At the intersection of New York state Route 80 and County Route 69 (Pickle Hill Road), there is a new sign that indicates St. Johnsville is five miles to the north. It’s no accident that the sign was erected recently. After meeting our newly elected Assemblyman George Amedore at the annual St. Johnsville Chamber of Commerce dinner, I requested the signage because drivers were missing the turn and ending up in Fort Plain. The assemblyman assured me that he would address the situation with the state Department of Transportation. There had always been a sign at that intersection until the road was changed some 10 years earlier. In less than two months, Assemblyman Amedore had accomplished what could not be done by other elected officials. If you appreciate the signage at the intersection of Routes 80 and 69, kindly let Assemblyman Amedore know it by e-mail: amedoreg@assembly.state. ny.us or by writing to him at Guy Park Manor, 366 W. Main St., Amsterdam, NY 12010. J. PETER MANIKAS St. Johnsville
What is this? Someone in government actually doing something for a constituent? And one that didn't make a big donation? That's what we need more of. Thanks, Mr. Amedore and Mr. Manikas for pointing this out.
Readers say Amedore's election top story of 2007 Tuesday, January 1, 2008
The election of political newcomer George Amedore to replace longtime Assemblyman Paul Tonko was the top local news story of 2007, according to readers of dailygazette.com. The Republican homebuilder's victory over Ed Kosiur, a Democratic Schenectady County legislator, in a July 31 special election was judged as the top story by 31 percent of the 357 readers who participated in a nonscientific poll on the Web site from Dec. 28-31. The death of Jonathan Carey, a 13-year-old autistic boy, at the hands of one of his caretakers at the O.D. Heck Development Center and the theft of drugs from evidence by Schenectady police detective Jeffery Curtis each picked up the second-highest vote total with 17 percent, while the future of thoroughbred racing at Saratoga Race Course was next with 8 percent and the admission of Shenendehowa Central School District first-grade teacher Christopher Culver to molesting several of his students was next with 5 percent. Amedore was best known as the contractor who built the Colonie home featured last year on the ABC television series "Extreme Home Makeover" before announcing his candidacy to replace Tonko, a Democrat who spent 25 years in the Assembly before stepping down to become president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Amedore went on to defeat Kosiur, the sponsor of a controversial set of laws that restricted where convicted sex offenders would be allowed to live, by a 2,800-vote margin out of more than 24,500 ballots.
Re Dec. 16 letter, “On the right course, thanks to Amedore”: J. Peter Manikas praised Assemblyman George Amedore Jr. for purportedly getting a sign for St. Johnsville. Mr. Manikas called on readers to express their thanks by emailing him. Let’s look at the rest of Mr. Amedore’s record. The Daily Gazette, on Oct. 12, published a legal notice containing the names and addresses of delinquent taxpayers. Among the delinquent taxpayers were two separate properties owned by Amedore Homes Inc., which employes George Amedore Jr. as a vice president. Why couldn’t Assemblyman Amedore’s company fulfill its most basic civic responsibility and pay its taxes? Perhaps they were too busy; the same excuse Amedore gave in a radio debate for never voting a single school election or on a single school budget. Accordingly, we have replaced a giant in the Assembly, Paul Tonko, with an individual who is unable to fulfi ll even the most basic obligations of citizenship. Maybe we should tell him our opinion of that in November. ROBERT SANDERS Schenectady The writer is president of the Woodlawn Democrats.
Oh come on there Bobby Sanders....is that the best you can do? How about the decades of the Popolizio's name in the paper for non payment of taxes? And yet the democratic dictatorship wine and dine the slum lord!!
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
Oh come on there Bobby Sanders....is that the best you can do? How about the decades of the Popolizio's name in the paper for non payment of taxes? And yet the democratic dictatorship wine and dine the slum lord!!
This doesn't bother you??? Assuming what Mr. Sanders wrote is true, Mr. Amedore's conduct is inexcusable for an Assemblyman. He, along with others, should be held to a higher standard.
Oh please! This article first came out on Oct 12th. And Bobby waits until January, 3 months later? Paleeezzzee! This is just the democratic think tank starting early to bash Amedore before the next election. Remember that the dems failed miserably in that election against Eddy Kosiur. The dems are clearly trying to repair their well deserved black eye. Being late on taxes for a developer is very common. Sometimes it happens when the sale of a piece of property changes from the developer to the new owner during tax time. Clearly not done with a malicious intent. Amedore's are not slum lords and have well paid their fair share in taxes over the years and have contributed to the community.
What I find very offensive, is the $80,000 created position for Eddy Kosiur. At the taxpayers expense. Without a civil service test. Without posting the position. He made out pretty good for losing the assembly race didn't he. NOW THAT IS UNEXSCUSABLE.
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
Oh please! This article first came out on Oct 12th. And Bobby waits until January, 3 months later? Paleeezzzee! This is just the democratic think tank starting early to bash Amedore before the next election.
Being late on taxes for a developer is very common. Sometimes it happens when the sale of a piece of property changes from the developer to the new owner during tax time. Clearly not done with a malicious intent. Amedore's are not slum lords and have well paid their fair share in taxes over the years and have contributed to the community.
You disappoint me, bumble. I wonder if the culprit in this case was a Democrat how you'd feel about it?
To your second point: I said it was inexcusable, not unexplainable. If it's very common, as you claim, that's a problem in and of itself. I'd disagree with you about how clear the intent is. What's clear is that you like him. That's fine. Care to offer up an explanation for the school budget voting record?
Just to set some facts straight Robert sanders was out campaining with Edd Kosiur door to door! and is still sore that George Amadore won the race. I could see if the writter to the editor was a resident of schenectady/county however it was the same party member and worked side by side with Kosier . Mr sanders is looking at George Amadore very closley and if a mistake is made he wants to reinsure the voters who they voted for and that we the voters made a bad disicion. Now since this was a special election Mr Amadore has to show the voters what he is for in order for him to win next years election.
This is just the beginning of the mud slinging. And you are right Mr. Clean. Mr. Amedore is going to have to show the voters what he can do. Kosiur's loss was a great blow to the democratic party. And even though Kosiur has resurrected with a very lucrative created position, I don't believe the democrats will let this issue die. Amedore and unfortunately even his family, will have to think and re-think their every move.
SCHENECTADY COUNTY Amedore’s firm billed in error Official: Assemblyman’s company owes no back taxes BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com
Contrary to an earlier official notice, State Assemblyman George Amedore Jr.’s company, Amedore Homes, does not owe Schenectady County nearly $10,000 in delinquent taxes for 2006-2007, a county official said. The name of Amedore Homes Inc. appeared in an Oct. 12 public notice of unpaid town and school taxes, submitted by the Schenectady County commissioner of finance. Each year, the county makes towns and school districts whole and then collects delinquent taxes itself. It prints the public notice as a legal requirement. Bob Zych, CPA, director of treasury systems for Schenectady County, said Amedore Homes does not own the property listed at Country Walk Road, Rotterdam, which owes $2,638, and that the second property on Helderberg Avenue, Rotterdam, which owes $6,051, never should have been taxed in the first place. Zych said Amedore Homes remained on the Country Walk Road deed due to an error and that it paid at least six years’ worth of taxes on the property before correcting the error. He said J. Lucarelli Land Development Corp. owns the property and is legally responsible for the taxes. Amedore said his company conducted a title search on the property when it received the delinquent tax notice from the county earlier this year. Amedore said he was in the process of correcting the error with the county when it printed the public notice. As for the Helderberg Avenue parcel, which is undeveloped, Rotterdam never should have included the land on its assessment rolls, both Zych and Amedore said. The parcel is part of a condominium complex and is considered “common land” under property tax laws, Zych said. “It should never have been taxed; common areas are not assessed,” he said. Amedore said the condominium owners pay the cost of the property through their fees. The Schenectady County Legislature in December acknowledged the assessment error and removed the property from the rolls. Nevertheless, the Oct. 12 legal notice offered an opportunity for some to take a shot at Amedore, a Republican who won election to 105th District of the state Assembly in a hard-fought special election last summer. He defeated former Schenectady County Legislator Edward Kosiur, D-Schenectady. The seat formerly belonged to Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, who took a job with state government. Robert Sanders, who said he and Kosiur are close friends, read the notice and wrote a letter to The Daily Gazette, printed Thursday. The letter accused Amedore Homes of “not fulfilling its most basic civil responsibility and paying its taxes.” Sanders is a Democratic ward leader in Woodlawn who ran unsuccessfully against state Sen. Hugh Farley, R-Niskayuna, in 2002. On Thursday Sanders said he when he wrote his letter last week he was unaware the county Legislature removed the Helderberg property from the Rotterdam tax rolls and that Amedore did not own the County Walk Road property. “I didn’t know. I was trying to expose some hypocrisy. I wouldn’t want a mistake like that to happen to me. I am not out to preach ill will,” Sanders said. Sanders said the tone of the Assembly campaign and its effect on his friend prompted him to write the letter. “I did not like how the whole thing went down for Assembly,” he said. Amedore said Sander’s motives for writing the letter are suspect. “The year 2008 is a year of re-election, and I’m running for re-election in the 105th. I’m not saying it was an opening shot against me, but I wonder if I was not elected to office would the letter had been written?” he asked. “They better get their facts straight before they go out writing things.” Amedore said the “political attack” on him is “half the reason why we can’t get good people involved in public service. We need business people and people who are in touch with the community who understand the pain we all feel and who want to start serving and being involving in public office.”
How does Bob Sanders like his crow and we should all be a little more patient when the story is based on something compiled by the city as they make mistakes all the time and then it's your problem to straighten them out. Amedore is correct about why people won't run for political office when they have to put up with attacks on them and their family for political gain.
I would like to point out to all the people on this board, I don't care who you are republican, democrat,conservitive, liberal, It's what you can do for your city/county for the bennifet of the tax payer, I have always stayed quite and never said a word but somehow over the past year I have been getting involved as a resident /tax payer and looking out for other concerned residents, Some of you might not know me and know what I stand for, For some reason I feel a change is comeing with a bunch of schenectady/county residents organizing and there will be a change, Sometimes I feel people are on the same page however i't how they say it to confuse a person. I have always had a motto My word is my bond, I try my hardest to stick with the facts,To many people like to spread rummers, fib and assume As far as the people on this board which would be mostley rotterdam residents, I too have a part of rottedam in me and i lived with my grandparents for serveral years and went to Mohonasen Junior High. But if you shut the ones that are helping out then you must be happy with the way things are happening today in our COUNTY, I in no means want to run for any office due to the mere fact what Amadore has stated, Like Brad littlefield stated "the sleeping dog has awakened" it's time To Take Our Community Back
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