Candidate for
Council Member; City of White Plains

To My Friends of White Plains,

Our city is suffering from financially challenging times. Last year alone revenues fell below financial plans. The city had to dip into the reserve funds. All of this should and could have been prevented.

Our current council had ample opportunity to introduce policies which would have addressed these financial issues. Current council did not foresee nor did they sense the urgency to address the financial needs of our city at a time of monetary crisis. If we don't do something about this now it could mean we will be in for double digits increases in taxes.

The current common council when given the opportunity to evenly disperse the reduction of cost expenditures did not do so. They reduced haphazardly the costs without regard to the overall impact on the financial engine of our city.

Next years budgetary challenges are going to make this last years problems look like a cake walk. We, the people, our community, our city, have to address this today, for today, and our future.

Jim Arndt with his Diversity United for Opportunity leadership is prepared to be the strong and effective council member to confront and solve these budgetary problems by making the city government leaner and more adaptable to the ever changing economic times.

Jim Arndt action agenda will endeavor to both help the city weather the present financial storm and be poised to hit the ground running when the eventual economic recovery arrives.

• Be a transparent government. Televise all Council meetings and work sessions.
• Develop a new business model putting into place a 2,5,10 year operating and capital budget. Currently we have a multi-year budgetary process for our capital budget. Both operating and capital budgets would entail three different economic scenarios:

o Today's economy
o A robust economy
o A challenging economy

• The city should request an additional ¼% sales tax increase, to boost the revenue side of the ledger coincidentally the common council should restrain from budgeting last year's sales tax figures.
• Partnering with the city's workforce to reduce the skyrocketing costs of health insurance.
• Plan for the city's future. Establish task forces with citizens and government members to study improvements to the Post Road Corridor, the train station, and the preservation of open green space.
• Reduce congestion, pollution and aggravation by implementing a trolley service and creating designated lanes for bicycles.
• Move towards energy efficient opportunities for city owned real estate; for example, wind turbines, solar panels and high efficient steam boilers.
• Prohibit Council members from raising their own salaries while in office.

Thank you for your support.