I have to say, I enjoy your spin, by painting a picture of Brad favoring BIG GOVERNMENT because of this symbolic gesture during their campaign. I believe the NNTP was attempting to send the message that they are working to get the taxpayer their money back from the BIG GOVERNMENT. I guess some people are hyper-sensitive.
I'm pretty sure that if you ask any of the NNTP candidates, they are not looking to create a government task force to go through public records looking for unclaimed funds if they get elected.
No no, don't get me wrong. I applaud his effort and enthusiasm. I've been a supporter of Brad's and (for the most part) the NNTP since the beginning. While I don't believe Brad is favoring "big govt" as you say, I do think this sets a dangerous precedent. What if a dem came to your door saying "there's a judgment against you" - or a mechanics lean on your house - or "hey, I see you're due in court in front of a Dem/Rep/Cons judge next week" - that could get WAY out of hand and border on privacy invasion.
As I told Brad in PM earlier today, I applaud his efforts. I think there could have been a better way of doing it. Perhaps a blank claim form or a letter saying "here's where to look and if you don't have internet access, call" - some other way of getting the people, en masse, the information without doing a look-up of my personal information.
As Brad replied in my PM earlier, the amount of data open to the public (credit, judgments, liens, mortgages, etc) at the County Clerk level - and more at the State level is staggering - and should be, for the most part, redacted. I don't believe people should have information, true or not, that most ASSUME to be personal (mortgages, liens, etc).
I rather apologize for calling them snoops, in a way. See, I understand what Mr. Littlefiled is saying. But it would be better if they just used the campaign literature, the index card like thing that now I've seen,but that would read "you might have money owed to you from the government, please check out...." such and such website or a phone number of OSC. That way you don't come across as beeing snoopy, but perhaps you can offer to help someone find out that they have it....if they wish your assistance. In many ways I trust politicians and in many ways I don't, thank goodness I don't live in Schenectady city right now.
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.
I appreciate your comments and understand your concerns. The NNTP candidates are doing this as a service to the residents. We also generally carry with us voter registration forms and absentee ballot applications for those who need them. In fact, I recently sent a PM to a member of this forum offering to provide a registration form to file a change of address.
Now for my personal views:
For the record, I am as concerned as anyone about the increase in size, cost and role of government in our lives. I am a (Libertarian leaning) Conservative with traditional conservative positions on fiscal issues. I do not propose that a government agency be created to do for the citizens. I agree with MT that government serves the people best when they get out of the way and let people do for themselves. That said, there are those who have a genuine and verifiable need for support. I believe that we, as a caring society, need to be there for each other during those times of need.
For the record, I am not "government". I am a candidate for elected office and a concerned citizen who serves my community as many of you do. I don't ask for special recognition or anything in return other than for people not to immediately impugn my integrity or question my motivations for doing so.
Like you, I am suspicious of most politicians. But, I thought that most of you have "known" me long enough from my postings to this forum and my community advocacy to understand my interests and desires regarding serving the residents if elected to public office.
Many complain about not having adequate choice when it comes to supporting individuals for public office. But, when an average citizen takes on the political party establishment and offers to serve with the residents interests first and foremost, he or she is not given the benefit of the doubt regarding his/her reasons for wanting to serve.
If the public elects me to serve, I will do so with dignity and respect and with the residents interests placed before party politics and special interests. If I am not the voters' choice, I will continue serving my family, friends, and neighbors as I have done for years before I ventured down this path.
Now, back to the posses of mudslingers with bandanas covering their faces. They make for better entertainment.
No no, don't get me wrong. I applaud his effort and enthusiasm. I've been a supporter of Brad's and (for the most part) the NNTP since the beginning. While I don't believe Brad is favoring "big govt" as you say, I do think this sets a dangerous precedent. What if a dem came to your door saying "there's a judgment against you" - or a mechanics lean on your house - or "hey, I see you're due in court in front of a Dem/Rep/Cons judge next week" - that could get WAY out of hand and border on privacy invasion.
I do agree on one point...Our society has become so cynical and distrustful of others, that even the good intentions of a few guys who went door to door getting petitions signed to get themselves on the ballot with the intentions of protecting the taxpayer from the over burdening of taxes is questioned. Signs of the times.
I don't think they had bad intentions. I just don't think it is a good vehicle for promoting their campaigns. Kind of a freshman blunder, that is all. When I said a little cheesy, I meant that it strayed a bit from the real point of them trying to sell people their service as civic leaders. I would be more cynical if I saw one of the major parties doing it.
"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."
Unclaimed funds get candidates’ attention No New Tax Party uses list to connect with voters BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Justin Mason at 395-3113 or jmason@dailygazette.net.
Candidates with the No New Tax Party are bringing something unique to residents they meet on the campaign trail: News of the cash they are owed from New York state. The newly formed independent party is visiting the thousands of residents living in Rotterdam, Duanesburg and Princetown who appear on the state comptroller’s list of people with unclaimed funds. Brad Littlefield, who is running for District 4 legislator, said he and his fellow candidates on the No New Tax Party line spent hours scanning the publicly posted Web site in search of local addresses and then approached these residents with information on how to claim money that is owed to them by the state. “Our party is about trying to stand up for the taxpayers, trying to help them overcome overtaxation and to keep the money they’ve earned,” he said Tuesday. The comptroller’s office has roughly $8 billion worth of abandoned funds ranging from mere pennies to more than $1.7 million in one instance. This money was forwarded to the comptroller from a variety of sources, including old bank accounts, utility deposits, uncashed checks and insurance benefits. Littlefield said the No New Tax Party candidates are trying to raise awareness about the money. In some cases, he said residents were thoroughly unaware of the comptroller’s fund or that they were owed money from it. During one visit, Littlefield met a Rotterdam widower who didn’t have access to a computer and didn’t know she was owed money. At another household, he found a couple that had both lost their jobs and didn’t realize they were owed money back from the state government. The effort is also a non-expensive way to get the party’s message out to voters. Littlefield said the party, which doesn’t have the type of financial resources as the major parties do, must appeal to voters in a more grass-roots fashion. Littlefield said the visits have generally been well-received by residents but acknowledges that some are regarding the effort with skepticism. For instance, some of the posters at the online community forum rotterdamny.info found the approach too intrusive. ...................>>>>....................>>>>.............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01101&AppName=1
At least Justin gave a positive spin on the article and got the NNTP name out there some more. And the plug for this forum was nice too. Thanks Justin.
Unfound money and potential voters???? Sounds a bit dicey if you ask me. I am quite sure the motives here are for political gain and it is a queer way to garner support for one's candidacy. I can hear it now "I am voting for John Mertz because he found money on the Internet for me." Reminds me of Elmer Gantry. JMHO
Unfound money and potential voters???? Sounds a bit dicey if you ask me. I am quite sure the motives here are for political gain and it is a queer way to garner support for one's candidacy. I can hear it now "I am voting for John Mertz because he found money on the Internet for me." Reminds me of Elmer Gantry. JMHO
Yeah...Not like the good ole days, when Constantino would use the assessor's office to artificially keep a persons assessment low, in return for a vote. The days when building permits were optional for the politically connected.
Not sure what you are refering to Cicero. Do you have some data to bolster your claims? You seem to be living in the past in my opinion once again for political gain perhaps?
I have no idea what they do in Guilderland, Colonie, Niskayuna, Glenville etc. Why do you ask? Are you suggesting that other candidates for public office should be knocking on voter's doors telling them that they have "googled" thier name and guess what; "You have $10.00 sitting in unclaimed funds." Now remember me on Election Day because the rest of my Party forgot me on Primary Day. ROTFLMAO Whata bunch of poppycock. YIKES!
The deals were done with winks nods and handshakes. The reassessment would be the closest thing to a paper trail. There are many houses in Rotterdam where additions were built on, yet the new square footage was never reflected in their assessment. How is that possible?
The deals were done with winks nods and handshakes. The reassessment would be the closest thing to a paper trail. There are many houses in Rotterdam where additions were built on, yet the new square footage was never reflected in their assessment. How is that possible?
And what would that have to do with this thread? As I have stated many times before on the blog. When they voted Constantino out of office and Sigsnore won who did he appoint Assessor to reform the office? John MacIsaac, the former City of Schenectady Assessor who was fired then hired by Joe and full of winks and nods. Talk about touchy/feely. Joe's appointed assessor was stepping out with young boys. But once again you anti-dems "brain freeze" during the years you had control and lost it by your own doings.
I'm afraid Cicero you are facing the reality of history once again repeating it's self perhaps this time because of Steve's miscalulation in hiring Craig Surprise. Now back to this thread...
Dont worry....via BIOS pay clocks at jobs/Homeland security/Patriot Act and the consolidation of law enforcement and Enhanced ID's HIPPA, national healthcare etc etc......
the government will have no problem applying past relatives debt to us wrapped in a nice little package of 'winning the lotto'.... but they will probably charge a $1.00 fee on our phone bills to subsidize it....they probably already do
stay away and stay out--------
...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
I guess my subtle comparison eluded you. You made the claim that the candidates from the NNTP were looking to court votes by letting residents know they have unclaimed money owed to you by the government. I was reminding the readers that the old way of courting votes in Rotterdam was by not requiring certain permits and not reassessing houses that had an addition built, or allowing a certain business tying into the public sewers, or a certain resident receiving mulch compliment of the Town of Rotterdam. All for votes and campaign contributions.
Logged
