but that doesn't mean the politicians and developers don't care and are trying to rob you blind. They just haven't done a good job on their end to make good things happen for everyone.
True, they have done a good job for the millionaires and billionaires downtown.
You mean they are NOT trying to rob the homeowners blind? Then why to they exempt the millionaires and billionaires from paying taxes and make the families making a pittance of $40,000 a year pay the taxes of the rich?
You are saying they are NOT trying to rob the homeowners blind? Then explain this. They exempt the rich from paying property and school taxes which forces them to increase the taxes on the families making $30,000, $40,000, $50,000. And tell us what happens if these lower income families do NOT pay the taxes???? The city takes their homes.
But that's not robbery? Making lower income people pay the taxes of millionaires and billionaires is NOT robbery?
Do these millionaires and billionaires live IN the city? Do they even live IN the county? There are only two that I believe live IN the county of Schenectady One is Mallozzi's and they have really been able to build some super lavish homes off the money that they saved by not having to pay taxes on their brand new building which was largely also paid for by the taxpayers.
Homeowners can't afford to make necessary repairs to their homes but Mallozzi's got a new business property largely on the backs of these hoomeowners AND Mallozzi's were able to build lavish new houses because poor homeowners in the city were taxed so high, AND some homeowners even lost their homes so Mallozzi's could have lavish palaces in which to live.
The other is King Philip who used to live in the city but could not handle living in the crime infested city so he fled. Then he started trying to sell his city house but can't because NO ONE wants to buy a house IN the city. Morris is so over his head in mortgages on his city house, it actually serves him right. He get's paid a quarter of a million dollars in taxpayer paid salary and then LIED on an official legal document just so he could STEAL more money from the taxpayers - make the taxpayers pay his STAR exemption.
Where does the billionaire Galesi live? He makes sure he doesn't live in this high taxed city, among all the abandoned houses. Ditto the Hilton family, the head of Paul Mitchell
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.
True, they have done a good job for the millionaires and billionaires downtown.
You mean they are NOT trying to rob the homeowners blind? Then why to they exempt the millionaires and billionaires from paying taxes and make the families making a pittance of $40,000 a year pay the taxes of the rich?
You are saying they are NOT trying to rob the homeowners blind? Then explain this. They exempt the rich from paying property and school taxes which forces them to increase the taxes on the families making $30,000, $40,000, $50,000. And tell us what happens if these lower income families do NOT pay the taxes???? The city takes their homes.
But that's not robbery? Making lower income people pay the taxes of millionaires and billionaires is NOT robbery?
Do these millionaires and billionaires live IN the city? Do they even live IN the county? There are only two that I believe live IN the county of Schenectady One is Mallozzi's and they have really been able to build some super lavish homes off the money that they saved by not having to pay taxes on their brand new building which was largely also paid for by the taxpayers.
Homeowners can't afford to make necessary repairs to their homes but Mallozzi's got a new business property largely on the backs of these hoomeowners AND Mallozzi's were able to build lavish new houses because poor homeowners in the city were taxed so high, AND some homeowners even lost their homes so Mallozzi's could have lavish palaces in which to live.
The other is King Philip who used to live in the city but could not handle living in the crime infested city so he fled. Then he started trying to sell his city house but can't because NO ONE wants to buy a house IN the city. Morris is so over his head in mortgages on his city house, it actually serves him right. He get's paid a quarter of a million dollars in taxpayer paid salary and then LIED on an official legal document just so he could STEAL more money from the taxpayers - make the taxpayers pay his STAR exemption.
Where does the billionaire Galesi live? He makes sure he doesn't live in this high taxed city, among all the abandoned houses. Ditto the Hilton family, the head of Paul Mitchell
Yada, Yada, Yada. Unlike senders you miss the point.
"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix,"
im sorry but theres nothing left to loot here in the city
"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix,"
when the development of certain areas consists of walmart/nail art/dollar stores/videogame stores it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know what the income demographic is of an area.
Downtown is a rich man's playground off the backs of the everyone else....our reward is $15/hour jobs(more like $10), servicing them via waiting tables, serving drinks, cleaning their hotel sheets, maybe even dealing their cards at a table,healthcare workers....
we will have to survive with dollar stores/walmarts and the like.....
like I said, there is a pre-determined income cap......is it purposeful? that remains to be seen, but it is subsidized by the government none the less.....
we shouldn't have to go through the hassle of a STAR rebate....really? a tax rebate....does that not sound stupid to anyone else....
get the tax levy right with the right cost for value.....we see everyone else getting their raises in government but the rest of us have to do a little dance and beg the state for a little help...how dehumanizing.......
this playground is well planned out.....will there be a walmart-like store downtown? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
it's all about the dumping in the outskirts of the county and if those towns aren't prepared or well planned out what do we think the results will be?
...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
There is absolutely NO such thing as a "permanent" tax exemption. The person who keeps posting that either a) knows better and is lying or b) doesn't know better and should do some homework. Either way, the constant negative comments about others only proves that the poster (he/she) has an ax to grind and is not being objective in his/her comments.
Well I DEFY YOU to provide the EVIDENCE of the END DATE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Come on PROVE IT
Well, where are you DV?????? You have not responded yet to state what is the end year of those tax exemptions that you claim are not permanent.
Why no response?
Prove me wrong DV. Provide the EVIDENCE. Show us ALL the end year to prove that I am lying. Do you have the GUTS to go to OFFICIAL GOVERMENT RECORDS and post the link HERE that shows the end date?????? Well????????
My homework has shown the following - ONCE AGAIN. Hey, I welcome YOU DV, to provide EVIDENCE to disprove what OFFICIAL REORDS show.
Well DV, please, do you have the intelligence to state the END YEARS of these tax exemption given by YOUR BUDDIES to a MULTIBILLIONAIRE (who can MORE THAN AFFORD to pay FULL taxes)?????? Well????? Come on DV, we are ALL waiting for YOU to respond with the END YEAR AND PROVIDE EVIDENCE
HELLO, where are you DV?????? You have not responded yet to state what is the end year of those tax exemptions that you claim are not permanent.
Why no response?
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.
Click on the member center link at the top of the page. That will put you on your profile page. On the right hand side of your profile page under the heading Personal Forum Preferences, click on User Message Block. On that page enter the username of the person you wish to block and then click save.
For all intents and purposes that users posts will no longer appear when you browse the forum. There are some caveats however. If you're not signed in to the forum, then of course the blocked users post will still appear. Also if someone quotes a blocked user while responding to them, then the blocked users posts will appear in the quote box. Not a perfect blocking mechanism by any means, but somewhat helpful.
Hope this helps.
"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix,"
MC...you must love being the "OILER" on this blog......why do u waste your time and energy on something that gets you nowhere...
the only remarks I make is when I see others quote this troll.......it is the same old conversation....with the same old theme....but with different words..
you need to get a grip or get some therapy...it may help you to know....you want to win with this guy...
but what you are doing is just stirring and stirring......you will never get a realistic answer.....this troll is not realistic and needs to get a life beyond
like on another planet......he's a good candidate for a rocket to the furtherest planet....
just sayin'....you quote....he yawns...what the hell is that.....maybe you both should shake hands and come out fighting...
MC does a LOT of great research and brings a LOT of great things to the discussion.
The only place I think they might want to restrain a bit is rehashing the exact same material again just to throw it in front of DV.
There is NOTHING int he world that is going to change DV's story about the supposed Renaissance. There are people in the world that believe if you just think positive hard enough, wonderful things will happen. No matter what the financial outlook for the city, the dilapidated streets, abandoned homes, surging taxes... I could go on and on... DV will cling to the fact that 3-5 blocks of downtown look great and our (incompetent) mayor is doing a great job, and our "city / county" is "back".
And if you lived your life within that ~5 block area - or along the improved Erie Boulevard, that argument might hold water. Unfortunately the rest of the city is falling apart... And to be honest even if our mayor wasn't abysmally inept, I am not sure anything could be done to stop it at this point.
Eventually we will need to declare bankruptcy. But that bankruptcy will not address systemic problems of old infrastructure, crime ridden neighborhoods, with a dwindling tax base (abandoned homes), with low paying jobs compared to the GE hay day.
MC does a LOT of great research and brings a LOT of great things to the discussion.
The only place I think they might want to restrain a bit is rehashing the exact same material again just to throw it in front of DV.
There is NOTHING int he world that is going to change DV's story about the supposed Renaissance. There are people in the world that believe if you just think positive hard enough, wonderful things will happen. No matter what the financial outlook for the city, the dilapidated streets, abandoned homes, surging taxes... I could go on and on... DV will cling to the fact that 3-5 blocks of downtown look great and our (incompetent) mayor is doing a great job, and our "city / county" is "back".
And if you lived your life within that ~5 block area - or along the improved Erie Boulevard, that argument might hold water. Unfortunately the rest of the city is falling apart... And to be honest even if our mayor wasn't abysmally inept, I am not sure anything could be done to stop it at this point.
Eventually we will need to declare bankruptcy. But that bankruptcy will not address systemic problems of old infrastructure, crime ridden neighborhoods, with a dwindling tax base (abandoned homes), with low paying jobs compared to the GE hay day.
To set the record straight, I have always stated that there are problems and issues that still need to be addressed. However, I do believe and there is strong evidence if anyone care to just take a look around that our community is beginning to move in a positive direction. AND IT IS NOT JUST #_% BLOCKS DOWNTOWN. Compared to a little over 10 years when everything was looking bleak and sliding further and further, all one has to do is look around to see the signs that TODAY things are better than they were under the "old regime." Is it perfect and trouble free? Absolutely not. Is it better than it was? My answer - absolutely yes.
Yes, I do give credit to Mayor McCarthy and the City Council (all of the members including Mr. Riggi) and to the County Legislature (all of the members including the Republican members) and to Ray Gillen and his team at Metroplex/County Economic Development. You certainly won't here anyone else who posts here giving even a shred of credit to our local leaders. Are they perfect? No. Do I always agree with them? No. Am I afraid to let them know that I disagree with them? Absolutely not. The difference is that when I disagree or have an issue with anyone - I take it up directly with the person. I don't have to run it up a flag pole or post it here.
The he/she nayboob (supposedly a husband & wife team - but who can tell for sure) cuts and pastes a bunch of stuff to fit his/her view of reality. He/she ignores any positive information. He/she has also been known to "modify" the posts of other people to distort and lie. He/she has been known to continually post lies and misinformation about our community and anyone who disagrees with him/her. He/she has been known to drag the names and information (real and imagined) of relatives of people that he/she disagrees with onto this board. He/she has also resorted to creating and using fake usernames to pretend to be other people to cause trouble. I have no use for him/her because he/she has no credibility and is, in my opinion based on his/her actions and statements, a psychopathic nut case that will probably end up on the front page like Charles Manson or some other delusional creep on crime spree.
Finally, I challenge all of the naysayers and complainers to lay out a strategy to revitalize the neighborhoods without first revitalizing downtown? How do you lower taxes without working on improving the tax base in our urban core? How do you improve infrastructure without spending money? How do you accomplish anything by doing (what they seem to suggest) nothing?
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
Finally, I challenge all of the naysayers and complainers to lay out a strategy to revitalize the neighborhoods without first revitalizing downtown? How do you lower taxes without working on improving the tax base in our urban core? How do you improve infrastructure without spending money? How do you accomplish anything by doing (what they seem to suggest) nothing?
1. DV, how about we challenge YOU to answer all the questions that have been posted to you that you avoid answering???????
2. DV, we challenge you to explain why the tax based was higher BEFORE the wild, uncontrolled spending on downtown began????? Are you willing to accept the challenge and answer that question??????
3. DV, we challenge you to explain why neighborhoods were largely THRIVING BEFORE the wild, uncontrolled spending on downtown began??? (Maybe not so much in Hamilton Hill)
4. DV, we challenge you to explain WHY the neighborhoods began to fail AFTER the wild, uncontrolled spending on downtown began??????
5. DV, we challenge you to explain WHY abandoned houses and blight spread through virtually ALL neighborhoods ONLY AFTER the wild uncontrolled spending on downtown began?
6. DV, we challenge you to explain WHY home sales and home sale prices have fallen AFTER the wild uncontrolled spending on downtown began?
7. DV, why were tax foreclosures in the city SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER BEFORE the all this spending on downtown began.
8. DV, explain why the FACT is that the more tax money that is spent on downtown, the more people who live in the city are putting their houses up for sale?
9. DV, explain why the FACT is that the more tax money that is spent on downtown, the FEWER people are buying houses IN the city?
10. DV, we challenge you to explain why you REFUSE to move INTO the city---not even as a renter?????? Well????????
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.
Finally, I challenge all of the naysayers and complainers to lay out a strategy to revitalize the neighborhoods without first revitalizing downtown? How do you lower taxes without working on improving the tax base in our urban core? How do you improve infrastructure without spending money? How do you accomplish anything by doing (what they seem to suggest) nothing?
No one ever said do nothing.
Downtown is a gigantic money pit that has been in perpetual renovations and remodeling for over 50 years with absolutely no gain in the property tax base or increase in sales tax revenue.
There is absolutely no plan in place requiring that property tax base growth or sales tax increases be more than what is invested yearly into downtown.
It's a Ponzi scheme, where the spending is always higher than any benefits.
The geniuses have made it more profitable to stop paying taxes while collecting rent, than to keep up with the taxes and hope by some miracle property values will suddenly rise.
Schenectady is not the field of dreams.
No conditions are ever placed on the corporate welfare recipients requiring minimum Schenectady county staffing levels or Schenectady county contractors be given priority when bidding on construction.
At least regular welfare recipients will spend almost every dollar within the county.
Hundreds of millions have been spent on downtown and there has been absolutely no benefit to the property tax base or sales tax revenue.
Remember the previous renaissances?
Canal Square?
Center City and the Jay St. conversion to a walkway?
The fifteen times Proctor's has been expanded and remodeled?
Millions of dollars in tax exemptions and no monetary progress.
Keep in mind, 100 years ago Schenectady paid the highest wages in the world and was the leading manufacturing center of the entire country.
The city and county has mismanaged it all away into fading memories of what was once the golden age on Schenectady.
Now Schenectady leads the country in children below the poverty level, nearly highest crime rates, highest taxes, most worthless homes in the area and is a leader in welfare and unemployment.
So please forgive me for not shaking the pom poms like a brain dead dolt.
For a former historian, you don't remember anything but your twisted false positive spin.
You come on this board claiming crybaby whiner taxpayers with bad attitudes are the biggest problems the county is facing.
Wake the hell up.
We used to be the city that was king of the world, and we have been transformed to be king of the landfill.