Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
Fix for city neighborhoods needs funding
Plan would have agency rehab some homes, raze others
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    City officials are trying to create a residential version of Metroplex to save the city’s neighborhoods.
    Just as the Metroplex Development Authority has successfully revitalized the city’s downtown and parts of its commercial corridors, city officials hope a residential agency can rebuild blighted neighborhoods.
    They have a framework: the Schenectady Urban Renewal Agency.
    It could acquire property through abandonment proceedings. It would fix up some buildings but demolish many of them and then sell the vacant land to developers who would build just a few structures and thus thin out the city’s housing stock.
    The City Council would have to dramatically expand SURA’s reach — it is currently limited to downtown and small portions of Vale and Hamilton Hill — and possibly set up an independent commission to run it.
    But there’s one major stumbling block: The agency would need a tremendous amount of money to get started.
    “It’s like Metroplex, except without a funding stream,” said City Council President Gary McCarthy.
    Metroplex has relied on a percentage of the county’s sales tax, which was increased slightly to fund it. ..........................>>>>...........>>>>.................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00900&AppName=1

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
Fix for city neighborhoods needs funding
Plan would have agency rehab some homes, raze others
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    City officials are trying to create a residential version of Metroplex to save the city’s neighborhoods.
    Just as the Metroplex Development Authority has successfully revitalized the city’s downtown and parts of its commercial corridors, city officials hope a residential agency can rebuild blighted neighborhoods.

Kathleen takes the liberty of making the claim that Metroplex "successfully" revitalized the County.  This is just more evidence of the Gazette carrying the water for County and City Democrats.  Shouldn't the Gazette be questioning the formation of new authorities with skepticism?  No, instead they jump on board and try to sell it for the Democrats.

If Metroplex were such a success, why do we need another authority for housing?  Wasn't Metroplex supposed to bring business into the County, spurring a renaissance in Schenectady, bringing in private capital to rebuild the city?

Metroplex is a success in revitalizing downtown if you stay in the designated 2 block area but if you walk a couple of blocks East, West, or South you'll find a city that is nothing more than a run down, dilapidated, and abandoned ghost town full of all the abandoned dwellings.

Just another example of the the cheer leading done by the gazette...this time KM. The plex is clearly NOT successful. Anyone with a half a brain can see it with their eyes and in their tax assessment/bills. The plex has taking our tax dollars for a decade. Is anyone's life better for it? Has anyone seen a tax decrease from it? NOPE! Just the DSS building seems to be overflowing!!

So I guess the increase in welfare recipients is proof of our return on our investment through the metroplex. Nice, huh?

After our tax dollars is spent on rehabbing these residential areas, our tax dollars will then go the the section 8 applicants. Ridiculous!