PRESORTED STANDARD PERMIT #3036 WHITE PLAINS NY
Vol. V No. VII
Westchester’s Most Influential Weekly
Salt Wars to Slander By Abby Luby, Page 19
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Northern Westchester Pg 4
Heavy Lifting Pg 8
Fashion Flights of Fancy Pg 10
County Legislator Myers Pg 15
The President’s Perspective Pg 18
A Father’s Journey Pg 18
Tenure and Seniority Pg 20
Road salt being stored in the salt dome last week. westchesterguardian.com
A Guy Walks Into a Bar
Pg 30
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The Westchester Guardian
Of Significance Hezitorial......................................................................................2 Community..................................................................................4 Court.............................................................................................6 Cuisine..........................................................................................6 Economic Development..............................................................7 Education.....................................................................................9 Fashion.......................................................................................10 Government...............................................................................12 Health.........................................................................................18 Investigation...............................................................................19 labor............................................................................................20 Letters.........................................................................................21 Oped...........................................................................................21 Politics.........................................................................................25 Shifting Gears............................................................................25 Showprep....................................................................................26 Spoof...........................................................................................27 Sports..........................................................................................27 Theatre........................................................................................28 Truth and Justice........................................................................29 The Jokester................................................................................30 Legal Notices..............................................................................31
Westchester’s Most Influential Weekly
Guardian News Corp. P.O. Box 8 New Rochelle, New York 10801 Sam Zherka , Publisher & President publisher@westchesterguardian.com Hezi Aris, Editor-in-Chief & Vice President whyteditor@gmail.com Advertising: (914) 632-2540 News and Photos: (914) 632-2540 Fax: (914) 633-0806 Published online every Monday Print edition distributed Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday Graphic Design: Watterson Studios, Inc. wattersonstudios.com
westchesterguardian.com
THURSDAY, FebrUary 17, 2011
The Hezitorial by Hezi Aris
Awaiting Our Elected Officials Abide by the Tenets of Our Democracy
Daniel Pipes measured analysis of the upheaval rocking the foundation of governance in Egypt is worthy of reflection as to how it may be used as a yardstick in scrutinizing our own.. [Reference: Why Egypt Will Not Soon Become Democratic By Daniel Pipes...see page 16.] At issue before us in Westchester County today, and specifically here in Yonkers is whether the institutions of democracy, written by our forefathers, and the envy of the world, continuing its present evolutionary path, conforms to what we surmise those documents espoused and emphatically stated. “...democracy is more than holding elections; it requires the development of civil society, meaning such complex and counterintuitive institutions as the rule of law, an independent judiciary, multiple political parties, minority rights, voluntary associations, freedom of expression, movement, and assembly,” writes Middle East Forum Director Daniel Pipes.”Democracy is a learned habit, not an instinctive one, that requires deep attitudinal changes such as a culture of restraint, a commonality of values, a respect for differences of view, the concept of loyal opposition, and a sense of civic responsibility.” For us locally, therein lies the rub. Yonkersites have suffered the non-benevolent idiosyncracies and wrath of leaders who have blamed The People its failures by their lack of vision and lack of planning; not ours. For every cycle of economic development possibility Yonkers has negotiated paltry return on the taxpayer’s investment. When Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone presents the State of the City later this month, on February 23, 2011 we understand, he will wax eloquently over all the pipe dream accomplishments which have not materialized under his watch. He will claim success despite Yonkers having been left with nothing to show for his ineptitude in governance over 15 years at the helm except for a decaying infrastructure, poor relations with the union membership, rising taxation, a media castrated by his hand, no reasonable and accomplishable vision, while he shuns critics of his failures and deficient imprint on the Yonkers landscape and political arena. Pipes continues by writing, “Further, elections need to be practiced to be made perfect. Ideally, a country starts electing at the municipal level and moves to the national, it begins with the legislative branch and moves to the
executive.” Juxtaposed to the way it should be both county wide and city wide, the idealism infused in our minds have been commandeered by so-called disparate political parties with the acquiescence and support of those elected in what has become known as the “non-aggression pacts” wherein the so-called ruling elite dice and slice the wealth inherent in patronage through a “family and friends network” thereby succeeding in perpetuating the diminution of democracy as it was taught to us from K-12, and beyond. Pipes postulates “Simultaneously, the press needs to acquire full freedoms,” which locally we have caused to atrophy by permitting what should be public access television to what it has become; an organ of government, eviscerating the essence of critical reporting to the monotonous repetition of “propaganda” because it is not balanced in its disbursement of facts. This procession of arrogance has escalated to the point where Mayor Amicone ordered the stealing of newspaper stands owned and filled with The Westchester Guardian newspaper which led to a court decision holding the mayor personally liable for his transgression beyond the duties and responsibilities drawn by the Charter of the City of Yonkers and the U.S. Constitution that prohibits his action. To that end, he is liable an $8 million judgment. Further, under his watch and direction, the Yonkers Tribune Web site has for over six years been excluded from access within Yonkers City Hall and the Yonkers Board of Education claiming the Web site would entice City Hall employees to squander their time on the Web site, all the while City Hall permits access to Web sites that permit shopping online and even porn sites to be accessible. The temerity of government continues to this day without a word from media who profess freedom of the Fourth Estate yet who yearn the advertising dollar more than divulging the news as it is rather than as formulated by the spinmeisters of Yonkers City Hall, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Port Chester, Eastchester, among others. Were media to conduct itself by the dictates of an ethical compass, giving credence and voice to all silenced the ability to vocalize their issues and concerns within proportions judged, as well as responsive to criticism openly and honestly, the Continued on page 3
The Westchester Guardian
THE HEZITORIAL
Awaiting Our Elected Officials Abide by the Tenets of Our Democracy Continued from page 2 evolution to which others beyond our borders ascribe and dream of may take hold sooner within our borders. Mr Pipes asserts “political parties should mature...” The skullduggery, the trickery, the obfuscation within each respective party among us has shown that the allegiance of political parties is to agenda born only out of patronage. To that end, each party concurs. They switch sides walking the halls of power to the exclusion of The People and too often to their own aggrandizement, without explanation and residual after affects of their conduct, dismissing The People’s right to know. This is accomplished by riding rough shod over those who would enter the political process. Instead, the parties have committed infanticide among those who have joined their respective folds. Today, each party is devoid of talent worthy of the offices they may stand a candidate. The parties have stagnated under their own devices and believe they have “won” by excluding our young from advancement. This must change. The freshness of youth must be nurtured yet balanced by the maturity of experience and age without repression of the vitality and respect for the legitimate perspective of young people. Pipes delineates “parliament should gain authority at the expense of the executive.” In Yonkers, Yonkers City Council President Chuck Lesnick has chosen to enable and facilitate the often inept propositions promoted by the Executive branch of office, that is, of Mayor Phil Amicone, to the exclusion of his role which is to represent The People rather than the Mayor of Yonkers. Mr Lesnick is incapable of learning his role. His interest is strictly to catapult himself to higher office, The People be damned. After all, it is all about Chuck. Say “cheese,” Chuck. Click. Mr Pipes further notes, “and judges should adjudicate between them.” In Yonkers, Inspector General Dan Schorr, a political operative has no interest in doing the right thing. He sloughs off his responsibility of the theft of services of the Yonkers Parking Authority by Yonkers City Council Majority Leader Patricia McDow onto the volunteer
Yonkers Board of Ethics over which Mayor Amicone has appointed each board member, some who are in the City of Yonkers’ employ and others are still paying off their debt for the gains they earned as part of the “Family and Friends Network.” There will unlikely be an open and transparent deduction of thought over the theft of services first divulged in the Yonkers Tribune by the Yonkers Board of Ethics as they tend to close their meetings to media by conducting “executive sessions.” So much for transparency. and open government. A transformation of society in Egypt will take place within months or even years. Mr Pipes notes “the historical record shows that it takes decades fully to implement. It is out of the question that an Egypt with minor experience in democracy can put together enough of these components in twelve months to establish a fully democratic order.” As gut wrenching as it is to write, much less inculcate into ones own mind, the so-called democracy under whose aegis Yonkers has kowtowed is in reality an autocratic rule of paternalistic fervor which rests on the tenet of “my way or the highway” protocol to which fear and retibution of loss of employment has caused Yonkers to submit. The telling of the theft of salt by a Yonkers employee exposed a theft endorsed with full knowledge of City Hall. The flap over its telling, Yonkers Tribune has been told, was the culprit allegedly losing his pension. The acidtongued blogger who told us of the “crime” broke the silence despite the “silence of fear” imposed on our entire populace. The fear of retribution by the finger pointing Mayor Amicone is such to preserve a legacy of dysfunction that by its very silence has become the myth that shrouds the City of Gracious Living in disfavor even among Yonkersites. Has Yonkers only been a transient point between The Bronx and Yorktown and Mahopac? Have Yonkersites created a homogeneity among its new domiciles about which the ills of Yonkers have been resurrected with no one left to blame by the silence about us? How often do those Continued on page 4
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COMMUNITY
THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2010 Awaiting Our Elected Officials Abide by the Tenets of Our Democracy Continued from page 3 that depart delete their time in Yonkers to ascribe themselves to The Bronx diaspora and not of Yonkers? Pity there is much to be proud of The People of Yonkers. These are the issues Yonkers and much of Westchester County must grapple with in order to achieve the tenets of democracy for which The People crave. At this moment in time, democracy within the City of Yonkers is not in the offing. Yonkersites are shunned, dismissed, ridiculed, and marginalized by the people we elect to office. How strange is that? As Yonkers prepares to choose a leader this November, the prospects are shallow from every political perspective. The tragedy in Yonkers is that a candidate worthy of office, whether that for mayor, council member, or county legislator cleaves to the tenets of party with little or no connection to the city and/or the constituents they are meant to represent.
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Sad, but true. Second, whichever scenario one plays out, democracy is not in the offing. As regards Egypt, Mr Pipes writes, “However looked at – abstractly or specifically – Egyptians are in for a rough ride ahead, without imminent prospect of choosing their leaders. Perhaps the wake up call first ignited in Tunisia, now engulfing Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Lebanon, and potentially others within the Arab world, will be heeded in Yonkers so as to return the principles of democracy among Yonkersites. Mr. Pipes is director of the Middle East Forum and Taube distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University. He has lived for three years in Egypt. Hezi Aris is the Publisher / Editor of the Yonkers Tribune and the Editor of The Westchester Guardian.
Mission Statement
The Westchester Guardian is a weekly newspaper devoted to the unbiased reporting of events and developments that are newsworthy and significant to readers living in, and/or employed in, Westchester County. The Guardian will strive to report fairly, and objectively, reliable information without favor or compromise. Our first duty will be to the PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO KNOW, by the exposure of truth, without fear or hesitation, no matter where the pursuit may lead, in the finest tradition of FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The Guardian will cover news and events relevant to residents and businesses all over Westchester County. As a weekly, rather than focusing on the immediacy of delivery more associated with daily journals, we will instead seek to provide the broader, more comprehensive, chronological step-by-step accounting of events, enlightened with analysis, where appropriate. From amongst journalism’s classic key-words: who, what, when, where, why, and how, the why and how will drive our pursuit. We will use our more abundant time, and our resources, to get past the initial ‘spin’ and ‘damage control’ often characteristic of immediate news releases, to reach the very heart of the matter: the truth. We will take our readers to a point of understanding and insight which cannot be obtained elsewhere. To succeed, we must recognize from the outset that bigger is not necessarily better. And, furthermore, we will acknowledge that we cannot be all things to all readers. We must carefully balance the presentation of relevant, hard-hitting, Westchester news and commentary, with features and columns useful in daily living and employment in, and around, the county. We must stay trim and flexible if we are to succeed.
News & Notes from Northern Westchester By Mark Jeffers
Welcome to the first edition of “News & Notes from Northern Westchester,” where we take a look at the happenings up here in the northern part of the county…
Saw Mill Club East, where you can work off those extra pounds, they are located at 333 N. Bedford Road in Mount Kisco. The Fox Lane Sports Booster Club recently held its second annual “Basketball for Boosters,” fund raising event, it was a blast from the kids basketball clinic through the adults hard hitting 3 on 3 tournament, the whole day was a great success. A terrific time was had by all at the post tourney bash at the Crabtree Kittle House. Kudos to the band Voodoo Carnival, who kept the party rocking. The event will help fund the continued renovation of the During the recent food drive for the Community Center of Northern Westchester, Board member MaryEllen McLaughlin discusses the Center’s Fox Lane Middle Athletic/ needs with Mark Jeffers and Brian Crowell on WFAS-AM’s sports talk School Softball field. show, “The Clubhouse,” at Grand Prix New York in Mount Kisco. My darling wife Enough with the snow all ready… dug up this gem, recycling is happening as a kid, I would wake up in upstate NY every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and turn on the radio and hope to hear from 8am to 3pm at the Bedford Recycling the words “Oneonta schools closed!”, Center on Adams Street in Bedford Hills. here in Bedford, they really know how to She’s a regular customer and notices that notify the cancellation of schools…telewe aren’t the only folks enjoying a glass phone calls to your cell, home and office, of wine in now and then… The GLASS emails to all accounts, Cable News 12 ONLY container should be called the Westchester TV coverage and the radio. WINE BOTTLES ONLY container I think social marketers should take this from the number of bottles she sees each work as a great example on how to reach week. your audience. I will say the voice on the Need help on your tax returns, well recorded message is starting to get a tad volunteers from AARP will be offering tired; last week’s was “Yep, you know the tax advice and preparation tips at the rule, no school…” Katonah Library, February 1 through In the spirit of the world of marketing, April 18. we are seeking offers for the naming rights Speaking of libraries, the Bedford Hills Free Library has their on-going book to this column. We see nothing wrong sale happening in the front entry. Good with the “Nokia Notes,” “MasterCard books at great prices stop by and check it Mayhem or “Heineken Happy News.” out. If you want to make a book donation, Please send all offers to the attention of give them a ring at 914-666-6472. our beloved editor… Here’s an event you won’t want to If you are still trying to keep your miss, “A Night of Comedy” to benefit New Year’s resolution of eating better the Bedford Community Theatre on and losing weight, here are two ideas; February 12, 8-11pm, at the Bedford the Mount Kisco Farmers Market is now Hills Community House, for ticket open through May on Saturdays. They information call 914-244-0474. have organic bread, orchid fruit, seasonal If art is your interest, check out the produce and lots of other good eating. latest collection “Drawn/Taped/Burned: The Market is located at 351 Main Street Continued on page 5 in Mount Kisco…and just opening is the
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COMMUNITY
News & Notes from Northern Westchester Continued from page 4 Abstraction on Paper” at the Katonah Museum of Art, call the museum for more information 914-232-9555. The Community Center of Northern Westchester is currently in need of breakfast cereal (hot and cold); canned meat and pasta (chili, beef stew, ravioli); small bags of rice (1 or 2 lbs); pasta (1 lb bag or box); juice (family size); canned fruit; baby food and diapers. You can drop off any of these items at the Center at 84 Bedford Road in Katonah or call 914-232-6572. Turning to sports… Congratulations to the Fox Lane wrestling team for capturing the Super 16 title, and a special salute to Coach Joe Amuso for his 40 years of dedication to the sport of wrestling. With all the great high school sports teams here in northern Westchester, Cablevision’s latest channel entry MSG Varsity, has been broadcasting some
outstanding teams and match-ups, now if we can only find the channel on our TV remote. In a related matter, in an effort to get more added value for their teams, Cablevision, the owner of both the Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden, has asked the Knicks and Rangers to join the Rockettes in workouts this season. Did you know that Virgin Air is becoming a sponsor for Formula One Racing next season, maybe they should take a few practice laps up and down Route 684…the speed limit is 65, but you’d never know it… As you know we live in a hockey hot bed, try saying that 3 times fast…well, did you know a new cable sports startup, the Ice Channel has had a slow launch, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised, we all know how long it takes glaciers to form… Speaking of hockey, at Harvey the fans are so lively; the other night one parent got thrown into the penalty box… just kidding! That will wrap it up for this edition of “News & Notes.”
Hair Dimensions Salons and the Melting Pot Hold “Fondue-Raiser” By Bary Alyssa Johnson
Hair Dimensions Salons and the Melting Pot Restaurant in White Plains have joined forces again this year to sponsor its third annual dinner to raise funds for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women initiative. Franco and Vanessa Osso, the dynamic father-daughter duo behind Hair Dimensions Salons says they met Will Layfield, proprietor for the Melting Pot several years ago and agreed on the fundraising project. “We brainstormed together on this ‘Fondue-raiser’ event three years ago,” Vanessa Osso told the Westchester
Vanessa & Franco Osso alongside Melting Pot General Manager Kathy Longo.
Guardian. “We’ve partnered with the American Heart Association and we’ve been here throwing this event since then and it’s been great.” Continued on page 6
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COURT
Hair Dimensions Salons and the Melting Pot Hold “Fondue-Raiser” Continued from page 5 The Osso’s are a charitable family and participate in many fundraisers for different causes throughout the year.
Tonight’s ‘Fondue-raiser’ falls at the beginning of American Heart Month. The 3rd annual dinner event is created to raise proceeds for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women initiative, which is designed to empower women to take charge of their heart health, according to its Web site. The dinner, which included a cheese fondue, salad and chocolate fondue for dessert cost $33.95 per person, including a $10 donation that goes to the American Heart Association. Throughout the evening, guests were able to purchase raffle tickets for various prizes, buy red hair extensions for $10 to go toward the AHA and get free makeup consultations. Also available were samples of specialty mixed drink from another co-sponsor: Hypnotiq Liquor. Hypnotiq provided complimentary gift bags for each guest to take home with them as well. “We’re hoping for a nice turnout despite the bad weather,” said Franco Osso. “For the past two years we’ve had a tremendous turnout. Last year there were about 200 people, there was hardly any room to stand.”
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“Last year was great, we raised about $1,600,” Vanessa added. Hair Dimensions Salons have their plate full with another charity event scheduled for this weekend, Friday 2/11 through Sunday 2/13. The event, which will take place at both the Bronxville and Yonkers locations is called “Rescue Your Sweetheart This Valentines Day.” It was created to support Yonkers animal shelters and to encourage the adoption of cats and dogs from these shelters. The Osso’s are also asking for pet donations, including blankets, towels, food and toys. “The poor animals are just laying in their cages in the cold on cement floors,” Vanessa said with a frown. “We hope that a lot of them are rescued and adopted out this weekend.” More information is available on the Salon Website www.hairdimensionsalons.com. Photos by and courtesy of Bary Alyssa Johnson. Local resident Bary Alyssa Johnson covers Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Rye, and Rye Brook, as well as the evolving world of electronics and technology.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Please submit your Letter to the Editor electronically, that is by directing email to WHYTeditor@gmail.com Please confine your writing to between 350 and 500 words. Your name, address, and telephone contact is requested for verification purpose only. A Letter to the Editor will be accepted at the editor’s discretion when space permits. A maximum of one submission per month may be accepted.
Ossining Seeks Town Justice Candidates to Fill Unexpired Term Ossining, NY -- The Town of Ossining is accepting resumes for candidates interested in serving in the position of Town Justice. This position fills the unexpired term of a retiring Town Justice, and extends from March 15, 2011 to December 31, 2011. Ossining Town Justice is an elected 4-year position; the winner of the November 2011 election will fill this office beginning January 1, 2012. The successful applicant must be a resident of the Town of Ossining, be in good standing and licensed to practice law in the State of New York with a minimum of five (5) years of experience in the practice of civil/criminal law, and must carry out the functions of the office as defined by Town Law. Annual Salary is $35,783. Courtroom experience and trial experience required. Individual must possess excellent people skills and have the ability to interact well with the public, other town justices and staff. The Town of Ossining Justice Court has full jurisdiction of Criminal and Vehicle and Traffic Misdemeanors,
Violations, and Infractions occurring within the Unincorporated Area of the Town of Ossining. The Town Justice Court has limited jurisdiction over Civil Actions and unlimited jurisdiction over Summary Proceedings (i.e. Eviction of Tenants and Claims for Rent incidental thereto) occurring within the Town, including its Unincorporated Area, the Village of Ossining, and that part of the Village of Briarcliff Manor within Town of Ossining borders). The Ossining and Briarcliff Manor Village Courts have concurrent jurisdiction over Civil Actions and Summary Proceedings occurring within each Village’s limits. Resumes and letter of intent due by close of business on Friday, February 18, 2011 and should be sent to: Supervisor, Town of Ossining 16 Croton Avenue Ossining, NY 10562 fax: 914-762-0833 e-mail: cborgia@townofossining.com The Town of Ossining is an equal opportunity employer.
WESTFOODIES
Eat, Drink, Listen, Look at Peekskill’s BeanRunner Café By Abby Luby
They say an environment filled with music and art does wonders for the appetite. Proof of that is at the BeanRunner Café in the Flat Iron District in Peekskill. Since he first opened two years ago, owner Ted Bitters has seen the café become a popular gathering place. “We’re always evolving. There was nothing in between a restaurant and a diner, which is what we have here in Peekskill. BeanRunner Café is unique. I want to stretch the borders a little bit.”
What makes the BeanRunner Café distinct is along with the straight forward “good food” lunch menu of soups and sandwiches is a new batch of art adorning the walls every six weeks and live, highend jazz performances on weekends. The Continued on page 7
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WESTFOODIES
Bitters, who has lived in Peekskill for 16 years, was born in Jamaica and grew up in Brooklyn. He purchased the long abandoned and neglected building on South Division Street six years ago, a building that was originally built in 1850 and is now an historic landmark. After four years of renovations that had to meet landmark code, the two-story building was ready to be occupied. On the second floor has two artist studios. Bitters is all about being local: His chef, who is Jamaican, lives in Peekskill, as is the local pastry chef he uses for some of his cakes and candy. Lunch is the main meal served and the moderately priced, nouveau style menu rarely changes. The “Olympic Sandwiches” include “Nemean’s Javelin Throw” – grilled red pepper, cucumber, tomato, feta chesses and basil with a splash of Italian dressing on a spinach wrap. Other tasty sandwiches assume sport theme names like Caesar’s High Jump, Pantheon’s Run and The Stadium. Half salads and half sandwiches can come with hearty, tasty soups that change every day. Bitters says
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Westfoodies, Eat, Drink, Listen, Look at Peekskill’s BeanRunner Café Continued from page 6 café’s art curators are Drew Claxton and Lisa Bresnick who seek out and meet with potential artists for the café. The café is open primarily for lunch during the week. About twelve tables make for a quiet, intimate atmosphere with original art by local artists adorning the walls, a side lounge with small couches and a flat screen TV, a small stage for live music and film and a large, bright playroom with games for children of all ages - a cherished space of moms. There is an outside dining space in the back for warmer months.
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some menu items reflect his Jamaican culture. “We have a smoothie that’s called “Peanut Butter Blast” that everyone loves. It uses flavors from my childhood,” he says. He is frequently asked just what goes into the smoothie, but Bitters is lip locked and fervently guards the ingredients. BeanRunner Café also has a beer and wine license; the libations are generally consumed on weekends during performances. Twice a month on Sunday Jazz Brunches from 11:30 – 1:30 and include the traditional bagels and lox, waffles, bacon and eggs, and, live music. About a year ago, musicians and artists started to frequent the BeanRunner as a place to hang out and connect. Near the front of the café was a step, or small platform, and Bitters envisioned expanding the step into a stage. They built out the step and expanded it to be a small, intimate stage. Bitters purchased a keyboard, sound system, film projector and screen. Today, the stage is a popular performance space for musicians known countrywide. In the coming weeks jazz ensembles include A2D Quartet, JAZZ with a TWIST, The Spirit of Afro-Cuban Rhythm, The 9th Annual Lady Got Chops Women’s Music and Arts Festival, to name a few. The stage sees local performance groups such as the Peekskill Playhouse put on one act plays and hold readings. Featured artists use the stage to talk about their work. The BeanRunner Café 201 S. Division & Esther Street Peekskill, NY – 914-737-1701 http://BeanRunnercafe.com/ Open Sunday, Monday & Tuesday 10am-6pm; Wednesday & Thursday 10am-8pm; and Friday & Saturday 10am11pm (depending on performance). Abby Luby is a Westchester based, freelance journalist who writes about current, local news, environmental issues, art entertainment and food.
Westchester’s Economy: Recovered or Just Changed By Nancy King
The Federal Government has advised we are in a recovery... but if you walk down any Main Street in Westchester County, you would have to wonder if this recovery is anything other than spin from Washington, D.C., and Wall Street. Stock market indeces have indeed rebounded after the taxpayer bailed out the banks. Elusive to this day are the conjectured jobs expected to be created. to stabilize and grow the long known back bone of the American economy, small business. All one needs to do is to take a walk down Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains, NY, or North Avenue in New Rochelle, NY, to recognize that we have yet to approach the recovery that the government maintains we have reached. Perhaps we are not in recovery; perhaps we’re in what some economists label a “correction.”
So what is this “correction” these economists speak of? Simply put, we have growth in big business, manufacturing and banking but nothing else. Sadly enough housing and jobs, once the pillars of wealth and prosperity in America may never see the level of recovery or “correction” of pre 2008 levels. There are still huge weaknesses in housing, too. In this current era of short sales and foreclosures, it doesn’t take too many visits to Realtor. com to see that the nation has too many houses for sale and even though prices have fallen somewhat, they’re still way too high for many people to achieve the “American Dream” of homeownership. Out of those that have chosen to hold on to their homes, we find that one in Continued on page 8
399 Huguenot St. New Rochelle, NY 10801
915-636-7235
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Westchester’s Economy: Recovered or Just Changed Continued from page 7 four is still going under. The same banks taxpayers bailed out refuse to work with people on re-adjusting their mortgages. So what do we do now? I guess we get used to this new economy of “correction.” Westchester County knows all to well that we are hemorrhaging small and large business. The reason is primarily due to the fact that there are staggering property taxes in our county. To combat this problem, the county has created an eleven member task force to study the problem. They also created a nifty little slogan last year that presents the county as the “intellectual business center“ of the state. Both plans are great ideas, but that still doesn’t get small business on their feet. What is needed is to send a clear message to banks and municipalities that money needs to go from wallets to cash registers and then back into communities. Small companies and businesses circulate money at a faster
rate than big corporations. They also tend to employ more people in the long run than major corporations thus helping to put people back to work. Recently I spoke to a gentleman who runs a “mom and pop’ variety store in New Rochelle and asked him what he had done to stay in business. He simply stated that he had shifted his inventory to meet the needs of his customers. Gone were luxurious Pashmina scarves; they have been replaced by ones of less expensive fabric. Nicer bags and totes have been replaced with the cheaper canvas variety. Best news of all, people are buying them. This type of re-adjustment to the correction demanded by the economy is just what this small business doctor ordered. Sadly not all small business owners understand they need to make such changes just to survive. Walking down Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains, it was easy to see five
vacant stores that had at time been vibrant businesses. From Meme’s bakery on the corner of Maple Avenue to Sweet Salvation candy shop near the Martine Avenue intersection, Mamaroneck Avenue is no longer a shopper’s Mecca. The foot traffic that this neighborhood benefits from comes primarily from county workers who fill the various county office buildings from Monday thru Friday. While these people are lucky enough to keep their jobs, they are not about to spend their discretionary income at an upscale bakery or a gourmet sweet shop. Could these two businesses have survived if they had modified their inventory and price points? We’ll never know, but, unless a creative small business takes a chance on Monday thru Friday business, White Plains will be lacking the diverse small business that made that city so attractive. One small business owner who is trying to creatively save his business is Greenburgh Deli Delicious owner, Ernie Tartaglione. As businesses moved out
of the area, Tartaglione asserts he loses about $4,000.00 a week. His solution was to appeal to the town for five variances to modify his business. He would like to put a drive thru window addition to the deli. Would this help this small business? Probably not. Lowering his prices would probably do the trick. However, since Mr. Tartaglione presented his plans back in 2009, he has met one roadblock after another. You can bet that the town already had plans for the parcel of land and the rumor in Greenburgh is that Burger King will be on that corner soon enough. So much for small business. In the end, American’s are going to have to re-develop the ingenuity that we were once so famous for if we want to learn to navigate this new economic correction. Small business, the back bone of this country is going to have to bail itself out. We can’t sit around and wait for the government to do it for us; we’re going to have to do it ourselves.
New Rochelle Bureaucrats Do Rhetorical “Heavy Lifting” for Their Political Bosses By Stephen I. Mayo
Observers of New Rochelle politics have become accustomed to Mayor Noam “Find Me a Higher Political Office” Bramson promoting earnest, but ultimately misbegotten economic development schemes. The somnolent local daily press and what passes for broadcast TV news coverage have always allowed the widest of “berths” to his illusory progress claims in carefully staged media events and windy
state-of-the-city presentations. His math just doesn’t add up. Never has. Have you ever considered his economic “team’s” sales tax projections? They regularly and repeatedly count on phantom consumers spending phantom dollars at phantom retailers. The actual annual proceeds always fall short, way short of budgeted projections. It sometimes appears as if City Hall swizzles its business theory/practices from the same fountain as our
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Community-Organizer-In-Chief sitting at Washington, DC. But what else are we to expect from a member of the professional political office-seeking class? This is what such careerists typically do. In their minds (and apparently in the minds of the loyal leverpulling automatons of New Rochelle City Council districts 5 and 6) this is what they were put on this earth to do; compose economic development “dreamscapes,” and when the fantasies don’t come true, blame the nearest capitalist or taxpayer, or the free-market system in general. Serious-minded observers should not be surprised when slavish devotees of fiscal stimulus and “public investment” do and say whatever is necessary to buttress their statist objectives; and fatten the coffers and enrich the political action funds of cooperative builders and sympathetic merchants (the “developmental-industrial complex?”) in the process. No; what is really troubling about these financial flights of fancy is the willing participation by City Hall’s supposed professional staff; that is, the office of
the City Manager, the Department of Finance and their respective executives. In order to comprehend their departure from professional standards and common concepts of impartiality, all one has to do is to look at the presentation concocted by City Hall staff during last year’s budgetary “silly season.” If you attended any of the public hearings, citizens-tobe-heard sessions or financial “fashion shows” offered to neighborhood associations and political clubs, you most likely were treated to some elements of a carefully composed Power Point presentation represented in full on the City Hall web site. At one such dog-and pony show staged at the American Legion hall, the finance director offered the typical justifications for our financial woes; unanticipated volume of commercial certiorari proceedings; too numerous residential tax assessment reduction hearings (1,300 or so just last year); depressed real estate market; global, national, regional recession. For those requiring clearer Continued on page 9
The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, FebrUary 17, 2011
Page 9
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
New Rochelle Bureaucrats Do Rhetorical “Heavy Lifting” for Their Political Bosses Continued from page 8 illustration of the city’s distress, statistics, bar graphs and pie charts were offered; displaying absolute dollar and proportional budgetary impacts in considerable detail. However, when the director was asked for comparable graphs/pie charts/dollar figures and relative budgetary impact analyses concerning the effect of real estate and sales tax abatements/zoning variances/memoranda of understanding and other fruits of City Council or IDA (Industrial Development Agency) “deals” granted for the benefit of favored developers, all the bureaucrat could offer was an enfeebled “Oh, I don’t have those figures.
No dollar amount or relative impact on the budget.” Just like a politician however, he did volunteer that New Rochelle gains “many intangible” and tangible benefits from these projects. But, he was asked, doesn’t New Rochelle also benefit when private, individual homeowners get a break through tax reduction proceedings? Aren’t common taxpayers, by keeping some of their hard-won dollars to themselves, so enabled to improve and maintain their dwellings, contributing to the city’s economic welfare and creating a more pleasant and prosperous-looking community? Further, he was asked, doesn’t the tax certiorari process allow some of our
economically-endangered local, familyowned enterprises to remain viable and survive against national, big-box retailers? To this, the bureaucrat had no response. So; one can accept a politician acting like a politician. All politicians do THAT. But what is the harried New Rochelle citizen/stakeholder to make of his supposed non-partisan financial/managerial professionals parroting the bromides and the consequent excuses of their political-class overseers? Has political advantage-seeking reached this far? Have commonly accepted standards of financial and administrative independence become so compromised? Who will stand up for
budgetary integrity and fiscal prudence if not the professionals historically charged with these responsibilities? And can New Rochelle citizens entrust their welfare to them ever again now that the operating department heads have taken on the untraditional (not to mention “non-statutory,” unseemly and quite unethical) task of partisan “flacking” for their elected political bosses? Stephen I. Mayo, linoleum manufacturer, attorney and host of RADIO MAYO on WVOX - 1460 AM, Mondays/Thursdays, 5 to 6 pm.
EDUCATION
Assemblymembers Galef and Cahill Tackle Education Funding
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(L-R): Assemblymembers Kevin Cahill, Sandy Galef, Fiscal Policy Institute’s Frank Mauro, NYSSBA’s Martin Reid and the Manhattan Institute’s Empire Center’s E.J. McMahon discuss Cahill’s Equity in Education Act (A447)
Peekskill, NY -- Last week before a packed audience, New York State Assemblywoman Sandy Galef discussed with her invited guest Assemblyman Kevin Cahill his bill that calls for implementing a statewide system to pay for public schools. As communities in New York deal with the crushing blow that proposed reductions in state aid to school districts may have, and to the Governor’s promise to cap property taxes, the issue of equitable school funding could not be timelier. Over the last few years, Assemblywoman Galef has focused on
ways to reduce the crippling property tax burden in her Assembly District as well as throughout the state, which rates number one for the highest property taxes paid in the country (New York was neck in neck with New Jersey until that state recently instituted a tax cap.) Her constituents often approach her with complaints that the current system is not equitable and have asked that she consider a proposal, such as Assemblymember Cahill’s Equity in Education Act (A447), which would look at taxing income at the state level to pay for schools versus taxing local property. Continued on page 10
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The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, FebrUary 17, 2011
EDUCATION
Assemblymembers Galef and Cahill Tackle Education Funding Continued from page 9 As a former educator, Galef felt that hearing about the legislation first hand, with input from other groups who have considered the pros and cons of this proposal, would be helpful to her as well as her constituents in evaluating how best to fund local public schools. “We must take transformative actions if we are ever truly going to get a handle on the property tax crisis that is crippling our state,” said Assemblymember Cahill. “A property tax cap by itself will not solve the problem. The time has come for the state to provide the resources necessary for an equitable, high quality education for every child. The only way to accomplish this goal is with a full state takeover of education funding and the elimination of the regressive school property tax burden on homeowners, renters and businesses.” In response to Cahill’s proposal, E.J. McMahon of the Manhattan Institute’s Empire Center commented: “A full state takeover of K-12 school funding is both impractical and inadvisable. It would require a massive income tax
hike, harming the state’s economy, while weakening local control of schools and making education funding much more volatile. Governor Cuomo’s property tax cap would give local residents more direct control over their own school tax bills while putting greater pressure on the state to address the inequities and the inefficiencies of K-12 education financing.” The Fiscal Policy Institute’s Frank Mauro said, “Reducing reliance on local property taxes and increasing reliance on broad-based statewide income taxes is the way to go. Implementing a well targeted middle class circuit breaker is, in effect, an important step in that direction.” Martin Reid from the New York State School Board’s Association weighed in for School Boards, saying: “The School Boards Association was happy to participate in this important program to search for solutions to funding our public schools, while understanding the burden of property tax payers in this Great Recession. NYSSBA continues to advocate for new methods of operating our schools and more flexibility to make use
of cost savings. We know change is upon us and the elected school board members of New York State embrace this challenge and remain hopeful we can provide our students with the best possible educaAssemblymembers Kevin Cahill and Sandy Galef, with Frank Mauro tion a community of the Fiscal Policy Institute answer constituents’ questions following can afford.” the forum on alternative ways to fund education in New York. Galef does believe there is equity and the business community as we look for in a per-student formula for school funding ways to fix the school funding issue.” Galef with the ability to balance the formula by will also be reintroducing her bill A7097 need and by region, especially if this can (2010) which offers a hybrid option for help reduce the cost drivers. The assemblylocal districts, combining property tax and woman said, “I think Kevin’s proposal is local income tax levies to pay for schools, as very interesting. I still have concerns that another alternative. raising personal income taxes to pay for Assemblywoman Galef continues to education, which are already high in the encourage feedback on this topic, and state, will drive more people out of our state. invites the public to contact her in her We are already seeing high earners and district office at (914) 941-1111 or in businesses move to tax friendly states. I will Albany at (518) 455-5348, or galefs@ continue to seek input from my constituents assembly.state.ny.us.
FASHION
Fashion Flights of Fancy
By Barbara Barton Sloane
Covered up with a jacket or laid bare, these romantic styles give a strong momentum for Spring. At BCBG, Max and Lubov Azria offered sheer simplicity, continuing an exercise in minimalism begun last fall by showing a parade of airy silk dresses and jumpsuits so light they almost threatened to float away. Their show opened with several looks in white that subtly shifted to ash gray and neutrals, finally landing on black. Brights were relegated to only a cameo appearance. Lighter than air was a gray lace tunic, its v-neck plunging deeply, hemline scalloped and covering a short gray flippy skirt. For this brand that, from time to time, takes a confusing direction, the show was a cheery moment of serenity that seemed to please all assembled. Ralph Lauren has saddled up and
gone west many times in his 40-plus year career, but he’s forever able to corral the new and exciting. This collection was MICHAEL KORS rendered in that noncolor of the season: white - at times mixed with accents of pale blue and silver. Cool, clear and classy was his all-white ensemble of trousers cut straight, worn with a white shirt and an off-white, slim-sleeved jacket, the model’s big silver bag adding Continued on page 11
The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, FebrUary 17, 2011
Page 11
FASHION
Fashion Flights of Fancy Continued from page 10 a jaunty touch. The designer’s first New York flagship dedicated to womenswear at 888 Madison Avenue is set to open soon, and it’s certain to be a very urbane home on the range. Overall, this collection showed Lauren firmly in control – a smooth gallop from start to finish. Having just picked up the CFDA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in June, Michael Kors is in a sunshine state of mind. His collection opened with a parade of white and a life’s-a-breeze, easy attitude. Silhouettes were loose and pantsuits were relaxed – shirts worn untucked and cardigans came oversized and cozy. Continuing the theme, a mellow yellow, long and pencil-straight tank dress seductively hugged the body. It was belted low to display a shapely hipline and proudly declared Summer. Overall, the theme was decidedly caftan-on-the-beach with Kors’ usual polished swagger. Karl Lagerfeld’s two pillars for the Fendi collection were color and geometry. Still, many of the clothes had a summer holiday feel. There was an easy informality to the frocks, draw-string tunics and skirts that one could imagine the Fendi woman taking a stroll through a wild flower meadow. Classic and crisp was the model turned out in a two-tone, high-waist dress, navy and gray, the neck a modest V, the skirt ending in a clever slash which seemed to reference the neckline. Due to the joint stewardship of Lagerfeld and Silvia Fendi, this collection played out in ways both subtle and strong. Sydney, Australia’s famed opera house was the inspiration for Raul Melgoza’s Spring/Summer collection for Luca Luca.
LUCA LUCA The Aussie harbor scene, dotted with boats and breezes, was a dreamscape that gave his creations an airborne quality with dresses cut more fluidly on the bias and reminiscent of tufted sails. The designer’s prints were downright playful as a model strode the catwalk in a pair of featherprint, coral on slate blue pants with a touch of shimmer and a gold and gray halter that seemed made for dockside cocktails. Of special note was his sleek, sexy and quite sensational blouse and skirt outfit. If ever there was a look that literally knocked Spring fashion out of the ballpark, this was it: the top, cap sleeves fluttering, coralsplashed print on white, and the skirt tight, shiny and coral-hued, its hem ending in a most flattering length – a lady-like 3 small inches above the knee. In a season with balmy winds, Melgoza kept a firm control at the helm.
GUCCI When the first model walked in the Gucci show, anyone expecting quiet, classic neutrals got a jolt as the ensemble consisted of an orange blazer, violet tube top, green pants and a gold python belt. Frida Giannini has brought glamour back to this House, and it looked right at home. “I pushed the accelerator on provocation,” the designer said, citing Marrakech as one of her inspirations. Cooling the color palette was a desirable chestnut-colored leather jacket worn with beige, slimcut trousers, the effect both structural and arresting. At this show, the fab factor was dialed way, way up. “Rigor with sensuality,” Donatella Versace explained, describing her focus
for Spring, as a handful of elements combined to create a statement that was limited but strong. Her looks had a my-way-or-the-highway fierceness, but it was subtly rendered. This was exemplified best in a trim coatdress in white pique, the top banded in bright red, the overall effect virtually shouting Spring. The collection was clearly Versace and drew its strength from the label’s roots. Carolina Herrera’s program notes explained that Spring was inspired by the traditional clothes of Korea and 18th century botanical plates. For anyone expecting the elegant simplicity of her recent Resort show, this was a different collection, to be sure. Happily, there was a lot here of a more subtle nature. The more restrained gowns suggested that Herrera can still teach a thing or two to upstarts gunning for the Park Avenue set. In particular, there was a striking lotus blossom- embroidered blouse and olive to-the-floor skirt. Also, a chemise-shaped frock, the top shiny, shaggy and black, the bottom shimmery gray sequins, and bound with a scarlet band encircling the chest, nailed the understated grandeur that’s long been associated with the designer. From 18th century inspirations to 21st century sophistication – these are the designers’ garden-variety offerings for this eagerly-awaited season. Beauty / Fashion Editor Barbara Barton Sloane keeps us informed on the capricious and engaging fashion scene. As Travel Editor, she is constantly globe-hopping to share her unique experiences with our readers; from the exotic to the sublime.
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The Westchester Guardian
ALBANY INSIGHT
THURSDAY, FebrUary 17, 2011
GOVERNMENT
Ex-officials Enjoy Campaign Expenditure Junket By Carlos Gonzalez
ALBANY - In November of 2010, fed up voters ushered in a new wave of political candidates in the Senate and Assembly primarily due to a scandalous and dysfunctional legislature marred with felony indictments and convictions, not to mention a flip-flopping coup that shut government down during June of 2009. The wave of change hasn’t stopped certain ousted lawmakers from tapping into campaign accounts to enjoy a few remaining perks, such as meals, novelties, and even $10,000 for a vehicle, campaign records show. Former Assemblyman David Koon (D-Perinton, Monroe) threw a steakhouse party for his outgoing staffers at a cost of $504 through the campaign. Former Senator Vincent Leibell (R-Patterson, Putnam), who did not run for re-election and recently plead guilty to federal corruption charges, had his campaign purchase $267 total on Barnes and Noble, $114 for a car wash, Home
Depot, meals, phones, $931 on tires, and shipped $2,374 to Cardmember Services - a WorldPerks Visa account. Former Senator Antoine Thompson (D-Buffalo) spent $750 for an event at TGI Friday’s from his campaign account. However, the ‘Bling-of-the-Year’ award goes to former Senator Frank Padavan (R-Queens). His campainfinance records state that it dropped a whopping $10,000 to Major Chrysler Jeep in Long Island City just a couple of weeks after the election. Numerous calls to Major Chrysler Jeep and Padavan went unreturned. Out-of-office perks are not limited to those who are alive. Even deceased Senator Ronald Stafford (R-Plattsburgh), who passed away in June of 2005, has campaign activity. Stafford still has over $42,000 in the account. After his death, $530 was spent at Mainely Lobster, Anthony’s Restaurant was paid $1,125, and we shouldn’t forget about Sam’s Club
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purchases, and items at Bed, Bath & Beyond. None of it is illegal according to good government groups, vowing for a major push this year to close down the perk-fest. Ex-officials are aware that campaignfinance loopholes such as Section 14-130 of the Election Law are critically vague. Technically, cash spending is permitted as long as its related “to a political campaign or the holding of a public office or party position.” That language could reasonably mean just about anything and it’s difficult to prove if an official had a personal benefit. NYPIRG, the New York Public Interest Research Group, believes that ex-lawmakers should be required to give campaign donations back to donors or to charity. “Campaign donations were given to be used in the campaign,” said Blair Horner, legislative director for NYPIRG. Two legislators have authored legislation trying to narrow the broadness of the existing law, Assemblyman Kevin Cahill (D-Kingston) and Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan). “Specifically, Assembly Bill #321 states that within four years of the election all funds must be disposed of, and within twelve months if a legislator is deceased,” said Connor Bambrick, legislative director for Assemblyman Cahill. Options would include donating funds to 501(c)3, the state university, the state general fund, transfer to a political party committee, or contribute to another candidate as long as contributions do not
exceed contribution limits. Also, the legislation would prohibit funds from being used to pay attorney’s fees defending against any criminal or civil investigation. It prevents perks like admission to sporting events, concerts, theaters, unless part of a specific campaign. The bill also prohibits automobile purchases or longterm leases, short term car rentals and services not used exclusively for campaign purposes. Meanwhile, if any suggestion of wrongdoing through campaign expenditures surface, the public has few options. “There are fact-specific problems to situations that arise,” said Todd Valentine, the Republican co-executive director for the state Board of Elections . “We try to ascertain the facts after a complaint is filed with us on any wrongdoing. If it’s something that can be corrected or restored after a disclosure is filed, we often would try that first.” With over 10,000 candidates filing disclosures and with very limited amount of staff, the BOE vests its time in ensuring that such disclosures are completed and transparent. The BOE does not have the investigative authority to determine if a campaign expenditure is truly “campaign related.” Any other action or enforcement must be taken up by a district attorney. However, prosecutor review on these types of cases are doubtful, unless the legislature acts to close the loophole. Until such time, anything goes in Albany, even when you’re no longer part of it. Carlos Gonzalez is The Westchester Guardian’s Albany Correspondent.
The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, FebrUary 17, 2011
Page 13
GOVERNMENT
Assemblywoman Paulin Named Chair of Assembly Committee on Children and Families albany, NY -- Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-88th A.D.) has been appointed to the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Children and Families. A member of the Committee since her election, Paulin has been a leader in addressing the needs of children and their families. “I am honored that Speaker Silver has appointed me as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Children and Families” Paulin said, “I view this appointment as an opportunity to ensure that legislation enacted in the past is producing results, to improve child protective systems in New York, and to enact new legislation that will protect the interests of children and their families.” Paulin has long advocated for the needs of children. Following the deaths
of seven children in New York in 2005, Paulin initiated public hearings to review the existing child fatality review process. In response to the problems identified, Paulin led efforts to: implement a pilot differential response program for child abuse reports; establish the CHAMP (Child Abuse Medical Provider) program; clarify the mandated reporting requirements for teachers and other professionals; expand the scope of child fatality review investigations; and create protocols for hospital employees in the event of the death of a child. In the current session, Paulin is working on legislation to prevent infant death and injury resulting from unsafe abandonment, to ensure that the State has the ability to utilize experts to investigate child abuse or neglect reports, to create
fellowships in the specialized area of child abuse pediatrics, and to mandate that the Crime Victim’s Board reimburse the cost of physical abuse assessments. As Chair of the Committee on Children and Families, Paulin will continue her efforts to ensure that the laws we have in place are protecting the safety and welfare of children. She expects to conduct hearings to evaluate the reforms adopted as a result of the 2006 hearings and identify
any areas for further improvement. Paulin will also seek to make permanent the differential response program. Paulin served as the Executive Director of My Sisters’ Place, a non-profit agency in Westchester that assists victims of domestic violence. Paulin was named a Leader in the Fight against Domestic Violence by the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence after authoring landmark legislation that lengthens orders of protection. She was also a member of the Westchester Task Force on Families from for five years. Amy Paulin is the New York State Assemblywoman serving the 88th District which is comprised of the communities in Scarsdale, Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Bronxville, Pelham, Pelham Manor, New Rochelle and White Plains.
The Suggestion… Town of Greenburgh Revaluation and Reassessment By Peter Derby and Tom Rothman Introduction by Greenburgh Town Supervisor Feiner: In recent months the Town Assessor, Edye McCarthy, Town Board members and I, Paul Feiner, have met with school, village officials and civic leaders –asking for their input: should the town undertake a reassessment. We had a Town Board discussion with the public and state officials last week. The town (including school district, fire districts) loses about $10 million a year in certiorari refunds---revenue losses to the town. The town, alone, will see our revenues decline by about $5 million this coming year— due to certiorari refunds. I have asked two highly respected members of the community to provide the Town Board with recommendations and the next steps we should take. This is the Peter Derby an d Tom Rothman letter/suggestions. What do you think? Send an email response to: pfeiner@ greenburghny.com. As most of you know, the Supervisor has asked the undersigned, Peter Derby and Tom Rothman, to assist the Town in evaluating whether a Town-wide revaluation and reassessment will prudently and fairly address both the burdensome and costly issue of property assessment valuation challenges and their tax refunds
and the perceived inequity of the current system of property assessment/taxation in the Town and whether a Town-wide revaluation and reassessment is the most equitable and cost effective method of addressing these issues. For those of you who we have not had the pleasure of personally meeting, a brief introduction is in order. We are both long-time residents and homeowners in the Town. Peter Derby has served as an internal bank auditor, a bank corporate finance director, is a founder of Troika Dialog, the first investment bank in Russia, CFO and CEO of DialogBank, the first private bank based in Russia to receive an international banking license, was Managing Executive for Operations and Management of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and was a Trustee in Irvington. Tom Rothman is an attorney, has served as a senior counsel for local finance and real property taxation matters to State Comptroller Arthur Levitt, was senior partner for public finance with Willkie Farr and Gallagher LLP, and was a long time member of the Board of Governors of the New York chapter of the Government Finance Officers Association. We have met with the Supervisor,
Town Assessor and others, have reviewed reports and draft legislation prepared by or on behalf of various towns in the County, as well as by those acting on behalf of the County, and have concluded that without the benefit of certain specific information being obtained prior to a determination to undertake a Town-wide revaluation and reassessment any request for proposals to undertake a Town-wide revaluation under the prescriptions of existing law may be counter productive and may not be the most prudent, equitable and cost effective method of addressing these issues. It appears axiomatic that the passage of in excess of a half-century since the last comprehensive revaluation and reassessment in the Town has created an assessment/taxation system containing certain inequities. It also appears axiomatic that State mandates requiring that residential real property units held in noncondominium ownership be assessed at fair market value whereas residential real property held in condominium ownership must be assessed at a “restricted value”, or a value significantly below fair market value, and the State prohibition on reassessing residential real property following resale or change of ownership results in certain inequities. Before undertaking
an initial expense of a Townwide revaluation, an expense believed to be considerable, as well as the continuing expense of periodic revaluation to assure that the Town does not find itself in the same expensive litigation/tax refund predicament it currently faces again (i.e. see Nassau County) it would be helpful, if not mandatory, to know the likely effect on Town taxpayers of a Town-wide revaluation and whether a “better fix” to these issues may be crafted. Finally, it also appears axiomatic that many purchasers of residential real property have relied upon the Town’s current system and existing assessments in making their decision whether to purchase a home in the Town, and whether that home is affordable. Accordingly, the Town needs to be prudent, fair and equitable in enacting any changes to the existing system of assessment so as not to reap unfortunate and unintended deleterious consequences upon a segment of our community while at the same time Continued on page 14
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The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, FebrUary 17, 2011
Government
The Suggestion… Town of Greenburgh Revaluation and Reassessment Continued from page 13 attempting to remove other existing inequities that are also hurting a segment of our community. To this end, we recommend a modest expenditure to retain a suitable professional to determine, among other items as may be added by your body, by utilizing an appropriate and professional scientific sampling methodology, the following: 1. The likely affect on all classes of residential real property taxation in different neighborhoods throughout the Town of a Town-wide revaluation as prescribed under current law. 2. The likely affect on residential real property taxation throughout the Town held in condominium ownership if real property held in condominium ownership were assessed on the same basis as
real property held in non-condominium ownership; and the likely effect on real property throughout the Town held in non-condominium ownership if the law were changed to provide that all residential real property were valued, assessed and taxed on the same basis. 3. The likely effect on residential real property taxation throughout the Town if the Town did not undertake a Town-wide revaluation, but residential real properties held in all types of ownership were reassessed after a sale or change in ownership to reflect a sale price of an arms length sale, with non-arms length sales or change in ownership being revalued and reassessed as if they had been on an arms length basis, and all residential properties not sold within any recurring five year period, revalued and reassessed every five years.
4. The likely cost of an initial Townwide revaluation. 5. The likely cost of a continuing periodic Town-wide revaluation. 6. Based upon the experience and/or knowledge of the expert, and given the recent high, if not unprecedented, number of settled claims and challenges, whether it can be anticipated that assessment valuation challenges and tax refunds will significantly diminish if no action is taken. 7. Based upon the experience and/or knowledge of the expert, recommendations concerning these issues and measures likely to reduce any hardships reasonably foreseeable by a Town-wide revaluation and reassessment, including hardships on those economically at the lowest levels in the Town, on retired senior citizens and on those on pension or fixed income.
8. Based upon the experience and/or knowledge of the expert, will a Town-wide revaluation and reassessment predominantly affect the expensive older homes and the expensive newer homes or will such similarly affecting the middle and lower priced homes as well? 9. Based upon the experience and/ or knowledge of the expert, would it be efficient to restructure the property categories into four categories, residential, commercial, condominium/cooperative and utilities? To eliminate the possible perception of the chosen expert having an economic interest in a determination to undertake a Town-wide revaluation, the Town may consider stipulating that the expert chosen will (may at the Board’s discretion?) be ineligible to undertake any subsequent Town-wide revaluation.
FROM THE DESK OF MAYOR DOUGLAS FRENCH
February Council Updates By Douglas French
The Osborn Resolution It’s official. Two weeks ago representatives from the City, Rye City School District and the Osborn Home met to reconcile the outstanding property tax balances and refunds. Following the October court decision, the agreement ends the long-standing Osborn Home dispute and avoids further litigation -- and instead begins a look toward the future and partnership opportunities.
The Governor’s Proposed Budget Lieutenant Governor Duffy previewed the Governor’s 2011 budget on a conference call with all of NY’s Mayors. As a former Mayor himself, Lt. Governor Duffy’s words were very encouraging for the Rye City government. Municipal aid from the state - AIM - will be cut by 2% or roughly $25,000, and the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) funding will remain flat. Now the budget moves to the legislature for debate and approval.
New York Conference of Mayors Survey The City submitted its annual budget
response for the New York Conference of Mayors survey. It highlights some of the trends all local governments are facing. Here are the statistics from Rye’s submission: Full-time employees (FTEs) from the last 10 years between January 2000 and January 2011 were 165 vs. 153 FTEs. This breaks down as follows during that period: Administration 30 vs. 23 FTEs, Fire 16 vs. 17 FTEs, Police 41 vs. 40 FTEs, DPW 62 vs. 52 FTEs and Parks 17 vs. 20 FTEs. City payments for retirement pensions last year in 2010 totaled $1,621M vs. a budgeted amount for 2011 of $2,381M. Healthcare costs budgeted for 2011 are $4,315M, 45% of which is for retirees. The 2010 total property tax levy was $19,434M vs. $19,536M or an increase of $102,000. Total taxable assessed valuation dropped for the first time in a decade from $139.3M to $138.7M. The City property tax rate increased from $139.52 to $140.87 per $1000 of assessed value.
Discussion on funding for the Library through a Chapter 414 Vote Some communities support their libraries by setting up a separate tax district by which the annual budget is voted on by the public each year. It is an idea that will be discussed at our February 9th council meeting. Right now the City funds roughly $1.1M or 75% of the operations of the Rye Free Reading Room. Although the library is not a City department, the rising cost of employees and unionized labor is
something all municipalities are grappling with. The City’s contribution goes directly to pay library employee costs, but the City does not manage the operating decisions and labor agreements established with the library union. Bird Grant Money Starts to Come In As part of Rye’s efforts for historical preservation, the City was pleased to receive $450,000 from two of four outstanding grants in the 2009 acquisition of the Waterfront Property at 600 Milton Road of the former property of Henry Bird and family -- better known as Bird Homestead. One grant was for $250,000 from the NYS Dormitory Authority a Strategic Investment Program (SIP) grant, and the other was the Long Island Sound Stewardship grant financed through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in the amount of $200,000.
Legal Case Management Audit Committee Established In its oversight capacity, the Council established a sub-committee of the Council to formalize the auditing process of legal invoices, accounts and fiscal affairs of the Law Department to include dollars, budget estimates, billable hours and case duration. The Committee shall report back to the Council a summary of its findings, part or all of which can be released to the public based on confidentiality. The Committee shall be comprised of the Mayor, the City Manager, and one Council-member appointed annually by
the Mayor with all meetings open to any and all Council members.
Pier Restaurant License The County Board of Acquisition and Contracts (A&C) approved 3-0 the changes to the license with the Pier Restaurant at Playland. Prior to doing so, the County received input from up to 200 letters from Rye residents, Councilwoman Parker and me, and our Playland Advisory Committee. The primary issues for Rye centered on security, public access and noise. The County has put the following remedies in place - security staff will be hired by the restaurant and coordinated with County Park Police, and public access has been opened up by removing and shifting tables along the boardwalk waterfront. Although noise complaints have been flat year-over-year, it is still something that the County and Rye have committed to monitoring with Park Management.
Snow Appreciation The Council and I want to again thank the City staff and departments for an extraordinary effort and setting the example for the sound shore in getting the City back up and running in such a timely fashion after each in what appears to be a never-ending series of snowstorms. Visit the City of Rye Website at www.ryeny. gov or contact me, City Council members or the City Manager should you need more information. Mayor Doug French, mayor@ryeny.gov
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THURSDAY, FebrUary 17, 2011
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Government
St. Paul: Closing Bathrooms in New Rochelle’s Metro North Station is Council’s Decision By Peggy Godfrey
In New Rochelle, 2,200 Metro North commuters now have access to a bathroom that had been closed at the order of City Manager Chuck Strome. The announcement at the City Council meeting on February 8, 2011, was the culmination of an action that began after Mr Strome’s initiative that had the two station bathrooms closed. Strome posted a sign on the respective bathroom doors attesting to their closure. Soon thereafter, Councilman Richard St. Paul posted another sign stipulating the bathrooms, situated within his council district thereby permitted him to inquire among his constituents whether they were comfortable with Mr Strome’s decision. Either way, Councilman St. Paul suggested people contact Mr Strome and also attend the next council meeting to express their perspective before the New Rochelle City Council. Councilman St. Paul’s public invitation to residents was seemingly the catalyst that caused Mr Strome’s signs to be removed by order of City Manager Strome. On the morning of the council meeting Mr Strome recounted the cost of maintaining the bathrooms open over the past year on the radio show he hosts on
WVOX-1460 AM. At the City Council meeting that evening, Mr Strome unexpectedly announced that the Metropolitan Transit Authority had agreed to assist in maintaining the bathrooms by sharing the cost of funding some of the some of the costs to restore the facilities for use and to have them monitored with regard to security and safety concerns. During the council meeting Commissioner of Development Michael Friemuth was asked to explain how much money had been spent in the last year for these bathrooms. While $25,000 was budgeted for the bathrooms, they required 40 repairs and additional expenditures of over $33,000. Strome said he had sent a memorandum to the council that he was considering closing the bathrooms. Councilman Richard St. Paul asserted he had not seen the memo and that he had not been engaged in any conversation with the City Manager aver the proposal to close the bathroom facilities. Strome stated the number of repairs from the previous year had exceeded the budgeted amount of $25,000 by $33,280. St. Paul countered that during the budget sessions last year nothing was “brought back to Council” about the extra $33,000 in expenditures for any reasons including any mention of vandalism or
the needed 40 repair demanded attention by the Department of Public Works. Councilman St. Paul said, “We have the power of the purse.” Consternation with City Manager Strome was expressed by some people who claimed to be “knowledgeable sources” suggesting Mr Strome should be following policies set by the Council, rather than establishing them. Councilman St. Paul said the council had passed a budget that was to fund and maintain the bathroom facilities open at the railroad station. Further, it is the council’s policy to prioritize the budget and to pass a budget which includes the maintenance of the bathroom in the station. When the City Manager closes the bathrooms he is changing our policy. “In order for the City Manager to reverse that policy, the City Manager should come back to the Council.” The posting of a sign brought awareness to the people that used the bathrooms. It received a lot of local attention. “ I just felt it was necessary for me to bring public attention to this matter,” Councilman St. Paul reaffirmed. Mitch Spalin, vice president of the South End Civic League believes the bathrooms should be open because they are part of the station’s facilities.
“Strome should not have closed them unless he arranged for something else to replace them. Why are the bathooms in such disrepair if it is cleaned regularly? In Europe the floor would be concrete, angled with a center drain.” Anthony Sutton, a real estate broker, felt this situation was a disgrace. This negative publicity puts us down as a community and hurts the real estate industry. There are residents using this railroad who are paying $30,000 a year in real estate taxes to New Rochelle. Lorraine Pierce added, “Some people are giving Strome credit for fast action, but there would not have been a problem if he had checked with the council and the residents. After the New Rochelle City Council meeting an associate remarked,”Councilwoman Marianne Sussman, who gave away millions of dollars to developers as part of the IDA (Industrial Development Agency), has now become fiscally conservative when the interest of New Rochelle residents are concerned. She questioned part of their $20,000 allocated for the immediate use of the bath room that would have to be replaced in the future. Too bad she wasn’t that thorough with the developers.” Peggy Godfrey is a freelance writer, and a former educator.
Can Monetary Policy Really Create Jobs? Addressing the Issues with Westchester By Nan Hayworth County Board Legislator Judy Myers Washington, DC -- Rep. Nan Hayworth, M.D. (R-NY) opening statement for the Financial Services Committee Domestic Monetary Policy Subcommittee hearing entitled “Can Monetary Policy Really Create Jobs?” follows: “In my home district, New York’s 19th, many jobs in the financial services sector are directly affected by the Federal Reserve’s policies. Therefore I am honored to work on this subcommittee during the 112th Congress, examining the role of monetary policy both before and after the financial crisis. “History shows that an independent central bank making monetary decisions free of political influence results in better economic growth. However, having independence in decision making is very different from requiring a central bank to explain its decisions and be held accountable. Demanding explanation and accountability is the legitimate role of Congress and this subcommittee. “Getting Americans back to work is the most pressing immediate issue for this Congress. The testimony from our witnesses today, regarding the potential effect of monetary policy on unemployment, is timely and welcome as we consider how best to approach the role and responsibilities of the Federal Reserve.” Congresswoman Nan Hayworth, M.D. represents the 19th District.
By Bary Alyssa Johnson
Judy Myers, Westchester County Legislator representing the 7th District and the County Board of Legislators Majority Whip has been putting seemingly superhuman effort into her legislative and policy-making responsibilities during her current 3rd term in office. The 28-year resident of the Town of Mamaroneck will indeed be running for a 4th term come election time this November. She loves her work and that shows in her many accomplishments.
Also evident is deep consideration for and understanding of the residents that make up her district. Myers’ 7th District is comprised of the Village of Larchmont, Town of Mamaroneck, Village of Mamaroneck, City of Rye, and sections of the Town of Rye and New Rochelle. She fosters a strong relationship with residents from this area by way of ensuring ever-present accessibility to all. She makes herself available on a comfortably personal level, encouraging Continued on page 16
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GOVERNMENT
Addressing the Issues with Westchester County Board Legislator Judy Myers Continued from page 15 her constituents to address her with any issue under the sun. Then she goes that extra mile with her quarterly “coffee talks” alongside Assemblyman George Latimer. The talkative twosome host open invitation get-togethers to talk to and hear from her residents, face-to-face. These informal meetings are held at the Nautilus Diner on the Post Road in Mamaroneck and at Ruby’s Oyster House on Purchase Street in Rye. The next scheduled get-together is slated for February 12th. The early birds are invited to meet up with her and Latimer at Ruby’s from 9:30-11:00 a.m. Another rendezvous later in the day at the Nautilus is scheduled from 2:00-4:00 p.m. In addition to her practice of making herself a vocal and familiar presence to members of her district, Myers makes one heck of a model government worker bee. She divides her time between offices in Westchester and upstate in Albany, promoting legislation and sitting on an impressive ten Board Committees, providing her with an endless stream of political responsibility. Myers is as dedicated to her causes as they come, due to a love for, and a true gratification from the work she does. When asked what made her decide on a career as a County legislator, her response
was in typical fairy-tale fashion: “I would not call [it] a career, it’s more of a passion than it is a career,” Myers told The Westchester Guardian in an interview. “I’ve had a career in advertising, a career as a homemaker and as a mother. This is more of a passion, I think.” When asked to elaborate on how she maintains her incredible work ethic, while dealing with endless daily responsibilities in addition to promoting legislation to better her community, she waxed poetic about her gratification for her job. “I love this district, I represent; I happen to believe it’s the best area of Westchester County,” she said. “I’ve raised my family in this area, I love the Long Island Sound and I love this County so I get a great deal of gratification in making Westchester an even better place to live.” Among her noteworthy accomplishments, of which there certainly are many, she made note of three projects in particular that she is proud to have been involved.. Among them, an initiative she spearheaded while sitting on the Westchester County Board of Health was County-wide calorie labeling. “It was an initiative that came up through the Board,” she told The Westchester Guardian. “I brought forward legislation that makes fast food restaurants have to label the calorie count of their standardized offerings. I was very proud of that.”
Latimer to Host Budget Hearing
Port Chester, NY -- Westchester residents are invited to attend and speak out on the proposed 2011-2012 New York State Budget at a public hearing sponsored by Assemblyman George Latimer. The Community Hearing will be held on Thursday, February 17th at the Port Chester Seniors Center, 220 Grace Church St., Port Chester from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Attendees may testify for up to four (4) minutes on any aspect of the State budget proposal; written testimony will also be accepted at the hearing and over the ensuing week (until Friday, February 25th). The Governor’s proposed budget totals over $132 billion; budget highlights may be viewed on the New York State website at www.budget.state.ny.us. No appointment is required; speakers will be heard on a firstcome, first-served basis, with a few exceptions made for unique circumstances.Latimer will be hold the hearing open for four continuous hours to accomodate those who attend. Other state legislators have been invited to attend as well. For further information, contact Assemblyman Latimer’s office at 914-777-3832.
Another noteworthy achievement was a vast environmental effort, which Myers accomplished as part of Westchester’s Flood Action Task Force, which was formed in response to the massive floods of 2007. “As part of the Flood Action Task Force we worked on developing a way to provide regional help to the municipalities that were flooded back then,” she said. “It’s all part of storm water management. We have some very good storm water mitigation legislation that is going for a public hearing in two weeks and should pass. You can’t eliminate flooding but there are ways to reduce its impact.” Foraying into an entirely different field of on-the-job honorable mentions, Myers has made successful strides in the childcare arena. “I’ve been very active since 2009 in working to get increased money for childcare scholarships for families that can’t afford childcare,” Myers told The Westchester Guardian. “We’ve been working very closely with childcare providers and the Department of Social Services and we have a scholarship program that was very successful and ran for three years.” In addition to sitting on ten of the County Board of Legislators eleven Committees (and co-chairing one of them) and pushing for and passing laws to better the local living, Myers is extremely
active in the community. She’s involved with an impressive number of organizations, volunteering her time to make an even bigger impact on her beloved County of Westchester. Here’s the lowdown on her extracurriculars… Myers is a member of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Westchester-Putnam. She sits on several community boards, including the Rye YMCA, the Mamaroneck CAP Center and the Community Advisory Board of the League of Westchester on the Sound. She’s also a member of the LarchmontMamaroneck Summit, RADAR, the League of Women Voters and the Westchester Women’s Agenda. Myers also manages to make time for her personal life. She’s married and has two grown children. She’s an avid reader – a fan of authors including Dean Koontz and Garth Stein. Lastly, she’s divulged an affinity for canine companions. “Here’s a fact that some people may not know about me,” she said when asked during our interview. “I absolutely love golden retrievers and I have two of them!” My closing question to my fellow residents of Myers’ 7th District is: Does this woman deserve a medal or a monument? Perhaps both! Local resident Bary Alyssa Johnson covers Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Rye, and Rye Brook, as well as the evolving world of electronics and technology.
City of Rye Holds Sole Council Meeting for Month of February By Bary Alyssa Johnson
The City of Rye Town Council met this week, its only meeting in the month of February, to discuss a number of pressing matters related to the community. Councilman Sack kicked the meeting off by announcing the passing away of two long-time Rye residents, one a member of the fire department, the other a neighbor of Sack. Both men will be sorely missed by the community. Next up was the Mayor’s Management Report, where Mayor Doug French announced that funding for municipalities has been cut by 2 percent, while highway improvement funding remains flat. In terms of tax caps, discussion is still ongoing, though Westchester has yet to put forward priority legislation regarding said cap. Following the Mayor’s Report, a representative from the Playland Strategic Group offered up a
presentation on the Group’s progress thus far, since beginning meetings late last year. The Group recently toured Playland as they discussed future plans. The representative for the Group estimated that the last public forum for the initiative brought in about 100 “extremely passionate and rather opinionated” Rye residents to weigh in on the plans. “It was a pleasure working with everyone from the Playland Strategic Group,” said Councilwoman Parker. “The Committee is part of our identity as Rye residents and feedback from the public forum was invaluable.” The Playland Strategic Group representative described the initiative as a peculiar one – a blank slate with no initial vision. The vision emerged each time another issue was raised and both sides of every issue had to be represented. Continued on page 17
The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, FebrUary 17, 2011
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GOVERNMENT
City of Rye Holds Sole Council Meeting for Month of February aspects of the Park and any proposal should comply with this policy. “We’re representing values and what’s important to Rye residents,” the representative said. “Residents want these principles.” Mayor French responded to the presentation by saying “We’ll look for discussion and adoption of a proposal at our next meeting in March.” Next up for discussion by the Council was the issue of storm water management. It was said that the proposed projects to effectively fight flooding are beyond the ability of Westchester to handle. Limitations include dispersing funds for the project and the problematic situation in engaging bordering municipalities to work together to solve it. Issues to consider are that this will be a multi-year project requiring capital investment. This project will be a process requiring cooperation from many towns and villages and will require several advisory boards to represent different perspectives. Suggestions to ensure this project will be a successful one includes: promotion
Continued from page 16 For example, some people wanted to build a hotel and conference center on the property and others disagreed vehemently. Some residents felt the amusement park had reached its time and should be shut down, while others found this to be a tragic end to a priceless commodity. “The committee couldn’t give you a single idea that everyone agreed with across the board,” said the representative. “The County’s Request for Proposals (RFP) is so unusual and widely different responses were to be expected, so we put together a list of five principles of value.” These principles are as follows: First, Playland is a public resource for use by all of the residents of Westchester County. New uses might be proposed and all should be assessed in the same way. Second, any use of the Playland site should take into consideration environmental impact. Third, a substantial portion of Playland Park is designated as historic landmark. Fourth, any proposal must be examined to be sure it is financially responsible and sustainable. Lastly, Rye has a zoning policy that affects many
MAYOR Marvin COLUMN
Local resident Bary Alyssa Johnson covers Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Rye, and Rye Brook, as well as the evolving world of electronics and technology.
GOVERNMENT
The New York State Conference of Mayors By Mary C. Marvin
In late 2010, the New York State Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) appointed a bi-partisan committee of Mayors representing communities throughout the State to develop a set of mandate relief proposals for the State Legislature to adopt prior to approving any property tax cap legislation. The rationale being that the out of control costs of employee pensions and healthcare are now threatening the ability of communities to provide even the essential services at an affordable cost to taxpayers. The following are a sampling of the Committee’s recommendations: Recommendation: Have the State Legislature impose a public sector wage
of partnerships, providing of adequate funding by the County and seeking out municipalities that will enter into InterMunicipal Agreements (IMAs) to reach a successful solution to the flooding, which first emerged as a big problem back in 2007. Flooding legislation has been part of discussions from town and village councils across southern Westchester and it’s likely that the answer will come when all of these municipalities pool resources and ideas to protect the environment we live in. The next issue on the docket was that of the potential for installing cameras on red lights throughout Rye to catch drivers who illegally go through these lights. Red light cameras were first installed in New York City in 1991 and have been adopted in several other counties and other states across the country. The red light representative insisted that a main issue is to validate the need for these cameras. It may reduce the number of drivers running red lights, but the questions to ask are: are there enough violators? Is there enough traffic to
warrant installment? Expense is another issue that was raised by the Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Committee. “You’ve made great points and we appreciate your analysis,.” said Councilman Keith. “We’re going to let the State take charge and the Rye community will follow recommendations.” The last issue of note for the night was a discussion on establishing funding for the Rye Free Reading Room through a Chapter 414 vote. Chapter 414 is a New York State law that allows libraries to petition on and vote for their budgets. “It’s essential to the City to provide library services for the citizens of Rye,” Councilman Jovanovich said. “As a Council, I think it’s important to make a multi-year commitment to you.” However, Mayor French and Councilperson Fillipi were against the idea of the 414 vote and French made clear that at present time the Council is not able to come to a consensus on the matter.
freeze by declaring a state of fiscal emergency and suspend all salary increases for one year for State, municipal and school district employees. Under the proposal, a municipality would have the ability to opt out if it could demonstrate that it had negotiated an offset such as increased healthcare contributions of an equal or greater value. Rationale: This concept would allow State and local governments greater ability to address the current fiscal challenges without having to reduce the work force or curtail services until the other cost saving reforms recommended are enacted. (Both President Obama and Governor Cuomo have endorsed such a plan for Federal and State employees.) Even communities like ours which are currently not locked into multi-year
labor contracts with unaffordable salary increases, will still be obligated for expensive step increases guaranteed by the so named Triborough Amendment. Recommendation: The State should require a minimum contribution by employees to their active and retirement healthcare costs. The suggested contribution is 10% for individual coverage, 25% for family coverage and a 25% contribution from retirees phased in over a three year period. Rationale: Health insurance costs are one of the largest and fastest growing components of municipal budgets. (Some New York State communities are currently spending more to cover retiree costs than they are in providing current services in their municipal budgets.) The total unfunded liability for healthcare for local governments and school districts in New York State is $130.4 billion and climbing. For many years, municipal employees had their health insurance covered entirely by the local
entity in contrast to the private sector where 100% coverage is exceedingly rare and retiree health coverage of any kind virtually non-existent. Recommendation: Restructure the formula for pension cost sharing and benefits. The State should immediately reinstate the 3% employee pension contribution that was eliminated in 2000 and simultaneously undertake a thorough analysis of the funding methodology and the oversight structure of the entire system. In addition, new hires should be offered a defined contribution plan. Rationale: Municipalities and school districts experienced a ten-fold increase in pension costs between 2003 and 2005 due to a dramatic increase in payouts with a concurrent decline in returns on investment for the fund’s principle. It is projected that municipal pension contribution amounts will increase in the range of 25% to 40% for both 2011 and 2012. Continued on page 18
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Government
The New York State Conference of Mayors Continued from page 17 Currently, municipal and school employee pension funds operate under a defined benefit system whereby employees are guaranteed a certain level of benefits which are financed by State and local employers and the retirement fund’s return on investment. This type of system is virtually non-existent in the private sector and the average retirement benefit for government retirees in New York State in 2009 was more than twice the average company or union pension benefit. The Mayors’ Task Force also believes that a property tax cap without specific exclusions such as the above for the upcoming year will result in destructive local budget deficits, decimated work forces and a major reduction in essential services provided by local governments. (Bronxville received a pension bill increase amounting to a 3 ½% local property tax increase and this does not include the expected health insurance increase as well as the proposed decline in State aid.) To meet the Governor’s 2% tax cap, if approved, we would have to curtail services and reduce staff. There has been a perennial unwillingness for elected officials to address these issues. In some cases, it is a fear of not being re-elected and not staying in office long enough to avail themselves of the personal pension benefits. However, the cumulative result of their inaction has resulted not only in excessive property tax levels but a reduction in municipal services and the work force necessary to deliver them. The State must intervene at this juncture and give local communities the relief from mandates that are crippling the ability to deliver services efficiently and economically to the property tax payers. Note: Material from the Recommendations of the NYCOM Mayoral Task Force on Mandate and Property Tax Relief (December 2010). Mary C. Marvin is the Mayor of the Village of Bronxville, New York.
THURSDAY, FebrUary 17, 2011
THE PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
On the Issue of 323 East 3rd Street By Karen Watts
I would like to address the circumstance surrounding the potential sale of 323 E. 3rd Street. Once again, incomplete information has gone out to the public. The sale of any city owned property requires that there be a contractual agreement, signed by both the City of Mount Vernon (represented by the Corporation Counsel) and the prospective buyer. In that agreement (contract), there is a stipulation that states in part, that the prospective purchaser must pay all taxes on
properties owned that are in arrears before the process of securing an additional property can proceed to closing. During this period of time, an estimated 45 days, the property remains in the possession of the City of Mount Vernon. After 45 days, and at the discretion of the Corporation Counsel, the offer of the property can be rescinded and potentially returned to the Real Estate Committee to be offered/sold to another interested party. It was on this basis, as explained to us by the City of Mount Vernon’s Corporation Counsel, that the City
Council voted to accept the offer on the property located at 323 East 3rd Street. Further, the Charter is silent on this issue. Though it might seem reasonable that properties owned by the city should not be sold to anyone owing taxes, this is not the rule. As department heads and legislators, we cannot make up the rules on a case by case basis. The Charter provides the protocols and we are directed to act within its parameters.
is scheduled to end February 19th, 3 P.M. Santa Monica’s Pier One. Per Guy, “Suzanne is a schizophrenic, suffers from depression and has spent seven of the past 12 years in psychiatric hospitals. Her day is different from yours and mine. She hallucinates and hears voices. These voices tell her she is an awful, terrible person who is a burden, unlovable and that she should kill herself. She wakes in the morning and the first thing she does before opening her eyes is cover her ears.” I met Suzanne and her smile, her personality, the way she carries herself is beautiful. For me, I was misdiagnosed about 18 years ago with bi-polar disorder. In 2005, out of work for over a year, I went inpatient 5 times in as many months at two separate hospitals before being properly diagnosed with anxiety disorder, depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and post traumatic stress. There is no blood test, nor scans, to clarify what illness we have, its degree of severity, or its progression or regression. Our behaviors and observations are the only tried and true methods of diagnosis. There is no other way to tell us when our minds lie to us, leading to misdirected thoughts and actions. Every story is different. Everyone is affected and afflicted in a unique way, every family member and friend feeling the pain differently. The only time the mentally ill and our various diagnosis receive attention occurs with after the fact tragic events involving death or some celebrity misbehaving. We know the statistics are grim. The National Alliance for Research
on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD) reports that one in four adults, 57.7 million Americans, about 26% of our total population and one in 10 children suffer. It is the leading cause of disability for ages 14-55. The total economic cost which includes productivity loss is valued at $190 billion. Guy also adds that the ASPCA and the Humane Society of the United States receive $220 million a year in donations – about eleven times more than donations for the leading charity that does research on mental illness. Guy’s run is almost finished. He survived lung poisoning from running along an expressway for 3 days, broken bones in his foot, blinding headaches, blurred vision, etc. He brought increase awareness, raised some funds and set an athletic precedent; all of which deserve a lot more attention and praise. Momentum was created with this cross country run. Now, it is up to us to build, to establish some foundation, social, economic and spiritual. Please do not let another opportunity for growth to pass. Our members of society who suffer and live with mental ill should not be ignored until some individual or tragic event brings headlines. Please visit Guy and support him at www.facebook.com/afathersjourney - even if the run is completed.
Karen Watts is Mount Vernon City Council President.
HEALTH
A Father’s Journey By Glenn Slaby
“I swore, when my daughter was born, I would protect her and never let anything happen to her. Then ‘life’ stepped in.” There are times when actions by an individual or group can bring an upwelling of emotions - an inner or maybe even an outward tear. I have and believe that we all have these memories and moments that transcend ourselves, our culture, bringing us to a higher level of faith. Hartsdale resident, Guy Fessenden’s daughter, Suzanne, was born 28 years ago. As loving parents usually do, they suffer when their children suffer. Sixteen years later, Guy and his wife started suffering as their daughter experienced a pain that was totally unexpected, a pain without any visible physical abnormalities. She entered the world of mental illness. Dedication, discipline, endurance are components of such transcending events. Currently, one action is occurring as this Westchester resident is running across our nation to bring attention to our plight; the plight of all who suffer from mental illness. Guy is not only running from Georgia to California; he is running one hundred marathons in 140 days for Suzanne, and all who suffer. He has a few sponsors but no huge corporate financial backing. He is doing it to fulfill that promise made at the birth of his daughter. The feat began October 2, and
Glenn Slaby is married and has one son. A former accountant with an MBA, Glenn suffers from mental illness. He writes part-time and works at the New Rochelle Public Library and at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Harrison, New York, where he receives therapy.
The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, FebrUary 17, 2011
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INVESTIGATION
A Scapegoat Hangs in Tarrytown By Nancy King
The arrogance of local government never ceases to amaze us here at The Westchester Guardian. In a not so stunning development, the Village of Tarrytown has found DPW Foreman Scott Weaver culpable in the deaths of Anthony Ruggerio and John Kelly. These two men died on September 6, 2010, while entering a permit required manhole during what was supposed to be a routine call to clear a blocked sewage pipe. According to the village, Mr. Weaver is being suspended (with pay) for not preventing Anthony Ruggerio from entering into the permit required confined space. The village, in their interpretation of the PESH report deemed that as foreman, Mr. Weaver was considered management and therefore should have made a directive to Mr. Ruggerio indicating that he was not to go down that hole. It seems that the village
feels that they will indemnify themselves against what PESH called a willful violation. But wait… Scott Weaver wasn’t the only supervisor on the scene. According to the PESH report, the fire chief was also there and didn’t prevent John Kelly, one of his firefighters from going down that same confined space manhole. Even though the position of fire chief in the Village of Tarrytown is volunteer, wouldn’t the fire chief be considered “management”? At the risk of some more fine threats delivered to my inbox from a group of volunteer firemen,that question needs to be asked. All the Chief had to say to John Kelly was “wait”. Was it because John Kelly was there as a private citizen and was considered to be “freelancing” or was it a case of an incident commander not being in command. I suppose given
the confusion of the incident we may never find out. What we are finding out is that the elected officials are playing a tricky game of CYA. Once again one would have to assume that Mayor Fixell and village administrator Michael Blau, acting as CEO of the village and human resources officer respectively, and village engineer Michael McGarvey would have known that Tarrytown had at best, skeletal training in the areas of permit required confined spaces. Shouldn’t they too be suspended if they knew there wasn’t enough training? I suppose it would be a stretch to see them step down and join Mr. Weaver in the in-village suspension room where they could review safety policy and perhaps bring it up to code. That would probably time better spent rather than have Mr. Weaver sitting at home while an independent arbiter who has ties to the village decide if there is to be further ramifications. Throughout this investigation, the village has fallen into a divide amongst
its residents. Local businessman John Stiloski has been relentless in pursuing the truth concerning this accident. And in what may have originally been an innocent plea for answers in this case, it has ultimately pitted Mr. Stiloski versus the village board. To be sure Mr. Stiloski has more than likely lost a few business accounts and a lot of friends in his pursuit. Mr. Stiloski and the residents of Tarrytown are also losing the blind innocence that most folk accept when electing public officials. Its only when they begin to peel the layers of government away, do they see it for the stinking mess it really is. Fortunately for those good people, the village elections are just a little over a month away and they can vote a new administration in. No matter what the outcome, John Kelly and Anthony Ruggerio will never be brought back from the dead but their families and the rest of the village are entitled to an honest answer.
Road salt being stored in the salt dome last week
(L-R): Bill LaPierre, Fred Gulitz, Stephan Gardner
up his department but at one point, he took on a second post of Director of Labor, where he headed up multiple departments with a total of 147 employees under his watch, a powerful position he held for over two years.
“The town was trying to consolidate department heads,” he explains. “It seems that trend is coming around again.” When the post of highway superintendent came up for election again, DeBartolo had the endorsement of all the political parties. For years DiBartolo has garnered admiration from employees and town residents, but has angered many as well. Critics cite some questionable business decisions. In March 2009, town officials were informed that DiBartolo hired Envirostar – a company owned by DiBartolo’s brother Frank, (now deceased) to clean up contaminated soil. The job, which cost the town $73,000, was never properly put out to bid and the town was asked to approve the payment retroactively. Continued on page 20
From Salt Wars to Slander By Abby Luby
At a recent town board meeting in Yorktown, a verbal scuffle erupted between Yorktown’s Highway Superintendent Eric DiBartolo and town resident Fred Gulitz over what some speculate was 2,000 tons of spoiled road salt that cost the town about $100,000. DiBartolo, who claims the salt was considerably less than 2,000 tons, explained the situation to the satisfaction of Town Supervisor Susan Siegel and town council members who then moved on to other business. The argument was the latest in a series of heated exchanges between DiBartolo
Superintendent Eric DiBartolo in his office.
and Gulitz that has spanned the last five years. Gulitz, along with Yorktown residents Bill LaPierre and Stephan Gardner have foiled for numerous town documents, creating a vast paper trail they hope will eventually prove DiBartolo has broken rules and protocol and show his allegedly consistent disregard for the law. DiBartolo, 49, has worked for the town since 1989 when he first started as a laborer for the Yorktown Parks and Recreation Department. In 1995 the then highway superintendent retired and DiBartolo was approached by the Republican Party to run for the job. Today, after 20 years of working for the town, DiBartolo has not only built
Yorktown Highway Department building exterior.
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INVESTIGATION
From Salt Wars to Slander Continued from page 19 DiBartolo denies that he ever purchased anything without filing the proper paperwork. “Everything is always put out to bid. Everything goes through the town’s comptroller’s office.” Other complaints filed against DiBartolo range from shady equipment purchases to using both town vehicles and employees for private projects. Gulitz and Gardner foiled for documents to prove that DiBartola purchased $75,000 worth of used equipment in 2008 from only one bidder without getting bids from two or three companies as required by the town. The equipment was for work on the Legacy ballfield. Equipment vouchers reflect that the purchase from Empire Excavating
Inc. included a bulldozer, a roller and an excavator. Gulitz recalls the town approved the purchase, as well as DiBartola’s intent to sell the equipment after the ball field was finished. Gulitz claims that the town still owns the equipment. At press time, to verify the town’s actions from the May, 2008 board meeting, the town website no longer archived the information or it has gone missing since it was initially uploaded. Hostilities between DiBartolo and LaPierre, Gulitz and Gardener have grown to fever pitch. Accusations and allegations have become personal. LaPierre, who owns Clark Funeral Home – the only funeral home in Yorktown, says two years ago DiBartolo threatened him with a plan to build another funeral home nearby, a move
that would have been targeted to pull business away from LaPierre. DiBartolo says he never threatened LaPierre. “I have a dear friend whose family has been in the funeral business for three decades and who has been looking to expand in this area.” DeBartolo steered his friend to the former Seven Stars Diner in Shrub Oak which recently opened as the Yorktown Funeral Home. LaPierre and Gulitz allege that DiBartolo used town trucks and employees to complete the new funeral home. Gulitz has pictures documenting DiBartolo at the site with a town truck. DiBartolo says on that day, he stopped by the new funeral home for eight minutes to use the bathroom and saw Gulitz in his car with his camera, DiBartolo approached Gulitz.
“I invited him inside but he said ‘No!’” recalls DiBartolo. “When are these three people going to leave me alone?” The breaking point for DiBartolo was in December, 2010, when LaPierre took out two full page ads in the Yorktown Examiner condemning DiBartolo for fraudulent practices. DiBartolo said he threatened the paper’s publisher with legal action if they continued to run similar ads. Recently, DiBartolo hired attorney Guy Parisi to take legal action against LaPierre, Gulitz and Gardener. “I’ve been slandered in the newspaper and at town board meetings. It’s time for a lawsuit,” says DiBartolo Abby Luby is a Westchester based, freelance journalist who writes about current, local news, environmental issues, art entertainment and food.
LABOR
Connections—Two Sides of the Coin: Tenure and Seniority Part 1 of 3 By Marilyn Elie
Teacher tenure has been in the news a lot lately. To understand why it is associated with the teaching profession you have to look back a bit in history. Here is a historical perspective that provides a context for today’s debate. Tenure was put in place in the early 1900’s, following a time of corruption graft and cronyism in American politics and education. Perhaps you remember the name of Boss Tweed from a class in American history? He was head of Tammany Hall, the corrupt Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in the politics of 19th century New York. You can read more about him at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ William_M._Tweed. In those days it was common practice for politicians to reward friends, family and supporters with jobs. That is how they stayed in office. Government offices and schools were filled with people who “had connections.” Ability played little or no part in who was hired. It was all about who you knew. The entrenched custom of the time supported the racism that was rife in American society and served to keep minorities out. Our civil service laws and academic tenure laws grew out of what would now be considered an illegal abuse of office. Major reforms eventually followed and
resulted in the creation of a professional staff that does the business of government through civil service and teaches America’s children free of political interference with the help of tenure. Teachers unions got a powerful boost during the Vietnam era when many more men entered the profession. It was a time of powerful unions across the country. Unions worked hard for better conditions, better salaries and a better life for their members. Most of that is gone now, not because workers no longer need it, but because of the barrage of corporation friendly policies and anti organizing laws which have been enacted over the decades. It is also true that some unions lost their sense of purpose and dedication to workers’ welfare and operated much like Boss Tweed’s Tammany Hall. Teachers constitute one of the largest bodies of unionized workers left in the country, and because of that attract a lot of attention from anti union sources. If unions have waned in importance why do we still need anything they offered? We need tenure, or fair dismissal laws, because human nature has not changed. Everyone, whether in the private or public sector, should be entitled to job protection that includes just cause and reasons for dismissal. That’s all tenure is - a contract that says you cannot be dismissed on the whim of the boss, to make room for someone’s relative or to allow a hard strapped
administrator to make budget by firing you and hiring someone cheaper. That’s where seniority comes in. If dismissals are going to be regulated, what fairer way to go than last hired, first fired? There is a value that experienced workers acquire over the years. You want your doctor and your mechanic to have some experience before they work on either your body or your car. Eliminating tenure and seniority would be an open invitation to replace quality educators with the youngest, cheapest teachers available – and they would most likely be chosen based on the dominant political philosophy of the school board or principal, leading to a fracturing of public education. I pay my school taxes in the Lakeland School District and well remember the time when Lakeland was best known for its practice of hiring teachers right out of college and training them extensively. As soon as they completed their probationary period they were let go and more brand new teachers were brought in at lower salaries to start the cycle all over again. At the time it was thought to save money and it was as short sighted then as it would be today. Those young teachers with a lot of on the job training paid for by taxpayers and three years of practice found employment in other districts which were only too glad to have them. And yes, in those days Lakeland ranked low in academic
achievement. How could it not when the majority of professionals in the system were just learning their craft? Eunice Pruitt, an educator for 39 years and a principal for eighteen reflected on her feelings about tenure from both the perspective of a classroom teacher and that of a principal. As a principal, her concern about tenure centered on how to get rid of teachers who were not doing a good job. Her conclusion was not to eliminate tenure: “We need tenure laws, otherwise education will get too political, just like county offices.” She stated, “We need to do more to recognize teachers who are performing so that they don’t have to leave the classroom to get promoted. We need to find a way that teachers can get recognition and increased status and keep on teaching. This could include some performance based criteria; the details could be worked out by teachers and administrators in conjunction with the community within the framework of the tenure system we have now. ” We need a strong public education system staffed by enthusiastic, well trained enthusiastic professionals. Principals have the tools at hand to ensure this for their schools. Let them document their reasons when someone is not performing on the job, follow the rules for fair dismissal and elevate education for students and the community. Next week: Connections Part 2 - The coordinated attack on tenure. Connections, an occasional column on how everything is connected and how few things are as simple as they might first appear… is penned by Marilyn Elie.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
To the Editor: Governor Cuomo’s Fiscal Policy Paladino Inspired
We were inspired to support Carl Paladino chiefly because of his fiscal policies. He knows New York is broken and crying out for repair, and he proposed to overhaul the entire State budget. Tax cuts, not just tax caps. Pension reform was also a big part of Carl’s plan, as were deep Medicaid cuts. Carl wanted to fight the unions and the progressive State aid addicts feeding at the public trough. No more business as usual. That’s why when we read this story in the National Review we really took notice. Please take two minutes out of your busy day to read what the nation’s top conservative magazine is saying about our new Governor’s fiscal plans. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has presented a budget laced with real conservative fiscal reforms. In fact, we were surprised how much his proposals sound like Carl Paladino’s plan. He’s proposing bureaucracy layoffs, Medicaid cuts, property tax
relief, and mandate reform. What kind of agenda is this from the son of Mario Cuomo? You simply cannot call his fiscal plan progressive or liberal - it’s conservative. In fact, Gov. Cuomo’s program is so conservative that the entitlement crowd, the unions and other Albany liberal special interests are screaming. When you hear that squeal you KNOW somebody is doing something right. The executive budget isn’t a panacea; grassroots activists aren’t getting everything we fought for in the last election. Gov. Cuomo wants to eliminate 10,000 State jobs; Carl wanted to cut 25,000. Gov. Cuomo will trim Medicaid two percent; Carl wanted to cut far more from optional benefits. Gov. Cuomo has pledged no tax hikes, fee raises or borrowing to balance the budget - Carl did the same. Carl always said he supported a property tax cap before tax cuts like he supported walking before running. Walking is not enough - our State needs to be running. But read what the National Review revealed about the proposed property tax cap: it closes Liberal loopholes for State employee benefits, helps
stop out-of-control school budgeting, and requires 60 percent vote of the legislature to increase tax limits. This is not the same old cap that progressives hand-tighten to pretend fiscal responsibility. This cap has the power to force real State mandate relief and local budget cuts. In March, Gov. Cuomo will announce how deeply he will cut Medicaid, education spending and other State mandates that are choking taxpayers. We, as grassroots organizers, understand why many hesitate to support this proposal: chiefly, because it is a “Cuomo” proposal. Grassroots organizations, like ours, are resolved to stand on the side of truth and the facts, not political correctness - on both sides of the fence! Although his tax cap proposal is not a finished product yet, we believe it merits support in these initial stages and general concept. Many of our newly elected officials, whom we all helped win in November as “Tea Party” candidates, are now actively supporting a property tax cap with mandate relief. We must ensure the cuts are equitable across the state so that areas like Long Island are treated fairly in sharing the pain. The details are critical, therefore it is very important that you contact your local and state representatives to let your voice be heard.
We can all agree - our State is literally dying for real fiscal reform. For this reason, we decided to join the growing number of grassroots groups pushing Gov. Cuomo’s conservative fiscal reform by contacting our Senator and Assemblyman. We ask that you please consider this unique opportunity to support conservative policies and write your legislators, too. It takes less than a minute when you click HERE or HERE. It is our belief that the grassroots must support Cuomo’s conservative fiscal reforms or we lose all credibility to criticize his liberal policymaking. Participation in the process is of utmost importance. Tea Party and 9-12 groups are not partisan organizations. We pride ourselves on thoughtful and principled advocacy of limited government and fiscal responsibility. So please think about our suggestion and consider stepping forward with us to support the Governor’s fiscal reforms as a matter of principal - not politics.
me, that the intent of some of the most senior members of the legislature was to preserve their future on the legislature. The chairman of the Rules Committee had admitted to being opposed to term limits (although later reversing that position), as did legislators Hay, Oliverio and Conklin. So, it appeared as though the effort would die in committee. So I took up the banner. The Rules of the legislature state that where a matter before a committee is not acted upon within 60 days (let alone 120 days in this case) any member could bring the item to the full legislature for a vote. And so, taking into consideration multiple legislators’ interest in retroactivity as well as the public’s dissention towards the Westchester Legislature grandfathering themselves in their own law, I proceeded to draft an amended version. The intent of my version, as was very clearly stated and as the law that finally passed, was that the term limits would
begin from the 2002, 2003 & 2004 Legislative Elections, and that there would be a Four (4) term limit placed on any legislator elected during one of those elections or later. I erroneously used the word “Tolling” and admitted my error in commending the County Executive for catching it and vetoing it. What I take exception to, is suggesting that I somehow railroaded this measure without following procedures. That could not be further from the truth. The Legislature had an opportunity to pass legislation that was crafted and reviewed by the Charter Review Commission and The Putnam County Law Department. As for my confidence in the Legislative Attorney, Clem Van Ross, the Legislative Counsel, formerly “of Councel” to Senator Leibell and staunch ally to him, chose not to specify his concerns, only to say that the law was flawed. If he had concerns, he never raised Continued on page 22
In Liberty, Bob and Mary Meyer Co-founders Suffolk County 9-12 Project www.suffolk912.com
OPED
Putnam County Term Limits Law By Anthony S. Fusco
In a recent Putnam Examiner news article, I read with amazement that members of the Legislature are unwilling to accept responsibility for their own votes regarding the Term Limits legislation I presented at the very last opportunity available while I could still do something about it. Some even suggested that I hastily forced the legislation upon them without legal consideration. That could not be further from the truth. There were alternative versions that were in committee for 4 months and reviewed by the Law Department that could have been voted on in Full Session. The public has been clamoring for term limits for all of their politicians, for a number of years now. The Putnam County Charter Review Commission
took up the matter in the first half of 2010. With the assistance of the Putnam County Law Department, they drafted legislation which was subsequently presented to the Rules Committee of the Legislature, back in June or July. The Rules Committee took up the dialogue during their August 19th, 2010 meeting, a full four months prior to my presentation on December 28th, 2010. In October, after the Budget was completed, it was not put back on the agenda, nor did we receive any of the information which was requested from the Law Department. Then in November, it was tabled for lack of information. As an outgoing legislator, I wanted to ensure that the will of the people was carried out. It became obvious to
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Putnam County Term Limits Law Continued from page 21 them with me, prior. Also, it should be noted that my lack of confidence in him is justified in that his interests are not only conflicted regarding Senator Leibell, but he supported both of my political opponents. Regina Morini and Anthony DiCarlo who are both known to have close ties with the disgraced Former Senator. VanRoss has erroneously, perhaps knowingly, opined on my removal from the Personnel Committee despite the State Law which clearly says that members of
a legislative committee “...shall serve until the end of the year” making no allowance for a chairman’s ability to remove. The Legislative Chairman has also been known to dissuade freshman legislators for proposing new legislation by heaping criticisms and revisions on their intended laws, yet giving no assistance in the actual drafting as is the purpose of his position. There is a little known axiom referred to as “Crib Death”. It refers to what happens to a newly elected official who does not “Go along to get along, with the
status quo”. I believe that is what I was subjected to, not only by the Legislative attorney, but by senior legislators as well as the County Executive. It is presents another compelling reason that term limits should be imposed. And now, the Rules Committee will convene tomorrow evening, and once again the new Rules Chairman, Tony Hay who is openly opposed to the measure, will see to it that it dies in committee. He has failed to place it on the immediate agenda. The former Rules Chairman, Legislator Dan Birmingham has labeled himself a “late convert” in support of
term limits. My hope is that Legislator Birmingham will support it going forward, that the two newly elected legislators will stand by their campaign platforms in support of term limits, and that those who voted for it previously, will do so again. It will take a Legislator with conviction and intestinal fortitude to bring it back to the full legislature for a vote, once another 60 days has passed. Sincerely, Hon. Anthony S. Fusco served the District 9 on the Putnam Board of Legislators which encompassed the communities of Mahopac, Mahopac Falls and part of Carmel.
Secure Communities Program Continues Divide Between Law Enforcement and Immigrant Communities By Damon K. Jones
The Secure Community Program that is promoted by Homeland Security and was adopted by former New York State Governor Paterson in 2010 has drawn opposition from civil rights and immigration advocate organizations throughout New York. The fingerprint program will allow local police departments to send fingerprints of all arrestees to federal immigration databases, with immigrants who are found “deportable” being directly pushed into the deeply flawed detention and deportation system. When a state signs onto the Secure Communities program, all local law enforcement in that state has to do is arrest someone on traffic or other offense, and their fingerprints will be checked against immigration databases during booking. When the fingerprint scan gets a “hit,” immigrants can end up getting carted off by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to
an immigration detention center. If they get out on bond, ICE can take them into custody, leaving their criminal cases unresolved. It doesn’t matter if the person was innocent of a criminal charge or if the arrest was a pretext to check immigration status. Besides eroding community trust with the police, the program has criminalized the immigration detention system with a majority of those caught identified for minor crimes or U.S. citizens. A Freedom of Information Act request found that Secure Communities has “misidentified more than 5,800 arrested U.S. citizens as undocumented workers” since 2008. Available evidence shows little accountability and transparency, yet a whopping $200 million has been allocated to Secure Communities, with an eye toward establishing it nationwide in every jail by late 2012. Recently Immigration and Customs Enforcement met with officials that want to opt out of the Secure Communities
enforcement program. Officials from Arlington, Va. met with ICE and representatives from the state of Virginia to figure out the future of the fingerprintsharing program in the city. Although ICE previously stated the program was voluntary— even posting documents explaining how communities could opt out that later disappeared. Despite being told that no optout is possible, several communities are going forward with the opt-out process laid out by ICE. The first step is a meeting with ICE and state representatives that began in Arlington, Va. San Francisco and Santa Clara, Calif., also are scheduled to meet with ICE officials on Secure Communities. As a Law Enforcement organization, we fully support any legislation that assists us in doing the job of protecting and serving our communities. However, as current Police, Sheriff and Corrections Officers, assuming more responsibilities of Homeland Security, first 287 G and now Secure Communities presents an added burden and stress to an already difficult job.
In fact, a report issued last year by Major Cities’ Chiefs, a group of over 50 big city police chiefs, indicated that “immigration enforcement by local police would likely negatively effect and undermine the level of trust and cooperation between local police and immigrant communities,” It is our duty as peace officers and members of Blacks in Law Enforcement to continue the fight for freedom, justice, and equality for all citizens. We will be advocates of law enforcement professionals by establishing continuous training and support. As civil service officers, it is our duty to uphold the laws of our local, state, and federal governments. However, as natural leaders it is our moral, ethical, and human duty to reach and teach our families and youth by providing increased involvement and support, thereby enriching lives and enhancing our communities. Damon K. Jones is executive director of Westchester Black Law Enforcement.
NEW YORK CIVIC
When Will They Ever Learn? By Henry J. Stern
Twenty years ago, crime was New York City’s most serious problem. In the year 1990, the first year of the Dinkins mayoralty, the number of
Crime Down Over the Years but Ignorance Holds Steady
homicides recorded in the five boroughs was 2,245, an historic high. The murder total declined by about 10 percent during the remaining three years of the Dinkins administration, and fell sharply (about
50 per cent) under the eight years that Giuliani was mayor. It fell slightly during Bloomberg’s first eight years, although there was a slight rise in year nine (2010). Statistics for other crimes over the past
two decades compiled by COMPSTAT show substantial declines, particularly auto theft, which fell from 187,591 in 1990 to 21,870 in 2009. There is no doubt that people feel much safer in New York City than they did twenty or thirty years ago, and that many neighborhoods previously regarded as dangerous are now considered safe. Continued on page 23
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When Will They Ever Learn? Continued from page 22 While total crime, particularly street crime, has been substantially reduced, men still murder their girlfriends or exes despite orders of protection from the courts, and children are still hit by stray bullets. The general public, however, has less fear of family violence than of external assault, because they feel their own relatives are unlikely to injure them. Our public safety comes at a high price; the budget for the Police Department is $4.4 billion. Crime will always be a problem, with contributing factors like poverty, addiction, abandonment, broken families, unemployment, gang warfare, terrorism and violence resulting from mental illness. New Yorkers, however, have seen massive efforts by law enforcement in the last twenty years which have reduced the fear of crime and the limitations on citizens’ daily lives which resulted from their legitimate fears of physical danger. Commissioners Bill Bratton (under Mayor Giuliani) and Ray Kelly (under Mayors Dinkins and Bloomberg) were particularly effective. A TOUGHER NUT TO CRACK: TEACHING KIDS TO READ AND WRITE DEVIANCY DEFINED DOWN TO BOLSTER CLAIMS OF ACHIEVEMENT
The city’s success in dealing with crime has not, however, been matched by progress in education. One reason is that crime statistics are relatively reliable. To number murders, you count bodies. Other crime data is based on witnesses’ and victims’ accounts, precinct reports, and court convictions. In the schools, although there are now frequent tests to evaluate student performance, serious doubts remain about the value of the tests, the method by which they are scored, the alteration of test results, the standards required for passing the test, and the effect of testing and the consequent ‘teaching to the test’ on other parts of the curriculum. Educational testing is more susceptible to manipulation than counting corpses. New Yorkers have been subjected over the years to a barrage of misleading information about test outcomes, some, but by no means all, coming from the New York City Department of Education. Recently, city test scores were challenged by the New York State Department of Education, which conducted its own study of test results at the request of the State Board of Regents. In the past, the State Education Department has been complicit in the misinterpretation of test results, because, to put it directly, they wanted as many people as possible to pass. Years ago, we blamed school administrators for educational failures, and 110
Livingston Street became an address of ill repute. Although some public officials proposed in jest that the building be blown up, it was Mayor Bloomberg who sold it off for private condos and moved the educrats to the old Tweed Courthouse on Chambers Street, a symbol of corruption when it was built (over a century ago), and a symbol of futility as a new wave of bean counters rushed in to turn the old system inside out, and then undo what they had just done. The mystery to us is how so many intelligent people could have been involved in a massive effort that has produced so little in the way of positive results. How many billions of tax dollars have been spent on new construction, renovation, and substantial salary increases with major pension consequences, but without a major effect on student outcomes? The bottom line is that the people running the system really do not know what the best strategies are, and it is too late in the administration for them to admit it. It is understandable that the mayor wanted a new Chancellor - the two-term limit makes sense there as well. Bloomberg put his money where his mouth was in providing amply for education over the years. Sadly, money was no panacea. Today, the teachers have become scapegoats, as they were in Ocean HillBrownsville in 1968. We know there are
Trend Alert: The Official Unemployment Rate; an “Official” Lie By Paul Craig Roberts
Kingston, NY, February 8, 2011 -- Do you believe Friday’s government report that the unemployment (U.3) rate fell last month from 9.4 percent to 9.0 percent? How could the rate decrease when January only saw a reported increase in payroll employment of 36,000 jobs when some 150,000 new jobs are needed to be created each month just to stay even with population growth? According to Friday’s Bureau of Labor Statistics report, a 0.4 percentage point decline in the unemployment rate means “the number of unemployed persons decreased by about 600,000.” Where did the other 564,000 January jobs come from as they cannot be found in the reported jobs data? The jobs are phantom jobs created by faulty seasonal adjustments. As statistician John Williams (shadowstats.
com) puts it, “the extraordinary severity and duration of the economic duress in the United States during the last three to four years has destabilized traditional seasonal-factor adjustments and the related monthly reporting.” In other words, the 564,000 people are, in reality, unemployed and are not employed in the non-existent seasonallyadjusted jobs that the government added to the numbers. Williams reports that the unadjusted data show that “the employment rate rose in January.” It’s BLS magic. Unemployment rose, but the unemployment rate fell. Washington pulled the same stunt last month. Using this government ploy, theoretically, the U.S. could have a zero unemployment rate while the entire population is out of work! Don’t expect the financial press to tell you what this Trend Alert just told
you. In response to the cooked numbers, Bloomberg quoted economists, whose job is to hype recovery, that “we’re setting ourselves up for a pretty strong improvement in payrolls.” (4 February 2011) According to John Williams, even the measly 36,000 job gain is an illusion created by the faulty “birth-death” model, which guesses that new startups add more jobs each month than business failures subtract. This might sometimes be true, but not during an economic downturn. Without the jobs added by this faulty estimating technique, “the reported January 2011 payroll gain of 36,000 would have been a decline of 52,000!” Indeed, the BLS “birth-death” model’s over-estimate of payroll jobs results in quiet annual revisions in the number of employed. In Friday’s employment report, largely unnoticed by the financial press,
good ones and bad ones, and teachers should be dealt with on the merits as individuals, not as if they were all cut from the same cloth. Teachers should not be fired by arbitrary formulas (LIFO) without regard to their abilities. But unless there is justifiable confidence in the executives who would make the decisions as to who shall go and who shall stay, there is little likelihood that they will be given absolute authority over others. But that is a long way from giving them no authority, and protecting mediocrity and incompetence in the classroom. Who thought that, over twenty years, crime would prove a far easier problem to deal with than education? But that is the way it has turned out to be. Perhaps Mayor Bloomberg should appoint Ray Kelly as Schools Chancellor. He has no background in education, but neither does she. He has graduate degrees from St. John’s ( J.D.), NYU (LL.M.) and Harvard (M.P.A.). Kelly has been one of the mayor’s best appointees, he knows what to say and what not to say, how to lead a major organization, and how to get people to do their best. His good example may encourage the children to do better. Henry J. Stern writes as StarQuest. Direct email to him at StarQuest@NYCivic.org. Peruse Mr. Stern’s writing at New York Civic. the BLS reports in its benchmark revision that there were 483,000 fewer people employed in December 2010 than previously reported. The U.3 unemployment rate is the headline rate. It receives all the media attention, because it only measures 40 percent of the unemployed, thus making the recession look smaller than it really is. No discouraged workers who have given up looking for work are included. The government has a more complete measure of the unemployment rate known as U.6, which includes the short term discouraged (less than one year). That rate is16.1 percent. John Williams adds in the long term discouraged, which brings the true rate of unemployment to 22.2 percent. Economists have no known way of explaining how an economy, in which millions of manufacturing and professional service jobs have been offshored, can compensate for the lost American incomes and purchasing power. The Continued on page 24
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TREND ALERT
The Official Unemployment Rate; an “Official” Lie Continued from page 23 profits from offshoring flow to a narrow segment of the population consisting of corporate management, shareholders, and Wall Street. These income flows cannot replace the millions of lost incomes and careers of those whose jobs have disappeared. There is a limit on the ability of the mega-rich to buy and to consume. The consumption of a few people cannot drive an economy. This is why the concentration of income and wealth in a few hands kills an economy. For a decade the American economy has been driven by private debt accumulation. Today policymakers in Washington
are trying to drive the economy with public debt accumulation. The plan cannot succeed. The annual budget deficit of the U.S. government is being financed by the Federal Reserve by creating new money. For now, because of the impaired condition of U.S. financial institutions and the over-indebtedness of the American population, the money injected into the financial system by the Federal Reserve is not being lent. The banks need the reserves to bolster their solvency and consumers are too indebted to borrow. Thus, the money multiplier has collapsed, preventing the Federal Reserve’s money creation from resulting in rapidly increasing inflation.
More BS from the BLS Just as the unemployment rate is understated, so is the Consumer Price Index. The CPI no longer measures the prices of a fixed basket of goods, but assumes that people substitute cheaper items for those that rise more in price. Moreover, inflation can also arise from decline in the dollar’s exchange rate vis-a-vis other currencies. With the dollar being the world reserve currency, many commodities are priced in dollars. As more dollars are being created than other currencies, food and commodity prices are rising as a result of the dollar’s falling exchange rate. The Fed chairman says that he can
avoid inflation when it appears by pulling the excess money out of the economy by selling bonds. But the Fed can sell bonds only by lowering bond prices, thus raising interest rates. What do you think happens to the depressed U.S. economy if interest rates rise? Stocks and whatever remains of the housing market would collapse, as would the bond portfolios of whatever remains of Americans’ pension funds. The remnants of the investment incomes of ordinary people would be wiped out. In other words, the Fed believes it can control the inflation, whose seeds it is planting, by wiping out the remnants of the wealth, and the income from it, of ordinary people. This tells you all you need to know.
WEIR ONLY HUMAN
The Ultimate Sacrifice for Love By Bob Weir
Let me begin by saying that every day should be a day to celebrate romance. If you’re waiting until February 14 each year to show affection to your soul-mate, you’re probably going to spend a lot of time alone. But, that shouldn’t take anything away from special occasions that have become reminders for those who take love for granted. Many years ago, long before Al Gore invented the Internet, relationships were not so easy to come by. During the third century there was a priest named Valentine who lived in Rome while it was being ruled by an emperor named Claudius. Known as “Claudius the Cruel,” he did all he could to live up to his name. Rome was in the early stages of its decline and the emperor wanted to keep it from eroding any further. Hence, he began a quest to rebuild his army. He sounded the clarion call for volunteers, only to discover that most men were tired of war and didn’t want to leave their wives and families. Enrollment numbers were very minimal, making Claudius furious. The cruel one came up with an idea; if men were not married, there would be no wives or families to abandon, so they
wouldn’t mind joining the army. (Of course, this was during a time in history when people couldn’t even imagine having children out of wedlock.) Therefore, the emperor decreed that marriages would no longer be allowed. With untold numbers of broken hearts stumbling dizzily through a sea of unrequited love, a hero was desperately needed. Valentine, coming to the rescue, defied the heartless edict and performed the nuptials in secret. Evidently, some cynical, loveless squealer dropped a dime (or a denarius, as it were) on the priest. As a reward for his noble deed, Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. While awaiting his execution, many young people, their hearts filled with admiration for the courage and chivalry displayed by the priest, threw flowers and notes toward his cell window. They wanted him to know that they also believed in love and that they respected him for his sacrifice. In addition, they had his name sewn on the sleeves of their garments and paraded around the city to demonstrate their affection. It became known as wearing one’s heart on one’s
sleeve. Meanwhile, the captive struck up a friendship with the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to talk with Valentine and help him through the difficult days before facing the torture and ultimate death. On the day of his execution, he left the young woman a note thanking her for the friendship and loyalty. He signed it, “Love from your Valentine.” That note, according to the legend, began the tradition of exchanging messages of love. Valentine died for his convictions on February 14, 269 A.D. Of course, all of the foregoing could be riddled with inaccuracies, but in every legend there is some factual foundation. Some historians have said that Valentine was executed and became a martyr because he refused to give up Christianity. In any event, he was granted sainthood by the pope and the story has lasted for about 1800 years. Yes, like most great events in history, Valentine’s Day has become a retailer’s dream. Flowers, heartshaped boxes of chocolates, greeting cards and intimate apparel are high on the list of gifts that help all those Romeos and Juliets to keep the flame of passion alive. And, like most great events, people celebrate because they are pulled along in the magnetic wake of tradition. They either forget, or they never knew about all those courageous souls throughout history who sacrificed everything for their beliefs and helped to pave the way for the civilization
we enjoy today. Even in the hustle-bustle world of traffic jams, stress-filled meetings and the ubiquitous cacophony of cell phone symphonies, we must never forget that without love and romance, life would be, as the philosopher, Thomas Hobbes said, “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.” If you don’t remember to make your special someone feel extra special this coming Monday, your life may well become solitary, if not short. Bob Weir is a veteran of 20 years with the New York Police Dept. (NYPD), ten of which were performed in plainclothes undercover assignments. During his early years with NYPD, Bob earned a Bachelor of Science degree, cum laude from New York Institute of Technology. He retired as a sergeant after supervising patrol in Midtown Manhattan, the busiest precinct in the country.He would eventually move to Flower Mound, Texas, where he began a writing career that started about 12 years ago having his first book published in 1999. Bob went on to write and publish a total of seven novels, “Murder in Black and White,” “City to Die For,” “Powers that Be,” “Ruthie’s Kids,” “Deadly to Love,” “Short Stories of Life and Death,” and “Out of Sight,” are available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Books-a-million, and other major online book sellers. He also became a syndicated columnist under the title “Weir Only Human”.
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POLITICS
More Good Times in Port Chester By Nancy King
You would think that one article about this village would be enough for the month of February but what do you know, that cumulative board over there is making news again. A couple of weeks ago we spotlighted the merry go around antics of the town board and the dance they were having with the Conservative Party. But it seems like this group of trustees has gotten a taste of the limelight and they like it. It seems that the same councilmen who benefitted from last years cumulative voting practices now want to appeal to the Department of Justice to have it overturned. Say whaaat? Republican councilman, Joe Kenner introduced a resolution that would set aside 225,000.00 or 750.00 (depending on how you want
to do the math) to retain Michael Carvin. Michael Carvin happens to be the brother of Republican operative and Rye Town Supervisor Joe Carvin to fight the big bad Department of Justice. Way to go Kenner, it didn’t take you too long as a councilman or a member of the inner sanctum on the 9th floor of the County Office building to figure out how to spend the taxpayers money! But alas Kenner and fellow councilman Sam Terenzi were thwarted by that pesky mayor Dennis Pilla and trustee John Branca . These two men called for a delay in the vote and luckily for the people of Port Chester, it is now delayed. Whew! This is good news for the residents of Port Chester. While they may not have liked cumulative voting and may
actually wanted it reversed, they know the value of a dollar and realize that in harsh economic times, you don’t go off spending 225,000.00 when there are so many more important issues at hand in this village. Now if I really wanted to trust a freshman politician, I would like to hear him say that he is unhappy with the current leadership and then tell us why. As a matter of fact, go back to tenth grade forensics and persuade us why we should vote for your candidate Joe Didden and not for Dennis Pilla. Remind us why we need to forget that Joe Didden sent out an anti-Latino flier a few years back but
is now a good choice for mayor. Remind us that you chose to serve the public and not the party. For heaven’s sake, even your boss on the 9th floor has said that his administration isn’t about red or blue but green. That’s right green, the color of money that this board thought they were going to sneak away from the taxpayers of Port Chester. To be honest, Port Chester is really a beautiful village, albeit one that has fallen on hard times like so many changing communities. Getting it back on it’s feet will take more than a couple of terms for any elected official, But if we were to impart any wisdom on these or any other elected official it would be this. You sere elected to serve. That’s right, we elected YOU to serve US. You’re here to do our bidding, not the other way around. If we don’t want you to spend our money to serve your political endeavors, then we’ll have no problem reminding you. Till then, get back to work at running our village.
White Plains Common Councilman Dennis Power Will Not Be Seeking Re-election By Nancy King
On February 9th, White Plains Common Council Member Dennis Power announced that he will not be running for the Common Council this election cycle. At a private “invitation only” press conference, (The Westchester Guardian was not on the invite list) at the law offices of Oxford, Tulis, Kirkpatrick, Whyatt and Geiger, Power explained the reasons for his decision. After nearly thirty years of public service, Powers explained that he would like to spend more time with his family. It is curious however that this press conference was held in the above law offices and even more curious that it was a “by invitation only” event. Dennis Powers is Adam Bradley’s sole supporter on the White Plains Common Council. When the other members of the council voted to begin the process to remove
Bradley from office, Mr. Powers refused to vote with them. Once he made the statement that Bradley should be allowed to remain in office pending the outcome of his sentencing and ethics charges, the White Plains Democratic Committee made it perfectly clear that they wanted Powers out as well. A statement made by Democratic leader Zelle Andrews indicated that the committee would be putting the pressure on Mr. Powers not to run for re-election if he didn’t change is vote in favor of removing Bradley from office. Mr. Powers denies this as the reason he has chosen not to run again. However the timing of his announcement leaves the citizens of the City of White Plains scratching their heads in confusion. Adding to the confusion was a meeting last week of the Westchester County
Democratic Committee. No one knows for sure if they had any inkling that there were now going to have to scrounge around to find someone to vet and ultimately run for the White Plains Common Council now that Dennis Powers has thrown in the towel. And in one of those odd twists of fate, Zelle Andrews, a vocal critic of Mayor Adam Bradley and Dennis Powers has been replaced by Tom Caruso as the chair of the Nominating Committee. It seems that Liz Schollenberger, chair of the White Plains Democratic Committee felt that Ms. Andrews may not have been fair to potential candidates during the vetting process. What we’re all learning here in White Plains is that the mayor isn’t the only one singing the blues in this town. And our source in White Plains conveyed to The
Westchester Guardian that County Chair Reginald Lafayette and the rest of the County Committee is not taking an immediate step to remove Mayor Bradley from office. Mr. Lafayette apparently wants to take a “wait and see” approach to Bradley, to see what happens during his sentencing in March and also any decision by the committee would be incumbent on the results of the ethics investigation. Good for you Mr. Lafayette, I’m sure that was a difficult decision to make. But perhaps his decision can be a “teachable moment” for the County and the White Plains Committees. Hopefully they can learn the difference between doing the right thing and doing whats right. No matter what happens, we wish the very best to Mr. Powers and thank him for his years of service to the City of White Plains.
SHIFTING GEARS
The VW Jetta: Running With the Big Boys By Roger Witherspoon
The mix of sleet and snow left the driveway covered with five inches of ice
leading to an ice-covered street. The city’s snow plows had succeeded only in putting ice blockades in front of every driveway, and packing the streets’ ice surface till they
were hard and slick enough for qualify for National Hockey league play. But on this frigid, gray morning staying home was not an option. I poured a cup of tea and then, while it brewed, went outside and pushed three buttons: The first button started the ignition of the five-cylinder Volkswagen Jetta; the Continued on page 26
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SHIFTING GEARS
The VW Jetta: Running With the Big Boys Continued from page 25 second began heating the driver’s soft leather seat; and the third defrosted the side mirrors. Then I went back inside to savor the tea and watch the bad weather deteriorate. Inevitably, it was time quit procrastinating and leave. Driving on ice can be problematic for even the best of cars. For the traction control to work properly, at least one all-weather or winter tire has to grip something solid – even if just for a fraction of a second. In this case, the front wheel drive Jetta’s 17-inch wheels and Continental, all-weather tires treated that ice as just another hard surface and the car moved easily forward, crunched over the ice mound at the end of the driveway and smoothly rolled down the street. It wasn’t a bad way to start the day. The new 2011 Jetta is a mid sized sedan which seeks to offer a lot in a package that’s just shy of $25,000. It needs to offer a lot, since this is a crowded field with fierce competition in style, perks, and performance from auto makers in Detroit, Japan and Korea. But in many ways, VW succeeded in crafting a visually appealing,
comfortable, workhorse of a sedan. Their top of the line SEL model with the power sunroof has a sleek profile and a long, sloping front reminiscent of sportier sedans. Under that long hood is a five cylinder engine cranking out just 170 horsepower. But this is a relatively light car and, with a top speed of 127 miles per hour, it won’t linger at the rear of the motoring pack or need a push to get up steep hills. It drinks regular gas and, according to the EPA, gets 24 miles to the gallon in city driving and 31 MPG on the highway – which isn’t bad for a mid sized sedan. Inside is a pleasant surprise. The design is relatively simple – its flat dash does not have the wavy flair of the Hyundai Sonata, for example. But the use of real and faux leather interspersed with brushed aluminum is pleasant and looks
more expensive than it is. In addition, at this price, cloth seats and limited entertainment options – which are normal on many mid-sized sedans – could be expected. But the Jetta has wide, leather seats, though the front pair are manually adjustable. The rear seats, which can fold down to expand the trunk area, provide more than a yard of leg room and can easily accommodate passengers on the high side of six feet tall. It comes with an easy to use navigation system, and while the five-inch screen is small, it is easy to see and, paired with the Sirius satellite radio, provides up to the minute traffic and weather alerts. The navigation screen also provides a useful and rarely seen feature: a box in the upper left corner showing the posted speed limit for whatever street you are driving on. The touch screen also makes it easy to use the entertainment functons. In addition to satellite radio, the Jetta’s entertainment system includes a single CD player, as well as an MP3 and iPod connection. There is also an easy to pair Bluetooth cell phone connection which automatically reconnects every time you turn the car on. The phone and entertainment functions can be accessed
on the dash, via fingertip controls on the leather steering wheel, or by using voice commands. The doors lock automatically after the car starts moving, and this function can only be turned off at the dealership. It’s annoying to park, go to retrieve your briefcase from the back seat, only to find the rear door still locked. Volkswagen’s engineers should have included an on/off switch for those who don’t like being locked in by robots. But that’s a minor point. The new Jetta packs a lot into a midsized package, making it a viable option in a hotly contested field. --Roger Witherspoon writes Shifting Gears at www.RogerWitherspoon.com
2011 Volkswagen Jetta SEL MSRP: $24,165 EPA Mileage: 24 MPG City 31 MPG Highway Performance/Safety: 0 – 60 MPH 8.2 Seconds
SHOWPREP
Service in the New Millennium, or Tell “Donna’ to Go… By Bob Marrone
The voice on the other end of the phone was actually that of a human being. After having gone through the usual round of questions from the computer call director, I actually got a human being, my third. The other two did not handle my particular problem. It was an encouraging beginning for these times of virtual service representatives and off shore call centers. It ended badly. I should have known. These days most calls for service do not have a happy ending. Back to the case in point: While tending to family business during a recent break from the WVOX microphones, I came across three insurance polices issued almost twenty years ago by a well known road service and transportation provider with a history of top notch customer service. However, my experience gave credence to the oft heard phrase, “past results are not a guarantee of
future performance.” The female “voice” was actually an American. I know for sure as the poor grammar and syntax were unmistakably products of the United States. As for the service, when I asked her if the policies issued by her company were still in effect, she responded as if I had asked her for the mathematical equations in effect during the first billionth of a second after the big bang…not a clue. The issue remains unresolved and will be, I am sure, for some time. The problem I have with the above encounter is that it was better than most. You read it right…BETTER! I am still reeling from the operator, based in New York City, who asked me if Madison Square Garden was a florist. Tears still come to my eyes when I think about the Indonesian based call center rep who never heard of Princeton University, or Harvard, or Yale for that matter. She confessed only after I begged her to stop saying in a sing song voice “your call is
important, we are so sorry for the inconvenience,” in too perfect English, even though I was not calling with a complaint, or a problem. I just wanted some information. She was reading from a script and nothing I said could move her off it. Let’s descend further. At least in those two cases, I spoke to a live person. Now, every credit card company, internet provider or government agency makes you talk to a computer. Many will have you create a new sign-on and pass word just for the privilege. I have more sign-on names and passwords than an Air Force officer at a nuclear missile launch site. Then there is the line about going to their website for superior service. Now the service might be better, but the reason they send you there is self serving. It’s cheaper! The thing to grasp, here, is the market place and the erosion of moral responsibility within it. And, frankly, there is no answer. Like a child testing just how
much he/she can get away with, businesses today base where they draw the line on what you will put up with. The problem is us. It started with the conversion of pensions to 401K type defined contribution plans. Employees accepted it. Then they started asking workers to pay for part of their health care. We accepted that, too. In those two areas there was a case to be made that we did not want to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. During the Reagan recession of the 1980’s, firms that never laid off before, as a matter of practice, really had to trim their staffs a bit to remain competitive. It was then that I observed one of the greatest transformations of behavior in my life. When executives realized that they could do that and that society would not react adversely...on the contrary, securities analysts praised the impact it would have on ROE (return on equity) and, thus, stock price…they became addicted. And why not, much of their bonus was and is based on stock price and making quarterly predictions. What’s another Continued on page 27
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SHOWPREP
Service in the New Millennium, or Tell “Donna’ to Go… Continued from page 26 1000 heads if it earns the boss another $500, 000, or more, in pay. This dynamic later expended into outsourcing overseas. Again what another 1000 heads etc. Now none of these things by themselves is immoral. Making a company as profitable as it can be is, after all, the goal. Saying you are “maximizing shareholder value” is a standard that can be used to explain, even forgive, any actions. But it has become irresponsible. It has become
the corporate answer to “its God’s will” that extreme pro-life fanatics use when they justify letting a woman die to save the life of a fetus. It is the ultimate get out of jail free card. You don’t have to use judgment or make a decision. It is made for you! And there is no end in sight. Enough! Enough! It is time to get angry and stay that way until they change. If the early requests by “Donna” or whatever name they give the virtual service representative are unproductive, do what
I do, howl expletives into the phone and demand a human being. I say the most horrible things and I am proud of it. If life is to be diminished to a battle, why should I be the fool? Why should you be the victim? Stop doing business with companies that play you for a fool. Cancel the credit card service that puts you through hoops to make an inquiry. Change your cell phone provider. Don’t shop at stores where the clerk can’t or won’t speak English. Don’t buy goods from companies that outsource. Fight back. The point is that it is a free market. We, the consumer,
have become marks, suckers, targets and fools. It’s time to join the free market, and to demand our rightful place within it. The next time “Donna” says “how can I help you,” tell her to go ##@# herself. After all those are her plans for you. Listen to Good Morning Westchester with Bob Marrone from 6-9 a.m., from Monday through Friday. Direct email to Bob Marrone at Bob@ WVOX.com, and visiting the BobMarrone. com website.
THE SPOOF
Latest Apple iPad Is Just for Babies: It’s the bPad! By Gail Farrelly
Does your baby scream like a banshee when you’re on the computer trying to get some work done? A nap, bottle, or diaper change may not satisfy little Jack or Janie. What the baby may want is his or her own computer. Sharing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Apple now offers the bPad, a tablet computer just for babies. There’s a giant touch screen, perfect for little fingers. And it comes with a special babyguard screen protector that
automatically repels water, orange juice, milk, spit-up (or worse) -- anything the baby may bombard it with. There are dozens of special apps to meet all your baby’s needs: for nursery rhymes, lullabies, Disney movies, Sesame Street reruns, Sly Stallone action flicks, whatever. Among the first purchasers were some New York City parents already worried about getting their babies admitted to the most prestigious kindergartens in a few years. “You can never start planning too early to educate your kid,” said one ecstatic
dad who had grabbed up a bPad for his four-month-old daughter. Solemnly agreeing was another purchaser who said that she had bought one for her first child, due any day. “Forget all that layette crap,” she said, “the bPad is the thing the kid wouldn’t be able to do without.” Actually, though, Apple doesn’t recommend this product for very young babies. “Owners should be at least three months old,” an Apple spokesperson announced firmly. Insiders have confirmed that what Apple loves most about this
product is hooking users at an early age. “These are the consumers of the future,” one Apple official said, rubbing his hands in glee, “unlike a lot of Apple customers who are halfway to their graves.” You’ve come a long way, baby! Gail Farrelly (www.FarrellySistersOnline. com) writes mystery novels and short stories as well as Op-Eds. She also publishes satire pieces (Gail Farrelly’s satire and parody stories) on TheSpoof.com, a British website. Her latest mystery novel is Creamed at Commencement: A Graduation Mystery. The first chapter is available on her website. Gail is working on a fourth mystery, The Virtual Heiress.
SPORTS
Victory on Ice: Russian Hockey School By Albert Caamano
It’s that time again. The dreaded, what do I do with the kids time? The foreboding days ahead are just around the corner. Spring time will merge into
summer and parents are again realizing the need to their children in some sort of camp they can go to that will engage them both physically and mentally. And all, within semblance of logic and financial reason. Regardless of their son’s or daughter’s skills and abilities, parents are in search of a place that will also produce results and at minimum bring joy and a smile onto their kids’ faces. That extra edge is in our backyards. It is the Russian Hockey School. My personal experience with the coaches who train the girls’ teams have a track record of sending their students to college by molding top skaters and scorers who have come to excell on the college level in academia and sport.
I had a chance to talk to Victor Baryshevtsev about his unique Russian Hockey School. CAAMANO: How and why did you open your camp and build your clinicsy? BARYSHEVTSEV: In year 2000, working mostly in Fairfield County, CT, I was completely booked with private / semi-private lessons and decided to open up my own Hockey School “Victory on Ice.” Since then I have been running Summer Camps and Holiday Clinics and working with Hockey organizations and individual teams focusing mainly on skating and stick-handling skills. Five years ago, my partner Boris Bykovskiy, who is a former NHL level player and I opened “Russian Hockey School”. CAAMANO: Do you work with all players or are the camp and clinics
designed for a specific level of player? BARYSHEVTSEV: I have 15 years of experience of working with players ranging from 2 year-olds to 61 year-olds. I work with all levels—from beginners to NHL players, such as Artem Anisimov. Full bio on(www.victoryonice.com). Summer Camps are designed for travel players, but we make exceptions, such as for house league players and adults. Continued on page 28
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SPORTS
Victory on Ice: Russian Hockey School Continued from page 27 CAAMANO: What type of training do you offer? BARYSHEVTSEV:The training is very intense. Its educational, gamesoriented, team-coordinated, and fun. Kids are always kept moving, having a break only when we correct / explain the techniques to them. We demonstrate all drills at full speed / strength. CAAMANO: How are your camps and clinics set up? BARYSHEVTSEV: We follow and maintain a seven-point protocol: 1. Warm up; 2. Skating drills; 3. Puckhandling drills; 4. Game concept drills; 5. Scrimmages / Fun / Self-learning games; 6. Stretching; and 7 Crawling home. CAAMANO: Can you afford The Westchester Guardian reader a overview of your instructors? Victor Baryshevtsev Elite Hockey Skills Instructor. Olympic level skater. Alternate on the 1988 USSR Olympic Team. Boris Bykovsky NHL-Europe (1994-2001) Red Bulls Rodova, Denmark. Golden Puck Award / Best Player of NHL-Denmark (2001). NHL-USSR (1986-1993), played on Dynamo Moscow and Soviet Wings Valeri Zelepukin Former NHL player, Stanley Cup
Champion. Program Director for Florida Districts. Uri Tsymbaluk Olympic level skater. 3-Time bronze medalist of Junior World Championships. Slava Tukhtin American Fitness Professionals Association Certified Personal Trainer. http://www.victoryonice.com/instructors CAAMANO: Where are your camps and clinics located? Is private training available? BARYSHEVTSEV: We have locations in: Bridgeport, CT. Aviator, Brooklyn, NY, Kings Park, Long Island, NY, and Brewster, NY. we are also planning to have a week of Summer Camp in Stamford, CT (the week of Aug 29th.) Private, semi-private, and training in
small / big groups is available. Victor’s locations are mainly in Fairfield County, CT, and Weschester / Putnam Counties, NY. Boris’s locations are in Long Island, NY. Off- ice coach Slava trains in the Newark, NJ area. CAAMANO: What is the difference between the training in the United States and Russia? BARYSHEVTSEV: In Russia, kids do not talk back to their coaches… In Russia, young player development is centered around skill development first, while in the US the primary focus seems to be more on competitive games than on training. But remember, as the great Herb Brooks once said, “Competition without preparation is anti-development.” In our hockey school camps and clinics in the US, we provide the same training and regimen as is found in Russia. I believe basic hockey skills, coupled with the strength and discipline to be learned in the academic arena are necessary to improve the overall posture of any individual who hungers for excellence in sport.” CAAMANO: You and your staff of coaches exhibit broad experience forged on the highest playing levels. What does it take to get to the next level? BARYSHEVTSEV: The next level is achieved through hard, dedicated work. Hardly working will not result in entering that next level. For the best results, players need not only physical training, but also a solid understanding of the theoretical
aspects of proper technique. That is why I came up with the instructional DVD “Top Secret Skating Techniques from Russia.” Hockey players from all over the world are buying it through my Website. It really helps. Also, in order to advance, you need to learn hockey from professionals who know what they are doing on the ice and off ice. CAAMANO: What are your plans for the future and what do you recommend a young player to do in order to improve and get noticed for consideration for the next level? BARYSHEVTSEV: I am planning to make a series of training DVDs and have more ice rinks available for training. I have also patented a unique skate blade profile which is designed to maximize skating speed, explosiveness and maneuverability, and I am hoping that in the near future one of the larger skate manufacturing companies will become interested in my invention. To young players, I recommend not just playing games, but working on improving his/her skills, which will make it more fun to play hockey. Albert Caamano has coached ice hockey for 15 plus years to include recruiting young players in preparation for college, prep schools and tournaments, and also worked Goalie camps and clinics with former Olympic coaches and college players. Direct email to him at sportswriter.caamano@gmail.com.
EYE ON THEATRE
Paean To A Player
By John Simon
Sometimes in the theater a performance is so good that it renders everything else secondary. Such is the case of When I Come to Die, in which Chris Chalk chalks up a resounding success.
Nathan Louis Jackson’s drama takes place on death row in Indiana State Prison. Two adjoining cells are on view. The inmate to our right is James “Roach” Teagle, a weird white man who keeps roaches, and who somehow, because he couldn’t stop them from screaming, killed two little girls. On our left is the protagonist, Damon Robinson, a black, who killed Wade, a “mean” young cop who had killed Damon’s beloved dog. One of Damon’s bullets went through a wall, killing also Wade’s baby.
Upstage is a slightly raised platform where handcuffed Damon gets to speak with Father Adrian Crouse, the prison’s Catholic chaplain, though Damon is an unbeliever. Their main topic at first is Damon’s having somehow survived the three lethal injections that never failed before, a survival the Church and the press call a miracle. Will the execution be rescheduled, or might there be a pardon? Damon has already spent ten years in jail. The play also concerns six cardboard boxes of letters Damon has been writing his mother, brother, and sister, but which
his father returned unopened. Damon rereads some by way of, as he puts it, reconnecting with his family. Downstage there is an area for prison visits, where Chantel, Damon’s younger sister, never before on a visit, finally comes for one. Though it begins well, it ends poorly. And then there is all that talk about what to do with a few weeks’ time to live, and a touching scene in which Damon and Roach share an imaginary fishing trip. More I must not tell you. The dialogue Continued on page 29
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COMMUNITY
Paean To A Player Continued from page 28 throughout is pungent, but the reason for Damon’s survival is never explained. All this, however, pales in comparison with Chalk’s virtuosic performance, particularly vividly observable because the Duke is a small, raked theater making for actor-viewer intimacy. And what we get from Chris Chalk is amazing. Here is an actor whose every utterance, every movement, every facial expression, and even every silence speaks loud and clear and deeply moving. He has extraordinary vocal dynamics, flawlessly deployed between shouts at his saturnine guard and subdued comments in conversation. Shattering is his love for his letters, whether he is removing them with surgical care from their envelopes, or replacing them with sacramental reverence. And how he clasps them to his heart, or how his whole being lights up when he reads aloud from one of them.
A master of movements, and gestures, he can make them convey hope or despair, rebellion or resignation, with an eloquence most words would envy. But the greatest motion is from the eyeballs. They roll about or freeze, plead or fulminate, laugh or cry, needing neither sound nor tears to support their penetrating message. If you want to experience acting at its indelible best, look no farther than this prison cell and its immediate vicinity. The supporting cast, under Thomas Kail’s simple but telling direction, supplies the necessary. Neil Huff convinces as the sports-loving priest, who also loves his works and the inmates as his calling calls for, but who develops a special, mutual affection with his favorite prisoner. David Patrick Kelly, as Roach, contributes much of the play’s humor—there is more of that than you might think—and Amanda Mason Warren is winning as sister Chantel.
everything, in Chris Chalk’s performance. It would not surprise me if it companioned us to when we, too, come to die. The Duke on 42nd Street 229 West 42nd Street 646-223-3010 www.Dukeon42.org
There is detailedly authentic scenery by Robin Vest, precise costuming by Emily Rebholz, and condignly dramatic lighting by Betsy Adams. {Nice that the designers for this mostly male play are all women.) But, I repeat, it finally comes down to, and rises to transcend
John Simon has written for over 50 years on theatre, film, literature, music and fine arts for the Hudson Review, New Leader, New Criterion, National Review, New York Magazine, Opera News, Weekly Standard, Broadway.com and Bloomberg News. He reviews books for the New York Times Book Review and Washington Post. He has written profiles for Vogue, Town and Country, Departures and Connoisseur and produced 17 books of collected writings. Mr. Simon holds a PhD from Harvard University in Comparative Literature and has taught at MIT, Harvard University, Bard College and Marymount Manhattan College. To learn more, visit the JohnSimon-Uncensored.com website.
TRUTH AND JUSTICE
Selwyn Days Round 3 By Jeff Deskovic
The death of a 79 year old wealthy Eastchester widower together with his 35 year old home-healthaid in November of 1996 which first came to trial in late 2003, ending in a hung jury, and again in the Spring of 2004, resulting in a conviction for second degree murder, has once again been brought to trial. This latest round was necessitated by the actions of Judge Jeffrey Cohen granting a 440.10 post conviction motion to overturn the conviction in December 2009. Defendant Selwyn Days, who has already spent ten years incarcerated; four awaiting his original trial, and, six following his conviction, a Mount Vernon resident, brain damaged since early adolescence, is accused of having murdered Eastchester resident Archie Harris and his aid Betty Ramcharan. Each of the three trials have featured a videotaped confession by Days as the center piece of the prosecution case despite the lack of any forensic evidence connecting Days to the crime scene. Days, arrested February 15, 2001, had been in Mount Vernon police custody from 10:45 AM until 4:30 PM when police from Easter arrived. Interrogation then
started from 5:30 PM till nearly 3AM in the morning with only a few minor breaks; the first seven hours of which were not recorded. The prosecution is being conducted by Assistant DAs Christine O’Connor and Perry Perrone. The opening statement, delivered by Mr. Perrone, began with an alleged statement attributed to Selwyn Days to the police, “Did you all know I had something to do with it? Why did it take you so long to come and get me?” Perrone made clear that the Prosecution’s case hinged on a confession by Selwyn Days that he had in fact murdered Harris and Betty Ramcharan, in retaliation for Harris’ having sexually molested his mother. Perrone conceded that police work “was not perfect” but that they did not engage in coercion. The defense team, headed by Co-Counsel Glenn Garber of The Exoneration Initiative, the agency which successfully filed the post conviction motion that overturned Mr. Days’ 2004 conviction, and Co-counsel Roberto Finzi from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison ,Paul Weis Lifton and Garrisson, are arguing the position that Days’ confession was both coerced and false, a combination of details
that were embedded within police questions to which Mr. Days simply replied, “Yes”, and confabulations that are demonstrably incorrect. In their opening statement, delivered by Finzi, the defense declared, “The best scientific evidence cannot put Selwyn Days within 500 miles of that crime scene.” They asserted that Days was in Goldsboro North Carolina at the time of the murders, and that the absence of forensic evidence was further proof of innocence, coupled with an as yet unidentified Caucasian hair found on Harris’ sock, provided further reasonable doubt. Finzi emphasized to the jury that Selwyn Days was a man of, “limited intelligence” vulnerable to suggestion, and that the false confession was only forthcoming following 17 hours in police custody and seven hours of intense interrogation. Furthering his point, Finzi boldly declared, “We don’t run from that confession! We embrace it!” Already commanding the jurors rapped attention, attorney Finzi now raised some eyebrows as he pointed out the prosecution’s need to expand the time line that they had used in two prior trials, back from November 19th to November 18th, the net effect of which would tend to undercut the anticipated testimony of alibi witnesses. Detective Barletta of the Eastchester Police Department, one of the interrogating officers, testified that it was his voice heard questioning Days in the videotaped
statement despite the fact that he is unseen on the tape. On cross examination, Glenn Garber established that Barletta had had prior contact with Days as a result of a complaint that Days’ mother Stella had filed with the Eastchester Police regarding Archie Harris. Turning in another direction, Garber asked Barletta whether he was familiar with the interrogation techniques known as “themes” and “minimization”, which Barletta stated he was unfamiliar with. Garber then followed up by showing him an interrogation manual, asking him if he was familiar with it, which he denied. Asked whether he had ever heard of the Reid Technique, Barletta continued to profess his ignorance. Capping off the line of questioning, Garber asked Barletta whether he had ever received any interrogation training, to which Barletta continued to plead ignorance, stating that he had “not received any training” and that “police interrogation is something learned on the job.”
Analysis This confession is obviously false based upon a variety of factors. Firstly, several of the questions were pre-loaded with information, which the defendant merely regurgitated. Secondly, despite all the information fed to him, he still made many mistaken assertions, such as the claim that his hands were full of blood and that he washed them in the sink, and
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The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, FebrUary 17, 2011
TRUTH AND JUSTICE
Selwyn Days Round 3 further he had disposed of the knife, when in fact there was no blood residue in the sink and the knife lay beside the body of Ramcharan. Thirdly, it is highly improbable that a man of Days’ limited mental capacity could commit two such brutal murders while leaving not a trace of his presence; no fingerprints, no body fluid, no shoeprints, no hairs, absolutely nothing connecting him to the crime scene. Barletta’s statement about having received nor formal training in interrogation procedures at any point and that is it learned, “on the job” defies belief in that it is commonly known that the Reid
Technique is the standard interrogation paradigm utilized by the majority of police agencies across the country. It is impossible for Barletta, engaged in police work for thirty years, to have never heard of it. My impression of newly minted County Court Judge Barry Warhit, is that he is functioning as the third prosecutor in the room in this trial, seeming to sustain a good 85 to 90% of prosecutorial objections, while seldom sustaining defense objections. Furthermore, before the start of the trial, he barred the defense from presenting false confession expert testimony despite its having been admitted at the trial in People vs. Kogut, a recognized New York false confession case that ended
in acquittal. Such experts do not testify as to whether a particular confession is false, but rather provide helpful contextual information pertaining to factors that cause false confessions. Such information is critical when evaluating a confession’s truthfulness, because of the commonly held mistaken belief that innocent people do not confess. Warhit further demonstrated his willingness to bend over backwards for the prosecution, even before the trial began, when they demanded and he granted removal of Richard Blassberg from the courtroom, former editor of The Westchester Guardian and frequent critic of the DA’s office, predicating their demand
on the pretext that he might possibly be called by them as a witness, given the fact that he had served as a defense attorney/ investigator at the second trial. It seemed more likely to me that the real reason they didn’t want him involved their fear that his familiarity with the case would enable him to possibly point out something helpful to the defense as the trial enfolded; and/ or might report on the case in some other venue; and out of general vindictiveness.
after you.” The grasshopper says, “You’ve got a drink named Steve?” A goldfish flops into a bar and looks up at the bartender. The bartender asks, “What can I get you?” The goldfish says, “Water.” A guy walks into a bar and sits down next to a lady and a dog. The man asks, “Does your dog bite?” The lady answers, “Never!” The man reaches out to pet the dog, and the dog bites his hand. The man says, “I thought you said your dog doesn’t bite!” The woman replies, “He doesn’t. But that’s not my dog.” A guy walks into a bar. A horse behind the bar is serving drinks. The guy is just staring at the horse, when the horse says, “What are you staring at? Haven’t you ever seen a horse serving drinks before?” The guy says, “Honestly, no. I never thought the parrot would sell the place.” A skeleton walks into a bar.The bartender asks, “What’ll you have?” The skeleton says, “Give me a beer, and a mop.” A polar bear, a giraffe and a penguin walk into a bar. The bartender says, “What is this, some kind of joke?” A guy walks into a bar in Cork, Ireland, and asks the barman: “What’s the quickest way to get to Dublin?” “Are you walking or driving?” asks the barman. “Driving,” says a man. “That’s the quickest way,” says the barman. A fellow walks into a pub near Buckingham Palace in London, sits down, and says, “Give me a beer. I’ve had a rough day at work.” And the bartender says, “Oh? What do you do?” The guy says, “I take care of the corgis--you know, the dogs the royal family owns.” The bartender asks, “Tough job, huh? The guy says, “Yeah. All that inbreeding has led to low intelligence and bad
temperaments. And the dogs aren’t too smart, either.” A man goes into a bar and says, “Give me a drink before the trouble starts.” And the bartender pours him a drink. He drinks it and says, “Give me another drink before the trouble starts.” He downs that one and says, “Give me another drink before the trouble starts.” Finally, the bartender asks, “Just when is this trouble going to start?” The man says, “The trouble starts just as soon as I tell you that I don’t have any money.” A tourist goes into a bar where a dog is sitting in a chair playing poker. He asks, “Is that dog there really playing poker?” And the bartender says, “Yeah, but he’s not too smart. Whenever he has a good hand, he starts wagging his tail.” This cowboy walks into a bar and orders a beer. His hat is made of brown wrapping paper. And so are his shirt, vest, chaps, pants, and boots. His spurs are also made of paper. Pretty soon, the sheriff arrives and arrests him for rustling. A guy goes into a bar, orders four shots of the most expensive 30-year-old single malt Scotch whisky and downs them one after the other. The bartender says, “You seem to be in a great hurry.” The guy says, “You would be too if you had what I have.” The bartender asks, “What have you got? “Fifty cents,” is the reply. A Northerner walks into a bar in the Deep South around Christmas time. A small nativity scene is behind the bar, and the guy says, “That’s a nice nativity scene. But how come the three wise men are all wearing firemen’s hats?” And the bartender says, “Well, it says right there in the Bible--the three wise men came from afar.” Continued on page 31
Jeffrey M. Deskovic is a Criminal Justice Advocate and Exoneree. To learn more, wist his website: www.JeffreyDeskovicSpeaks.org.
THE ANATOMY OF HUMOR
“A guy walks into a bar…”
By The Westchester Jokester
No one knows when the first joke beginning with the six words “A guy walks into a bar . . .” was told, or how it went. Nevertheless, an entire genre of jokes has been created revolving around that opening scenario. Here’s a sampling of some of the variants that have sprung up, many now involving animals or inanimate objects: A guy walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm and says, “A beer please, and one for the road.” An amnesiac walks into a bar and asks the bartender, “Do I come here often?” A guy with dyslexia walks into a bra. A young Texan walks into a bar and orders a drink. “Got any ID?” asks the bartender. The Texan replies, “About what?” A pair of battery jumper cables walk into a bar. The bartender says, “You can come in here, but you better not start anything!” A Latin scholar walks into a bar and says, “I’ll have a martinus.” The bartender asks him. “Don’t you mean martini?” The man tells the bartender, “Listen, if I wanted two or more drinks I would have asked for them.” A horse walks into a bar. The bartender asks, “So, why the long face?” A variant on this joke during the 2004 presidential campaign substituted John Kerry for the horse, but the punch line remained the same. A penguin walks into a bar and asks the bartender, “Has my father been in here?” The bartender says, “I don’t know. What does he look like?”
A brain goes into a bar and says to the bartender, “I’ll have a beer, please.” The bartender says, “Sorry, I can’t serve you. You’re out of your head.” A little pig goes into a bar and orders ten drinks. He finishes them and the bartender says, “Don’t you want to know where the toilet is?” The pig says, “No, thanks, I go weewee-wee all the way home.” René Descartes is in a bar at closing time. The bartender asks him if he’d like another drink. Descartes says, “I think not,” and he disappears. A bear walks into a bar and says, “I’d like a beer and . . . . a package of peanuts.” The bartender says, “Why the big pause?” A kangaroo walks into a bar and orders a beer. The bartender says, “That’ll be $10. You know, we don’t get many kangaroos coming in here.” The kangaroo says, “At $10 a beer, it’s not hard to understand.” A termite walks into a bar and asks, “Is the bar tender here?” A cheeseburger walks into a bar, and the bartender says, “Sorry, we don’t serve food in here.” A dog with his foot wrapped in a bloody bandage hobbles into a Western saloon. He sidles up to the bar and announces: “I’m lookin’ fer the man that shot my paw.” A baby seal walks into a bar. “What can I get you?” asks the bartender. “Anything but a Canadian Club,” replies the seal. A grasshopper hops into a bar. The bartender says, “You’re quite a celebrity around here. We’ve even got a drink named
The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, FebrUary 17, 2011
THE ANATOMY OF HUMOR
“A guy walks into a bar…” Continued from page 30 A man walked into a bar, sat down, and ordered a beer. As he sipped the beer, he heard a voice say, “Nice tie.” Looking around, he saw that the bar was empty except for him and the bartender. A few sips later, another voice said, “Beautiful shirt.” At this, the man calls the bartender over. “Say, I must be losing my mind,” he tells him. “I keep hearing these voices say nice things about me, and there is not a soul in here but us.” “It’s the peanuts,” explains the bartender, indicating a dish on the bar. “The peanuts?” “That’s right, the peanuts--they’re complementary.” A man walks into a bar with a giraffe. He says, “A beer for me and one for my giraffe.” And they stand around drinking for hours until the giraffe passes out on the floor. The man pays the tab and gets up to leave. The bartender says, “Hey! You’re not going to leave that lyin’ on the floor, are you?” The man says, “That’s not a lion, it’s a giraffe.” A guy walks into a bar with a German shepherd dog. The bartender says, “Hey buddy, can’t you read that sign? It says no dogs allowed! Get that mutt out of here!” The man replies, “No,
I can’t read the sign--I’m blind, and this is my Seeing Eye dog.” The bartender is embarrassed and gives the man a beer on the house. Later that day, the man tells his friend about it: “I told him I was blind, and I got a free beer!” The friend then takes his dog into the bar and sits down. The bartender says, “The sign says no dogs allowed! You’ll have to leave!” The friend says, “Sorry, I can’t see the sign because I’m blind, and this is my Seeing Eye dog.” The bartender replies, “Since when do they give out Chihuahuas as Seeing Eye dogs?” The man says, “They gave me a Chihuahua?” A blind man walks into a bar, grabs his dog by its hind legs and swings him around in a circle. The bartender says, “Hey, buddy, what are you doing?” And the blind man says, “Don’t mind me. I’m just looking around.” A man walks into a bar looking sad, and the bartender asks him, “What’s the matter?” The man says, “My wife and I had a fight, and she told me she wasn’t going to speak to me for a month. The month is up today.” This guy walks into a bar and orders a drink. He looks in his pocket and
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LEGAL NOTICES orders another drink, looks in his pocket and orders still another drink. His curiosity aroused, the bartender asks, “What are you doing? What’s in your pocket?” And the guy says, “It’s a picture of my wife. When she starts looking good to me, I know it’s time to go home.” A five-dollar bill walks into a bar. The bartender says, “You can’t come in here. We don’t serve your kind. This is a singles bar.” Charles Dickens walks into a bar and orders a martini. The bartender asks him, “Olive or twist?” Dog walks into a bar and says, Hey, guess what? I’m a talking dog. Ever seen a talking dog before? How about a drink for the talking dog?” The bartender answers, “Okay, the toilet’s right back there.” A woman walked into a bar and asked for a double entendre. So the bartender gave her one. A man walks into a bar with a newt on his shoulder. He tells the bartender that the newt’s name is Tiny. “Why?” asks the bartender. “Because he’s my newt!” The Westchester Jokester mines his voluminous collection of humor each week in the pages of The Westchester Guardian.
NOTICE OF FORMATION of The Gourmet Gluten Free Food Company, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/31/2010. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o the LLC, 15 Kensico Knoll Place, White Plains, NY 10603. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Lewbel LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 12/31/2010. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 37 Lexington Ave Mount Vernon, NY 10552. Purpose: Any lawful activity. White Plains Homeowners Coalition, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 10/8/2010. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 980 Broadway, Ste. 225 Thornwood, NY 10594. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Event Leadership Institute, LLC Authority filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/23/2010. Office location: Westchester Co. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 8/5/2010. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to The LLC 4 Montgomery Rd Scarsdale, NY 10583. DE address of LLC: 615 S Dupont HWY Dover, DE 19901. Arts. Of Org. filed with DE Secy. of State, PO Box 898 Dover, DE 19903. Purpose: any lawful activity.
Treat Dog Hotels, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 1/19/2011. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to Melissa Horowitz C/O: ESCC 84 Business Park Dr Ste 115 Armonk, NY 10504. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Formation of a Limited Liability Company (LLC): Name: APPLESTAR HOME INSPECTIONS LLC, Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 12/16/2010 Office Location: Westchester County, SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: C/O APPLESTAR HOME INSPECTIONS LLC, 38 Douglas Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10703. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. Latest date upon Which LLC is to dissolve: No specific date. 2HB Holdings LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 9/29/2010. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 59 Calton Rd. New Rochelle, NY, 10804. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Bookkeeping Performance, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 11/8/2010. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 17 Warren Ave Tuckahoe, NY 10707. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
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www.westchesterguardian.com