SCHENECTADY COUNTY County ‘green’ program pushed by leadership BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com.
Schenectady County announced Wednesday a series of initiatives to promote energy conservation and efficiency among its staff and residents. The initiatives include requiring the county to purchase energy-efficient products, adopting procedures that encourage construction of energy-efficient buildings, increasing recycling efforts in county buildings and conducting an energy audit of the county’s transportation fleet. The county also proposes to launch a public relations campaign to encourage residents to save energy and obtain an energy audit from the state. “As energy costs continue to rise, achieving energy conservation and efficiency is a goal everyone should strive for,” said Susan Savage, DNiskayuna, chairwoman of the Schenectady County Legislature. She said the measures would help the county save money and protect the environment. Legislature Vice Chairwoman Judith Dagostino, D-Rotterdam, said the county is joining a growing movement toward conservation and efficiency, including stepping up efforts to protect the Great Flats Aquifer, source of drinking water for county residents. Paul Tonko, president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, attended the news conference. The Democrats’ initiatives come almost a year after Legislator Joseph Suhrada, R-Rotterdam, proposed his own initiatives to save energy. Democrats never considered his proposals. Suhrada’s proposed legislation would: Exempt purchases of alternative energy equipment from the county’s 4 percent portion of sales tax; Offer up to $50,000 in county matching funds to municipalities that install the equipment; Create tax credits for homeowners and businesses that install solar and wind power systems; Fund installation of alternative energy systems in county buildings; In 2006, during a crucial election year, Democrats placed a one-year cap on the motor fuel sales tax in Schenectady County. This was at a time when gas prices were approaching $3 per gallon. The local measure reduced the price of gasoline by about 4 cents a gallon at the pump. After losing more than $1 million in sales tax revenue, however, the county Legislature repealed the tax cap before it expired. When asked Wednesday about reintroducing the tax cap as a way to help local residents deal with rising energy costs, Savage refused to answer. County officials said the county is facing a revenue shortfall going into 2009 of at least $5 million and needs to maximum every revenue source it can to avoid having to raise taxes significantly.
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March 20, 2008, 5:28am
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Legislature Vice Chairwoman Judith Dagostino, D-Rotterdam, said the county is joining a growing movement toward conservation and efficiency
Dagostino is SO out of touch. Homeowners and Residents having been conserving and being efficient for years, while we struggle to pay the insane taxes that our City/Town/County/State level on us. NOW she sees the politically correct move of conserving and being efficient. Just like during the election year when the fuel tax moratorium was passed, only to be yanked out from under our feet less than 60 days later.
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the county Legislature repealed the tax cap before it expired.
Yep. It was politically correct during an election cycle to repeal the tax. After they got their new term confirmed by the voters, residents be damned. (Did you notice how Lamandola conveniently forgot the word "Democrat" when speaking of the legislature?
They were worried about the tax cap when it hit $3 per gallon - now we're headed for $3.50 - $4 per gallon - where's our tax relief now? Oh, that's right.. they're facing a revenue shortfall. How about the county trying to make do, with less of the fancy-shmacy crap they push on us every year. Hypocrites.
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When asked Wednesday about reintroducing the tax cap as a way to help local residents deal with rising energy costs, Savage refused to answer.
Ya, BIG surprise there.
Anyone surprised they didn't even consider Suhrada's proposal? Joe was right - even when it wasn't an election time. He TRIED to be proactive - instead, now Dagostino, Savage et al need to be REACTIVE ... "oh, we're only going to need a 15% tax increase this year because we were so efficient"
Must be an election year, the manure is already starting to smell up the place.
It's pretty obvious to me that the officials elected to office to run Schenectady County/city don't have a clue on how to do it. All they know how to do is tax and spend and pour money into their pet projects at the residents expense.
wait can I steal this idea----IT WAS MY IDEA...someone overheard me talking in Mark's oh, no, I mean Roman villa,,,oh wait no,,,Pinhead's...oh wait no I mean Apperativo....never mind....it was just a dream.....but, I would like to take credit...but, only if you vote for me.....
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
County aims for energy efficiency Effort will target products, buildings and vehicles to cut fuel use and carbon emissions
By LAUREN STANFORTH, Staff writer First published: Wednesday, April 9, 2008
SCHENECTADY -- Schenectady County officials recently announced initiatives aimed at improving energy conservation and efficiency. The county will give preference to Energy Star products when buying for county facilities. Energy Star, which is managed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, is a voluntary labeling program from appliance manufacturers designed to help consumers identify products that are energy-efficient.
The county will also adopt something called the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System, nationally accepted criteria for making buildings more environment-friendly. Any new buildings acquired by the county will be designed for water savings, energy efficiency and will use materials that are better for the environment. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will do an energy audit of the county's vehicles to determine if more can be done to reduce carbon emissions and petroleum usage. Also, the county will kick off a public relations campaign to educate residents about ways to improve energy efficiency in the home and about grants that are available from NYSERDA. The county Department of Senior and Long-Term Care and the Department of Social Services will also give out information regarding NYSERDA's programs for low-income families. The county will also pass a resolution in support of the state's effort to reduce emissions by 15 percent in New York by the year 2015. County employees will also be asked to turn off lights and computer equipment at day's end. "I've seen that these initiatives bring a stronger community and a stronger economy," NYSERDA President Paul Tonko said at a recent event to announce the county's efforts.
SCHENECTADY ‘Perfect bulb’ may brighten city streets Councilwoman’s dream for ‘green’ lights close to reality BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
Technology made Barbara Blanchard’s dreams come true Monday. One of the deepest desires of local environmentalists, including the councilwoman, is the creation of a bulb that can sip electricity at a fraction of the current rate while glowing as brightly as today’s most energy-wasting light. That perfect bulb could replace every streetlight that now lines the city’s sidewalks. There are so many streetlights in the city that they use more electricity than all of the municipal buildings put together and thus create more pollution than anything other than the city bulldozers. The city found LED bulbs for its traffic lights but was assured that none of them were bright enough and cheap to illuminate the sidewalks. For years, the City Council has raised the issue repeatedly, hoping that its regular meetings with energy-efficiency experts would lead to some solution. On Monday, that solution walked in the door. Jayme Lahut, executive director at Metroplex Development Authority, came to the council to announce a new project to brighten Jay Street. He outlined the basics: better paving on the alleys, new lights on arches at each alleyway, illumination on the buildings and new bulbs in the 20 streetlights. .......................>>>>............>>>>................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar01401
SCHENECTADY Mayors seek funds to cut pollution in cities Stratton journeys to D.C. to meet with key senators BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Kathleen Moore at 395-3120 or moore@dailygazette.com.
Nine mayors, including Mayor Brian U. Stratton, are heading to Washington, D.C., today to lobby for money to cut city pollution. Schenectady is one of 965 cities that have promised to cut their pollution to 1990 levels, and, unlike most, the city is more than halfway to its goal. But funding is needed so every city can meet that goal. Stratton, speaking as a representative of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, hopes to persuade five key senators to help by changing the way grant money is sent to cities for environmental improvements. They want 68 percent of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant set aside through stimulus funding to go straight to municipalities. “The House bill did not do that,” Stratton said. “It provided some funding for the states and then it would be doled out. We believe we can get it there faster — which is the purpose of the stimulus.” He said mayors are feeling “some frustration” that most municipal stimulus funds have gone to the states. “Then we have to jump through a second set of hurdles,” he said. .............>>>>.................>>>>.....................................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar01000
These DEM idiots have done plenty to "green" this County. By chasing out every job creator, taxpayer and worker. 3 neighborhoods in the City in the top 10 emptiest in the State!
All this BS about "green jobs" meanwhile CONTEC that once employed over 500 in the City moves out. Have you spotted the tumbleweed blowing down lower State? Great job Son of Sam, SS Savage and Death Ray! Can't even relocated a Diner before it collapses.
So, in other words, instead of saving a bunch of CO2, the mayor decided to go all the way down to Washington D.C. along with other "saviours of the environment" to get together to decide how they were going to save us from ourselves? Then every once in a while they'll have to make the same trek again and again instead of, oh, I don't know, maybe a conference call so they didn't have to leave the cities they were in? Wouldn't it have saved CO2 (which can't be proven to be harmful) if they just stayed home?
Getting back to 1990 levels. Great. Since there's so many less people living in the city, it shouldn't be much of a problem.
Schenectady is already green only it's from the moss growing all over everything. Mount Pleasant, Bellevue, Van Vranken Ave, and Carmen Rd, the areas of the city that haven't been touched by improvements for a few decades.
Going ‘green’ in a click John Purcell 12/28/10 County’s new website brings energy solutions online in one place
Energy smart choices might not always be the easiest to make, but Schenectady County residents now have a tool to assist them in finding “green” energy solutions and opportunities.
County officials announced the launch of a website, GoGreenSchenectadyCounty.com, aimed at providing residents, businesses and organizations with a simplified method to finding information on rebates, incentives, grants and energy saving projects. The website will be updated daily.
“With the click of a button you will find valuable information about resources and helpful tools to make smart energy choices for you and your family,” said Susan Savage, D-Niskayuna, chairwoman of the Schenectady County Legislature. “I invite all of our residents to join with us and green Schenectady County.”
The information available on the website isn’t anything new, but it is an attempt to compile all the various resources from other locations for residents to easily find in one spot. There are sections for assistance for low-income households, tax incentives, getting paid to reduce energy demands, utility incentives and rebates, how to save money on utilities bills, Energy Star guidelines for small businesses, and National Grid incentives that are offered to customers.
“We think it has some very practical information that consumers want,” said Savage. “We are the first county in the Capital District to make this information available.”....................>>>>.......................>>>>................http://www.spotlightnews.com/news/view_news.php?news_id=1293562499
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
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These DEM idiots have done plenty to "green" this County. By chasing out every job creator, taxpayer and worker. 3 neighborhoods in the City in the top 10 emptiest in the State! 
