WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. May 26, 2004: As Decision Night hour (or Decision Afternoon, as the case may be), on the 2004-05 budget for the City of White Plains approaches, it appears, based on the documents about to be considered by the Common Council this afternoon at 4 P.M., that the city budget will rise to $114.8 million. This budget calls for a 12.7% City Property Tax increase, Councilperson Rita Malmud said today. Malmud told WPCNR that the city was going to bond for $2,350,000 as proposed by the Common Council so the city would not have to bond for the entire $4.1 Million due to the state pension fund. The increase over the current year budget is 8.9%, according to Anne Reasoner, the Budget Director, in Common Council backup documents.

WPCNR has also learned based on preliminary examination of this afternoon's collateral materials, (which do not show previous year's salaries), that City Commissioners, including the Mayor's Executive Officer appear to be getting across-the-board 4% salary increases in fiscal 04-05. Should Mr. Gretsas remain with the city through the start of the 04-05 fiscal year his pension salary would be based on $130,000.  The Common Council, Ms. Malmud said, is not receiving an increase in their salary which remains at $33,719. The Mayor is not taking an increase either. His Honor remains at $134,875.

The Common Council also will vote on whether to continue transfer of parking ticket fines from the Parking Authority into the City Economic Development office in 2004-05, for another year, continuing that revenue stream.  

A resolution calling for dissolution of the Parking Authority, requiring a resolution on the part of the Common Counsel is not on the agenda at this time.

Earlier this week, Assemblyman Adam Bradley told WPCNR he has readied legislation in the New York State Assembly calling for dissolution of the White Plains Parking Authority by the state legislature, but in order to introduce it, he needs a "home rule" resolution from the City of White Plains, requesting that. As of Tuesday, no such resolution had been offered up for Council consideration.

$37.8 Million in Sales Tax Budgeted.

There is no change in the sales tax revenues projected in the new budget.

Ms. Malmud said she had been assured by the Budget Office that sales tax revenues would come in at 10% over last year's receipts, that would find the city collecting $37.8 Million in sales tax receipts in 2004-05, and that is what is budgeted for, accordingly. Malmud said she had heard a figure announced for estimated sales taxes in April of this year, and noted that the city would not know the actual figure until the state conducts its "reconciliation" at the end of the fiscal year.