WPCNR PARALLEL LINES. By John F. Bailey. March 16, 2004: The Executive Board of the Parking Authority gave City Hall all it wanted last night approving $5 Million in new revenue streams to contribute to the city's soaring budget due to sales tax revenue lag and pension, health, salary, and erosion of assessments. The vote of the Executive Board was unanimous.

The Common Council still must approve the rate hikes in meter rates, garage hours, parking permits hours of meter operation (extending 6 P.M. to midnight), and the manna also includes a million dollars from Parking Authority Reserves.

One silver lining in the rate hikes is the city on street meters will be free from 12 midnight to 2 A.M. when all cars have to be off the street.

The $5 Million will only cover one/third the projected paper deficit, estimated by WPCNR based on Budget Director Ann Reasoner's January sales tax estimates, anticipated salary increases and general expenses as about $12 Million, making a double digit City Tax Increase likely. The Journal News quotes Mayor Joseph Delfino as calling for a 14% increase, the first time the city has put a figure on what residents may face.

The 2003-04 city budget is $104.3 Million. The projected $12 Million deficit would run the budget to $116 Million, without taking into account increased city expenses other than salaries, for all departments, the operation of Liberty Park, the possible acquisition of parkland from New York Presbyterian Hospital, and the expense of running the White Plains Performing Arts Center.

Budget worriers received some reason for optimism on money matters yesterday. A source, on condition of anonymity within city hall downplayed the significance of January and February Sales Tax receipts, (February was not revealed), showing the city running behind last year's sales tax pace. This source said that these were only estimates supplied by the Comptroller's office and did not reflect the real January, February receipts which would be reported at the end of March. This source said the January February "estimates" would not reflect  the receipts from new establishments, Fortunoff, Circuit City, Target, Applebee's, and the Performing Arts Center and movie theatres. Therefore, this source expected the city would be much better off than the now suspect January-February sales tax estimates indicate.

If Mayor Delfino is right, and the city needs to enact a 14% Tax Increase, the owner of a $600,000 home, assessed at $15,000, who is now paying $1,920 a year in City Taxes, would pay $363 more in 2004-05 City Taxes. Link this to the $360 more in School Taxes the same owner will pay under the projected $143.9 Million School Budget, and that owner will pay approximately $723 more in taxes to the city and the City School District next year.