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Schenectady will revive residency law
Mayor Stratton's exit triggers new emphasis
By Lauren Stanforth Staff Writer
Published 12:00 a.m., Thursday, March 3, 2011

SCHENECTADY -- Now that Mayor Brian U. Stratton is leaving, the City Council plans to enforce the city's employee residency requirement that's been ignored his administration.

Council President Gary McCarthy, who is expected to handle mayoral duties after Stratton leaves to head the New York State Canal Corp. next month, said the council will require new employees to live in Schenectady in accordance with a city code on the books since 1988. A residency board, which hears appeals from those who wish to live outside the city, will also be revived.

The council could have challenged Stratton on the issue over the past seven years, but "people have been overly polite in trying to avoid controversy," McCarthy said.

The code requires new employees who don't live in Schenectady to move within six months of hiring. Anyone who is employed in city government would not be subjected to the Council's new enforcement of the code.

"When you appoint people to these positions, they become community leaders," McCarthy said. "They should live here."........................>>>>.....................>>>>...................Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/defa.....18.php#ixzz1FXIOvnKt

Stratton promised the same thing when he campaigning. Why didn't McCarthy push this during his decades in City "leadership"? He sat there and ridiculed residents who demanded any action to enforce existing City codes.

It's such BS...."acronym" does have a double meaning here.

Yes, how come, HOW COME McCarthy didn't insist on it before??????   After all it's not like the issue has not come up.  

And think of this.   That Mary McClaine frequently brings the issue up during POF.   And in response to her comments, what does DV's dem buddy Gary do????   At the conclusion of her three minutes, he makes wisecrack, sarcastic remarks about and to her.  Could he ever make a comment like "yes I agree Mary" ??? NOPE.  

Because McCarthy is a TOTAL FAKE

No surprise here.  Was totally expected.   Expect to see more of this parceling out of concessions from the current regime.   With other challengers nipping at the heels, the fishing line gets looser with the bait to attract voters and pacify the detractors.   It's effectiveness is already a wash in light of the budget crunch where the liklihood of that many new hires is remote.   And in fact where a projected deficit for next year looms likely, there could be layoffs and no new hires anyway, making it all moot.    The only real benefits to the city would be a retroactive enforcement of the residency rule say from 1988, when said rule was enacted but never enforced. But with this amount of time passage and the difficulty to sell ones house to relocate here, it would be a hugh request.   But if the solvency of the city is to improve some form of financial infusion is needed.   And not the bailout type, but an influx of home buying.   This stabilizes the housing stock AND begins to rebuild the neighborhoods which we can all agree are in desperate need of rebuilding.   With the help of some city employees considering to return to the city,even with some short term property tax relief (why not it's done for downtown etc.) the rebuilding process could be initiated.    Just think, the image of the city worker would change from just takers, to givers.  This definitley would help the citys overall image and have a citywide return, not one thats focused on only downtown.   One would think that the employees would realize that they have a vested interest in the citys survival as there paycheck depends on it's solvency,unless their pay is guaranteed by other means.   The property taxes are not going to suffice much longer.   New avenues must be explored.