Gazette supports openness for all except Metroplex
Gazette editorials have given high praise to the attorney general, the state comptroller and private groups such as the Manhattan Institute (seethroughny. com) for making government more accountable to voters by giving detailed reports of government activities. The attorney general’s Project Sunlight Web site reports the source of state elected officials’ campaign contributions, laws each legislator supported, and a detailed listing of each legislator’s “pork” projects. The state comptroller’s new “Open Book” Web site reports on the awarding of state contracts. The privately funded Web site “seethroughny. com” is reporting the salary of every state worker as well as the salaries of all employees of each school district. Local activist Pat Zollenger was praised editorially for personally paying to have access television (Channel 16) tape and cable-cast the city council committee meetings. However, in the matter of the Schenectady Metroplex Authority the Gazette editorial writers have taken a very different position, suggesting readers only need drive down State Street to know why Metroplex should have its life extended from 2028 to 2033 and should have its bonding cap increased from $50 million to $75 million. This Metroplex bonding is on top of the $6 million it receives from county sales taxes each year. There has been no meaningful report to the public or the Schenectady County Legislature on how Metroplex operates or how it used the $50-plus million it has already used since 1999. Voters have no idea how one or another project comes to be funded by Metroplex. Developers are not selected through an open bid process. How are they chosen? How is it decided that one or another developer will get a Metroplex interest-free loan, reduced taxes for their project, Metroplex or IDA actions which offset construction costs, a facade grant, or other favorable terms? We don’t know. A drive down State Street doesn’t cut it. ELMER F. BERTSCH Niskayuna
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
NYS Comptroller did an audit on the town five to six years ago.......They were camped out at Town Hall for close to a year if not more. Learned many things from that experience.
According to June 26, 2008 Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority Governance Committee Meeting minutes, the field work was scheduled to be completed around August 1st. Don't know how long it takes to document the findings and publish the results.
Regardless of the findings, the Metroplex will continue until at least 2033 now that the Governor has signed the legislation to extend the charter of the public authority and to increase the bond cap from $50M to $75M.
How freakin' interesting......I'm all for the "Let's get a project moving" thing......but ask me.....dont just think you are priviledged.....and my goodness at least keep giving reports every 3 or 4 months with the balance sheet----will there be mistakes---of course...should those folks be held accountable---of course....I like what I see so far going on downtown---THERE IS NOTHING ELSE WE COULD EVER DO WITH IT.....it is 'dead space'....not the style of the past---OBVIOUSLY......I would donate---but dont just take it and if you do.....YOU BETTER MAKE IT TRANSPARENT.......
render unto Ceaser what is Ceasers---everyone always wants the power......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
So you are saying that it is ok to spend taxpayers money to make 2 blocks of state street 'look good' when the rest of the city is riddled with gun fire, crime and unreasonable high taxes? You are saying that it's ok to invest taxpayer's dollars in private businesses that either go belly up or sell it for profit? It's ok that we spend taxpayers dollars to support Proctors theater which can not possible sustain the city financially? It's ok that after 10 years, we, the taxpayers have yet to see a return on our investment? That the county is now showing a deficit?
I think that is just about all the transparency I need to see...don't you?
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
Here's the thing---I live 'close' to the city of scumnectady......where does anyone think all those folks will be packin'up to move to????.....yup, you got it----our own backyards.......
I dont think the government should be in the 'building business'.....but, because NYS is Tamany Hall anyone with an honest bone to make an honest living, is pretty much---well, I wont say it.......this is not a statement for agreement but just an observation on my part......the monkey on the back of the NYS taxpayer is pretty heavy and gaining weight everytime we say--"They need to do something about this/that."
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
like you Senders I have a wife and kids to feed and am tired of the rip-offs from Metroplex. Thank you Senders for great postings and I hope you support Angelo and the repubs that follow him to straighten this here out with the wastefulness of the peoples money and that.
I just heard back from the Amedore representative and my request for the results of the Metroplex Audit is being investigated and a copy of my E-mail has been sent to the Comptrollers Office as well. I should be receiving more information regarding the inquiry into the audit next week in the mail. I'll keep you posted.
like you Senders I have a wife and kids to feed and am tired of the rip-offs from Metroplex.
So Sal, I guess you aren't all that out of touch, huh? You do agree that the plex is a rip-off? Who runs the plex, Sal?
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
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