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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 10 February 2014

Created: 10 February 2014

Last Updated: 10 February 2014

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You never know who you'll meet at the Scarsdale Forum. On the agenda for the meeting on February 6 was a discussion of the Homestead Tax option, which would revise the way the Village assesses and taxes condominiums. As the Village is now undergoing a tax revaluation, they now have the option of adopting the "Homestead Tax Option " which would triple the real estate taxes for Christie Place homeowners. The extra revenues from the condo owners would be used to save the remaining Scarsdale homeowners an estimated $150 each.

A committee of Forum members studied the issue and recommended that the Scarsdale Board of Trustees and the Scarsdale Board of Education pass a resolution to adopt this tax option. Their report was approved by "expeditious treatment" by the committee. However, in order for it to be adopted by the Forum the report was put before the entire Forum at their meeting last week.

As Committee Chair Bob Berg was not present, Bob Harrison and Ed Morgan led the discussion. Morgan argued that condominiums now have an unfair tax property break and that passing the Homestead Tax option will "advance the goal of fairness of the property tax burden in Scarsdale." He called the current system "a loophole" and said that since all properties in Scarsdale were currently being revalued by the assessor, the condominiums should be as well. He conjectured that if the tax burden for the condos rose, the value of the properties would go down and lower assessments would yield lower real estate taxes for the condo owners.

Several condo owners from Christie Place were at the meeting to argue their case, including prominent attorney Irving Picard, who has achieved national fame as the trustee in charge of recovering funds from the Madoff scandal.

On Thursday, Picard took the mike to argue on behalf of himself and the other 41 Christie Place condominium owners. He said, "You talk about fairness. What's missing is background about the building. Ginsburg Development Corporation paid the Village $15 million for the (development, which included) underground parking, the sub-station, the elevator and the restrooms. We paid for that. The Village gets $325,000 a year from the parking spaces in Christie Place. The Village gets tax revenue from the commercial operations and gets money back from county sales tax. None of this has been incorporated into your report or considered when you talk about fairness."

He continued, "There is no loophole – it's the law and the Village has followed the law. When you look at the true facts, we are not subsidized. In fact, we have subsidized the Village of Scarsdale."

Sean Cohen from Chesterfield Road asked, "Is this just for Christie Place or for all homes? Christie Place has a restrictive covenant that limits sales to seniors without children in the school. Values on Christie Place are based on that deal."

Randy Guggenheimer said, "I was a member of the Forum's Revaluation Committee and I did not sign onto the report. The effect of the report from a practical perspective was to transfer a lot of money from a very few people onto a large group. Each condo owner would have to pay $25-$30,000 more per year to give a savings of $150 to everyone else."

Former School Board President Liz Guggenheimer added, "I have a few reactions. Is this really a report coming out of the Scarsdale Forum? It's a wonderfully written report presenting one perspective. Is it appropriate for the Scarsdale Forum to call this a report? She continued, "Fairness can be in the eyes of the beholder. I rely on the Village Board and Board of Education to look into this issue. Is this something we want to be the report of the Forum – or is it a document of the opinion of a few members?

Picard commented again, "If the Village had decided just to build a parking garage they would have had to float a bond and the taxpayer would have paid. We are paying for the garage, not the taxpayers."

Speaking in favor of the option, former Village Trustee David Buchen said," The community decided that there was inequitable tax distribution. We spent $1 million trying to rectify this. In pursuing equity among homeowner we are stumbling on the condo owners. The magnitude of the inequity demonstrates why it is not fair. Every homeowner needs to be treated the way we are treated."

Representatives from Christie Place distributed sheets of "Background and Facts" to support their case.

Among the facts were:

• The Village took approximately 1.6 acres by eminent domain in 1999
• The property brought no tax revenue to the Village for at least 7 years and was an eyesore.
• GDC constructed and paid $15 million for the costs for garage facilities, a police substation, underground public parking, an elevator and two restrooms. In purchasing their units, the Christie Place Unit Owners repaid that amount to Ginsburg.
• The owners of the 42 units on 1.6 acres paid $345,000 in real estate taxes in 2013
• The Christie Place unit owners are carrying the remaining $2.75 million note from the construction of the garage, of which 80% is owned by the Village, and have been paying $137,500 in annual interest.
• The owners of commercial properties at Christie Place paid $183,000 in real estate taxes in 2013.

Though there were only 19 members of the Forum at the meeting, the group took the measure to a vote and it was approved with 11 members voting yes, and 8 voting no. Given that the Forum's 2012-13 phone book listed over 400 members it is questionable whether a vote by 19 members is representative of the will of the membership. We asked Forum President David Irwin about the Forum's bylaws, and here is what he shared: "The Forum presently has something in the neighborhood of 450 members. The quorum requirement for membership votes is flexible. Although there is a set number for membership meetings in the by-laws, which I don't believe has been reached at any meeting in the recent past, the by-laws also go on to say that the determination of a quorum is up to the President. By necessity Presidents have been relying on this provision for some time."

The League of Women Voters of Scarsdale will hold an information meeting about the Homestead Tax Option on Thursday February 27 at the Scarsdale Library. The public is invited to attend the first portion of the meeting which will include a panel discussion and a question and answer session.

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Written by: Jocelyn Greenky Herz

Published: 04 February 2014

Created: 04 February 2014

Last Updated: 04 February 2014

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Only someone who is intent on finding an Indian restaurant in Mamaroneck would be able to find Rani Mahal. An inconspicuous door near the movie theater leads to a flight of stairs that take you down to a low-key establishment with white-clothed tables, Indian décor and a maître d with a welcoming smile. Savvy locals also know that there is an entrance from the parking lot behind Mamaroneck Avenue – so keep that in mind if you're going to pick up a take-out order or can't find parking up top.

You'll know you're in the right place from the exotic aroma of curry, cumin and coriander that greets you at the entrance. Though Rani Mahal may not be the chicest of choices, it certainly hits a home run with their mouth-watering dinner menu. The restaurant has been in business for over seven years, undoubtedly due to the quality of the food that keeps customers coming back.

The restaurant offers both meat and vegetarian options and I wanted to try both to get a good idea of what's available. It was difficult to choose from the long list of salivating selections on the menu, but I decided to try Palak Paneer, Chicken Tikka Masala and Dal Tarka accompanied by an order of Naan. I asked my server what was in each of my selections and he explained the spices and preparation it took to create them.

Palak Paneer is a combination of spinach and cottage cheese with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and garlic. This dish wasn't spicy but delivered a blend of flavors that were simmered to taste. The spinach and small chunks of cheese in a creamy sauce makes this dish a perennial favorite.

The Chicken Tikka Masala emerged from the kitchen in a deep orange sauce, which was a mix of tomato, cream boosted with some food coloring. Knowing that the meat had been marinated with yogurt and sour cream, and then cooked in a clay oven, I anxiously awaited the dish. Although I liked the creaminess, I didn't like the idea of the food coloring. Given today's preference for organic and farm-to-table offerings, I wondered what benefit came from adding the coloring. Either way, it was mouth watering. Using the just baked Naan bread, I scooped up all the rich sauce.

Dal Tarka is a lentil recipe, which combines onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, turmeric, and red chili, more or less the base for many Indian dishes. If you like spice, you will dive into this dish! It was flavored perfectly and I gobbled it up.

On other visits we tried the samosas, which are triangular patties with potatoes, green peas and plenty of spice and also ordered the Dosa, a large paper-thin crepe that is folded around a mixture of potatoes, and peas and served with coconut chutney. For meateaters, the Keema Dosa includes ground lamb and coconut chutney. Also recommended are any of the selection of Biryani, which includes aromatic long grain basmati rice mixed with fruits, nuts and spice or saffron rice. This comes with your choice of lamb, beef, shrimp or vegetables.

Another staple is the Chicken Tandoori, spicy roast chicken on the bone, marinated and then baked in the clay oven.

Don't forget to order mango chutney and raita (cold yogurt with cucumber and onion) – both an excellent compliment to any dish on the menu.

Do yourself a favor; if you love Indian food and want fabulous service in Westchester, try Rani Mahal and enjoy the many options the restaurant has to offer. Takeout available too.

Rani Mahal
327 Mamaroneck Avenue
Mamaroneck
www.RaniMahalny.com
(914) 835-0966

Lunch: 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Dinner: 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday: 5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

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Written by: Ali Farfel

Published: 27 January 2014

Created: 27 January 2014

Last Updated: 27 January 2014

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On the evening of Saturday, Januay 25th, as the snow fell and the temperature dropped outside, forty Edgemont residents stayed warm inside Laura Kim's newly renovated home in the Cotswolds. Members of the Edgemont Newcomers Club (ENC) and their spouses were enjoying a potluck dinner, featuring lively conversation and homemade dishes from baked salmon and chicken curry to mocha cake and pear tart.

The potluck dinner was just one of many yearly ENC gatherings. The ENC is a volunteer-run social club designed to meet the needs of new and nearly new families in the community. Former Edgemont resident and New Zealand native Louise Bull founded the ENC in 2010 when it branched off from the ever-growing Scarsdale New Residents Club. Recognizing that the stress of moving and adjusting to a new place can often be overwhelming, Louise, as a new resident herself, saw value in assisting others in the same situation.

The ENC not only connects newcomers with others who understand the experience and know the community, the club also brings the opportunity for socializing and fun. In addition to dinners, the ENC hosts monthly coffee mornings and frequent outings, such as visits to area art exhibits, gardens, and restaurants. These activities help club members bond; they also help familiarize new residents with the area.

Many ENC events are captured by club photographer (and Saturday evening's host) Mrs. Kim. The dinner was so much fun, though, that she forgot to take pictures!

To find out more about the Edgemont Newcomers Club, click here:

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 22 January 2014

Created: 22 January 2014

Last Updated: 22 January 2014

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Registration now is open for the 19th Annual Scarsdale Young Writers' Workshop. This community event for third to fifth graders is scheduled for Saturday, March 22, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, at Scarsdale Middle School. Once again, this promises to be a fantastic morning with many new and interesting workshops, as well as favorites from the past.

The event will begin with a keynote address by C. Alexander London, author of the An Accidental Adventure and Dog Tags series of children's books. London, who also writes for adults (One Day The Soldiers Came: Voices of Children in War) and teens (Proxy), is a former journalist who reported from combat zones and refugee camps. He now is a full time novelist living in Brooklyn, NY. A sought-after speaker at schools, he'll teach two interactive "master workshops" following his keynote address.
London will be joined by 36 talented professionals from the worlds of book publishing, journalism, technology, music, politics, art and more who'll share their experience with students.

This year, the Y.W.W. welcomes a former presidential speechwriter, a senior advisor to a U.S. senator, a 30-year veteran of The Wall Street Journal, the co-founder of Colin Cowie Lifestyle and dozens of other accomplished New Yorkers. These experts will help students develop skills in a wide range of media, from pop art, song composition and public speaking, to criticism, story and character development and the art of the interview.

The Young Writers' Workshop will partner with two local cultural organizations – the Jacob Burns Film Center and Writopia Lab. Jacob Burns Film Center is a Pleasantville, NY-based non-profit cultural arts center dedicated to presenting the best of independent, documentary and world cinema; promoting 21st Century literacy; and, making film a vibrant part of the community. Writopia Lab is a New York City-based creative writing program for kids and teens, with a new location in Hartsdale, NY. Both organizations will provide teaching artists to participate in the event.

Giving Back
As in past years, students will have the opportunity to give back to local communities by donating school supplies for needy children at the workshop. The goal is to collect notebooks, boxes of pencils and erasers and provide them to underprivileged students to encourage their creativity.

Registration takes place online at www.youngwritersworkshop.eventbrite.com from January 22 through February 14. Registrations after February 14 will be assessed a $10 late fee and are subject to workshop availability. (Registrations will not be accepted after February 26.)