WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2005. From Dennis Power. October 23, 2005: Friday afternoon Dennis Power, candidate for Mayor of White Plains held a short-notice news conference at Prospect and Soundview Avenues. Because WPCNR could not cover it, due to a prior assignment,  we present Mr. Power's prepared remarks taking Mayor Joseph Delfino to task for taking a cavalier attitude about complaints and feelings of White Plains citizens who disagree with him during last Wednesday evening's debate. The debate, held at White Plains High School was videotaped and is scheduled to be cablecast Monday through Friday at 8 P.M. on Government Access Channel 75. Mr. Power's remarks:

Dennis Power at News Conference Friday Afternoon. Photo, Courtesy, The Power Campaign

“I’d like to thank all of you for coming. The residents of White Plains, the press, and most importantly, those of you who’ve been so unfortunately downgraded in priority by City Hall during the growth of White Plains.

I’m here to tell you there are better days ahead for you.

First, many of you are here because this past Wednesday night, at the League of Women Voters Mayoral Debate at White Plains high school, you saw the realization of a very frightening attitude displayed by my Republican opponent, Mayor Joseph Delfino.

And you called me about it.

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Because you saw this man refer to the serious issues affecting you —such as parking nightmares, traffic headaches, and most importantly, responding to your needs— as “minutiae.” 

You saw a position of Mayor Delfino’s which has been evident for many years of his terms in office and one which I deplore.

My neighbors, our city is at a tipping point in its growth and we have no room for irresponsible attitudes and blatant disregard for the people who live here.

To say I was disappointed to see our so-called ‘leadership’ so blatantly shrug off the things that concern you most is an understatement.  But that’s just a summation of what you’ve seen from our mayor for years: unanswered calls, unreturned emails, a cold shoulder to your ideas and zero response to your crucial needs.

We’re at a time in our city and a time in our country where there’s no room for ignoring the public concern. We’ve seen it on a national level with natural disasters, educational and financial policy. Now we’re seeing the same style of disregard for people in White Plains right now.

Our Mayor’s categorizing resident’s concerns as “minutiae” has cemented his position in this election loudly and clearly:  SPECIAL INTERESTS COME FIRST AND YOU, THE RESIDENT, COME SECOND.

That’s not a future for White Plains, but my policy is, and you all are very familiar with it: RESIDENTS COME FIRST.

But I am one man, having spoken to many of you in the last two days. I urge you to judge for yourself. Mayor Delfino’s cavalier statement from the other night is all on video for you to see. And I urge you to check it out on Public Access cable when it airs next week on Channel 75.

But we’re here not just to make you aware of our mayor’s telling comment but to tell you how we’re going to solve this grave problem of unresponsiveness in our city.

We need to look at the bigger picture in this city. Not just one of new buildings and downtown vitality.  We love that, of course. I love our new downtown and for one am intent on seeing it grow smartly and properly.

But revitalization is only half the picture. And my Republican opponent has been grossly ignoring what makes up the second half of vitality: YOU THE RESIDENT.

I have a plan for the complete picture of the future of White Plains. The one that takes economic growth AND YOU into account.  Where you’re the top priority.

Now, Mayor Delfino tells us in a live forum the other night he doesn’t do email. That sums up the state of communications by him with you. It’s time for a modern approach.

When I’m elected your Mayor, I am going to create a 311-style phone-in system that’s operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  It will serve the sole purpose of allowing you to have your concerns heard and addressed, and opening that door of conversation with your mayor that’s been shut for eight long years.

We’ll fund it with grant sources and we’ll make sure that this already economical idea is efficient and effective. In fact, every one of you could have a sticker like this on your fridge or in your wallet, so you can be in constant access to your City Hall and that City Hall will be listening.

As our city grows rapidly, this is no time for restricting the thinking of residents. Your voice counts as much as developers’ and I’m going to see that you come first in this town.

And you know the state of things today do not afford us the luxury of poor or non-response. We live in the shadow of uncertainty with Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. Kensico Dam. We need the proper channels and modes of communication with government open and ready.

We need to make sure you can communicate concerns the right way with City Hall and that’s an integral part of my platform.

My Republican opponent has been concentrating on big developments downtown, leaving YOUR concerns on the side for others to take care of. It’s been his reputation as mayor, and he showed us the same bad habit when he served on the County level.

But never confuse lip service with public service.

Here’s more of what I’m going to do when it comes to communication and involving people in the process of government:

I am going to make sure that all of City Hall is more responsive to public inquiries, including the commissioners. I will make that key staff have voice mail so people can actually leave messages instead of having to call back numerous times.

I plan on having meetings out in the neighborhoods with the appropriate commissioners present so we can address concerns right there on the spot.

I’m going to bring a few of the regularly scheduled televised Common Council meetings out into the neighborhoods.

I’m also going to televise the “Citizens to be Heard” Meetings before Common Council so more people know what’s going.  I will also open up the Council Work Sessions and hold them in the Council Chambers so more people feel welcome to attend.

In general. I will open up the channels of communication at City Hall and make sure that the residents know that their ideas and concerns are respected and heard.

Neighbors, Joseph Delfino may think that concentrating on both growing our city AND responding to your needs is too much to handle. “Minutiae.”

But I can tell you— from 36 years of management experience and cutting my teeth on the trading desk on Wall Street — I know how to handle three or four phone calls at once. AND email!

We’re at a stage in our country where we have no choice but to make sure our leadership can deal quickly & decisively at the neighborhood level while still being able to deftly handle the big issues we face. The ones my opponent sees as “minutiae.”

You need a White Plains that looks at you as people and not shoppers.

You need a Mayor that’s out in neighborhoods and responding to people’s concerns.

You know that public service begins with the public. Residents come first.

That’s the only way for our city to truly prosper, and you shouldn’t have it any other way.

I thank you for your time today and I look forward to serving you as a responsible and responsive mayor.  And there’s one thing I will never forget as mayor:

RESIDENTS COME FIRST!”