SCHENECTADY Council allies split over budget Stratton says he may veto spending plan over cuts BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
The mayor threatened Monday to veto the 2009 city budget to stop Councilman Mark Blanchfield from making cuts that would erase the proposed tax increase. “I will not support a budget with undue cuts,” Mayor Brian U. Stratton said before accusing Blanchfi eld of trying to create an artificially low budget. “You’re looking at this through a political prism … We have presented to the council the most responsible budget we believe is possible. I think it would be irresponsible to make wholesale cuts merely to get down to a target number, whether it be zero or 1 percent.” Blanchfield, a Democrat who is attempting to unseat Republican Assemblyman George Amedore of Rotterdam in November, said he could eliminate the proposed 2.9 percent tax increase in the $76.5 million budget by implementing a hiring freeze — saving $600,000 including benefits — and holding the paving budget to its current plan, as well as taking advantage of a new health insurance plan. That plan, announced Monday, is projected to save the city $250,000 next year. In the mayor’s proposed 2009 budget, all vacant positions are projected to be filled, two jobs would be added, and the city would spend an additional $90,000 on street repair. The new health insurance plan was not included in that budget. Blanchfield emphasized that he thinks the city should cut back in preparation for a difficult fiscal year. It’s not the right time, he said, to increase the paving budget. “We’re going into a very diffi cult time here. You don’t see too many [governments] expanding service,” he said. “In these difficult times, is this really the time to do this?” Blanchfield appeared to have support for some of his cuts. Councilman Gary McCarthy backed him on the paving issue, noting that the $90,000 would be spent to make stop-gap repairs, not rebuild the streets that have needed substantial work for years. But McCarthy and most of the rest of the council overruled Blanchfield’s opposition to new jobs. In committee, the council agreed to hire a third full-time attorney, which is expected to save $62,000 because the city won’t have to hire outside attorneys as often. The new attorney would be paid $90,000. HEALTH PLAN The council was also supportive of a new plan for roughly 100 city retirees who are eligible for Medicare. The city will create a group Medicare plan for retirees who are not in the city’s self-funded insurance plan. In the Medicare group, the federal government will subsidize a portion of the retirees’ insurance premiums, saving the city an average of $2,500 per retiree. The retirees would see a $2,400 annual savings for a family of two, face lower copays, coverage out of the local service area, and coverage for glasses and hearing aids. “When they find out, they’re going to be thrilled,” predicted Gina Longo, the city’s employee benefits consultant. “They’re going to love you.” A retired city police officer is so interested in the plan that he researched it on his own and called CDPHP to see if it could be arranged, she added. Retirees would have to sign up by Dec. 10. If 100 retirees join the new plan, the city would save $250,000. There’s just one catch. The city won’t be able to move the 287 eligible retirees from its self-funded plan to the Medicare group. The city’s self-funded prescription plan is so much more generous than the Medicare plan that no one would want to switch, Longo said. Retirees can purchase a 90-day supply of drugs for one co-pay in the city’s plan. But the 100 retirees who are not in the self-funded plan do not have that benefit, and would see their benefits improve in the Medicare plan, Longo said. Blanchfield proposed making $250,000 in cuts to the 2009 budget this week and then restoring some funding if retirees sign up for the plan. Stratton immediately objected. He said Blanchfield’s plan would leave the city in the same fi scal distress it was in before Stratton became mayor. He then added that there’s no way for Blanchfield to erase the proposed tax increase with a realistic spending plan. “Zero is not achievable without undue cuts,” Stratton said. Blanchfield said a reduction in taxes is essential for the long-term health of the city. He praised the mayor’s previous two budgets, which had small tax decreases. “We should continue that progress,” he said. As the argument went on, both Blanchfield and Stratton raised their voices. Stratton accused Blanchfi eld of making cuts to help him win his high-profile campaign for state Assembly this year. Then Councilman Joseph Allen waded into the conflict to accuse the mayor of asking the council to rubber-stamp his budget proposal. It was a rare scene for the all-Democratic governing body, which usually agrees publicly and keeps debate to a minimum. Council members have stated this ends typically with a foregone conclusion settled in phone calls and e-mails. This time, there was no clear winner. Instead, Stratton left the meeting early, while Blanchfield stayed late to argue that his cuts are not politically popular and thus could not possibly be aimed at winning votes. “Look, there’s some irresponsible things in this budget,” he said. “I think with minimal sacrifice we can get to where we need to be. If the state aid comes through as was promised to us, we can start restoring things.”
Finally someone stood up to Mayor Spending. A hiring freeze is not a "cut". Stratton's initial budget proposal, like the horrible County Manager, is full of pork. There is no reason that both the City and County budget cannot be slashed. Fuel prices have tumbled in the past 2 months. Only the private sector and families must tighten their belts, never bloated government. In a recession you don't raise record tax rates.
Hopefully, this is the start of some action from the do-nothing City Council. Yes, it's politically motivated because Mark is running for Assembly. That's not always a negative thing.
I agree with shadow. It was a dog and pony show. It was the democratic machine who so articulately can script and set up a political situation, to bolster one of their own. In this case 'BLANCHFILED'. It was just to get Blanchfield in the lime-light and in the news as being a 'spend thrift'. Which we know, historically he is NOT! Blanchfield walks lock step with Stratton and the rest of the dems. Don't be fooled here folks!!! They just want further government control to expand their empire and will even embarrass themselves with this ridiculous display!
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
While I was scrounging about for information, a friend of mine asked a friend of his, a practicing lawyer, that very question, and here is the reply:
“It looks like he’s taking preemptory action (a la the Bush Doctrine, that Sarah Palin never heard of) and is trying to get a quick and dirty judicial ruling that would preempt any Republican action on similar issues later. He files the lawsuit and controls the lawsuit because he is the plaintiff. Obama’s people do the defense and basically will ask the court for some species of declaratory relief; that is, to decide the case on the pleadings without any litigation. Since Berg controls the plaintiff side and Obama controls the defense, they can pretty much assure the outcome they want; the outcome being: no case, Obama wins. Now, let the Republicans bring the same case and it will be dismissed out of hand because it is, in law, res judicata; that is, already decided.
Apparently, the Obama people heard of this possible Republican strategy and they are acting immediately to make it moot.
Anyone who heard Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton rather loudly accuse Councilman Mark Blanchfield of playing election-year politics the other night, when Blanchfi eld suggested cutting hundreds of thousands of dollars from the mayor’s proposed budget, had to chuckle over the irony. Didn’t Stratton engineer a tax cut himself last year, when he was running for (and winning) re-election? Wouldn’t it be more politically expedient of him to raise taxes now, even just 2.9 percent, than next year, when it will be that much closer to the end of his term (and his next bid for re-election)? Yes to both questions. That said, Stratton may very well be right about fellow Democrat Blanchfield, who would be leaving the city council if he manages to knock off George Amedore in next month’s 105th Assembly District race. (Another reason for Stratton’s hostility?) But regardless of Blanchfield’s motive, it’s hard to knock him for providing a rarely heard voice of dissent in the all-Democratic council chambers — and for a worthy cause, fiscal restraint. Times are tough and the city has less money to do more with, but the situation probably isn’t going to reverse itself overnight — or even by the end of the next fiscal year. With state government almost certain to keep cutting, there will be even less money for localities to spend next year. So better to cut a bit now and then to avoid having to cut a lot then. The problem, unfortunately, is that some of Stratton’s proposed spending seems necessary: Schenectady’s roads, some of which have recently been patched, remain in pretty rough shape overall, and it makes more sense financially to use an in-house lawyer to negotiate union contracts than to go outside for one. (Perhaps the unexpected savings of $215,000 from the in-house property revaluation project, announced Tuesday, allows the city to do both: spend as Stratton wants but raise taxes less.) It would be refreshing, now or anytime, to hear the council debate Blanchfield’s (or any other council member’s) ideas publicly, instead of holding their real discussions behind closed doors and acting as the mayor’s rubber stamp in public.
I have heard there is little love lost between these two characters. It really doesn't look so good for Markie Mark now does it? Of course Cermak is right on about how Stratton pulled similar hi-jinks.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
The meeting wasn't conducted behind closed doors. It has also been videotaped and played on sacctv.
I know because I paid for that taping.
It was amazing that Stratton could even get the words out.
Beware Rotterdam, the county Dems are looking to fully control all the "black" sheep in your town too, and the Savage Mother of Nine has her hooks in Lyin' Brian.
Rubber stamp City Council-where have I heard that one before?
Nobody's falling for anything. Mark must find the Council votes to reduce City tax rates. Otherwise, its more Democratic hot air. At least unlike "Silent" Peggy King he's looking. Better late than never. At least someone is challenging horrible Mayor Spending. The video was hilarious. Mayor Spending refuses to even consider cutting any pork. He was visibly upset at his budget being challenged. Exactly like the County Democrats.
Logged
Finally someone stood up to Mayor Spending. A hiring freeze is not a "cut". Stratton's initial budget proposal, like the horrible County Manager, is full of pork. There is no reason that both the City and County budget cannot be slashed. Fuel prices have tumbled in the past 2 months. Only the private sector and families must tighten their belts, never bloated government. In a recession you don't raise record tax rates.
