Brad Littlefield was on Paul V's show {Talk 1300AM} twice outlining the many problems with Metrograft. Lack of accountability, lack of controls, lack of documentation, lack of job creation. Still waiting for any comment from SS Savage or Judy DAG. This is still a County agency right?

     Hard to beat an incumbent running a blank?

Quoted from benny salami

Hard to beat an incumbent running a blank?

If things are difficult, they are definately not worth doing.

So may I end in saying that even though I do not agree with the ideology, nor will vote for a dem or con.....I clearly will not be voting for a rep either. I can not, never did and will not in the future, vote for a party just to oust another. I NEED A GOOD VIABLE CANDIDATE!! But where are they?[/quote]

I guess that succinctly shows us what you did with your vote to oust Rotterdam Democratic department heads.  You are such a hypocrite Johnboy that your hyperbole reeks of bitterness and revenge.  Grow up skippy!

Quoted from Shadow

Both the Reps and Dems are wrong, either Metroplex has to start doing the job that it was formed to do and actually create jobs and build a tax base to help lower the residents taxes or it must be dissolved no matter what the political fall out might be.

The reps created this beast....it must be the reps who desolve it!!

neither party will say ANYTHING---least they be the ones to carry the torch of power and money.......is there a goal outside of
themselves?????

Quoted Text

Editorial: Metroplex probe produces no smoking gun
Wednesday, July 8, 2009

The state comptroller’s audit on Schenectady’s Metroplex Development Authority has finally been released — 11 months after it was finished! — and the official version doesn’t contain anything more damning than the report leaked to the media last Friday. In other words, there isn’t much to get excited about, unless you’re a partisan naysayer.
Metroplex is doing a decent job. All one needs to do is drive through downtown Schenectady to see that. Empty storefronts are fewer and farther between than a decade ago; new buildings and businesses have sprung up, and the facades improved on old ones. Finally, there are people working, shopping, eating and recreating who weren’t there a decade ago.
None of this is to suggest that Metroplex has been run flawlessly; it hasn’t. There have been some mistakes, some overspending. So it was probably a good idea for an independent arbiter to investigate and point out some flaws.
The most serious of the problems may have been the absence of competitive bidding in the awarding of a few professional contracts — involving legal and accounting services — the point being that competition could result in lower costs. (Gillen insists that all rules were followed.) Another complaint — that Metroplex hasn’t adequately monitored its projects and documented their economic impact — is also valid, but no huge deal.............>>>>.............>>>>...........http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/jul/08/708_prinrnt/

Quoted Text

Metroplex is not effectively monitoring project performance

None of the projects met their job projection goals

The audit also said the board's minutes provided no rationale for its funding decisions.

For 2007, Metroplex spent $1.23 million on parking operations while taking in only $506,000, the audit says.

No smoking gun - the liberal, biased newspaper says so, so therefore it must be true?  

We all know that the Gazette is in the tank for Metroplex no matter how horrible a job they do and with both parties firmly behind Metroplex it doesn't look like anything will get better any time soon.

"Fewer empty storefronts?" lol-take another look at lower State below Erie or Erie itself. Five blocks of nothing but one empty storefront after another. Than look at every former City Business District-from Mt P to Bellevue to Eastern to Van Vranken-- one disaster after another. On Jay things are so bad they gave storefronts to "arts".

     Gazetto editors name one new retail or sales tax generator that Metrograft has brought to the City? The State Comptroller couldn't find any either. Even thinking DEMS are starting to question Death Ray and the rubber stamps on this horrible Metrograft bored. After some brilliant editorials on the Schenectady Schools debacle we are back to defending the indefensible and looking the other way at the daily snooze.

It gets very frustrating when the local media is 100% in the tank, and they have an unlimited supply of ink to paint a rosy picture of success when we all know the opposite is true. But people tend to read the paper and not really pay attention to what is going on by doing their own homework. That is just how it is. You can see why a guy could get frustrated. By being more demanding to end Metroplex, because ultimately it would be the best thing to do in the long run, the media then portrays you as a negative naysayer and a wild-eyed right wing radical ( just for pointing out what the audit said!!!), with little song birds chirping in every two seconds concurring. It is nice that so many of the forum readers want to do the right thing, ultimately, but the elected officials probably don't hear from the conservatives, and the conservatives don't often show up at meetings to speak. It is the unions, the recipients of the largess, and the special interest that organize and come down and demand more spending and money to throw at problems. Like Senders said "Follow the money!"

The few officials want support in this endeavor and need it, but all too often it is not there, so they are reluctant to pursue an agenda of conservative change because many of the  so-called conservatives want to nit-pick them on a few items and complain that they didn't speak out enough and yell enough, or don't act the part like Reagan, and take stands over the Patriot Act or some such other business when the Republicans were in the wrong, nationally or elsewhere. Ultimately the conservatives become like cannibals, eating their own. It is really a thankless task to be in office, I imagine, especially when your own side wants you dead, the media portrays you as a right wing loon, and the rest of the voters are apathetic to the point of beyond help. I wouldn't think anyone would want the job, when the odds are about 1000 to one against you. So Schenectady.

So true. Most people are not fooled despite hilarious editorials like today's and the REPS fail to unify in any opposition. Take a peep at the pool on Talk1300 website. 90% want to end Metrograft now.

    When you read Bob Farley's comments-he sounds remorseful about creating this monster. Other than Joe Suhrada and ANG where is the REP leadership screaming about these pathetic audit results? Where is Amedore? Where is Jimmy T? Really sad when the DEMS run amok and nobody says nuthin. Call in the FBI.

The FBI is too busy sniffing around Rotterdam for the stench created by Tomassone, Mertz and Signore over the quid pro quo's being handed out by Jon Craig Surprise, Surprise, Surprise.  You would think Sigsnore would have learned his lesson after that kook John MacIsaac cost him the Supervisor's race in 2001.  Cant teach an old dog new tricks.  And to think Tomassone and Katy Oconnor bragged how they were behind that whole FBI stuff.  What goes round comes round salami.  Dont cha think?

Quoted from 153

The FBI is too busy sniffing around Rotterdam for the stench created by Tomassone, Mertz and Signore over the quid pro quo's being handed out by Jon Craig Surprise, Surprise, Surprise.  You would think Sigsnore would have learned his lesson after that kook John MacIsaac cost him the Supervisor's race in 2001.  Cant teach an old dog new tricks.  And to think Tomassone and Katy Oconnor bragged how they were behind that whole FBI stuff.  What goes round comes round salami.  Dont cha think?

I think FBI stands for

F-ooled
B-y
I-diots

and it really really doesn't matter which party.....hence

those who control the money control the masses
those who control the guns control the masses

The stench that the FBI smells in Rotterdam is sewage from the high water table due to poor drainage and lack of sewers.

You should write fiction novels. The FBI has a full plate with the 2 KRAT made messes-City Screwels where they employed The Mad Bomber {and flatly refused to fire him even when he sat in jail!} and the Metrograft Mess. A "routine" audit! Did you hear the one about the treasurer of Metrograft? Another business leader?

     They should call this off to investigate a box of missing paperclips from Rotterdam Town Hall? Too funny.