 times that amount annually: $9,600,000 a year, since the school tax rate is $4.74/$1,000 of assessed value.

Trends

Sales Tax: Commissioner of Finance Gina Cuneo-Harwood said the sales tax collections to date are 3.6% ahead of 2006-2007,  and that those figures were only up through December 1, holding out hope that the December figures would buoy the third quarter figures (coming in April). Harwood said she was going to be very conservative about estimating the final two quarters, but expected to make the $45 Million she predicted for 2007-2008.

She said the Mortgage Tax is slowing and was currently at 2.4 Million and was not expecting much more than that.

The Quarter per cent magic.

In a slide show, Ms. Harwood said, the additional quarter per cent envisioned by the home rule request would generate $5.6 Million in additional taxes. Pat Austin asked if the additional percentage of taxes could be added to the budget. Ms. Harwood thought the city charter only provided that the amount of taxes collected the previous year could be budgeted.

Can City  Add $5.6 Million in 08-09 Budget?

Mr. Boykin said the question of whether to add the extra $5.6 Million envisioned in the sales tax increase would have to be explored with the legal department, because he did not know the answer. Mr. Austin raised this question.

Mr. Boykin began the meeting saying “Clearly  the economy is different from last fall,” that the committee needed to be “vigilant,” and that the credit markets might affect developments which might not be able to secure financing.

On assessments, Mr. Wood and Ms. Cuneo-Harwood gave the opinion that the state  equalization rate applied to White Plains  ( finalized at 2.74% this year) was negating the positive effects of the sales tax increases. Wood said that the current round of certioraris would effect the city for the next 7 years.  Wood did say that Lloyd Tasch, the city Assessor was being aggressive in evaluating properties recently increasing in revenues.

 On Hotel Tax: Ms. Cuneo-Harwood noted that the hotel tax would be approximately $3 a room per hotel. She said that presently there are only two hotels in the city, Central Avenue Motel and Crowne Plaza, which would have contributed $180,000 to the city coffers in hotel tax if they were taxed this year, and with the Ritz-Carlton, she expected $680,000.

 

        

Hits: 0

WPCNR SOUTHEND TIMES. From a White Plains CitizeNetReporter. January 28, 2008: WPCNR has learned that in private talks with Fenway Golf Club between the Soundview Neighborhood Association and the Fenway management that the country club has informed the neighborhood association it will not build new tennis courts in the location opposed by the residents. Instead, the club will erect new courts on the former location where they were on the club, before being torn down due to structural deterioration.