Politics shouldn't be a game where it's right for me and not right for you. If it's right it's right, if it's wrong it's wrong, period! I was lambasted during the election and for the better part of last year for, (and I'll repeat the ridiculous term here), being a double dipper. More from Councilman Malone than any other member of the democratic party, but the party as well, were so outraged and offended by the double dipping practice, that they had Phil Danaher and myself removed from the board by the court. Hey ya win some ya lose some.
The hypocrisy of opposing an individual, who by the way followed a long standing practice in the County, of holding one paying position at the County and then another at the Town must make one wonder why THIS SAME board, would condone three people, who by the way did not train or plan for a replacement, but three people to retire taking advantage of the retirement incentive, and THEN hiring the very same people back as independent contractors TO DO THE SAME FREAKIN JOB!
Forget about double dipping at different levels of government, this board is actually condoning it in the same position. Is it me or is this a contradiction of epic proportions? OK we'll move on, maybe I'm wrong.
How about passing over a long standing town resident who has been an active member of the fire department and a competent guy to appoint three new officers to the police department. I'm sure that the three officers are qualified, but at least one does not already live in Town. The individual who got passed over is of outstanding character, would have been a lateral move and has paid taxes in this Town for years. Surely he should have been at the top of the list... maybe he just has the wrong last name... again, I could be wrong.
Ok, so let's go to the article submitted by the Chief Fiscal Officer of the County this week... Mike Slawson. Mr. Slawson corrected, in this week's advertiser, Mr. Malone's contention that "Rensselaer County Taxes are among the highest in the State."
Mr. Malone will likely spin this and dismiss it as a mere formality of facts, but Mr. Slawson is very clear about the inaccuracy of Malone's statement, although he doesn't name him. It's one of those instances where you shouldn't believe the facts, just what you're told by those in office. That makes sense. Here is what Mr. Slawson left out of his article, likely for brevity, which I tend to totally disregard:
According to the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), just 9 state mandates consume 90% of the county property tax levy across the entire state.These mandated programs include:
Medicaid Child Welfare Temporary Assistance/Safety Net Indigent Defense Early Intervention
Preschool Special Education Probation Youth Detention Pensions
89% of the County taxes are mandated by the State, meaning the State legislature makes us pay for things they didn't think of when they forced the programs on us. The above 9 programs, according to Mr. Slawson and the report from the NYSAC, make up 90% of your County tax bill.
Mr. Malone likes to cast blame anywhere but within his own party or himself for that matter. How about his solution to some of the problems that they continue to ignore. The million dollar pay down the Supervisor notes in his report mostly came from the highly successful and well received property revaluation in Town which had a net gain of over $800,000... yeah it's easy to pay down debt when you're sucking it out of the tax payers. We didn't have a 25% increase, because we didn't need one... we got it from a number of back door methods.
As for the Deputy Chief position... another head scratcher that I opposed over a year ago. Not quite sure how adding another level of bureaucracy to an already bureaucratic ladened Town is any kind of solution, especially when you had to raise salaries to do it, both the Chief's and the Deputies, but hey, it's the golden rule right? Those with the gold rule? In the meantime, the very people who voters trusted to be a different kind of leader... simply seem to just play follow the leader and any financial or administrative know how is simply viewed as a minor inconvenience. Maybe I'm wrong.
Question ; do you even know any of the Police Officers that your writing about?
ReplyDeleteSeems like you have some axe to grind here- explain please otherwise it seems like your just pissed because your friend didn't get hired.
You got something there Mike. I see it this way:
ReplyDelete1. The stipend receivers double dipped on their salary.
2. Someone double dipped from the Freedman's Scrapyard debacle.
3. Commercial companies filling up their trucks with town water (unmetered) on the honor system were probably double dippers.
4.Part time attorneys paid as employees and not as independent contractors and allowed to earn pension credits were probably double dippers.
5. The botched property tax revaluation double dipped into our wallets.
6. Interfund borrowing without paying it back is double dipping.
7. DPW hard drives wiped clean. Hmm, I wonder if there was some double dipping concerning the use of that computer.
8. Double dipping on the town's website during the elections.
9. Family double dipping on the rise.
It really does seem silly Mike that you were labeled the big bad double dipper in last year's election.
Mike, you are asking questions you already know the answer to. The current party in power may rule as they see fit. There will be another opportunity for voters to decide how they want our town to function in November this year but for now this Board may do whatever they please. And what they are doing is rewarding family and friends with jobs, large pay raises and unneeded new positions in town hall.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the three employees being retained as consultants...the thinking is they possess important information about their jobs and after their retirement they are being retained as consultants to train the people replacing them.
Please note: the early retirement option and the consulting arrangements were passed unamimously by the Board.
Phil Malone is a young, inexperienced politician who is not as smart as he thinks he is. It is likely he will make a lot of mistakes as he works to learn his craft.
In North Greenbush and Troy the political rancor is identical to that in our town - just reversed based on the political party in power.
You and Ann didn't win last year employing a campaign of personal attacks. You are both smart and committed people. We desperately need leadership that provides a different approach, different ideas and different results. You and Ann can be those leaders if you will communicate what you will do RIGHT versus focusing solely on what you think the current Board is doing wrong.
I was always under the impression that Tom Kennedy was being groomed by Ken Harding to head the water department for the past ten years.What happened ??? Was the watering of the flowers too much ??? The cleraing of sidewalks of 9&20 too much also ??? Wait...there was never any form of job descriptions in this town...just a do as you please attitude.
ReplyDelete...Today I'll be an opperating engineer, tomorrow I'll be a consultant to the contractor for the reconstruction of 9&20 ,the day after maybe I see how many miles I can rack up on the towns truck doing NOTHING
SURE BEATS WORKING FOR A LIVING
I might even try the Transfer Sation gig...I need a little extra taxpayer face time for my future commish job....Look at me, Me, MEE !
Timmy
#3--speak for yourself. I do want to know what the current board is doing wrong; that's how we know they are doing it wrong. What you're saying is stay quiet, stroke the current administration but continue to offer them solutions. That's not politics buddy. That's business and politics and business are two entirely different animals. Maybe you should run on your ideas. If you believe offering solutions will win you an election then try it. Ann and Mike did offer a solution last year. They did offer a full financial recovery plan and nobody else did. They did offer collections of scrap revenue and nobody else did. They did offer proactive disclosure and nobody else did. They did offer formal hiring practices and nobody else did. Come to think of it nobody else offered anything. Wait they did offer personal attacks such as the whisper campaign, Mike was threatened at HQ, Ann's car had gunk put on it 2 times, Ann's job was threatened more than once, Mike's work was taken, another politician had his job threatened, Ann had to file a harassment complaint with the state police, Mike had to file a harassment complaint with the state police after he was threatened, Malone mailed out flyers personally attacking Ann & Mike and included a cartoon of Mike. Yea-you're right Ann & Mike made the personal attacks. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.
ReplyDelete#3--I forgot one more thing. Maybe we should give the current board milk and cookies while we accept the tax increase, unethical hiring of family and friends, increasing the number of staffing, and blatantly lying to use about the county taxes.
ReplyDeleteTo all of the above. The way I see it, is that Ann and Michael put themselves out there and tried. Done! Let's see someone else come out and face these thieves. Ann and Michael do not need to be stroked or given jobs. They are college graduates, intelligent people who can make it in life on their own. They truly wanted what was best for this Town but what we have in this Town are sandbox bullies and couldn't make it on their own if they tried. I would love to see our Deputy Chief go out in the real world and make the kind of mnoey he is making taking from our Tax money. Never happen. They are only hot shots here being funded by their low life friends and family. Shame on them. We all know who you are and what you are. Sleep well.
ReplyDeleteAnon #3 it does not matter if it was passed unanimously by the board, we still have a right to disagree with it. When someone is retiring form a position it is known through the organization. It gives the organization time for the retiree to train their successor BEFORE they leave. It's pretty standard practice.
ReplyDeleteMalone will "learn his craft"--since when is telling the truth a "craft". He boldly lied, in writing in The Advertiser. It seems to me he has learned to be "crafty". You may want to pay a little closer attention and stop criticizing. He lied, that's it, end of story. A mistake I could understand but this is a pattern and when it comes to my tax dollars I don't want someone "learning on the job".
People need to start doing what is right! The ignorant are the only ones that will think that this type of service is correct.
ReplyDeleteSay NO! NO more!
Thankx Mike - you just won me a $50 bet ! Your so predictable it's mind-boggling!
ReplyDelete#1, no I do not know any of the new hires personally, nor do I have a personal relationship with the individual who was passed over. Here's what I do know. 3 spots were filled, one by a Schodack cop who has a great reputation, a second I believe is the son of a police chief in another Town, doesn't make him good or bad, but granted the benefit of the doubt, the third is related to the Supervisor.
ReplyDeleteThe individual who was passed over has been a voluntary fireman in this Town for years, well respected, honorable and of outstanding character. He has paid taxes in this Town for years and is currently an officer elsewhere so it would have been a like lateral move, without any question of favoritism.
I have no personal stake in any of them and neither like nor have cause to dislike any of them. It is the action of the board that is in question.
#10, Mike enjoy the $50 bucks, predictable would be many of the actions that have already taken place, not to mention doing whatever you need to do to get what you want in life. Predictable should be a push for a new police station. The intermediary level of chain of command wasn't really necessary, but I'm sure it was worth it.
Remember this from Luke 12:48
"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
Your new position comes with certain expectations... from residents, not those who granted the position. Meeting those expectations is a good deal more difficult than saying you're going to. Thanks for reading.
I just watched a video clip on foxnews.com about the absentee ballot voter fraud by Dems. in Troy. They tried to hijack the Working Family Party. Two men were brought into court wearing handcuffs. They are facing several counts of felony voter fraud and others are suspect too. Let justice be done and crooked politicians be held accountable for their actions.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting story in the TU about a small Saratoga village called Victory Mills. Even a small community of 550 people have misbehaving elected officials. Records seemed to be missing and town leaders at odds with each other. The OSC found accounting shortcomings that was connected to the town clerk. The Mayor fired her, imagine that. The village trustee's want her back. I wonder why??? I give the mayor credit, he tried to do the right thing, but as usual, politics gets in the way.
That's it Mike, politics gets in the way of the right thing being done. It happened here in East Greenbush and is probably happening most everywehere. There are some who step up and try to do the right thing, but the stinkin political machine gets in the way. The people have been substituted for power. We are but a speck to be flicked aside if we get in the way.
I'm not trying to be negative Mike. I's just how I view the political world. It's too bad that consolidation doesn't take place in party committees to support each others candidates. The good guys out there could use some help.
I have to bring this up. As I will not try anymore to post on the bile blog and am always looking for a laugh.. When I am bored and looking for amusement that is the place to go.. They have a few over there that are not the sharpest penicils on anyones desk.. One of thier Fans posted they dont' mind to have to pay they will continue to pay and that is okay.. Way I see it they are either in the pockets of the taxpayer along with the rest or they just don't care to much about being taken.
ReplyDeleteThe only valid censorship of ideas is the right of people not to listen. ~Tommy Smothers
ReplyDeleteWe can never be sure that the opinion we are endeavoring to stifle is a false opinion; and if we were sure, stifling it would be an evil still. ~John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, 1859
Censorship reflects society's lack of confidence in itself. It is a hallmark of an authoritarian regime. ~Potter Stewart
For those that do not like this blog, the information it exposes and the ideas it offers maybe Tommy Smothers will make you understand. If not maybe John Stuart Mill will explain it for you better. Potter Stewart, to me, offers the best statement.
This blog offers conservative views and believes in following OSC recommendations as well as the laws that govern those in leadership positions. If, when someone in a leadership role, is not abiding by those laws and chooses to write mistruths it is the right and duty of the citizens to question the "leaders" and elected officials. When documentation supports those questioning the elected officials it is not "personally attacking". It is being a responsible citizen. There is a reason for the FOIL--it is our right and duty to hold our elected officials accounatable for their written words and actions and those that prefer to lend a deaf ear to blatant lies and blatant ignorance of the laws then it is THEIR right to lend the deaf ear but do not ask those of us that are exercising our rights to do the same. I respectfully disagree with those that lend the deaf ear but I also respect their right to do so; I appreciate their return of respect to allow me to hold my elected officials accountable and to note when they lie and neglect the law.
Thank you.
Sunday's T-U Business section contains an article every single resident of East Greenbush - Democrat, Republican, Working Families Party and Independent simply must read and keep fully in mind come all the 2011 elections.
ReplyDeleteHome sales in East Greenbush (down 17.1%) are as low as those in Albany (down 17.5%) and only somehwat better than sales in Schenectady (down 21.4%). Nice places to be in the same league with huh?
Meanwhile home sales in Clifton Park and Halfmoon are up (1.8% and 5.5% respectfully).
As to why? The following are direct quotes from the article:
"...the biggest reason. TAXES (emphasis added). Halfmoon has NO (emphasis added) town tax."
"Indeed, lower taxes help explain generally healthy sales in much of Saratoga County".
Taxes in East Greenbush went up in 2010, that includes ALL taxes - town, fire, library and school. In town hall the lack of spending controls, added town hall positions, increased pay raises, etc., etc. are more out of control than they have been since the 2010 organizational meeting when there was the only serious attempt by the then Town Board to manage spending.
So if you are trying now to sell your house or you might be trying to sell it in the future keep in mind every vote you missed for the fire district budget and their latest $850,000 truck they don't need, the school budget, the library with its almost $1 million in salaries and town board positions where family and friends always come before tax payers.
Keep in mind the utter mess at Bruen rescue, keep in the mind that we have almost as much fire equipment as Albany and Troy combined, keep in mind the mind blowing salaries and extra positions in the school system administration and keep in mind all the family and friends working in unnecessary positions in town hall.
So while EG Talks continues to castigate Mike and Ann and everyone else who seeks reform keep in mind that it was only Mike and Ann who had a fiscal recovery plan in the 2010 election that plan is the only business like approach to running our town since the 2010 Towb Board in place until the lawsuit that removed Mike and Phil Danaher.
51% of East Greenbush voters thought our town's problems prior to 2010 did not merit a wholesale change in how our town is run. Here's to hoping that the impact of that decision, as so clearly identified by today's T-U article, leads to a very different result come November 2011.
First of all, Ann, GREAT post, I love a good quote and you're absolutely right. what we offer here is an opportunity for expression and have in fact posted contrary opinions from those who disagree with us, whether anonymous or not. I believe the very sentiments Ann expresses about our duty to hold elected officials accountable, is the very same sentiment expressed in the Declaration of Independence:
ReplyDelete"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."
Ann has consistently focused on the conduct, rather than the personalities, the actions of the party rather than the party itself and has steadfastly defended the rights of tax payers and their right to express themselves as they wish. Moreso than anyone, including myself, she has been a champion of doing what is right. It was she who authored what was presented as OUR financial recovery plan. It was well crafted, responsible and we both had every confidence that it would yield promising results for our Town for years to come.
The abuses of our own Town actions, the impact of our taxes and preference to do what is expedient or in the best interest of the party over what is best for the Town, detracts from the quality of life we all seek.
It is important to note, that Ann remains an objective voice of solid business practices in our Town government despite the biased criticisms of those who take offense at this site. Maybe, just maybe, putting foolish pride and partisan dedication aside and embracing her fiscal approach to our Town's problems, would yield better results for us all.
Dismiss me as one who has opposed those who you once embraced, celebrated my input and count me as one who has betrayed you... but do not lose sight of the fact that what we have expressed are business solutions, not political ones, and Ann has been an objective force in doing so.
Mike, you are so right. Good fiscal solutions have been provided by Ann, but politics has a blinding affect. Kill the messenger seems to be the solution in this town. Why don't people care?
ReplyDeleteAnybody, please tell me why you don't care? Why is it YOUR WAY is the only way. Those people who don't want change is still living in the past. We are told to move on, but that will only happen when our local government moves on in a different direction than it is currently heading
This is a continuation from post #17. Is it party loyalty? The party always forgives it's sins for the good of the party. Am I wrong? What's wrong with wanting that to change? You can't serve the people when you are too engaged in serving yourself. Bottom line
ReplyDeleteIf there is a bad apple in the bushel, you better get it out before the other apples start to rot. It becomes trash and needs to be thrown away. I'm saying look out for what is best for everyone. You can be loyal for the wrong reasons. If you loyalty serves yourself and a select few than you have entirely missed it. NTSHMPWGT.
ReplyDelete