City chops jobs, seeks lift from sales tax
Schenectady cuts workers, pushes for $600,000 boost in sales tax revenue
By Lauren Stanforth
Published 9:51 p.m., Sunday, September 2, 2012


SCHENECTADY — Mayor Gary McCarthy is moving forward with plans to help fix his city's ailing finances, in part by laying off city employees and pushing forward a deal to get $600,000 more from the county on sales tax monies.

Two Schenectady City Council members have confirmed there were layoffs on Friday, but even they do not know who exactly lost their jobs.

City Councilman Vincent Riggi said five people got pink slips. City Councilwoman Leesa Perazzo said there had been talks in previous executive sessions about what jobs might be on the chopping block, but she said she was surprised to learn some employees had already been let go. It appears that an agenda item for Tuesday's City Council committee meeting titled "budget reappropriations" will address the layoffs.

Currently, the state comptroller's office is auditing Schenectady's books after it learned the city's rainy day fund was drained to around $75,000.

"I didn't know there was any action taken," Perazzo said Sunday about the layoffs. "I thought it was more of a proposed situation rather than, 'This is what we're going to do.' "

McCarthy and his direct aide, city Director of Operations William Winkler, couldn't be reached for comment Sunday.

The City Council also plans Tuesday to discuss a deal agreed to by McCarthy and Schenectady County that would bring $600,000 more in sales tax monies into the city's coffers. The new contract would increase the total sales tax revenue starting Dec. 1 from $11.1 to $11.7 million — with possible bumps each year for the next seven years if sales tax profits rise.

The city could choose an alternate route by taking 1.5 percent of the 8 percent sales tax instead of negotiating a flat rate. City Councilman Carl Erikson, who heads the council's finance committee, said it's difficult to determine how much money that would be if the city took 1.5 percent because many businesses claim sales tax as a group — such as Price Chopper or Stewart's Shops — and do not report it to the state under specific municipalities or ZIP codes.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/loca.....06.php#ixzz25PbKuqzq

So this would mean that we can buy something in Rotterdam, Nisky, Scotia and because the city can't attract businesses that will result in sales tax, more sales tax money leaves the towns and goes to the city because the DEMS SCREWED UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

five employees of the city.....terminated.....budget cuts.....surprise to all.....no notice....not even city council knew this.....

heard in the donut shop.

More proof the city is in the crapper and getting deeper. No way there is for the city to raise the money needed for anything, wait a minute. Colonie had a one-time fee
to supposedly help them, we could mail out, to every taxpayer, a Renaissance Tax Adjustment Realignment Document, or RETARD, detailing how much they should pay
to help cover the city's overspending, at least get us thru this year.

Quoted Text

"I didn't know there was any action taken," Perazzo said Sunday about the layoffs. "I thought it was more of a proposed situation rather than, 'This is what we're going to do.' "

Is this what the liberal nut cases call ......................... WORKING TOGETHER?????   

The city is in deep sh!t!!! Actually the entire county is!!

They are all scrambling for that last crumb.  Gonna get super interesting seeing how the budget and the audit play out.  

Quoted from TakingItBack

They are all scrambling for that last crumb.  Gonna get super interesting seeing how the budget and the audit play out.  

$5 million in the hole and the City cuts 5 jobs.

Yeah, that's balanced now.

Schenectady parks, street jobs up for cuts
Schenectady budget gap is $5M with few ways to close it
By Lauren Stanforth
Updated 4:35 p.m., Tuesday, September 4, 2012



SCHENECTADY – The city park's director is one of the positions that are on the chopping block as Schenectady struggles to bring in revenue in the face of rising costs and lowering property values.

Other positions slated for elimination include an economic development assistant, an urban cultural park coordinator, two assistant street crew leaders and a police command staffer.

Mayor Gary McCarthy said the police command staff position would likely be eliminated when an assistant police chief is hired to take the place of Chief Mark Chaires, who is retiring by year's end. Three of the four assistant chiefs, Brian Kilcullen, Patrick Leguire, and Michael Seber, have passed the civil service exam for chiefs and are in the running for the job.

"We've done the preliminary budget reviews and we're reorganizing it to put some accountability and controls in it," McCarthy said about the positions he's requesting from City Council to be cut. McCarthy's proposed 2013 budget is due to the City Council on Oct. 1, and there is little revenue the city can use to close what at minimum is a $5 million budget gap.

City Council is set to discuss the layoffs at a committee meeting Tuesday night. McCarthy said the Council needs to vote on the eliminations for the layoffs to occur.

News about the possible eliminations spread last week after McCarthy sent letters to the employees in those positions. Some of the jobs are covered by the CSEA union, so employees underneath the staffers might be bumped out of their jobs instead.

The elimination of parks director Michael Burke comes at a time when some have criticized the condition of city facilities, such as overgrown flower beds and grass. McCarthy said if the parks director job is eliminated, the position's duties - which include scheduling the use of recreational facilities - will be given to other city employees and will not degrade park maintenance.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/loca.....87.php#ixzz25XXqc2Cl

4 assistant chiefs???

Like using a cup to bail out the Titanic

Quoted Text

Mayor Gary McCarthy said the police command staff position would likely be eliminated when an assistant police chief is hired to take the place of Chief Mark Chaires, who is retiring by year's end. Three of the four assistant chiefs, Brian Kilcullen, Patrick Leguire, and Michael Seber, have passed the civil service exam for chiefs and are in the running for the job.

Oh, so he IS going to put a non-Schenectady resident in the police chief job.   One of the three non-Schenectady residents will be promoted which will result in a vacant assistant job which is what McC plans to eliminate.

McCarthy is a HYPOCRITE, A LIAR (just like DV).   Not long ago he said he will NOT hire one from the list because they don't live in the city.   Now he seems like he is?

Quoted Text

The elimination of parks director Michael Burke comes at a time when some have criticized the condition of city facilities, such as overgrown flower beds and grass.

Why is there money available to spend on tax exemptions for the rich downtown, but no money for the people who pay the taxes to fix up the parks?


What's the matter DV, you now had to create a name for one of your mommies and just post news?   You can't speak about how the homeowners are suffering while they pay for your socialist businesses downtown?

Quoted from bumblethru

Is this what the liberal nut cases call ......................... WORKING TOGETHER?????   

The city is in deep sh!t!!! Actually the entire county is!!

Nisky seems to be doing OK.

So we will get another chief who is not a resident and
if you look at the pictures of two parks in the link, the parks have been a mess for a while now thats nothing new

So they lay off five just wondering where they are going to get the money for the upkeep of the homesthey are
foreclosing on? nd don't know if this was asked or answered when they foreclose on properties do they have do have
insurance on them ?  

Lastly just assuming some of these homes still have mortgages wouldnt it be the bank who forecloses and takes possession and responsibity?

Quoted from Tommy

Nisky seems to be doing OK.

Until they consolidate and suck the $$$ out of Nisk/Rott to pay the city's bills