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City budget not ready
Schenectady's Stratton wants to fine-tune plan before he releases it

By PAUL NELSON, Staff writer
First published in print: Friday, September 25, 2009

SCHENECTADY -- Saying he needs more time to come up with a better budget, Mayor Brian U. Stratton on Thursday postponed the unveiling of his 2010 spending proposal until next month's first City Council meeting.

Stratton said he needed more time to prepare a "more cogent, concise and manageable" budget. The spending plan was expected to include a tax increase despite an approximately $1 million spending cut.
The mayor planned to release the numbers at an afternoon presentation to council members. Instead, starting next week, the Finance Committee will begin reviewing the projected revenues for departments in public meetings. Stratton will make his budget public Oct. 5.


Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=845867&category=SCHENECTADY#ixzz0SCuQAAOq

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http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....008&ViewMode=GIF

It's time for Stratton to be voted out as it's obvious that he cares very little about the high taxes that the residents of this city/county have to pay.

Stratton along with all of the others.....just don't know how to cut spending!

Stunad Son of Sam is a disgrace. "Fine Tune" def. more time to do stall and refuse to cut any spending. By the way, how's his reform of the SPD working out?

  If the REPS continue to fly a white flag the NNTP must field an unelectable candidate.

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A shocking increase
Marv Cermak

Mayor Brian Stratton yanked release of his proposed 2010 city budget at the last hour, saying the property tax increase needed to balance the fiscal plan would be shocking.

He wouldn't reveal numbers, but City Hall insiders said it would take a tax jump of 18 to 22 percent to balance the budget. Forget shock because even if the rate comes in at half that increase some taxpayers may have a stroke.

Since personnel costs amount to about 80 percent of any government or school budget, you don't have to be a CPA to figure out why the wheels are coming off the system.

Public employees do a nice job and they deserve the best. But, it's obvious the system can't support annual pay raises plus an ever-mounting health-and-pension package cost averaging about 50 percent of the salary rate.

Things are going out of whack because the politicians at every level are scared to death of the public employee unions working and spending against them in re-election campaigns.

In the past, the feds and state would bail out local layers of government, but now they're broke, too. Band-Aid financing used for years can no longer control the bleeding.


Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspS.....0/2009#ixzz0SaP49cNv

Stratton's initial budget proposal called for a 20% tax increase. This is after the reassessment fiasco that addded hundreds of millions to the assessed City values.

  The Mayor must immediately end the Erie Blvd mess, layoff 10% of City Hall personnel and cut all handouts to nonprofits. The usual dog and pony show where the Mayor hands in a huge budget and the rubber stamps on the Council find minor cuts will no longer do.

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SCHENECTADY
No relief appears for ‘shocking’ city budget
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

A miracle has not occurred. The budget that the mayor thought would “put everyone into shock” two weeks ago is unchanged. It will be revealed on Monday at 5 p.m. at City Hall. Mayor Brian U. Stratton had hoped that spiraling health care and pension costs could be controlled by drastic, last-minute action. He delayed release of the budget two weeks ago to try for a hail-Mary pass. First, he asked for bidders to buy the city’s delinquent taxes, which are now sold at 77 cents per dollar owed. He hoped to hear from bidders who would pay more than 90 cents per dollar. Second, he asked permission to extend the city’s 2010 state pension payment over many years. Neither plan jelled. Finance Commissioner Ismat Alam on Friday said she is still waiting for any word on the pension request. “I’ve heard nothing, nothing, nothing,” she said. “At this point, we are just assuming nothing is going to change.”................>>>>......................................>>>>................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00904&AppName=1

Stratton had better go back to school and take a business administration course and learn about a balanced budget. When you don't have the money you can't spend it or you go bankrupt and you can't keep taxing the residents or they go bankrupt. Cut spending, eliminate patronage jobs, cut welfare costs and balance the budget.

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Stratton had better go back to school and take a business administration course and learn about a balanced budget. When you don't have the money you can't spend it or you go bankrupt and you can't keep taxing the residents or they go bankrupt. Cut spending, eliminate patronage jobs, cut welfare costs and balance the budget.

He can't cut welfare costs but he can end the Erie fiasco, layoff 10% of City Hall personnel, freeze new hiring, curb the curb/sidewalk program. and stop any more handouts to nonprofits like horrid Bethesda House and DSIC. Just these would save taxpayers $10 MILLION. The Mayor is paralyzed by indecision and his liberal mindset.

    Mark B. is the only one on the rubber stamp City Council with any business sense. Keep re-electing these liberal DEM house fraus and nutty retired art teachers.

John Paulino should resign in disgrace if he can't find more pork. These people all need to take a Economics course.

EIGHTY PERCENT.....80%........of the city's budget goes to salaries, benefits and retirement! And not ONE job can be desolved? Dump the Glendale for a start! WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE?

And where is the outrage regarding the failed metroplex.....that was conceived by the reps and born to the dems? Where the hell are the jobs? Relocations and bars is all the city got! Oh and let's not forget the real money pit...Proctors. Where are the lower taxes? Again.....WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE?

Can we stick to City issues? Not County welfare {abolish all non-State mandated programs},County's Metrograft {that must be abolished and sales tax increase ended} or the County Home {new one should not be built-see Albany County}. While we are on County issues-NO downtown library addition. And close all City library branches. Only addition should be to the crowded Duanesburg library.

  Son of Sam is finished-John Paulino must be fired-the horrible assessor must go. Cancel the Erie Boulevard fiasco-Erie should not be narrowed and we don't need a circle in the middle of nowhere. 10% Cut in all City Hall jobs-immediate freeze on ALL hiring-end all handouts to nonprofits. CUT SPENDING.

Benny, if Stratton can't cut welfare costs then why do people come here from NYC and say  they get higher welfare payments than where they came from?  

They flock here for County administrated welfare payments. Son of Sam is a disgrace but we can't pin a County mess on him. Talk to horrid Judy DAG and Tony J about this welfare mess and why we have 12 extra welfare programs in this COUNTY. These newcomers can't afford to live anywhere but the City.

  Son of Sam has increased City spending 4% in a recession. INCREASES to water and sewer fees. The City tax levy would increase 8.6%. Another job done on the City sheeple. Throw the bums out? Well bring a pen to the polls.