CAPITOL Tedisco unsure on Metroplex cap Assemblyman said to favor $60 million limit BY BOB CONNER Gazette Reporter
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. The bill, S-7721, is sponsored in the Senate by Tedisco’s fellow Republican, Sen. Hugh Farley of Niskayuna. The Schenectady County Legislature, which is controlled by Democrats, requested the legislation, and Farley spokesman David Smingler said it is the senator’s policy to support homerule messages from local governments. Tedisco chief of staff Bill Sherman said Tedisco would likely support a smaller increase in the bonding cap, perhaps to $60 million, but also wants to see other changes in the bill, including a qualifications requirement for members of the Metroplex board relating to their experience with public finance and economic development. Tedisco also wants the county Legislature required to vote up or down within a certain time period on recommendations for board positions made by local officials, according to Sherman. He said this was prompted by a recent “abuse of power” by Susan Savage, D-Niskayuna, chairwoman of the county Legislature, when she postponed a vote on the nomination of Rotterdam’s Patrick Saccocio from August 2007 until February of this year. Saccocio was then confirmed, with Savage voting against. In response, Savage released a statement saying: “Neither Mr. Tedisco nor his staff should play politics with the future of economic development in Schenectady County. There is no time for silly games.” Savage said: “If Mr. Saccocio [a lawyer] would have recused himself from working for entities with business before Metroplex, then I would have supported his appointment. I am under no obligation to vote for the appointment of Mr. Tedisco and Mr. Sherman’s political buddies. ... I am confi dent that the Assembly minority leader will not want to try to stop all of the economic progress that has occurred in this community during the past four years. There is much more to be accomplished and that should be our shared goal.” Sherman said Tedisco also wants to see the results of the state comptroller’s first-ever audit of Metroplex. That won’t be done for at least several months, according to comptroller’s office spokesman Bill Reynolds. But Metroplex Chairman Ray Gillen, who with two senior staff members met Wednesday with Sherman and Michael Cuevas, the Assembly minority counsel, said the comptroller’s audit should be “a nonissue.” He said he hopes the bill can be passed this legislative session, which is scheduled to end June 23. Gillen characterized the meeting as productive. Sherman, who declined to let a reporter attend it, said Tedisco has not made any final decisions on the legislation. He said he was going to contact Savage and Farley about the bill and possible amendments. Assemblyman George Amedore, R-Rotterdam, said he shares Tedisco’s concerns about the bill, which he is not opposing but has not co-sponsored. Even though Republicans are in the minority in the Assembly, local legislation such as this is normally introduced by local legislators. There are no Democratic Assembly members from Schenectady County. Farley’s bill memo says Metroplex needs the bonding increase “in order to maintain its positive momentum.” Without it, Gillen said, Metroplex would run up against limits in continuing its expansion of the tax base. Sherman said Metroplex would not have enough sales tax revenue to pay back the higher amount of bonding, but Gillen disputed that. Metroplex has a good credit rating, Gillen said, and “We have the ability to support additional debt.” Farley’s memo said the bill “does not increase any taxes. New projects financed through these bonds bring increased employment and other economic benefits, resulting in a positive fiscal impact on the community.” Farley was the driving force behind the creation of Metroplex 10 years ago. His bill memo cites Metroplex as having spurred an economic revival extending from downtown Schenectady to the surrounding towns. Tedisco voted for the bill in 1998, while also supporting amendments to it that did not pass the Senate. County Legislator Joseph Suhrada, R-Rotterdam, who voted against raising the bond cap, said he could support increasing it to a lower amount such as $60 million. He said he believes Savage and the Democrats held up the Saccocio appointment because they were waiting to see if Democrats would be successful in last year’s Rotterdam Town Board elections. They were not.
Senator Farley has made a poor choice in sponsoring the bill to increase the bond cap and lengthen the charter of the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority. He has acted irresponsibly in bringing the issue before the NYS Legislature before the results of the State Comptroller's audit are known.
Although I have met Senator Farley and find him to be very personable, I no longer support him as he has shown himself not be fiscally conservative. He has acted wrecklessly, promoting the increase in public debt without first analyzing the return on investment to the taxpayers and the community.
I applaud both Assemblyman Tedisco and Assemblyman Amedore in their demands for revisions to be made to the Metroplex law to ensure that it serves the public interests and not those of the politicians, their friends, and campaign contributors. Tedisco and Amedore are justified in their positions that the results of the audit be issued and reviewed before supporting an increase in the bond cap. Both of these elected representatives and Schenectady County Legislator Suhrada are working to represent the interests of the oppressed taxpayers of Schenectady County and to ensure that the public revenues spent by the Metroplex (Public) Authority are providing a public benefit.
And, for those who have suggested in the past that I am a Republican partisan, I have expressed in my posts my support of Governor Paterson (Democrat) in his call for reduced state spending and his plans for audits/reviews of public authorities, for State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (Democrat) who is exposing waste and fraud, and State Comptroller Dinapoli (Democrat). I have also expressed my oppositions to Republican representatives like Senator Farley who promote increased government spending and higher public debt. As an enrolled member of the Conservative party, I support those who are fiscally and socially conservative and who place public interest above those of themselves or their party.
Farley’s memo said the bill “does not increase any taxes. New projects financed through these bonds bring increased employment and other economic benefits, resulting in a positive fiscal impact on the community.”
Senator Farley needs to provide evidence, not unfounded claims, to support his assertion that the projects financed by the Metroplex have brought about "increased employment and other economic benefits". Despite Gillen's baseless claims of 1000, 2000, and most recently stated 3000 jobs created by Metroplex projects, there has been no detailed information (i.e., statistics) presented to the public to substantiate the claims. The county has not released data that shows an increase in sales tax revenues resulting from the Metroplex funded projects. The county budget deficit continues to increase.
There are many projects from which financial benefits have not been realized including the Van Dyck restaurant, the Big House, Parsons Child and Family Center, etc. Loan repayments for several projects have been delayed, restructured, and/or forgiven.
The taxpayers and residents of Schenectady County should demand accountability. Public Authorities, by their nature, are unaccountable and often influenced by politics.
Farley’s memo said the bill “does not increase any taxes. New projects financed through these bonds bring increased employment and other economic benefits, resulting in a positive fiscal impact on the community.”
Saying that this does not increase any taxes means that he hasn't looked at what is happening with the economy in NY or in Schenectady County recently. Remember that the Metroplex used to be funded by a 1/4% sales tax. Well, that 1/4% sales tax has gone by the wayside, bringing the county sales tax back down to 8%, however, at the same time, the Metroplex is still getting the 1/4%, meaning that the county is now only getting 7 3/4 %, instead of the full 8%. And at the same time, we just had stories where counties all over the capital region are seeing a reduction in the amount of sales taxes coming in due to the current recession. And the county doesn't even get the full amount from the sales tax anymore. So, less money brought in, split up more ways. How does the stuff get paid for that these taxes would have covered in the first place if they came in at the same level? Easy, it's on land taxes...which keep going up...up...up.
I'm sorry, but I too think that if this is how Mr. Hugh Farley is thinking, then it is time for someone else to come in and to take this position over. I thank both Mr. Amedore and Mr. Tedisco for the work that they are putting in for the county residents on the state level. I just wish they could do more to help at this point.
I also applaud Mr. Tedesco and Mr. Amedore for their concern regarding the increase in the bonding for the Metroplex. I also expect that the Gazette will be inundated with opposition from the opposing party. I will be looking forward to the Republicans, in addition to Joe Surhada, to be supportive and vocal of their party's platform and stand on this issue.
In response, Savage released a statement saying: “Neither Mr. Tedisco nor his staff should play politics with the future of economic development in Schenectady County. There is no time for silly games.”
"There is no time for silly games" That's the best retort from the Chair of the Schenectady County Legislature? That equates to a the intellectually devoid response of "oh yeah?" in a debate.
Perhaps Savage is incapable of or unwilling to be objective and consider that there may be ways in which the operations of the Metroplex can be modified to be more effective, with the result of attaining better return on the investment of public revenues.
EDITORIALS Tedisco should keep out of Metroplex affairs
A decade ago, this page supported creation of the Metroplex Development Authority as a way to remove ever-divisive partisan politics from Schenectady County’s economic development equation. Metroplex has, for the most part, succeeded in doing that: Inarguably, more positive economic development has taken place in the county over the last nine years than in the previous 19, and it’s probably because elected officials have little input in the process. Thus we endorsed the authority’s request — approved by the county Legislature last month — to have its bonding authority increased by $25 million, and its charter extended fi ve additional years. Unfortunately, that vote didn’t settle the matter — action by the state Legislature is also necessary — and one of the most partisan Republicans in the state Assembly is threatening to delay the home-rule legislation. Assemblyman James Tedisco has picked up the mantle for county Legislator Joseph Suhrada, who has decried virtually every Metroplex initiative since Day One and who voted against the bonding measure at the county level. The minority leader (like Suhrada) wants a smaller bonding cap — only $10 million higher than the current $50 million cap that has nearly been reached — and various other changes to the proposal that would further Suhrada’s goal of meddling in Metroplex affairs. All are inadvisable. Ray Gillen has done a commendable job running Metroplex. He has also made some mistakes and done some equivocating about them. But for every Van Dyck or Big House failure, there have been several much-larger accomplishments — e.g. the Bowtie Cinema, Proctors, Hampton Inn, MVP garage, Villa Italia, facade improvements, etc. The guy deserves more time and money to keep the good things coming. If by some remote chance, the state comptroller’s audit that Tedisco and Suhrada want to await the results of did uncover some problems, it wouldn’t justify shutting off the authority’s revenue stream. Whatever happens, Metroplex will still need the money. That’s why restricting the bonding authority to $60 million makes no sense. Tedisco should follow the lead of Sen. Hugh Farley and sponsor a bill on behalf of Metroplex in accordance with the county Legislature’s wishes. Let’s keep the politics out of this.
Ray Gillen has done a commendable job running Metroplex. He has also made some mistakes and done some equivocating about them.
equivocating Equivocate E*quiv"o*cate, v. To use words of equivocal or doubtful signification; to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses, with intent to deceive
A decade ago, this page supported creation of the Metroplex Development Authority as a way to remove ever-divisive partisan politics from Schenectady County’s economic development equation. Metroplex has, for the most part, succeeded in doing that: Inarguably, more positive economic development has taken place in the county over the last nine years than in the previous 19, and it’s probably because elected officials have little input in the process.
Directors Ray Gillen, Chair Bradley G. Lewis, Vice Chair Robert L. Wall, Secretary Sharon A. Jordan, Treasurer Edward L. Capovani William R. Chapman Neil M. Golub Janet Hutchison Sharon A. Jordan Robert J. Mantello Gary McCarthy Patrick J. Saccocio
Fiscal Audit Committee
Sharon A. Jordan, Chair Bradley Lewis Robert Mantello Gary McCarthy William Chapman
Governance Committee
Robert Wall, Chair Neil Golub Janet Hutchison Patrick Saccocio Edward Capovani
Logged
Guess I'll leave that for others to decide.
