WPCNR WHITE PLAINS VOICE. May 11, 2004: The former Mayor of White Plains, Alfred Del Vecchio, who ran White Plains for 18 years has written the following commentary on the city budget process now on hold for a week. In this letter to WPCNR, and in a different letter to The Journal News, the "Mayor for all Seasons" analyzes the current plan to dissolve the Parking Authority to shore up the city fund balance:
Mayor Alfred Del Vecchio. "The Mayor for All Seasons" Photo from White Plains Week Archive
The city has made a mess of its own finances, now they can make a mess of the Parking Authority's finances. Now garages will be built for whomever can exert political pressure on our elected officials or tempt them with political donations. The only acceptable reason for building a city garage is to satisfy city needs. Switching citizen control of the Authority to the mayor and council defeats the purpose of separating it from political influence. That's not going to help our bond rating. All that cash will certainly tempt mischief too. It happens.
As for our tax increase, what has happened to all the money the city was going to get from all the "renaissance" building in White Plains "without spending any taxpayer's money"? Did it go up in flames with our Fireclock? Can we put back the $60,000 we spent on our feasibility study? The excuse for a tax increase of having to make "unexpected" pension fund payments by Bob Greer is a phony one. Pension fund investments by the State went bad over two years ago. Anyone with half a brain would have known that the State would be asking for more money. Everyone connected with this fiasco should be held accountable NOW.
Alfred Del Vecchio
