SCHENECTADY COUNTY ‘Working Together’ not working for Republicans BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com.
Democrats who control the Schenectady County Legislature are fond of using the term “Working Together Works” when referring to efforts to help the community. Truth is, say Republicans, the phrase only applies if you are a Democrat. Since assuming control of the Legislature several years ago, Democrats have marginalized Republican efforts there, said Legislator Joe Suhrada, R-Rotterdam. “If it’s Republican legislation, it’s dead on arrival,” he said. The latest example involves legislation proposed by Angelo Santabarbara, the junior Republican from Rotterdam. Santabarbara submitted a legislative initiative two months ago on behalf of Princetown Supervisor Nicholas Maura Jr., a Democrat. Maura asked the county to allow sheriff’s department deputies to provide security for Town Court. The town would pay for the coverage, which would involve deputies working overtime. As of Friday, Santabarbara’s legislation has not made the county Legislature’s agenda for its meeting Tuesday night. “I submitted legislation to the clerk of the county Legislature. That is the last I’ve heard of it,” he said. “I don’t know how long it will take to get it assigned to committee and on the floor for a vote. It’s not complicated legislation.” Efforts to determine the status of his legislation were unsuccessful. Legislator Judith Dagostino, D-Rotterdam, had said earlier in the week she did not know where it had been assigned, and County Attorney Chris Gardner said it fi rst needs to be vetted as to cost and availability of deputies for the assignment. “We are looking at a lot of things right now. I know it is being considered. There are a lot things that are being worked out,” Gardner said. Suhrada himself is no stranger to seeing Republican legislation “fall into the bottomless pit of ‘Working Together Works,’ ” he said. A year ago, he submitted legislation to encourage local residents and municipalities to save money and reduce carbon emissions by using alternative energy systems. His wind and solar energy proposals never saw the light of day, he said. “They haven’t done anything with it,” he said Friday. Maura hopes legislators put aside partisan differences and act on his request, and soon. “It’s long overdue,” he said. “I talked to few of legislators and they gave no time frame. They said we should write some letters to expedite it, and we will pass a resolution to have some security in court until the county makes a decision.” Maura said the town “needs something in place. We have court every week and there have been a few instances that have been a little hairy.” Santabarbara said he does not care who gets credit for the legislation, as long as it gets done. “That is what is important. They really need it,” he said.
Whatever happened to county Democrats working together?
Am I the only one who found irony in the news article March 14 regarding the Schenectady City Council being upset with county officials because they apparently failed to communicate that Tracey Chance, affirmative action director, was resigning? The affirmative action post was one of the cost-saving consolidation “partnerships” between the city and county. Is it strange that a Legislature dominated by Democrats (11-4) isn’t communicating with its largest municipality’s city council and mayor — who are all Democrats? This story, and many others, make the slogan of the current leadership of the county Legislature (“Working together works)” quite funny. It’s also very amusing to me that the chairwoman of our Legislature, Susan Savage, who is apparently not communicating as well as expected with the leaders of the largest populated municipality in her own county, has a new patronage job with New York state called the director of intergovernmental relations [for the Office of Real Property Services]! Her new role comes courtesy of [former Gov.] Eliot Spitzer with a salary of $100,000! Irony can be so ironic! Voters in Niskayuna and Glenville, take heed for November elections will be here before you know it. JOHN C. PRIVITERA Schenectady
The Dems can't communicate with each other so how can we expect them to communicate with the Reps and the residents. "What we have here is a failure to communicate" just like in the movie Cool Hand Luke.
The dems don't need to communicate with each other. THEY CONTROL 'EVERYTHING'. But just remember here people...I don't think it would be any different if the reps had the control.
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
The Dems can't communicate with each other so how can we expect them to communicate with the Reps and the residents. "What we have here is a failure to communicate" just like in the movie Cool Hand Luke.
I think they should all eat those 50 hard boiled eggs.....
...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
She still hasn't answered my question that was posed at the County Legislature meeting right after this was announced whether she was going to be able to help Schenectady County if she kept both positions.
Yeah, the same one where she said that she would talk to me after the meeting. My phone still hasn't wrung and I sat around there thinking that she was going to talk to me and not hide in a back room for however long it took for me to leave.
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