White Plains CitizeNetReporter - Whose Land Was it Anyway? The City's or the People's? Reader asks

WPCNR MR. & MRS. & MS. WHITE PLAINS VOICE. April 6, 2006: A reader points out that continuing an old policy just because it is old is sometimes not the wise course of action:

John F. Bailey
White Plains CitizeNetReporter

I was very impressed with the posting of the article “Railside Victory” Thank you. The article clearly represents in my opinion the views and sentiments of the citizens who attended the April 3, 2006 Common Council meeting and many of those who could not. Reflecting the sale of the “Cities” Railside Public Land. (Correction) Citizens Public Land, not the cities public land as in city owned government land.

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I believe a bit of political misconstrued information, understanding and or communication is being disseminated to the public concerning the ownership of so-called city owned properties. In essence foreclosed properties in which the city becomes Stewarts of, temporary baby sitters of. As in the long term held public land assets, the Railside property or any other land that the city purchases or pays long term taxes on through public tax funds. In this case over sixty years of taxpayer’s money paying taxes on the Railside land.

Ownership being defined as one, who pays for the land The operative word in definition is, paid for the land. Not takes possession of it and holds the legal bill of sale for it, or deed. Remember the operative word, “paid for it.”

It seems only proper to me as one of over fifty thousand plus White Plains tax payers and citizens paying taxes on the Railside land for 16 of the 40 plus years the land was being held by the city, the WP citizens should have the right to decide sale of the land or not sell the land through a public referendum. Known as a public vote, a majority, not an imbalanced minority 5 to 58.000.00 vote, Or a few individuals holding appointed committee positions and opinions on antiquated visions proposed to the city ten or fifteen years ago.

Remember I stated, “The city held the land” not owned land, a point to be argued and debated. Every city asset, every building, every property, is purchased through acquisition with public taxpayers funds. In White Plains becoming commonly known as consistent rising taxes or homeowner inexhaustible ATM funds.

“Any Time Money”

Past visions or lack of, recognized the imperative need to sell the Railside property and other foreclosed properties prior to the dedication and establishment of the Greenway Park. The land back then in its time obviously was considered as a lot of no great cash value for its time. In the late 80’s early 90’s during the corporate recession of White Plains Pre Mayor Delfino days, economic decline, and fiscal despair, the Budget Management Committee with good intentions recommends the sale of Railside properties. Remember pre-Greenway Park days.

The unfortunate mistake here, Railside should have become part of the Greenway at its inception, taken off the For Sale list, or at least protected from the inevitable April 3, 2006 catastrophic vote. We all heard opposing verbal diarrhetic speeches that attempted logical justification for the sale of the land, no need to reiterate such oral poop again. Rising taxes, rising taxes.

Bottom line, use the rising political tax fear strategy, never examine cause and effects, never look at alternatives, never conserve or cut, never reconsider not bonding secondary priorities like 5 million plus dollars on artificial football turf. Bottom line is always just the bottom line.

Nearly 16 years pass at Railside, the city dump becomes a 25-foot ridge of adjacent gaseous community fumes, chocking the homes on Railside, Commerce, Railside Commons, the rear playgrounds of Stepinac and the Greenway.

In a short 30 plus days, (two Common Council meetings, March and April) the Rocky Dell Reynal neighborhood, Railside, and the Greenway community get blind sided by 5 votes on April 3, 2006 and 60 plus years of our public land inheritance is decided, sold and taken away in 3 short hours at an entertaining evening of colorful concerned citizen debate. More meaningful and entertaining than any show I have paid to see at the Performing Arts Center in White Plains.

Thing about that, 60 years of natural land inheritance, our history, 30 day sale notice, 5 votes and in three short hours, bingo, the citizens of White Plains and all future generations loose a precious asset forever.

Brilliant , wouldn’t you say! I leave you with that thought, agree or not.

Carl Albanese
White Plains


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