McTHIEF is using publicly funded buses (CDTA which gets tens, maybe hundreds, of millions of taxpayer money-fed & state) to try to bribe people from outside the city to come into the city for this "job fair" at the casino. Obviously an act of desperation.
Hull is using his own private car, at his own private expense, to take the city of Schenectady's own people to this event (people who otherwise would have to pay for the bus, or pay for a cab)
Quoted Text
SCHENECTADY
Mayoral candidate to provide free rides to casino job fair
BY HALEY VICCARO Gazette Reporter Schenectady mayoral candidate Roger Hull is planning to pick up people in three sections of the city and drive them to the Rivers Casino job fair today at Schenectady County Community College. The Capital District Transportation Authority is providing free bus rides with stops in Albany, Rotterdam and Troy to bring people directly to the college. Hull questioned why there isn’t a free bus to transport city residents to SCCC. “You see cabs all the time bringing people from the hill because they have no transportation,” Hull said. “Why not focus on the people who live here, who need transportation?” The former Union College president and Alliance Party founder is challenging incumbent Gary McCarthy a second time for the mayor’s seat. Hull lost to McCarthy, a Democrat, by 89 votes in 2011. Hull said he will use his own car — a Subaru Forester — to pick up people and bring them to SCCC along with a few other volunteer drivers. Pickups are at 9:45 a.m. at the corner of Van Vranken Avenue and Alexander Street; Broadway Restaurant & Lunch at 2101 Broadway; and at 818 Albany St. Other volunteers will drive people back to those locations from SCCC around noon. Hull said if people want to leave earlier or later than noon they can coordinate a different time with him and the other drivers. Hull said McCarthy and Rush Street should have worked out a free bus with CDTA that would have brought people from Hamilton Hill and other areas in the city to SCCC. He said the people who live in Hamilton Hill are the ones who need jobs. The pickup at 818 Albany St. will accommodate that area. “I’ve spent the last two days on the hill getting signatures and people there need help,” he said. “With the casino coming and all of the promises of jobs, why not focus on people who need them? Everyone in Schenectady should have an opportunity.” Mayor Gary McCarthy said CDTA mapped out the free bus stops based on their route system and that he was not part of those discussions. “Within the city, a large portion of the footprint is walkable,” he said. “When you get outside of that, we’re looking to work with CDTA and others to make sure people can get places.” He stressed that this is the first of many more casino job fairs to come. “There will be many engagements to get people aware of the jobs that will be open and the education and training to be able to fill them,” he said. “It’s an ongoing recruitment and training effort.” Hull questioned whether there would be transportation provided for future casino job fairs. “The mayor will say of course they will do that and have many job fairs in the future,” he said. “The problem with that is that it’s probably just a response that won’t have any action.” The casino job fair will be in Elston Hall at SCCC and run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Preregistration is not required. CDTA is providing three free buses that will pick up people at stops in Albany (at the Capital South Campus Center at 8, 9:45 and 11:45 a.m., and 1:45 p.m.); in Troy (at Uncle Sam’s Park & Ride at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 a.m., and 1:30 p.m.); and in Rotterdam (at the Exit 26 Park & Ride Lot at 9 and 10:30 a,m, and 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.) CDTA is using funds from its revenue stream to provide the free service. CDTA’s largest revenue source is state operating assistance, receiving $32.1 million for the 2016 fi scal year, which started April 1. City Councilman Vince Riggi, the only non-Democrat on the council who is seeking re-election, said city residents should have fi rst priority for jobs at the future casino off Erie Boulevard. “I would hope that is the case,” Riggi said. “We have had problems in the past with minority hiring, so it makes a good case for Hamilton Hill to be involved. Everybody should be included as far as being involved in the job fair.” Riggi said if CDTA is offering free buses for Albany and Troy residents, there should be free transportation for Schenectady residents, too. “Of course they are going to need rides,” he said. “There shouldn’t just be free rides for certain areas.” Chicago-based casino operator Rush Street Gaming says the Rivers Casino and Resort at Mohawk Harbor will create about 1,200 permanent jobs when built in about 18 months. Rush Street is still waiting for a casino license from the state Gaming Commission. The earliest the license could be awarded is Sept. 30. Construction could begin after that. “We are starting a little early, but we want everyone to be prepared,” said Mary Cheeks, the casino’s general manager. The operator, which currently manages two casinos in Pennsylvania and one in Illinois, is not accepting applications or resumes at the job fair. It’s also unclear what specific positions will be available for local residents.
Good for Riggi's comment too! Riggi cares about the people of the CITY of Schenectady, and McCarthy does not, McTHIEF only cares about his rich political cronies who can more than afford to pay out of their own private pockets, but McCarthy is just a THIEF who STEALS the taxpayers' money (via higher taxes and causing falling home values) to give the money to billionaire Galesi.
What qualifies McCarthy to be re-elected as mayor? What has he done for the TAXPAYERS of the CITY?
The manager of the casino does not live in Schenectady, not in the county, not even in the state. Just like using taxpayer funded buses to bring people to this "fair" from outside the city and the mayor says "screw the city residents."
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.
"A large portion of the footprint is walkable"? Okay. McCheese got told to share the jobs with outlying areas. This casino isn't his deal, it is Cuomo's, that is why he's unprepared for it. He is not accustomed to think of the Hamilton Hill neighborhood and its residents as people deserving of consideration. That's why he's trying to grab back that crappy patch of dirt those kids cleaned up on State Street. The woman who planned the garden and would supervise it has been highly critical of all the attention given to one area of the city over all the rest. He'll show her. This was good thinking on Roger's part. Making sure people who really need jobs get in there.
bottom line is.....ya can fit more folks in a bus than in a car. so who do you think will have the largest voting block out of this?
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
bottom line is.....ya can fit more folks in a bus than in a car. so who do you think will have the largest voting block out of this?
The people on the bus cannot vote in the city.
Buses brought people from outside the city at taxpayer expense
Hull was to bring city people there at no expense to the taxpayers.
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.
Being as the major reason Schenectady got picked was all the poverty and joblessness, somebody really dropped the ball by ignoring the transportation needs of city residents.
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