I disagree with the comments being made.  Whatever the political motives of Mr. Godlewski are, they are simply irrelevant.  The fact of the matter is we are entitled to Open Government by LAW.  The issue here is not if GAR made mistakes or not, or who's to blame for whatever you think might be wrong with what happened.  The issue is TRANSPARENCY.  We (all of us residents of which Mr. Godlewski is one) paid for this study.  Like any other document, it ought to be available for review.  Period.  The Freedom Of Information Law was intended for exactly this type of situation, in my opinion.  And Open Government is either open or it's not open government.

The study is the basis of a lawsuit, you say?  Then file the darn lawsuit already.  The reval and GAR's involvement ended a while ago.  The new assessor has reviewed matters independently.  We've done this study - and it was completed months ago.  It should be resolved.  Either through swift negotiation with GAR or through the court system.  Like so much else in this town of ours, too many things linger on and on without resolution.

I agree with Michael.   GAR obviously did a horrible job and never should have been paid a dime for their shoddy work.  What is taking so long to taqke legal action against them?
  It doesn't take an expert in real estate to determine that GAR was completely and totally inept.  

But Bob God is saying that they need to be vindicated, along with the former assessor. If Gerry Parisi is gonna sue, then let him sue, don't try to enable GAR to win. We need to be united against this outside firm that swindled us.

Godlewski's search for the results of the independent study reviewing  800 properties is clearly politically motivated and is trying to prove that the Repub town board wasted taxpayer money on a useless study. The independent attorney hired by the town has also stated that the results of the study should be kept confidential due to a possible future lawsuit and at this time the town is negotiating with GAR. We should have open government with the people in the town being able to see what is happening but the town board spent taxpayer money and hired an attorney and they should follow his advice. GAR doesn't want the results made public as it may hurt some of their future business so it may end up being settled and the report remaining sealed as part of the deal. Time will tell.

I agree with Michael IF we lived in a perfect world with a perfect political system. But we don't. There are political undertones and political motivations in everything. Trying to make government(politics) work like it was intended to is a difficult and sometimes impossible task.

Perhaps this FOIL should be available, I don't know the details. But it is clear that there is some political positioning going on right now. (it's an election year) And perhaps it is being done by all parties involved. I am just tired of political parties being so self absorbed in themselves that the taxpayers appear to be a distant consideration.

In my opinion, GAR didn't do a good job. And in my opinion, Macjeka didn't help matters. And in my opinion, GODlewski is motivated and positioning himself for a future run in politics. IMHO

Quoted from bumblethru

I agree with Michael IF we lived in a perfect world with a perfect political system. But we don't. There are political undertones and political motivations in everything. Trying to make government(politics) work like it was intended to is a difficult and sometimes impossible task.

Perhaps this FOIL should be available, I don't know the details. But it is clear that there is some political positioning going on right now. (it's an election year) And perhaps it is being done by all parties involved. I am just tired of political parties being so self absorbed in themselves that the taxpayers appear to be a distant consideration.

In my opinion, GAR didn't do a good job. And in my opinion, Macjeka didn't help matters. And in my opinion, GODlewski is motivated and positioning himself for a future run in politics. IMHO

Exactly.  But whether Mr. Godlewski is politically motivated in trying to obtain the report or the current Republicans in charge are politically motivated by withholding it, IT'S ALL WRONG!  It's OUR report, and if you or I want to take a look at it, what is the big deal?  We should be entitled to look at it by existing law.  We don't need a perfect world, just one that follows the existing set of rules.  Call me naive if you'd like, but it really is that simple.

Word on the street is Tommy Boy Buchannon and Johnny Boy Mertz both pressured Macejaka
into assessment reductions on property they owned.  Tommy got his reduced Mertz didn't
after Gerry Parisi put the kabosh on it.  The record and the truth will be forthcoming irrelevent
the foil issue.  The water is soooo frickin muddy that Steve T doesnt know what the hell is
comin down the Pike.  Check out the reductions given by Craig Surprise Surprise Surprise to
the RPD for contract approval.....  FBI is sniffing  

Quoted from 153

Word on the street is Tommy Boy Buchannon and Johnny Boy Mertz both pressured Macejaka
into assessment reductions on property they owned.  Tommy got his reduced Mertz didn't
after Gerry Parisi put the kabosh on it.  The record and the truth will be forthcoming irrelevent
the foil issue.  The water is soooo frickin muddy that Steve T doesnt know what the hell is
comin down the Pike.  Check out the reductions given by Craig Surprise Surprise Surprise to
the RPD for contract approval.....  FBI is sniffing  

Is anyone else really really tired of the political back door sh*t that goes on lately? Innuendos, suspicions, accusations, etc?

see here there will be a lot of repubs going to the jail this time and the jailers will be th emen in blue so now payback is coming over there three words are needed to be known by the people  :  F  B   I

so funny that it is finaly catching up to you Stevie

The FBI should have been in this town a couple generations ago.....but, thanks to NYS and the gumbas----here we are.....as for the FOIL.....we should
go and get it.....hell,,,,call homeland security and claim terrorism via tax levy.......

INTRO RANTINGS....Innuendos, lies, the phony "political" democrats in Rotterdam have always been the ones who play conspiracys the best.  Jim CONstantino and crew ROBBED us blind for years.  BOB G, JOHN M, AND THEIR ACCOMPLICES SAT AROUND FOR YEARS AND DID NOTHING. NADA, SUPPORTING THESE THIEVES AND FELONS FOR DECADES and the list of the DIRTY DOZEN is just beginning....DAGO land sales, proposed land sales, County taxes out of control and you point at the town?!  GET A GRIP GUYS!  FOCUS ON THE COUNTY!  ROTTERDAM Finally HAS honest politicians enter the fray and fight for years to get there and it will take YEARS to straighten out this mess.  THE COMP PLAN EXISTS SINCE 2001 AND IS BEING UPDATED.  THE STUDIES ARE NECESSARY.  DEC WONT LET ANYTHING HAPPEN UNLESS YOU HAVE ENGINEERS BACK IT UP.  We need the sewers if Rotterdam is ever going to be competitive in the area to attract industry.  The guys you have in there GET IT.  Finally you have a group that GETS IT and you all bicker and complain on this blog rather than talk DIRECTLY to the politicians in Rotterdam like I do to.  I was wrong on a few fronts this past year.  Listening to the BS of one guy over the ONE I should have trusted all along.  PLEASE dont let your emotions take over.  Im hearing that REMS will make a comeback and Mohawk OFFERED.  In case there are those of you who never took business law...it takes TWO parties to come to terms.  REMS would NEVER have accepted Mohawks offer.  REMS has the contract WITHOUT the Town Board...GET IT! THEY SERVE THE TOWN, ALWAYS HAVE, ALWAYS WILL.  THEYVE DONE A GREAT JOB.  FINALLY...IF THE GAR REVIEW IS TO BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL UNTIL GAR PAYS UP THEN SO BE IT.    Mea culpa as you Italians like to say.

William, nice post...it gives people here a little history into the town.  Guess you're not so "silent" haha.

But mea culpa is latin!!!

Quoted from 153

Word on the street is Tommy Boy Buchannon and Johnny Boy Mertz both pressured Macejaka
into assessment reductions on property they owned.  Tommy got his reduced Mertz didn't
after Gerry Parisi put the kabosh on it.  The record and the truth will be forthcoming irrelevent
the foil issue.  The water is soooo frickin muddy that Steve T doesnt know what the hell is
comin down the Pike.  Check out the reductions given by Craig Surprise Surprise Surprise to
the RPD for contract approval.....  FBI is sniffing  

"Word on the street" isn't a FACT! And I can't believe that Rotterdam's boys in blue would take a tax reduction in exchange for a contract approval. If that is in fact true.

this here shows illegalitys and it would be illegal for buchanan to ask for and get any tax break at all since he is in the political world. if Macekca did this here they both need to go to prison with the F B I roundup even though I like Macekca, and he is a good supporter of the demos and Bob G

Quoted Text

And in my opinion, GODlewski is motivated and positioning himself for a future run in politics.

Godlewski will run against Tommasone for Town Supervisor.

Quoted Text

.....  FBI is sniffing  

Perhaps while the FBI is in town, they can investigate "pay for play" in Schenectady County.  They can begin by comparing the list of campaign donors to the Democratic party to the list of Metroplex funding recipients.

And, of this debate about government transparency and the FOIL law, why are the people of Schenectady County still awaiting the release of the State Comptroller's audit of the Metroplex?

Folks, it's all underhanded politics at play.