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Democrat Joan Walsh is 42 votes ahead of incumbent Republican Stephan Malfitano with Joan receiving 187 votes on the
WFP line. Clearly, the margin of victory so far. Also, in the Village of Mamaroneck Democrat Kathleen Savolt is
up by 49 votes over the Republican incument Philip Trifiletti with 72 votes coming from the WFP. Another margin of victory.
As supervisor of the Village of Mamaroneck, Mr. Trifilletti harassed peaceful day laborers who were congregating in a
public park looking for work. He spent over one million dollars of taxpayer money to fight a lawsuit when he could have
easily made some kind of arrangement.
Hopefully, the village can now find a solution to a serious problem that effects many people.
We hope both our candidates will be successful in any recount.
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UPDATE:
The Westchester board of Elections has determined that out of over 90 signatures submitted by
Republican District leader James Faulkner to force a primary in the Yonkers City Judge race on the WFP line, only 19 were
valid. This number is far below the amount needed to acquire a position on the ballot in September.
The Board found that most of the signatures were people who are either not registered in the
WFP or not registered at all. Example: Faulkner submitted 5 citizens named Johnson on the petitions and there is no
one named Johnson in the WFP in Yonkers.
We believe the Board was bending over backwards by giving them 19 valid signatures. James
Fraudner is now running for County Legislator against Democrat Ken Jenkins. Hopefully, they are checking his republican party
petitions.
Yonkers Republicans Attack WFP Line AGAIN.
Not learning their lesson from last year, the Yonkers Republican Party has again tried to ignore the wishes of the party
membership and submitted petitions to run Michelle Graffeo on the WFP line.
Most of these petitions were brought in by James Faulkner, a republican district leader who is now running for county
legislator against incumbent democrat Ken Jenkins.
We have filed objections to these petitions because we believe most of the signatures supplied by Faulkner are fraudulent.
This is just another example of the Yonkers Republicans refusing to allow other parties to make their own decisions and to
allow a fair process.
In response to their actions we have pulled the endorsement of Republican council candidate Jodi Mosiello.
We can not cooperate with a party that continually disregards the wishes of our members.
The Yonkers Republicans have done this in the past resulting in our refusal to endorse former State Senator Nick Spano
in his last election. We all know how that turned out.
Hopefully, the Board of Elections will agree with us on our objections and disallow the petitions of James Fraudner.
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Governor Spitzer and AFL-CIO State Federation Get it Wrong on Workers' Compensation
Reform.
After long negotiations over the last few weeks, our fears of a another bad workers'
compensation bill have come true. Governor Spitzer, the State Fed and business councils have come to an agreement to
change workers' comp to save money.
New York has the lowest compensation pay in the nation with $400 a week for disabled workers.
Even South Carolina is at $520. The new law would raise New York to $650 by 2010, not bad except it limits the time
for permanently disabled workers to receive benefits. What will these workers do when their payments stop if they
are permanently disabled.
We don't disagree with the need to cut cost and reform workers' comp. It has been a disaster
since former State Senator Nick Spano "reformed" it many years ago. But as usual, instead of going after the insurance
companies, who are the true culprits in the cost of workers' comp, Governor Spitzer has attacked disabled workers.
Example: AFLAC CEO Daniel Amos took home $12.8 million in pay and other compensation
in 2005. (NYT) It would take a worker being paid the maximum benefit of workers’ compensation 666 years to equal
that amount.
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What Will It Take to Get a Raise Out of These Guys?
The Senate Republicans in Congress can't seem to give a raise to the lowest paid workers in America without attaching
another tax cut for their rich friends. They didn't seem to have this problem when they raised their own wages over
the last 12 years. The House has already passed a "clean " bill without all those tax give aways.
Business Owners and Executives for a Higher Minimum Wage:
"States that have raised their minimum wages above the inadequate $5.15 federal level have had better employment and small
business trends than in other states….Minimum wage workers have less buying power than minimum wage workers had half
century ago. We cannot build a strong 21st century economy on a 1950’s wage floor."
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As property, honestly obtained, is best secured by an equality of rights, so ill-gotten property depends for protection
on a monopoly of rights. He who has robbed another of his property, will next endeavor to disarm him of his rights,
to secure that property; for when the robber becomes the legislator he believes himself secure.---------
Thomas Paine, Formerly New Rochelle resident, Dissertations of First Principles of Government, 1795
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Cappelli Must Abide by New Affordable Housing Law in New Rochelle.
Louis Cappelli will acquire new property in dowtown New Rochelle. He is planning on building two towers
on Le Count Place, across the street from New Roc City, with 2 floors of retail and over 300 residential units.
He will shift Anderson Street some 500 feet to the north to align it with New Street, the faux boulevard in Cappelli's New
Roc City entertainment center across LeCount Place. The current owners of the property, the Longhitanos brothers, will build
a loft tower, one of three towers planned in the project, on the south side of Anderson Streets.
All of these projects fall under the new affordable housing law that was passed three months ago by the New Rochelle
City Council. The project must provide 10% affordable housing or a square footage reimbursement to the city for a affordable
housing building fund. They must also replace the square footage of the affordable housing structure that has been emptied
to make way for the project. This could boost the affordable housing component over 10%.
We commend New Rochelle for taking the lead on affordable housing legislation and hope they will continue to enforce
the new ordinance. Other municipalities in Westchester and Putnam are shamefully behind in their responsibilities to
affordable housing requirements.
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| Chair Patrick Welsh and WFP Legislative Policy Director Josh Mason Testify at Hearing. |
UPDATE: Westchester County Legislature showed their support for the Fair
Share for Health Care Bill by passing the resolution by a vote of 12-4 . Check Home Page for more information about
this bill or click on the link below for the bill text.
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Public Meeting on Fair Share Health Care Plan
The open hearing for a County Resolution to support the Fair Share for Health Care Act was a major success. Westchester
Party Chair Patrick Welsh and Legislative Developer Josh Mason from the State Party testified as to the benefits and need
for the sharing of health care costs among large businesses in New York.
Karen McGee and Duncan McCrae represented the Westchester-Putnam Central Labor Body and told the committee that there
are a number of bills pending in Albany to fix this problem and the labor movement in Westchester supports all strong legislation
that will resolve the issue.
Yonkers City Council President Chuck Lesnick also spoke in favor of the bill. There was one speaker from the business
community that used the same old tired arguments against putting regulations on businesses because they would leave the state.
This is the same argument used against the minimum wage which never pans out because the surrounding states followed New York's
lead and raised their minimum wage.
There is a health care crisis in New York State as well as across the nation. Since the national government refuses
to confront the problems of the working people it is up to the leaders of local and state governments to take the initiative.
In short, it is time for large businesses in New York State to pay their fare share for health insurance for their workers.
Many of these companies are getting a free ride on the backs of taxpayers and businesses that do provide health insurance
for their workers.
Taxpayers are charged millions of dollars every year for workers who must use Medicaid because they have inadequate or
no health insurance at work.
We would like to thank Legislator Kaplowitz, Myers and Alvarado for the opportunity to present our case to their committees.
A tentative date will be set for next week to vote on the resolution.
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Affordable
Housing in New Rochelle
Our constant attempts to pass affordable
housing legislation in all municipalities in Westchester and Putnam are starting to pay off. New Rochelle has passed
a new affordable housing legislation that we consider ahead of most of the other town and cities in our area.
It has some loopholes that developers can squeeze through but we feel
for the most part it is a good start and an example of what other municipalities can follow. Below is the press release
sent out by the New Rochelle Mayor's office.
New Rochelle Adopts New Affordable
Housing Policy
New
Law Will Create Housing for Middle Class and Working Families
Capping
several months of discussion, debate, and public input, the New Rochelle City Council voted unanimously last night to adopt
a new affordable housing policy. The legislation requires residential developers
to set aside ten percent of the square footage of new housing at an affordable level, or, alternatively, to contribute to
a fund that the City will utilize for the direct construction of affordable homes. Developers
will be entitled to density bonuses in exchange for the creation of these affordable housing units.
The
legislation was co-sponsored by Mayor Noam Bramson and Council Member James Stowe.
The
Council’s action comes at a time when New Rochelle is experiencing a luxury housing boom that is expected to bring some 2,000 new apartments to city’s
central business district. “As encouraged as we are by the construction of high-end homes, we know that a successful
community must retain housing opportunities for middle class and working families. The
Council’s action makes clear our commitment to providing those who do the most important jobs, from teaching our kids,
to cleaning our streets, to keeping us safe, with meaningful opportunities to purchase or rent homes in New Rochelle,” said Mayor Bramson.
Council
Member Stowe, who stated that it had been “most challenging and exciting to participate in the creation and establishment
of such a cutting edge housing policy” which he referred to as “the most assertive and far reaching in the county”
went on to tout certain features of the legislation. “I am particularly
heartened by the one-for-one replacement housing for the proposed demolition of any building containing low and moderate income
rentals thereby preserving the overall inventory of affordable housing as well as the opportunity for smaller developers to
participate by contributing to an ‘Affordable Housing Fund’ when it is economically impractical to build.”
The
passage of the legislation comes just a month after the City of New
Rochelle and the New Rochelle Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation
announced the availability of applications for the first twenty-five affordable town homes in New Rochelle’s West End.
Affordable Housing in Ossining
Members and registrants of the WFP recently met in Ossining to discuss further steps in our efforts to protect
its affordable housing and to add more.
The Village of Ossining is considerably vulnerable to developer speculation because of the low value of the
real estate market compared to surrounding communities and its proximity to the Hudson River. We have met
with Mayor Napolitano to discuss our concerns about the availability of affordable housing in Ossining and we are awaiting
his promise to propose some changes in zoning that may make more housing available for working people.
However, we feel there is a dire need for the Village of Ossining to pass the Emergency Tenant Protection
Act to maintain the affordable rents in housing built before 1974. Ossining is one of the few municipalities in Westchester
that has not opted into the ETPA. It is time.
Living Wage Bill Proposed in Yonkers
Thanks to Yonkers City Council Members McDow
and Robertson, a Living Wage Bill for Yonkers' workers is moving through the process. Because of the lack of movement
on the part of Congress to pass a raise in the minumum wage on a federal level it has become necessary to pass legislation
in different communities to raise low pay wages. (See the article in The New York Times Magazine linked on our News page.) We are in full support of living wage legislation and will be part of making this bill the best it can be for
Yonkers.
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