I haven't looked through any threads to see if this article from the Gazette was posted. I figure probably not because it contains some optimism. I'm posting it here mostly to get the reaction of the folks who post here. (I need a good laugh)
To be clear, I think Metroplex is poorly managed. I also think the homeowners in the city have been bearing the burden for far too long, and things need to change in that respect. And I also think the councilman mentioned in the article is a total douche.
In addition to the article, which I copied from the paper's website, I also included the comments made by YOUR neighbors, and their reactions. Pro and con. Not everyone in the city shares the pessimism that pervades these boards.
Anyway have at it. Let the bashing begin.
Quoted Text
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
SCHENECTADY — The City Council unanimously endorsed a plan Monday to focus on the Eastern Avenue neighborhood for revitalization.
The local land bank is applying for a $3 million state grant to demolish 31 properties, all owned by the city, and offer small facade grants to homeowners.
But the grant application required the support of the council, and council members gave it without hesitation Monday.
It does mean that the city has chosen one neighborhood over the others for its first big redevelopment push, but Councilman Ed Kosiur said council members were satisfied with the land bank members’ rationale.
Eastern Avenue was chosen because of its proximity to downtown and Union College, he said.
“This is another gateway,” he added. “This is the first true example of Metroplex going into our neighborhoods, by partnering on this grant with the land bank.”
He was delighted that any neighborhood had been chosen.
“To finally get into our neighborhoods, . . . it’s all great stuff. We’ve been talking about this since 2004. It’s taken a long time.”
County Legislator and land bank member Robert Hoffman said focusing $3 million on one neighborhood would make a real impact.
“We want to do as thorough a job in that neighborhood as we can,” he said.
In addition to the removal of blighted, boarded-up and abandoned buildings, homeowners will be able to apply for facade grants of up to $5,000 for exterior work.
The land bank and Metroplex will also work on marketing the vacant lots after demolishing them. Some might be sold for very little to neighbors who want to build a driveway or add a side yard. Others may be considered for community gardens, and many could become new commercial developments, Metroplex Development Chairman Ray Gillen said at a recent council committee meeting.
“As more gets done on Eastern, more developers and investors will be interested,” he said.
He added that Metroplex and the land bank are already working on plans for Elmer Elementary School, which is slated to be closed in September 2016.
Kosiur wants the building turned into housing for veterans or seniors. The older part of the building must be torn down, he said, because of roof and foundation problems, but the newer portion could be reused.
“We don’t need another empty building,” he said.
Gillen said Metroplex is in “preliminary discussions” with the school district about the building.
And while he declined to describe the options he was considering, he said reuse is a “great idea” for the school.
If the land bank’s application is funded, it will come from money turned over to the state through foreclosure settlements. The state Attorney General’s Office just announced another settlement with banks for their role in the housing crisis, and some of that money will be made available to land banks for revitalization.
August 26, 2014 8:11 a.m.
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I'm never sure I understand this revitalization. It seems to be nothing more than tearing down buildings. What kind of business would fit in that neighborhood? Basically - none. August 26, 2014 8:43 a.m.
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getting rid of multi-family dwellings that are beyond repair and turning those lots into drive ways or yard green space is a huge quality of life improvement- $5,000 grants to people for new facades/siding -is probably going to be the biggest bang for the buck. This issue is blight vs beauty. Any beautification will help stabilize neighborhoods- its just common sense that nicely kept houses make a neighborhood feel safer. Hopefully, the City doesn't turn around and increase the taxes on these houses. Exterior general repairs and maintenance should not result in an trigger that increase the value and taxes. Unaffordable taxes are the root cause of why people don't have the money fro upkeep and repairs to begin with and reason for so many of the forclosures .So this is all good- but goal has to be to cut the taxes
August 26, 2014 9:09 a.m.
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I think it is strange that the only quotes from special ed. in recent months involved his boy's room outburst to a fellow councilman, and, an invitation to dine at our dog pound. Now, as elections near, his formulations magically become cogent enough to garner 20-30 lines in this paper within a 48 hour period. Who, or, what has gotten to him???? August 26, 2014 12:09 p.m.
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The city was built for 100,000 residents and we have approximately 60,000 now. Keep tearing down the excess housing, put in driveways to get cars off the street, and the community gardens on a limited basis. This will make a big difference. Just keep going. Post a comment
"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,"
The answer to Schenectady's problems is get rid of metroplex
Get rid of the city and county leadership and get some conservatives in there who will stop spending the taxpayers' money.
Remove ALL tax exemptions on GE and downtown. Galesi, Mallozzi, Paul Mitchell, the Hilton family, Proctors, etc. they are so fil6thy rich that they can more than afford to pay their own taxes PLUS the taxes of all the residential properties in the whole county and still remain rich, but I'm not saying homeowners should not pay taxes.
Return to a somewhat two-tiered tax system where commercial properties are taxed at a higher rate. Maybe all properties valued at a million dollars and more should pay a higher tax rate
Make all downtown property owners pay the taxpayers back for all the money the taxpayers had to shell out for them. Homeowners, most of whom have incomes of $40,000 and under should NEVER be forced to paying for demolition of that old DSS building owned by billionaire Galesi !!!! How DARE the mayor and his dems, and their big cheerleader shake his pom poms for poor to pay for a demo for a building owned by a billionaire.
IMMEDIATELY take away properties of the tax delinquents like the multimillionaire Marcella, WHY should homeonwers be paying HIS taxes when homeowners do NOT get raises but he gets big increases in proftis every year? Why? Can ANYONE answer that question?
Yes make all downtown properties pay back all the tax dollars they got and give the homeowners in the city a refund. Them the homeowners will have money to fix up their homes, tax bills will be lower so people will be attracted to buying IN the city.
So tearing down some dilapidated properties what is that going to do? As homeowners have to pay ever increasing taxes---to pay for the downtown properties---more homeowners will be delinquent in taxes and more houses will be abandoned and become dilapidated and then what? Spend more tax money to take down more buildings.
Tear down all the houses on Morris Ave, they are old and obsolete.
And of course, landbanks stuff is just more taxpayer money spent. It's taxpayer handouts to people. Just check out the mother of a council person who has a land bank house and every time something needs to be done, it's a taxpayer handout "mortgage."
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.
why not vamp Hamilton Hill.....Eastern Ave has the same behavior in the neighborhood.. it's not reported......out of sight out of mind...
REVAMP THE HILL.....MCCLELLAN ST......BRANDYWINE AVE.....
WHY NOT??????????....TOO FAR FROM DOWTOWN STATE ST.......what a joke this government is.....
oops forgot......Union College is in the neighborhood of Eastern Ave.....
Have to start somewhere. I'll bet if the decision was made to start on Hamilton Hill, there would be some opposed to that.
I'm more curious on how you all feel about the $5000 grant money that would be made available to homeowners. If people start excepting those grants will you criticize them for taking the money?
And to be clear one more time, I personally have real issues with Metroplex. But unless someone came come up with a better solution to the problems, and find like-minded people to implement yet another revitalization strategy, then you're pretty much stuck with it. And in the meantime, as Metroplex, begins to go into the neighborhoods and starts offering people money (bribes?) to fix up their homes and better their neighborhoods they'll gain support, whether we like it or not.
We need to develop a better strategy to get the message out. This site alone is not going to get the job done. Not enough people come here to see the message you have. In fact, there was a period of time before I registered here, that the site was closed to anyone NOT registered. I would guess that many eyes that would have viewed it didn't see it for a period of time.
And you also have a credibility and perception problem here. I have read and been told in conversations with people, that they won't spend any time reading anything here because, and I'm paraphrasing here, of the "nastiness and name calling".
I'm all for pointing out problems and discussing them, but if it becomes repetitious and nasty as well, then what's the point of doing it? If the only place that you're pointing out the problems is here, where everyone is pretty much in agreement, and you're offering no solutions than what's the point?
I agree with the message. The dissemination of that message just isn't getting it done. We need to do a better job of that.
I'm pretty sure that this group has many very intelligent and concerned members. But I have to be honest folks. Sometimes I just shake my head and laugh.
"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,"
Facade grants have traditionally been matching grants, requiring property owners to spend an equal amount to the grant to qualify.
That didn't seem to be indicated in the article. I'll wait until I hear more before passing judgement.
By the way, I will give you props on being one of the people here who actually does try to offer solutions to the problems.
Sometimes.
"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,"
If the money given to Metroplex each year was applied to the county budget, county taxpayers would pay 20% less.
The homeowners could then invest the savings in their own properties.
There you go!!
You've identified the problem.
You even offered a solution.
Now tell me who's going to implement it. Who are you going to back that will implement it?
"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,"
Facade grants have traditionally been matching grants, requiring property owners to spend an equal amount to the grant to qualify.
Not true back in the days maybe 15, 20, 25 years ago when they had "SHIP" aka Schenectady Home Improvement Program. That was either out and out grants aka "taxpayer handouts" or it was low interest loans.
Funny thing is that "SHIP" has not taken applications in years. As a homeowner you could NOT choose a contractor, the city chose it for you. Back in the day the city used a contractor named Jeffrey Civitello. Name familiar? Federal felon, laundered a half million dollars of drug money through his home improvement business WHILE working on the SHIP jobs.
Then I remember a whining couple written about in the paper that bought a house with taxpayer funded down payment, taxpayer subsidized mortgage, then got money to remodel their two family house and mysteriously holes appeared in walls, cabinet drawers mysteriously fell apart and guess who was in the news media with them. None other than "their" councilman Joe Allen. Oh they blamed so much on the city when it was apparent there were physical fights and such. Of course, the city probably used particle board cabinets. This couple wound uo being behind in taxes and then they were whining because the city wouldn't allow them to do more work until taxes were paid up. In I think in 2002, they started a fire in their house to collect the insurance money but investigation proved it to be arson. Today, the house still sits vacant, never touched, the house is still listed in their name and both of them have since died (they were not an elderly couple either, I'd say they were in their 30's or early 40's when they bought the house.
It's all about the government trying to take away rights and possessions of people. Like I said, at least the city government in Schenectady, they have their policies and practices to make homeowners pay the taxes of the millionaires and billionaires, then the people lose their homes, then the government comes in for the reaming people who are financially struggling and say "here's some money for you" but the government controls the homeowners and what they do.
Now for "government" gardens.
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.
Not true back in the days maybe 15, 20, 25 years ago when they had "SHIP" aka Schenectady Home Improvement Program. That was either out and out grants aka "taxpayer handouts" or it was low interest loans.
Funny thing is that "SHIP" has not taken applications in years. As a homeowner you could NOT choose a contractor, the city chose it for you. Back in the day the city used a contractor named Jeffrey Civitello. Name familiar? Federal felon, laundered a half million dollars of drug money through his home improvement business WHILE working on the SHIP jobs.
Then I remember a whining couple written about in the paper that bought a house with taxpayer funded down payment, taxpayer subsidized mortgage, then got money to remodel their two family house and mysteriously holes appeared in walls, cabinet drawers mysteriously fell apart and guess who was in the news media with them. None other than "their" councilman Joe Allen. Oh they blamed so much on the city when it was apparent there were physical fights and such. Of course, the city probably used particle board cabinets. This couple wound uo being behind in taxes and then they were whining because the city wouldn't allow them to do more work until taxes were paid up. In I think in 2002, they started a fire in their house to collect the insurance money but investigation proved it to be arson. Today, the house still sits vacant, never touched, the house is still listed in their name and both of them have since died (they were not an elderly couple either, I'd say they were in their 30's or early 40's when they bought the house.
It's all about the government trying to take away rights and possessions of people. Like I said, at least the city government in Schenectady, they have their policies and practices to make homeowners pay the taxes of the millionaires and billionaires, then the people lose their homes, then the government comes in for the reaming people who are financially struggling and say "here's some money for you" but the government controls the homeowners and what they do.
Now for "government" gardens.
I took a chance and read this post. I knew you could do it. Not one mention of, well, you know.
Oh yeah, I remember Jeffrey. He showed up at a council meeting once, saying he would take over a project, I think on the Northside, and everyone was eating it up. Swore this was the guy they wanted to be doing the work. LOL I fell out of my chair laughing, because I had been acquainted with some of his former employees, and knew of his background.
Be careful what you wish for. LOL
"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,"
And to be clear one more time, I personally have real issues with Metroplex. But unless someone came come up with a better solution to the problems, and find like-minded people to implement yet another revitalization strategy, then you're pretty much stuck with it. And in the meantime, as Metroplex, begins to go into the neighborhoods and starts offering people money (bribes?) to fix up their homes and better their neighborhoods they'll gain support, whether we like it or not.
.
Better solution, city and county leaders need to take away all the property tax exemptions given to downtown and STOP spending taxpayers money on downtown
Downtown has NOT provided ANY return to the homeowners in the city
This messages needs to get to the people but all the city does is show the city residents the fancy buildings downtown. People just to not make the connection between their tax bills and the wealth of the downtown owners or the fact that they are paying the taxes of the downtown owners.
Most people left in the city think Mohawk harbor is going to bring so much money to the city, but obviously they have not seen the official records that show no end year for the 100% property tax exemption.
And unfortunately when things are written in the newspaper, there is not full financial disclosure provided. The taxpayers don't make the connection that they are paying the taxes for a billionaire.
I'll bet that if you asked 10,000 people, a "man in the street" question (person on the street") the question "Does GE pay property and school taxes?" that more than 99% percent of the people would say yes, they have no idea that they, as taxpayers themselves, are paying GE's taxes IN FULL.
People know or hear that Schenectady has the highest taxes most would say that the reason for it is crime is high, it costs money to plow snow, roads need paving, etc. Few if any would say that the reason is because they are paying property taxes for millionaires and billionaires.
Oh, is there any way that the state legislature could eliminate Metroplex, after all, it has to be set up with the state legislature's approval.
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.
I took a chance and read this post. I knew you could do it. Not one mention of, well, you know.
Oh yeah, I remember Jeffrey. He showed up at a council meeting once, saying he would take over a project, I think on the Northside, and everyone was eating it up. Swore this was the guy they wanted to be doing the work. LOL I fell out of my chair laughing, because I had been acquainted with some of his former employees, and knew of his background.
Be careful what you wish for. LOL
Yeah.
By the way, the "SHIP" program was federal money, wait, that's still taxpayers' money.
If I remember, it's that Jeffery Civitello that is redoing (or maybe it's completed) some building right next to the RR tracks downtown or maybe one door away from it. His father or uncle did construction work too, Carmen, and there was Carmen Sr (who sexually molested a child, or at least accused of it), and they all seemed a different company every month.
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.
And you also have a credibility and perception problem here. I have read and been told in conversations with people, that they won't spend any time reading anything here because, and I'm paraphrasing here, of the "nastiness and name calling".
I'm all for pointing out problems and discussing them, but if it becomes repetitious and nasty as well, then what's the point of doing it? If the only place that you're pointing out the problems is here, where everyone is pretty much in agreement, and you're offering no solutions than what's the point?
I agree with the message. The dissemination of that message just isn't getting it done. We need to do a better job of that.
I'm pretty sure that this group has many very intelligent and concerned members. But I have to be honest folks. Sometimes I just shake my head and laugh.
If "they" won't spend anytime here because of the "nastiness"...How do they know there is nastiness? If you know there is nastiness, they you are following threads pretty closely to pick it up.
The debates may get heated and ugly, but you'd be surprised how many are compelled to follow because of it. Look at pop culture and reality TV. Big Brother, Jersey Shore, Survivor, and all the rest of reality tv. People like the drama. It's like rubbernecking to see a case crash.
This is politics, it's a dirty dirty business. THE DIRTIEST.
Better solution, city and county leaders need to take away all the property tax exemptions given to downtown and STOP spending taxpayers money on downtown
Downtown has NOT provided ANY return to the homeowners in the city
This messages needs to get to the people but all the city does is show the city residents the fancy buildings downtown. People just to not make the connection between their tax bills and the wealth of the downtown owners or the fact that they are paying the taxes of the downtown owners.
Most people left in the city think Mohawk harbor is going to bring so much money to the city, but obviously they have not seen the official records that show no end year for the 100% property tax exemption.
And unfortunately when things are written in the newspaper, there is not full financial disclosure provided. The taxpayers don't make the connection that they are paying the taxes for a billionaire.
I'll bet that if you asked 10,000 people, a "man in the street" question (person on the street") the question "Does GE pay property and school taxes?" that more than 99% percent of the people would say yes, they have no idea that they, as taxpayers themselves, are paying GE's taxes IN FULL.
People know or hear that Schenectady has the highest taxes most would say that the reason for it is crime is high, it costs money to plow snow, roads need paving, etc. Few if any would say that the reason is because they are paying property taxes for millionaires and billionaires.
Oh, is there any way that the state legislature could eliminate Metroplex, after all, it has to be set up with the state legislature's approval.
I agree with all that. Now since you're so good at researching all this, you need to research and find the person you can get behind and support all your great points.
"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,"
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