Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
Lead paint cleanup grant to get a look
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    Schenectady Development Director Richard Purga is maneuvering to get the City Council to approve a new lead paint remediation program — even though the council laid off the only person trained to manage the complex federal project.
    Purga is planning a presentation for the council’s Monday meeting in which he will lay out all the reasons the council should take on the task.
    He also plans to argue that it won’t cost the city a cent.
    The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has offered Schenectady a $3.2 million grant. The city was supposed to match that with $300,000, but Purga got that reduced last October after the council balked at the price.
    Now the county may be willing to provide the match through inkind services.
    “There will be no direct expense to the city,” Purga said. The county will provide pinprick tests for lead in children’s blood, as well as outreach and education to young parents about the dangers of lead poisoning...............>>>>...........................>>>>.....................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01202&AppName=1

No cost to the taxpayers? Children get lead testing from their pediatricians at their scheduled exams (when they are vaccinated). So the County is going to re-test children??? Why?

Sorry folks, but this is yet another waste of money. Poor children (under the welfare system/medicaid) already get lead testing via County funds. To do this again is wasteful. Also, if these poor children are living in an apartment or house, it needs to be inspected by Section 8 or whatever housing authority they are receiving funds for. The lead paint issue is a deal breaker, so most landlords correct the problem.

So again, this 'free services' the County will hand out will be a double cost to the taxpayer and for what? Lead paint education? Over $3 million is going where? Who's pocket will this be lining?

Quoted from rachel72

Over $3 million is going where? Who's pocket will this be lining?

Stay tuned.  Periodically check the NYS Elections website and track the campaign contributions to the County Democrat Party.  I think a nice $5000 contribution to the Schenectady Democrat Party is worth a $3 million county contract.

Quoted from rachel72

No cost to the taxpayers? Children get lead testing from their pediatricians at their scheduled exams (when they are vaccinated). So the County is going to re-test children??? Why?

Sorry folks, but this is yet another waste of money. Poor children (under the welfare system/medicaid) already get lead testing via County funds. To do this again is wasteful. Also, if these poor children are living in an apartment or house, it needs to be inspected by Section 8 or whatever housing authority they are receiving funds for. The lead paint issue is a deal breaker, so most landlords correct the problem.

So again, this 'free services' the County will hand out will be a double cost to the taxpayer and for what? Lead paint education? Over $3 million is going where? Who's pocket will this be lining?

Exactly!!!!! Again....exploiting the taxpayers!

Why do I have to pay "state and federal mandates" to test kids in the city for lead?  

Why won't our leaders in the county ever "balk at the price" of anything?

Instead of rejecting this moronic federal plan the County gets more involved. No one can afford this. There is no staff to administer it and the staff from the previous abatement program was incompetent. The City does not need a Development Department. This entire office should have been abolished in December.

     Every neighboring County is belt tightening and waking up to massive cuts in State largess. Not Schenectady County. Landslide Savage keeps plowing ahead with militant indifference to the oppressed County taxpayers. No wonder Schenectady County has the 15th highest County property tax rate IN THE ENTIRE NATION. This is UP from 19th HIGHEST a couple years ago. Unless major changes happen in November we will make the top ten.

the businesses not paying taxes should 'sponsor' this.....BECAUSE THEY CAN....raise money via proctors shows.....

Quoted from senders

the businesses not paying taxes should 'sponsor' this.....BECAUSE THEY CAN....raise money via proctors shows.....

Then 'miraculously' the 3 million dollar grant would go to downtown....you know....there's a lot of lead down there??????? The taxpayers will never see this 3 million dollars, it will be swallowed up by some 'Lead Ambassador' position created by the LEG.

How much will go towards admin. job creation/   Actual use?   ala CDBG$

It's always about who makes how much money.

Quoted from rachel72

The taxpayers will never see this 3 million dollars, it will be swallowed up by some 'Lead Ambassador' position created by the LEG.

Or the same "favored" contractors. Save money?-lol. This will cost the taxpayers millions in new staff/idiot administrators with little actual "remediation". When the City DEMS ran it before a total mess with zero accountability and all the money went poof!

Quoted from Shadow

It's always about who makes how much money.

In Schenectady County, it's a free-for-all. Keep bringing in the useless grants and spend $300,000 of the taxpayer money. Then when the State forks over the $3 million, well, then the 'leaders' can create bogus jobs, hire friends and family and keep the taxpayers in complete despair.

All the money coming into Schenectady County via 'lead' grants, 'low-salt-intake' grants, a $19 million dollar Erie Blvd circle and Metroplex have all been wasted. Wasted because there has been no job growth, no tax base increase, no ease on the taxpayer burden....NOTHING! Money keeps coming into the county, but it's not helping anyone....

On the contrary Rachel, the ruling political class has a lot of rich friends from the grants to contribute to their campaigns.

Quoted from rachel72

Then 'miraculously' the 3 million dollar grant would go to downtown....you know....there's a lot of lead down there??????? The taxpayers will never see this 3 million dollars, it will be swallowed up by some 'Lead Ambassador' position created by the LEG.

oh no,,,,they dont get to use the grant $$....they get to match it...and use billboards to advertise their 'good works'.....

I'm not quite sure which would be more disturbing, a billboard of Morris or one of Savage. Can't say I'd want to drive past that everyday?!? At least the size of a billboard would match their over-inflated egos.