To be honest, this isn't something that the town should be setting money aside for.  This is Wal-Mart's responsibility, not the towns.

I didn't mean the fence behind Walmarts but all the projects that have been ignored for years by the town administrations, IE water problems, sewer upgrades, stormwater drainage problems, improve sewer treatment facility, and any other things that the town has ignored for the past 40 years. Dumping money into the general fund is like flushing it down the toilet.

Then, the only issue with setting the money aside is people will be upset that you're putting money aside for a slush fund.  They wonder why raise our taxes more than is necessary.  You're alreayd sticking it to us, no you want money that you don't even need?  I understand the reason for having the money up front, but the fact is, most don't.  It's the same as owning a house.  The town wants to open a line of credit on their house that they can borrow against, but the epople don't want to seethem taking extra money, then they decide that they're upset that the town has to borrow xtra money later.  Just can't make them happy.  Essentially what has to happen at some time is that the town has to cut the bottom line so that the taxes COULD come down, then they just don't lower them, keeping this extra money as the beginning of this type of investment.

The problem is the town can't cut the taxes any more than they have because they need the money to pay police salaries and pension benefits, town employee salaries and pension benefits and the sum of those obligations is all the town can afford. That's why the town must look for grant money to do the extra projects that have to be done. We're in a Republican town in a state run by Democrats so how much grant money do you think that we can get. The last grant was for putting in the temporary storm water storage that was built in the Memorial Park to stop flooding on Sunrise Blvd. That fix was marginal at best but it's all they could do with the money allotted. The other thing the town could do is to ear mark money in the budget for specific uses instead of dumping all the money into the general fund. Anyway we look at it it's a you can pay me now or you can pay me latter scenario.

Quoted from Shadow

We're in a Republican town in a state run by Democrats so how much grant money do you think that we can get.

You hit the nail right on the head with this one! This is the crux of the whole problem. So we are left to fend for ourselves. Perhaps Mr. Godlewski could speak in Rotterdam's behalf...NOT!

We need to cut spending, where it can be. And I agree with Shadow, that the police dept is the largest draw. I clearly would not like to see Rotterdam give up our Ambulance service to save a few bucks, when the RPD is getting more than their fair share.

But as we know, Mr. Mertz tried that when he formed the police commission to have a financial oversite of the force. Then Ms. Marco orchestrated the 'black shirt sit in' along with the PBA and .... well, we know the rest of that pathetic story.

Rotterdam seems like they are going 'paycheck to paycheck'. And using the credit card (bonding/loans) for the emergencies. We won't get anywhere this way!

Taxes will NEVER go down,,,and if they do it will be pennies......our 'house' needs a furnace and plumbing......we need to just do it and do it now....it's a new generation that is working and now they are 'getting nothing for nothing'.....there is no GE/ALCO etc.....just those state jobs......anyhow--it's our ball of wax now,,,,let's hop to it........

Maybe we need to start our own version of a sit-in and get some results from all the junk that's going on.  The politicians need to be reminded constantly what is needed in the town.  If it's brought up to them every time there's a chance, then maybe something will finally get done.

Quoted from senders

Taxes will NEVER go down  ,,,  there is no GE...

Thanks again to Wal-mart.  First they keep their property in decrepit condition which reduces the value of the homes in the neighborhood; lower assessment means higher tax rate.

There is a GE, even though I wouldn't buy one of those new fangled light bulbs, was it earlier this year Wal-mart said they were going to push those light bulbs but do you think they could be made by GE at the Schenectady plant and bring jobs?  Heck no, Wal-mart wants to pay such cheap prices to GE that GE's only choice is to have them made in China.

All that moving production stuff overseas (obviously at GE plant all over the U.S) has resulted in vacant property, buildings torn down, which in turn has lowered GE's assessments which in turn reduces the amount GE pays in taxes which in turn raises the amount the homeowner pays while at the same time the homeowners have been laid off from GE.  

Back to the subject of this thread, the Wal-mart fence.  I believe I have figured out what is taking so long to get everything fixed up over there.  Wal-mart is waiting for China to produce the fence and get some new trees started from seedlings.  Think so?

That's funny ....they get everything else from there.....and they claim they have everything you need at lower prices....and yet,,,they cant get their hands on a quality fence(stone preferably).....I'm sure Mr. Amedore could point them in the right direction........

This is what a walmart in china looks like! Isn't that nice...China not only gets the stores with the low priced merchandise...china gets to manufacture it also!! Sounds like what the great US of A use to be like!

Even looks like they have an automatic cart return built in, too.  Don't even have to walk a parking spot and the cart returns itself to the store.

Quoted from 16

To be honest, this isn't something that the town should be setting money aside for.  This is Wal-Mart's responsibility, not the towns.

Totally agree, absolutely the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, "so help Wal-mart Buddha"

A buddy sent me these.   Very lovely Walmart grounds, huh?

And why would the town want Nigro to "improve" their grounds?

Over by Staples, no flowers, but you can see the most definite difference between the Nigro property and the Walmart,   When you zoom in you can see the weeds coming from the "island" along the edge of Walmart parking lot, but I must say that cedar smells good