WPCNR MR. & MRS. & MS. White Plains Views. November 8, 2005: John Carlson, Common Council Candidate on Election Day posts this response to critiques of his candidacy:

Dear Mr. Bailey, 

Regarding the recent postings (which have been directly or indirectly critical of me) by Albanese and Austin, the larger question is -- Where are the letters or comments from the Common Council incumbents themselves? -- All who have been curiously very quiet.

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One must also realize that are current group of incumbents have been around from four to eight years; 16-years in one case – Indeed, according to “Bryant Austin” they too must be considered the “past administration.”  

But the current group of incumbents gave us the problems facing the city today – the downtown skyline, traffic, high parking rates, the “ticket blitz” and an increasing violent crime rate (the FBI reports While Plains’ violent crime rate is up 10% since 2000 while the USA’s is down 8%).  

Where is the bonanza that the incumbents have promised?  The answer is that the bonanza hasn’t materialized. 

Moreover, the city and its school system are on the "slippery slope" financially.

Remember, Moody's put the city on Negative Outlook since early 2004 and, around a year earlier, the city canceled its subscription to S&P's rating when the city was sure to be downgraded by S&P.  This happened under the “current administration.” 

So, if the city is on Negative Outlook, the citizens of White Plains must conclude that the “incumbents” are on Negative Outlook as well.

Indeed, among solving a number of problems, the city certainly needs, according to Moody's, to achieve structural financial balance.  This means that the city has been over-spending yet relying too much on homeowner real estate taxes, high parking fees & a "ticket blitz", and volatile sale taxes and one-time mortgage taxes. 

Not a very good combination. 

This is why the city is on Negative Outlook. This is why I am running for Common Council.  This is why other residents of White Plains are openly critical of the incumbents and what they have allowed to happen.

As a 30-year resident of White Plains and a retired corporate banker, I understand how the plummeting commercial tax assessments have made homeowners the city's "deep pockets."  

While I readily acknowledge that White Plains is the residential, cultural, intellectual, and commercial "capital" of Westchester County -- corrective action is needed.  Indeed, I plan to achieve structural financial balance through:

• careful budgeting,
• expense control and, above all,
• ending the "giveaways" developers and commercial property owners have been getting.  (These "giveaways" have hit the School System real hard!)

White Plains is Westchester County's residential, cultural, intellectual and business "Capital."  Also, the city is a $130+ million a year operation.  The city needs to end the Enron-type smoke and mirrors financial reporting in order to improve its Moody's rating and investor confidence.  More importantly, this would improve financial transparency for the people of White Plains. 

If elected to the Common Council I will recommend:

• Selection of a "big 4" auditor to replace the "Barker Street boys."
• Publishing the audited financials well before Election Day (the one-page summary that was released recently is too late, and totally insufficient -- not an example of forthright, honest financial reporting).
• Moving the city's fiscal year end from June 30th to an earlier date to achieve timely reporting.

Simply stated, I won't take "No" for an answer or accept the notion that "It can't be done" or that the "developers have rights" as excuses for not working for change for the citizens of White Plains.  I will work hard for the people of White Plains who themselves are hard working or retired homeowners and taxpayers --  I will put myself in your shoes.

Sincerely,

John Carlson