WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. From the White Plains Library Foundation. December 15, 2018:
Editor’s Note: The White Plains Library Foundation has launched its annual fund drive. To underscore the new White Plains Library contribution to changing people’s lives through its new facilities and cutting edge technology availability they have printed some comments from citizens who use the new White Plains Library:
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WPCNR WATCH ON THE RHINE. From SEIU 32BJ. December 14, 2018:
Héctor Figueroa, President of 32BJ SEIU has issued this statement:
“We are horrified, angered and deeply saddened by the death of the 7-year-old girl from Guatemala in the custody of Border Patrol announced last night.
The Border Patrol needs to account for the 8-hour delay between apprehension of the girl and her father and the administration of medical care, and for the week long delay in releasing news of this tragic incident.
As the ACLU noted, the child’s death offers more evidence that a culture of cruelty has grown at the Border Patrol, highlighting the urgency of stopping the administration’s request for billions of more dollars in enforcement funding.
Instead, we need an immediate inquiry into this tragedy, and the adoption of reforms to prevent any future harm to migrants.
“As one of the largest unions in the United States representing immigrant workers, we feel that this girl’s tragic death is one more shocking example of the mistreatment of immigrants that the Trump administration has fostered with its brutal and racist nativism over the past two years.
The outcome of the midterm elections proved the majority of Americans reject the administration’s anti-immigrant fervor.
Our members stand with all those who protest the mistreatment of defenseless migrants, the inhumane restrictions on asylum procedures, the separation of children from their parents, the attempts to restrict legal immigration, the unnecessary and harmful push for billions of dollars for a border wall, and the administration’s myriad other forms of anti-immigrant cruelty.
We speak up for this nameless 7-year-old girl, and for the millions upon millions who daily suffer from the administration’s assault on the foreign-born.”
A LITTLE REALITY NEWS….AND AWAY WE GO!
BAILEY, KATZ, AND BENEROFE
ON
THE INTERNET
ON
GEORGE LATIMER’S 2019 UNCONTESTED BUDGET
UNRESOLVED: PLAYLAND, THE AIRPORT, THE REVENUES.
WHAT DID THEY DO WITH THE SALES TAX DOLLARS WINDFALL? ANYONE?
THE WESTCHESTER POWER/SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER SUCCESS STORY–
STILL TIME BROTHER TO CALL TO NAIL DOWN ONE ELECTRIC RATE-LOWER THAN CON ED’S FOR THE NEXT 2 YEARS WITH THE SMART CONSORTIUM TOWNS
WESTCHESTER POWER CONSORTIUM LETS YOU CONTROL HOW MUCH YOU PAY FOR ELECTRICITY
CAN THE FACEBOOK GROUPS BE OVER-THE-TOP LOCAL AND END THE NEWS DROUGHT?
PETER KATZ REMINISCES ABOUT JOURNALISM IN WESTCHESTER THE WAY IT ONCE WAS.
JOHN BAILEY QUIBBLES ABOUT THE 2019 BUDGET AND LACK OF ANSWERS
AND COFFE TABLE SIDE ON THE BIG RED RUG IN THE NATION’S CAPITOL
WWW WHITE HOUSE WRESTLE WRANGLE:
2 MEN, 1 WOMAN TRASH TALKING IN THE RING TO THE SHUTDOWN. LAST WORD WINS:
THE TRUMPSTER, POWERPELOSI, THE SCHUMERIZER
ON THE SHUTDOWN–5 MINUTES YOU’LL NEVER FORGET
AND MORE GOOD THINGS YOUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS DOING FOR YOU.
TUNE AT 7 PM MONDAY ON–FIOS 45 OR ALTICE CH. 76 OR THE INTERNET RIGHT NOW!
WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. December 13, 2018:
Speaking to the crowd gathered at a workshop entitled “Confronting Climate Change: What To Expect In Our Region,” County Executive George Latimer announced the creation of a Climate Crisis Task Force tackling actions needed to reduce Westchester’s carbon footprint and make us more resilient to climate change.
Steered by Sustainability and Energy Conservation Director Peter McCartt, the Task Force led by Janet Harckham, Beth Sauerhaft and Anjali Sauthoff will be creating short-term action initiatives the County can take, while in parallel working on an updated long-term Climate Action Plan. Both of these moves will help shape Westchester’s climate future both now and going forward.
Latimer said: “Westchester County is one part of a very large puzzle in the Country – and we all must work together to make a big impact on stopping climate change. While certain levels of government might down play its impact – and even say its fiction – I don’t. We are going to fight for our climate’s future – we are going to do it together – and it starts right here at home.”
McCartt said: “I am proud of the work we are doing here in Westchester County under County Executive Latimer’s leadership. Global warming is real and we need to address our critical infrastructure to withstand rising waters on both sides of the county. Devastating storms and flood surges are going to be much more intense and frequent, we need to build resilience in addition to being proactive on long term sustainability.”
This task force joins an already extensive list of actions taken by the Latimer Administration aimed at combatting global climate change. A few of these actions include:
· Entering into a Demand Response Program that eliminates the chance of brown-outs and black-outs and the subsequent need for more expensive infrastructure repairs and upgrades;
· Solarizing County properties and facilities while creating energy savings and minimizing expensive and non-sustainable infrastructure construction;
· Electrifying County Fleets which will result in savings on repairs and fuel costs, reducing reliance on fossil-fuels and reducing pollutants;
· Expanding electronic vehicle infrastructure, creating a network of charging stations across the county.
· Expanding recycling measures, including new programs for textile and food scrap recycling which minimizes waste disposal expenses including incineration;
· Initiating a teleconferencing system which minimizes travel expenses as well reducing vehicle emissions; and
· Installing 30,000 LED bulbs County-wide that maximizes energy savings and lowers the cost of maintenance of lighting.
We’re thrilled to add The Jewish Museum to our Museum Pass Program. The Library pass—which will be available for borrowing beginning Monday, December 17—provides free admission for two adults and all children 18 and under.
Located on New York City’s Museum Mile—at Fifth Avenue and 92 Street—the Jewish Museum is at the intersection of art and Jewish culture, for people of all backgrounds. Founded in 1904, the Museum was the first institution of its kind in the United States and one of the oldest Jewish museums in the world.
In addition to temporary exhibits, the Museum maintains a unique collection of nearly 30,000 works of art some of which is always on display. For current and future exhibits, visit the museum’s website.
The Library’s Museum Pass Program, that now includes 15 institutions, allows card holders to borrow a pass and visit a museum either for free or at a discounted rate. To reserve a Museum Pass, please visit our website or call us at (914) 422-1480. Note: The Museum Pass Program is for White Plains Public Library cardholders only.
PEOPLE TO BE HEARD
REMEMBERS
MAYOR ALFRED DEL VECCHIO
INTERVIEWED ON WHITE PLAINS WEEK
JULY 20, 2001
17 YEARS AGO
MAYOR DEL VECCHIO ON
HIS 18 YEARS AS MAYOR OF WHITE PLAINS
HOW URBAN RENEWAL WAS STARTED AFTER 16 YEAR DELAY
WHAT WHITE PLAINS WAS LIKE IN THE MID-1970S
WHAT HE LEARNED FROM POLITICS
ADVICE FOR THE FUTURE
Mayor Del Vecchio, July 20, 2001
On July 20, 2001, on White Plains Television, John Bailey, Alex Philippidis then of the Westchester County Business Journal, and Jim Benerofe of Suburban Street interviewed the former Mayor of White Plains, Alfred Del Vecchio eight years after he left office to discuss his 18 years as Mayor.
Mayor Del Vecchio passed away December 5.
PEOPLE TO BE HEARD presents this insightful interview tonight at 8 PM as a thoughtful footnote to the history of White Plains and Mayor Del Vecchio’s role in creating the White Plains of today.
See it this evening at 7 countywide on Verizon Fios channel 45 and Altice Ch 76 in White Plains and on www.wpcommunitymedia.org
WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. December 12, 2018:
Westchester residents can reduce their cost of tuition at community colleges outside of the County.
Certificates of Residence, which can be obtained from the Department of Finance, qualify students for residential rates at two-year SUNY and CUNY colleges. Applications can be found on the Department of Finance’s website and must be submitted by mail.
So far, 1,742 certificates have been issued in 2018. That number is expected to be closer to 2,000 as students begin to submit applications for the Spring 2019 semester.
Commissioner of Finance Ann Marie Berg said the department has seen an increase in the number of applications over the last few years.
Berg said: “with online classes it’s even more popular because people can easily take classes outside of the County.”
“There is no cost involved to get the certificate,” said Berg. “If you meet the resident requirement for Westchester and New York State and are attending a community college outside of Westchester County you’ll get the financial benefit.”
Students who have lived in Westchester for 6 months, and New York State for 1 year, qualify for the Program.
Today, at 12 Noon, Karen Marie Marmer, violin and Dongsok Shin fortepiano, principals of the internationally acclaimed REBEL Ensemble for Baroque Music, play an all Mozart program featuring sonatas for violin and fortepiano and a work for keyboard solo. This concert is made possible, in part, with the generous support of Dagher Engineering, PLLC.
Upcoming concerts:
December 19 Angelica – A visit from this wonderful chamber choir, directed by Marie Caruso, has become a seasonal tradition for our Downtown Music audience. This year’s program will feature medieval and renaissance Yuletide selections plus Joshua Himes’s stunning contemporary setting of There Is No Rose as well as seasonal favorites. Joining Angelica is percussionist Rex Benincasa. This concert is made possible, in part, with the generous support of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
JANUARY 9 Internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano MaryAnn McCormick has performed at La Scala, with the opera companies of Rome and Turin, the Lyric Opera of Chicago and, for 25 seasons, with the Metropolitan Opera. She has appeared in concert with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields.
She is joined by the celebrated American pianist Kayo Iwama, who has been heard in concert at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center, Weill Recital Hall, the Morgan Library, Boston’s Jordan Hall, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood, and the Kennedy Center. Together, they will offer Schubertiade – A program of Selected Lieder of Franz Schubert. A Downtown Music debut.This concert is made possible, in part, with the generous support of Dagher Engineering, PLLC.
JANUARY 16 The musicians of the Westchester Philharmonic return for one of their exciting chamber music concerts. Please consult our website, www.DTMusic.org, for details. This concert is made possible with the generous support of the Brian Wallach Agency, White Plains, New York. Personal and Commercial Insurance since 1949.
JANUARY 23 Pianist Anastasia Dedik, cellist Rubin Kodheli, and flutist Jessica Taskov offer a program of virtuosic works from around the globe including music of Beethoven and Villa Lobos. A Downtown Music debut. This concert is made possible, in part, with the generous support of Beverley and Sabin Streeter.
JANUARY 30 The Manhattan Saxophone Quartet has performed in concert at the Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Symphony Space, and Yale University. Jordan Smith, Aaron Patterson, Daniel Kochersberger, and Jay Rattman offer a survey of 150 years of music for this unique combination of instruments including, from 1857, the first music ever composed for saxophone quartet. A Downtown Music debut. This concert is made possible, in part, with the generous support of Ridgeway Garden Center, White Plains, and Lago Ristorante, West Harrison.
WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the Office of State Senator Anrea Stewart-Cousins.December 11, 2018:
Incoming State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins has announced committee chair assignments for the upcoming legislative session:
WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. December 10, 2018 (EDITED):
The Westchester County Board of Legislators passed the $1.94 billion operating budget by a vote of 13-4, Monday morning. The vote, according to the Board, begins the process of restoring the County perhaps to financial stability, and is the first step in a long-term process of resolving structural imbalances, rebuilding the County’s fund balance. Previous votes by the very same legislators voting for the budget were responsible for creating the “imbalances” through 7 years of approving former County Executive Robert Astorino’s budgets. The budget increases funding for essential social services.
After two years of deficits that resulted in the County drawing down rainy day funds by more than $70 million, the 2019 operating budget does not require the use of the fund balance.
(Editor’s Observation: It is unclear at this time whether the $25 Million surplus in sales tax revenues (through October), which presently if November December numbers rebound to the 6% increase they had shown the first six months of this year, the county will have a $555 Million sales tax handle, $30 Million more than last year. It is unclear in the Board of Legislators news release on the budget where that sales tax revenue surplus is going.)
The budget provides increased funding for nonprofits, whose work saves the County money by providing services that keep people working, keep people in their homes and train the next generation of businesses leaders. The budget restores funding for additional daycare slots that help parents keep working and give youngsters access to important early childhood development programs.
Importantly, the budget ensures that the County will continue to provide crucial funding for public safety, health and mental health, consumer protection, parks, seniors and youth; and the 2019 capital budget makes sure we continue to invest in upgrading our infrastructure, which is so important to the quality of life for Westchester residents and helps make Westchester attractive to businesses.
The County number of employees remains essentially flat in the new budget, and the County now has contracts with all its unions for the first time in seven years.
In order to address structural imbalances, the County must increase its recurring revenue. This budget includes a 2% property tax increase. Although no one wants to have their taxes increased, we have tried to minimize the impact on taxpayers.
Some one-shot revenues are used to balance the operating budget. In the past, legislators have criticized the use of one-shots as not sustainable, but given the County’s short term financial position — including the need to pay for contract settlements that were not budgeted for over seven years – the County must resort to some one-shots now.
The biggest one-shot is the transfer of the County Center parking lots from one government entity to another. This $23 million deal will allow the County to monetize in 2019 future revenue at the lots. It will not change the use of the land in any way.
The Board of Legislators will continue to work with the County Executive to seek new revenue sources from the state legislature and the governor as we build a bridge to a better financial future for Westchester County.
Board Chair Ben Boykin, (D- White Plains, Scarsdale, Harrison), said, “This begins the process of stabilizing our finances and lays the groundwork for a brighter financial future for Westchester County. With the budgets we passed today – operating, capital and special districts — we are able to protect the health and safety of our residents and provide funding to rebuild our aging infrastructure.”
Legislator Catherine Borgia (D – Briarcliff Manor, Cortlandt, Croton-on-Hudson, Ossining, Peekskill), chair of the Board’s Budget and Appropriations Committee, said, “This budget is not perfect, but it begins to turn the ship around after years of short-sighted financial decisions by the prior administration. I’m especially happy that we could budget more money for not-for-profits and daycare – these things save the County money in the long term, and make Westchester more livable.”
Board Vice Chair Alfreda Williams (D – Elmsford, Greenburgh, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown) said, “This 2019 budget allows us to continue to provide the important health, public safety, child care, consumer protection and other services for Westchester families, seniors and youth while we begin to address structural financial problems inherited from the administration of the prior County Executive. I’m particularly pleased that the budget process has moved forward with a new spirit of transparency and cooperation.”
Majority Leader Catherine Parker (D – Harrison, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Rye) said, “I’m proud that our new leadership has begun putting the County’s finances back on track. I’m also particularly happy that we’ve been able to reduce the aggregate sewer district tax levy to 2% from 2.9% after a thoughtful analysis by Citizens Budget Advisory Committee member Rodman Reef.”
Majority Whip MaryJane Shimsky (D – Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Edgemont, Hartsdale, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington), chair of the Board’s Public Works Committee, said, “We have much to do in this County to put things right after years of irresponsible decisions left us with extensive maintenance needs for which money had never been budgeted; and with a backlog of capital projects the County desperately needs. I’m happy to say that with our 2019 budgets we’re able to begin climbing out of our fiscal and operational hole. While there’s more to be done, this is a start.”
To see the County budget documents and records of the Board’s budget deliberations, visit the FY2019 Budget Dashboard on our website: https://www.westchesterlegislators.com/fy-2019-budget-dashboard.
