Re May 14 article, “Study: City tops the list for taxes”: Schenectadians owe the Gazette reporters a debt of gratitude for writing about the city’s bad conditions. Michael Lamendola’s May 14 piece is a case in point. It is the kind of news our representatives will not tell us. City officials create problems but put the blame on others. For instance, Acting Mayor Gary McCarthy said, “one way to effectively control high taxes is for the state to limit mandates.” He forgets that he consistently votes to give city jobs to nonresidents. Schenectady has a residency law which every office holder swears to uphold. Officials ignore the law. Nonresidents pay real estate taxes to other communities. These workers include teachers, policemen, fi remen, city department heads and others. This list represents a lot of people who tap into the same financial pot but do not contribute to it. As a result of such a practice, the council is responsible for the city’s fi - nancial shortfall and high taxes — not state legislators. Overspending is another problem that keeps taxes at a high level. The council spends too much. Members need not look very far to eliminate budget items. One way is to stop spending money on fluoride. Albany never has put fl uoride in its drinking water. Schenectady’s City Council continues to fund fluoride in its yearly budget. Get rid of this expense. Medical coverage for part-time council members is another expense that keeps city taxes high. The city has no contractual obligation to offer medical insurance to elected offi cials. Seven years ago, the item was removed from Amsterdam’s budget. Schenectady can do it, too.
It's much worse than that. A couple years ago McCarthy was the only NO! vote on the City budget that increased taxes 3%. The increase was not enough. The Lisa Russo of the City Council.
State Mandates are a pitiful excuse that City taxpayers are tired of hearing. Get another fall guy. Go back to Frank Duci 20 years ago. The City needs to freeze hiring, close Departments, end the free car plan, end the free phone plan and get real with the new realities of Governor Cuomo.
Logged
It's much worse than that. A couple years ago McCarthy was the only NO! vote on the City budget that increased taxes 3%. The increase was not enough. The Lisa Russo of the City Council. 
