Pretty soon Proctors will own City Hall and lease it to the city taxpayers for a million per year, after buying it from the county for 1 dollar, which got it from the Metroplex for 20 million over 20 years, which bought it in consideration for the parking garage which was financed by the sale of bonds on Central Park after the Municipal Works garage was purchases with its debt for one dollar by the state after a 50 million dollar grant from Schumer was given to the city to plug its budget hole and keep it from going bankrupt. Six major 6-figure jobs were created for union officials and their brothers too, after the Police Grant came in for the copservative party from Congressman Tonko.
Working together works.
"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."
"Proctor's makes it's money from ticket sales."-DVR Huh?
Proctor's supports and assists in presenting live art performances, movies and art shows. EXPENSES-$2,398,155 REVENUE-$1,442,842! Here's the kicker GOVERNMENT GRANTS-$985,723. Without the taxpayer this nonprofit folds up.
Proctors may not pay property taxes, but it pays its fair share of BID assessments, extensively participates and funds school based programming in the City and is a major contributor to the commercial revitalization downtown that generates substantial sales taxes and property taxes of the related businesses.
Far from abandoning responsibility for the community that is home, we try to do everything in our power and within our resource to be a positive contributor to the community’s health.
Comment by Philip Morris — November 9th, 2010 @ 7:41 pm
What a crock! Pay a fair share PILOT and stop grabbing private businesses. More crapola; "Educational programs that link to artistic presentations such as the dangerous program at Proctor's." WTF! Some great educational program. Another gem-- TOTAL raised from fund raising events -$2,475!!
Mayor Stratton Announces the Creation of the Schenectady Film Commission
2010-01-06 By Don Rittner
New York State has a 30% tax credit for movies shot anywhere in our state.
For_Immediate_Release:
IMMEDIATE RELEASE Schenectady, NY CONTACT: Don Rittner, Film Commissioner 518 378 9256 drittner@aol.com
Mayor Stratton Announces the Creation of the Schenectady Film Commission
Mayor Stratton today announced the formation of the Schenectady Film Commission.
The seven-member panel is made up of local Schenectady professionals who have been successful in various ways in the entertainment industry and its mission is to draw Hollywood and independent filmmakers to the city and county for their productions.
“Schenectady is an ideal place to shoot movies and commercials. We have a 400-year-old city that can provide any backdrop a moviemaker could want, “said Mayor Stratton. “We proved that you can shoot an entire movie in Schenectady and save money at the same time,” he said, referring to Winter of Frozen Dreams, a movie starring Thora Birch and Oscar winner Keith Carradine that was filmed here in 2008. Members of the Schenectady Film Alliance helped the producers with locations and many other aspects of producing the movie and saved the company about $100,000 in production costs.
The commission is made up of Don Rittner, city historian and founder of the Schenectady Film Alliance, who will head the new commission; David Bourgeois, CEO of White Lake Music, a sound production company located in the city; Mike Feurstein, a local award winning independent film maker, Voted Area's Best Filmmaker by Readers' Polls: Times Union 2008, Metroland 2009; Nick Barber, a long time public servant and Schenectady County Real Property Tax Director; Joe Tardi, CEO of Tardi Associates, a local marketing firm; Philip Morris CEO of Proctors; and Barbara Blanchard, city councilwoman.
“Why Schenectady,” says Rittner. “It is here that sound on film was first invented by GE’s Charles Hoxie in 1921. It is here that the first play ever televised took place on WGY/WRGB in 1928 and here that the world’s first television station WRGB began in 1939, he said. “Schenectady has always been a leader in the media and entertainment industry and it makes perfect sense for movie making to take place here today,” he added. Rittner has already been scouting and supplying images for two possible future productions here.
“We also have a huge pool of talent to draw from,” says Mayor Stratton. “Schenectady has actors, producers, writers, lighting experts, and all the talent you need to produce high quality movies and commercials in the city,” he said.
The commission has also created an advisory board that includes Hollywood actress Thora Birch, Schenectady born director and producer Antonio Ferrera, movie producers Milka & Millie Stanisic and TV producer Mike de Seve from NYC. Also invited to be on the advisory committee are legendary filmmakers such as John Sayles, and other local film producers to help in their mission. A Web site will be built to lure potential moviemakers to the region as well.
“New York State has a 30% tax credit for movies shot anywhere in our state. Shooting movies and commercials in Schenectady is good for our local economy but also great for the filmmaker who can take advantage of these tax credits. It’s a win-win for all of us,“ said Rittner.
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For more information: Keywords: Schenectady, NY, film commission
Contact us: Mayor's Office, ,City Hall, Schenectady, NY 12301
Such jealousy --- you folks couldn't run a vacuum cleaner let alone a city or a county.
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
Too funny! A how to guide on how to defraud the taxpayers. Written in the usual self important Mercury Morris style. Before Morris there was nothing....according to him. We even had a coffee house that Proctor's did not control-how primitive.
Read what Morris said about colleges, I outlined it in bold, unbelievable. What in the hel* does he think college is for?
Arts gains have outweighed losses, leaders say Posted on: Sun, 16 Jan 2011 05:51:45 EST
Symbols: MO Jan 16, 2011 (Times Union - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
The arts landscape in the Capital Region is an ever-changing aggregation of openings, closings, cutbacks and expansions. Looking back over the past five years, how have we fared?
"I'd say the last five years have been pretty good for the arts in the Capital Region," says Philip Morris, CEO of Proctors, which completed a $30 million renovation and now operates three theaters and attracts more than 500,000 people per year.
The crown jewel, of course, is EMPAC (Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center), the $200 million, 220,000-square-foot spectacle at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy. It opened in 2008.
The Massry Center for the Arts at The College of Saint Rose in Albany opened the same year. In early 2010, the Arthur Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs opened.
"We now have top-notch, world-class performance venues," says Michele Desrosiers, managing director at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany. "I went to the Joshua Bell concert at EMPAC, when Dr. Jackson had her 10-year anniversary, and he made a comment about how this was one of the top three halls in the world."
Those additions, coupled with Proctors' ability now to present Broadway-quality shows, have changed the nature of arts offerings in the Capital Region, she says; they're increasingly sophisticated, more cosmopolitan.
"The good news is, we've just gone through a major cycle of capital investment in structures," Desrosiers says. "Now, as the economy has faded, we're at a time when we really can't afford those investments."
A cautionary note, Morris and others say, is that most of the major investments happened at colleges. Their priorities tend to be students and faculty, and they don't offer as many mainstream events for the public or involve the community as much as nonprofits or other arts organizations do, they say.
"Placing our cultural life at the college institutions, a migration like that, I don't think is the best thing for the community," Morris says. "It's a positive thing, but colleges are not about community engagement. They might open their doors for performances or exhibitions, which is great. But you don't see community people volunteering. You don't see community board members challenged with tough ethical issues or tough financial questions."
What an idiot! And this moron Mercury Morris wants to run a PUBLIC arts high school? Coming next the Mercury Morris School for the Arts! In his delusional world, instead of students colleges should prioritize the "arts". I hope Roger Hull is reading this.
A self important buffoon. He can't run a theatre on a paying basis and his tax returns prove it. BTW-what's his salary this year? Inquiring minds want to know.
Lets teach the kids ballet and finger painting while the Chinese master physics and chemistry- WONDERFUL!
"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."
I see a whole bunch of people working, shopping and otherwise enjoying downtown. So .. you are far from accurate saying that nobody goes down there.
They work, yes. But WHERE do the people live, DV. ANSWER THAT ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT in Schenectady. Big fat salaries at all the state jobs and NONE of those people have moved to Schenectady in the ten or so years they moved DOT there. High paid engineers. Provide us the list of high paid DOT employees who have moved into Schenectady, DV
Shopping? For what? Other than the high quality of Rudnicks, what's there? What typical Schenectady family can afford the stuff at that home design place?? Tell us DV.. Tell us. Can you EVER answer a question directly. At incomes of $30,000 and paying among the highest taxes in the country. WHO, tell us WHO, DV, can afford that stuff?????? Sure, your dem buddy's political cronies whose property and school taxes are paid by the financially struggling taxpayers.
Tell us DV, you consistently refuse to answer this question: Do you think it's proper for financially struggling low income people who can barely afford to pay their own property & school taxes, to ALSO pay the property taxes of the millionaires downtown?
Tell us DV, WHAT properties in Ssavage-Gillen-Stratton team have been ADDED to the tax rolls??????? Answer it DV. And provide proof!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
Logged
The pictures in the post office? 
Too funny! A how to guide on how to defraud the taxpayers. Written in the usual self important Mercury Morris style. Before Morris there was nothing....according to him. We even had a coffee house that Proctor's did not control-how primitive.
