Rotterdam supervisor, deputy supervisor won't seek re-election in 2015 Thursday, November 13, 2014 By Ned Campbell (Contact) Gazette Reporter
ROTTERDAM — Rotterdam’s Democratic town leaders will not be seeking re-election in 2015.
The announcement came during a debate over the proposed $22.45 million budget for 2015, which did not receive enough votes to pass at Wednesday night’s Town Board meeting.
Supervisor Harry Buffardi and Deputy Supervisor Wayne Calder, both Democrats, confirmed that they do not plan to run for re-election after Republican Town Board member Joe Villano broke the news during his remarks on the spending plan. He criticized the budget, which would lower property taxes, for borrowing $800,000 from the state to cover pension costs.
“There’s been an acknowledgement in agenda sessions that neither of the two Democrats that share this board with me will be running again,” Villano said. “We have a lame-duck administration that is causing a financial detriment to this town.”
Buffardi, a retired Schenectady County sheriff who teaches criminal justice full time at Schenectady County Community College, said he never planned on serving more than two two-year terms when he first ran for supervisor in 2011.
“I’ve run five elections in my lifetime, two primaries — I’m kind of sick of the political process if you will,” he said. “I’m a pretty busy fellow, and I’d like to spend more time with my family and friends and dedicate more time to my other full-time job.”
Calder said his decision also came when he ran for office in 2011.
“I told everybody I was going to run for one four-year term, and that’s the way it’s going to be,” he said.
Calder said he will end up with nearly 40 years of service to the town, having served 31 years as a police officer and thee years on the Mohonasen board of education before beginning his current four-year term on the Town Board.
“That’s enough,” he said.
Calder said he had no ax to grind and criticized the Republican Town Board members, Villano and Rick Larmour, for suggesting numerous cuts during the budget season.
“They want to cut people, and that means cut services,” he said. “We don’t have much more we can cut; we’re pretty slim now.”
Buffardi emphasized that the average house assessed at $173,456 would see a $66 tax cut per year under the proposed spending plan, which would keep services at the same level and not require any layoffs.
“Mr. Villano makes it sound like it’s a bleak budget and things are dim,” he said. “My argument is that it’s a good budget, it comes in well-funded, it comes in without raising costs to taxpayers.”
He also argued that the budget does not “borrow” money to cover pension costs.
“This is not borrowing — it’s spreading the cost out over a period of years,” he said, comparing it to a car payment or a mortgage.
Villano, however, said the proposed budget “has placed a gun against the head of its taxpayers.” He said the board, which is evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, would not have the three votes needed to borrow the money next year.
Wednesday night was the second meeting without Mike Viscusi, a Conservative board member who resigned Oct. 13 citing “personal reasons.” Viscusi often voted with the Democrats.
“The money simply will not be coming,” Villano said.
Villano previously proposed more than 40 budget cuts totalling more than $1 million, most of which were rejected by Buffardi and Calder.
“This is not the collaborative government I was hoping for, and it seems like we are going to be deadlocked more often than not,” Villano said.
The board voted 2-2 on the budget, with Villano and Larmour voting no and Buffardi and Calder voting yes. After the vote, Buffardi said the budget was, in essence, approved because the board voted last month to pass the preliminary budget, which will go into effect if the Town Board cannot pass a budget. The preliminary budget was passed 3-2 with Viscusi being the deciding vote before he resigned.
“It is my opinion that this budget carries,” Buffardi said.
But Villano said the preliminary budget will not become the budget until after the town’s Nov. 20 deadline. He then presented Buffardi and Calder with a notice signed by him and Larmour demanding that a special budget meeting be held Nov. 19 to further discuss the budget.
The board agreed to meet sometime before Nov. 20.
"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix,"
Rotterdam supervisor, deputy supervisor won't seek re-election in 2015 Thursday, November 13, 2014 By Ned Campbell (Contact) Gazette Reporter
ROTTERDAM — Rotterdam’s Democratic town leaders will not be seeking re-election in 2015.
The announcement came during a debate over the proposed $22.45 million budget for 2015, which did not receive enough votes to pass at Wednesday night’s Town Board meeting.
Supervisor Harry Buffardi and Deputy Supervisor Wayne Calder, both Democrats, confirmed that they do not plan to run for re-election after Republican Town Board member Joe Villano broke the news during his remarks on the spending plan. He criticized the budget, which would lower property taxes, for borrowing $800,000 from the state to cover pension costs.
“There’s been an acknowledgement in agenda sessions that neither of the two Democrats that share this board with me will be running again,” Villano said. “We have a lame-duck administration that is causing a financial detriment to this town.”
Buffardi, a retired Schenectady County sheriff who teaches criminal justice full time at Schenectady County Community College, said he never planned on serving more than two two-year terms when he first ran for supervisor in 2011.
“I’ve run five elections in my lifetime, two primaries — I’m kind of sick of the political process if you will,” he said. “I’m a pretty busy fellow, and I’d like to spend more time with my family and friends and dedicate more time to my other full-time job.”
Calder said his decision also came when he ran for office in 2011.
“I told everybody I was going to run for one four-year term, and that’s the way it’s going to be,” he said.
Calder said he will end up with nearly 40 years of service to the town, having served 31 years as a police officer and thee years on the Mohonasen board of education before beginning his current four-year term on the Town Board.
“That’s enough,” he said.
Calder said he had no ax to grind and criticized the Republican Town Board members, Villano and Rick Larmour, for suggesting numerous cuts during the budget season.
“They want to cut people, and that means cut services,” he said. “We don’t have much more we can cut; we’re pretty slim now.”
Buffardi emphasized that the average house assessed at $173,456 would see a $66 tax cut per year under the proposed spending plan, which would keep services at the same level and not require any layoffs.
“Mr. Villano makes it sound like it’s a bleak budget and things are dim,” he said. “My argument is that it’s a good budget, it comes in well-funded, it comes in without raising costs to taxpayers.”
He also argued that the budget does not “borrow” money to cover pension costs.
“This is not borrowing — it’s spreading the cost out over a period of years,” he said, comparing it to a car payment or a mortgage.
Villano, however, said the proposed budget “has placed a gun against the head of its taxpayers.” He said the board, which is evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, would not have the three votes needed to borrow the money next year.
Wednesday night was the second meeting without Mike Viscusi, a Conservative board member who resigned Oct. 13 citing “personal reasons.” Viscusi often voted with the Democrats.
“The money simply will not be coming,” Villano said.
Villano previously proposed more than 40 budget cuts totalling more than $1 million, most of which were rejected by Buffardi and Calder.
“This is not the collaborative government I was hoping for, and it seems like we are going to be deadlocked more often than not,” Villano said.
The board voted 2-2 on the budget, with Villano and Larmour voting no and Buffardi and Calder voting yes. After the vote, Buffardi said the budget was, in essence, approved because the board voted last month to pass the preliminary budget, which will go into effect if the Town Board cannot pass a budget. The preliminary budget was passed 3-2 with Viscusi being the deciding vote before he resigned.
“It is my opinion that this budget carries,” Buffardi said.
But Villano said the preliminary budget will not become the budget until after the town’s Nov. 20 deadline. He then presented Buffardi and Calder with a notice signed by him and Larmour demanding that a special budget meeting be held Nov. 19 to further discuss the budget.
The board agreed to meet sometime before Nov. 20.
"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix,"
Go Joe.....and thank goodness these double dippers are done.....now get rid of the Consultants....they retire and then come back to put more money in
their pockets......Paolino....Collins.....Calder....Buffardi......and the rest of the so called consultants....people should be able to do their jobs without
any help....that's if they are qualified....which is NOT>.....A E I O and sometimes U.......
Quoted Text Rotterdam supervisor, deputy supervisor won't seek re-election in 2015 Thursday, November 13, 2014 By Ned Campbell (Contact) Gazette Reporter
Buffardi emphasized . . . . “This is not borrowing — it’s spreading the cost out over a period of years,” he said, comparing it to a car payment or a mortgage.
If it "spreads" this year's costs out over a period of years, then what do you do in following years? Continue to spread those costs out too? How is that NOT borrowing?
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
Quoted Text Rotterdam supervisor, deputy supervisor won't seek re-election in 2015 Thursday, November 13, 2014 By Ned Campbell (Contact) Gazette Reporter
Buffardi emphasized . . . . “This is not borrowing — it’s spreading the cost out over a period of years,” he said, comparing it to a car payment or a mortgage.
If it "spreads" this year's costs out over a period of years, then what do you do in following years? Continue to spread those costs out too? How is that NOT borrowing?
Only in leftist newspeak can this NOT BE BORROWING! WHAT JACKASSES ARE THE TOWNSFOLK TO BELIEVE THIS CROOK!
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
Wipeout! Will the last DEM in Town Hall please turn out the lights on the way out?
You mean a certain non-taxpayer planning committee dem?
Oh god forbid he decide to take another try. Thankfully he wouldn't get many votes anyway
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
As if we all did not just see the effects of people not understanding that a mortgage is a loan. Auto loans is the new rip-off of the financially unenlightened, btw. We are all familiar with the "No Credit? No Problem!" used car rackets. Well now, the big players are in on it. Go into a new car dealer with no money and a bad credit history, it will be interesting to see just how much transportation you can drive away with. The bad loans are being 'bundled' like the bad mortgages were, but this time the "victims" are less visible and less sympathetic. Okay, kick the can down the road and make a quick getaway. The people who will suffer for it won't understand why, probably.
Well, it appears that at least ONE of the two reps on the town board will be running for town supervisor.
What will be interesting, will be who the dems will run.
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
La Famiglia and Please Don't Squeeze The Charmin are the demoncrap ticket
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
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
Logged
Wipeout! Will the last DEM in Town Hall please turn out the lights on the way out? 
