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 CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. October 11, 2007: Mayor Joseph Delfino yesterday sent a letter to Assemblypersons Adam Bradley (89th District) and Amy Paulin (88th District) with a copy of the projections of the White Plains City Budget through 2011, as reported by WPCNR yesterday.

In the letter, the Mayor says he does not endorse the budget, saying it is a projection only, subject to the vagaries of fate,  and does not endorse the salary increases forecast in the budget projections, saying he cannot vouch for their accuracy, and he will not violate the Taylor Act governing negotiations with public employees. The Mayor says the budget is a projection only and indicates that the one-shot financial additons put in the budget are not guaranteed, and again makes the case for  the 1/2% sales tax increase home rule request he is requesting either of the two legislators to introduce in the assembly. The Mayor goes on record as saying he does not endorse the 28% tax increase incorporated in the four year budget, which includes the 2007-2008 current budget year the city is now in.

The Letter follows, as it was released to the media today:  

Assemblyman Adam Bradley

Assemblywoman Amy Paulin

Attached is the five-year budget outlook that the City is required by the State to have on file in the Finance Department.  I am releasing this information “without prejudice,” and there are several caveats that I have to make regarding this information.

First, I, as Mayor, cannot verify that the forecasted increases predicted in this document as it relates to salaries and benefits is accurate.  I am acutely aware of and sensitive to any Taylor Act implications this would have.

Second, I am not, by any means, endorsing the 28% tax increase forecast over this period by this document.

Third, there are several anticipated revenues that simply cannot be verified, such as the sale of city-owned property and other so called “one shots” that are included.

Fourth, this information is prepared by the Finance Department and is updated at least twice annually, and in some cases, more often than that.  As you are aware, the administration of a city the size of White Plains is a fluid situation that changes continuously.  Many factors can and have upset the balance that this document forecasts.  Fuel prices, inflation, public safety issues and a host of other factors greatly influence the City’s finances.  Some of these issues can be forecasted fairly accurately, some cannot.

Fifth, any change in State aid or passed on expenses from other levels of government affects every municipality’s ability to budget accurately.

However, what has had the largest impact on the City’s budget over the last five years are several unexpected expenses that are beyond the control of the City’s administration.  The real estate formula applied by the State has led to a surge in tax certiores, impacting last year’s budget by more than $2 million more than was budgeted for.  In addition, the recent, unprecedented jump in the State Pension Fund contributions has significantly impacted the City’s budget.

Obviously, the tremendous revitalization and success the City is having is also causing it to suffer because of the formula the State utilizes in setting the equalization rate for property taxes.  These losses may have been off-set greatly had the City been allowed to have its own Industrial Development Agency (IDA).  White Plains has been forced to forfeit the administrative and other fees charged to developers by the Westchester County’s IDA.  I appreciate your efforts to secure an IDA for the City that will enable us to perhaps, finally, provide property tax relief to our residents from such an agency.

Other unexpected issues arise almost daily.  Just last week the City learned that a State government agency was purchasing a formerly commercial office building in the City.  This property will now come off the City’s tax rolls causing a half million dollar drop in assessments and creating a $500,000 loss in property tax revenues annually.  The increase in the sales tax rate would help us recapture some of these losses.

I am simply asking that White Plains’ sales tax rate be equal to that of the other large cities in Westchester County.  This increase is totally justified given the large number of County and other government offices that are located here.  These office buildings, court houses and other agencies pay no property taxes and yet the City is forced to provide services for the thousands of government employees who commute here daily.  The only way for the City to recoup the costs of providing services for these governmental uses is through the sales tax collected on expenditures by employees of these agencies. The sales tax increase would help recapture some of the expenses of these services instead of passing them on to White Plains residents.

The same argument also holds true for the more than 250,000 people who visit the City daily to work, shop and recreate.  I shudder to think of what the taxpayers would have paid if it were not for our aggressive redevelopment plan. In six major projects that the City has undertaken, Bank Street Commons, Clayton Park, the Ritz Carlton, City Center, the Jefferson Condominiums and Fortunoff, where new development replaced either vacant stores or vacant land, the total tax revenues, which includes PILOT payments, increased from $1.8 million before the redevelopment to nearly $12 million in total this year.  But the property taxpayers only receive a fraction of this new total.

The School District alone receives nearly $8 million of this new revenue and the County receives approximately $1.6 million.  The City portion from these projects has increased from $360,000 pre-development to more than $2.3 million today. But it is the property taxpayers alone who have been forced to shoulder the burden of catastrophic and unanticipated expenses forced on the City from higher levels of government.  

Raising the sales tax rate by one-half of one cent would generate more than $10 million annually which would be used to relieve the property tax burden on our residents. IRS analysis has shown that 90% of the revenues collected would come from people who live outside the City – mainly from the 250,000 to 300,000 people who visit our City daily to work, shop and/or enjoy the vibrant entertainment venues the City now offers. 

The City has been unfairly accused of not having a five-year plan, which, as you know, is required by the State to be maintained in the Finance Department.  While I agree that it’s important to have a flexible five-year plan looking forward, I ask who could have predicted the enormous and unanticipated expenses brought on the City in the last five years alone?  I respectfully ask if you could provide a five-year projection on expected state expenses that will be passed on to White Plains and /or any increases or decreases we can expect in State aid so that a more accurate five-year projection can be made.

I believe very strongly that we’ve been successful at creatively filling the gaps that have occurred over the last five years.  And yet, we have endured the annual criticisms of the use of so-called “one shots” to close our budget gaps.  We’ve been criticized for the sale of city-owned land, increasing property tax rates, the use of fund balance, and for the many other methods we’ve employed to stabilize our budgets.

It’s time to give our property tax payers a break.  I want our residents to be the beneficiaries our City’s renaissance.  The half percent sales tax increase will ensure that our residents will receive property tax relief in the amount of at least $10 million or annually if we do so.

Sincerely,

Mayor Joseph Delfino

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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE.  By John F. Bailey, The CitizeNetReporter and Peter Katz.  October 10, 2007 5:33 PM EDT UPDATED WITH PIX: Readers of WPCNR may recall the discussions at recent Common Council meetings regarding the city’s financial future against the background of Mayor Delfino’s request to the council for legislation asking New York State to approve a ½-percent increase in the city’s sales tax. During those discussions, verbal pressure was applied to the Mayor to produce projections of what the city’s financial needs will be. Why does the city need to  raise an extra $10 Million in sales taxes by increasing the rate by ½%, it was asked.

Previously, State Assemblyman Adam Bradley, who was asked to spearhead efforts in Albany to have the sales tax increase approved, took the position that without a clear understanding of the city’s needs, it would be hard for him to justify a sales tax increase to the folks in Albany. The Mayor’s recent public position was that he’d provide the numbers after the Common Council acted on his request.

City Projected figures for the State.

WPCNR has learned that financial projections for the city covering the next three fiscal years have already been sent to the state’s Division of the Budget to fulfill a state requirement. These may, or may not, contain the information Bradley and others said they needed. Whether or not the councilpersons, Budget and Management Committee members, and Mr. Bradley were aware of these publicly available projections having been filed, is not known.

A cover letter accompanying the projections, signed by Mayor Delfino, was dated March 30, 2007. It was received in Albany on April 2, 2007. Attached were multi-year revenue projections. The projections were provided to the state as required for city participation in the state’s “Aid and Incentives for Municipalities” (AIM) program. According to the documents, White Plains would receive $5,724,393 from the AIM program during each fiscal year through FY 2010-11.

A copy of the projections which the city sent was furnished to WPCNR by the New York State Division of the Budget in Albany. Note, however, that these are only projections and actual numbers could easily change.

The city General Fund budget is projected to grow from $144.8-million this fiscal year (2007-2008) to $161.3-million in 2010-2011. This is number apparently does not include  the Library Fund, Water Fund and Self-Insurance Fund.

21% Property Tax Increase over next three years.

Property taxes are projected to grow 10% in 2008-2009, and 7% each year for the next two fiscal years. However, a footnote explains, “Property Tax increased 10% in fiscal year 2008-2009 to account for two PILOTS returning to the assessment Roll.” Those two properties appear to be “9 West” and “Clayton Park,” which this year are paying $364,270 and $119,750 in PILOTS,  respectively. Another footnote states, “Property tax rate increase assumed at 7% each year.” WPCNR points out the use of the term “property tax rate,” meaning the 7% projected annual increases do not refer to the total dollar amounts collected. 

The projections indicate better-than-current-inflation increases of city sales taxes, at least in the short term. Present collections are about $43-million. Growth of 5% a year is projected for the next two fiscal years, with growth slowing to 3% in 2010-11, when sales taxes collections are projected to be $48.9-million.

Salary Expense to grow at 5% to 5.5%

On the expense side, the amounts projected to be needed to pay salaries of elected officials (Mayor and Common Council) are projected to grow by 3% a year, as are salaries for commissioners and certain other managerial personnel. The projections indicate that amounts necessary to cover salaries for union employees (police, fire, office workers, sanitation) would grow at 5% and 5.5% during various fiscal years. This may not necessarily mean wages will increase at those levels; it could also reflect increases in the number of employees being paid.

According to a “Multi-Year Financial Projection Summary,” salaries and wages would rise from $70,670,296 in FY 2007-08 to $81,224,937 in FY 2010-11. Employee benefits would rise from $33,312,043 in FY 2007-08 to $39,366,384 in FY 2010-11.

Good News! City Sees Certioraris as Essentially Flat. May Bond for Certs.

The projections going out three years  show no reduction in the assessment roll through 2010-11, based on the Allowance for Tax Certs which amounts to $350,000 through FY 2010-11.

However, the city notes in a footnote, “Other Debt proceeds reflects the potential bonding of certain tax certs in fiscal year 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 subject to Common Council approval. This will be done if needed.” The projection also notes “Debt service payments for potential bonding of tax certs included in the event that the financing does occur.”

The category “Debt Service” is projected to almost double over the next three years, growing from $691,944 this year to $1, 279,445 in 2010-2011.

A footnote says, “The City currently has various new revenue initiatives in the development stage that are not included in this Plan.”

In his cover letter, Mayor Delfino writes, in part, “…the City of White Plains has: a.) developed a multi-year financial plan; b.) used the increase in State aid to minimize property tax growth; and c.) documented cost savings initiatives within City operations and through cooperative savings efforts with other municipalities as part of the City’s multi-year financial plan.”

A Balanced Budget Forecast

 The Budget Projections are balanced as presented to the state. Any anticipated tax increase could be used to lower property tax or add to fund balance. It is unclear at this time why if these projections are being relied upon, why the city needs the sales tax increase.

A footnote for the state’s information attached to the budgets provides a clue how the sales tax increase might be used: “The City currently has various new revenue initiatives in the development stage that are not included in this Plan. If revenue enhancements are approved, plan will need to be modified accordingly and bonded (SIC) of tax certs will be eliminated.”

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WPCNR BUMPER TO BUMPER. By John F. Bailey. October 9, 2007: Official spokespersons for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Washington,  and the Transportation Security Administration stopped short of saying the two super-security agencies approved Governor Eliot Spitzer’s initiative, the “Drivers License for All” policy for New Yorkers.  A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated that Driver’s Licenses under the REAL I.D. act could only be issued to citizens when states have to be REAL I.D. compliant in 2013.

The policy announced by the Governor September 21, would  extend driver’s licenses to immigrants who are residing in the state illegally. Spokespersons for the nation’s super security agency watchdogs would not take a position against the policy outright when contacted by WPCNR. However The Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said that January 2013 was when New York State had to be highly compliant with REAL ID regulations. At this time, the Governor’s office has indicated to WPCNR the DMV will not consider REAL ID requirements until the final regulations are issued by the Department of Homeland Security.

She did say that the question of citizenship in regard to issuing of REAL ID compliant Driver’s license was an issue and point of departure that the Governor’s plan would not be acceptable.

“But, of course, we are interested in securing  identification, Western Hemisphere Travel Intiative (WHTI) compliant Driver’s Licenses as well as REAL ID compliant Driver’s Licenses or other kids’ documentation, we do care about. One of the requirements (of the REAL ID Act) is you have to verify the eligibility or citizenship of the person to receive. Those  (REAL I.D.-compliant) drivers licenses would not be able to be given to illegal aliens.” Keehner said.

Homeland Security releasing Final REAL ID Regs in “Near Future.”

WPCNR asked Keehner what the timeline on REAL ID Act compliant licenses was in view of the Governor’s liaison on the License for All policy had said the state did not have to be compliant until 2013 and the state was not reacting to REAL I.D. requirements until Washington “promulgates” the requirements.  Ms. Keehner interpreted the timeline slightly differently:

“In the near future, I wouldn’t be able to give a timeline, we will be rolling out the final regulations on that, yes. “

Asked if the final regulations on REAL I.D. would be ready by January, Keehner said she thought so but would not want to guarantee it. 

“Extremely Compliant” by January 20013

WPCNR asked if the Governor’s office was correct in saying the state did not have to be compliant until 2013. Keehner had a different interpretation:

“That (2013) is when they need to be extremely compliant. But, you’ve probably seen the fact sheet on our website. There’s a series of ways in which they can be compliant. Obviously we want states to be compliant as soon as possible, but the last possible and actual date is 2013, yes.”

I asked, if according to the DHS website, driver’s licenses can only be issued to citizens after January 31, 2009, was correct:

Keehner  commended, “That’s my understanding—licenses that are Real ID-compliant, yes. What we care about in this department here is making sure that we have pure documentation . so we can be sure that the person holding that I.D. really is that person, and that you are able to confirm certain things about that person which would be dated on that documentation. When our customs officers dealing with people coming across the border, they have over 8,000 different types of documentation they need to sift through.”

State Working with DHS?

I asked about theWestern Hemisphere Travel Initive effort and how the Governor’s plan affected that:

Keehner noted,  “The State of New York is one of the ones we’re working on to provide secure driver’s licenses so folks can travel with greater ease across the Canadian and U.S. border. Washington State and Vermont have said they want to do that. They are doing extremely well, we are very pleased with that partnership.”

Signoff or Not? 2 Sets of Licenses?

WPCNR pointed out the Spitzer administration has not indicated that the Department of Homeland Security had “signed off” on the Spitzer licensing of illegals policy.

Keehner said, “I wouldn’t be able to say we signed off on it either. I believe we are aware of their interest to do that. But I know, on a side note, we are working with them on the potential of their joining us on our Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative program and getting their driver’s licenses up to speed with that.”

I asked if the DHS would like very much to have a license for illegal aliens and a license for citizens?

She said, “I never said that. They could have the potential for having two separate licenses, one that is Real ID compliant, and one for illegal aliens. I wasn’t commenting on it. I said that is one thing they could be doing.”

Awaiting Answer from the State

WPCNR has placed a call to the Governor’s Press Office to ask if the state would have two separate types of licenses, one for illegal aliens, and one for citizens, or aliens legally registered with the Immigration and Naturalization Service. WPCNR awaits their return call. The Governor’s Press Officer on this issue last Friday said that the state was not reacting to REAL ID Act issues until the Department of Homeland Security issued its final regulations.

Keehner had noted earlier in the conversation that a person without a REAL I.D. compliant license (in 2013), would not be able to cross borders, not get you in a federal building and would not get you on an airplane.

TSA Says I.D. is Not Their Focus. Security Is.

Meanwhile, across town at the Transportation Security Administration,  A TSA spokesperson Lara Uselding, said the TSA would not have a comment on whether that agency approved of the governor’s “License for all” policy.

Uselding said the driver’s license is not the prime focus of the TSA screening personnel at the nation’s airports:

 “At the airports, we have many layers in place, starting with our ticket-document checkers, those are Transportation Security officers trained to look for false I.D.s and have some form of detection skills looking for persons who would do us harm.  If you say you are John Smith, and you came through with an I.D. saying Bill Smith, we would have that first layer of security to say that’s an I.D. that’s not valid, if for some reason someone sneaks through with a false I.D., from a security standpoint, we have the security checkpoints where those individuals are going to go through a screening. We have  other security layers in place to make sure nobody gets to bring a prohibited item on the aircraft and that we just make sure all individuals are screened.

I can’t really comment on the governor’s policy. From a security standpoint, we want to make sure all individuals are screened which we do and we have many layers in place to make sure that passengers follow the rules and that starts from the curb and goes all the way to the cockpit.”

Acceptable?

Asked if the Governor’s Drivers License for All initiative was acceptable to the TSA, Uselding said, “I can’t comment specifically on what Governor Spitzer’s doing, but  our focus is on security so we have layers in place and we want to make sure no person intending to do us harm, no prohibited items are going to get through and aboard the aircraft. From a security standpoint, there’s even cases where persons lose their wallet, and we follow certain guidelines to manage those on a case by case basis. Those individuals  can receive secondary screening and further scrutiny to assure they don’t have anything on their person or in their bags that would do harm to the aircraft.”

She said, “However, we do work with our other federal partners, and  if there’s ever a case where there might be outstanding warrants, we’ll refer them to law enforcement, so we do work partnership with immigration and customs. For us, our focus is on security, and we want to make sure no one has anything on their person that could harm our passengers.”

WPCNR pointed out that based on what Ms. Uselding said, that would mean Governor Spitzer’s press office is correct (that TSA is not concerned with their licensing program).

“I don’t know what you mean.”

I pointed out that the license as the Governor’s Press Office envisions it would be valid as a photo- Government issued I.D. to 20013, when the REAL ID Act takes effect, and asked, “From what you just told me, If your focus is primarily on people taking devices that could cause a security risk to the aircraft, then if you’re (TSA)convinced that the person  (alien or citizen) is not a threat to do violence, they get on the plane. Is that correct?”

“I’m not in a position to comment on the governor’s policy. We focus on people and their property. We make sure through many layers, including behavior detection officers who are trained to look for signs of fear, deception or stress, and if those individuals exhibit certain signs we’re going to pull them aside and really put them through some extra scrutiny, the same with their personal items and any kind of bags that would come through. We are focused on people and their property and insuring nothing harmful gets past security checkpoints.

I did tell you there are some cases where our people have found people with false i.d.s  or warrants and we will work with local airport police or Immigration officers.”

Upper Level TSA Comment Not Sought.

I asked if she would go to upper TSA Management to ask them to make a comment or statement that they would accept licensing of illegal aliens as the Governor suggests.

Uselding said, “We wouldn’t have that information. When a person comes to the airport and presents an I.D. to the airlines, it’s up to the airlines to check them in, and then those individuals come to the checkpoint, and again have to present proper document and boarding pass to our TSA people and then go through the checkpoint. We wouldn’t have information about whether he’s a citizen or not.”

I asked, “It wouldn’t matter to you whether he was a citizen or not. Is that what you’re saying?”

Uselding said, “Our focus is on security, and making sure people who wish to do us harm with prohibited items do not make it through and don’t harm passengers.”

I asked again if she could take this to a higher level and get a definitive announcement from the TSA that the Spitzer plan is all right with the TSA.

Uselding said, “It’s just not our place to comment on that. As I said, our focus is on security. And if there are ever cases that need to be elevated to a proper agency, we will do that.”

She reiterated that she would not take WPCNR’s question to a higher management level, she said.

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WPCNR MR. & MRS. & Ms. White Plains Views. October 8, 2007: When Governor Eliot Spitzer introduced his plan to grant drivers licenses to illegal aliens if they produce documented identification September 21, it has stirred a lot of questions.

What do Mr. and Mrs. and Ms.White Plains think? Since White Plains has a population of two-thirds minorities, some of whom may be considered illegal aliens, it is an interesting issue.  We have come up with some ways to treat this problem: Tell us what you think in the poll at the right.

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. October 6, 2007 UPDATED October 7, 2007 11:30 AM EDT: Yorktown’s Huskers dominated the second half  to overcome a two-touchdown deficit, and a stingy Tiger red zone defense when Brendan Brunell got a step on a lone tiger defender and took a perfectly thrown 10-yard quick pass at the goal line on a 3rd and goal from the Tiger 10 to give the Huskers the lead with a minute to go in the game, 15-14.  A two-point conversion made the final score 17-14.

Yorktown held the ball for 8 minutes in the final quarter on route to the clinching touchdown grinding out first downs at 8 yards a clip on the drive. It was the first home game played at Eastview School in years due to the unavailability of Parker or Loucks Stadium due to synthetic turf conversion.

Number 32 Maurice Thomas Looking like Jim Brown — Rumblin, Stumblin for a 49 yard Touchdown run to put the Tigers up 6-0 in the First Quarter. The Thomas run was a stunner right up the middle.

4th down and 9 Conversion on Husker 24 Sets Up second Tiger TD in second quarter: Mike Howard (15) has just flipped a perfect screen pass to Ray Mitchell, following his Tiger mates, took the pigskin to the Yorktown 10 to keep the Tiger drive alive. Mitchell (33) can be seen falling out of bounds in center of picture.  Billy Dosantos scored on a 7 yard run minutes later to put White Plains up 14-0. A blocked punt gave Yorktown a safety to make the score 14-2 at the half.

Yorktown came back on a drive in the third quarter to close to within 14-9, then after stopping the Tigers on 3 and 2 at the Tiger 41 at the outset of the 4th quarter, Yorktown drove 59 yards in an amazing 17 plays for the winning score with a minute to go. The Tigers after leading the entire game fall to 2-2. They play Horace Greeley next Saturday.

This game turned around in the Third Quarter when  White Plains took the kickoff at their own 30 and drove in 9 plays to the Yorktown 44 confidently moving the ball,seemingly on route to their third touchdown, when Yorktown stripped the ball and recovered a fumble on the Husker 37.

Yorktown began the drive to get back into the game . The Huskers traded alternative runs getting only to the Tiger 41 when a motion penalty set them back to a 2^nd and 14 on the Tiger 47. Then came the first turning point.  A pass fell short of an intended Huskie receiver on the Tiger 33 with a Tiger defender either falling or inadvertently tackling the receiver and the pass interference flag came out. First down Yorktown on the Tiger 33. However, the ball was thrown  way short, uncatchable. Tiger Coach Skip Stevens protested the call to no avail.

Invigorated, a run got Yorktown to the 15, then a first down on the 5. The Tigers held them for three downs with Yorktown’s second effort by Peter Frank  yielding their first touchdown on 4^th and goal at the 1. With the point,  it was 14-9 with 4 minutes to go in the third quarter.  The Tiger defense was tough inside the red zone today but were chewed up on the Yorktown running game between the 20s.

Mitchell runback called back.

Ray Mitchell broke the ensuing kickoff out to the 50 yard line, but a flag on the far side of the field away from Mitchell’s route, started the Tigers at their 20. The Tigers managed one first down to the 32 then were stopped at the first play of the 4^th quarter on third and 2 at their 42. Yorktown  stopped Mitchell up the middle and forced a punt.

A booming punt set up Yorktown at their own 31. White Plains never touched the ball again for the next 8 minutes, as Yorktown simply chewed up yardage at 8 yards a clip, gaining 7 first downs stopping the clock 7 times  which as it turned out was a huge factor in their winning touchdown drive which consumed 18 plays.

Big Overland Gains Highlighted Yorktown winning TD Drive in 4th Quarter, the Huskie backpack ripped off consistent gains of 8 yards on first down.

Ray Mitchell saved a touchdown with a jarring head-on tackle at the White Plains 16, as the Tiger defense valiantly, doggedly attempted to halt the inexorable Huskie drive. After yielding a first down at the 5, White Plains held on two plays with Maurice Thomas sacking the Huskie QB at the 12. A run was stopped at the 10. On third and 6 with a minute and seconds to go in the game, and an almost certain pass, Yorktown went to a tight formation. John Froats looked left. It was a Quick pass to Brunelle on the goal line defended by one Tiger. Froats got the ball in waist high away from the defender and Brunelle stepped into paydirt. Yorktown had the lead and the ball game.

First Half Exactly the opposite.

In the first half Yorktown’s inability to hang onto the football allowed White Plains to control the ball.

After Yorktown went three and out on their first possession, three plays later, Maurice Thomas burst through the center of the Yorktown line and cruised 49 yards for a Tiger touchdown for a 7-0 lead at the 7:40 mark of the opening stanza.

Yorktown then started slicing up the White Plains line, posting three quick first downs, driving to the White Plains 23 with 3 minutes to go in the quarter when  White Plains stripped the ball  with Jean Joseph recovering the fumble on  the Tiger 20 yard line.

The Tigers then drove 80 yards in 12 plays with Billy Dosantos scoring to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead.

This well-orchestrated drive featured two 4^th down conversions by the Orange and Black. The drive started with a 25 yard pitch and outside left end run by Ray Mitchell to give White Plains a first down on the Yorktown 38. After  a 6 yard carry by John Philogene gave White Plains a 4^th and 3 on the Yorktown 28, Philogene burst through the line again for a first down to keep the drive alive.

Three plays later came another key 4^th down conversion on 4^th and 9 at the 27. Mike Howard rolled right looked to Ray Mitchell in the left flat positioned with three blockers for a screen play that sprung Ray down the sideline for a first down on the Husker 14.

Enter Billy Dosantos. The Tigers line sprung him to the 7 yard line. On third and 3 on the 7, Dosantos scampered untouched into the end zone. Mike Howard added his second PAT and it was 14-0 with 10 minutes to go in the half.

After a long run Yorktown’s runner coughed up a fumble on a great strip  by Billy Dosantos and  White Plains  started again on their 21 but the Tigers had a punt blocked, with Yorktown taking over again, driving to the Tiger 5 where the Tigers held them in a great goal line stand.

Forced to punt from their end zone, Yorktown blocked another Tiger punt that bounded out of the endzone for a safety and the Huskies had a 14-2 deficit at the half.

Overflow Crowd Views the action in the shadow of the City Center. Bleachers did not have the capacity to handle the crowd.

Best Band in All the Land Entertained at Halftime — Jason Kaplan Leads the Band — in a majestic rendering of Kung Foo Fighting.