SCHENECTADY City to enforce rule on residency Acting mayor, challenger support requirement BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
A job with the city will soon come with a condition: a Schenectady address. Acting Mayor Gary McCarthy intends to enforce the city’s residency law, which former Mayor Brian U. Stratton ignored. Stratton argued that the law — requiring most city employees to live in the city — would force him to take less-qualified candidates because some of the best wouldn’t move to Schenectady. But McCarthy said living here would create better employees. “As we map out a course for the neighborhoods, having city employees living in the neighborhoods will make them more responsive,” McCarthy said, after a meeting in which the City Council agreed to enforce the law. McCarthy’s opponent in the mayoral election, Alliance Party founder Roger Hull, also wants to enforce the residency law. “When you have a law on the books, and you’re the chief law enforcement officer — that’s what the mayor is — then you enforce the law,” he said. “If you do not like the law, you seek to change it.” Hull said he supports the law and promised not to hire anyone who is not willing to live in the city. ...............>>>>.......................>>>>...................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00900&AppName=1
"Where were they the past 8 years-including the acting Mayor?" asked Roger Hull. Great question. They are only finally enforcing it because they hear the footsteps. The same folks that looked the other way for years are now getting tough-lol.
I think they should live in the worst parts of the city though. Not the more wealthy areas. Then they can see what life in the 'hood' is really like. Maybe then something good will come of it.
Does McCarthy plan to direct all CURRENT employees, uh, department heads, to move to the city, i.e., give them perhaps 30 deays?
If they don't move within an allotted amount of time, is the acting mayor prepared to terminate them and hire replacements?
Is McCarthy's comments just political jibberish to get elected and then IF he got elected he would allow them to continue living where they are, assuming he kept the same department heads?
If directed to all current employees, what, if any, would hardship issue be part of the equation, i.e. if the employee owns a house, puts it up for sale, and no one is buying, would McCarthy, or Hull if that's the case, expect the employee to pay a mortgage outside the city AND mortgage inside the city (or rent)?
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.
This will go nowhere. The hardship factor will prevail as this is an option to be used at their (Mayor/Council) discretion. Given the state of the economy the exemptions will be justified somehow. Only chance that this MIGHT work is homes outside of the city sell faster than the ones in the city. Only problem is the employee may feel they are downgrading their quality of life by relocating here. There are not a majority of nicer neighborhoods to pick from. But that is dependant on what your definition of a nice neighborhood is. But given these factors, it would be encouraging to see some relocate here and set an example of faith in the employer where they pick the ripest fruit, only to spend it elsewhere, and enriching that area. They are aiding in the continued financial decline of the city by not recycling the $$$ back via taxes etc. and by not helping restablish the value of the housing stock. This would also help them long term with employment security via a more solvent city has more to offer. That is unless all their pay is guaranteed regardless of the citys fiscal house condition.
Schenectady's biggest cheerleader cerrtainly won't be bestowed a political patronage job in return for his cheering for highg taxes, he'd NEVER move into the city. Of course, without a job the cheerleader couldn't a mortgage, and he'd probably fail a credit check for a rental. But heck, why becone an independent adult went you can live a child's life.
Hey mayber some of the dept heads will buy Ely's house. Anyone betting that Son of Sam will move out of the city? Perhaps Susie Q will move out of Schdy co?
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.
which former Mayor Brian U. Stratton ignored. Stratton argued that the law — requiring most city employees to live in the city — would force him to take less-qualified candidates because some of the best wouldn’t move to Schenectady.
now ain't that a kick in the teeth.....he just didn't want to live his life out like a hippocrit.....taking a MADE UP POSITION via the Cuomo Gumba..... I wonder what Savage says????hhhhmmmmhhhhhmmmmm..........they are SKIMMERS
...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 have more good idea. How about if both owners as well as employees of a business that is paid for even in part with taxpayer money (grants, tax exemptions, plexy money), those people must live in the city too.
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.
SCHENECTADY McCarthy’s two-hat role in city complicates residency board idea BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
Having one man acting as both mayor and City Council president has created an awkward situation as the council tries to recreate the residency board. The board, which determines which city employees must live in Schenectady, is supposed to be controlled by the mayor and the council. The mayor can hire workers who don’t live here, but the council president’s designees have the majority vote on the residency board. As a checks-and-balances system, it works like this: The mayor and the corporation counsel (an attorney chosen by the mayor) sit on the board, with one vote each. Then the council president selects three people (usually, council members), who also have one vote each. But with Gary McCarthy performing both roles, the system now allows him to hire the outof-city employees (as the mayor), then select every member of the residency board (as both council president and mayor) and also vote on whether the employee must move here. McCarthy wants the council to change the board so that the mayor has no power over the residency board. “The mayor makes the appointment,” he told the council last week, arguing that the board should serve as a check on the mayor. “My personal thought is the mayor should not sit on this board.” .............................>>>>.......................>>>>...............................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01703&AppName=1
This whole thing is going nowhere. The one that actually lived in the City, Chief Farstad, has retired. If McCarthy was smart he would have let Sharon Jordan be acting Mayor, while controlling things from the Council chair. The best thing McCarthy has going for him is Roger Hull who keeps lining his inner circle with evil Al flunk outs.
Yeah, ask McCarthy WHEN he's going to mandate that the new fire chief move INTO the city ??????
McCarthy is just a bunch or hogwash, just like his predecessor. His blabber about residency is just empty words as part of his campaign. The dept heads all know that the city is the worst place to live, land or highest taxes, extraordinarily high crime rate, a city full of trash, bums, and drunkards.
So of course those dept heads don't have a care in the world about keeping their budgets low for the taxpayers. And the politicians don't care either, they get high paid, big benefits, and probably payoffs by those millioniares downtown.
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.
Take another look at the City Finance Department-Rotterdam pols as far as the eye can see. One Nisky resident thrown in for "diversity". Pathetic doesn't begin to describe it. And yes there are plenty of capable residents who could do much better than these Stratton leftovers.