See my original post on this eleven months ago:
http://white-plains-ny.blogspot.com/2010/06/white-plains-needs-pedestrian.html
The example I gave at the bottom occurred most recently yesterday while I was crossing Martine Avenue on MLK Blvd., i.e., walking toward the northeast corner of the library: a car was turning left from MLK onto Martine into the crosswalk from the second lane, which does not have a turn arrow. How is that legal much less safe? It's the same physical block as the Public Safety headquarters.
A friend told me that she was struck by a car in a similar situation last year at the corner of that same Public Safety headquarters. What the heck? How about using technology to enforce safety laws, especially those that impact quality of life.
I sent my original post to the members of the White Plains Common Council, including the mayor. Obviously, the problem has not been addressed. Why not? I will send this message to the CC members again but I am not optimistic that anything will be done. That's a sad commentary on White Plains, which could be much more than the convenient compromise that it is, grappling with little more than car issues: parking and traffic movement, as in how quickly can we move cars through downtown with little regard for pedestrians.
The action of that driver near the library yesterday should seem familiar to the CC members. The new mayor lives in NE WP. Another lives downtown. I don't know where the new member lives. The rest live in almost Scarsdale and it could easily have been a CC member making that thoughtless, seemingly inconsequential illegal turn into the crosswalk. To them downtown White Plains is there for their convenience and amusement. They would never consider living downtown but enjoy having the stores and restaurants so close and accessible. Just hop in the car and you're there in a few minutes. That's why we have so many high speed mega lane roads and multi-level parking garages, the architectural feature that defines White Plains.
Downtown has been blighted to support cars to support retail sales tax. Maybe breaking that boom-bust tax dependency would also begin to change public policy that has become so distorted by its accommodation of cars.
White Plains needs a Pedestrian Commissioner more than ever.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Write-in votes
Message sent to the secret location of the Westchester county executive at:
http://www2.westchestergov.com/index.php?option=com_chronocontact&chronoformname=Email_the_CE
______________________________________________________
Subject: White Plains election for mayor
I voted for myself but my name was misspelled in the final results.
http://www.westchestergov.com/boe99/link24.aspx
The county website has no way to contact the board of election except by going to the office or calling. The lack of e-mail for other than the county executive is inexcusable. And the e-mail for the county executive is well hidden.
1. Were county workers responsible for my vote not being incorrectly counted?
2. Since I printed my name clearly in block letters, how can this be? My intent must have been obvious.
As you must know a United States Senator was re-elected in Alaska in 2010 as a write-in candidate. Write-in votes must be given the same importance as all others.
http://www2.westchestergov.com/index.php?option=com_chronocontact&chronoformname=Email_the_CE
______________________________________________________
Subject: White Plains election for mayor
I voted for myself but my name was misspelled in the final results.
http://www.westchestergov.com/boe99/link24.aspx
The county website has no way to contact the board of election except by going to the office or calling. The lack of e-mail for other than the county executive is inexcusable. And the e-mail for the county executive is well hidden.
1. Were county workers responsible for my vote not being incorrectly counted?
2. Since I printed my name clearly in block letters, how can this be? My intent must have been obvious.
As you must know a United States Senator was re-elected in Alaska in 2010 as a write-in candidate. Write-in votes must be given the same importance as all others.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Mayoral debate is where?
I received this in an e-mail message from CNA:
The candidates for White Plains Mayor -- Tom Roach, Bob Hyland and Glen Hockley -- will take part in a live, TV-style debate on Wednesday evening, March 23, 2011 at 7:30 pm in the Ridgeway School auditorium. You're invited to attend and participate! Please come early to get a good seat.
I guess they couldn't find a place further from downtown. I've noticed in the Highlands signs for Hyland. Hey, that's as good a reason as any to vote for one of them.
I won't vote for anyone for Common Council who lives in a house.
The candidates for White Plains Mayor -- Tom Roach, Bob Hyland and Glen Hockley -- will take part in a live, TV-style debate on Wednesday evening, March 23, 2011 at 7:30 pm in the Ridgeway School auditorium. You're invited to attend and participate! Please come early to get a good seat.
I guess they couldn't find a place further from downtown. I've noticed in the Highlands signs for Hyland. Hey, that's as good a reason as any to vote for one of them.
I won't vote for anyone for Common Council who lives in a house.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Mayoral debate questions.
I received an e-mail message, which included this:
date Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 8:25 AM
The White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations (WPCNA) in coopoeration with the White Plains Concerned Citizens for Open Space (WPCCOS) will sponsor a Mayoral Debate on Wednesday, March 23 in the Ridgeway School auditorium at 7:30 pm. PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Please send your topic suggestions and brief questions to debate@wpcna.org by 5:00 pm, Thursday March 17. The debate will include as many of your questions and cover as many of your topics as possible. The candidates will also answer a limited number of questions from the audience after the debate.
______________________________
I sent this to debate@wpcna.org:
Podcast!
Question:
Should White Plains move away from its dependence on retail sales tax to avoid the regular boom/bust economic cycles?
And then this:
Should White Plains have district based voting to ensure that downtown residents are properly represented since almost all council members and you three candidates live in houses in the suburbs of White Plains?
date Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 8:25 AM
The White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations (WPCNA) in coopoeration with the White Plains Concerned Citizens for Open Space (WPCCOS) will sponsor a Mayoral Debate on Wednesday, March 23 in the Ridgeway School auditorium at 7:30 pm. PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Please send your topic suggestions and brief questions to debate@wpcna.org by 5:00 pm, Thursday March 17. The debate will include as many of your questions and cover as many of your topics as possible. The candidates will also answer a limited number of questions from the audience after the debate.
______________________________
I sent this to debate@wpcna.org:
Podcast!
Question:
Should White Plains move away from its dependence on retail sales tax to avoid the regular boom/bust economic cycles?
And then this:
Should White Plains have district based voting to ensure that downtown residents are properly represented since almost all council members and you three candidates live in houses in the suburbs of White Plains?
Public Library: is it worth the money?
WPPL
Online Form to Request a Title to Add to Our Collection
This is the only way I could find to send a simple message. The New York Times has a major article today about e-books and public libraries yet I cannot find anything that indicates that WP has any e-books. Please clarify. Thanks.
Uh, oh.
I guess not. It's difficult to say which is more of a waste of taxpayer money and more oblivious and beyond scrutiny: schools or libraries.
Online Form to Request a Title to Add to Our Collection
This is the only way I could find to send a simple message. The New York Times has a major article today about e-books and public libraries yet I cannot find anything that indicates that WP has any e-books. Please clarify. Thanks.
Uh, oh.
Server error!
- The server encountered an internal error and was unable to complete your request.
- Error message: Premature end of script headers: mailform.pl
- If you think this is a server error, please contact the webmaster
Error 500
- www.wppl.lib.ny.us Tue Mar 15 07:55:28 2011 Apache/2.0.52 (Red Hat)
I guess not. It's difficult to say which is more of a waste of taxpayer money and more oblivious and beyond scrutiny: schools or libraries.
Friday, March 11, 2011
David Buchwald: run for mayor!
I know of two candidates so far running for mayor of White Plains in the special election: council member Tom Roach and former member Glenn Hockley.
David Buchwald is a new member of the Common Council. He lives in a downtown condo and is young and smart and would understand the dynamics of living downtown as opposed to those living in a house in a White Plains suburb, which is what we'd get with Roach or Hockley or probably anyone else who decides to run.
David, seize the moment! Run for mayor of White Plains. Get those signatures signed and get on the ballot. Failing that start a write-in campaign. The new voting machines make that much simpler. I'm convinced that people can get elected by promoting their candidacy on the web, despite not being on the written ballot in the voting booth, especially for local office.
David Buchwald is a new member of the Common Council. He lives in a downtown condo and is young and smart and would understand the dynamics of living downtown as opposed to those living in a house in a White Plains suburb, which is what we'd get with Roach or Hockley or probably anyone else who decides to run.
David, seize the moment! Run for mayor of White Plains. Get those signatures signed and get on the ballot. Failing that start a write-in campaign. The new voting machines make that much simpler. I'm convinced that people can get elected by promoting their candidacy on the web, despite not being on the written ballot in the voting booth, especially for local office.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Who should be mayor?
White Plains now has its third mayor in 14 months and may have yet another in six months when there is a special election to fill the void created by the resignation of Adam Bradley.
Let's elect someone who has not held public office. I suggest that the commissioners of the four major departments run.
- Traffic
- Planning
- Public Safety
- Public Works
Let them criticize each other and defend their own policies. As much as anything I can think of this would develop the issues in the most enlightening way.
Let's elect someone who has not held public office. I suggest that the commissioners of the four major departments run.
- Traffic
- Planning
- Public Safety
- Public Works
Let them criticize each other and defend their own policies. As much as anything I can think of this would develop the issues in the most enlightening way.
What, there's still snow on public sidewalks?
New York hospital (Bloomingdale Lane and Bryant Ave.) - Of course. As of 11AM yesterday: while a plow apparently cruised over its public sidewalks, New York hospital managed to leave a layer of ice on most of it while all others nearby had clean public sidewalks.
And the reigning and all time champ: the corner of the south side of Maple Avenue and Hale Avenue! Yeah! The city never enforces its own rules at that site, which virtually never has snow and ice removed by either the owner or the city. You can imagine the buildup this winter.
This is the monument to the disdain that the City of White Plains has for its downtown residents. City workers removed snow from sidewalk curbs on Mamaroneck Avenue where the walking side of the sidewalk was clean but the city felt compelled to make it even easier to drive and park downtown ... that for WP residents who live in the houses, mostly to the suburban south.
The house owners are the only constituents who matter to the mayor and common council. Until downtown residents take control of White Plains by electing people who will represent them, this will continue.
And the reigning and all time champ: the corner of the south side of Maple Avenue and Hale Avenue! Yeah! The city never enforces its own rules at that site, which virtually never has snow and ice removed by either the owner or the city. You can imagine the buildup this winter.
This is the monument to the disdain that the City of White Plains has for its downtown residents. City workers removed snow from sidewalk curbs on Mamaroneck Avenue where the walking side of the sidewalk was clean but the city felt compelled to make it even easier to drive and park downtown ... that for WP residents who live in the houses, mostly to the suburban south.
The house owners are the only constituents who matter to the mayor and common council. Until downtown residents take control of White Plains by electing people who will represent them, this will continue.
Monday, January 31, 2011
The architectural splendor of White Plains.
City website:
MetroNorth Railroad Environmental Assessment Notice in relation to the construction of an approximately 500 space, five level parking garage (ground floor plus four levels above grade) to be located on the site of an existing 109 space parking garage owned by the MTA and located at 50 Haarlem Avenue.
Paragraph above was copied and pasted, including Haarlem.
More cars. More parking. Cars. Parking. The decision makers never break out. Stuck in an untenable position. A vicious circle.
One result is that downtown White Plains is dominated by an endless stream of really, really ugly parking garages. If you were to grope for an architectural definition of downtown White Plains, that would be it: parking garages.
The fact that there are no charming buildings only emphasises and reinforces that conclusion.
MetroNorth Railroad Environmental Assessment Notice in relation to the construction of an approximately 500 space, five level parking garage (ground floor plus four levels above grade) to be located on the site of an existing 109 space parking garage owned by the MTA and located at 50 Haarlem Avenue.
Paragraph above was copied and pasted, including Haarlem.
More cars. More parking. Cars. Parking. The decision makers never break out. Stuck in an untenable position. A vicious circle.
One result is that downtown White Plains is dominated by an endless stream of really, really ugly parking garages. If you were to grope for an architectural definition of downtown White Plains, that would be it: parking garages.
The fact that there are no charming buildings only emphasises and reinforces that conclusion.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Do White Plains city officials face criminal liability for failure to have snow/ice from public sidewalks?
This message will be sent to White Plains city officials through the form on the city website.
Obviously White Plains city officials face civil liability for their failure and/or refusal to perform a basic municipal function: keep the public sidewalks cleared of snow and ice.
White Plains city officials have repeatedly been notified of its performance failure, both in this public blog and in e-mail messages sent to the mayors and Common Council members. Their conduct constitutes depraved indifference to human life, which would be homicide should someone die because of the snow and ice on public sidewalks.
It's been a few days since the most recent snow storm and one of the public sidewalks not cleared of snow and ice is one of the repeat offenders: empty lot on the southeast corner of Hale and Maple Avenues, both streets. Also, the lot on the south side of Maple Avenue between Waller Avenue and South Broadway.
The snow has melted and New York Hospital sidewalks on Bloomingdale Lane and Bryant Avenue are finally clear after another lousy job of snow removal, which when done at all, leaves an inch of snow/ice. They need to use person used by Bloomingdales. New York Hospital continues to do a much worse job of snow removal than Bloomingdales, with which it shares the public sidewalk along Bloomingdale Lane.
A couple of days ago while walking on Bryant Avenue on the New York Hospital public sidewalk I asked its workers who were dispensing a meager amount of salt onto the sidewalk why New York Hospital did such an inferior job compared to Bloomingdales, which always does a very good job. They said that the city cleans New York Hospital public sidewalk.
Say what? The City of White Plains cleans snow from the New York Hospital public sidewalk? Can this be? If so, why? Also, why doesn't the City of White Plains clean all public sidewalks or at least those that are not properly cleaned by their owners and bill and fine the owners?
Obviously White Plains city officials face civil liability for their failure and/or refusal to perform a basic municipal function: keep the public sidewalks cleared of snow and ice.
White Plains city officials have repeatedly been notified of its performance failure, both in this public blog and in e-mail messages sent to the mayors and Common Council members. Their conduct constitutes depraved indifference to human life, which would be homicide should someone die because of the snow and ice on public sidewalks.
It's been a few days since the most recent snow storm and one of the public sidewalks not cleared of snow and ice is one of the repeat offenders: empty lot on the southeast corner of Hale and Maple Avenues, both streets. Also, the lot on the south side of Maple Avenue between Waller Avenue and South Broadway.
The snow has melted and New York Hospital sidewalks on Bloomingdale Lane and Bryant Avenue are finally clear after another lousy job of snow removal, which when done at all, leaves an inch of snow/ice. They need to use person used by Bloomingdales. New York Hospital continues to do a much worse job of snow removal than Bloomingdales, with which it shares the public sidewalk along Bloomingdale Lane.
A couple of days ago while walking on Bryant Avenue on the New York Hospital public sidewalk I asked its workers who were dispensing a meager amount of salt onto the sidewalk why New York Hospital did such an inferior job compared to Bloomingdales, which always does a very good job. They said that the city cleans New York Hospital public sidewalk.
Say what? The City of White Plains cleans snow from the New York Hospital public sidewalk? Can this be? If so, why? Also, why doesn't the City of White Plains clean all public sidewalks or at least those that are not properly cleaned by their owners and bill and fine the owners?
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