In seeking ways to reduce the City's 2011 Budget and stop any more tax increase, about a month ago, I spoke before the City Council. In my presentation, I suggested that the Mayor, the Council and the Department Heads demonstrate some exemplary leadership. I urged a 10% pay cut for all City employees. That alone, would reduce the Budget by nearly 4 Million Dollars.
I also urged the administration to abolish the taking home of nearly all city-owned vehicles. Some City employees live as far away as Lake Luzerne. We pay for the gas and vehicle wear and tear to the tune of at least 120 miles per day. That would be about 3 tankfuls of free fuel per week for the employee. I see no reason why any City employee needs to make personal use of the vehicles at the expense of us, the taxpayers.
Finally, I suggested the abolishment of unnecessary cell phones. Long before cell phones existed, the City had and still has a two-way radio system. It has worked well through the decades.
While it took me over 1 month to obtain the information appearing below, I invite you to see for yourself the waste of the hard-earned taxpayer's money on cell phones.
As far as I am concerned, only very few employees need the cell phone. Even at that, it would be generous.
If anyone can explain to me why 95% or more of these cell phones are necessary, I would love to understand the reasoning behind it.
This is a listing of all cellphones paid for by the city. Quoted Text Engineer Office10/09-Cassillo Engineer Pat Tremante Supervisor/Sewer J. Gage/Mechanic Gary Russell Crew Leader/Sewer Mark Cartier Crew Leader Vergine/Cole Emerg Sewer Maint Wkr Zingoni Asst. Crew Leader Mark Miller Crew Leader / Streets Dave Savigano Supervisor/Streets Babe Palleschi/emerg sewer Emerg Sewer Maint Wkr Ferrucci Emergency/Streets Tom Compoli Supervisor Phil Dodge Jr Eng Maynard Heavy Equipment Skalski Vehicle Maint Griffin, J. Crew Leader / Sewer J. Cartier Sewer/Camera Marc Carnivale Sewer Paul Lafond Waste Water Steve Caruso Asst. to Enginner Office Phone Dave Jegabbi Sr. Water Maint. Dave Delsalvatore Maint. Supervisor R. Ferrara-11/09 S. Pffaen Sr. Water Maint. Frank Mazzarella Plumbing inspector Art Clay WOF John Coluccio Superintendent Ed Montgomery Supervisor Bawan Karn IT Supervisor Bob Dickson Bld. Crew Leader D. Ottaviano Sign Maint. Super Sign Maintenance Sign Maint Worker Kevin Adriance Carpenter IT Data Spare IT Specialist Josh Homer IT IT Specialist Mike Burke Rec Supervisor Robert Farstad Fire Chief Office Phone Office Manager Varies CAR 22 Mark Fragomeni EMS Michael DellaRocco Asst. Chief Gillespie Capt. Command Vehicle Command Vehicle Command Vehicle Command Vehicle Fire 1 Fire 2 Fire 3 Fire 4 Fire 5 Truck 1 Truck 2 Dave Keenan CSO Carl Olsen Commissioner Bill Macejka Supervisor Kevin Regan CSO Office Phone Jeremy Howard Supervisor Tom Mallette Heavy Equipment Oper. Paul Demeo City Carpenter R. Voris Property Manage Sharon Pate Office Mike Burke CSO J. Macejka CSO Ray Smith SOLID WASTE SUPER C Andriano CSO J. Vitale Tree Trimmer Greg Davenport Supervisor Mark Rossette Parks Police Diane Marco Rec Supervisor Patrick Mastro Assessor Keith Lamp Bld. Insp R. Alois Supervisor CODE OFFICE T MIDDLETON Elec Insp. J MCINTOSH Inspector R KOCH Inspector D VISCARIELLO Inspector T VERRIGNI Inspector L PANICCIA Inspector T MAUCERI Inspector B MCDONLAD Inspector K GREY Inspector J ANGERAMI Inspector J PANGIONE Inspector John Paolino Commissioner Ismat Alam Director of Finance John Van Norden Corp Counsel P. Knuston Jr. Eng J. Troiano Inspector SATELLITE OFFICE City Hall Maint Cleaner Police Dept. Maint Cleaner Doug Faulisi Fire LT. James Penn Fire Arson Task Bob Muscanell Sewer Super David Etwaru Water Meter Reader Lou Mosher BOS Cleaner Brian Stratton Mayor
Police Department Name 921 922 923 924 ACO Adach Bachus Barbagelata Barnes, D. Barnes, JD Bennett Nowak Bonitatibus Borowski Brown, A STANDBY Buchanan Chaires Ciampolillo Clifford E. Clifford, S Crispino Crounse Dashnow Delaney STANDBY Dicarlo Digesualdo Disbrow STANDBY Domestic Viol Ericson Falvo Figueroa Forth Fraser Frisoni Glasser Green Grippo Hesch Hesnor Hotaling Kilcullen, B Kilcullen, K Krawiecki Kutil, R LaVare Lawyer Leguire Linyear Madden Marco Moore Moran Morris Moskow Pace Pardi Relyea Sanders H. Sanders J. Savoia Seber Sheldon Solomon Steele Stickney Tips Line Zelezniak
Some City employees live as far away as Lake Luzerne. We pay for the gas and vehicle wear and tear to the tune of at least 120 miles per day. That would be about 3 tankfuls of free fuel per week for the employee.
Has this been in any letters to the editor that I just missed?
Because that would get most people in this city seething.
The thought that we are providing essentially a "company car" for someone wh olives in Lake Lazurne.
Re the Oct. 21 article [“City eyes golf course revenue”] and Oct. 24 editorial [“Council must modify golf cart deal”] pertaining to golf cart revenue at Schenectady Municipal Golf Course: When you sign on the dotted line to become a golf professional, money is not the primary incentive — and the position of head golf professional at Schenectady Muny is no exception. The reports on my income are grossly false, and to this point not directly attributable to any particular source. I truly feel blessed to work at my favorite course; the course I grew up playing. Since my becoming head pro, the golf course has become a [valuable] asset and is quickly becoming noted as one of the fi nest facilities in the Northeast — as recognized by Golf Digest’s four-star rating. Pertaining to Ms. Moore’s reporting, I informed her in advance, via e-mail, that her information was incorrect and she would do well to look further into the numbers she was provided. Obviously she ignored that request, and also my request to be off the record since I hadn’t even spoken to anyone at the city about the golf contract. She twisted the fact in her article that I was willing to renegotiate my contract in a way that made it seem I was acknowledging making this sort of money — and that obviously a correction was needed. Ms. Moore was also informed in an e-mail that documentation to the contrary had already gone to several high-ranking city offi cials. She published the report anyway. The editorial referenced my lack of comment on the story. Of course I had no comment, as this is a matter between the city of Schenectady and me as a contracted partner. It would be extremely irresponsible and careless for me to comment without the consent of city management. If I had actually made $330,000 each year for the last six years, I would feel like a crook — and you should feel that way, too! If it were true, I would have already backed up the U-haul and made my way back to Augusta, Georgia, where I attended college. Instead I’ll stay here, working weekends and holidays as the profession mandates and continuing to nurture and love the course with the rolling hills, majestic pines and stately oaks that is Schenectady Municipal Golf Course.
Wow - Ms. Moore not reporting all the facts? Ms Moore intentionally publishing something she has been TOLD is incorrect? Ms. Moore not honoring an "off the record" conversation?
Call me SHOCKED, NOT!
Glad to see your tradition continues Ms. Moore. My only surprise is that this letter was actually published in this rag
I noticed the Gaz did "not" publish the letter I heard came from his CPA that breaks down his income and expenses to fulfill his employment obligations. The CPA indicated he earns around $200K and from that is all the operating expenses which the CPA says can be verified by contacting the city. He put his signature on it.
For a CPA to put his name on a document to a newspaper for printing says he is not afraid of it hurting his standing as a Licensed CPA. That letter would prove outright what type of reporter K. Moore is. Then again maybe they are still trying to figure out the math. Let's give them a week to investigate the facts presented and see if they will publish it. Yeah right.
Has this been in any letters to the editor that I just missed?
Because that would get most people in this city seething.
The thought that we are providing essentially a "company car" for someone wh olives in Lake Lazurne.
This is only the "tip of the iceberg." I used Lake Luzerne as an example because most people can relate to its distance from Schenectady. That was one employee but there may be others who live even further away from the city. The city has been withholding the information and I plan to make it known as soon as I can extract it from them.
Our taxes are high because Hugh Farley and his GOP cronies in the State Senate have done NOTHING about unfunded state mandates. 50% of our county budget is spent paying for these mandates.
Farley makes many times more money than most taxpayers from his public salary and public pension -- yet he sends the bill for his Hawaii and Disneyworld vacations to US .. the taxpayers. Farley was sitting on over $300,000 in campaign funds from fatcat bankers and financial firms --- yet he couldn't afford to pay for that August campaign mailer telling us that the state needs to cut spending .. but he sends the $80,000 bill for that mailer to US .. the taxpayers. He "talks "about cutting spending but he spent $3.6 million of taxpayer dollars on "personal services " in the last 4 years as our state senator. He "talks" about cutting taxes --- but he has voted over 500 times to raise our taxes in the 34 years he has been in the state senate.
Oh -- he says he believes in term limits and that 12 years is enough time for a state legislator EXCEPT that he need more time to do his work AFTER 34 YEARS on the job
and he says that Albany is dysfunctional and said ..quote .. that he "was a part of the problem" .... but he promises to do better if sent back.
FIRE THE BUM
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
Who controls NYS legislature DV, could it be the Dems. Party control
The New York State Legislature as of July 8, 2009, has Democratic majorities in both houses. To begin the 2009 session (elected November 200, Democrats had a 32-30 seat majority in the State Senate and, in the Assembly, Democrats have a 109-41 seat supermajority. However, the Republicans were able to regain control of the Senate during a leadership coup, in which two Democratic Senators voted with the GOP to install a Republican majority leader. The Democratic Senators regained control of Senate leadership on July 8, 2009.
Until 2009, the State Senate had been in Republican hands for decades. Among the top reasons for this include the more conservative upstate region holding more clout in the State Senate, as well as Long Island, where voters are increasingly trending toward the Democrats on the state and local levels continue to re-elect their incumbent state senators (some of whom have served for many years, such as 30+ year veteran, and most of whom have raised considerable amounts of money to deter challengers).
In recent years, Republicans in the State Senate have lost ground, particularly in Westchester County and New York City, though they still hold a few senate seats representing parts of Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island (which leans Republican at most levels of government). Economic troubles and population loss in upstate New York are also a factor, as Democratic-leaning areas of that region have become more important in recent elections. In the past, Democrats would occasionally switch parties when they ran for Senate so they could sit with the majority.
The Assembly has been dominated by Democrats for about 30 years, and Republicans have recently lost ground in this chamber as well. Between 2002 and 2005, the Republican conference dropped from 53 seats to 45. Republicans even lost some districts that historically have been reliably Republican, especially on Long Island. One crucial reason for the Democrats' dominance is that they control 64 of the 65 districts that are assigned to New York City (an extension of the party's dominance at most other levels in the city).
Our taxes are high because Hugh Farley and his GOP cronies in the State Senate have done NOTHING about unfunded state mandates. 50% of our county budget is spent paying for these mandates.
Farley makes many times more money than most taxpayers from his public salary and public pension -- yet he sends the bill for his Hawaii and Disneyworld vacations to US .. the taxpayers. Farley was sitting on over $300,000 in campaign funds from fatcat bankers and financial firms --- yet he couldn't afford to pay for that August campaign mailer telling us that the state needs to cut spending .. but he sends the $80,000 bill for that mailer to US .. the taxpayers. He "talks "about cutting spending but he spent $3.6 million of taxpayer dollars on "personal services " in the last 4 years as our state senator. He "talks" about cutting taxes --- but he has voted over 500 times to raise our taxes in the 34 years he has been in the state senate.
Oh -- he says he believes in term limits and that 12 years is enough time for a state legislator EXCEPT that he need more time to do his work AFTER 34 YEARS on the job
and he says that Albany is dysfunctional and said ..quote .. that he "was a part of the problem" .... but he promises to do better if sent back.
FIRE THE BUM
Oh gosh, you are making up so many stories. SHow me the legislation, the bills, SPONSORED by AND WRITTEN EXCLUSIVELY by Farley that directs that the state be prohibited from helping out counties and that counties must be for this and that. Heck YOU are the one that wants a LOCAL tax for ambulance....shouldn't it be a state run ambulance then? Shouldn't you be demanding that no LOCAL taxes fund REMS but instead it be paid at the state level?
YOu are really grasping at straws here, SO VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE YOUR BELOVED SAVAGE IS DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And remember, most of the mandates, inasmuch as we don't like them and we have issues with them, remember, if the county pays for half of the medicaid bill, that money in theory is being spent on our neighbors, our neighbors who have had their houses seized once then enter a nursing home and only have robbing them of their homes does medicaid pay, or it's our neighbors who may have never earned enough to have assets, maybe people who never worked---many times women who didn't work so may not even have Social security, and they wind up needing a nursing home and these mandates have us paying. In a way, It's still coming out of our pocket but to benefit the less fortunate.
On the other hand, YOUR BUDDY SAVAGE has raised our taxes SPECIFICALLY OUR LOCAL TAXES in order to give the money to people who do not need it. These downtown businesses have more than enough money to pay the FULL property tax bills. They could pay their property and school tax bills in their entirety and STILL live like royals.
When our money goes to these unfunded mandates, as you connect them to Farley, they are used primarily to support the poor. But the money that Savage takes is so she can give out tax exemptions to the rich.
Now, you still refuse to explain why you think it's justfied to take money away from the struggling lower income people and give it away to the well heeled.
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.
If you WORK for the City, you better LIVE in the City!!
Our tax dollars pay people who:
1. Don't live in Schenectady 2. Get rewarded with a free vehicle for living elsewhere (plus free gas) 3. Have a free cell phone to stay in contact with the City, their families and friends 4. Do not have a vested interest in the welfare of our City
These City workers also pay less taxes on their homes in other Counties. Millions wasted for City workers NOT to live in Schenectady. That's true injustice.
If you WORK for the City, you better LIVE in the City!!
Our tax dollars pay people who:
1. Don't live in Schenectady 2. Get rewarded with a free vehicle for living elsewhere (plus free gas) 3. Have a free cell phone to stay in contact with the City, their families and friends 4. Do not have a vested interest in the welfare of our City
These City workers also pay less taxes on their homes in other Counties. Millions wasted for City workers NOT to live in Schenectady. That's true injustice.
He has done great because there is only one party in the county. That was the plan all along. You get to pick: Stratton and the dems. or Stratton and the dems. Just like Russia.
"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."
Logged
, Democrats had a 32-30 seat majority in the State Senate and, in the Assembly, Democrats have a 109-41 seat supermajority. However, the Republicans were able to regain control of the Senate during a leadership coup, in which two Democratic Senators voted with the GOP to install a Republican majority leader. The Democratic Senators regained control of Senate leadership on July 8, 2009.
