Fights to see justice done
Outgoing Schenectady lawmaker reflects on his battles in office
By PAUL NELSON, Staff writer
Published 09:45 p.m., Sunday, December 25, 2011

SCHENECTADY — Joe Allen prides himself on being something of a maverick.

The outspoken city councilman, who's bowing out after 16 years in office, recalled how he made enemies earlier this year after criticizing billboards in his Hamilton Hill neighborhood promoting the lifestyle of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people of color.

"I got a lot of hateful emails after that," he said matter-of-factly during an interview at the Stanley Street home he's lived in since he was 7.

Allen, who was born and raised in the city, holds the distinction of being the first black person to be elected to the governing body.

Before that, he served as president of the Hamilton Hill Neighborhood Association and would attend the municipal gatherings only to become frustrated when the panel went into executive session to discuss personnel or legal matters.

"There were issues pertaining to this neighborhood and the black community that were being ignored," he said, recounting the other reason he went into politics. "The main thing is that Hamilton Hill was being treated differently from other parts of the community."

After losing the first time, his sophomore campaign for municipal office proved successful: in 1996, Allen earned a spot on the governing body on which he has served three additional four-year terms.

During his tenure, he pushed for getting more people of color on the police and fire departments, enforcing residency requirements, and curbing what he contends were rampant police brutality and profiling.

Now, Allen, 76, who has been slowed by a stroke, is calling it quits. He plans to spend more time doting on his 2-year-old grandson, Raymond Bowman, and in Florida, where he has a home in the Tampa Bay area. His last City Council meeting is Tuesday.

Allen, who retired years ago after 34 years with the state Division of Youth Services, fondly recalled the days when the City Council was more unified even though the Democrats weren't the majority. "You had to do the right thing to stay in office," said Allen, a self-described moderate Democrat who remembers when a fellow Democrat told him he was too close to then-Mayor Al Jurczynski.

He laments the dearth of minorities in City Hall and on the fire department, but acknowledges some progress has been made. "There's been an improvement but we still have a long way to go," he added. "I think I've made a difference because there are issues that I've brought up that would not have been brought up."

He said he is most proud of getting the city to be more aggressive in cracking down on eyesores where residents would store garbage on the porches of their homes. "I'm not optimistic because people, like department heads and the City Council, ignore problems and don't want to admit we have problems, and that is a problem," Allen said. "I would like people to view me as a voice for justice for the people."

Reach Nelson at 454-5347 or by email at pnelson@timesunion.com.



Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Fights-to-see-justice-done-2425070.php#ixzz1he3CLZuE

Joe Allen has always been a good man and a great representative for ALL people.  Mr. Allen - thank you - for often being the "voice crying out in the wilderness" on the Schenectady City Council and - thank you - for all you have done to represent and work for ALL people in the city  (not just the "chosen few"/politically connected who could afford  to live on the "right side" of city) .

I wish you well in your retirement.

He will be missed. Someone who on occasion went against the orders of the fossil machine. Should have been more independent on fiscal matters. His concerns about pit bulls, gangs and the total implosion of the Albany Street Business District went unheeded. Wish him well in his retirement in Florida.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Joe Allen has always been a good man and a great representative for ALL people.  Mr. Allen - thank you - for often being the "voice crying out in the wilderness" on the Schenectady City Council and - thank you - for all you have done to represent and work for ALL people in the city  (not just the "chosen few"/politically connected who could afford  to live on the "right side" of city) .

I wish you well in your retirement.

ROFL.    Representing the people by NOT paying his own property taxes in the time frame required by the law---a time frame property followed by his constituents??????    How is that being a great repreentative??????    Huh?    Can you anser that DV?

One of the first things he did was whine about all the people, in his neighborhood alone, who stored trash cans in front of their homes, yes, it is unsighly and violation of codes, reduces property values and makes a neighborhood less desirable.   And now, 16 years later, tell us DV, what has Joe Allen accomplished in that regard--after 16 years?    Neither Joe nor his dem buddies have not only NOT been in the teeniest bit successful in eliminating that problem in his hill neighborhood, but they have done things to expand that problem throughout virtually the whole city, obviously DV , you NEVER go into any of the the neighborhoods, otherwise you would see the TRUTH. you would SEE the trash cans stored in front of houses in virtually EVERY neighborhood -- rather than eliminating the problem Joe and his dems have caused the expansion of this problem throughout virtually every neighborhood.  

Tell us DV, how about his double dipping?????     Is THAT representative of the people in the city?????   State pension PLUS council pay.   But even more so, having available a very generous health insurance plan as a retiree of the state, at just a SMALL 10% of the premium cost, but instead he chooses to make the finiancially struggling homeowners in the city foot the bill for his health insurance from the city -- IN FULL.   Tell us how much he represents the homeowners while many don't even have insurance, others pay thousands upon thousand of dollars in premiums, but Joe represents these people buy forcing them to pay not only their own health insurance but his too---and pay for his in full!!!!!!

Oh, how about his whining about the people in his neighborhood who willfully and deliberately did not pay attention to snow emergency parking rules.  Snow emergencies, for alternate sicde parking, used ot be called (before we had a dem mayor), and declartion of such was annouced in all the media.   But then people in HIS neighborhood didn't bother educating themselves, got tickets, and then Joe went whining to the city because those people had fines to pay.   Then Joe can complain about poor snowplowing.

How about Joe's stupidity.   He voted to eliminate the two-tier property tax system in the city.   DV, your comments on property taxes on these boards of course proves you do not now nor have ever owned a house or land, so to educate you, the two tier tax system is one where a municipality has two different tax rates, one for residential properties and another for business properties.    During Joe's time on the council, he voted to eliminate this two-tier system.    Within the past year or two, Joe commented during a council meeting that he was amazed to learn that the property tax rate for the absentee landlords is not the same as for the businesses.   Geez DV, Allen votes to eliminate the business tax rate and then some years later claims he's surprised that a certain group of property owners is not paying at the business tax rate?   He was so stupid he didn't even know what he voted for!!!!!!!!!!!!    

How about this one, DV.   When Jurzynski proposed a trash fee, Joe Allen voted an absolute NO.    Joe was representing the people, financially strugglling homeowners who simiply could NOT afford such a fee.   So explain to us, DV, how was Joe representing the peopl ewhen the immediate previous socialist mayor proposed the same fee and Joe Allen voted a BIG YES to impose such a huge fee on financially struggling homeowners.   Gee, DV, and then Joe votes to increase it TWICE besides!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   WOW, talk about the big hypocrite councilman---but that is how you claim he represents all people.

Yes DV, we all know you will NOT address each of these one by one and provide an answer because you cannot disprove what is written.

Just keep on saying he's wonderful but then refuse to cite any proof.   Lack of proof = lack of credibility = LIAR

Joe Allen is a nice guy! But has accomplished little that has actually impacted the residents in a positive manner. And isn't it nice that Mr. Allen will be spending his tax paid new york retirement in another state....FLORIDA!!

so now the city is rid of the old man with grey hair AND the black man!!!