SCHENECTADY ‘Our work is not nearly done’ Mayor touts new business, puts corrupt corner stores on notice BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
The mayor is taking aim at corner stores that encourage the drug trade, he announced in his State of the City address. “They foster an environment of drug activity, buy stolen merchandise, their accounting is creative at best and they clearly have a negative impact on our neighborhoods,” Mayor Gary McCarthy said. While many corner stores are good, strong businesses, he said, he has a long list of ones that need to be scrutinized. He plans to meet with each owner, along with the police chief, building inspector and fi re chief. The message will be clear, he said. “If they don’t play by the rules, I want them out of business,” he said. He also told the Common Council that the city is prospering — citing many new businesses and specifi cally thanking a dozen business owners who were in attendance. “As you look around our city, you can see the results of our efforts,” he said. “However, our work is not nearly done.” The city government’s fi nances are “stable” and the city would have a slight surplus for 2013, he said. The books will be closed in March, so an exact figure is not yet available. On the topic of saving money, he unveiled a new recycling campaign, dubbed “It starts with me.” The campaign includes a colorful, childlike scribble of the phrase, which McCarthy said could be used to attract children to start recycling. “The rules, the goal, the benefi ts of recycling are fairly simple to understand,” he said. “It’s something that a fifth- or sixth-grader gets.” The city is also getting help from Union Graduate College, McCarthy said. A team of MBA students, who need to do a capstone project to finish their degree, will work on the city’s HOMES project. The goal of Homeownership Made Easy in Schenectady is to sell distressed houses here, but it hasn’t been simple to set up. The marketing part of the project has been running smoothly, with monthly open houses and many houses sold. But selling distressed houses has proved harder, and McCarthy has said that each house seems to have unique challenges that must be solved to make a sale. Now the graduate students will look at it from a business perspective. Their teacher, Mel Chudzik, said they will create a marketing plan and a financial plan for the program. “How can we put these homes and properties back on the tax roll?” he said. “He has a product: homes and properties. To me, it looks like a business.” Student Molly MacElroy said the team is focusing on streamlining the entire process. “From initial point of contact to closing,” she said, adding that many potential customers don’t have key information, including city requirements or a list of banks that offer mortgages through the program. They will complete their work in 10 weeks. City Council members received McCarthy’s speech enthusiastically, and Councilman Carl Erikson thanked the mayor for creative solutions to long-standing problems. “Just taking a different perspective to things, thinking in new ways,” he said, citing in particular the new paving system that costs much less than completely rebuilding roads. COUNCIL FAREWELL In other business, the council said goodbye to Councilwoman Denise Brucker, who moved two weeks ago to her new home in Niskayuna. As a Niskayuna resident, she is no longer eligible to be a council member. She announced a week ago that she would resign after Monday’s meeting. McCarthy thanked her for her years of service and handed her a key to the city. “I wasn’t quite sure what to give you,” he said before revealing it and adding, “in case you ever change your mind and want to get back in.” Brucker wished the city well, noting how much it has changed since she took offi ce in 1998. “Really the re-creation of Schenectady,” she said. “It looked a lot different than it does now. The streets are crowded! There’s all these people and restaurants.” She said she couldn’t take credit for it. “None of it could be done by one council member, a city council, or an administration, but certainly as a team,” she said. Then she thanked the business owners who had moved in. “You make us look good,” she said. McCarthy recalled Brucker’s “tenacity,” while Erikson praised her experience and Councilwoman Leesa Perazzo said Brucker had been a mentor who taught her the job. “I learn from you every meeting,” she said. “You ask really thoughtful questions. I’m going to miss you terribly.” Even Councilman Vince Riggi, the only non-Democrat on the council, offered praise to the woman with whom he has often disagreed sharply.
Some stores on Albany St and State St are obviously involved in the drug trade, dealers are hanging out openly in front of these stores all day long. This has been a problem for years and is nothing new. But don't worry McCarthy is going to talk to them
"In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."
Of course McCarthy wants to close these mom and pop businesses down so he can give more money to The Galesi Group of businesses. Look at what happened to Rudnick's on State Street they closed because McCarthy and company wanted her out of business to make more room for more tax exempt restaurants! McCarthy WAR ON LANDLORDS AND NOW SMALL BUSINESSES. Drug dealers are the ones who are voting DEMOCRATS because they are the WELFARE recipients. Word of advice McCarty put your cops to walk the streets then Drug Dealers will go away. Stop giving them fancy sports cars to drive around town that is not crime fighting. Stop blaming the residents for your lack of leadership. More boarded up houses along with Store fronts to come in Schenectady. Stay tuned.
altho this sounds great in theory............drugs are being sold/used EVERYWHERE!!! And don't tell us that they don't know it. Cause if the average resident sees it first hand, so should these folks in law enforcement who have had extensive training in drug activity. A simple handshake ANYWHERE can be a drug transaction. I'm not saying that these stores are innocent and issues shouldn't be addressed. But....if ya close these stores, the drug business will just move elsewhere. It's a VERY lucrative business.....even downtown!!!
I guess I just don't see where this is going to solve ANYTHING! But time will tell....yes?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
some are in BJ's and buy in quantity.....then sell overpriced......but then again.....unfortuantely, some citizens are looking to make and easy buck..
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So what if they are buying in BJ's. So do some of the upscale restaurants. Anyway....it is a buyer beware issue. And everyone knows that the smaller mom and pops can't compete with larger stores and prices are higher. That's a given. Just go into cumbys or stewarts or any convenient store....prices are higher! So don't frequent them. The consumer has the power!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
You guys are missing the big picture here. It is not about the stores products. It is about the Mayor and Democrats expanding their death grip of control and power over Schenectady's small businesses. They already pocketed Proctors and most non profits in Schenectady. If you don't tow the line with the DEMOCRATS YOU WILL BE OUT OF BUSINESS.This is the simple message they are sending to these business owners.
I believe the Mayor is doing exactly what his DEM party wants...to make Schenectady a HUGE welfare ghetto!
From the Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority's website: "Since our first 217 units in 1938, the Authority has grown to encompass seven conventional housing developments serving a total of 1,018 low-income families. Three properties, Schonowee Village, Ten Eyck Apartments and Lincoln Heights, serve the elderly and disabled, while four other properties, Yates Village, Steinmetz Homes, MacGathan Townhouses and Maryvale Apartments, serve families with children. The Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program serves the housing needs of 1,387 households throughout the City of Schenectady."
I'm sure these numbers are far greater now.
You reap what you sow McCarthy. The people who know how to abuse and defraud the welfare system come to Schenectady because it's easy to do!! The County and City are attracting those thugs, the drug dealers, the criminals who can make a living off of stealing social services which many people critically need!
The Galesi Group is on the other end of the spectrum. They build in Schenectady because the State and Metroplex hand them millions in grant money and they are the most tax-evading criminals disguised as a 'business'.
Both thieves, both abusing the government and both suffocating and forcing the taxpayers in Schenectady into bankruptcy and foreclosure.
This is a strategy by the Mayor and Democrats attempt to silence the business owner critics who criticizes Metroplex and the tax free downtown.
It depends on who they go after and why, everyone knows some stores are selling or allowing dealers to use their stores as fronts. These places are a crime magnets and many people have to walk by these stores everyday to get to work or school. These are not your mom and pop stores you grew up in, these places are obviously drug spots. Shutting them down might not solve the problem but a heavier police presence might could make it so they don't feel invisible which is how they feel now.
"In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."
"In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."
It depends on who they go after and why, everyone knows some stores are selling or allowing dealers to use their stores as fronts. These places are a crime magnets and many people have to walk by these stores everyday to get to work or school. These are not your mom and pop stores you grew up in, these places are obviously drug spots. Shutting them down might not solve the problem but a heavier police presence might could make it so they don't feel invisible which is how they feel now.
Back in the day it was EXACTLY the same. Store fronts used for illegal gambling and other illegal activities. Everybody knew this illegal activity was going on, but folks turned a blind eye since they had jobs, taxes were low, schools were good and crime was low....and of course there was no METROPLEX/GILLEN!!!
The GE/UNION did a much better job of controlling the city's government officials and cops.....yes?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Back in the day it was EXACTLY the same. Store fronts used for illegal gambling and other illegal activities. Everybody knew this illegal activity was going on, but folks turned a blind eye since they had jobs, taxes were low, schools were good and crime was low....and of course there was no METROPLEX/GILLEN!!!
The GE/UNION did a much better job of controlling the city's government officials and cops.....yes?
Most of those activities back then were done on the inside in backrooms, we probably all heard the stories of the card games that took place in some of the businesses around here. Nobody cared because the people running them weren't animals who would shoot their mothers for a buck, plus everyone knew each other so it was a close knit group, most were hard working people who had jobs and families, it was never about street cred or turf like today.
"In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."
Remember all the NEWSROOMS Schenectady used to support? Were Schenectadians really that interested in news? Where does McCheese get off making accusations about these businesses? Creative accounting? I'll show you "creative" accounting! Did he not read the article about Proctor's. Inc? in the local paper? Oh, I suppose that doesn't count, because it isn't a "business", is it? Here's some more creativity - "Schenectady finances are stable, Schenectady will have a surplus". Notice how the "over a hundred" houses sold has now become "many" houses sold? So now he's going to enlist graduate students to push propaganda about the real estate market, because graduate students are 'smart', right? Guess what? People who should've been smarter than that, buying into the propaganda, is what caused the mess of all the foreclosed and abandoned homes in the first place! Buyers who are doing their own research, not listening to the 'experts', are avoiding Schenectady like the plague, and they will continue to do so, no matter what desperate measures McCheese takes. Can you imagine, you are struggling to run a business in some area like HH, maybe on Albany Street, which the city has let go all to hell, and here comes the mayor, like he's Elliot Ness or something, talking tough and accusing you of all kinds of crime? If they have evidence, come back with a warrant, shut the place down, otherwise, how's about you and the out-of-town commissioner turn around and leave. What nerve. Don't they have some suspicious fires to investigate, or something?
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