WPCNR MR. & MRS. & MS. WHITE PLAINS VOICE. October 31, 2005: Mayor Alfred Del Vecchio responds to a recent reader's letter about the performance of previous Mayoral Administrations:
Mr. Austin,
For your edification the Galleria was built around 1981 and one billion dollars worth of construction took place immediately after that using 2/3 Federal money and 1/6 State funding. The rest was paid for with Parking Authority (no longer in existence) funds. Then, development created wealth FOR THE CITY whose taxes paid for programs to enrich the quality of life OF ITS RESIDENTS. Believe it or not, we actually lowered taxes!
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The present situation in White Plains is:
OUR TAX BASE HAS DECREASED
MOODY'S HAS ASSIGNED A "NEGATIVE OUTLOOK" TO WP MUNICIPAL BONDS.
OUR BUDGET IS BALANCED BY BORROWING MONEY, SELLING CITY PROPERTY AND CONFISCATING PARKING AUTHORITY FUNDS.
I certainly agree with you when you claim you know nothing about the efforts of previous mayors in the development of our city. That's painfully obvious. When you move back in I would be happy to talk to you and give you a bit of history of White Plains. I was mayor for eighteen years plus four as councilman. Joe was a councilman for eight years while I was mayor. Before that I was full professor of mechanical engineering at Manhattan College.
Alfred Del Vecchio
