The Gazetto is finally off the DEM fumes. Today's editorial slams the DEM morons for fiscal irresponsibility. Top of the hit list Gary McCheese's Garage Mahal. An interest only payback scheme that the clueless Mayor
now says he knew nuthin about. No principle paid-no problemo because they are working together!

     Fresh off sending the cops to watch Jason Cuthberts termination another facial. Next connect the dots with Metrograft tax exemptions for the DEM friends and family club. Audit! Audit!   State Control Board NOW!  

Was listening to Fred Dicker on ch. 6 last night and he said if a city like schenectady went bankrupt they could break
union contracts  

Quoted from rpforpres

Was listening to Fred Dicker on ch. 6 last night and he said if a city like schenectady went bankrupt they could break
union contracts  

An Aug. 6, 2012 NY Post article:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/tate_takeover_DY4wAHE5OGDwni9s93rn4K

It is all over. The people may even get a peak behind the Potemkin village (downtown)

That's been heralded as a solution to the city's issues for years.    Someone on here blogged about that once too, but I dont know how to find it

An article from Nov. 11 2001, has some interesting facts about the City of Troy's fiscal woes and the implementation of a Financial Control Board. Note that part of the solution was to raise taxes 21%. There are no easy fixes to the fiscal problems here.



http://news.google.com/newspap.....&pg=4728,2656954

Aug. 13, 2003, Financial Control board being considered.

There are no cookie cutter solutions to the city's fiscal mess.


http://news.google.com/newspap.....&pg=2637,3070968

Quoted from rpforpres

Was listening to Fred Dicker on ch. 6 last night and he said if a city like schenectady went bankrupt they could break
union contracts  

That's one of the best solutions for this City of thieves. And not just the Union contracts, remember the Chief Farstad situation...racking up hours to jump up pension payments...how about Attorney VanNorden's lifetime guarantee of medical insurance?

Honestly, the City Council has NO CLUE as to the Stratton-handshake-benefit-deals which still bankrupt our City.

Like Benny said, a COMPLETE AUDIT of every City workers contract needs to be done. There are no boundaries as to what has been granted to many. Let's start with free cell phones, free cars and medical benefits.

I too support a complete audit of the city, but I would also caution those in support of a Financial Control Board, to be careful what you wish for. I do not know all of the powers such a board has, but unless one of those is the ability to make the non-tax paying business' contribute financially to the city, then the brunt of a Control Boards actions will in fact put more of the burden on the already over taxed home owners.

You will be taxed even more (Troy was mandated to raise taxes by 21% mid-year) police, fire and other city services may be reduced, in addition to the other wasteful spending others here have outlined. There will be no quick fix. There are no easy solutions. Is everyone prepared to tighten their belts even further if a Financial Control Board were implemented?

I myself have no answers or solutions, but I would submit to all that the solution of a Financial Control Board could in fact be just as if not more painful than what we are currently experiencing.

Troy's state control board happened 11 years ago, prior to tax caps.

Also, in the City of Schenectady, there are no solutions anyway. Nothing has been done. For the past decade there have been absolutely no job cuts or cost saving ideas...just a bunch of sheep passing a budget in the name of 'working together'...it hasn't worked.

There are so many backroom deals that without an audit, they will never come to light.

Our choices are, end the corruption now with a State Board or continue into a blackhole of financial incompetence. The City has no ability to stop what they've created.  

Quoted from rachel72

Troy's state control board happened 11 years ago, prior to tax caps.

Also, in the City of Schenectady, there are no solutions anyway. Nothing has been done. For the past decade there have been absolutely no job cuts or cost saving ideas...just a bunch of sheep passing a budget in the name of 'working together'...it hasn't worked.

There are so many backroom deals that without an audit, they will never come to light.

Our choices are, end the corruption now with a State Board or continue into a blackhole of financial incompetence. The City has no ability to stop what they've created.  

I agree Rachel72, but you failed to answer the crux of my inquiry. If an audit were done and it is deemed necessary for a control board to be put in place, would you as a taxpayer be willing to endure the inevitable increases in taxes and reduction in services that most certainly would occur? Or would you turn your wrath to the control board and it's policies?

I only used Troy as an example because of it's proximity. Nassau County is one of the most recent municipalities to have a control board instituted, but I felt that was an unfair comparison. Buffalo is also under a control board.

Once again, as I have previously stated there are no easy or cookie cutter solutions to this problem. Every solution contains it's own demons.

Forget bankruptcy - that is a last ditch measure.  they would go to a control board first and I don't think they're there...yet.

The state avoids that bankruptcy parachute because ti would allow the governments to make promises and when the money runs out the City gets out from under by declating bankruptcy.  

There are some solutions and bankruptcy is not the way to go.

As far as a State Control Board, the 2% tax cap would prevent a 21% Troy-like increase. BUT, the City has been increasing 'fees' every year, so as far as the threat of a control board, we're not going to be suprised.

Fact is, the City WILL NOT take a stand on anything. If a control board comes in, exposes the handshake deals and waste, they WILL do something about it.

Let's take for instance City vehicles:  

"CBS6 has learned that in the City of Schenectady, there is a fleet of 400
vehicles and last year, nearly 100 of them were involved in an
accident.  Because of those accidents, the City`s insurance costs have
more than doubled.  In an effort to get a handle on the situation, the
City Council is taking a much closer look at the policies in place,
starting with just how many people who work for the city of Schenectady,
bring a car home after their shift is over.

"Our insurance rate went from a little more than $600,000 to $2 million because of all
those accidents," says council member Vince Riggi.

Of all these vehicles, the SPD has 14...yet they were the first department to have 2 vehicles cut. What about the 100 accidents? Why would a City with a doubled insurance bill keep all but 2 vehicles out of 400?

That's something the State Control Board would fix...a reduction of services or a reduction of a free ride for City employees to their homes? Most likely the free rides.

I'd have to agree with Loki - the devil is in the details.

We (the taxpaying residents) need SOMETHING to happen.  Is a control board the way to go? bankruptcy? audit?  I don't know, but something needs to happen.  We can't pay our bills, we keep getting further in debt and the tax-free artsy fartsy people downtown, Morris included, just keep looking for more handouts - and the stoooopid politicians just keep funnneling it in there.

Rachel72, I don't disagree with any of your points, but I'm just wondering out loud, what the reaction the city taxpayers would have to further belt tightening?

Would they/you be receptive to it, or would they/you just see it as yet another hopeless situation? I would appreciate a straight forward answer. I for one would welcome any measures regardless of how harsh, that would in the end set this city on the right path.

I have learned how to budget my own finances to live relatively comfortably. If I need to make cuts I certainly know what I can do without.