We welcome you finding us a downtown location providing free space & free parking suitable for up to 50 people and including free use of their A/V equipment and we'd be happy to consider it.
Doesn't sound too serious.
wpcna.org "The White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations (WPCNA) coordinates the neighborhood associations in White Plains, NY."
And why is free parking so important? Is it that people who live in the houses near Scarsdale and Harrison cannot afford downtown parking fees? People who live downtown could simply walk to the meeting.
"A/V equipment"? Say what? VHS or Beta? I'm guessing they are not looking for an Internet connection or HDMI ports.
District-Based Voting Sunday, February 24, 2008
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.
________________________
CNA: White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Like the WP Common Council, CNA is house heavy. Check the member organizations ...
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...
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?
________________________
Cars, the only issue in White Plains Sunday, September 21, 2008
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 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.
________________________
Condo and Coop owners unite: take over city government. Friday, January 2, 2009
I have written consistently about the structural problem with the government of White Plains. Rather than function like all our other legislatures (county, state, federal), which have district representation, White Plains clings to the delusional fantasy that its form is somehow special, that having Common Council members elected at large they magically represent all citizens, rather than a constituency of a geographical district. Baloney. It ain't working.
As has been documented here, including with a map showing where they live, Common Council members represent themselves and their suburban neighbors. Their only issue is driving into and out of downtown White Plains as fast as they can, diminishing any hint of quality of life for those who actually live in White Plains in apartment buildings and who, I am guessing, pay most of the taxes for most of the school kids who live in the suburban houses.
___________________
CNA and CC Maps: CC closer to Scarsdale than WP city hall. Monday, March 2, 2009
... each CNA association gets one vote. The few in the houses make decisions for the many in the apartments.
____________________
White Plains house owners, just secede and become part of Scarsdale. Thursday, September 30, 2010
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
White Plains needs a Pedestrian Commissioner, part II
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.
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.
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.
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