Cell phone death rays or mindless panic?

WP Times, Dec. 26, 2008: Citizens Group Topples Big Cell.

The article states "a State Supreme Court judge ruled on Dec. 10 that the Board of Managers of the Biltmore Towers Condominium Association acted outside of their authority when they entered into a lease agreement with MetroPCS to install cell antennas on the roof of the building, at 30 Lake St."

A couple of condo owners there formed a group, "Safe Cell",  to oppose their own board.

It seems to me that the board members acted in good faith to generate revenue for the condo.  That is a good thing.  They did something a little different that required a bit of creativity.  That's another good thing.

This appears to be a Pyrrhic victory, one that will cause good board members to leave the board and result in too much caution and lack of imagination.  Condo/coop organizations have enough trouble getting energetic owners to become members of their boards.  The Biltmore board president "did not return a call seeking comment".  Who could blame that person?  This type of action undermines progressive policy.  Boards should pursue anything that generates revenue or cuts costs for owners.

I am neither a lawyer, nor a scientist.  I do not know whether the decision has merit, nor whether it can survive appeal.  I do not know whether the cell equipment is a safety hazard.

The condo renegades also have a "case in federal court against the city's Planning Board ... to prevent cell antennas from being installed near" a couple of public schools.  Oh,  boy.  They are playing the kid card: the last refuge of the scoundrel to paraphrase Samuel Johnson.  And there are a lot better things on which to attack the Planning Board.

The final words in the article are "RF emissions".  RF.  That means radio frequency.  Don't they have to do with broadcast radio transmission, which has been pretty big since the 1920s?  And television broadcasting, pretty big since at least the 1950s?  How come the insurgents have not been concerned about that all along?  How about taking away broadcast television from people who do not have cable or phone company TV service?  Do you suppose that kind of RF threatens the kiddies?

And what about the AT&T microwave tower atop its building at 400 Hamilton Avenue since 1954?  It has line of sight to AT&T facilities in Manhattan?  Shouln't that concern the "Safe Cell" duo?

Finally, in another article in that same issue of WP Times, right next to the cell article, about the fire at 20 North Broadway:

Many families learned about the blaze through phone calls left with parents warning that school buses could be delayed.

It does not specify whether some of those calls were made to or from cell phones.  Maybe the condo renegades should have considered the value of communication before taking the actions they did.

Uh, oh. Another sidewalk neglected by WP.

The City of White Plains has a large parking lot on Bank St., just south of the train station. Commuters must walk on the adjacent sidewalk to reach the station. The city did not clear the snow form this long stretch of sidewalk.

Another: what the heck!

What a tedious municipality, to have yet another such obvious example of neglect and mismanagement.

City employee litters.

This is one of those matters that you simply wish had not occurred but that cannot be ignored.

After fixing a minor problem at the intersection of South Lexington and Fisher/Quarroppas a white City of White Plains truck (L86626) proceeded to Mamaroneck Ave., turned left, then right onto Mitchell Place.  I know.  I was driving behind it.

12/24/08 at 1:43 PM about half way down Mitchell Place the driver threw a paper cup out of the window onto the street.

Not a big deal but my friend and I both had the same reaction: what the heck is that?  Small stuff matters.  Stuff like this should not happen and when it happens it should not be tolerated.

No, do not fire the worker but certainly speak to the individual and make a policy statement to all city workers that such behavior is unacceptable and could result in a city worker being fired.  City workers should set a good example.  That should be part of the job description.

Snow on Sidewalks: city takes action!

Yesterday's post (Snow on Sidewalks) was also the subject of an e-mail message sent to the City of White Plains at webpo@ci.white-plains.ny.us.  The message contained the URL of this blog but not the post.

Since the person(s) who receive(s) messages sent to webpo@ci.white-plains.ny.us never respond(s) there is no way of knowing whether the city reacted to this blog but today 90% of the problem had been addressed on Bloomingdale Road, Bryant Ave. and Mamaroneck Ave.  That's pretty good for government work.  Most of the remaining problem snow is adjacent to city property near the intersection at Bryant and Mamaroneck Avenues.  There were even a couple of city trucks parked illegaly on Mamaroneck Ave. south of Bryant in which city employees were having lunch around 1:45PM.  The remaining snow/ice is now under substantial amounts of rock salt, which will eventually melt through the snow/ice as well as the sidewalk somewhere below.

Despite the lack of communication, that's a pretty good job by the city.  Keep it up.  Keep doing your job.

WP mail about how great the government is.

I recently received something called Access White Plains.  The non-cover pages contain WINTER 2008.

The lead article is about the City Responding to Economic Climate.  Blah, blah, blah.  If they really knew stuff they'd be running the national economy.  But if the city is trying to save money then why is it spending tax money mailing a glossy document to each city resident?  It contained a separate paper with the recycling schedule for each day of the year.  I guess they forgot that most of us live in apartment buildings and this schedule is not applicable to us as individuals.  Not sending it could have saved money and paper.

This blog is negative by its nature, the same as the city mailed doc is positive by its nature.  Their natures do not negate what is written.  However, a couple of items from the city had already been addressed in this blog.

City: Longview Parking Garage

Blog: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2008 - Cars, the only issue in White Plains

City: Minerva Ground Breaking

Blog: SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 2008 - Environment & Energy

Hey, they could have saved paper had they read the blog.

Affordable Housing Tour

See previous post:

TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2008

Affordable Housing: the hypocrisy

_________________________

Recently the WP Times wrote about a tour by officials and interested activists of affordable housing units in apartment buildings including the new Avalon.

It is my understanding that one person wishing to live alone may only get an affordable studio apartment.  Did those on tour inspect any studio apartments?  The Avalon has studio apartments as small as 381 square feet.  I am guessing that the Avalon's affordable apartments are in the back on a low floor facing the garage.  Just a guess.  If no affordable persons want them, is the Avalon free to rent them at market rate?

Is an affordable individual to live in an apartment of 381 square feet?  Comparably small apartments are allowed for more inhabitants, I think up to 1,000 square feet for four people. 

Or is all this just a Kabuki dance to make those who advocate this silly policy feel good about themselves?

Why doesn't the City of White Plains publish the following:

1. The number and percentage of affordable apartments actually rented by each of the buildings required to do so.

2. The size of the affordable apartments.

3. The rent paid.

4. Who is renting them.

5. Who is deciding who rents them.

6. Criteria for avoiding what appears to be an unavoidable conflict of interest between city employees judging which city employees get what in affordable housing.

These items illustrate why the entire policy is silly.  It is unfair for most of us to subsidize a few of us in an arbitrary, secret manner that is beyond any reasonable oversight.  Suppose the one person living in an affordable studio wants to have another person move in?  Does the government bureaucracy weigh in?

Governments should end this very old policy and let people live where they want by paying them more money so that they can make their own decisions without favors from co-workers and scrutiny by government  bureaucrats.

Snow on Sidewalks

The City of White Plains never fully comes to grips with the simple task of snow removal on sidewalks.  When it snows the city should see to it that the snow is removed from the sidewalks.  Seems pretty clear to me.

Notice that I did not mention roads.  Clearing the roads is an imperative in WP.  Cars are king.  Move 'em, park 'em.  Park 'em, move 'em.

It is Sunday morning.  More snow is falling.  Friday we had the first significant pre-winter snowfall.  Saturday afternoon I went out, intending to walk along the east side of Bloomingdale Road from Maple Ave. to Bryant Ave., then east on Bryant to North Street.  This route allows me to walk along the woods and not cross any streets, although getting there by crossing Bloomingdale Road at Maple is akin to crossing an interstate highway.

Unfortunately, almost all of the sidewalk on the east side of Bloomingdale Road from Maple to Bryant had not had the snow removed.  The north side of Bryant was cleared up to Bryant Estates where there was no a hint of any effort to remove snow.  Walking west on the south side of Bryant near the Bryant Garden Coop was OK because the coop had cleared the snow.  Then I reached the sidewalk adjacent to property owned by the City of White Plains.  It had not been cleared: all the way to Mamaroneck Ave AND along Mamaroneck Ave south to the beginning of the Burke Rehab property, which had cleared its sidewalks.  Only the city was negligent in this area.

This city property if the fake park on the southeast corner of Bryant and Mamaroneck Ave.  There is a sign at the corner but no real entrance.  I think WP keeps the park land a secret so that the city can attempt to shake down the hospital for more land in exchange for allowing the hospital to develop other parts of its property but that's just a guess.

1. Why does the City of White Plains not at least clear the sidewalk adjacent to its own land?  That's pretty basic stuff.  Does the city issue summonses to itself?

2. Why are private property owners allowed to leave snow and ice on the sidewalks adjacent to their stores, homes, places of worship, etc.?

The mayor lives in a downtown apartment but all the other Common Council members live in houses in the WP suburbs and they only care about driving into downtown to shop, eat and possibly go to a movie.  If they actually walked around downtown where most WP residents live they might develop some minimal appreciation of the dynamics of living in a downtown administered and governed by non-residents who always drive and never walk there.

Hidden Tax

Video (14.5%) and wireless phone (24%) services are taxed.

In White Plains my Verizon FIOS video (TV) service costs $40 per month. In addition to that I pay $5.78 in tax. That's 14.5%! One dollar goes to PEG Grant Fee, whatever that is; I think it's federal. Of the remaining $4.78, $3.16 goes to Video Franchise Fee. Nice work, Common Council. Why the heck are we paying? I thought CC was trying to soak Verizon for granting a franchise.

It gets worse. My $39.99 Verizon Wireless service is taxed $9.62. That's 24%!!! 34.4% of that tax goes to the Feds. The rest is sliced among the local municipal money changers, including $1.30 for White Plains School Distr Tax. That's 13.5% of the total tax and 20.6% of the local tax going to the WP schools. Why?

What the heck is going on? How the heck do they get away with these outrageous tax rates?

The only good news is that Verizon FIOS Internet service is not taxed.

City Bus

The most recent consideration of a city bus system has been languishing for years. Now that the federal government is ready to spend lots of money on such projects, is WP ready to seize the opportunity?

Since CC members do not commute, they need to be reminded that a city bus system must include getting residents to/from the train station during rush hours. The areas where this service must be provided are those with the greatest population density. Ordinarily this would seem obvious but WP is so car oriented that the obvious must be emphasized.

Traffic Laws.

Enforce moving violations, not parking violations.

With the economy in turmoil the decision makers must be wondering where WP city revenue will come from with retail sales and restaurant business noticeably down. Their natural inclination will be to increase property tax and step up enforcement of ... parking violations.

How about enforcing moving violations? WP is Dodge City. When it comes to moving violations there is no law. Red lights are routinely run. Right on red is supposed to be: full stop, turn. In WP it is hairpin turn on red.

Pedestrian hostility is taken to a new level in WP. Get the CC members walking on the downtown streets and maybe they will take action before someone is killed.

Dogs

http://www.ci.white-plains.ny.us/templates/template_text_image_right_panel.aspx?Id=Dog%20Licenses

Who knew?

Parade dates: perverse, weird or what.

Sunday October 5, 2008 WP had its annual Columbus day parade. Columbus day is October 12. Why not have the parade on the actual date? Both are Sundays, so that cannot be the reason. The New York City parade is scheduled for Monday October 13. No conflict there. It is almost perverse.

WP also does this for St. Patrick's day. The parade is never on St. Patrick's day, March 17. Weird.

Fourth of July fireworks are not on held on the fourth of July.

Why?

Power, Roach and Paulin do not respond.

Over the last couple of years have I sent several e-mail messages to the city of White Plains Common Council members, including the mayor, using e-mail IDs listed on the city web site. The Mayor finally sent his one and only response this summer and his message is posted below. I have occasionally received responses from CC members Hockley, Malmud and Boykin, as I had from former members Bernstein and the late Robert Greer. They never actually did anything but at least they had the courtesy to respond.

I never received a response from Dennis Power or Thomas Roach. Nor have I received a response from new CC member Lecuona.

For the record when I moved I sent messages to the two New York state assembly people
who represent parts of White Plains (no at large members there): Paulin and Bradley. Bradley responded indicating that Paulin represented citizens where I live. Paulin never responded to that or any message.

I would never vote for anyone who fails to respond. The arrogance of ignoring a constituent message is inexcusable.

Green buildings and planning.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™

http://www.usgbc.org/displaypage.aspx?cmspageid=222

http://nymag.com/realestate/features/31519/

The Visionare seems like an interesting building. And apparently it is quite green. Also see the Solaire by the same developer:

http://www.batteryparkcity.org/page/page2.html

http://www.thesolaire.com/

I did a google search on "leed white plains": Your search - "leed white plains" - did not match any documents.

I wonder if any of the new buildings in White Plains are green. I wonder if White Plains planners ever thought about it. Planning in White Plains seems to consist of plopping structures down regardless of whether they belong there evaluated by size, style or function.

Consider Battery Park City in Manhattan for an example of comprehensive urban planning on a scale that could apply to White Plains:

http://www.batteryparkcity.org/

Cars, the only issue in White Plains

Today I forwarded a New York Times article about pod cars to the city e-mail ID. The reference is below. It describes the efforts of the city of Ithaca, NY to to deal with too many cars. Ithaca is described as "a very progressive, forward-thinking, educated place", words that are not associated with White Plains.

Would pod cars work in White Plains? Beats me. But White Plains needs to do so something different.

The sole issue in White Plains: move 'em, park 'em.

The sole solution: more lanes, more garages.

This is an escalating cycle that cannot be continued. White Plains has tried some minor things in the past including a free shuttle bus and a few electric car chargers. However, it is still jerking around with planning a city bus system and cannot get the county buses to run during rush hour from all the most densely populated areas:

- Main St. and Mamanoneck Ave.
- Lake St.
- Old Mamanoneck RD

White Plains is odd in that these areas are not near the train station as they are in places like Scarsdale and Bronxville.

White Plains needs elected officials who have the imagination to consider new and different ideas. Otherwise, there will be more speedways slashing through downtown and more monster garages.

__________________________________________________________________

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/nyregion/21podcar.html?ei=5070&emc=eta-1

Try something! You cannot continue to add lanes and garages. That is NOT planning.

NYREGION | September 21, 2008
Ithaca Takes a Hard Look at Pod Cars
By MICHELLE YORK
A group of urban planners, engineers and energy experts held a conference at Cornell University to explore the idea of personal rapid transit.

Where do Common Council members live?

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=103040367337361097468.000445a6e9cc47e0e7b83&ll=41.026017,-73.760662&spn=0.059183,0.157757&z=13&om=0

Above is a link to a google earth map that I made with the locations of the homes of the CC members, not including the mayor. Click on a marker to see who lives there.

The addresses were taken from the WP city web site.

Hey, they all live in the suburbs, not in downtown. Who are their natural constituents?

Dog Shit

I'm using the word shit to drive home the point. Might as well describe it accurately.

White Plains city planners cannot even deal with something as basic as shit. In recent years they have approved THOUSANDS of housing units in downtown. These apartments are all designated as dog friendly, a euphemism to indicate that animals may cohabitate with humans. That's THOUSANDS of additional animals in downtown.

There is only one downtown park: on Canfield between Main and Lake and dogs are prohibited; that's as it should be, keeping the park clean for people. That park is not near the THOUSANDS of newly arrived animals. There is zero dirt, non-concrete space near the four super towers near Main and Mamaroneck.  And what about the Avalon on Barker?  And Bank Street Commons?

Where do all these animals take care of business, dump, shit, ... call it what you will?

Wherever did the city planners think all this dog shitting would occur? At the remotely located dog run on the other side of 287 almost outside the city limits to which a humans must drive their animals? You can hardly find the place.  Not likely.

What were they thinking? Or did they not give it a second thought? The Common Council members do not live in White Plains. They live in the suburbs (OK, the mayor lives downtown but when do you see him walking  around?). They drive to city hall and park in reserved spaces, not in one of the monster parking garages built to make visiting White Plains easier, not for people who live in Connecticut, but for them and their neighbors who live in the suburbs of White Plains, no where near the epicenter of over development.

District based voting is the only way to have any chance of properly planning the urban center. Anything less is ignoring the problem with the system of governing the City of White Plains.

Democratic Party Politburo

Yesterday I received a two page paper letter from the Democratic Party Politburo (Political Bureau) of White Plains.  It addresses the local September 9, 2008 primary, which will elect "members of the Democratic County Committee ... voters will be choosing two volunteers per district".

The letter represents the interests of five of the six the Common Council members who are not mayor.  They are all Democrats.  The letter is signed by the two New York state Assembly members who represent parts of White Plains: Amy Paulin and Adam Bradley.  I guess they could not figure out which of them represents me.  Amy Paulin represents the part of White Plains in which I live.  I have sent her two messages in the past couple of years but she never responded.

They could, however, identify the two candidates who should receive my vote.  Paulin and Bradley state that they "join Congresswoman Nita Lowey and State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer in urging" me to vote for their candidates.  They single out "Council Member Glen Hockley" as a Republicat who they claim is "attempting to take over the White Plains Democratic Party by organizing his own slate of District Leader candidates".

So?  They are using a sledge hammer to kill a fly.  Besides, no one ever asked me to decide on district leaders before.  I kind of like being asked.  It doesn't mean that I would support Hockley.

Paulin and Bradley go on to attack the new candidates and Hockley.  You would think that they would want new blood in their party.  They state that the newcomers never helped Lowey, Oppenheimer nor either of them, Paulin and Bradley.  Oh.  Now we're getting to the heart of the matter.

Paulin and Bradley state that "Hockley filed candidates ... against all five of his Democratic Common Council colleagues" (Boynkin, Malmud, Power, Lecuona, Roach) and against former CC members Brown and Oliva.  How does one file "candidates against"?  What does that mean?

Apparently Hockley is undermining the system that props up not just local office holders but also state and national incumbants.

Hockley is then attacked because he wants to run for mayor.  This is described as "his own grandiose personal ambition".  His ambition does not seem to be very high and mayor of White Plains is hardly grandiose.  Besides, don't all the other five CC members want to be mayor?  Would they pledge to not run in the next mayoral election?

I do not care about what Hockley is doing nor about the petty local politics that have been exposed.  I am offended by this public fued that should have been resolved among the petty little local power brokers involved who never asked my opinion on such matters in the past and only come to me when forced to do so.  Clean up your own mess and answer your damn e-mail messages.

Environment & Energy

The mayor and other Common Council members were falling all over themselves in self congratulatory mode because they had broken ground on a new development at Minerva Place with 14 units that will use a geothermal heating/cooling system. That's good. However, what were they thinking in recent years when they approved THOUSANDS of new housing units that have zero renewable energy systems? No geothermal, no wind, no solar. NOTHING!

These recent developments include The Gramercy (Clayton Park), City Center/Trump Tower, Bank Street Commons, Jefferson Place, Ritz-Carlton, The Avalon. These developments increase traffic enormously. The city did not have the sense to include proper retail to limit needless driving. Residents at Bank Street Commons in particular must drive for almost everything.

Clifford Blau for Mayor

My friend Cliff Blau would make a great mayor of White Plains, NY. He has both intellectual and financial integrity. Cliff is a life long resident of White Plains. He grew up in a house in the suburbs and has lived in a coop in downtown for many years, so he understands both sides of the equation that has tilted toward house owners for far too long. Cliff graduated from White Plains high school and became a certified public accountant.

Cliff actually likes White Plains unlike many of the rest of us residents who live in White Plains because it is a convenient compromise. Cliff would be a major upgrade as mayor.

Let's write in Clifford Blau for mayor in the next general election, bypassing the usual nonsensical procedures that help keep the two traditional parties in power. Let's also improve on the lame attempt by those two old farts who ran in 2007 for the Common Council as insurgents with a fake new party to get them on the ballot. Forget the ballot. WRITE-IN!

All that is needed is a web site with write in unstructions and some poll watchers, preferably lawyers, to ensure that the write in votes are counted.

Vote for Clifford Blau for Mayor of the City of White Plains, NY.

How about a convention to select candidates?

Common Council member Power is concerned that tax payers will be charged for a primary to clear up the mess of the local Democratic party. Tax payers should not pay for party activities. Selecting candidates is a party activity. Let the party pay for this activity whether it is a primary, convention or lottery.

Mayor responds.

Re: Jefferson Place, NOT the Jefferson

...

Joseph Delfino

Joseph Delfino

...

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 4:01:13 PM

To:Benjamin Boykin ; Glen Hockley ; Rita Malmud ; Milagros Lecuona ; Kenneth Matinale ; Thomas M. Roach ; Dennis J. Power

Cc:wptimes@wptimes.com

Mr. Matinale-

Thank you for your email. I value the concerns and suggestions of all of our residents. We placed an older photo in the newsletter intentionally because the piece mentions all of the accomplishments the city has made in the past ten years and part of those accomplishments was the construction of new housing. Please excuse me and my office for the incorrect caption, "Construction at The Jefferson" but when the building was proposed it's formal name was "The Jefferson at White Plains." The other building I think you are referring to is "The Hamilton" on Church Street. The names are not that similar and I was not mistaken.

Once again, thank you.

Mayor Delfino

Jefferson Place, NOT The Jefferson

To: Mayor Delfino
CC: WP Common Council, WP Times

http://white-plains-ny.blogspot.com/

In your city of White Plains newsletter received in early July, 2008 (no date on it) page three contains a photo of an unfinished building with the caption "Construction at The Jefferson". It shows the building in which I have lived since February 2006. That's two and half years. The photo must be at least three and a half years old. It shows 300 Mamaroneck Ave., which along with 31 Greenridge Ave. constitute Jefferson Place, a condominium with 282 homes. I am not sure but I think The Jefferson may be a proposed project for the lot at Church Street and Barker Ave.

Yes, the names are similar but the mistake is inexcusable. Since all non-mayoral Common Council members live in houses you naturally are inclined to represent the interests of your established constituents. That attitude is what caused this error and it tracks back to your insulting decision to prevent us from driving our cars out towards Greenridge Ave., blocking our path with an unnecessary curb and limiting our most direct access to the hospital. Mayor Delfino bragged to his old, established consituents that as long as he was mayor that curb would never be removed. Now you do not seem to be aware that we even live here. The mayor was invited to speak to us several times but never responded. Now this.

This is yet another reason why White Plains needs disrtict based voting.

Kenneth Matinale
300 Mamaroneck Ave.
White Plains, NY 10605

Small stuff matters.

At the corner of Court Street and Martine Avenue in downtown WP the Westchester county police have parked multiple vehicles illegally for years. The county cops are nowhere to be seen and they certainly are not engaging in any kind of emergency activity, just the opposite. These appear to be regular daily parking spots.

1. This makes the county police look like scofflaws.

2. It also indicates that the WP police enforce the law arbitrarily. This is true in many other cases like the police helping and protecting parishioners park illegally every Sunday in front of a church, which shall remain nameless.

There are obvious and easy solutions to both situations. Simply pass an ordinance and change the signs from "no parking any time" to something that reflects the reality of what the WP police will tolerate. The fact that both these situations have existed for years illustrates the laziness of the city government.

Do a better job. Do the right thing.

Parks, soccer fields and common sense.

NY Times articles sent to WP CC: webpo@ci.white-plains.ny.us; jdelfino@ci.white-plains.ny.us; sharisong@aol.com; rmalmud@ci.white-plains.ny.us; djpower@verizon.net; troach@thomasmroach.com; benboy78@aol.com;milagroslecuona@gmail.com

This page was sent to you by: ken@matinale.net Message from sender:
1. Consider this the next time you try to negotiate to obtain property from New York hospital. Soccer fields do not make a park. 2. WP already has park land at the southeast corner of Mamaroneck and Bryant Avenues. There is even a sign there but no entrance. If you intend to ruin woodlands, why not ruin the land that the city already owns? 3. The over taxing school system has plenty of unused fields.

OPINION | May 29, 2008
Op-Ed Contributors: A Wilderness, Lost in the City
By WILLIAM C. THOMPSON Jr. and ROBERT F. KENNEDY Jr.
New York City’s Parks Department could wind up destroying Ridgewood Reservoir, a teeming wildlife preserve on the Brooklyn-Queens border.

Affordable Housing: the hypocrisy

In White Plains affordable housing is really affordable apartments because it only applies to apartments and only to those in new developments. The Common Council members all live in houses in the suburbs of White Plains and so are not directly affected. The last thing they want is an affordable person moving into the house next to theirs. They pontificate on the subject and as Dennis Power states, make this a cost of doing business for developers in White Plains.

CC members indicate that the idea is to make these apartments available to teachers, fire fighters and police officers. Why doesn't the CC simply increase the salaries of teachers, fire fighters and police officers so that they can live where they want and in the type of home that suits them? If that happened then all residents would be paying for affordable housing. By pretending to lay the cost on the developer, the CC makes this a no pain issue, at least for current residents.

But who thinks that the developer actually pays for affordable housing? My guess is that this cost is factored into the business plan and passed on to ... the non-affordable apartment renters or owners. Future constituents of the CC are made to pay for the phony good deed of the CC. I am also guessing that the system is abused royally as are rent stabilized apartments.

CC members pretend to represent all WP residents but they represent only the interests of those who live in houses in the suburbs of WP. This is another example of why WP needs CC members elected by district, not at large.

CNA: White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations

Like the WP Common Council, CNA is house heavy. Check the member organizations:

http://wpcna.org/

Five are in the Gedney area alone. No wonder they dwell on nonsense like Railside and Orchard Street, which affect a handful of houses that border the respective properties. Every condo and coop in WP should be members. Meetings should be held in a location that does not require a surveyor to determine whether it is within WP.

The CNA constitution (think they take themselves a little too seriously) states: "The boundaries of neighborhood associations as filed by the CNA with the City of White Plains
Department of Planning shall be the official map of the CNA." That's like a company approving a labor union so that it has someone to negotiate with.

My condo, Jefferson Place, has 282 homes but does not fit into any of the city's predefined areas. We do, however, pay taxes.

White Plains needs one citizen, one vote. Both the city government and its official neighborhood entity represent houses, not people. The city's devotion to cars reflects that. Move 'em, park 'em. Get in and out of downtown as efficiently as you can. You don't live there. You live in the suburbs of White Plains in almost Scarsdale and almost Harrison. Who cares what it's like to actually live downtown?

Paper or Plastic: Plastic!

Sent to Whole Foods corporate:

Paper or Plastic: Plastic!

Recently I stopped shopping to the Whole Foods store in White Plains, NY. The reason: Whole Foods no longer makes plastic bags a free option, only paper. I am guessing this is because of pressure from shoppers who think they are superior (Whole Foods has the snootiest and most insufferable customers of any food store) because they do not use plastic, thinking this is better for the environment. Wrong!

In the abstract this is not at all clear. As a practical matter, consider this:

1. Most of the insufferables DRIVE to Whole Foods in their pollution-mobiles. I walk. That alone trumps any possible advantage paper might have.

2. Trees are destroyed to produce the paper bags.

3. I use the plastic bags to dispose of my garbage in my apartment building. Plastic is the only option, so they are reused.

4. Whole Foods gives a parking voucher to driving customers. Walkers get nothing.

5. You penalize walkers by asking us to PAY for plastic bags.

Let me know when plastic bags are again a FREE option. Then I may shop there again. Now I am forced to drive to Stop & Shop, which is further away.

NYC Mayor Bloomberg responds but WP Mayor Delfino does not.

I have sent many messages to WP Mayor Delfino. I have never received a response. Though I am not a New York City resident I received a response to a message that I had sent to NYC Mayor Bloomberg. See below.

Casework 481154

"Cobb, Ken"
...
Monday, March 3, 2008 10:34:47 AM
To:ken@matinale.net

Dear Mr. Matinale:

The Mayor's Office referred to my attention your recent e-mail message
regarding vital records. Given the confidential nature of the
information recorded on birth, marriage, and death certificates most
agencies responsible for them, such as the New York City Health
Department, do not provide direct access to certificates via the
internet. In some jurisdictions, indexes to vital records are now
available electronically. If you are interested in aggregate data
compiled from vital records, the New York City Health Department does
publish various reports and studies; many of which are available in the
City Hall Library (www.nyc.gov/records for more information).

Sincerely,

Kenneth R. Cobb
Assistant Commissioner
NYC Department of Records & Information Services
31 Chambers Street, Suite 305
New York, NY 10007
212 788-8604
212 788-8614 (fax)
kcobb@records.nyc.gov

Candidates Debate

Candidates Debate

Kenneth Matinale ...
ViewSaturday, October 13, 2007 7:11:10 PM
To:wptimes@wptimes.com

White Plains Times, October 12, 2007 - page 7"

"So what are the three most important issues facing White Plains residents, according to the email poll? Improving communication ... quality of life ... city owned property at Railside Avenue".

Listing Railside Avenue as a top three issue illustrates the structural problem with White Plains government: Common Council members are elected at large, not by geographic district. The Common Council members have come almost exclusively from among those who own houses, not from those who live in apartments, the mayor and member Bernstein not withstanding. Common Council members represent the interests of the house owners. Any pretense that they represent and understand the issues of all residents is political spin.

What percentage of White Plains residents live in apartments? I am guessing that it is well over 50%. Yet issues are consistently addressed by the Common Council members from the perspective of those who live in the suburbs of White Plains. That is why downtown White Plains has evolved into something conceived by people who do not live there. It looks like the decision makers may have heard about it but do not have to live with the consequences of their decisions. Other than asking for votes when is the last time you have seen Common Council members on the streets of downtown? Do they ever walk or take public transportation to Common Council meetings at city hall? Have they ever used the transportation center near the train station?

This issue of representation was raised and dismissed in the mid 1990s. With so many more residents living in apartments in White Plains it is time to consider it again and this time make sure that all residents are made fully aware of the matter.

Kenneth Matinale

District-Based Voting

To WP Times

Subject: 2/22/8 letter to editor: "Let's Explore District-Based Voting" by Patricia Cantu, President, Battle Hill Neighborhood Association

I agree. My letter to you was published 10/19/7: "Non-homeowners Deserve Representation" raised this issue during the election of three people to the Common Council. You asked the candidates for their comments in your 10/26/7 publication: "Should the issue of at-large members versus district-based representation be revisited?". Only Pilla and Zicca expressed interest.

The message below was sent to you 2/8/8. It contains a link to a google earth map that I made with the locations of the homes of the CC members, not including the mayor:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=103040367337361097468.000445a6e9cc47e0e7b83&ll=41.026017,-73.760662&spn=0.059183,0.157757&z=13&om=0>

The addresses were taken from the WP city web site. Please publish the link. It's worth a thousand words.

You can see why CC members do not and cannot represent the interests of the majority of WP residents who live downtown in apartments. They all live in houses, mostly in the same area. None live downtown. With District-Based Voting most of them would not be on the CC.

WP might as well have its city government decisions made by people living in Scarsdale. Our CC members may be well intentioned but they visit downtown as non-residents do: they drive in, park, do some stuff and drive back. Most of their decisions are based on driving and parking. That's why WP is so extremely pedestrian hostile.

Two suggestions in addition to implementing District-Based Voting:

1. eliminate all reserved parking at city hall for all CC members and department heads (especially traffic and planning);
2. challenge CC members to go to and from a CC meeting by either walking or taking public transportation.

NYC Mayor Bloomberg takes the subway to city hall in Manhattan. Maybe if our CC members had a taste of what it's like to move about downtown on foot they would make better decisions. We need people on the CC who live in apartments downtown.