On the Campaign Trail in New Rochelle by Peggy Godfrey
in the Westchester Guardian, October 6,2011
The New Rochelle Citizens Reform Club invited City Council;candidates
for Districts 1-4 to their September 22 meeting. Only Republican candidates
showed up. Ivar Hyden (Dem.D.4) did let the group know he had another meeting,
but Councilman Jared Rice (Dem.D.3) and Roberto Lopez (Dem D.1)) did not respond
to a second email asking whether they were coming.
But the members of the Reform Club had a lively meeting and many issues
became quite clear. The first Councilman to speak was Al Tarantino,.D.2,
running unopposed. He described the new district lines and how the Democrats
are trying to change New Rochelle. The three Republicans now on Council have
each year advocated to keep the tax rate under 5%. In trying to revitalize
Hudson Park the Council tested the Tiki Bar and would reevaluate it this
winter. On the Waterfront Restaurant has a new lease and was required to
renovate. At the Train station they opened bathrooms and raised the payments on
the Bluebird lease. His criteria for voting for an item is, “What is the public
benefit for the people who already live here.” If there is no benefit, he won’t
approve it. When asked about tax incentives to developers he answered it
depends on what is being presented. For a Bloomingdales he would consider a tax
abatement. Marino Michelotti queried, “There was no place to shop on Main
Street, how would retail be brought in?” The reply was there are five new
restaurants opening.
Councilman Lou Trangucci (D. 1) spoke next. He reminded the group about
the $9 million he had requested and obtained from Avalon for the land. He also
reminded the audience that Mayor Bramson was part of the original land
disposition agreement. He also initiated the inquiry resulting in the 22 felony
count indictment in the Department of Pubic Works by the District Attorney. As
he monitors his district he advocates for an improved quality of life. One
serious problem is the drop in sales tax from $25.7 million to $23 million.
This $2.7 million loss can not be made up and the $100 million in sales will not
come back for a while. $47 million in real estate taxes, $23 million in sales
tax,$14 million in state aid and $23 million in fees total $107 million for the
City budget. The Mayor, he reminded the group, wants to build residential but
this will “destroy the city.” The Mayor has the votes. Can one Democrat be
swayed by the residents to change his or her vote? He was able to convince the
City Manager to use the Fund Balance to avoid layoffs of Firemen for a half
year.
John D’Alois asked about the Mayor’s receipt of campaign funds from Forest
City Residential. Trangucci answered that Councilman Richard St. Paul and
Tarantino and himself, had voted in favor of a resolution which said City
Council members should not take money from anyone doing business with the City
but it was defeated 4-3 on Council. When George Imburgia asked about sales tax
guarantees, Trangucci answered he had asked Forest City residential (which wilt
need approval for a renewal for the Echo Bay proposal in January 2012) if they
would guarantee the sales tax in their proposal, the answer was “no.” Bramson
in his view “wants structures to go up.” Ralph Luccarelli questioned whether
a limit could be placed on tax abatements, and was told Councilman Richard St.
Paul wanted the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) members to be appointed by
the entire Council and also discussed abolishing the New Rochelle IDA. The
Republicans have advocated for more open government and now the Zoning Board,
Planning Board and IDA meetings are televised.
The candidate in District 3, John Earvin, began by saying he answers to
“anything close” to his last name. He found New Rochelle looking for a Bronx
address and six months later he moved here. Lamenting New Rochelle does not
have retail, he felt the “local politicians need to get their house in order.”
The Democrats hold a 4-3 majority on Council and he said, his opponent “never
found a vote that wasn’t the same as the Mayor’s.” Mount Vernon, White Plains
and Port Chester have retail and, referring to being a former Marine, he
commented he was going to get a plan together to try to change New Rochelle. In
answer to a question from the audience, Earvin said “If I don’t do things right
(as a business) I go out of business.
The last candidate, Kevin Barrett, (D. 4), shared his background said he
loves beautiful New Rochelle. He took a bike ride to the Thomas Paine statue
which says, “…The world is my country and to do good is my religion.”
Changing New Rochelle’s government from 4 Democrats and 3 Republicans will
require people to go out to vote. He has been knocking on doors but has not
seen his opponent yet. Marino Michelotti asked his opinion of “building
fortresses with tax abatements.” Barrett answered he is a real estate broker
and bank manager and has never heard of an 30 year tax abatement. The
developers should take the risks, and “to make matters worse, the property was
sold with the tax abatement.” He felt there was too much residential
development in New Rochelle. With 5,000 more people living in the City, sales
tax went down. Retail development never happened. If retail does not come to
the City, taxes will go up.
Steve Mayo, ( D. 5) was in the audience and mentioned the “tragedy of Main
Street” because north end residents won’t come downtown. James Jackson stated
it takes a north end resident l0 minutes to get to Sickles Avenue, and then five
minutes more to Main Street and find a parking space where he will be greeted by
a meter maid. To go to White Plains takes l0 minutes to get to department
stores there. Dr Joe McNelis wanted to put the Board of Education budget under
the City, but was he was told it would take a charter revision to do
that. Former Assemblyman Ron Tocci reminded the group that the City had a
referendum to elect their Board of Education members, and felt another
referendum was needed to select Board of Education members by district.
Lorraine Pierce summed up , “These are the best Council candidates I have
seen in New Rochelle in a very long time. Now go tell your family and
friends to vote accordingly in November.”
New Rochelle – A “Tail” of Two Cities
Has anyone watched the 1st mayoral debate? If not, here it is. “Warning”, this is NOT IMPRESSIVE!
http://www.noambramson.org/2011/10/watch-the-first-mayoral-debate-online/?utm_content=kurtcolucci%40hotmail.com&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=http://www.noambramson.org/2011/10/watch-the-first-mayoral-debate-online/&utm_campaign=Watch%20the%20First%20Mayoral%20Debate%20Onlinecontent
Our Queen city – New Rochelle – has become a “Tail of Two Cities”. No, That’s not a typo. We’ve all played the game ‘Pin the Tail on the Donkey’ at a birthday party sometime in the course of our lives, but now, we get to play it in our own city hall. Both of these candidates are worthy of being called the euphemism we use for “Donkey” aka Jackass. This debate clearly illustrates two men who lack the ability and passion necessary to lead us from political temptation.
But more importantly, they both lack the ability, energy and enthusiaism to invite private capital investment into New Rochelle.
Is this the best we have to offer? I think not.
Have either of these candidates created wealth or jobs in the private economy? The answer is no. Has either run a multi-million dollar business that employs hundreds of people? NO. How can we expect either one of them to resurrect the soul of a dying city?
I am terribly disappionted in both of these candidates. Neither have an ounce of the charisma, character or strength needed to lead a revival movement that can return New Rochelle to her former glory. This debate clearly illustrated that neither candidate is worthy of serving the good, taxpaying residents of New Rochelle.
Is it the unforgiving hand of fate that has led us down this path of political indifference? Perhaps our lack of attention to our political process has invited these handmaidens of economic and political destruction into our social and economic lives.
The lack of energy, focus and downright honesty is on clear display for all to see, or at least those interested enough to watch.
Our un-trusty Mayor, Noam Bramson, continuously blames the “state” for mandates pushed down upon us as the primary culprit behind our ever increasing taxes. My question to him is this – What have you done to ring the alarm or educate the overburdened homeowners of New Rochelle? Have you made the slightest attempt to organize a movement of passionate and fed-up homeowners to rally against the injustice of wealth confiscation through taxation?
Lets face it, Noam will blame the “State mandates” for the shortcomings of New Rochelle. But, we are well aware that he obviously wants to “join” either the State or Federal government payroll once he has “earned his stripes” as an expert in local wealth confiscation and re-distribution.
As for Richard St Paul, I really have nothing to say other than I think we can do much better.
At one point I sought the Republican endorsement for Mayor, and undoubtedly would not have had the necessary support from the majority of Republican party leaders. But even though I had the support, I chose not to launch a 3rd party assault on both of these men.
I was prepared to systematically dismantle any politician or political party that opposed me. Unfortunately, I bowed out of the race and made a verbal commitment to support Richard St Paul in his race for Mayor. However, in light of recent events such as the poor campaign he is running and the lack of effort, energy and enthusiasm to capitalize on his opportunity as the Republican candidate for mayor of our beloved city, I retract my support.
If this is the best New Rochelle has to offer we are doomed to live out another four year sentence of political malpractice and economic contamination… and for that, I am ready to “pin the tail on the donkey”…both of them!!
If any of you readers feel bold enough to challenge me, I hope you have the heart to do it! I will take the Pepsi challenge with each and every adversary.
I am ready to beat the drums of war! This is much more serious than you can imagine!!
-Kurt Colucci