WPCNR FOR THE RECORD. April 29, 2008: Monday evening at the Common Council Budget Review session, John Ioris, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the White Plains Performing Arts Center began the Center presentation requesting a $150,000 increase in city funding from the council with a statement taking exception to a press report in the Journal News quoting him as asking the extra funding because of fears Louis Cappelli would withdraw his funding. Ioris, in addition, disputed the press report on theatre activities in the first half of 2007.

John Ioris, reading his statement Monday evening in the Mayor's Conference Room

Here is the text of Mr. Ioris' statement read to the Common Council:

Ø Mayor Delfino and Members of the Common Council.

Ø Good Evening.

Ø My name is John Ioris and I am speaking on behalf of the WPPAC where I serve as Chairman of the Board of Trustees.  Please allow me to take this opportunity to introduce several of my fellow Board Members who have joined us on this stormy evening.  Rick Ammirato, Bob Cole, Bill Fishman, our Vice-Chair Susan Egginton, Michael Katz, Ted Peluso, Greg Schaffert, Jeff Schlotman & Jack Batman.  Also present are our three ex-officio members, Commissioners Habel, Abramowitz & Nicoletti.

Ø Initially, I had not planned to be presenting to you this evening, but in light of a very recent occurrence I have decided to make a few comments.  Our Executive Producer, Jack Batman and our Treasurer, Ted Peluso will speak to you on the merits of the WPPAC and its position in our community.  They will be following my presentation shortly.  I am here to correct the gross inaccuracies and misstatement of facts that appeared in yesterday’s front page story in the Journal News and their potential impact on our organization going forward.

Ø Please indulge me a few moments to set the record straight and I promise not to bore you with insignificant details.  I will enumerate only three of the misstatements of facts that are contained in the article.  They are as follows:

1.   The article gives the impression or makes the implication that I personally am requesting the increase to our funding.  This premise is totally false.  The WPPAC has twenty-six voting members on its Board of Trustees and the decision to request additional funding from the City of White Plains, as well as all pertinent business decisions, are approved by our Board at regularly scheduled meetings.

2.   The article also gives the impression that the organization was requesting additional funding from the City in anticipation of a cut in our funding from the Cappelli Organization.  This premise is categorically false.  At no time was the WPPAC ever informed that Louis Cappelli was pulling his financial support from the theatre.  Quite the contrary.  During my tenure as Chairman dating back to November, 2006, a period of seventeen months, Louis Cappelli has contributed $400,000 to the WPPAC for use in our day-to-day operations.  Mr. Cappelli’s most recent contribution, $150,000, was received in March of this year.  Louis Cappelli has responded favorably each and every time I have requested his help for the WPPAC.  His role in the building of the theatre notwithstanding, the facts are what the facts are, the WPPAC would not exist in its current form without the support of the Cappelli Organization.  This being said, it is both presumptuous and foolhardy to assume that past contributions will automatically assure that future contributions will be forthcoming at the same levels.  Our organization must not lose sight of this premise.

3.   Regarding our financial performance, the article states that the WPPAC had a surplus of some $66,000 which was only accomplished because our stage went dark and this is how we saved money and achieved a surplus.  This is the most troublesome part of this entire story.  It is indeed true that we had a surplus of over $66,000 during my first year as Chairman.  It is totally and completely false that our stage was dark.  During this purported period of darkness, the WPPAC ran 54 different shows and events which totaled 94 performances.  These performances entertained 22,851 patrons.  During this dark period, the theatre generated $938,000 in revenues.  It should also be noted that the surplus was achieved during a period where the organization was adding new hires in anticipation of implementing our new business plan which included this production season which is currently concluding with How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.  I should also add with some measure of pride that the $66,000 surplus was the first operating surplus in the history of the organization.  In my own humble opinion, our staff should be congratulated for a job well done and not have their accomplishment demeaned by false statements.

Ø Coming to a conclusion, I will ask the Mayor, the Council Members and any citizens present, to think outside the box for a moment.  What was the news quality of this article?  Why did it appear on the front page of the Sunday paper on the day before this work session?  Was it to highlight the significance of $150,000 as a part of a nearly $162 million budget?  Did it mention that we have not had an increase in our funding since our inception?  I think not.  The only explanation that makes any sense is that it was a deliberate attempt to sabotage the funding for an Arts organization that belongs to the citizens of this City.  There is no other purpose that I can see and understand.

Ø This Mayor and this Council have presided over an unbelievable Renaissance of this City and the White Plains Performing Arts Center is a spawn of this great Renaissance.  It is one of, if not the Jewel, of this great City.  For this fact, all of you should be proud.  The WPPAC is not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue.  It is a quality of life issue that enhances the existence of all of the residents of the City.  This City, and all of its citizens, deserves the WPPAC.  With your help and the help of our volunteer Board and the business community at large, it can continue to thrive, grow, and prosper.

Ø Mayor Delfino, members of the Common Council, the WPPAC is asking you not allow a news reporter, supporting some unknown agenda, to use misstatemts and falsehoods to make legislative decisions on your behalf.  Each of you were elected by the citizens of White Plains to use your best judgment regarding the management of the affairs of this City.  Please use that judgment to evaluate our request fairly and on its merits.  Please do not make this, the Arts, a political issue.  What we are asking you is simple.  If you like the face that has been painted on the WPPAC and would like the face to remain unchanged, please approve our request to increase our funding.  If you do not wish us to continue on our current course, well, I’m sure you’ll tell us that too and I would then expect our request to be denied.

Ø I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have either now or at the conclusion of Jack and Ted’s comments.

Ø Thank you all very much for your time.