Dear Readers:
I am not a registered Republican, in fact I am not registered to any political party. I am conservative by nature, in that I believe in limited government interaction with the people. However I do believe in a vibrant two party system where people have a viable choice in governing philosophies. In this northern county region, that is no longer the case. We are witnessing the suicide of the Republican party. The Democrats are not winning because they have better ideas, they don't, but through hard work in grass root recruiting, and convincing people that are moving into the area that party label in local elections matter, they are the last person standing.
In last weeks NCN there was a letter to the editor saying that there will be a voter registration drive by the local Peekskill Democrats. When was the last time in recent memory there was a voter registration drive by any of the local Republican parties, not just Peekskill. Hell, in Peekskill the Republican, though they have not made an official announcement, are not going to challenge Democrat Andrew Torres for the council seat this November. They privately blame Bush and say its the year of the Democrats, but that is delusional self-justification for the fact that like the Cortlandt and Yorktown Republican parties, they are barren of new ideas and someone to articulate them if they had any. If they truly believe Peekskill is being mismanaged, then they would run a candidate that would show how, and how they would do things differently. Councilwoman Cathy Pisani has been carrying the ball of loyal opposition valiantly, and the Peekskill Republicans owe her the chance of having an alai on the council. They do her a disservice by throwing in the towel this election season.
A couple of weeks ago the NCN ran a picture of Mr. Degnan announcing his primary challenge of Assemblyman Greg Ball. I received an e-mail from a member of the Yorktown Republicans stating how Mr. Degnan was surrounded by Democrats. I responded that he should submit this as a letter to the editor to the NCN as it would be well to point this out to the people. He responded saying he would rather not, saying it was not necessary in his opinion.
In the 99 district assembly seat already held by a Republican, Greg Ball, what do the Republicans do? They put up an endorsed Democrat to primary him. How self-defeating is that? In the 90 Assembly seat held by Democrat Sandra Galef, she is being challenged for the first time since 2002 by credible Republican challenger William Gouldman. I receive weekly press releases from Mr. Gouldman, yet I rarely see them on the Westchester Republican e-mail blasts, however I do receive e-mails from them regarding down county races. I sent out an e-mail to prominent Republicans regarding this race asking for their assessment. I received one reply, and that one which carefully explained why the election of Mr. Gouldman would be a good thing, I was asked not to quote it's assessment of Sandra Galef's term in office as it was said that should be left to Mr. Gouldman. Not one of these prominent Republicans would give an affirmative Republican defense of Mr. Gouldman's candidacy. Privately again saying this is the year of the Democrats, they say her re-election is a sure thing, they did not want to go on the record as it might offend their future relations with her.
The local Republican Parties have no one but themselves to blame for their demise. Their blaming of national politics is just an excuse. I submit with all that can be laid at the feet of State, County, and many local governments that are controlled by Democrats, a Republican that can voice true Republican ideas in governance, can defeat any sitting Democrat, regardless of the demographics.
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A MESSAGE FROM YORKTOWN COUNCILMAN NICK BIANCO:
As no one is articulating any energy policy on the federal, state, county or local level. I thought that I would come out with some ideas. As you may know many months ago I came out with the idea that we should put the best individuals in the United States together ( similar to the Manhattan Project during WWII for the atom bomb) to find another source of energy) I see some commentators are now speaking on this idea. These people would be assembled to find another source of energy other than the fuel combustible engine.
Here is the the dilemma we face at this time. Gas and food has risen to record levels. Americans are facing tremendous pain, stock market is down and all of our money is going oversees for purchases of fuel and goods to countries that hate our gusts. How did we get in such a situation? America is in trouble and we need solutions and not false talk. We consume 70% of the worlds's fuel produced. We need to reduce our consumption, look for alternative energy source, tap our present resources at home etc. We need to do this now and together in order to keep our way of life.
As no one is coming out with nay solutions I propose the following in order to begin the discussion.
First I propose until this crisis is over that the United States of America except for essential services ( police, fire, school etc) go on a four day week with Saturday, Sundays and Mondays off. The rest of the work week will be ten hour work days. This will reduce our consumption about 20%. We should create 20% of off shore drilling putting caps in case we do not need them in the future. Now the following is the most troublesome but we most recognize that we are in a crisis and it takes bold methods to create solutions. We must have to increase our nuclear energy by 20% and to make sure that it is safe, secure and in areas of little or no population with a cap when our new energy is found. We should use hydrogen and other sources of for 10%. Create a full college of professionals assembled together similar to the Manhattan project to find alternate sources of energy. These items would reduce consumption about 70% while we await for our professionals to find another sources of energy. We know that Americans are the smartest people on the face of this earth can we will find the solution to our energy crisis.
It is unfortunate that our present political leaders can only propose at this time short time solutions like reduce taxes on gas, tax the oil companies etc. The reality is that these are short time measures and will do noting to cure what is wrong with use. We need a long term solution and the above may be crude but at least it is a beginning and let the discussion begin. Unfortunately, our present day leaders have done nothing to find solutions. and perhaps it will take a person like me to begin.
Yorktown Councilman Nick Bianco
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A MESSAGE FROM ANDY POLAY:
RE: JAZZ BAND SCHEDULE:
07/24 - back at Rubens starting at 7PM:
I'll be back as a member of the Swinging Set Jazz Collaborative that night. As always, we promise you a good time to go with Rubens great food.
August:
August will be packed with great entertainment.
8/2:
Peekskill Celebration at the Riverfront Green at about 4:30 as I join members of the Swinging Set Jazz Collaborative. Great venue in the park by the water, and you'll see many talented artists that are on the roster.
8/6: The Swinging Set, back at the Riverfront Green for an evening concert.
8/9: The Peekskill Jazz and Blues Festival , smack dab in the middle of town. Last year the stage was alive with music as they played to a few thousand. This year, they anticipate many more guests. I will reprise 4 of the 5 players that you might've heard at the Peekskill First Friday Fest in the street a few weeks ago:
Rahn Burton on keys
Rick Krsika on sax (Temptations, 4 Tops, Artie Shaw, and currently touring with Ashford and Simpson)
Lester Harper is back on the bass
I'll be on the drums
I hope to see you out there and as always, want to thank you for your support.
Andy
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A MESSAGE FROM THE PEEKSKILL BID DISTRICT:
SAVE THE DATE!
Aug. 9th, 5:00 - 10:00pm
Peekskill's second annual
Jazz & Blues Celebration
will honor CARMEN LEGGIO, for his contribution to music and the arts over the past 60 years.
FREE FIVE-HOUR CONCERT
IN DOWNTOWN PEEKSKILL AT
THE INTERSECTION OF PARK & DIVISION STREETS
ON STAGE
“TRADITION” MESSENGERS OF CLASSIC SOUL
JORGE SYLVESTER & THE AFRO CARIBBEAN EXPERIMENTAL COLLECTIVE (ACE) WITH NORA MCCARTHY
TOMMY DABBS & A LITTLE BIT OF THIS AND THAT
DUCHESS DI & THE DISTRACTIONS
THE ANDY POLAY QUARTET
GREG WESTHOFF & THE WESTCHESTER SWING BAND
GRUPO LATIN VIBE
REEGAL BEEGAL
ROXY PERRY
THE ANDY POLAY QUARTET
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WHAT'S HAPPENING AT TWELVE GRAPES N.DIVISON STREET PEEKSKILL:
Wed, July 23, 8:30-10:30
Two Guitars
with Gus Wieland & Brian Conigliaro
The duo returns to 12 Grapes to perform their acoustic mix of jazz & blues fusion, pop classics and originals.
www.twoguitarsnow.com
Thu, July 24, 8:30 - 11:30
The Bennett Harris Blues Duo
Bennett returns to 12 Grapes with his southern blues, great harmonica and steel guitar work.
www.bennettharrisblues.com
July 25 - July27
**12 Grapes' 1st Annual "GRAPE JAM" WEEKEND!**
Fri, July 25, 9:30 - 12:30
Sat, July 26, 9:30 - 12:30
Roxy Perry's Invitational Blues Jam ~ $5 Cover
"The NY Blues Queen" returns! Awesome band, rockin' blues, and Roxy's soulful vocals. An excellent show every time. This time, Roxy takes the stage with "a little help from her friends." And it's gonna be fun!
roxyperry.com
**Another Unplugged Sunday Double Billing**
Sun, July 27, 4:00 - 7:00
Singer/Songwriter Showcase
This week, four more soloists perform original and cover songs. Presenting: Adam Vitolo, Sheri Miller, Scott Urgola and Mishti Roy.
AND
7:00 - 10:00
Blues Buddha & Lady Di
Two exceptional singers and performers, Tommy and Lady Di will join forces to raise the roof with hi-energy, rock-the-house blues.
bluesbuddha.com
www.duchessdi.com
Wed, July 30, 8:00 - 10:30
John Abercrombie
It's a privilege to have this jazz legend perform once again at 12 Grapes.
www.johnabercrombie.com
Exciting events calendar once again. We expect to see all you Johnny Feds fans tonight! And mark your calendars for "Grape Jam". As always, keep checking 12grapes.com for updates and our new photo gallery.
Sincerely,
Rich & Jeannie Credidio
12 Grapes Music & Wine Bar
12 North Division Street, Peekskill, NY
(914) 737-6624
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FROM THE NCN LIFESTLY SECTION:
RE; NEW RESTAURANT IN PEEKSKILL (I HIGHLY RECOMMEND)
NEW BUSINESS IN SHRUB OAK AND CROTON:
Too hot to cook
By Laura Scharf
The fried asparagus appetizer at Trattoria Valentia.Abandon your kitchen and check out some of the area’s cool, new restaurants
It’s summer, the temperatures are climbing and the humidity is enveloping us like a wet blanket. The last thing we feel like doing is standing in front of hot stove as dinner time rolls around.
Fortunately, we don’t have to. There are some great new area restaurants that have cropped up lately that offer an eclectic array of cuisine that assures there is something to please every palette.
So forget preheating that oven. Here’s an overview of some of the North County’s newest eateries that will keep your bellies full and keep you out of the kitchen.
Smokin’ barbecue in Shrub Oak
If you love barbecue, but don’t have the time to slow smoke your ribs or brisket, let Bob do it for you.
Bobby Sarvaideo, a Yorktown Heights resident, opened Bob-B-Q in May in the Joe Camera Shopping Center in Shrub Oak. He wanted a restaurant the whole family could enjoy, and says that barbecue seemed a natural choice since there were no other barbecue places nearby.
At Bob-B-Q’s, Sarvaideo uses apple wood for a delicate smoky taste. You’ll find a choice of finger-lickin’ ribs with a St. Louis dry-rub style, or baby back ribs dripping with Bob’s homemade sauce. You can take home a few racks for the whole family, or just enough for one person if you’re the only rib lover in your house.
Other popular choices include pulled pork, slow-smoked brisket, rotisserie chicken, wings and hamburgers. Side order choices include homemade garlic mashed potatoes, fries, chili, baked beans, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, creamed spinach and corn on the cob. There’s also a choice of fresh-made salads.
If your kids won’t eat barbecue, Bob’s also has chicken bites, hot dogs and grilled cheese.
Bob’s is mostly designed for takeout orders, but there are four tables if you can’t wait till you get home to dive into your ribs. If you’re planning a party and don’t want to get stuck at the grill, they also have a catering menu.
Bob*B*Q’s
958 East Main Street (Joe Camera Shopping Center), Shrub Oak,
(914) 214-8239. Open Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Closed Sunday.
New tastes come to Croton
Cristina’s Ristorante opened in the Amberlands section of Croton in May.
Executive chef and owner Jim Parthemore, who lives in Cortlandt Manor, was trained at the Culinary Institute of America and has been in the restaurant business for 30 years. He has created an eclectic menu that he describes as Italian continental cuisine.
Chef Parthemore says that his goal is to serve delicious fresh food that’s affordable and, from early reports, he’s doing a great job. Many dishes are under $20. Unlike many other high-quality restaurants, entrée prices at Cristina’s include a salad.
Among his special dishes are rainbow trout with pine nuts and mushrooms, cannelloni stuffed with veal, spinach, chicken and cheese, and saltimbocca. All desserts, including chocolate zabaglione, Italian cheesecake and flan, are homemade.
At lunch, Cristina’s serves salads, wraps, sandwiches, omelets and a selection of entrees.
The restaurant, which is named after the owner’s mother, has already become a popular gathering place where locals can enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner, even though the restaurant is still waiting for its liquor license.
The party room at Cristina’s can accommodate groups of up to 60 people for either served or buffet lunches or dinners.
Cristina’s Ristorante
1 Baltic Place, Croton-on-Hudson,
(914) 271-2600. Open for lunch Tuesday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.; for dinner Tuesday-Saturday, 5 p.m. – 10 p.m., and Sunday, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Eclectic Italian served up in Peekskill
Your mother was right when she said, “Don’t judge a book by it cover.” When I first saw the takeout menu for Trattoria Valentia, I thought, “just what we need, another ordinary Italian restaurant.”|
I was wrong.
Louis Cilento of Mohegan Lake, one of the owners of Trattoria Valentia, was executive chef at the Sands in Atlantic City for 12 years and has cooked for many celebrities.
This is no ordinary Italian cooking. Cilento, and his partners Carmelo and Cosmo Bueti and James Downey, kicked Peekskill cuisine up a notch when they opened Trattoria Valentia on South Street in Peekskill.
“Peekskill is an up and coming area,” said Cilento, “and I thought people were ready for an upscale, different kind of cuisine.”
The décor is elegant, and Jessica Pena, the floor manager, makes sure everyone is comfortable, happy and well-fed.
You can find all the traditional Italian dishes on the menu (and everything is available for takeout or free delivery, too), but you’ll also find upscale items including quail, wild boar and duck.
One of their most popular dishes is the Three Musketeers, which combines veal, chicken and shrimp in a madeira wine sauce with mushrooms. Chicken luigi is a breast of chicken topped with prosciutto, cooked with shallots and scallions in a white wine cream sauce. Veal portofino is a veal scallop with shrimp wrapped in prosciutto and cooked with a brandy brown sauce. All entrees are also available family style.
For the kids, there are mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers and pasta, all available in small portions. The restaurant is also available for private parties. It has a full bar.
Trattoria Valentia
911 South Street, Peekskill,
(914) 831-3301. Open Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, noon – 1 a.m.; Sunday, noon – 9 p.m.
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A MESSAGE FROM CANDIDATE FROM STATE ASSEMBLY WILLIAM GOULDMAN:
THIS WAS IN THE JOURNAL NEWS COMMUNITY VIEWS:
Galef's rhetoric doesn't match actions on property taxes
By Bill Gouldman • July 16, 2008
Regarding the July 7 Community View, "Property tax cap can be part of effective relief plan," by state Assemblywoman Sandra Galef, D-Ossining:
Assemblywoman Galef's public pronouncements don't match up with her performance in the Assembly. She is the chairwoman of the Assembly Committee on Real Property Taxation and has been for five years. During her time as chairwoman, no vote has been taken in the Assembly to cap property taxes despite statistics issued by the state Comptroller's Office that show from 1995 to 2005, local property tax levies throughout New York rose by 60 percent. Climbing at more than twice the rate of inflation, property taxes are the No. 1 reason why people and jobs flee New York.
On June 3, I hand-delivered a letter to Assemblywoman Galef's Ossining office. I demanded that the Assembly remain in session and not adjourn for the summer until it finally voted upon property tax cap legislation. Mrs. Galef has not responded to my letter. However, she did write the Community View in The Journal News that continues to leave unanswered the following questions:
1. Why, during her five years as the chair of the Assembly Committee on Real Property Taxation, has Mrs. Galef been unable to get property tax-cap legislation to the Assembly floor for a vote?
2. Why did Mrs. Galef provide the Assembly with an excuse for not voting on a tax cap by going along with a delay of more than two weeks of the report of the New York State Commission on Property Tax Relief?
3. Knowing that in 2007 New York State doled out $353 million in property tax rebates to people who did not pay their property taxes, why didn't Mrs. Galef do something to recover this money? Why has this loophole not been closed?
4. What assurances do New Yorkers have that rebates will not continue to be given to property tax scofflaws? With a massive hole in New York's budget, when will Mrs. Galef and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver take action to recover the $353 million that the state desperately needs?
5. On June 8, The Journal News reported that unpaid school taxes rose in Putnam County by 9.5 percent. This $13 million burden has been transferred to the county. In the article, Putnam County Finance Director William Carlin said that the climb in unpaid property taxes was due to "a combination of higher school taxes and people having more difficulty paying.'' As an Assembly committee chair, what action will Mrs. Galef take to help Putnam meet this new financial burden?
6. When will the Assembly finally set a date for a vote on property tax-cap legislation?
Mrs. Galef has spent a lifetime in public service. It is disappointing and unacceptable that she has gone along, and continues to, with the business-as-usual practices of the Assembly. To hold a "property tax cap forum" knowing that the Assembly has not, and will not, set a date for a vote is a sham and pandering of the worst kind.
Too much is at stake! We are facing financial hardship that has been unseen since the Great Depression. The evidence is overwhelming, the people's demand for property tax relief deafening. The time to set a date to vote on a property tax cap is now! Mrs. Galef and the members of the Assembly should go back to Albany and finally vote on capping property taxes.
The writer, who lives in Putnam Valley, has declared his candidacy as the Republican-Conservative candidate for Galef's 90th District seat in the state Assembly.
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYMAN GREG BALL:
DEGNAN FAILS TO RECEIVE CONSERVATIVE AND INDEPENDENCE LINES
Opponent Stumbles as Ball Rolls
The failed Brewster Mayor’s failure to receive Conservative and Independence backing shows a lack of grassroots enthusiasm for his candidacy. Rank and file conservatives know that the failed Brewster Mayor supported using taxpayer dollars to aid illegal aliens and was hostile to the Second Amendment and grassroots independents know that the failed Brewster Mayor is just another puppet being backed by the special interests and power brokers in Albany.
Ball said, “I am really looking forward to Wednesday’s debate, and now that the wheels have fallen off of the Mayor’s campaign wagon, I hope this doesn’t mean that the failed Brewster Mayor will refuse to show up. The pro-illegal alien Mayor who doubled his own salary, should not only debate on Wednesday but should definitely stick with the campaign throughout the long haul, because the people deserve to have a choice.”
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JOHN DEGNAN
YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE
View New Commercial, Click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmErZFBOraY
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For Release: IMMEDIATELY, July 11, 2008
Contact: Adam D. Kramer, (518) 441-5183
DISTURBING ALLEGATIONS COME TO LIGHT OF JOHN DEGNAN'S INVOLVEMENT IN ATTEMPTED SILENCING OF BREWSTER POLICE DEPARTMENT WHISTLEBLOWER
ALBANY, NY – On the heels of disturbing revelations related to cost overruns and the possible circumvention of State Civil Service Law that happened during his controversial tenure as Mayor for the Village of Brewster, voters across the 99th Assembly District are learning more troubling news about John Degnan. It was made public today that Mayor Degnan had been accused of being personally involved in the attempted silencing of a whistleblower, Police Officer Michael Pisano of the Brewster Police Department.
According to court documents, in 2007 Pisano shared with Degnan several concerns he had regarding the lack of formal qualifications of Brewster Police Chief Alex Mancone and the operations of the Brewster police force. Pisano informed Degnan that Mancone had not taken a competitive civil service exam and the legitimacy of his tenure as police chief was in question, as was his ordering subordinate police officers to repeatedly falsify their time records.
As specified in a formal complaint filed in federal court, Degnan reported Pisano's allegations to Mancone and, together, they attempted to silence Pisano by terminating his employment just one month after his having raised the concerns. After Pisano filed for unemployment and it became apparent the dispute would be brought before an employment hearing, Degnan and Mancone relented, rehiring Pisano in June of 2007.
Approximately one month after his rehiring, Pisano was promoted to detective with a commensurate salary increase. However, four days later, Pisano was summarily dismissed by Degnan and Mancone due to alleged "budgetary constraints." Curiously, the constraints did not prevent subsequent police hires authorized by Mancone and Degnan.
"John Degnan's alleged involvement in the silencing of a police department whistleblower should send a shudder down the spine of anyone who believes in the importance of governmental openness and accountability," said Adam Kramer, Spokesman for the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee (RACC).
"Whistleblowers play a critical role in exposing instances of corruption and malfeasance within the public sector. That John Degnan would try to punish a police officer who had raised legitimate questions is something he should be prepared to explain to voters. Ours is a government of laws, not of men. John Degnan would be well served to try to remember this. If the voters can't trust John Degnan as Mayor, why would they elect him to the State Assembly?" Kramer concluded.
Degnan is waging a Primary against the incumbent Assemblyman, Republican Greg Ball (R-Patterson) of the 99th Assembly District.
www.Ball4NY.com
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UPDATE ON NEW CABLE T.V.SHOWS:
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA
Former Peekskill Mayor John Testa has started his cable show "On Topic with John Testa". It airs Thursdays 9:30PM on chanel 15 in Peekskill and Cortlandt. In Yorktown and Putnam Valley Tuesday's at 8:30 chanel 74. This show is on the Peekskill Robins
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THE VOLPE REPORT
Andy- here is the line-up for the next 4 weeks:
The Volpe Report is glad to announce the upcoming guests and dates are as follows:
Peekskill City Councilman Joe Schuder will air June 19, 26, and July 3. Joe brings his perspectives as a councilman for the last six months and commercial development is one of the topics he approaches.
Then on July 10, 17, and 24 Karen Gordon and Lynne Nayman, two representatives of the Preservation Co., are the guests and they bring their professional background as to home improvement through grants and talk about the process residents should know of.
As always the Volpe Report airs on Thursday nights, 8:00pm on Public access channnel 15 in the Peekskill/ Cortlandt area. As a reminder we will be airing in Yorktown and Putnam Valley very soon.
Domenic Volpe
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THE ISSUES WITH SAM DAVIS:
Posted by Dr. Powell:
Sam's guest is Phillip Musegaas, Esq., Policy Director at Riverkeeper. He talks to Sam about Indian Point. It is quite a show. Mr. Musegaas is a knowledgeable, informative and engaging guest.
You will learn something you didn't know.
Check it out.
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THIS WEEKS "IN MY OPINION COLUMN" IN THE NCN:
Dear Readers:
This week I discuss the 99 Assembly district primary race. You can read my column on this topic exclusively on line(see link below)or in this weeks NORTH COUNTY NEWS on sale now. I am worth the seventy-five cents. Look for my column IN MY OPINION(page 10) in the editorial section. Better yet as this column is exclusive to the North County News on a regular basis and will be covering the local political scene, take out a subscription. Click on the North County News link below and go to Subscribe. Between this blog and The North County News you will have all the information to make a vote based on substance.
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FYI:ATOM TAXI INC. AIRPORT SERVICE:
Dear Readers:
This gives me a chance to plug my business ATOM TAXI INC. As you are planning your holiday or business or vacation travel? Instead of the headache of trying to find Airport parking, we do Airport Service to The Westchester County Airport(and ALL other airports) 24/7. Just call 1(914)879-6121 and my partner Tommy, will be glad to take you in our Airport Taxi. You will also be provided with a free copy of your local paper of record The North County News. If this is a business trip we also provide a professional receipt, just tell Tommy at the time of booking. The cost of a one-way trip to LaGuardia Airport the cost is Ninety dollars plus tolls. The cost to JFK and Newark Airports is one hundred-twenty-five dollars plus tolls. The tolls are $10.00 Westchester County Airport and Stewart cost $75.00. We do not take credit cards, sorry.
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E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS:
Dear Readers:
It has come to my attention the difficulty in posting a comment on this blog. If you wish to comment, e-mail me at the link posted below, putting "Manifesto Reader" in the subject matter, and I will "cut and Paste" your comments myself. If you DO NOT wish your comments posted, but just wish to communicate with me, please make your wishes known in the e-mail.
LINKS: atom_taxi@yahoo.com(as this a yahoo address make sure you put an underscore (-) between atom and taxi)
For immediate reply: atomtaxi@aol.com
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SITES TO LINK TO:
ON TOPIC W/ JOHN TESTA: www.ontopicwithjt.com
THE WINERY AT ST. GEORGE: http://www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
PLAN PUTNAM: planputnam@googlegroups.com/
PEEKSKILL GUARDIAN: "http://peekskillguardian.blogspot.com/
NORTH COUNTY NEWS:"http://northcountynews.com/
THE JOURNAL NEWS:http://thejournalnews.com/
PEEKSKILL DEMOCRATS:http://www.peekskilldems.com/"
PEEKSKILLREPUBLICANS:http://peekskillgop.com/
YORKTOWN SUPERVISOR DON PETERS: http://www.donpetersforyorktown.com/
PUTNAM VALLEY SUPERVISOR BOB TENDY:http://www.bobtendyforsupervisor.com/
THE PEEKSILL NEWS:http://thepeekskillnews.blogspot.com/
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CABLE SHOWS TO WATCH
ON POINT ON PEEKSKILL: Every Tuesday at 8PM channel 15 (Peekskill only)
Hosted by:DARREN RIGGER
DON PETERS AND YORKTOWN: Every Tuesday at 10PM channel 74
Hosted by: DON PETERS
YORKTOWN WATCHDOG: Every Friday at 9:30 PM on channel 74
Hosted By: ED CHIFFON
LEGISLATORS REPORT: Saturday and Sunday at various times on chanel 20
Hosted By: COUNCILMEN NICK BIANCO AND LOU CAMPISI
THE VOLPE REPORT: Thursadys at 8PM chanel 15 (Peek. and Cort.) 74 (York.)
Hosted By: Dominec Volpe
THE ISSUES: Thursdays at 9:PM chanel 74 Peekskill Mondays at 8PM chanel 15
Hosted by; Sam Davis
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA: Thursdays at 9:30PM chanel 15 (Peekskill & Cortlant)
Yorktown & Putnam Valley 8:30 chanel 74
Hosted by: John Testa
CARS & US: Fridays 10 PM chanel 15(Peek. & Cortlant) 74(York. & Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Dennis Tate
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
All articles re-printed in this blog from the North County News are with the permission of Bruce Apar Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
BAZZO 07/20/08
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
THE ISSUE IS OIL
Dear Readers:
I have never met so many brainwashed people as I have in the last month. As most people are willing to let other do their thinking for them, this is understandable. All over the main stream media, talking heads are falling over themselves telling anyone who has put their brain on hold that this is the year of the Democrats. Obama for President, huge gains in the congress and senate. Happy days are just around the corner. So then you hear local Democrats and even Republican officials mouth this clasp-trap. Raise the white flag, why even bother to hold elections, the results are a foregone conclusion. History did not start when you woke up this morning. How many times in the last eight years have these people been sooooooo wrong? Why do you still believe them?
The latest ruse used to brainwash the gullible is the last weeks Rasmussen poll that shows Bush's approval rating below 30% (it's 29%). What they will not tell you, as it goes against the "Bush derangement syndrome" template, it that congressional approval is 9%. The lowest since these polls were taken. The number one issue that has caused this is oil. The number two issue is oil. The number three issue is oil. We have finally found the tipping point and it is four dollars a gallon. The latest Rasmussen poll shows a full 62% now favor domestic drilling. A full 45% of admitted environmentalists favor domestic drilling. These polls show people are waking up to the fact that it is not the President who favors these high prices, but congress, and this congress is controlled by the Democrats. It is in their interests in this election cycle to keep this country in a state of decline. They are hoping the main stream media will keep you brainwashed that this is Bush's fault. This poll shows that the people are starting not to fall for that. From the year 2001 when gas was $1.70 a gallon till 2005 when it averaged $2.32 and a barrel toped $50.00, and the Republicans controlled congress, it was fine to hold on to the belief that domestic drilling was both unprofitable and environmentally unsafe even though it was untrue. You must remember though, that when the facts change, it is alright to change your opinion. That is not a flip-flop and on petrolium the facts have changed!!!!
Since 2006 when congress was taken over by the Democrats, the price has now spiked to $4.30 a gallon and a barrel of oil $141.00. This is no coincidence. The oil producing countries and speculators know this congress will do nothing to ease the energy crunch. This congress will continue to mislead the public about the environmental and economic concerns. They want high prices, they need high prices to win this election, and your suffering is part of the equation. When hurricane Katrina hit, it knocked out 5 pumping stations in the gulf. Not one leaked oil into the gulf. We can drill safely, damnit! Where the oil companies want to drill in Alaska, there is no wildlife to disturb, bet you did not know that. Even if there was, like the arguments against the Alaska pipeline and the caribou, these are not true. Not only did the caribou survive, their herds grew. Off shore they oil companies wish to drill 20 to 50 miles out, you would not even see the rigs.
If the Republicans had any fight in them they would saturate the radio waves with advertisements on the facts of increasing supply and how the Democrats are against any thing that will make that possible. Every car owner is a potential Republican voter. Every truck driver, boat owner is a potential Republican voter. Everyone who heats their house with oil, natural gas and electricity is a potential Republican voter. Wake up Copernicus, the earth does revolve around the sun, and the issue in this election season is oil, oil, oil! It is well for the Republicans to point out, when it comes to Ronald Regan's oft quoted "shining city on the hill", it is the Democrats who wish to turn off the lights.
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Dear Readers:
I have stated many times the Assemblyman Greg Ball was not elected to bring home the bacon. Former Brewster Mayor John Degnan an endorsed Democrat running against Greg in a Republican primary has said that being that Greg did not get any meaningful legislation passed he should not be re-nominated to represent the Republican party. Mind you, Greg is now only in his second year of his first term. Mind you he is in the minority in the assembly. Below is an editorial from the journal news that explains how the law-making process works, and how if you are in the minority, you will not get much if anything done. In fact you will notice that Republican with longer service are still hard pressed to accomplish anything. It is one reason Assemblyman MIke Spano of Yonkers switched parties earlier this year. Those trying to unseat Assemblyman Ball know this. They are hoping you will be ignorant of the N.Y.S. lawmaking process to believe that Greg could have done something but is ineffective. I hope this editorial will set the record straight and show you the cynical ploy of those Republicans who endorsed an endorsed Democrat to primary Greg Ball and you won't let them succeed.
THE JOURNAL NEWS EDITORIAL:
Out of Albany: Meaningful laws, amid the status quo
By Laurie Nikolski • July 13, 2008
State lawmakers do many things in Albany, not the least of which is, well, make laws. The process is no snap of the fingers. A legislator must identify the need for a new law; draft legally acceptable language; secure a cosponsor in the "other'' house; work with colleagues, experts and lobbyists; get the bill through committees; rewrite as needed; push for the full Legislature to pass it; and cross fingers that the governor sign its. Voilá: a New York state law.
Of course, the process is vastly more complicated than that, requiring along the way compromise, compromise, compromise and, very often, some begging. It is so easy to move a bill through one house (yours); getting the other guys to sign on is altogether a different animal.
The 18 members of the Lower Hudson Valley delegation leave the recently ended legislative session with grab bags of successes, some far outweighing others. Those in the majority of each house should have had it easier, but not all took advantage. Democratic Assembly members Michael Spano of Yonkers and George Latimer of Rye can count on a few fingers their prime-sponsored bills passed by the full Legislature. Republican Greg Ball, representing parts of Putnam, Westchester and Dutchess counties, ran two years ago on loud promises of ridding his district of illegal immigrants and bringing down taxes for all. He has no prime-sponsored, full-passage bills to brag about this session; he, at least, has his minority status in the Assembly for an excuse.
Amy Paulin, Adam Bradley and Richard Brodsky, all Democrats from Westchester, stand out this session for their efforts, and results. In the Senate, befitting their seniority and their party's majority rule there, albeit slim, Republican Sens. Vincent Leibell III of Putnam and Thomas Morahan of Rockland chocked up many legislative wins. All wisely paired with powerful lawmakers in the "other'' house to get things done.
In all, more than 800 bills passed both houses this legislative session, a typical number, according to Blair Horner, legislative director of the New York Public Interest Group. That's in spite of a session wracked by scandal, intrigue and upheaval, including the resignation of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer and the swearing-in of replacement David Paterson mid-session. A typical number of bills done, unhappily enough, in a typical way. Actually, Horner said Friday, "it was too typical - too much done in secret,'' with lobbyists winning out over regular New Yorkers. "It was the best of session in that they pulled off governing in the midst of chaos,'' Horner said, "but it was the worst of session in that lawmakers did it the same old way.''
Lawmakers got many of their own more local bills passed, he noted, but collectively "they kicked the can on pressing issues like home heating and property taxes.'' Paterson, who has defended the session as productive, has begun signing bills, and vetoing others, a process that will take months. Notably, he already has signed a Paulin bill, carried by Leibell in the Senate, to prohibit smoking in dormitories and on-campus residence halls.
How wide an effect?
Many "prime-sponsor'' bills are of local impact only, meaning that they apply only to a lawmaker's home district, or an organization or individual in it. Due to existing law, though, Albany's approval still is needed for the change locally. Your state lawmaker, it is hoped, can secure it. Latimer, of Rye, did with a bill to rename the Port Chester Library to the Port Chester-Rye Brook Library - his only two-house bill this session. Dozens of bills passing both the Assembly and Senate this year also merely fix technicalities in existing law or set up studies of issues, not solve related problems.
State lawmakers can easily jump on already-drafted bills that they like, listing themselves as "cosponsors.'' Yet as a bill's prime sponsor, the legislator must do some heavy lifting, taking the heat of disagreement and political pressure from all corners.
"Major'' two-house bills - those that affect the needs, rights and/or finances of a wide swath of New Yorkers - are important measures of hard work and influence in the state Legislature. Getting them on their way to the governor's desk takes intelligence, persistence (often over several years), good contacts, strong persuasive skills and comfortable shoes.
Then there are the political realities: majority, seniority, authority. There are 150 Assembly members in that house, with Democrats long having a solid majority over Republicans. The Senate has been strongly Republican for decades. Senior members almost always have the benefit of being appointed to influential committees, making passage of "their'' legislation easier. Finally, those long-term legislators with authority and expertise on certain issues, as well as close relationships with their leaders, usually do better than "youngster'' lawmakers.
Other avenues of influence
True, as Assemblywoman Sandra Galef and staff for state Sen. Jeffrey Klein reiterated in recent days to the Editorial Board, lawmakers can do a lot of work crafting bills, negotiating with the opposite house and party, only to see their bills become subsumed by other efforts that fulfill the original intent. For example, Galef, an Ossining Democrat, is credited with only a couple of prime-sponsored bills passing the Legislature this 2008 session. She pointed out, though, that a bill she worked on for years to form a blue-ribbon panel to put high property taxes and school funding under a microscope was appropriated by Spitzer last year to set up what is now know as the Suozzi commission. In early June, that panel released a major report advocating a property tax cap, which Paterson supports.
Likewise, Klein, a Westchester-Bronx Democrat, early-on this year jumped on the subprime mortgages scandal and growing number of home foreclosures in the state. He drafted a proposed bill and a host of recommendations. They were sucked into a bill that grew out of Democrat Paterson's office, sponsored in the Senate by Republicans and quickly made law. Klein got to watch.
Change may be coming
The truth, though, is this: Those who know how to do the hard work associated with lawmaking also must have strong consensus-building skills, regardless of party weight or seniority. Once elected, New York legislators traditionally stay in the seat for as long as they can. After the first two-year term, all lawmakers certainly should know the ropes - and the need to find a way around the handicap of their minority status. Suzi Oppenheimer of Mamaroneck has been a Democrat in the Republican Senate since 1985; she has but one prime-sponsored, two-house bill this session. Republican Nancy Calhoun, who represents Orange and Rockland counties, has been a Republican in the Assembly since 1990, yet is prime sponsor of only two local-impact bills this session.
A catalyst for change, though, could be on the way, and not from within either house, or via an outspoken member of a minority. The Republican-dominated Senate faces the prospect of losing its majority in the fall elections. Former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno of the Saratoga region stepped out of the leadership position last month, will not run again and has broadly hinted he may not even finish the current two-year term that ends in December. That is setting up the potential come Jan. 1 for what New Yorkers have not seen in decades: one-party dominance in each house, resulting in perhaps hundreds more two-house bills passing easily and getting swiftly to the Democratic governor's desk.
Or, some incumbents could be ousted in both houses, leaving new faces in place of longtime ones, but with the majority makeup remaining the same. And the status quo.
Laurie Nikolski is an associate editor on the Editorial Board.
OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION FROM THE JOURNAL NEWS:
Win Some, Lose Some
Local efforts - and results - vary
The records of Lower Hudson Valley lawmakers for passing bills in both houses of the Legislature in the just-concluded 2008 session vary widely. Their names, below, are followed by the first year each lawmaker took office in the currently held seat, the district represented and comprising localities. Where applicable, committee chairmanships in each house, which can greatly enhance bill passage, are listed.
In the Senate, Republicans' slim majority makes passage by bills whose prime sponsor is a Democrat more difficult: - Democrat Jeffrey Klein; took office 2005. 34th Senate District: part of the Bronx and parts of Westchester, including Bronxville, Eastchester, Pelham, and parts of Mount Vernon, New Rochelle and Yonkers. No prime-sponsored bills passed the Legislature. - Democrat Andrea Stewart-Cousins; 2007. 35th S.D.: Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Greenburgh, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, Mount Pleasant, Pleasantville, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown and part of Yonkers. Two local-impact bills passed. - Democrat Ruth Hassell Thompson; 2001. 36th S.D.: parts of Mount Vernon and the Bronx. One bill, affecting Mount Vernon school district. - Democrat Suzi Oppenheimer; 1985. 37th S.D.: parts of White Plains, Rye, Harrison, Scarsdale, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Ossining, New Castle, North Castle. One bill, renaming a local library. - Republican Thomas Morahan; 1999. 38th S.D.: Rockland and part of Orange counties. Thirty-nine bills passed the Legislature, including several local-impact bills and numerous statewide ones, including one to limit the number of continuous hours worked by nurses and one to enhance the safety of children in state-approved residential children's facilities and programs. Morahan is chair, Senate Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities committee. - Republican Vincent L. Leibell III; 1995. 40th S.D.: Putnam County, seven northernmost Westchester towns and part of Dutchess. Forty-nine bills passed both houses, including several to benefit veterans and several sponsored by Assembly Democrats from Westchester. Leibell is chair, Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs.
In the Assembly, Democrats have a sizable majority, making Republicans' passage of bills there difficult: - Democrat J. Gary Pretlow; took office 1993. 87th Assembly District: parts of Mount Vernon and Yonkers. Ten bills, including some affecting only Mount Vernon, and others on the regulation of racing and wagering statewide, passed both houses. Pretlow is chair, Assembly Committee on Racing and Wagering. - Democrat Amy Paulin; 2001. 88th A.D.: parts of Scarsdale, White Plains, Eastchester, New Rochelle, Pelham. Eighteen bills, largely of statewide impact, including dormitory smoking prohibition, increased open government, and bills to better address child abuse and domestic violence. Paulin is chair, Committee on Libraries and Education Technology. - Democrat Adam Bradley; 2003. 89th A.D.: parts of White Plains, Harrison, North Castle, New Castle, Mount Kisco, Bedford, Pound Ridge, Lewisboro. Eight bills, including making it a crime to knowingly report false child-abuse allegations, and improving due process for parking ticket scofflaws. - Democrat Sandra Galef; 1993. 90th A.D.: Ossining, Cortlandt and Peekskill, Philipstown, Putnam Valley and Kent. Two local bills. Galef is chair, Committee on Real Property Taxation. - Democrat George Latimer; 2005. 91st A.D.: Rye city and town, Mamaroneck and part of New Rochelle. One bill, renaming a local library. - Democrat Richard Brodsky; 1983. 92nd A.D.: Greenburgh, parts of Mount Pleasant and Yonkers. Approximately 40 bills, including one to require cancer-mapping in the state. Brodsky is chair, Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions. - Democrat Michael Spano; 2007. 93rd A.D.: much of the City of Yonkers. Two statewide crime-related bills. - Democrat Kenneth P. Zebrowski; 2007. 94th A.D.: Clarkstown, Haverstraw and part of Ramapo. Six bills, three of local impact, three with statewide effect, including one to resolve errors in marriage certificates. - Democrat Ellen C. Jaffee; 2007. 95th A.D.: Orangetown and part of Ramapo. Nine bills, four of local impact, the others statewide, including one to assist some sexual assault victims needing treatment. - Republican Nancy Calhoun; 1991. 96th A.D.: Parts of Stony Point and Orange County. Two local-impact bills. - Republican Ann Rabbitt; 2005. 97th A.D.: Parts of Ramapo and Orange County. Two local-impact bills. - Republican Greg Ball; 2007. 99th A.D.: Carmel, Southeast and Patterson in Putnam; Yorktown, Somers and North Salem in Westchester; part of Dutchess. No prime-sponsored bills passed the Legislature.
(Sources: State and Assembly Web sites, lawmakers' offices.)
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Dear Readers :
In the story below you will see that Assemblywoman Galef says it would be hard pressed to argue keeping the Workman's Compensation building in Peekskill. I beg to differ. There is a economic benefits report released to the Peekskill City Council last Monday's work secession that show that it would cost the N.Y. taxpayer more money to relocate than to stay. Yes, it is true the report comes from the landlord, but the figures are accurate. Not mentions is the economic impact on local restaurants, deli's and taxis this move would cost. I would suggest Assemblywoman Galef get a copy of the report and reconsider her position. I also find it troubling the silence of Legislator Oros and State Senator Leibell on this topic. This is their district that would be impacted. It would be wise for these three to team up and fight to keep the Workman's Comp. building in Peekskill.
THIS WAS IN THE NORTH COUNTY NEWS:
Workers’ Comp office could leave downtown Peekskill
By Jim Roberts
The State Workers’ Compensation agency is considering leaving its Peekskill office for a possible new site in lower Westchester County.
The state’s Workers’ Compensation agency is considering leaving Peekskill, but the building owner, a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, is fighting to keep them in the city.
“Their move to White Plains or Yonkers is going to cost them a lot more money, not only to move, but to pay rent,” said Barney Marysohn, who owns the building at 41 N. Division St. in downtown Peekskill.
“They’re not leaving for economic reasons. If they’re leaving, it’s for stupid political reasons which I may personally look to discredit,” he said.
The state’s current lease at the building has an option to renew for five additional years, but the agency has not decided whether or not it wants to make the commitment to stay for that length of time.
Brian Keegan, a spokesperson for the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board, said any decision will be based on the most cost-effective way to run the agency’s local office.
“We’re looking at the best way to serve Westchester County and the best place to put a district office,” he said. “We haven’t picked up the option yet.”
Mayrsohn has prepared a worksheet showing that rental costs would skyrocket by nearly $100,000 per year if the 19,000-square-foot office space was relocated from Peekskill to either White Plains or Yonkers. Moving costs could reach nearly $300,000 and a new telephone system and new workstations could add another $300,000 in costs, according to the worksheet numbers prepared by Mayrsohn.
Rents in Peekskill are $18.50 per square foot compared to $24 in Yonkers or White Plains, according to Mayrsohn.
“Compared to what they are paying now and what they would pay in White Plains or Yonkers, it would beat those rates by a lot,” he said.
The state agency has been offered the choice of renewing for just two years if they don’t want to commit to a five-year extension, Mayrsohn said.
Mayrsohn bought the 33,200-square-foot building eight years ago. It was once home to Genung’s, and the building is an anchor in downtown Peekskill.
“The Peekskill people who I meet want very much for them to stay,” he said. “They don’t want an empty building right in the middle of town.”
Approximately 50 employees work at the site.
A World War II veteran who won two Purple Hearts and a Bronze star, Mayrsohn spent six months as a German prisoner of war. He doesn’t intend to lose his Peekskill tenant without a fight.
“I don’t want to be bulldozed out of something that I shouldn’t be,” he said. “If they found a better place and a cheaper place, I would have no objection. It’s a lovely building and there’s no reason for them to leave except for political reasons.”
According to New York State Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, the Workers’ Comp office first came to Peekskill ten years ago from Brooklyn through the political influence of then-Governor George Pataki.
“It was politics to begin with,” Galef said. “I was thrilled, it was my district. When George Pataki became governor a lot of things happened in Peekskill.
“I had a rebellion somewhat in the Assembly saying ‘why are we going to do this’, taking it out of a Democratic district in Brooklyn, and I said ‘wait a second, I represent this district. This is good for us up here.’”
Galef said officials from the Workers’ Comp department told her they are examining where people who visit the Peekskill come from to determine whether or not a location in lower Westchester County would better serve the needs of people who have to travel to the office to make claims.
“They were looking at the volume of people that they have and where they are coming from. This is always an issue with any kind of service,” Galef said. “I think the state could justify a move based on a scenario where the figures show that it is easier for people to get to a more central location It’s hard to argue with that.”
Keeping the office in the Peekskill building on North Division Street would help the downtown, however, she said.
“I would love to have it stay there from a perspective of making sure that the building is occupied,” Galef said. “I feel badly because it’s such a prominent building in downtown Peekskill and I would like it to stay there, but sometimes it’s hard to argue the merits. It’s a terrible balance.”
The State Workers’ Compensation Board processes workers' claims for benefits, employers' reports of injury, and medical reports from physicians and other health care providers. The board adjudicates and resolves all issues and makes awards and findings. Annually, there are approximately 140,000 new claims and 180.000 reopened claims when new issues arise.
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E-MAIL RESPONSE FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN SANDRA GALEF:
RE: MY NCN COLUMN ON THE PASSING OF MY FATHER:
Andy,
I just reread your article about your Dad and I wanted to convey my thoughts on your loss. Your Dad was obviously so important to you and your brother growing up and the fond memories you expressed in the article were so very special. 55 years of marriage was also wonderful and full of lots of love. I hope these weeks of sorrow have promoted even more positive memories and family activities as you all deal with your loss. My thoughts are with you all.
Sandy
Dear Sandy:
My family and I thank you for your kind thoughts.
Andy
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN SANDRA GALEF:
90th Assembly District
District Office:
2 Church Street, Ossining, NY 10562
albany office:
Room 641, Legislative Office Building
Westchester DA Janet DiFiore Headlines Assemblywoman Galef’s Senior Forum Targeting Consumer Fraud and Protections for Older Citizens
(July 10, 2008) District Attorney Janet DiFiore and her Director of Community Affairs ADA Suzanne Miles will lead off a panel of experts Assemblywoman Sandy Galef has invited to speak to seniors at her 2008 Senior Forum Thursday, July 17th, 2008 from 9 am - 12noon, at Cortlandt Town Hall, 1 Heady Street, Cortlandt Manor. Breakfast will be provided by the Hudson Valley Hospital Center.
DiFiore and her colleague will discuss why and how seniors are targeted in consumer fraud schemes, how they can protect themselves against becoming a victim, and what to do if they find themselves a victim of consumer fraud. They’ll discuss what they are seeing come through their office and highlight tips on internet safety as well as elder abuse and neglect which can take many forms, including physical, emotional and financial.
Gary Brown, Director of Consumer Protection in Westchester County, will follow with a focus on the many ways seniors can fall prey to consumer scams involving contractors, sweepstakes promotions and telemarketers. He offers a wide range of protective actions seniors can take to avoid the most popular scams.
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, who chairs the Assembly Committee on Aging, will discuss issues related to seniors’ quality of life such as civic engagement, housing and transportation needs, prescription drug benefits, dental programs for the uninsured, aging in place, volunteer opportunities and more.
Dr. Craig Moskowitz, a board certified comprehensive ophthalmologist at Hudson Valley Hospital Center, will discuss precautions seniors can take to protect and improve their eyes including slowing the progression of glaucoma and macular degeneration, and how to treat cataracts.
Hudson Valley Hospital Center is sponsoring the forum. Co-sponsors are NorCort Senior Club, Cortlandt Senior Club, Village of Croton Senior Club, Putnam Valley Seniors, Ossining Golden Age Club #1, Ossining Seniors, Ossining Senior Center, Briarcliff Manor Seniors, Peekskill Seniors, Buchanan Senior Citizens, Putnam County Office on Aging, Putnam County AARP, Putnam Valley Senior Nutrition Center, and Drum Hill Senior Living.
For more information or directions, contact Dana Levenberg in Sandy Galef’s district office at (914) 941-1111 or e-mail levenbergd@assembly.state.ny.us.
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MESSAGE FROM JOHN TESTA:
New York Legislature Passes Open Records and Open Meetings Reforms
By Matt C. Sanchez
Created 07/09/2008 - 2:26pm
New York Access to Gov't Information Open Meetings
The New York Legislature recently passed several open records and open meetings reforms, adding New York to the long list [1] of states that have taken steps to revamp their open government [2] laws this year. Among other changes, the bills would increase electronic access to government records, prevent agencies from denying voluminous records requests, and make it easier for citizens who successfully challenge an open meetings violation to win awards of legal costs and attorneys' fees. The bills await consideration by Governor David A. Paterson before becoming law.
S962 [3], perhaps the most interesting update to the state's open records law [4], requires an agency to produce a record in the medium requested by the person seeking information, so long as the agency can "reasonably" provide the record in the requested medium or hire an outside service to do it. This reform will make it possible to request more records in electronic -- rather than paper -- format, making it easier for citizens to use electronic means of searching, organizing, and analyzing information.
Another provision of S962 prohibits an agency from refusing a records request on grounds that the request is voluminous or that compliance would be too burdensome, provided that it can engage an outside organization to handle the request. The provision allows the agency to retrieve the costs of hiring an outside service from the person making the request. Because producing records in electronic format will generally be cheaper and easier than doing so on paper, this provision should make it especially difficult for agencies to deny requests for large amounts of information in electronic format.
On the open meetings side, S1599 [5] would make it easier for successful plaintiffs in lawsuits claiming open meetings violations to win legal costs and attorneys' fees. The bill modifies existing law [6] to provide for automatic awards of reasonable costs and fees whenever a public body votes on a measure or resolution in violation of open meetings requirements (i.e., in an improperly closed meeting) or engages in substantial private discussion prior to a vote at an open meeting. A public body can avoid the automatic award if it shows that it had a reasonable basis for believing it was entitled to hold a closed meeting.
Other open government bills awaiting Paterson's signature include:
S3850 [7], which requires that agencies design their electronic records retrieval methods in a way that allows public information to be separated from information that might be withheld, whenever doing so is "practicable and reasonable." This provision should ease public access to records by making it less likely that sensitive information will stop the release of nearby or related -- but otherwise producible -- information.
S7944 [8], which requires agencies to maintain an online listing of all records it possesses, arranged by subject heading. Any agency that has a website must post the list to its site, while agencies that don't have websites must arrange to have their lists posted at the Committee on Open Government [9] site.
S7042 [10], which requires agencies to make records that will be discussed in open meetings available to the public at least 72 hours before the meeting. The provision specifically includes records related to any proposed resolutions, laws, rules, regulations, policies, or amendments that the meeting will address.
Under New York law, Governor Paterson has 10 days [11] from receipt of the bills to sign or veto them. If he does neither, the bills become law without his signature. You can track each bill's progress on the New York State Assembly's website [12] by inputting the bill number (i.e. S7402) into the search field.
For general information on New York's open records and open meetings laws, see our legal guide sections, Access to Public Records in New York [13] and Open Meetings Law in New York [14]. In related news, CMLP intern Jason Crow's recent blog post [15] discussed a bill pending in the New York legislature that would allow the public to photograph, videotape, and audio record public meetings open meetings.
(Matt C. Sanchez is a third-year law student at Harvard Law School and the CMLP's Legal Threats Editor.)
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLMAN GREG BALL:
BALL UNVEILS “SANCTUARY” SPOT, ISSUES DEBATE CHALLENGE
EMPLOYS “CHICKEN” TO GOAD OPPONENT TO DEBATE
The Assemblyman unveiled a 30 second commercial today, exposing the failed Brewster Mayor’s pro illegal alien record. Just like some misguided Mayors in other cities, the failed Brewster Mayor attempted to create a sanctuary city in the Village of Brewster. A sanctuary city is a term given to a city in the United States that follows certain practices that protect illegal immigrants. These practices can be by law (de jure) or they can be by habit (de facto).
Assemblyman Ball stated, “The Mayor’s attempts to create a taxpayer funded sanctuary for illegal aliens and the people who house and employ them sent Brewster into a downward spiral. Illegal immigration is illegal, and he coddled those breaking the law. Now trying to deny it, the Mayor welcomed the illegal population and violent crime and illegal activity spiked on his watch.”
After repeated requests to his opponent for an open and public debate, that have been ignored, Assemblyman Greg Ball (R – Patterson) has officially called upon his opponent to debate, in public.
As a means of further urging the failed Brewster Mayor to comprehend the necessity of taking real positions on tough issues, the Assemblyman has employed a chicken to travel the 99th AD asking, “Where’s Degnan?”. The chicken will be strutting throughout the Hudson Valley until Degnan agrees to debate.
“My opponent has been given a free ride by the local media, refuses to pick a party affiliation, is denying his pro illegal alien record and has not taken a clear stand or position on any issue of importance. In fact, he doesn’t even know what side of the aisle he wants to sit on. For two years I have developed a solid record of standing up to the dysfunction in Albany, fighting against the constant tax increases and putting pressure on local and state officials to crackdown on illegal aliens and their employers. The free ride for this reckless pro illegal alien Mayor will come to an end on July 16th,” said the Assemblyman.
This debate will be hosted by the Respect Life Society of Sacred Heart Church, in conjunction with the Northern Westchester and Putnam Center for Life. Veterans organizations, second amendment groups and tax reform advocacy organizations have all been invited. The forum will be held at the Sacred Heart Church in Patterson at 6 pm on July 16.
FACTS REVIEWED BY BALL AT PRESS EVENT
FACT 1: Coordinating with Putnam County for taxpayer services, providing services to all immigrants, both “legal and illegal”(1999,2000: PC 2000 Budget Message).
FACT 2: Degnan formalizes providing social services and educational opportunities to illegal aliens, at taxpayer expense, in “master plan” (2004: “Final Report”).
FACT 3: Degnan unveils plans for a workstation, aimed to create a "safer environment for day laborers to seek work" (Journal News 2005).
FACT 4: Degnan utilizes government resources to hold community outreach meetings embracing the illegal alien population (Public Record: 2006,2007).
FACT 5: Months before Spitzer, Degnan invites the Guatemalan consulate to Brewster to issue foreign I.D. cards to illegal aliens (Journal News, 8/2007)
New Yorkers on the Ball P.O. Box 607 Pawling, NY 12564
www.ball4ny.com
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A MESSAGE FROM ROB ASTORINO:
Dear Friends,
As you know, I am exploring a run for County Executive next year. I am humbled by the support and kind words of so many Westchester residents who have encouraged me to run again.
Westchester County is in desperate need of major reform, even more so today than when I first ran three years ago.
Andy Spano's crushing property tax increases, coupled with a national recession and rising costs, are literally forcing our seniors, working families and young people out of their homes.
Simply put, our message in the 2005 campaign of reducing the size of county government, lowering taxes, and bringing honest, open and ethical government back to the people was not heard by enough voters because we didn't have the financial resources. Even though we were thoroughly outspent by the Spano machine, our message resonated with enough people that we came surprisingly close. We will WIN next year as long as we have the resources necessary to wage an aggressive, issues-oriented campaign. I believe the citizens of Westchester are ready for a new direction and new leadership.
I need your help. Please consider making your most generous contribution of $1,000, $500, $250, $50 or whatever you can afford (the maximum individual contribution is $33,875). You can make a secure donation here or mail a check to:
Friends of Rob Astorino
P.O. Box 64
Thornwood, N.Y. 10594
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A MESSAGE FROM WESTCHESTER LEGISLATOR OROS:
July 9, 2008 Contact: George Oros
Tel: (914) 995-2828
Goo6@westchestergov.com
A Wrong Move for Westchester County
Minority Caucus maintains purchase of flawed Ardsley building to store voting machines is a mistake
Minority Leader George Oros (R/Cortlandt) and Legislators Gordon A. Burrows (R/Yonkers) and Jim Maisano (R/New Rochelle) criticized the Spano administration and the majority of their colleagues on the Board of Legislators for pushing through the purchase of a dilapidated building in Ardsley to store voting machines and to house the Department of Public Safety. Oros, Burrows, and Maisano argue the building is too expensive. They also point out the seller is politically connected.
Oros, who was joined by Burrows, and Maisano in opposing the long-debated plan, maintained the administration never presented the board with viable options and had its mind made up long ago about the controversial 85,000-square-foot building at 450 Saw Mill River Road.
“This building is a proverbial white elephant that has been sitting there for three years with no buyers, yet we’re willing to pay more than three times what it’s worth,” Oros remarked. “For months this administration came up with every excuse why this building was the only option and in the end backed into reasons. It’s about time we level with the people of Westchester County.”
While acknowledging the county was mandated under the federal Help America to Vote Act (HAVA) to find a location for approximately 1,600 electronic voting machines, Oros, Burrows and Maisano maintained a county-owned facility at 375 Executive Boulevard in Elmsford had ample space to accommodate the voting machines.
“375 is like my basement, filled with stuff the county doesn’t need,” Oros said. “The fix was in with 450 from the beginning and county officials wonder why people no longer trust those in government.”
“What are we doing in this county? We don’t seem to be listening,” Burrows said. “I believe the purchase of 450 for the county is the wrong location, wrong price and wrong time. From the beginning my instincts said this was wrong. It just doesn’t make financial sense.”
Oros, Burrows and Maisano also charged the $6 million purchase (including closing fees) and $7 million estimated renovation costs violates the county’s $10 million bond cap that requires a public referendum, or at the very least violates the underlying intent of the law.
“Nobody would pay this much for that building other than the county. Nobody,” Maisano said.
In addition, Oros maintained having many of the functions of the Department of Public Safety relocate to Ardsley went against the board’s previous decision that most county emergency services should be situated on the Grasslands campus in Valhalla.
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A MESSAGE FROM ANDY POLAY:
RE: JAZZ BAND SCHEDULE:
07/24 - back at Rubens starting at 7PM:
I'll be back as a member of the Swinging Set Jazz Collaborative that night. As always, we promise you a good time to go with Rubens great food.
August:
August will be packed with great entertainment.
8/2:
Peekskill Celebration at the Riverfront Green at about 4:30 as I join members of the Swinging Set Jazz Collaborative. Great venue in the park by the water, and you'll see many talented artists that are on the roster.
8/6: The Swinging Set, back at the Riverfront Green for an evening concert.
8/9: The Peekskill Jazz and Blues Festival , smack dab in the middle of town. Last year the stage was alive with music as they played to a few thousand. This year, they anticipate many more guests. I will reprise 4 of the 5 players that you might've heard at the Peekskill First Friday Fest in the street a few weeks ago:
Rahn Burton on keys
Rick Krsika on sax (Temptations, 4 Tops, Artie Shaw, and currently touring with Ashford and Simpson)
Lester Harper is back on the bass
I'll be on the drums
I hope to see you out there and as always, want to thank you for your support.
Andy
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UPDATE ON NEW CABLE T.V.SHOWS:
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA
Former Peekskill Mayor John Testa has started his cable show "On Topic with John Testa". It airs Thursdays 9:30PM on chanel 15 in Peekskill and Cortlandt. In Yorktown and Putnam Valley Tuesday's at 8:30 chanel 74. This show is on the Peekskill Robins
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THE VOLPE REPORT
Andy- here is the line-up for the next 4 weeks:
The Volpe Report is glad to announce the upcoming guests and dates are as follows:
Peekskill City Councilman Joe Schuder will air June 19, 26, and July 3. Joe brings his perspectives as a councilman for the last six months and commercial development is one of the topics he approaches.
Then on July 10, 17, and 24 Karen Gordon and Lynne Nayman, two representatives of the Preservation Co., are the guests and they bring their professional background as to home improvement through grants and talk about the process residents should know of.
As always the Volpe Report airs on Thursday nights, 8:00pm on Public access channnel 15 in the Peekskill/ Cortlandt area. As a reminder we will be airing in Yorktown and Putnam Valley very soon.
Domenic Volpe
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THE ISSUES WITH SAM DAVIS:
Posted by Dr. Powell:
Sam's guest is Phillip Musegaas, Esq., Policy Director at Riverkeeper. He talks to Sam about Indian Point. It is quite a show. Mr. Musegaas is a knowledgeable, informative and engaging guest.
You will learn something you didn't know.
Check it out.
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THIS WEEKS "IN MY OPINION COLUMN" IN THE NCN:
Dear Readers:
This week I discuss the Westchester garbage police. You can read my column on this topic exclusively on line(see link below)or in this weeks NORTH COUNTY NEWS on sale now. I am worth the seventy-five cents. Look for my column IN MY OPINION(page 10) in the editorial section. Better yet as this column is exclusive to the North County News on a regular basis and will be covering the local political scene, take out a subscription. Click on the North County News link below and go to Subscribe. Between this blog and The North County News you will have all the information to make a vote based on substance.
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FYI:ATOM TAXI INC. AIRPORT SERVICE:
Dear Readers:
This gives me a chance to plug my business ATOM TAXI INC. As you are planning your holiday or business or vacation travel? Instead of the headache of trying to find Airport parking, we do Airport Service to The Westchester County Airport(and ALL other airports) 24/7. Just call 1(914)879-6121 and my partner Tommy, will be glad to take you in our Airport Taxi. You will also be provided with a free copy of your local paper of record The North County News. If this is a business trip we also provide a professional receipt, just tell Tommy at the time of booking. The cost of a one-way trip to LaGuardia Airport the cost is Ninety dollars plus tolls. The cost to JFK and Newark Airports is one hundred-twenty-five dollars plus tolls. The tolls are $10.00 Westchester County Airport and Stewart cost $75.00. We do not take credit cards, sorry.
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E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS:
Dear Readers:
It has come to my attention the difficulty in posting a comment on this blog. If you wish to comment, e-mail me at the link posted below, putting "Manifesto Reader" in the subject matter, and I will "cut and Paste" your comments myself. If you DO NOT wish your comments posted, but just wish to communicate with me, please make your wishes known in the e-mail.
LINKS: atom_taxi@yahoo.com(as this a yahoo address make sure you put an underscore (-) between atom and taxi)
For immediate reply: atomtaxi@aol.com
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SITES TO LINK TO:
ON TOPIC W/ JOHN TESTA: www.ontopicwithjt.com
THE WINERY AT ST. GEORGE: http://www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
PLAN PUTNAM: planputnam@googlegroups.com/
PEEKSKILL GUARDIAN: "http://peekskillguardian.blogspot.com/
NORTH COUNTY NEWS:"http://northcountynews.com/
THE JOURNAL NEWS:http://thejournalnews.com/
PEEKSKILL DEMOCRATS:http://www.peekskilldems.com/"
PEEKSKILLREPUBLICANS:http://peekskillgop.com/
YORKTOWN SUPERVISOR DON PETERS: http://www.donpetersforyorktown.com/
PUTNAM VALLEY SUPERVISOR BOB TENDY:http://www.bobtendyforsupervisor.com/
THE PEEKSILL NEWS:http://thepeekskillnews.blogspot.com/
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CABLE SHOWS TO WATCH
ON POINT ON PEEKSKILL: Every Tuesday at 8PM channel 15 (Peekskill only)
Hosted by:DARREN RIGGER
DON PETERS AND YORKTOWN: Every Tuesday at 10PM channel 74
Hosted by: DON PETERS
YORKTOWN WATCHDOG: Every Friday at 9:30 PM on channel 74
Hosted By: ED CHIFFON
LEGISLATORS REPORT: Saturday and Sunday at various times on chanel 20
Hosted By: COUNCILMEN NICK BIANCO AND LOU CAMPISI
THE VOLPE REPORT: Thursadys at 8PM chanel 15 (Peek. and Cort.) 74 (York.)
Hosted By: Dominec Volpe
THE ISSUES: Thursdays at 9:PM chanel 74 Peekskill Mondays at 8PM chanel 15
Hosted by; Sam Davis
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA: Thursdays at 9:30PM chanel 15 (Peekskill & Cortlant)
Yorktown & Putnam Valley 8:30 chanel 74
Hosted by: John Testa
CARS & US: Fridays 10 PM chanel 15(Peek. & Cortlant) 74(York. & Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Dennis Tate
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
All articles re-printed in this blog from the North County News are with the permission of Bruce Apar Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
BAZZO 07/12/08
I have never met so many brainwashed people as I have in the last month. As most people are willing to let other do their thinking for them, this is understandable. All over the main stream media, talking heads are falling over themselves telling anyone who has put their brain on hold that this is the year of the Democrats. Obama for President, huge gains in the congress and senate. Happy days are just around the corner. So then you hear local Democrats and even Republican officials mouth this clasp-trap. Raise the white flag, why even bother to hold elections, the results are a foregone conclusion. History did not start when you woke up this morning. How many times in the last eight years have these people been sooooooo wrong? Why do you still believe them?
The latest ruse used to brainwash the gullible is the last weeks Rasmussen poll that shows Bush's approval rating below 30% (it's 29%). What they will not tell you, as it goes against the "Bush derangement syndrome" template, it that congressional approval is 9%. The lowest since these polls were taken. The number one issue that has caused this is oil. The number two issue is oil. The number three issue is oil. We have finally found the tipping point and it is four dollars a gallon. The latest Rasmussen poll shows a full 62% now favor domestic drilling. A full 45% of admitted environmentalists favor domestic drilling. These polls show people are waking up to the fact that it is not the President who favors these high prices, but congress, and this congress is controlled by the Democrats. It is in their interests in this election cycle to keep this country in a state of decline. They are hoping the main stream media will keep you brainwashed that this is Bush's fault. This poll shows that the people are starting not to fall for that. From the year 2001 when gas was $1.70 a gallon till 2005 when it averaged $2.32 and a barrel toped $50.00, and the Republicans controlled congress, it was fine to hold on to the belief that domestic drilling was both unprofitable and environmentally unsafe even though it was untrue. You must remember though, that when the facts change, it is alright to change your opinion. That is not a flip-flop and on petrolium the facts have changed!!!!
Since 2006 when congress was taken over by the Democrats, the price has now spiked to $4.30 a gallon and a barrel of oil $141.00. This is no coincidence. The oil producing countries and speculators know this congress will do nothing to ease the energy crunch. This congress will continue to mislead the public about the environmental and economic concerns. They want high prices, they need high prices to win this election, and your suffering is part of the equation. When hurricane Katrina hit, it knocked out 5 pumping stations in the gulf. Not one leaked oil into the gulf. We can drill safely, damnit! Where the oil companies want to drill in Alaska, there is no wildlife to disturb, bet you did not know that. Even if there was, like the arguments against the Alaska pipeline and the caribou, these are not true. Not only did the caribou survive, their herds grew. Off shore they oil companies wish to drill 20 to 50 miles out, you would not even see the rigs.
If the Republicans had any fight in them they would saturate the radio waves with advertisements on the facts of increasing supply and how the Democrats are against any thing that will make that possible. Every car owner is a potential Republican voter. Every truck driver, boat owner is a potential Republican voter. Everyone who heats their house with oil, natural gas and electricity is a potential Republican voter. Wake up Copernicus, the earth does revolve around the sun, and the issue in this election season is oil, oil, oil! It is well for the Republicans to point out, when it comes to Ronald Regan's oft quoted "shining city on the hill", it is the Democrats who wish to turn off the lights.
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Dear Readers:
I have stated many times the Assemblyman Greg Ball was not elected to bring home the bacon. Former Brewster Mayor John Degnan an endorsed Democrat running against Greg in a Republican primary has said that being that Greg did not get any meaningful legislation passed he should not be re-nominated to represent the Republican party. Mind you, Greg is now only in his second year of his first term. Mind you he is in the minority in the assembly. Below is an editorial from the journal news that explains how the law-making process works, and how if you are in the minority, you will not get much if anything done. In fact you will notice that Republican with longer service are still hard pressed to accomplish anything. It is one reason Assemblyman MIke Spano of Yonkers switched parties earlier this year. Those trying to unseat Assemblyman Ball know this. They are hoping you will be ignorant of the N.Y.S. lawmaking process to believe that Greg could have done something but is ineffective. I hope this editorial will set the record straight and show you the cynical ploy of those Republicans who endorsed an endorsed Democrat to primary Greg Ball and you won't let them succeed.
THE JOURNAL NEWS EDITORIAL:
Out of Albany: Meaningful laws, amid the status quo
By Laurie Nikolski • July 13, 2008
State lawmakers do many things in Albany, not the least of which is, well, make laws. The process is no snap of the fingers. A legislator must identify the need for a new law; draft legally acceptable language; secure a cosponsor in the "other'' house; work with colleagues, experts and lobbyists; get the bill through committees; rewrite as needed; push for the full Legislature to pass it; and cross fingers that the governor sign its. Voilá: a New York state law.
Of course, the process is vastly more complicated than that, requiring along the way compromise, compromise, compromise and, very often, some begging. It is so easy to move a bill through one house (yours); getting the other guys to sign on is altogether a different animal.
The 18 members of the Lower Hudson Valley delegation leave the recently ended legislative session with grab bags of successes, some far outweighing others. Those in the majority of each house should have had it easier, but not all took advantage. Democratic Assembly members Michael Spano of Yonkers and George Latimer of Rye can count on a few fingers their prime-sponsored bills passed by the full Legislature. Republican Greg Ball, representing parts of Putnam, Westchester and Dutchess counties, ran two years ago on loud promises of ridding his district of illegal immigrants and bringing down taxes for all. He has no prime-sponsored, full-passage bills to brag about this session; he, at least, has his minority status in the Assembly for an excuse.
Amy Paulin, Adam Bradley and Richard Brodsky, all Democrats from Westchester, stand out this session for their efforts, and results. In the Senate, befitting their seniority and their party's majority rule there, albeit slim, Republican Sens. Vincent Leibell III of Putnam and Thomas Morahan of Rockland chocked up many legislative wins. All wisely paired with powerful lawmakers in the "other'' house to get things done.
In all, more than 800 bills passed both houses this legislative session, a typical number, according to Blair Horner, legislative director of the New York Public Interest Group. That's in spite of a session wracked by scandal, intrigue and upheaval, including the resignation of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer and the swearing-in of replacement David Paterson mid-session. A typical number of bills done, unhappily enough, in a typical way. Actually, Horner said Friday, "it was too typical - too much done in secret,'' with lobbyists winning out over regular New Yorkers. "It was the best of session in that they pulled off governing in the midst of chaos,'' Horner said, "but it was the worst of session in that lawmakers did it the same old way.''
Lawmakers got many of their own more local bills passed, he noted, but collectively "they kicked the can on pressing issues like home heating and property taxes.'' Paterson, who has defended the session as productive, has begun signing bills, and vetoing others, a process that will take months. Notably, he already has signed a Paulin bill, carried by Leibell in the Senate, to prohibit smoking in dormitories and on-campus residence halls.
How wide an effect?
Many "prime-sponsor'' bills are of local impact only, meaning that they apply only to a lawmaker's home district, or an organization or individual in it. Due to existing law, though, Albany's approval still is needed for the change locally. Your state lawmaker, it is hoped, can secure it. Latimer, of Rye, did with a bill to rename the Port Chester Library to the Port Chester-Rye Brook Library - his only two-house bill this session. Dozens of bills passing both the Assembly and Senate this year also merely fix technicalities in existing law or set up studies of issues, not solve related problems.
State lawmakers can easily jump on already-drafted bills that they like, listing themselves as "cosponsors.'' Yet as a bill's prime sponsor, the legislator must do some heavy lifting, taking the heat of disagreement and political pressure from all corners.
"Major'' two-house bills - those that affect the needs, rights and/or finances of a wide swath of New Yorkers - are important measures of hard work and influence in the state Legislature. Getting them on their way to the governor's desk takes intelligence, persistence (often over several years), good contacts, strong persuasive skills and comfortable shoes.
Then there are the political realities: majority, seniority, authority. There are 150 Assembly members in that house, with Democrats long having a solid majority over Republicans. The Senate has been strongly Republican for decades. Senior members almost always have the benefit of being appointed to influential committees, making passage of "their'' legislation easier. Finally, those long-term legislators with authority and expertise on certain issues, as well as close relationships with their leaders, usually do better than "youngster'' lawmakers.
Other avenues of influence
True, as Assemblywoman Sandra Galef and staff for state Sen. Jeffrey Klein reiterated in recent days to the Editorial Board, lawmakers can do a lot of work crafting bills, negotiating with the opposite house and party, only to see their bills become subsumed by other efforts that fulfill the original intent. For example, Galef, an Ossining Democrat, is credited with only a couple of prime-sponsored bills passing the Legislature this 2008 session. She pointed out, though, that a bill she worked on for years to form a blue-ribbon panel to put high property taxes and school funding under a microscope was appropriated by Spitzer last year to set up what is now know as the Suozzi commission. In early June, that panel released a major report advocating a property tax cap, which Paterson supports.
Likewise, Klein, a Westchester-Bronx Democrat, early-on this year jumped on the subprime mortgages scandal and growing number of home foreclosures in the state. He drafted a proposed bill and a host of recommendations. They were sucked into a bill that grew out of Democrat Paterson's office, sponsored in the Senate by Republicans and quickly made law. Klein got to watch.
Change may be coming
The truth, though, is this: Those who know how to do the hard work associated with lawmaking also must have strong consensus-building skills, regardless of party weight or seniority. Once elected, New York legislators traditionally stay in the seat for as long as they can. After the first two-year term, all lawmakers certainly should know the ropes - and the need to find a way around the handicap of their minority status. Suzi Oppenheimer of Mamaroneck has been a Democrat in the Republican Senate since 1985; she has but one prime-sponsored, two-house bill this session. Republican Nancy Calhoun, who represents Orange and Rockland counties, has been a Republican in the Assembly since 1990, yet is prime sponsor of only two local-impact bills this session.
A catalyst for change, though, could be on the way, and not from within either house, or via an outspoken member of a minority. The Republican-dominated Senate faces the prospect of losing its majority in the fall elections. Former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno of the Saratoga region stepped out of the leadership position last month, will not run again and has broadly hinted he may not even finish the current two-year term that ends in December. That is setting up the potential come Jan. 1 for what New Yorkers have not seen in decades: one-party dominance in each house, resulting in perhaps hundreds more two-house bills passing easily and getting swiftly to the Democratic governor's desk.
Or, some incumbents could be ousted in both houses, leaving new faces in place of longtime ones, but with the majority makeup remaining the same. And the status quo.
Laurie Nikolski is an associate editor on the Editorial Board.
OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION FROM THE JOURNAL NEWS:
Win Some, Lose Some
Local efforts - and results - vary
The records of Lower Hudson Valley lawmakers for passing bills in both houses of the Legislature in the just-concluded 2008 session vary widely. Their names, below, are followed by the first year each lawmaker took office in the currently held seat, the district represented and comprising localities. Where applicable, committee chairmanships in each house, which can greatly enhance bill passage, are listed.
In the Senate, Republicans' slim majority makes passage by bills whose prime sponsor is a Democrat more difficult: - Democrat Jeffrey Klein; took office 2005. 34th Senate District: part of the Bronx and parts of Westchester, including Bronxville, Eastchester, Pelham, and parts of Mount Vernon, New Rochelle and Yonkers. No prime-sponsored bills passed the Legislature. - Democrat Andrea Stewart-Cousins; 2007. 35th S.D.: Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Greenburgh, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, Mount Pleasant, Pleasantville, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown and part of Yonkers. Two local-impact bills passed. - Democrat Ruth Hassell Thompson; 2001. 36th S.D.: parts of Mount Vernon and the Bronx. One bill, affecting Mount Vernon school district. - Democrat Suzi Oppenheimer; 1985. 37th S.D.: parts of White Plains, Rye, Harrison, Scarsdale, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Ossining, New Castle, North Castle. One bill, renaming a local library. - Republican Thomas Morahan; 1999. 38th S.D.: Rockland and part of Orange counties. Thirty-nine bills passed the Legislature, including several local-impact bills and numerous statewide ones, including one to limit the number of continuous hours worked by nurses and one to enhance the safety of children in state-approved residential children's facilities and programs. Morahan is chair, Senate Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities committee. - Republican Vincent L. Leibell III; 1995. 40th S.D.: Putnam County, seven northernmost Westchester towns and part of Dutchess. Forty-nine bills passed both houses, including several to benefit veterans and several sponsored by Assembly Democrats from Westchester. Leibell is chair, Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs.
In the Assembly, Democrats have a sizable majority, making Republicans' passage of bills there difficult: - Democrat J. Gary Pretlow; took office 1993. 87th Assembly District: parts of Mount Vernon and Yonkers. Ten bills, including some affecting only Mount Vernon, and others on the regulation of racing and wagering statewide, passed both houses. Pretlow is chair, Assembly Committee on Racing and Wagering. - Democrat Amy Paulin; 2001. 88th A.D.: parts of Scarsdale, White Plains, Eastchester, New Rochelle, Pelham. Eighteen bills, largely of statewide impact, including dormitory smoking prohibition, increased open government, and bills to better address child abuse and domestic violence. Paulin is chair, Committee on Libraries and Education Technology. - Democrat Adam Bradley; 2003. 89th A.D.: parts of White Plains, Harrison, North Castle, New Castle, Mount Kisco, Bedford, Pound Ridge, Lewisboro. Eight bills, including making it a crime to knowingly report false child-abuse allegations, and improving due process for parking ticket scofflaws. - Democrat Sandra Galef; 1993. 90th A.D.: Ossining, Cortlandt and Peekskill, Philipstown, Putnam Valley and Kent. Two local bills. Galef is chair, Committee on Real Property Taxation. - Democrat George Latimer; 2005. 91st A.D.: Rye city and town, Mamaroneck and part of New Rochelle. One bill, renaming a local library. - Democrat Richard Brodsky; 1983. 92nd A.D.: Greenburgh, parts of Mount Pleasant and Yonkers. Approximately 40 bills, including one to require cancer-mapping in the state. Brodsky is chair, Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions. - Democrat Michael Spano; 2007. 93rd A.D.: much of the City of Yonkers. Two statewide crime-related bills. - Democrat Kenneth P. Zebrowski; 2007. 94th A.D.: Clarkstown, Haverstraw and part of Ramapo. Six bills, three of local impact, three with statewide effect, including one to resolve errors in marriage certificates. - Democrat Ellen C. Jaffee; 2007. 95th A.D.: Orangetown and part of Ramapo. Nine bills, four of local impact, the others statewide, including one to assist some sexual assault victims needing treatment. - Republican Nancy Calhoun; 1991. 96th A.D.: Parts of Stony Point and Orange County. Two local-impact bills. - Republican Ann Rabbitt; 2005. 97th A.D.: Parts of Ramapo and Orange County. Two local-impact bills. - Republican Greg Ball; 2007. 99th A.D.: Carmel, Southeast and Patterson in Putnam; Yorktown, Somers and North Salem in Westchester; part of Dutchess. No prime-sponsored bills passed the Legislature.
(Sources: State and Assembly Web sites, lawmakers' offices.)
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Dear Readers :
In the story below you will see that Assemblywoman Galef says it would be hard pressed to argue keeping the Workman's Compensation building in Peekskill. I beg to differ. There is a economic benefits report released to the Peekskill City Council last Monday's work secession that show that it would cost the N.Y. taxpayer more money to relocate than to stay. Yes, it is true the report comes from the landlord, but the figures are accurate. Not mentions is the economic impact on local restaurants, deli's and taxis this move would cost. I would suggest Assemblywoman Galef get a copy of the report and reconsider her position. I also find it troubling the silence of Legislator Oros and State Senator Leibell on this topic. This is their district that would be impacted. It would be wise for these three to team up and fight to keep the Workman's Comp. building in Peekskill.
THIS WAS IN THE NORTH COUNTY NEWS:
Workers’ Comp office could leave downtown Peekskill
By Jim Roberts
The State Workers’ Compensation agency is considering leaving its Peekskill office for a possible new site in lower Westchester County.
The state’s Workers’ Compensation agency is considering leaving Peekskill, but the building owner, a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, is fighting to keep them in the city.
“Their move to White Plains or Yonkers is going to cost them a lot more money, not only to move, but to pay rent,” said Barney Marysohn, who owns the building at 41 N. Division St. in downtown Peekskill.
“They’re not leaving for economic reasons. If they’re leaving, it’s for stupid political reasons which I may personally look to discredit,” he said.
The state’s current lease at the building has an option to renew for five additional years, but the agency has not decided whether or not it wants to make the commitment to stay for that length of time.
Brian Keegan, a spokesperson for the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board, said any decision will be based on the most cost-effective way to run the agency’s local office.
“We’re looking at the best way to serve Westchester County and the best place to put a district office,” he said. “We haven’t picked up the option yet.”
Mayrsohn has prepared a worksheet showing that rental costs would skyrocket by nearly $100,000 per year if the 19,000-square-foot office space was relocated from Peekskill to either White Plains or Yonkers. Moving costs could reach nearly $300,000 and a new telephone system and new workstations could add another $300,000 in costs, according to the worksheet numbers prepared by Mayrsohn.
Rents in Peekskill are $18.50 per square foot compared to $24 in Yonkers or White Plains, according to Mayrsohn.
“Compared to what they are paying now and what they would pay in White Plains or Yonkers, it would beat those rates by a lot,” he said.
The state agency has been offered the choice of renewing for just two years if they don’t want to commit to a five-year extension, Mayrsohn said.
Mayrsohn bought the 33,200-square-foot building eight years ago. It was once home to Genung’s, and the building is an anchor in downtown Peekskill.
“The Peekskill people who I meet want very much for them to stay,” he said. “They don’t want an empty building right in the middle of town.”
Approximately 50 employees work at the site.
A World War II veteran who won two Purple Hearts and a Bronze star, Mayrsohn spent six months as a German prisoner of war. He doesn’t intend to lose his Peekskill tenant without a fight.
“I don’t want to be bulldozed out of something that I shouldn’t be,” he said. “If they found a better place and a cheaper place, I would have no objection. It’s a lovely building and there’s no reason for them to leave except for political reasons.”
According to New York State Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, the Workers’ Comp office first came to Peekskill ten years ago from Brooklyn through the political influence of then-Governor George Pataki.
“It was politics to begin with,” Galef said. “I was thrilled, it was my district. When George Pataki became governor a lot of things happened in Peekskill.
“I had a rebellion somewhat in the Assembly saying ‘why are we going to do this’, taking it out of a Democratic district in Brooklyn, and I said ‘wait a second, I represent this district. This is good for us up here.’”
Galef said officials from the Workers’ Comp department told her they are examining where people who visit the Peekskill come from to determine whether or not a location in lower Westchester County would better serve the needs of people who have to travel to the office to make claims.
“They were looking at the volume of people that they have and where they are coming from. This is always an issue with any kind of service,” Galef said. “I think the state could justify a move based on a scenario where the figures show that it is easier for people to get to a more central location It’s hard to argue with that.”
Keeping the office in the Peekskill building on North Division Street would help the downtown, however, she said.
“I would love to have it stay there from a perspective of making sure that the building is occupied,” Galef said. “I feel badly because it’s such a prominent building in downtown Peekskill and I would like it to stay there, but sometimes it’s hard to argue the merits. It’s a terrible balance.”
The State Workers’ Compensation Board processes workers' claims for benefits, employers' reports of injury, and medical reports from physicians and other health care providers. The board adjudicates and resolves all issues and makes awards and findings. Annually, there are approximately 140,000 new claims and 180.000 reopened claims when new issues arise.
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E-MAIL RESPONSE FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN SANDRA GALEF:
RE: MY NCN COLUMN ON THE PASSING OF MY FATHER:
Andy,
I just reread your article about your Dad and I wanted to convey my thoughts on your loss. Your Dad was obviously so important to you and your brother growing up and the fond memories you expressed in the article were so very special. 55 years of marriage was also wonderful and full of lots of love. I hope these weeks of sorrow have promoted even more positive memories and family activities as you all deal with your loss. My thoughts are with you all.
Sandy
Dear Sandy:
My family and I thank you for your kind thoughts.
Andy
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN SANDRA GALEF:
90th Assembly District
District Office:
2 Church Street, Ossining, NY 10562
albany office:
Room 641, Legislative Office Building
Westchester DA Janet DiFiore Headlines Assemblywoman Galef’s Senior Forum Targeting Consumer Fraud and Protections for Older Citizens
(July 10, 2008) District Attorney Janet DiFiore and her Director of Community Affairs ADA Suzanne Miles will lead off a panel of experts Assemblywoman Sandy Galef has invited to speak to seniors at her 2008 Senior Forum Thursday, July 17th, 2008 from 9 am - 12noon, at Cortlandt Town Hall, 1 Heady Street, Cortlandt Manor. Breakfast will be provided by the Hudson Valley Hospital Center.
DiFiore and her colleague will discuss why and how seniors are targeted in consumer fraud schemes, how they can protect themselves against becoming a victim, and what to do if they find themselves a victim of consumer fraud. They’ll discuss what they are seeing come through their office and highlight tips on internet safety as well as elder abuse and neglect which can take many forms, including physical, emotional and financial.
Gary Brown, Director of Consumer Protection in Westchester County, will follow with a focus on the many ways seniors can fall prey to consumer scams involving contractors, sweepstakes promotions and telemarketers. He offers a wide range of protective actions seniors can take to avoid the most popular scams.
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, who chairs the Assembly Committee on Aging, will discuss issues related to seniors’ quality of life such as civic engagement, housing and transportation needs, prescription drug benefits, dental programs for the uninsured, aging in place, volunteer opportunities and more.
Dr. Craig Moskowitz, a board certified comprehensive ophthalmologist at Hudson Valley Hospital Center, will discuss precautions seniors can take to protect and improve their eyes including slowing the progression of glaucoma and macular degeneration, and how to treat cataracts.
Hudson Valley Hospital Center is sponsoring the forum. Co-sponsors are NorCort Senior Club, Cortlandt Senior Club, Village of Croton Senior Club, Putnam Valley Seniors, Ossining Golden Age Club #1, Ossining Seniors, Ossining Senior Center, Briarcliff Manor Seniors, Peekskill Seniors, Buchanan Senior Citizens, Putnam County Office on Aging, Putnam County AARP, Putnam Valley Senior Nutrition Center, and Drum Hill Senior Living.
For more information or directions, contact Dana Levenberg in Sandy Galef’s district office at (914) 941-1111 or e-mail levenbergd@assembly.state.ny.us.
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MESSAGE FROM JOHN TESTA:
New York Legislature Passes Open Records and Open Meetings Reforms
By Matt C. Sanchez
Created 07/09/2008 - 2:26pm
New York Access to Gov't Information Open Meetings
The New York Legislature recently passed several open records and open meetings reforms, adding New York to the long list [1] of states that have taken steps to revamp their open government [2] laws this year. Among other changes, the bills would increase electronic access to government records, prevent agencies from denying voluminous records requests, and make it easier for citizens who successfully challenge an open meetings violation to win awards of legal costs and attorneys' fees. The bills await consideration by Governor David A. Paterson before becoming law.
S962 [3], perhaps the most interesting update to the state's open records law [4], requires an agency to produce a record in the medium requested by the person seeking information, so long as the agency can "reasonably" provide the record in the requested medium or hire an outside service to do it. This reform will make it possible to request more records in electronic -- rather than paper -- format, making it easier for citizens to use electronic means of searching, organizing, and analyzing information.
Another provision of S962 prohibits an agency from refusing a records request on grounds that the request is voluminous or that compliance would be too burdensome, provided that it can engage an outside organization to handle the request. The provision allows the agency to retrieve the costs of hiring an outside service from the person making the request. Because producing records in electronic format will generally be cheaper and easier than doing so on paper, this provision should make it especially difficult for agencies to deny requests for large amounts of information in electronic format.
On the open meetings side, S1599 [5] would make it easier for successful plaintiffs in lawsuits claiming open meetings violations to win legal costs and attorneys' fees. The bill modifies existing law [6] to provide for automatic awards of reasonable costs and fees whenever a public body votes on a measure or resolution in violation of open meetings requirements (i.e., in an improperly closed meeting) or engages in substantial private discussion prior to a vote at an open meeting. A public body can avoid the automatic award if it shows that it had a reasonable basis for believing it was entitled to hold a closed meeting.
Other open government bills awaiting Paterson's signature include:
S3850 [7], which requires that agencies design their electronic records retrieval methods in a way that allows public information to be separated from information that might be withheld, whenever doing so is "practicable and reasonable." This provision should ease public access to records by making it less likely that sensitive information will stop the release of nearby or related -- but otherwise producible -- information.
S7944 [8], which requires agencies to maintain an online listing of all records it possesses, arranged by subject heading. Any agency that has a website must post the list to its site, while agencies that don't have websites must arrange to have their lists posted at the Committee on Open Government [9] site.
S7042 [10], which requires agencies to make records that will be discussed in open meetings available to the public at least 72 hours before the meeting. The provision specifically includes records related to any proposed resolutions, laws, rules, regulations, policies, or amendments that the meeting will address.
Under New York law, Governor Paterson has 10 days [11] from receipt of the bills to sign or veto them. If he does neither, the bills become law without his signature. You can track each bill's progress on the New York State Assembly's website [12] by inputting the bill number (i.e. S7402) into the search field.
For general information on New York's open records and open meetings laws, see our legal guide sections, Access to Public Records in New York [13] and Open Meetings Law in New York [14]. In related news, CMLP intern Jason Crow's recent blog post [15] discussed a bill pending in the New York legislature that would allow the public to photograph, videotape, and audio record public meetings open meetings.
(Matt C. Sanchez is a third-year law student at Harvard Law School and the CMLP's Legal Threats Editor.)
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLMAN GREG BALL:
BALL UNVEILS “SANCTUARY” SPOT, ISSUES DEBATE CHALLENGE
EMPLOYS “CHICKEN” TO GOAD OPPONENT TO DEBATE
The Assemblyman unveiled a 30 second commercial today, exposing the failed Brewster Mayor’s pro illegal alien record. Just like some misguided Mayors in other cities, the failed Brewster Mayor attempted to create a sanctuary city in the Village of Brewster. A sanctuary city is a term given to a city in the United States that follows certain practices that protect illegal immigrants. These practices can be by law (de jure) or they can be by habit (de facto).
Assemblyman Ball stated, “The Mayor’s attempts to create a taxpayer funded sanctuary for illegal aliens and the people who house and employ them sent Brewster into a downward spiral. Illegal immigration is illegal, and he coddled those breaking the law. Now trying to deny it, the Mayor welcomed the illegal population and violent crime and illegal activity spiked on his watch.”
After repeated requests to his opponent for an open and public debate, that have been ignored, Assemblyman Greg Ball (R – Patterson) has officially called upon his opponent to debate, in public.
As a means of further urging the failed Brewster Mayor to comprehend the necessity of taking real positions on tough issues, the Assemblyman has employed a chicken to travel the 99th AD asking, “Where’s Degnan?”. The chicken will be strutting throughout the Hudson Valley until Degnan agrees to debate.
“My opponent has been given a free ride by the local media, refuses to pick a party affiliation, is denying his pro illegal alien record and has not taken a clear stand or position on any issue of importance. In fact, he doesn’t even know what side of the aisle he wants to sit on. For two years I have developed a solid record of standing up to the dysfunction in Albany, fighting against the constant tax increases and putting pressure on local and state officials to crackdown on illegal aliens and their employers. The free ride for this reckless pro illegal alien Mayor will come to an end on July 16th,” said the Assemblyman.
This debate will be hosted by the Respect Life Society of Sacred Heart Church, in conjunction with the Northern Westchester and Putnam Center for Life. Veterans organizations, second amendment groups and tax reform advocacy organizations have all been invited. The forum will be held at the Sacred Heart Church in Patterson at 6 pm on July 16.
FACTS REVIEWED BY BALL AT PRESS EVENT
FACT 1: Coordinating with Putnam County for taxpayer services, providing services to all immigrants, both “legal and illegal”(1999,2000: PC 2000 Budget Message).
FACT 2: Degnan formalizes providing social services and educational opportunities to illegal aliens, at taxpayer expense, in “master plan” (2004: “Final Report”).
FACT 3: Degnan unveils plans for a workstation, aimed to create a "safer environment for day laborers to seek work" (Journal News 2005).
FACT 4: Degnan utilizes government resources to hold community outreach meetings embracing the illegal alien population (Public Record: 2006,2007).
FACT 5: Months before Spitzer, Degnan invites the Guatemalan consulate to Brewster to issue foreign I.D. cards to illegal aliens (Journal News, 8/2007)
New Yorkers on the Ball P.O. Box 607 Pawling, NY 12564
www.ball4ny.com
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A MESSAGE FROM ROB ASTORINO:
Dear Friends,
As you know, I am exploring a run for County Executive next year. I am humbled by the support and kind words of so many Westchester residents who have encouraged me to run again.
Westchester County is in desperate need of major reform, even more so today than when I first ran three years ago.
Andy Spano's crushing property tax increases, coupled with a national recession and rising costs, are literally forcing our seniors, working families and young people out of their homes.
Simply put, our message in the 2005 campaign of reducing the size of county government, lowering taxes, and bringing honest, open and ethical government back to the people was not heard by enough voters because we didn't have the financial resources. Even though we were thoroughly outspent by the Spano machine, our message resonated with enough people that we came surprisingly close. We will WIN next year as long as we have the resources necessary to wage an aggressive, issues-oriented campaign. I believe the citizens of Westchester are ready for a new direction and new leadership.
I need your help. Please consider making your most generous contribution of $1,000, $500, $250, $50 or whatever you can afford (the maximum individual contribution is $33,875). You can make a secure donation here or mail a check to:
Friends of Rob Astorino
P.O. Box 64
Thornwood, N.Y. 10594
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A MESSAGE FROM WESTCHESTER LEGISLATOR OROS:
July 9, 2008 Contact: George Oros
Tel: (914) 995-2828
Goo6@westchestergov.com
A Wrong Move for Westchester County
Minority Caucus maintains purchase of flawed Ardsley building to store voting machines is a mistake
Minority Leader George Oros (R/Cortlandt) and Legislators Gordon A. Burrows (R/Yonkers) and Jim Maisano (R/New Rochelle) criticized the Spano administration and the majority of their colleagues on the Board of Legislators for pushing through the purchase of a dilapidated building in Ardsley to store voting machines and to house the Department of Public Safety. Oros, Burrows, and Maisano argue the building is too expensive. They also point out the seller is politically connected.
Oros, who was joined by Burrows, and Maisano in opposing the long-debated plan, maintained the administration never presented the board with viable options and had its mind made up long ago about the controversial 85,000-square-foot building at 450 Saw Mill River Road.
“This building is a proverbial white elephant that has been sitting there for three years with no buyers, yet we’re willing to pay more than three times what it’s worth,” Oros remarked. “For months this administration came up with every excuse why this building was the only option and in the end backed into reasons. It’s about time we level with the people of Westchester County.”
While acknowledging the county was mandated under the federal Help America to Vote Act (HAVA) to find a location for approximately 1,600 electronic voting machines, Oros, Burrows and Maisano maintained a county-owned facility at 375 Executive Boulevard in Elmsford had ample space to accommodate the voting machines.
“375 is like my basement, filled with stuff the county doesn’t need,” Oros said. “The fix was in with 450 from the beginning and county officials wonder why people no longer trust those in government.”
“What are we doing in this county? We don’t seem to be listening,” Burrows said. “I believe the purchase of 450 for the county is the wrong location, wrong price and wrong time. From the beginning my instincts said this was wrong. It just doesn’t make financial sense.”
Oros, Burrows and Maisano also charged the $6 million purchase (including closing fees) and $7 million estimated renovation costs violates the county’s $10 million bond cap that requires a public referendum, or at the very least violates the underlying intent of the law.
“Nobody would pay this much for that building other than the county. Nobody,” Maisano said.
In addition, Oros maintained having many of the functions of the Department of Public Safety relocate to Ardsley went against the board’s previous decision that most county emergency services should be situated on the Grasslands campus in Valhalla.
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A MESSAGE FROM ANDY POLAY:
RE: JAZZ BAND SCHEDULE:
07/24 - back at Rubens starting at 7PM:
I'll be back as a member of the Swinging Set Jazz Collaborative that night. As always, we promise you a good time to go with Rubens great food.
August:
August will be packed with great entertainment.
8/2:
Peekskill Celebration at the Riverfront Green at about 4:30 as I join members of the Swinging Set Jazz Collaborative. Great venue in the park by the water, and you'll see many talented artists that are on the roster.
8/6: The Swinging Set, back at the Riverfront Green for an evening concert.
8/9: The Peekskill Jazz and Blues Festival , smack dab in the middle of town. Last year the stage was alive with music as they played to a few thousand. This year, they anticipate many more guests. I will reprise 4 of the 5 players that you might've heard at the Peekskill First Friday Fest in the street a few weeks ago:
Rahn Burton on keys
Rick Krsika on sax (Temptations, 4 Tops, Artie Shaw, and currently touring with Ashford and Simpson)
Lester Harper is back on the bass
I'll be on the drums
I hope to see you out there and as always, want to thank you for your support.
Andy
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UPDATE ON NEW CABLE T.V.SHOWS:
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA
Former Peekskill Mayor John Testa has started his cable show "On Topic with John Testa". It airs Thursdays 9:30PM on chanel 15 in Peekskill and Cortlandt. In Yorktown and Putnam Valley Tuesday's at 8:30 chanel 74. This show is on the Peekskill Robins
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THE VOLPE REPORT
Andy- here is the line-up for the next 4 weeks:
The Volpe Report is glad to announce the upcoming guests and dates are as follows:
Peekskill City Councilman Joe Schuder will air June 19, 26, and July 3. Joe brings his perspectives as a councilman for the last six months and commercial development is one of the topics he approaches.
Then on July 10, 17, and 24 Karen Gordon and Lynne Nayman, two representatives of the Preservation Co., are the guests and they bring their professional background as to home improvement through grants and talk about the process residents should know of.
As always the Volpe Report airs on Thursday nights, 8:00pm on Public access channnel 15 in the Peekskill/ Cortlandt area. As a reminder we will be airing in Yorktown and Putnam Valley very soon.
Domenic Volpe
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THE ISSUES WITH SAM DAVIS:
Posted by Dr. Powell:
Sam's guest is Phillip Musegaas, Esq., Policy Director at Riverkeeper. He talks to Sam about Indian Point. It is quite a show. Mr. Musegaas is a knowledgeable, informative and engaging guest.
You will learn something you didn't know.
Check it out.
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THIS WEEKS "IN MY OPINION COLUMN" IN THE NCN:
Dear Readers:
This week I discuss the Westchester garbage police. You can read my column on this topic exclusively on line(see link below)or in this weeks NORTH COUNTY NEWS on sale now. I am worth the seventy-five cents. Look for my column IN MY OPINION(page 10) in the editorial section. Better yet as this column is exclusive to the North County News on a regular basis and will be covering the local political scene, take out a subscription. Click on the North County News link below and go to Subscribe. Between this blog and The North County News you will have all the information to make a vote based on substance.
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FYI:ATOM TAXI INC. AIRPORT SERVICE:
Dear Readers:
This gives me a chance to plug my business ATOM TAXI INC. As you are planning your holiday or business or vacation travel? Instead of the headache of trying to find Airport parking, we do Airport Service to The Westchester County Airport(and ALL other airports) 24/7. Just call 1(914)879-6121 and my partner Tommy, will be glad to take you in our Airport Taxi. You will also be provided with a free copy of your local paper of record The North County News. If this is a business trip we also provide a professional receipt, just tell Tommy at the time of booking. The cost of a one-way trip to LaGuardia Airport the cost is Ninety dollars plus tolls. The cost to JFK and Newark Airports is one hundred-twenty-five dollars plus tolls. The tolls are $10.00 Westchester County Airport and Stewart cost $75.00. We do not take credit cards, sorry.
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E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS:
Dear Readers:
It has come to my attention the difficulty in posting a comment on this blog. If you wish to comment, e-mail me at the link posted below, putting "Manifesto Reader" in the subject matter, and I will "cut and Paste" your comments myself. If you DO NOT wish your comments posted, but just wish to communicate with me, please make your wishes known in the e-mail.
LINKS: atom_taxi@yahoo.com(as this a yahoo address make sure you put an underscore (-) between atom and taxi)
For immediate reply: atomtaxi@aol.com
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SITES TO LINK TO:
ON TOPIC W/ JOHN TESTA: www.ontopicwithjt.com
THE WINERY AT ST. GEORGE: http://www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
PLAN PUTNAM: planputnam@googlegroups.com/
PEEKSKILL GUARDIAN: "http://peekskillguardian.blogspot.com/
NORTH COUNTY NEWS:"http://northcountynews.com/
THE JOURNAL NEWS:http://thejournalnews.com/
PEEKSKILL DEMOCRATS:http://www.peekskilldems.com/"
PEEKSKILLREPUBLICANS:http://peekskillgop.com/
YORKTOWN SUPERVISOR DON PETERS: http://www.donpetersforyorktown.com/
PUTNAM VALLEY SUPERVISOR BOB TENDY:http://www.bobtendyforsupervisor.com/
THE PEEKSILL NEWS:http://thepeekskillnews.blogspot.com/
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CABLE SHOWS TO WATCH
ON POINT ON PEEKSKILL: Every Tuesday at 8PM channel 15 (Peekskill only)
Hosted by:DARREN RIGGER
DON PETERS AND YORKTOWN: Every Tuesday at 10PM channel 74
Hosted by: DON PETERS
YORKTOWN WATCHDOG: Every Friday at 9:30 PM on channel 74
Hosted By: ED CHIFFON
LEGISLATORS REPORT: Saturday and Sunday at various times on chanel 20
Hosted By: COUNCILMEN NICK BIANCO AND LOU CAMPISI
THE VOLPE REPORT: Thursadys at 8PM chanel 15 (Peek. and Cort.) 74 (York.)
Hosted By: Dominec Volpe
THE ISSUES: Thursdays at 9:PM chanel 74 Peekskill Mondays at 8PM chanel 15
Hosted by; Sam Davis
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA: Thursdays at 9:30PM chanel 15 (Peekskill & Cortlant)
Yorktown & Putnam Valley 8:30 chanel 74
Hosted by: John Testa
CARS & US: Fridays 10 PM chanel 15(Peek. & Cortlant) 74(York. & Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Dennis Tate
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
All articles re-printed in this blog from the North County News are with the permission of Bruce Apar Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
BAZZO 07/12/08
Sunday, July 06, 2008
COUNTY GOVERNMENT LEGALIZES HYPOCRISY AND FAVORITISM
Dear Readers:
Westchester County lawmakers have shown there is a line of hypocrisy they will not cross. Under discussion is the county's proposed "social host law" in which adults will be fined(see stories below) if they know minors a drinking alcohol on their property. The line of hypocrisy they will not cross is parents giving a drink to their own child. I guess they could not bare to pass a law that would have had their parents fined had this law existed in their youth. Of course the hypocrisy of fining adults should they know minors are drinking on their property is still hypocritical. Remember this includes 18, 19, and 20 year olds who may be members of the armed services, it is alright to die for your country, but God forbid you should have a drink. It seems the farther we get from our youth, the more we forget how we behaved. Unless our law makers were uncanonized saints in their youth, I would bet some of their actions would have resulted in fines for their neighbors or other relatives had their been such hypocritical lawmakers in their youth.
I realize underage drinking is a problem. It was also a problem when we were young. Back then though you could drink at 18. So this underage drinking we have now has been cause by lawmakers moving up the drinking age. Most of these now underage drinkers would have been legal had they been alive when these hypocrites were young. I think the answer to underage drinking is to move back the drinking age to 18 same as when we were young. Then the only problem you would have is DWI, same as when wee were young. Those laws, tighter, tougher, and enforced more since we were young have cut down DWI's. There will always be stupid people, and legislating morality is always a slippery slope on the mountain of hypocrisy. To think you can outlaw stupid is stupid in itself. My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones because of DWI, however I can't get past the fact that you can die for your country at 18, but not drink. If you can die in war at 18 you can drink, it is that simple. I am sorry but that's how I feel.
The county government has or is purchasing new voting machines. These are optic scanners w/ paper. I have not heard we had any problem with the old machines other than their age. We should have just gotten newer ones. In this age of motor voter, even these new machines will not stop voter fraud. What these new machines will make possible though is the need to purchase for 13.6 million dollars a building in Ardsley to store them. The old machines were stored by the local municipalities. How ever this building is owned by a major contributor to the County Executive. They say there is no quid-pro-quo, however this building at 450 Sawmill River Road is not easily accessible, up a hill and hard to find. Seems no one else wants this building and even in this market place the county is willing to pay top dollar. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, its a duck. It seems to me there is no price to great to pay to help a friend as long as it's our tax dollars being used, after all they can always raise our taxes.
BAZZO 07/06/08
THIS WAS IN THE JOURNAL NEWS:
July 6, 2008
Buying pig in a poke to help a pal
Journal News columnist Phil Reisman
The Westchester County Board of Legislators is about to make one of Andy Spano's buddies happy - and anything that makes a generous campaign contributor happy makes Andy happy, too.
It appears that there are enough votes on the board to approve the county executive's feverish quest to spend $13.6 million for the purchase and renovation of a vacant office building in Ardsley that no one else seems to want.
As I've reported in this column, the building at 450 Saw Mill River Road happens to be owned by Ardsley Partners III, a firm controlled by Jon Halpern, who has given much in the way of money to help Spano get elected over and over again.
You may connect the obvious dots, but only at the peril of ticking off Spano's right-hand man, Larry Schwartz, who will tell you the deal is a "financial no-brainer" that has nothing at all to do with a political payoff - and if you think otherwise, you're an uninformed, stupid scum bucket. (By the way, is there such a thing as a "yes-brainer"?)
But it's weird how Spano-Schwartz will make up any number of creative excuses to buy Halpern's albatross, er, building. The message is clear: They must have it.
As all issues do, it started with a legitimate problem - where to store 1,600 new voting machines the county must buy to comply with state and federal election reforms. Since the Board of Elections digs in White Plains aren't big enough to hold the new equipment, it made sense to keep the BOE operation intact and move lock, stock and barrel to one site.
Spano-Schwartz chose 450 Saw Mill River Road.
The idea raised all kinds of concerns, many of them articulated by Tom Abinanti, a Greenburgh Democrat whose legislative district includes the village of Ardsley. One argument was that county ownership meant the property would be removed from the tax rolls, which would cost the Ardsley school district $192,171 a year.
Another argument was that the building was off the beaten path, up a hill, hard to find and just an altogether lousy place to put the BOE.
When it turned out that Spano-Schwartz couldn't move the BOE away from the county seat without putting it to a referendum, they were stymied. But only temporarily.
They never for a minute considered the referendum idea, knowing full well that the county's voters would shoot down the expenditure of $13.6 million. So they briefly fooled around with a goofy idea to pretend that the BOE was actually staying in White Plains by, in effect, keeping a light on in the building and having someone sit at a desk with a phone.
Then they tried another idea. They'd still buy 450 Saw Mill River Road for the voting machines and for the Department of Environmental Facilities, which leased space in New Rochelle.
That didn't fly in the Queen City, which gets a piece of the county sales tax and didn't want to lose workers in its downtown.
Now Spano-Schwartz want to put the county's Department of Public Safety in Halpern's building, which presumably would save the county from spending $14.2 million to build the cops another headquarters in Valhalla. See what I mean about Spano-Schwartz? They really want it.
Their morphing of purpose for the Ardsley building may not end there. Who knows? If the public safety excuse should somehow fall apart, they'll probably come up with a scheme to warehouse all the discarded rides at Playland.
"It's so obvious, you're trying to make it look good," Abinanti said last week on my WVOX radio show. "You know the old line, the more lipstick you put on a pig, it's still a pig? That's what you're dealing with here."
Abinanti said Halpern's a "good guy but he's stuck with a problem here." Advancing the pig metaphor to describe Spano's willing assistance, Abinanti quipped. "It's pork, not ham."
The 17-member Board of Legislators could vote on the matter Tuesday. As it now stands, Abinanti looks to be in the minority, which includes three Republicans - George Oros, Gordon Burrows and Jim Maisano. It's such a big deal that even Board Chairman Bill Ryan, who is recovering from heart surgery, is reportedly anxious to show up for the vote.
Abinanti said some of his Democratic colleagues are leaning toward a yes vote because they are simply resigned to the fact that there are no other solid alternatives to 450 Saw Mill River Road and time is running out to meet the voting machine mandate. The reason for the lack of choices, Abinanti suggested, was that developers and commercial property owners didn't want to cross the powerful Spano-Schwartz by coming forth with better ideas.
But there's yet another way to torpedo the scheme, according to Abinanti. The purchase price of 450 Saw Mill River Road, he said, exceeds the $10 million state-imposed limit and must go to a referendum. The purchase price of the building is well under that amount.
The legislator explained, however, that in cases where the property isn't usable in its current condition, the cost of the renovations must be lumped in with the purchase price.
If that's so, then Spano-Schwartz will have to figure out another way to thwart the public. It's a good bet they'd be up to the task.
But it's ironic when you think about it.
After all, the whole thing started with voting machines, the most important instruments of democracy. And democracy can be a messy obstacle when you're trying to help out a pal.
Phil Reisman
THIS WAS IN THE JOURNAL NEWS:
July 6, 2008
Support builds to fight underage drinking
Glenn Blain The Journal News
WHITE PLAINS - Thanks to some tinkering with its wording, Westchester's proposed social host law -which advocates see as a tool to combat underage-drinking parties - appears to be gaining favor among county lawmakers and headed for approval.
The bill, which will be the subject of a public hearing at the Board of Legislators on Tuesday night, was released by the board's Legislation Committee last week, and lawmakers from both parties indicated that the controversial measure had enough support to become law.
"I am really pleased," committee Chairman Bill Burton, D-Ossining, said about the bill's prospects.
Modeled on laws in Nassau and Suffolk counties, Westchester's proposal would impose fines ranging from $250 to $1,000 on adults who allow those younger than 21, except their own children, to consume alcohol on their property.
Burton and other lawmakers said recent changes to the bill's language better defined who could be prosecuted and mollified some of its critics.
"I do believe this law will pass," said Legislator James Maisano, R-New Rochelle, the original author of the bill.
The social host law is one of two long-running issues lawmakers are expected to at least review at their meeting Tuesday.
The board also is expected to take up County Executive Andrew Spano's proposal to purchase a building off Saw Mill River Road in Greenburgh and use it as both a warehouse for new voting machines and the headquarters for the Department of Public Safety.
That proposal was introduced more than a year ago.
Maisano and other proponents of the social host legislation -including the Westchester chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police -have argued that the bill would close loopholes in state law that can let party hosts escape prosecution because they did not knowingly provide the alcohol to minors or claimed to be unaware of the minors drinking alcohol on their property.
Introduced by Maisano in February, the measure has had a difficult maturation process.
Critics, including some lawmakers and the New York Civil Liberties Union, have argued that the proposal is unnecessary because state law already forbids serving alcohol to minors.
They also fear it would infringe on the privacy rights of homeowners and encourage overzealous behavior by law enforcement officers.
"I'm concerned about making a person a criminal for failing to stop an adult - an 18-year-old - from taking a drink," said Legislator Thomas Abinanti, D-Greenburgh, who remains undecided about the measure.
"It's anyone under 21, and it's not just parties covered by this bill," Abinanti said. "This is a Puritan approach, which may or may not be an appropriate approach in Westchester."
As recently as a few weeks ago, the bill's prospects seemed uncertain. After a June 16 public hearing in which only a handful of people spoke on the proposal, lawmakers decided to continue the public hearing until their July 8 meeting and, at the same time, send the measure back to the Legislation Committee for further review.
During its most recent meeting, the Legislation Committee set out to clarify who could be prosecuted under the measure. Originally, the bill penalized those who "knowingly" allowed underage drinking on their premises or those who "had reason to know" that underage drinking was taking place on their property and failed to stop it.
In the latest version, lawmakers eliminated the "had reason to know" provision. Though relatively minor, the change eased fears that the legislation was overly broad, Maisano said.
Because the Legislation Committee has altered the bill, however, lawmakers must schedule an additional public hearing before they can vote on it.
That hearing is planned for Aug. 11, and lawmakers are likely to vote on the measure after that.
"My purpose here is to get a law on the books that would give police a tool to aggressively go after parents who allow underage-drinking parties," Maisano said.
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A MESSAGE FROM THE HARRISON APAR FIELD OF DREAMS FOUDATION:
Come to the Cabaret!
7:00 p.m. July 11, 2008
2nd Annual Dinner Show Benefit at Travelers Rest
SEE! Yorktown's own Broadway Star Craig Schulman
(Les Miz, Jekyll & Hyde, Phantom)
SEE! Yorktown World-class Sensation New Middle Class --
Barbara & Mike Borok
SEE! Spyro Gyra's Jeremy Wall
SEE! Not Fade Away -- '60s Revival Band Led by Original
Vocalist with 'Dion' (Runaround Sue, Teenager in Love)
SUMMER'S COOLEST VALUE !
$75 per person INCLUDES ...
All this GREAT MUSIC PLUS ...
Reception! Full Dinner Service! Open Bar!
To benefit students in the performing arts through
Jenna's Dream
First Nighters of Yorktown Schools
Harrison Apar Field of Dreams Foundation
____________________________________________________
Reserve your seats now!
Call 914-275-6887 -OR-
Email one of the addresses at bottom of this invitation
Make check payable (and mail) to ...
Harrison Apar Field Of Dreams Foundation
P.O. Box 1383, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
YES, YOU CAN PAY AT DOOR ...
BUT PLEASE LET US KNOW NOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN YOUR GROUP SO WE CAN GIVE RESTAURANT A HEAD COUNT PRIOR TO EVENT DATE
__________________________
2nd Annual 'Come to the Cabaret'
Dinner Show Benefit
DATE: Friday July 11, 2008
TIME: Reception starts 7:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Travelers Rest
Route 100
Ossining, NY 10562
(914) 941-7744
www.thetravelersrest.com
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Produced by
Dave & Nancy Paganelli
(Travelers Rest)
Craig Schulman
(Jenna's Dream)
Bruce Apar
(Harrison Apar Field of Dreams Foundation)
Harrison Apar Field of Dreams Foundation
www.yacsports.com
(Click 'Harrison Apar' tab at top of home page)
HarrisonApar@optonline.net
(914) 275-6887
Jenna's Dream
www.JennasDream.org
JennasDreamInfo@aol.com
(914) 962-5667
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A MESSAGE FROM ANDY POLAY:
RE: JAZZ AT RUBEN;S CAFE N.DIVISION ST. PEEKSKILL 7/11/08
Rubens Mexican Cafe on North Division St.in Peekskill (just up from the gazebo) will again turn into a high level jazz club this Friday, 7/11, at 9:00PM. On that night, The Andy Polay quartet will be playing. That night you'll hear the fantastic sounds of Monk, Coltrane, The Duke, McCoy Tyner, and many surprises performed by a great quartet. The players will absolutely knock your socks off:
Nora McCarthy on voice: many engagements at Birdland, The Blue Note, appearances with many greats including Jorge Sylvester and others, several albums, including a new one coming out this month
Rahn Burton on keyboards: a jazz icon for years, played with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Stanley Turrentine, many others, on many albums including his signature album - The Poem
Bill Davis on bass: another Jazz heavyweight, played with Ray Charles, Sun Ra, and a host of others, with many album appearances to his credit
Andy Polay on drums: a regular on the scene that's played with Rahn, Rick Kriska (Temptations, 4 Tops, Artie Shaw, Ashford and Simpson), and others at area spots and festivals
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A MESSAGE FROM THE PEEKSKILL BID DISTRICT:
Come and enjoy Peekskill's First Annual Summer Fest!
July 12, 1:00-5:00pm
Day of free fun for the whole family and a chance to win a 21 flat panel TV!
Pick up a Ticket at the Gazebo, get the Ticket signed at 7 of any of the places on the ticket, fill out the back drop it off at the Gazebo, and be included in a drawing to win a 21' flat panel TV.
Free Entertainment
At the Gazebo
(North Division & Park Street)
Come and listen to
Steve Chizmadia at 1:00 - 2:30pm
Fred Gillen 3:00 - 4-30pm
Ester & Brown Street
(across from the Paramount)
Rick Brodsky & The Sleepy Hollow String Band
2:15 – 3:45pm
Also on Ester & Brown Street
Outdoor Food served by:
Bruno’s Deli serving cooked food.
El Mixto Asador Manabita serving cooked food
At Pugsley Park
(Main Street)
KIDS FUN!!!
Ice Cream Social
Power Ranger Air Castle
Pop Corn - Cotton Candy
Story Telling and More...
In the parking lot of The Paramount and Bank Street
come and enjoy music with a...
Step Back in Time 1:00 - 2:30pm
And in the same parking lot
THE ROAD KNIGHTS
Car Show starting at 1:00 pm
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Also all of the participants on the ticket are offering great discounts and specials so as your enjoying your day.......
Don't forget pick up a ticket at the Gazebo, walk around and visit our unique shops, enjoy the studios and galleries, and choose a place for a bite at one of Peekskill's great restaurants, and don't forget to get your ticket signed at any of the locations listed on the ticket!
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A NEW BUSINESS OPENS IN YORKTOWN:
Heights Bakery Grand Opening!
Celebrating our grand opening in Yorktown, Heights Bakery & Cafe (formerly Carmela's) is offering 15% off any order. Come in and see why Heights Bakery is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing bakeries in the area.
Cakes for all occasions including photograph cakes, Molly Browns, cookies & pastries.
Breakfast and lunch is available daily (closed on Mondays). Tuesday through Friday open 7:30-5:00 pm, Saturdays 9-5 and Sundays 9-3.
Stop by and pick up a menu.
2013 Crompond Road Yorktown Heights, NY (Located Next To Optonline And Yorktown Pasta & Pizza At The Parking Lot Before The Traffic Light Where 118/35 and 202 Meet)
Stop in today and discover Heights Bakery, a delicious new edition to Yorktown!
Save 15% Make your next cake a Heights Bakery cake! Just in time for the 4th of July, order your cake today and mention this coupon to receive 15% off your first cake order! Offer good on cake orders only.
Offer Expires: 9/30/08
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A MESSAGE FROM ST. GEORGE'S WINERY:
Dear Winery Supporter,
Please review the following website. It contains useful information about the status of the Winery Lawsuit, Newspaper articles, TV interviews etc.
http://www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
Please pass this e-mail on to our neighbors & friends in the community. I’m hoping we can resolve the issues with the town and open soon. Your continued support can help speed the process.
Please sign the online petition and e-mail me any questions. I will be planning a support rally in the near future and I hope you will be able to attend. As always, I welcome your feedback.
Thanks again for all your support and I look forward to having a glass of wine with you
Tom
Thomas DeChiaro
The Winery at St. George
PO Box 32
Baldwin Place, NY 10505
www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
(914) 455-4272
(914) 455-4273 - fax
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A MESSAGE FROM STATE ASSEMBLYMAN GREG BALL:
ANNUAL SPORTSMAN’S COUNTRY BBQ
When: This Saturday!!
All the finger licking Country BBQ you can handle…
…and some of the best Old Style Country Music in the area!
Good people and Great times!!
Saturday, July 12th in Patterson NY
DO NOT MISS THIS EVENT!!!!!!
Northridge Farm at 683 Route 311
12PM -4PM (or whenever the cows come home)
Purchase your pass, or find out more: www.GballEvents.com
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New TV Commercials:
SHAKING UP ALBANY
Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-rl-DJbmdY&feature=related
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS ILLEGAL SPOT
Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfqDgwx1FXw&feature=related
Hello Friends!
This week we are unveiling two positive and issue oriented commercials. My opposition is well funded and going negative. It is imperative that we raise tens of thousands of dollars in the next few weeks to get our message out.
Please take a moment and watch these thirty second commercials. Then, if you agree with me, and believe in what I am saying, please make a donation today. Every $100 donation allows me to run these commercials, at least once.
Please make a donation today, at http://www.ball4ny.com/contribute.aspx
Your Friend
Greg Ball
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ANNUAL SPORTSMAN’S COUNTRY BBQ
THIS SATURDAY!!!!! Set atop a gorgeous lush green hillside overlooking the bucolic Town of Patterson, this is a fun summer afternoon you just will not want to miss! With Sportsman and Hunting Groups throughout New York State sponsoring to support NY Rifle and Pistol Association, Legislator of the Year, Assemblyman Greg Ball! All the finger licking Country BBQ you can handle and some of the best Old Style Country Music in the area!! Good people and Great times!! Saturday, July 12th in Patterson NY at Northridge Farm at 683 Route 311.SPORTSMAN. 12PM -4PM…or whenever the cows come home. Find out more: www.GballEvents.com
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200 Friends to Donate $100
Greg is in an uphill battle for re-election and he needs your support. Greg is personally calling hundreds to supporters hoping to get 200 close supporters to each donate $100. Please go online today and donate $100 or more at http://www.ball4ny.com/contribute.aspx !!
For Greg to win he must get his message out…he needs your help. Every little bit helps. You can also send a donation to NY’ers on the Ball, PO Box 607, Pawling NY 12564
www.Ball4NY.com
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A MESSAGE FROM CANDIDATE FOR STATE ASSEMBLY WILLIAM GOULDMAN:
Saying "The best way for us to celebrate America's Independence is to acknowledge those who sacrifice to keep their fellow citizens safe," Assembly Candidate Bill Gouldman Asks Senators Charles Schumer, Hillary Rodham Clinton & Congressman John Hall to Get First Responders First Class Mileage Reimbursements
Putnam Valley, New York:
Bill Gouldman candidate for the 90th Assembly District which covers parts of Westchester and Putnam Counties, today called for legislation that would change the IRS mileage reimbursement formula so that First Responders would be given the maximum allowance.
In a letter sent to Senators Charles Schumer, Hillary Rodham Clinton & Congressman John Hall, Gouldman a Putnam Valley resident, wrote: "First Responders manifest the American ideal of service. They have chosen to show what they can and constantly do for the good of their country. The best way for us to celebrate America's Independence is to acknowledge those who sacrifice to keep their fellow citizens safe. I urge you to sponsor legislation that directs the IRS to give America's First Responders the first class mileage allowance they deserve."
Gouldman who is one of the nearly 5,000 volunteer firefighters who serve Westchester and Putnam Counties noted that on July 1st the IRS changed the mileage reimbursement given to people who use their automobiles for business.
In Westchester County 45 of the 54 fire companies are volunteer departments. All of Putnam County's 12 fire companies are volunteer departments.
HERE IS THE LETTER:
Sent to - Charles Schumer - United States Senator
Hillary Rodham Clinton - United States Senator
John Hall - United States House of Representatives
On July 1, 2008, The Internal Revenue Service increased mileage allowance rates for people who use their automobiles for business. Skyrocketing gas costs forced the IRS to act.
“Rising gas prices are having a major impact on individual Americans. Given the increase in prices, the IRS is adjusting the standard mileage rates to better reflect the real cost of operating an automobile” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman, as he announced the new rates.
I applaud the IRS’s decision to give much needed relief to millions of overburdened Americans but fervently believe that there is more that the IRS must do. In Westchester County 45 of the 54 fire companies are volunteer departments. Four thousand seventy men and women, unpaid public servants, are on call 24 hours a day, every day of the year protecting the lives and property of their fellow citizens. Eight hundred volunteers in Putnam completely staff the County’s 12 fire departments.
These people are heroes. They along with volunteer Ambulance Core and EMS workers are the First Responders for more than a million people in Westchester and Putnam Counties. Countless others do the same throughout the rest of New York and all across America. They use their personal vehicles as they risk their lives providing fire and rescue services during emergencies.
Shockingly, at a time of unprecedented gas costs First Responders receive the lowest mileage allowances from the IRS. The IRS has placed them in the same category as charity givers; this means they can deduct only 14 cents for every mile that they use their personal vehicles when traveling to protect others.
Under the new IRS mileage allowance formula business users get an allowance of 58.5 cents per mile which is almost five times higher than the rate First Responders receive. It is plain and simple that this discrepancy is wrong and must be changed.
New Mileage Rate Allowances
Purpose Rates 1/1 through
6/30/08 Rates 7/1 through 12/31/08
Business 50.5 58.5
Medical/Moving 19 27
Charitable 14 14
FIRST RESPONDERS
14
58.5
"These people are heroes. They, along with volunteer Ambulance Corp and EMS workers are the First Responders for more than a million people in Westchester and Putnam Counties. Countless others do the same throughout the rest of New York and all across America. They use their personal vehicles as they risk their lives providing fire and rescue services during times of emergency," declared Mr. Gouldman.
Shockingly at a time of unprecedented gas costs First Responders receive
the lowest mileage allowance from the IRS. The IRS has placed them in the same category as charity givers; allowing them to deduct only 14 cents for every mile that they use their personal vehicles when traveling to protect others.
Under the new IRS mileage allowance formula business users get an allowance of 58.5 cents per mile which is almost five times higher than the rate First Responders receive.
"I applaud the IRS's decision to give much needed relief to millions of overburdened Americans but fervently believe that there is more that the IRS must do," said Mr. Gouldman. "It is obvious that the IRS must change its reimbursement formula so that First Responders get first class mileage reimbursement."
In his letter to Senators Clinton and Schumer and Congressman Hall, Gouldman urged them to sponsor legislation that would tie First Responders mileage allowances to the standard IRS Business Rate.
Gouldman concluded, "The best way for us to celebrate America's Independence is to acknowledge those who sacrifice to keep their fellow citizens safe. First Responders in New York and across the United States should be fairly reimbursed."
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN SANDRA GALEF:
Contact: SandyGalef (914) 941-1111
(914) 455-5348
Assemblywoman Galef’s Senior Forum Helps Fight Fraud and Protect Against Consumer Scams that Target Older Citizens
(June 30, 2008) In an effort to protect senior citizens against consumer fraud, Assemblywoman Sandy Galef has invited a panel of experts to speak about why and how they are targeted, how they can protect themselves against becoming a victim and what to do if, in fact they do become a victim of consumer fraud. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, who chairs the Assembly Committee on Aging, will kick off the discussion highlighting some new laws in place to protect seniors and others, both on-line and off. The forum, with breakfast provided by Hudson Valley Hospital Center, will take place Thursday, July 17th, 2008 from 9-12noon, at Cortlandt Town Hall, 1 Heady Street, Cortlandt Manor.
Gary Brown, Director of Consumer Protection in Westchester County will discuss the many ways seniors are often preyed upon and how they become victims of identity theft. He offers a wide range of protective actions seniors can take to avoid many of the most popular scams.
Suzanne Miles, a Westchester Assistant District Attorney and the Director of Community Affairs for Westchester County, will discuss issues of elder abuse and neglect which can take many forms, including physical, emotional as well as financial. She will also address internet safety which the DAs office has been focusing on for seniors specifically.
Dr. Craig Moskowitz, a board certified comprehensive ophthalmologist at Hudson Valley Hospital Center, will discuss precautions seniors can take to protect and improve their eyes including slowing the progression of glaucoma and macular degeneration, and how to treat cataracts.
The forum is sponsored by Hudson Valley Hospital Center, and co-sponsored by NorCort Senior Club, Cortlandt Senior Club, Village of Croton Senior Club, Putnam Valley Seniors, Ossining Golden Age Club #1, Ossining Seniors, Ossining Senior Center, Briarcliff Manor Seniors, Peekskill Seniors, Buchanan Senior Citizens, Putnam County Office on Aging, Putnam County AARP, Putnam Valley Senior Nutrition Center, and Drum Hill Senior Living.
For more information or directions, contact Dana Levenberg in Sandy Galef’s district office at (914) 941-1111 or e-mail levenbergd@assembly.state.ny.us.
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UPDATE ON NEW CABLE T.V.SHOWS:
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA
Former Peekskill Mayor John Testa has started his cable show "On Topic with John Testa". It airs Thursdays 9:30PM on chanel 15 in Peekskill and Cortlandt. In Yorktown and Putnam Valley Tuesday's at 8:30 chanel 74. This show is on the Peekskill Robins
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THE VOLPE REPORT
Andy- here is the line-up for the next 4 weeks:
The Volpe Report is glad to announce the upcoming guests and dates are as follows:
Peekskill City Councilman Joe Schuder will air June 19, 26, and July 3. Joe brings his perspectives as a councilman for the last six months and commercial development is one of the topics he approaches.
Then on July 10, 17, and 24 Karen Gordon and Lynne Nayman, two representatives of the Preservation Co., are the guests and they bring their professional background as to home improvement through grants and talk about the process residents should know of.
As always the Volpe Report airs on Thursday nights, 8:00pm on Public access channnel 15 in the Peekskill/ Cortlandt area. As a reminder we will be airing in Yorktown and Putnam Valley very soon.
Domenic Volpe
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THE ISSUES WITH SAM DAVIS:
Sam's guest is Mary Foster, the Mayor of the City of Peekskill. Mayor Foster is a savvy and personable public representative, and the show is informative and entertaining.
Check it out.
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THIS WEEKS "IN MY OPINION COLUMN" IN THE NCN:
Dear Readers:
This week I discuss the recent Supreme Court Rulings. You can read my column on this topic exclusively on line(see link below)or in this weeks NORTH COUNTY NEWS on sale now. I am worth the seventy-five cents. Look for my column IN MY OPINION(page 10) in the editorial section. Better yet as this column is exclusive to the North County News on a regular basis and will be covering the local political scene, take out a subscription. Click on the North County News link below and go to Subscribe. Between this blog and The North County News you will have all the information to make a vote based on substance.
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FYI:ATOM TAXI INC. AIRPORT SERVICE:
Dear Readers:
This gives me a chance to plug my business ATOM TAXI INC. As you are planning your holiday or business or vacation travel? Instead of the headache of trying to find Airport parking, we do Airport Service to The Westchester County Airport(and ALL other airports) 24/7. Just call 1(914)879-6121 and my partner Tommy, will be glad to take you in our Airport Taxi. You will also be provided with a free copy of your local paper of record The North County News. If this is a business trip we also provide a professional receipt, just tell Tommy at the time of booking. The cost of a one-way trip to LaGuardia Airport the cost is Ninety dollars plus tolls. The cost to JFK and Newark Airports is one hundred-twenty-five dollars plus tolls. The tolls are $10.00 Westchester County Airport and Stewart cost $75.00. We do not take credit cards, sorry.
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E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS:
Dear Readers:
It has come to my attention the difficulty in posting a comment on this blog. If you wish to comment, e-mail me at the link posted below, putting "Manifesto Reader" in the subject matter, and I will "cut and Paste" your comments myself. If you DO NOT wish your comments posted, but just wish to communicate with me, please make your wishes known in the e-mail.
LINKS: atom_taxi@yahoo.com(as this a yahoo address make sure you put an underscore (-) between atom and taxi)
For immediate reply: atomtaxi@aol.com
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SITES TO LINK TO:
ON TOPIC W/ JOHN TESTA: www.ontopicwithjt.com
THE WINERY AT ST. GEORGE: http://www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
PLAN PUTNAM: planputnam@googlegroups.com/
PEEKSKILL GUARDIAN: "http://peekskillguardian.blogspot.com/
NORTH COUNTY NEWS:"http://northcountynews.com/
THE JOURNAL NEWS:http://thejournalnews.com/
PEEKSKILL DEMOCRATS:http://www.peekskilldems.com/"
PEEKSKILLREPUBLICANS:http://peekskillgop.com/
YORKTOWN SUPERVISOR DON PETERS: http://www.donpetersforyorktown.com/
PUTNAM VALLEY SUPERVISOR BOB TENDY:http://www.bobtendyforsupervisor.com/
THE PEEKSILL NEWS:http://thepeekskillnews.blogspot.com/
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CABLE SHOWS TO WATCH
ON POINT ON PEEKSKILL: Every Tuesday at 8PM channel 15 (Peekskill only)
Hosted by:DARREN RIGGER
DON PETERS AND YORKTOWN: Every Tuesday at 10PM channel 74
Hosted by: DON PETERS
YORKTOWN WATCHDOG: Every Friday at 9:30 PM on channel 74
Hosted By: ED CHIFFON
LEGISLATORS REPORT: Saturday and Sunday at various times on chanel 20
Hosted By: COUNCILMEN NICK BIANCO AND LOU CAMPISI
THE VOLPE REPORT: Thursadys at 8PM chanel 15 (Peek. and Cort.) 74 (York.)
Hosted By: Dominec Volpe
THE ISSUES: Thursdays at 9:PM chanel 74 Peekskill Mondays at 8PM chanel 15
Hosted by; Sam Davis
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA: Thursdays at 9:30PM chanel 15 (Peekskill & Cortlant)
Yorktown & Putnam Valley 8:30 chanel 74
Hosted by: John Testa
CARS & US: Fridays 10 PM chanel 15(Peek. & Cortlant) 74(York. & Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Dennis Tate
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
All articles re-printed in this blog from the North County News are with the permission of Bruce Apar Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
BAZZO 07/06/08
Westchester County lawmakers have shown there is a line of hypocrisy they will not cross. Under discussion is the county's proposed "social host law" in which adults will be fined(see stories below) if they know minors a drinking alcohol on their property. The line of hypocrisy they will not cross is parents giving a drink to their own child. I guess they could not bare to pass a law that would have had their parents fined had this law existed in their youth. Of course the hypocrisy of fining adults should they know minors are drinking on their property is still hypocritical. Remember this includes 18, 19, and 20 year olds who may be members of the armed services, it is alright to die for your country, but God forbid you should have a drink. It seems the farther we get from our youth, the more we forget how we behaved. Unless our law makers were uncanonized saints in their youth, I would bet some of their actions would have resulted in fines for their neighbors or other relatives had their been such hypocritical lawmakers in their youth.
I realize underage drinking is a problem. It was also a problem when we were young. Back then though you could drink at 18. So this underage drinking we have now has been cause by lawmakers moving up the drinking age. Most of these now underage drinkers would have been legal had they been alive when these hypocrites were young. I think the answer to underage drinking is to move back the drinking age to 18 same as when we were young. Then the only problem you would have is DWI, same as when wee were young. Those laws, tighter, tougher, and enforced more since we were young have cut down DWI's. There will always be stupid people, and legislating morality is always a slippery slope on the mountain of hypocrisy. To think you can outlaw stupid is stupid in itself. My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones because of DWI, however I can't get past the fact that you can die for your country at 18, but not drink. If you can die in war at 18 you can drink, it is that simple. I am sorry but that's how I feel.
The county government has or is purchasing new voting machines. These are optic scanners w/ paper. I have not heard we had any problem with the old machines other than their age. We should have just gotten newer ones. In this age of motor voter, even these new machines will not stop voter fraud. What these new machines will make possible though is the need to purchase for 13.6 million dollars a building in Ardsley to store them. The old machines were stored by the local municipalities. How ever this building is owned by a major contributor to the County Executive. They say there is no quid-pro-quo, however this building at 450 Sawmill River Road is not easily accessible, up a hill and hard to find. Seems no one else wants this building and even in this market place the county is willing to pay top dollar. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, its a duck. It seems to me there is no price to great to pay to help a friend as long as it's our tax dollars being used, after all they can always raise our taxes.
BAZZO 07/06/08
THIS WAS IN THE JOURNAL NEWS:
July 6, 2008
Buying pig in a poke to help a pal
Journal News columnist Phil Reisman
The Westchester County Board of Legislators is about to make one of Andy Spano's buddies happy - and anything that makes a generous campaign contributor happy makes Andy happy, too.
It appears that there are enough votes on the board to approve the county executive's feverish quest to spend $13.6 million for the purchase and renovation of a vacant office building in Ardsley that no one else seems to want.
As I've reported in this column, the building at 450 Saw Mill River Road happens to be owned by Ardsley Partners III, a firm controlled by Jon Halpern, who has given much in the way of money to help Spano get elected over and over again.
You may connect the obvious dots, but only at the peril of ticking off Spano's right-hand man, Larry Schwartz, who will tell you the deal is a "financial no-brainer" that has nothing at all to do with a political payoff - and if you think otherwise, you're an uninformed, stupid scum bucket. (By the way, is there such a thing as a "yes-brainer"?)
But it's weird how Spano-Schwartz will make up any number of creative excuses to buy Halpern's albatross, er, building. The message is clear: They must have it.
As all issues do, it started with a legitimate problem - where to store 1,600 new voting machines the county must buy to comply with state and federal election reforms. Since the Board of Elections digs in White Plains aren't big enough to hold the new equipment, it made sense to keep the BOE operation intact and move lock, stock and barrel to one site.
Spano-Schwartz chose 450 Saw Mill River Road.
The idea raised all kinds of concerns, many of them articulated by Tom Abinanti, a Greenburgh Democrat whose legislative district includes the village of Ardsley. One argument was that county ownership meant the property would be removed from the tax rolls, which would cost the Ardsley school district $192,171 a year.
Another argument was that the building was off the beaten path, up a hill, hard to find and just an altogether lousy place to put the BOE.
When it turned out that Spano-Schwartz couldn't move the BOE away from the county seat without putting it to a referendum, they were stymied. But only temporarily.
They never for a minute considered the referendum idea, knowing full well that the county's voters would shoot down the expenditure of $13.6 million. So they briefly fooled around with a goofy idea to pretend that the BOE was actually staying in White Plains by, in effect, keeping a light on in the building and having someone sit at a desk with a phone.
Then they tried another idea. They'd still buy 450 Saw Mill River Road for the voting machines and for the Department of Environmental Facilities, which leased space in New Rochelle.
That didn't fly in the Queen City, which gets a piece of the county sales tax and didn't want to lose workers in its downtown.
Now Spano-Schwartz want to put the county's Department of Public Safety in Halpern's building, which presumably would save the county from spending $14.2 million to build the cops another headquarters in Valhalla. See what I mean about Spano-Schwartz? They really want it.
Their morphing of purpose for the Ardsley building may not end there. Who knows? If the public safety excuse should somehow fall apart, they'll probably come up with a scheme to warehouse all the discarded rides at Playland.
"It's so obvious, you're trying to make it look good," Abinanti said last week on my WVOX radio show. "You know the old line, the more lipstick you put on a pig, it's still a pig? That's what you're dealing with here."
Abinanti said Halpern's a "good guy but he's stuck with a problem here." Advancing the pig metaphor to describe Spano's willing assistance, Abinanti quipped. "It's pork, not ham."
The 17-member Board of Legislators could vote on the matter Tuesday. As it now stands, Abinanti looks to be in the minority, which includes three Republicans - George Oros, Gordon Burrows and Jim Maisano. It's such a big deal that even Board Chairman Bill Ryan, who is recovering from heart surgery, is reportedly anxious to show up for the vote.
Abinanti said some of his Democratic colleagues are leaning toward a yes vote because they are simply resigned to the fact that there are no other solid alternatives to 450 Saw Mill River Road and time is running out to meet the voting machine mandate. The reason for the lack of choices, Abinanti suggested, was that developers and commercial property owners didn't want to cross the powerful Spano-Schwartz by coming forth with better ideas.
But there's yet another way to torpedo the scheme, according to Abinanti. The purchase price of 450 Saw Mill River Road, he said, exceeds the $10 million state-imposed limit and must go to a referendum. The purchase price of the building is well under that amount.
The legislator explained, however, that in cases where the property isn't usable in its current condition, the cost of the renovations must be lumped in with the purchase price.
If that's so, then Spano-Schwartz will have to figure out another way to thwart the public. It's a good bet they'd be up to the task.
But it's ironic when you think about it.
After all, the whole thing started with voting machines, the most important instruments of democracy. And democracy can be a messy obstacle when you're trying to help out a pal.
Phil Reisman
THIS WAS IN THE JOURNAL NEWS:
July 6, 2008
Support builds to fight underage drinking
Glenn Blain The Journal News
WHITE PLAINS - Thanks to some tinkering with its wording, Westchester's proposed social host law -which advocates see as a tool to combat underage-drinking parties - appears to be gaining favor among county lawmakers and headed for approval.
The bill, which will be the subject of a public hearing at the Board of Legislators on Tuesday night, was released by the board's Legislation Committee last week, and lawmakers from both parties indicated that the controversial measure had enough support to become law.
"I am really pleased," committee Chairman Bill Burton, D-Ossining, said about the bill's prospects.
Modeled on laws in Nassau and Suffolk counties, Westchester's proposal would impose fines ranging from $250 to $1,000 on adults who allow those younger than 21, except their own children, to consume alcohol on their property.
Burton and other lawmakers said recent changes to the bill's language better defined who could be prosecuted and mollified some of its critics.
"I do believe this law will pass," said Legislator James Maisano, R-New Rochelle, the original author of the bill.
The social host law is one of two long-running issues lawmakers are expected to at least review at their meeting Tuesday.
The board also is expected to take up County Executive Andrew Spano's proposal to purchase a building off Saw Mill River Road in Greenburgh and use it as both a warehouse for new voting machines and the headquarters for the Department of Public Safety.
That proposal was introduced more than a year ago.
Maisano and other proponents of the social host legislation -including the Westchester chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police -have argued that the bill would close loopholes in state law that can let party hosts escape prosecution because they did not knowingly provide the alcohol to minors or claimed to be unaware of the minors drinking alcohol on their property.
Introduced by Maisano in February, the measure has had a difficult maturation process.
Critics, including some lawmakers and the New York Civil Liberties Union, have argued that the proposal is unnecessary because state law already forbids serving alcohol to minors.
They also fear it would infringe on the privacy rights of homeowners and encourage overzealous behavior by law enforcement officers.
"I'm concerned about making a person a criminal for failing to stop an adult - an 18-year-old - from taking a drink," said Legislator Thomas Abinanti, D-Greenburgh, who remains undecided about the measure.
"It's anyone under 21, and it's not just parties covered by this bill," Abinanti said. "This is a Puritan approach, which may or may not be an appropriate approach in Westchester."
As recently as a few weeks ago, the bill's prospects seemed uncertain. After a June 16 public hearing in which only a handful of people spoke on the proposal, lawmakers decided to continue the public hearing until their July 8 meeting and, at the same time, send the measure back to the Legislation Committee for further review.
During its most recent meeting, the Legislation Committee set out to clarify who could be prosecuted under the measure. Originally, the bill penalized those who "knowingly" allowed underage drinking on their premises or those who "had reason to know" that underage drinking was taking place on their property and failed to stop it.
In the latest version, lawmakers eliminated the "had reason to know" provision. Though relatively minor, the change eased fears that the legislation was overly broad, Maisano said.
Because the Legislation Committee has altered the bill, however, lawmakers must schedule an additional public hearing before they can vote on it.
That hearing is planned for Aug. 11, and lawmakers are likely to vote on the measure after that.
"My purpose here is to get a law on the books that would give police a tool to aggressively go after parents who allow underage-drinking parties," Maisano said.
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A MESSAGE FROM THE HARRISON APAR FIELD OF DREAMS FOUDATION:
Come to the Cabaret!
7:00 p.m. July 11, 2008
2nd Annual Dinner Show Benefit at Travelers Rest
SEE! Yorktown's own Broadway Star Craig Schulman
(Les Miz, Jekyll & Hyde, Phantom)
SEE! Yorktown World-class Sensation New Middle Class --
Barbara & Mike Borok
SEE! Spyro Gyra's Jeremy Wall
SEE! Not Fade Away -- '60s Revival Band Led by Original
Vocalist with 'Dion' (Runaround Sue, Teenager in Love)
SUMMER'S COOLEST VALUE !
$75 per person INCLUDES ...
All this GREAT MUSIC PLUS ...
Reception! Full Dinner Service! Open Bar!
To benefit students in the performing arts through
Jenna's Dream
First Nighters of Yorktown Schools
Harrison Apar Field of Dreams Foundation
____________________________________________________
Reserve your seats now!
Call 914-275-6887 -OR-
Email one of the addresses at bottom of this invitation
Make check payable (and mail) to ...
Harrison Apar Field Of Dreams Foundation
P.O. Box 1383, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
YES, YOU CAN PAY AT DOOR ...
BUT PLEASE LET US KNOW NOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN YOUR GROUP SO WE CAN GIVE RESTAURANT A HEAD COUNT PRIOR TO EVENT DATE
__________________________
2nd Annual 'Come to the Cabaret'
Dinner Show Benefit
DATE: Friday July 11, 2008
TIME: Reception starts 7:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Travelers Rest
Route 100
Ossining, NY 10562
(914) 941-7744
www.thetravelersrest.com
____________
Produced by
Dave & Nancy Paganelli
(Travelers Rest)
Craig Schulman
(Jenna's Dream)
Bruce Apar
(Harrison Apar Field of Dreams Foundation)
Harrison Apar Field of Dreams Foundation
www.yacsports.com
(Click 'Harrison Apar' tab at top of home page)
HarrisonApar@optonline.net
(914) 275-6887
Jenna's Dream
www.JennasDream.org
JennasDreamInfo@aol.com
(914) 962-5667
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A MESSAGE FROM ANDY POLAY:
RE: JAZZ AT RUBEN;S CAFE N.DIVISION ST. PEEKSKILL 7/11/08
Rubens Mexican Cafe on North Division St.in Peekskill (just up from the gazebo) will again turn into a high level jazz club this Friday, 7/11, at 9:00PM. On that night, The Andy Polay quartet will be playing. That night you'll hear the fantastic sounds of Monk, Coltrane, The Duke, McCoy Tyner, and many surprises performed by a great quartet. The players will absolutely knock your socks off:
Nora McCarthy on voice: many engagements at Birdland, The Blue Note, appearances with many greats including Jorge Sylvester and others, several albums, including a new one coming out this month
Rahn Burton on keyboards: a jazz icon for years, played with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Stanley Turrentine, many others, on many albums including his signature album - The Poem
Bill Davis on bass: another Jazz heavyweight, played with Ray Charles, Sun Ra, and a host of others, with many album appearances to his credit
Andy Polay on drums: a regular on the scene that's played with Rahn, Rick Kriska (Temptations, 4 Tops, Artie Shaw, Ashford and Simpson), and others at area spots and festivals
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A MESSAGE FROM THE PEEKSKILL BID DISTRICT:
Come and enjoy Peekskill's First Annual Summer Fest!
July 12, 1:00-5:00pm
Day of free fun for the whole family and a chance to win a 21 flat panel TV!
Pick up a Ticket at the Gazebo, get the Ticket signed at 7 of any of the places on the ticket, fill out the back drop it off at the Gazebo, and be included in a drawing to win a 21' flat panel TV.
Free Entertainment
At the Gazebo
(North Division & Park Street)
Come and listen to
Steve Chizmadia at 1:00 - 2:30pm
Fred Gillen 3:00 - 4-30pm
Ester & Brown Street
(across from the Paramount)
Rick Brodsky & The Sleepy Hollow String Band
2:15 – 3:45pm
Also on Ester & Brown Street
Outdoor Food served by:
Bruno’s Deli serving cooked food.
El Mixto Asador Manabita serving cooked food
At Pugsley Park
(Main Street)
KIDS FUN!!!
Ice Cream Social
Power Ranger Air Castle
Pop Corn - Cotton Candy
Story Telling and More...
In the parking lot of The Paramount and Bank Street
come and enjoy music with a...
Step Back in Time 1:00 - 2:30pm
And in the same parking lot
THE ROAD KNIGHTS
Car Show starting at 1:00 pm
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Also all of the participants on the ticket are offering great discounts and specials so as your enjoying your day.......
Don't forget pick up a ticket at the Gazebo, walk around and visit our unique shops, enjoy the studios and galleries, and choose a place for a bite at one of Peekskill's great restaurants, and don't forget to get your ticket signed at any of the locations listed on the ticket!
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A NEW BUSINESS OPENS IN YORKTOWN:
Heights Bakery Grand Opening!
Celebrating our grand opening in Yorktown, Heights Bakery & Cafe (formerly Carmela's) is offering 15% off any order. Come in and see why Heights Bakery is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing bakeries in the area.
Cakes for all occasions including photograph cakes, Molly Browns, cookies & pastries.
Breakfast and lunch is available daily (closed on Mondays). Tuesday through Friday open 7:30-5:00 pm, Saturdays 9-5 and Sundays 9-3.
Stop by and pick up a menu.
2013 Crompond Road Yorktown Heights, NY (Located Next To Optonline And Yorktown Pasta & Pizza At The Parking Lot Before The Traffic Light Where 118/35 and 202 Meet)
Stop in today and discover Heights Bakery, a delicious new edition to Yorktown!
Save 15% Make your next cake a Heights Bakery cake! Just in time for the 4th of July, order your cake today and mention this coupon to receive 15% off your first cake order! Offer good on cake orders only.
Offer Expires: 9/30/08
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A MESSAGE FROM ST. GEORGE'S WINERY:
Dear Winery Supporter,
Please review the following website. It contains useful information about the status of the Winery Lawsuit, Newspaper articles, TV interviews etc.
http://www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
Please pass this e-mail on to our neighbors & friends in the community. I’m hoping we can resolve the issues with the town and open soon. Your continued support can help speed the process.
Please sign the online petition and e-mail me any questions. I will be planning a support rally in the near future and I hope you will be able to attend. As always, I welcome your feedback.
Thanks again for all your support and I look forward to having a glass of wine with you
Tom
Thomas DeChiaro
The Winery at St. George
PO Box 32
Baldwin Place, NY 10505
www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
(914) 455-4272
(914) 455-4273 - fax
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A MESSAGE FROM STATE ASSEMBLYMAN GREG BALL:
ANNUAL SPORTSMAN’S COUNTRY BBQ
When: This Saturday!!
All the finger licking Country BBQ you can handle…
…and some of the best Old Style Country Music in the area!
Good people and Great times!!
Saturday, July 12th in Patterson NY
DO NOT MISS THIS EVENT!!!!!!
Northridge Farm at 683 Route 311
12PM -4PM (or whenever the cows come home)
Purchase your pass, or find out more: www.GballEvents.com
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New TV Commercials:
SHAKING UP ALBANY
Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-rl-DJbmdY&feature=related
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS ILLEGAL SPOT
Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfqDgwx1FXw&feature=related
Hello Friends!
This week we are unveiling two positive and issue oriented commercials. My opposition is well funded and going negative. It is imperative that we raise tens of thousands of dollars in the next few weeks to get our message out.
Please take a moment and watch these thirty second commercials. Then, if you agree with me, and believe in what I am saying, please make a donation today. Every $100 donation allows me to run these commercials, at least once.
Please make a donation today, at http://www.ball4ny.com/contribute.aspx
Your Friend
Greg Ball
*******************************
ANNUAL SPORTSMAN’S COUNTRY BBQ
THIS SATURDAY!!!!! Set atop a gorgeous lush green hillside overlooking the bucolic Town of Patterson, this is a fun summer afternoon you just will not want to miss! With Sportsman and Hunting Groups throughout New York State sponsoring to support NY Rifle and Pistol Association, Legislator of the Year, Assemblyman Greg Ball! All the finger licking Country BBQ you can handle and some of the best Old Style Country Music in the area!! Good people and Great times!! Saturday, July 12th in Patterson NY at Northridge Farm at 683 Route 311.SPORTSMAN. 12PM -4PM…or whenever the cows come home. Find out more: www.GballEvents.com
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200 Friends to Donate $100
Greg is in an uphill battle for re-election and he needs your support. Greg is personally calling hundreds to supporters hoping to get 200 close supporters to each donate $100. Please go online today and donate $100 or more at http://www.ball4ny.com/contribute.aspx !!
For Greg to win he must get his message out…he needs your help. Every little bit helps. You can also send a donation to NY’ers on the Ball, PO Box 607, Pawling NY 12564
www.Ball4NY.com
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A MESSAGE FROM CANDIDATE FOR STATE ASSEMBLY WILLIAM GOULDMAN:
Saying "The best way for us to celebrate America's Independence is to acknowledge those who sacrifice to keep their fellow citizens safe," Assembly Candidate Bill Gouldman Asks Senators Charles Schumer, Hillary Rodham Clinton & Congressman John Hall to Get First Responders First Class Mileage Reimbursements
Putnam Valley, New York:
Bill Gouldman candidate for the 90th Assembly District which covers parts of Westchester and Putnam Counties, today called for legislation that would change the IRS mileage reimbursement formula so that First Responders would be given the maximum allowance.
In a letter sent to Senators Charles Schumer, Hillary Rodham Clinton & Congressman John Hall, Gouldman a Putnam Valley resident, wrote: "First Responders manifest the American ideal of service. They have chosen to show what they can and constantly do for the good of their country. The best way for us to celebrate America's Independence is to acknowledge those who sacrifice to keep their fellow citizens safe. I urge you to sponsor legislation that directs the IRS to give America's First Responders the first class mileage allowance they deserve."
Gouldman who is one of the nearly 5,000 volunteer firefighters who serve Westchester and Putnam Counties noted that on July 1st the IRS changed the mileage reimbursement given to people who use their automobiles for business.
In Westchester County 45 of the 54 fire companies are volunteer departments. All of Putnam County's 12 fire companies are volunteer departments.
HERE IS THE LETTER:
Sent to - Charles Schumer - United States Senator
Hillary Rodham Clinton - United States Senator
John Hall - United States House of Representatives
On July 1, 2008, The Internal Revenue Service increased mileage allowance rates for people who use their automobiles for business. Skyrocketing gas costs forced the IRS to act.
“Rising gas prices are having a major impact on individual Americans. Given the increase in prices, the IRS is adjusting the standard mileage rates to better reflect the real cost of operating an automobile” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman, as he announced the new rates.
I applaud the IRS’s decision to give much needed relief to millions of overburdened Americans but fervently believe that there is more that the IRS must do. In Westchester County 45 of the 54 fire companies are volunteer departments. Four thousand seventy men and women, unpaid public servants, are on call 24 hours a day, every day of the year protecting the lives and property of their fellow citizens. Eight hundred volunteers in Putnam completely staff the County’s 12 fire departments.
These people are heroes. They along with volunteer Ambulance Core and EMS workers are the First Responders for more than a million people in Westchester and Putnam Counties. Countless others do the same throughout the rest of New York and all across America. They use their personal vehicles as they risk their lives providing fire and rescue services during emergencies.
Shockingly, at a time of unprecedented gas costs First Responders receive the lowest mileage allowances from the IRS. The IRS has placed them in the same category as charity givers; this means they can deduct only 14 cents for every mile that they use their personal vehicles when traveling to protect others.
Under the new IRS mileage allowance formula business users get an allowance of 58.5 cents per mile which is almost five times higher than the rate First Responders receive. It is plain and simple that this discrepancy is wrong and must be changed.
New Mileage Rate Allowances
Purpose Rates 1/1 through
6/30/08 Rates 7/1 through 12/31/08
Business 50.5 58.5
Medical/Moving 19 27
Charitable 14 14
FIRST RESPONDERS
14
58.5
"These people are heroes. They, along with volunteer Ambulance Corp and EMS workers are the First Responders for more than a million people in Westchester and Putnam Counties. Countless others do the same throughout the rest of New York and all across America. They use their personal vehicles as they risk their lives providing fire and rescue services during times of emergency," declared Mr. Gouldman.
Shockingly at a time of unprecedented gas costs First Responders receive
the lowest mileage allowance from the IRS. The IRS has placed them in the same category as charity givers; allowing them to deduct only 14 cents for every mile that they use their personal vehicles when traveling to protect others.
Under the new IRS mileage allowance formula business users get an allowance of 58.5 cents per mile which is almost five times higher than the rate First Responders receive.
"I applaud the IRS's decision to give much needed relief to millions of overburdened Americans but fervently believe that there is more that the IRS must do," said Mr. Gouldman. "It is obvious that the IRS must change its reimbursement formula so that First Responders get first class mileage reimbursement."
In his letter to Senators Clinton and Schumer and Congressman Hall, Gouldman urged them to sponsor legislation that would tie First Responders mileage allowances to the standard IRS Business Rate.
Gouldman concluded, "The best way for us to celebrate America's Independence is to acknowledge those who sacrifice to keep their fellow citizens safe. First Responders in New York and across the United States should be fairly reimbursed."
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A MESSAGE FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN SANDRA GALEF:
Contact: SandyGalef (914) 941-1111
(914) 455-5348
Assemblywoman Galef’s Senior Forum Helps Fight Fraud and Protect Against Consumer Scams that Target Older Citizens
(June 30, 2008) In an effort to protect senior citizens against consumer fraud, Assemblywoman Sandy Galef has invited a panel of experts to speak about why and how they are targeted, how they can protect themselves against becoming a victim and what to do if, in fact they do become a victim of consumer fraud. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, who chairs the Assembly Committee on Aging, will kick off the discussion highlighting some new laws in place to protect seniors and others, both on-line and off. The forum, with breakfast provided by Hudson Valley Hospital Center, will take place Thursday, July 17th, 2008 from 9-12noon, at Cortlandt Town Hall, 1 Heady Street, Cortlandt Manor.
Gary Brown, Director of Consumer Protection in Westchester County will discuss the many ways seniors are often preyed upon and how they become victims of identity theft. He offers a wide range of protective actions seniors can take to avoid many of the most popular scams.
Suzanne Miles, a Westchester Assistant District Attorney and the Director of Community Affairs for Westchester County, will discuss issues of elder abuse and neglect which can take many forms, including physical, emotional as well as financial. She will also address internet safety which the DAs office has been focusing on for seniors specifically.
Dr. Craig Moskowitz, a board certified comprehensive ophthalmologist at Hudson Valley Hospital Center, will discuss precautions seniors can take to protect and improve their eyes including slowing the progression of glaucoma and macular degeneration, and how to treat cataracts.
The forum is sponsored by Hudson Valley Hospital Center, and co-sponsored by NorCort Senior Club, Cortlandt Senior Club, Village of Croton Senior Club, Putnam Valley Seniors, Ossining Golden Age Club #1, Ossining Seniors, Ossining Senior Center, Briarcliff Manor Seniors, Peekskill Seniors, Buchanan Senior Citizens, Putnam County Office on Aging, Putnam County AARP, Putnam Valley Senior Nutrition Center, and Drum Hill Senior Living.
For more information or directions, contact Dana Levenberg in Sandy Galef’s district office at (914) 941-1111 or e-mail levenbergd@assembly.state.ny.us.
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UPDATE ON NEW CABLE T.V.SHOWS:
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA
Former Peekskill Mayor John Testa has started his cable show "On Topic with John Testa". It airs Thursdays 9:30PM on chanel 15 in Peekskill and Cortlandt. In Yorktown and Putnam Valley Tuesday's at 8:30 chanel 74. This show is on the Peekskill Robins
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THE VOLPE REPORT
Andy- here is the line-up for the next 4 weeks:
The Volpe Report is glad to announce the upcoming guests and dates are as follows:
Peekskill City Councilman Joe Schuder will air June 19, 26, and July 3. Joe brings his perspectives as a councilman for the last six months and commercial development is one of the topics he approaches.
Then on July 10, 17, and 24 Karen Gordon and Lynne Nayman, two representatives of the Preservation Co., are the guests and they bring their professional background as to home improvement through grants and talk about the process residents should know of.
As always the Volpe Report airs on Thursday nights, 8:00pm on Public access channnel 15 in the Peekskill/ Cortlandt area. As a reminder we will be airing in Yorktown and Putnam Valley very soon.
Domenic Volpe
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THE ISSUES WITH SAM DAVIS:
Sam's guest is Mary Foster, the Mayor of the City of Peekskill. Mayor Foster is a savvy and personable public representative, and the show is informative and entertaining.
Check it out.
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THIS WEEKS "IN MY OPINION COLUMN" IN THE NCN:
Dear Readers:
This week I discuss the recent Supreme Court Rulings. You can read my column on this topic exclusively on line(see link below)or in this weeks NORTH COUNTY NEWS on sale now. I am worth the seventy-five cents. Look for my column IN MY OPINION(page 10) in the editorial section. Better yet as this column is exclusive to the North County News on a regular basis and will be covering the local political scene, take out a subscription. Click on the North County News link below and go to Subscribe. Between this blog and The North County News you will have all the information to make a vote based on substance.
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FYI:ATOM TAXI INC. AIRPORT SERVICE:
Dear Readers:
This gives me a chance to plug my business ATOM TAXI INC. As you are planning your holiday or business or vacation travel? Instead of the headache of trying to find Airport parking, we do Airport Service to The Westchester County Airport(and ALL other airports) 24/7. Just call 1(914)879-6121 and my partner Tommy, will be glad to take you in our Airport Taxi. You will also be provided with a free copy of your local paper of record The North County News. If this is a business trip we also provide a professional receipt, just tell Tommy at the time of booking. The cost of a one-way trip to LaGuardia Airport the cost is Ninety dollars plus tolls. The cost to JFK and Newark Airports is one hundred-twenty-five dollars plus tolls. The tolls are $10.00 Westchester County Airport and Stewart cost $75.00. We do not take credit cards, sorry.
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E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS:
Dear Readers:
It has come to my attention the difficulty in posting a comment on this blog. If you wish to comment, e-mail me at the link posted below, putting "Manifesto Reader" in the subject matter, and I will "cut and Paste" your comments myself. If you DO NOT wish your comments posted, but just wish to communicate with me, please make your wishes known in the e-mail.
LINKS: atom_taxi@yahoo.com(as this a yahoo address make sure you put an underscore (-) between atom and taxi)
For immediate reply: atomtaxi@aol.com
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SITES TO LINK TO:
ON TOPIC W/ JOHN TESTA: www.ontopicwithjt.com
THE WINERY AT ST. GEORGE: http://www.TheWineryAtStGeorge.com
PLAN PUTNAM: planputnam@googlegroups.com/
PEEKSKILL GUARDIAN: "http://peekskillguardian.blogspot.com/
NORTH COUNTY NEWS:"http://northcountynews.com/
THE JOURNAL NEWS:http://thejournalnews.com/
PEEKSKILL DEMOCRATS:http://www.peekskilldems.com/"
PEEKSKILLREPUBLICANS:http://peekskillgop.com/
YORKTOWN SUPERVISOR DON PETERS: http://www.donpetersforyorktown.com/
PUTNAM VALLEY SUPERVISOR BOB TENDY:http://www.bobtendyforsupervisor.com/
THE PEEKSILL NEWS:http://thepeekskillnews.blogspot.com/
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CABLE SHOWS TO WATCH
ON POINT ON PEEKSKILL: Every Tuesday at 8PM channel 15 (Peekskill only)
Hosted by:DARREN RIGGER
DON PETERS AND YORKTOWN: Every Tuesday at 10PM channel 74
Hosted by: DON PETERS
YORKTOWN WATCHDOG: Every Friday at 9:30 PM on channel 74
Hosted By: ED CHIFFON
LEGISLATORS REPORT: Saturday and Sunday at various times on chanel 20
Hosted By: COUNCILMEN NICK BIANCO AND LOU CAMPISI
THE VOLPE REPORT: Thursadys at 8PM chanel 15 (Peek. and Cort.) 74 (York.)
Hosted By: Dominec Volpe
THE ISSUES: Thursdays at 9:PM chanel 74 Peekskill Mondays at 8PM chanel 15
Hosted by; Sam Davis
ON TOPIC WITH JOHN TESTA: Thursdays at 9:30PM chanel 15 (Peekskill & Cortlant)
Yorktown & Putnam Valley 8:30 chanel 74
Hosted by: John Testa
CARS & US: Fridays 10 PM chanel 15(Peek. & Cortlant) 74(York. & Put. Valley)
Hosted By: Dennis Tate
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
All articles re-printed in this blog from the North County News are with the permission of Bruce Apar Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
BAZZO 07/06/08
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