WPCNR MR. & MRS. & MS. WHITE PLAINS VOICE. October 30. 2005: A reader moving back into White Plains, questions the performance of the two previous Mayors, compared to the performance of Mayor Delfino:
John,
I've got a question for you about the upcoming Mayoral election in WP. I was just reading WPNCR to see what was going on in the area and I saw all this news about the last 2 mayors supporting Powers. Did I miss something here, but before Delfino - nothing was being done in downtown WP? I don't know much about any of these guys - but it seems to me that Delfino got things done.
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In my view, downtown WP was going nowhere but down for many years from an economic standpoint. And isn't that because those last 2 mayors didn't bring anything to the table? A lot of empty promises about a revitalized downtown that never materialized.
If that's the case - why would the support of those two previous Mayors matter? Isn't that why they got voted out of office?
Like I said, I don't know much about any of these guys, but it seems to me that under Delfino's watch - things got done in the downtown area. Change is good. It brings people back to the area. Developers have a choice of where they develop - and business is about making a profit. So of cause WP had to create an environment in which it was attractive for the developers to do business.
And what's up with this "traffic" and "parking" problems that people are complaining about???? Not for nothing - but I've been to downtown WP during lunch time and during rush hour evening traffic. WHAT TRAFFIC? I don't get it. I thought the people of WP would be happy for all the good development going on downtown. Is this just a few people complaining - or is this really the general feeling around town?
I am moving back to White Plains after being gone for many years. I choose this time to return because of the good things I see happening. I am buying into the vision of what White Plains can be. In my view, even more development needs to take place along Mamaroneck Ave and some of the cross streets.
Unfortunately I won't be back in time for the elections, but if I were, I would vote for Mayor Delfino based on what I've seen and read.
My mother is still in the area, as well as many cousins and friends. For those people that read this and say that I don't know what I'm talking about - they would be correct. I'm not tied into the politics of the area - nor do I know anything about what any of the previous mayors have done.
But I do know that for many years when I came back to visit, the city seemed to be going nowhere. A lot of hype about what was going to come - but nothing ever materialized.
But what I do know is that on each visit home to visit over the last 25 years - there was never any time when I would have wanted to move back. With the exception of swinging thru town to get a slice at Sunshine, there was never any reason to go downtown. I remember when Music Scene and Century's were on Main and I remember how vibrant the downtown area used to be in my youth (pre-Galleria).
But I am moving back now. And that's because I like what I see.
Bryant Austin
