WPCNR MR. & MRS. & MS. WHITE PLAINS VOICE. February 4, 2006: As the City of White Plains endeavors to put together the budget for 2006-2007, with sales tax projections again in doubt, and assessments continuing to dwindle, the burden of paying for increased city services, increased city administration salaries and operations for safety, public works, and the schools is falling heavily on the property owners of White Plains to make up the difference. The city growth is not increasing tax revenues as rapidly as the city and the school district are raising their budgets.

When New York City faced similar problems the Lindsay and Beame Administrations instituted the City Income Tax which taxed commuters to the city who did not live there. The White Plains Common Council and the financially creative Delfino Administration and Budget Committee could consider a commuter tax as a way out of their annual mystique and allure budget. Such a minimum "White Plains Tax" could easily fund the City of White Plains out of its budget income mess for years to come, taking a "not even noticed slice" out of the incomes of county workers, businesses and offices that demand city services but do not pay for them, and continue to file for certioraris every year, ruthlessly whittling the city tax base.

WPCNR has devised three city income tax scenarios. How does Mr. & Mrs. & Ms. White Plains feel about them? The first is a City Income Tax on persons who work in White Plains, but do not live here. The second is a city income tax on residents of the city home owners and renters, and property owners, on their incomes regardless of where they work, and the third would be a tax on all paychecks issued. The fourth is no income tax at all. The city income tax proceeds could be a non-fixed rate, perhaps being only enough to balance the budget each year, and it could be shared equally with the school district.

What do you think?