A terrible state of confusion has apparently beset you. Why the perplexed look?
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5/15/08: Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco, R-Schenectady, is raising concerns about a proposed bill to increase the bonding authority of the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority from $50 million to $75 million, and has not agreed to co-sponsor it.
So we thought we'd at least have some backing by the Republican legislators ... however, I guess not.
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5/23/08: Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco, R-Schenectady, Assemblyman George Amedore, R-Rotterdam, and state Sen. Hugh Farley, R-Niskayuna, announced the deal in a statement this afternoon...
Then, 3 days later, the Gazette prints a "Letter to the Editor" (Is Joann Schrom THE JoAnn from here?), which is VERY out of date ? And then they refuse to print letters by people with valid concerns that are perhaps not so cheerful and rolling over for Metroplex (Lke Brad's letter and I suppose Kevin's letter) ?
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5/26/08: I applaud both Assemblymen James Tedisco and George Amedore on their stance opposing the Schenectady Metroplex bonding increase
Why would they print that article now ?
Am I missing something here (or should it be painfully obvious to me?)
Yes MT, I'd be confused also. Since the Gazette posted this AFTER Tedesco, Amedore and Farley's announcemnet of agreeing with the Metroplex bond increase. This letter was intended to give SUPPORT to the threesome who, gave me reason to believe that they were going to give reason on why the increase should be tabled at this time. Below is the original draft of my letter. If you notice the sentence in bold and how it was changed when printed. Now maybe I quoted incorrectly, but the Gazette never contacted me for verification or to mention the change in my wording. I have also sent this in to the Spotlight and the TU. So be ready to be confused again!
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I applaud both Mr. Tedisco and Mr. Amedore on their stance opposing the Schenectady Metroplex bonding increase. I agree that the proposed increase to the Metroplex bonding should not be approved at this time. It would be in the best interest of the taxpayers, to wait until the audit by the Comptroller's office is complete.
Empire Zone recipients should also be revisited to asure that all beneficiaries of this program have met the criteria that the Empire Zone has set in place.
The Schenectady Metroplex as well as the Empire Zone, in its present existence, is in need of strict fiscal oversight and greater transparency.
After the recent statement by Phillip Fields(Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee), showing a decrease in Schenectady County sales tax revenue, and short fall in the County Budget, it should give pause to County residents, and raise questions as to the success's and failures, as well as, who are the select few that benefit from taxpayer funded SchenectadyMetroplex money? Apparently it's not your average tax paying County resident.
Now maybe I quoted incorrectly, but the Gazette never contacted me for verification or to mention the change in my wording.
But they'll contact others to provide FACTS to back up their letters ... and when they're provided, won't even print them or include them on their website?
Unless someone tells me that this was a timing oversight on the part of the Gazette, I have no other choice but to believe that this was done deliberately.
The section of the letter that has [ ] around them, is where the gazette, added or changed something from the original one.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
A bill that would give extra muscle to a key economic development tool in Schenectady has divided county and state legislators over proposed reforms to the authority's leadership.
State Sen. Hugh Farley (R-Niskayuna) and Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco have sponsored legislation to raise the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority's borrowing and bonding ability from $50 million a year to $75 million.
Farley's bill has passed out of committee and is nearly ready to be voted on by the full Senate. Tedisco introduced his version on Friday, along with co-sponsor George Amedore (R-Rotterdam).
In a statement issued late Friday, the three legislators said Metroplex has been a success in attracting and retaining "the kind of smart, long-term investment that grows our local economy and pays real dividends for Schenectady's future."
The bill's contentious points are "several substantive and long-overdue reforms" designed to "ensure that Metroplex is not merely handed a blank check and remains 100 percent accountable to the taxpayers of Schenectady County," the legislators said in their statement.
Metroplex was created in 1998 to give loans to proposed or existing businesses looking for help with building new offices, or expanding or renovating their facilities. The authority is a public entity supported by the bonds and county sales tax receipts; it received about $7 million of sales tax receipts in 2005.
Metroplex is run by chairman Ray Gillen, also the head of the Schenectady County Department of Economic Development and Planning. A call to Gillen was not immediately returned on Tuesday.
The Democratic-controlled Schenectady County Legislature earlier this year voted to seek extra bonding authority. Chairwoman Susan Savage called Gillen the "architect of the plan that has breathed new life into our county with helping revitalize the area's economy."
"Does anybody remember what Schenectady County looked like four years ago?" Savage asked. "There was a dysfunctional economic system, no effort to develop in the towns, and downtown Schenectady was a mess."
But Savage has also criticized the bill as an attempt to oust Gillen from his position. She said the county legislature did not ask for the proposed rules for belonging to the authority--including a clause that prevents the appointment of anyone who has been a political chairman of a village, town, city of county political party within the past four years.
"Despite their claims that they want to remove politics from Metroplex, they are injecting politics into the process by adding language that we did not request," Savage said of the legislators. "Instead of fighting against us they should be fighting for us."
The legislators said their proposals would not alter the authority's current board membership.
Tedisco's version of the bill, introduced Friday, includes language exempting Gillen from all proposed requirements. Farley's bill does not yet contain any such changes.
Tedisco and Amedore would have been better served to have tabled the legislation until the results of the state audit are known. By compromising that position and proposing politically motivated and inconsequential changes to the legislation, they appear to be acting based on political posturing rather than principled fiscal responsbility.
They've made their positions perfectly clear on fiscal responsibility, transparency and accountability in government. I'm very disappointed and would likely vote them out of office given the chance.
In a statement issued late Friday, the three legislators said Metroplex has been a success in attracting and retaining "the kind of smart, long-term investment that grows our local economy and pays real dividends for Schenectady's future."
But where is our return? Why then was there a short fall in sales tax revenues? And why couldn't this wait until after the audit? Questions that Mr. Tedesco, Mr. Amedore and Mr. Farley should have been looking into. Sorry folks, but the way I see it, there is no hope for the taxpayers in NYS if we are to depend on either party to do so. I guess it is true...you can't tell the dems from the reps. They ALL want their hands in our pockets.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I agree Brad and Bumble they should have waited for the audit to be completed b4 making their decision as we still don't know what kind of return we tax payers are getting for the million s of dollars invested.
Of course they should have waited until the audit was completed. It's just the Metroplex machine flexing it's muscle by asking for the bond increase now, before the audit.
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