WPCNR MR. AND MRS. AND MS. WHITE PLAINS VOICE. April 11, 2004: Last week, Mayor Joseph Delfino said he was proud of the White Plains Preliminary Budget presented very quietly last week, with no comment whatsover about it by Common Council or the Mayor until White Plains CitizeNetReporter wrote about it. Now, the fiscal purists are claiming that the Mayor's use of $8.7 Million of fund balance is not responsible, that it should not be used to pay labor settlements (running $4 million in new spending, among other ongoing expenses), pointing out amortization of pension contributions, selling of land, and other revenue raising moves indicate the city is overspending and depending on sluggish sales taxes to replenish the fund balance every year.

On the other hand, use of the fund balance prevents  a 15% tax increase. What do Mr. and Mrs. and Ms. White Plains think? Should sales tax surpluses that go into the fund balance be perpetually used to fund the deficit White Plains has run for now the fifth straight year? What do you think people? You're the tax payers. Do you like the way the Mayor pays the city's bills?