WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. July 1, 2008 UPDATED 6:30 PM EDT: City government may delay very important decisions, but they do not delay tax bills.  Like death, the city tax bill for the first half of 2008-2009 arrived suddenly, confirming what only WPCNR of all the media in the state reported to our readers last April.

This year's city and school tax for the median homeowner will be $10,342 compared to the 2007-2008 tax bill of $9, 634, a city and school tax combined increase of 7%.

 Albany legislators secretly cut the STAR Exemption, raising your assessment. In today’s tax bill the STAR Exemption was cut to $3,330, as WPCNR reported in April, from last year’s $3,700. This results in a $10,342 tax bill between city and school for the White Plains median home judged to be worth $700,000 on the market.  Inspecting your tax bill you will find your RES STAR Assessed Value to be $3,330.

Albany’s reducing the  STAR Exemption $370  costs the median homeowner about $186 more in school taxes, $7,618.09  under the $3,330 exemption as opposed to paying $7,431.97, under the $3,700 exemption  in effect in 2007.  

 It results in about $1 million more in taxes in the district – about 85% of the increase in state aid the city is getting, according to Assistant Superintendent for Business for the School District, Fred Seiler in a WPCNR report written in April

The County Tax, estimated by WPCNR to be $2,400, tagged on to the city and school tax bill brings the total tax on the White Plains median home to $12,742 – higher than WPCNR had originally estimated in the spring of this year, where our WPCNR Math Lab estimated $12,600.  Those of you opening your tax bills who own a home valued on the market over $700,000 will pay more, considerably more.

The city included a flier with the tax bill showing that the County collects 19% of your tax dollar and the school district, 61%, and the city 20%. It reminds the recipient payment is due by July 31 to avoid any interest charges.

WPCNR encourages the taxpayers to get their payments in early.

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From The NYS Comptroller's Office. June 28, 2008: Last week, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli launched Open Book New York, a new, easy-to-use Web site providing the public access to how state government is spending tax dollars. The site contains searchable databases of spending by 113 state agencies and more than 60,000 state contracts.

“For too long, Albany did business behind closed doors,” DiNapoli said. “Today, we’re opening the doors and opening the books. Open Book New York gives the public a roadmap to follow their tax dollars and brings more accountability to state spending. This is the closest to real-time financial tracking the state has ever seen. When everyone can see where the money goes, nothing can be hidden.

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. June 25, 2008:  The developers of 10 Windsor Terrace  and Hale Avenue, each came before the Common Council Special Meeting last night and pleaded with the Council to keep their affordable housing buyout (in lieu of building actual affordable units)  "where it is" rather  than pay increased multi-million dollars in increased payments voted into law by the Council in March of this year. Both indicated they could not build the projects under the new payment guidelines because the financing sources do not like the "Loan to Value Ratios."

When asked if the legislation raising the buyout amounts specifically said the fees were retroactive, City Corporation Counsel Edward Dunphy told WPNCR, the laws that are in effect at the time a matter comes before the council (in this case renewals of site plans) govern the city's right to apply increased fees for the projects.  

Rome Partners and Hale Avenue LLC were before the council seeking extension of site plans for the two developments. Rome under the new law owes the city $1,470,000 in buyout as opposed to the $452,000 originally applied to the project when it was approved in 2003.

Hale Avenue LLC, approved in 2005, with construction not yet begun, originally agreed to pay $920,000 in affordable housing buyout money then. Now under the new buyout guidelines,  Hale owes the city $2.6 Million in buyout money, according to their spokesperson William Null.

Null said this made the project unbuildable, and suggested the city was making new developers pay to solve a problem that has existed in the city for years (lack of "affordable housing"). Rome had purchased the site plan on 10 Windsor Place from the previous developer, agreed not to change the 71-unit, 2 bedroom condo project, but had assumed the same $452,000 buyout would remain in effect.

Led by Councilwoman Rita Malmud, the council appeared reluctant to budge and grant a "Grand-fathering in" of the previous considerably lower buyouts the two developers had agreed, but had not paid as of yet. Malmud said that the buyout was an option, ("a favor to developers" she called it), and that the developers had the option to build actual affordable units instead. Null said that building affordable units had the same affect of making the project unprofitable the way today's numbers worked out. The council pressed by Peter Weiss, the Rome attorney, said they would take up the matter again soon, and inform Rome and, presumably Hale Avenue LLC of their decision as to hold to the old buyout, keep the new buyout, or possibly negotiate the new buyout fee down.

Kill Buyout Option Now

Councilman Benjamin Boykin said the evening's discussion indicated to him it was time to do away with the buyout option altogether, and require new developers of housing in the city simply to build real affordable units as part of their projects if they wanted.  The Mayor expressed doubt this would appeal. Tom Roach, the Councilman, predicted "They will come." .

Councilwoman Milagros Lecouona, reacting to Roach's statement said "The people who are here can stay. If they don't come that will save the city for the rest of us."

In Other Action...

The Mayor said  LLC Main, LLC, the Louis Cappelli organization, informed the Mayor's office they would not be appearing to give an update on the affordable housing situation regarding their request for an extension of the August 6 deadline, by which no C of O's can be granted unless the Cappelli organization has satisfied their 41 units of affordable housing requirement for City Center and 221 Main (The Ritz-Carlton complex).  Benjamin Boykin, Council President had called for the update.

The Council could not pass a personnel ordinance because Councilman Glen Hockley was not present.

Commissioner of Public Works  Joseph Bud Nicoletti said playground improvements of $125,000 would begin in Chatterton Park, and $95,000 worth of improvements woud be made at Mitchell Place Tot Lot. He said $3 Million in water lines would begin work up Ferris Avenue to the Orchard Street line. He announced $50,000 in outdoor improvements to the Thomas Slater Center would also begin. He also said $500,000 in sewer lines would commence.

WPCNR THE PARKING NEWS. June 24, 2008: The new city website always has something new, and informative, but you have to visit it.  Today, we offer a new nugget of information that can save White Plains residents time and money.

White Plains Commissioner of Parking, Al Moroni.

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Board of Legislators Communications. June 23, 2008: Betsy DeSoye, Director of Communications for the County Board of Legislators told WPCNR this afternoon that County Legislator Chair Bill Ryan, scheduled for bypass surgery today had gotten out of surgery and that his doctor was "pleased" with how it went. Asked how long Mr. Ryan's convalescence would take, DeSoye said that was not clear how long it would be before Mr. Ryan returned to legislative action.

Chair of County Board of Legislators Bill Ryan at the Juneteenth Parade.

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Department of Communications, Westchester County Board of Legislators. June 20, 2008: White Plains own Bill Ryan, Chairman of the County Board of Legislators will undergo bypass surgery Monday, his Communications Director announced Friday afternoon at 5 P.M.

Bill Ryan, right, with County Executive Andy Spano last Saturday at Juneteenth Parade.

Though released from the Westchester County Medical Center last night after an unspecified or clarified "medical procedure," Chairman of the Board of Legislators, Bill Ryan has been readmitted to the Medical Center today. According to the official statement released by the Board of Legislators,

As you are aware, the Chairman was in the Westchester Medical Center for a procedure on Thursday. We have since been informed by his family that he has been readmitted and is now scheduled for bypass surgery on Monday. The family appreciates all your best wishes and will keep you updated on his recovery through this office.

On behalf of the entire Board, the leadership team of Vice Chairman Mike Kaplowitz, Majority Leader Marty Rogowsky, Minority Leader George Oros, Majority Whip Judy Myers and Minority Whip Jim Maisano wish the Chairman well and a speedy recovery.  

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. June 19, 2008. The City Hotel Tax projected to replace $400,000 cut out of the city Reserve for Financing by the Common Council in a budget cut move in April, is not going to happen, WPCNR has learned.  WPCNR has placed calls to city representatives in Albany to find the reasons behind the reported failure of the hotel tax.

Paul Wood, City Executive Officer, said the city was going to move forward, and expected the Mayor to make a case for an additional 1/4% sales tax to Assemblyman Adam Bradley and the state legislature, as the city had originally proposed last year. A quarter per cent increase was approved by the legislature this spring with Bradley spearheading the legislation.

Wood said "This is exactly what the Mayor warned (the council) about when the budget was approved with the $400,000 cut out of the reserve for financing. He warned the council about this. It (the hotel sales tax) was only projected by us to bring in $300,000 at the most. I fully expect we may run a deficit next year as a result."

Wood said he expected the city would make its final quarter sales tax projection, but that next year was now in doubt. He said he did not expect projected union increases now being negotiated to be as much as 5%.

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey June 19, 2008: The Board of Ethics has dismissed a complaint that John Ioris, allegedly a major fundraiser and supporter of  Mayor Joseph Delfino, who by serving on the Planning Board violated the city’s code of ethics.

John Ioris, head of table,  presenting at a council meeting in April.

Ioris told WPCNR the complaint raised by city Democratic Party leaders “was completely baseless and politically motivated.” Early this month it was leaked to the press that the Board of Ethics had determined that Mayor Joseph Delfino had not violated the City Charter by appointing Mr. Ioris to the Planning Board. The Board was still considering whether the appointment was a violation on the part of Mr. Ioris.

The Board of Ethics decision sent to Mr. Ioris reads:

“Pursuant to Article V (Code of Ethics) of the Municipal Code of the City of White Plains, attached is a true copy of the opinion of the Board of Ethics dismissing a complaint on the grounds that the complaint does not allege sufficient facts to constitute a violation of the Code of Ethics.” It is signed by Mark Elliot the Board Chair.

Ioris told WPCNR there were no civil penalties he might have faced had he been found in violation. He said he would either have had to resign from the head of his Political Action Committee, or resign from the Planning Board.

 Now, with today’s ruling he is cleared of any “conflict of interest,” between any activities with the Mayor and that of the Planning Board.  Ioris said obviously someone does not like the fact that the Mayor can appoint whom he wants to city Boards.

WPCNR BACKROOM BULLETIN. By John F. Bailey. June 12, 2008: WPCNR has learned and Democratic leaders confirmed today that there is revolution in the air in the White Plains Democratic Party.  

Councilman Glen Hockley speaking at Flag Day Thursday morning in White Plains, a city celebration which he helped inaugurate.

Supporters of Councilman Glen Hockley are fanning out across the city, carrying petitions door to door in an effort to sign up enough registered  Democratic voters in White Plains 43 Districts so that a new cadre of district leaders supporting Mr. Hockley can unseat the current district leaders.

The effort  WPCNR has learned, is an organized strategy by Councilman Glen Hockley to orchestrate his being nominated for Mayor to run on the Democratic ticket in the fall of 2009. 

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. June 11, 2008 UPDATED JUNE 12, 2008 5:25 P.M. E.D.T.: The City of White Plains is advertising for a Budget Director, a position that has been vacant since  June 2, 2006, when Anne Reasoner left the position and later took the position as Depurty Budget Director  (in August, 2006)and then became Budget Director  with the County of Westchester in the Andrew Spano administration. The advertisement appeared June 4, 8 days ago on the government  employment website of the New York State Government Financial Officers Association.

In a statement to WPCNR, the Mayor's spokesperson, Melissa Lopez confirmed the search was on, but  whom any new Budget Director would report to, should they be hired, has not been determined. Ms. Lopez wrote: "As for the budget director, no decision has been made on the structure of the department yet. We are testing the waters to see if anyone qualifies. "

Asked if Gina Cuneo-Harwood, the Commissioner of Finance was leaving the city, Ms. Lopez said "No, absolutely not."

The advertisement does not indicate whom the Budget Director will report to. The last two years, Gina Cuneo-Harwood, the City Commissioner of Finance and currently Chief Financial Officer has prepared the budget. Previously the city has taken the position that they would attempt to consolidate services in the interest of saving money, but had not made a firm decision to abolish the budget department. The current 2008-2009 City Budget passed by the Common Council May 27, states that the Budget Director is to be paid $130,396.

The advertisement reads: