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Metroplex chairman near the top in pay
Ray Gillen cites business development "results" in defending pay, benefits
By Lauren Stanforth
Published 10:29 pm, Tuesday, February 19, 2013

SCHENECTADY — Metroplex Chairman Ray Gillen is one of the highest paid government employees among all Schenectady County municipalities, having made $168,719.51 in 2012.

Gillen was second only to Schenectady police spokesman Lt. Mark McCracken, who brought in $171,423. McCracken more than doubled his $81,671 base salary through overtime. The Times Union compared salaries from the county, city, and towns of Glenville, Niskayuna and Rotterdam.

While Gillen works for Metroplex, the authority that takes 0.5 percent of county sales tax revenue and invests it in redevelopment, he is technically commissioner of planning for Schenectady County. As a result, his salary is not reported to the state Authorities Budget Office as part of Metroplex's annual report.

Gillen said when he was hired in 2004, the county decided to employ him under its umbrella because he was overseeing multiple development authorities. Metroplex has an executive director, Jayme Lahut, whose "average compensation" was reported to the state as $144,000 in 2011. The authority has loaned millions and negotiated payment-in-lieu-of-taxes deals to businesses to redevelop a section of downtown's State Street and for rehabilitation efforts in other areas, including Curry Road Plaza in Rotterdam.

Since 2006, for which numbers were not immediately available, Gillen's salary has steadily increased from $142,055 to $162,283 in 2013, largely because of yearly 3 percent increases.

He and other county managers received a 1.5 percent retroactive raise as part of last year's pay, said county spokesman Joe McQueen. But Gillen was compensated further last year, for a total of $6,436.51 added onto his base pay. McQueen said managers did not receive raises in 2012 and 2013, and he could not explain what Gillen's extra compensation was for.

Gillen drives a county-provided vehicle, a 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer. He said he is charged mileage to and from his house and has the amount, which is between $500 and $1,000, taken out of his check once a year...................>>>>....................>>>>..............Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/loca.....51.php#ixzz2LRaOjnBO

Quoted from bumblethru

"Don’t trust anything unless you can prove it with your own research."

Quoted from Box A Rox

"Don't trust anything everything unless you can prove it with your own without research."

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SCHENECTADY — Metroplex Chairman Ray Gillen is one of the highest paid government employees among all Schenectady County municipalities, having made $168,719.51 in 2012.

Gillen was second only to Schenectady police spokesman Lt. Mark McCracken, who brought in $171,423. McCracken more than doubled his $81,671 base salary through overtime. The Times Union compared salaries from the county, city, and towns of Glenville, Niskayuna and Rotterdam.

ya just can't make this crap up!!! What background did THE METROPLEX/GILLEN have that landed him this job? Was he ever a businessman? Where did METROPLEX/GILLEN work before he scammed this position?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the tax base in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the home values in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the property taxess in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the school taxes in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the the ability to sell homes in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the length of time it takes to sell a home in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the numbers of people choosing to buy a home in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the numbers of people choosing to sell their home in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the numbers of people choosing to move  in the city--buy or rent?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the focusing on the neighborhoods in the city--those locations where people actually live and where the tax dollars are generated?

Quoted from mikechristine1

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the tax base in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the home values in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the property taxess in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the school taxes in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the the ability to sell homes in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the length of time it takes to sell a home in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the numbers of people choosing to buy a home in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the numbers of people choosing to sell their home in the city?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the numbers of people choosing to move  in the city--buy or rent?

And in return for the high pay, WHAT has his work done for the focusing on the neighborhoods in the city--those locations where people actually live and where the tax dollars are generated?

NOTHING!!!!!!!

Quoted from bumblethru

ya just can't make this crap up!!! What background did THE METROPLEX/GILLEN have that landed him this job? Was he ever a businessman? Where did METROPLEX/GILLEN work before he scammed this position?

But Bumbler, how do you know this to be true???
Remember:

Quoted from bumblethru

"Don’t trust anything unless you can prove it with your own research."

Quoted from Box A Rox

But Bumbler, how do you know this to be true???
Remember:

You don't know it's true, it's evidence.

With results like that, one doesn't need failures.

His job in a NUTSHELL is to build the Countys Sales Tax base and Income by enticing propertys new and old to locate in the city by giving them tax exemptions.  

Quoted from TakingItBack

His job in a NUTSHELL is to build the Countys Sales Tax base and Income by enticing propertys new and old to locate in the city by giving them tax exemptions.  

the sales tax revenue is what keeps the METROPLEX/GILLEN'S EMPIRE going round and round and round.

It has clearly done NOTHING to lower the tax base NOR create good, sustainable jobs. (unless bar tender/maid/waitress/cashier) is considered GOOD PAYING JOBS!!

Let's not forget that many of the businesses are retreads from else where in the city/county.

Does anyone know what the TOTAL operating costs are for the METROPLEX/GILLEN EMPIRE?

Quoted from bumblethru

the sales tax revenue is what keeps the METROPLEX/GILLEN'S EMPIRE going round and round and round.

It has clearly done NOTHING to lower the tax base NOR create good, sustainable jobs. (unless bar tender/maid/waitress/cashier) is considered GOOD PAYING JOBS!!

Let's not forget that many of the businesses are retreads from else where in the city/county.

Does anyone know what the TOTAL operating costs are for the METROPLEX/GILLEN EMPIRE?

It would also be nice to see the trend of the Exemptions that Metroplex has handed out in the city over the years.  The Schenectady Towns and Villages have benefited from Metroplex that is for sure.  The overall tax bill of the towns and viallges are lower now than they would be if it werent for Metroplex cannabalizing the Citys tax base.  That is a fact.

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SCHENECTADY COUNTY
Gillen earns top salary in county Metroplex chairman cites streamlining
BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter



    Having someone lead Schenectady County’s economic development efforts doesn’t come cheap.
    Ray Gillen, the commissioner of the county’s Department of Planning and Economic Development and chairman of the Metroplex Development Authority, was paid $168,719 to do the job in 2012, most of which came in the form of his base salary. Gillen’s gross pay easily ranked him first among Schenectady County’s top paid employees last year.
    Gillen’s base salary alone — $162,283 — was more than $20,000 higher than any other county worker, according to figures provided by the county under a Freedom of Information request submitted by The Gazette this week. He earned an additional $6,436 through a retroactive pay raise from 2011 and through the county’s health insurance buyback incentive.
    The only county employee to come near Gillen’s gross salary was library Director Andrew Kulmatiski, who earned $145,981 after cashing in vacation, sick leave, and longevity pay when he retired last year. County District Attorney Robert Carney, who earned a salary of $140,300, came the closest to Gillen’s base pay.
    Gillen wasn’t shy about discussing his salary. While acknowledging it was considerable, he pointed to the sweeping changes he’s overseen since coming to the county from his job as director of industry development for the Empire State Development Corporation in 2004. Last year alone, he said, he oversaw roughly $200 million in economic development throughout the county — something that was made possible by streamlining operations.
    “Look at our annual report,” he said. “We now have 10 fewer people working in economic development and we’re getting 10 times the results. We are a streamlined, effective, resultsoriented economic development team.”
    Of course, Gillen wasn’t alone among the list of county workers topping six figures. In fact, all 10 top earners in the county grossed more than $130,000.
    Among them were several other county executives. County Manager Kathleen Rooney earned $140,333, bolstering her base pay of $129,218 with longevity pay and a retroactive pay raise from 2011.
    Deborah Mancini, the county’s finance commissioner, earned $132,826 last year. Dennis Packard, the county’s Social Services commissioner, grossed $132,672.
    The list also includes three deputies from the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office. In each case, their salaries were bolstered by overtime pay, plus other allowances contractually afforded to correction offi - cers and the sheriff’s road patrol.
    Correction Officer James Dickinson was the highest-paid county lawman, earning $134,242 last year. His base pay was $54,918.
    Lt. Jason Temple and Patrol Officer Robert Kennedy also made the top-10 highest-earners list. Both earned more than $53,000 in added pay on top of their base salaries.
    Sheriff Dominic Dagostino said the two deputies both fill in at the county jail when there’s a shortage of employees. With the jail requiring a minimum staffing level, he said he has to parcel out hours to the officers who are willing to work them.
    “Other correction offi cers chose not to take the overtime,” he said. “As a result, there are three or four officers who earn a lot of money.”
    Dagostino said the high gross salaries also don’t reflect the recent drop in overtime he’s overseen at the jail. http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01101&AppName=1

He earned an additional $6,436 through a retroactive pay raise from 2011 and through the county’s health insurance buyback incentive.


Isnt this where the county basically had to bribe the worker to sign up to a new plan that cost the county less?