Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Mayor McCarthy and the City Democrats are doing a great job in Schenectady.  The good news is obvious in the surplus and in the steady pace of economic redevelopment.  Nothing more needs to be said except to thank the Ray Gillen and Metroplex for the wonderful job that they did to begin the Renaissance in Schenectady County.

Can you elaborate on that?????

Can you provide some examples to prove it?


Like what good job are they doing to the tax base?    
What is the return on investment that the taxpayer/homeowners are getting on this issue?

Like what good job are they doing to the home values?
What is the return on investment that the taxpayer/homeowners are getting on this issue?

Like what good job are they doing to the tax bills?
What is the return on investment that the taxpayer/homeowners are getting on this issue?

Like what good job are they doing to help the financially struggling homeowners?

Like what good job are they doing to fill the overabundance of EXISTING vacant residential housing units?

Like what good job are they doing that results in people buying houses IN the city?

Like what good job are they doing to fix up and improve the neighborhoods---you know, the places where the people live, the people who are footing the bill for downtown.   What is the return on investment that the taxpayer/homeowners are getting on this issue?

Like what good job are they doing to the roads, the potholes, the divets in the roads, etc?   Especially on the north end of Erie Blvd, what good job are they doing to fix up that road to prevent damage to peoples cars?

In return for the financially struggling homeowners footing the bill for new/remodeled buildings for the downtown millionaires, tell us DV, what good job is the mayor and council doing to help homeowners to be able to afford to fix up their own homes (especially after the city cites them for violations---maintenance the homeowner couldn't do because they had no money after paying for all the remodeling for the downtown properties owned by millionaire cronies of the mayor and dem council members?   Well????   Are you MAN ENOUGH to answer this question??????  Well??????  Of course NOT, you are such a WUSS!!!!!




By the way, little wuss, we are not "complainers" nor "whiners."  We are simply people concerned about the ever worsening situation in the city.  And those of us who are taxpayers outside the city are concerned about the expansion of those problems into the towns, it has started already by the way (check out the prices of some of the houses in Rotterdam, though falling prices are not spread throughout the town).  We are people who are concerned and who want to make sure the people of the city, and the towns, know the truths about the city---AND we have the TRUTHS, we have the FACTS, and we have the EVIDENCE--an over abundance of EVIDENCE to prove what we say  

DV.......What EVIDENCE can YOU provide to prove the statements you make?????  

Well?????     Got an answer??????    

Or are you the wuss who can not answer those questions, not man enough to provide evidence?????

The City DEMS with the help of their operatives Death Ray/Morris have destroyed the City tax base and public access TV. As documented in the TU, unending tax giveaways up and down State. Below Erie still looks
like Beirut during the Civil War. How is Gillen's Gulch coming along-lol. Proctor's takes the $80,000 a year taxes from Key Bank permanently off the tax rolls. Meanwhile the Gillettte House where the DEMS flushed over a million sits unoccupied. Ditto the Trustco HQ on State. Trustco was right. Downtown is no place to conduct business. Monkey business-yes? No one dares criticize "planner" Death Ray for buying the Trustco building at the height of the bubble and letting it rot all on the taxpayer dime. Metrograft should be ended with the sales taxes going to property tax relief. Combine that with sales tax equity in the City and you have a
minimum 25% reduction in confiscatory DEM taxation. You think 700+ families on the street might wake someone up?  

Schenectady is doing well and the nayboobs can't take it.  

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Schenectady is doing well and the nayboobs can't take it.  

Really?

How about YOU can't take the FACT that all the OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE proves that Schenectady is doing VERY POORLY.


Since YOU, DV, claim that Schenectady is doing well, why do you REFUSE to provide any details to explain HOW it is doing well??????

And don't bother saying it's doing well because of new buildings downtown.   We all know there are new/remodeled buildings downtown.  

Tell us what the HOMEOWNERS, the TAXPAYERS, have received as a return on their "investment" in downtown.

Tell us how the city's tax base is doing

Tell us how the home value are doing

Tell us how the home sales are going

Tell us about the vacancy rates of EXISTING residential properties are

Tell us about the prices of home sales compared to the past

Tell us about the numbers of home sales

Tell us about the people losing their homes due to inability to pay for the downtown taxces

Tell us how many people working in downtown have CHOSEN to buy homes IN the city (can you provide details, i.e., links to the deads?   ROFL ROFL ROLF ROFL  !!!!!!!   NOT IN A MILLION YEARS COULD YOU DO THAT!!!!!!!!!!!    

Tell us about the condition of the roads


Why do you REFUSE to explain your statements and provide evidence to prove it?


Oh, you need not answer that last question, we all know why you won't provide any details -- it's because YOU ARE NOT MAN ENOUGH to do so!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WUSS     WUSS      WUSS    WUSS


WUSS who will NOT provide any EVIDENCE about what he says

WUSS to won't provide evidence about the tax base, WUSS who won't provide details about home values, home sales, WUSS who won't provide any EVIDENCE that the county taxes are lower than 50 years ago !!!!!!!!!!!!



You are NOT MAN ENOUGH to do ANYTHING other than copy/paste statements from your dem socialist big government buddies that are stealing from the taxpayers

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

For the record, it was Al Jurcyznski and the Republican crew who ran Metroplex that narrowed State Street downtown and made it the mess that it is.  The nayboobs have such short memories.

And for the record, when Gillen came in (believe it was '92) he bastardized the entire Plex m.o. to exclude anyone other than a connected few. Wasting $100 million Plex dollars to move businesses which ALREADY existed into a tax-exempt-loan-granted-facade-paid-for downtown.

Now only a million or so is in the Plex kitty and the City is still in shambles. Now he's back tracking to 'fix' lower State...where he took out AAA, YMCA, SCCC offices into Center City.

Bye bye lifelong businesses like James Hair Salon, Olenders and now Rudnicks.

You're glorifying a thief DV.

Quoted from rachel72

And for the record, when Gillen came in (believe it was '92) he bastardized the entire Plex m.o. to exclude anyone other than a connected few. Wasting $100 million Plex dollars to move businesses which ALREADY existed into a tax-exempt-loan-granted-facade-paid-for downtown.

Now only a million or so is in the Plex kitty and the City is still in shambles. Now he's back tracking to 'fix' lower State...where he took out AAA, YMCA, SCCC offices into Center City.

Bye bye lifelong businesses like James Hair Salon, Olenders and now Rudnicks.

You're glorifying a thief DV.

To be accurate, it was 2004. Metroplex began in 1998.

http://news.google.com/newspap.....mp;pg=1833%2C3112587

Someone who was only informed from the press releases in the paper, and didn't live here, might believe that Schenectady was doing well, but I doubt it. Most of the people I know who are non-residents believe Schenectady to be a violent, dirty, expensive hellhole with rogue cops. The only people whodon't live here and say it is doing well turn out to be individuals with a finger in the pie somewhere.

Anyway, being "in the black' because you overcharged homeowners and didn't pay creditors and let things go such as water service, even if that were so, which I do not believe, that would not be something to brag about, it would rate about a 1 on a scale of 1 to 10 for competent government. That is not what I call doing well. Maybe it's because I live here, and I have an understanding of civics and government, and also a grasp of finance and budgeting.

How about this!!!!


This is under the DEMOCRATS!!!!!!!!!!


Again, like I have said OVER AND OVER.   Metroplex under the dems has done NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for the long time TAXPAYING businesses downtown.   Actually, plex and the dems have STOLE money from the taxpaying businesses by FORCING them to pay not only their own taxes, but ALSO the taxes of the MILLIONAIRES down.



Excerpt in 2003 from TU

Quoted Text

Developers see it as a financial shot in the arm to save a struggling, but promising business, but it looks like a double standard to Linda Tolokonsky. ``It amazes me,'' said Tolokonsky, the owner of Rudnick's Uniform and Clothing on State Street.


``I question them giving them money. ... I have been in business 60 years now, OK,'' she said. ``1941 this store opened. Do you know how much money we got from anyone? Nothing.''

Now, let's see what the WUSS DEM CHEERLEADER can tell us WHY long time taxpaying businesses should pay the property taxes of Galesi who is a multimillionaire.   What has Galesi done for the long time taxpaying busineses downtown??????    Wait, are there aany left?

What has plex, the dems and Galesis done for the taxpaying homeowners in the city?    Well DV WUSS, what have they done for the homeowners, can you provide some details????







  

Quoted from RotterdamResident

To be accurate, it was 2004. Metroplex began in 1998.

http://news.google.com/newspap.....mp;pg=1833%2C3112587

Thank you Rotterdam. Now I know when the Armageddon began. $100 million lost in a decade...even Madoff paced himself.  

Quoted from Madam X

Someone who was only informed from the press releases in the paper, and didn't live here, might believe that Schenectady was doing well, but I doubt it. Most of the people I know who are non-residents believe Schenectady to be a violent, dirty, expensive hellhole with rogue cops. The only people who don't live here and say it is doing well turn out to be individuals with a finger in the pie somewhere.

Anyway, being "in the black' because you overcharged homeowners and didn't pay creditors and let things go such as water service, even if that were so, which I do not believe, that would not be something to brag about, it would rate about a 1 on a scale of 1 to 10 for competent government. That is not what I call doing well. Maybe it's because I live here, and I have an understanding of civics and government, and also a grasp of finance and budgeting.

Quote of the year Madam!!!!

Also, most of the people that are FORCED to live here are serving the pie.

Quoted from rachel72

And for the record, when Gillen came in (believe it was '92) he bastardized the entire Plex m.o. to exclude anyone other than a connected few. Wasting $100 million Plex dollars to move businesses which ALREADY existed into a tax-exempt-loan-granted-facade-paid-for downtown.

Now only a million or so is in the Plex kitty and the City is still in shambles. Now he's back tracking to 'fix' lower State...where he took out AAA, YMCA, SCCC offices into Center City.

Bye bye lifelong businesses like James Hair Salon, Olenders and now Rudnicks.

You're glorifying a thief DV.

You - like the he/she idiot - are quite ignorant of the facts.  Ray Gillen wasn't running Metroplex in the 1990's -- he came in when the Democrats won control of the County Leg just about 10 years ago.  

James Salon went out of business because the father passed away and the son was having personal problems that kept him from running the business effectively.   Olender's had their own problems -- quite honestly the store looked like it was an unkempt warehouse for years -- it is a wonder that it stayed in business as long as it did.  As for Rudnick's, they sowed the seeds of their own demise -- bad location with hardly any parking, too big of a building for the type of retail operation that they were running and they had difficulty keeping up with the stiff competition which sold the same products in stores that were easier for customers to get in and out of --- and were more cost effective (size-wise and operationally).  

Of the 3 businesses mentioned, my family only patronized James' and while we hated to see them go .. it had absolutely NOTHING to do with Metroplex and everything to do with internal personal issues within the family that owned it.  I won't comment any further on the other two stores except to say that for many years I worked for one of the competitors and we always provided great service for former customers of that other business.

You and the idiot he/she like to throw around words like "thief" and other comments. It is easy for cowards like you to do so when you hide behind your usernames.  Furthermore, you folks are so immature that you can't stand it when someone disagrees with you.  I suggest that you learn to deal with the harsh reality that everyone does not have to agree with you -- especially when you are spouting a bunch of falsehoods, ignorant comments, insults and personal attacks.

Oh - and Schenectady's Renaissance continues thanks to fine people like Ray Gillen and Gary McCarthy.  So stick that in your pipe and smoke it -- then blow it out your ...

Rachel may have been off with the timeline, that does not alter the veracity of what she is saying.

Anyone remember when the kid who worked at Rudnick's went on national television because he found a bag of money and returned it? He referred to "that neighborhood" describing the area in front of the store, and David Letterman joked about how his employers might not like to have that reputation put out there. Well "that neighborhood" is likely part of the reason Rudnick's had to close.

There isn't any renaissance going on in Schenectady. I would like it to be improving, but it isn't.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

You - like the he/she idiot - are quite ignorant of the facts.  Ray Gillen wasn't running Metroplex in the 1990's -- he came in when the Democrats won control of the County Leg just about 10 years ago.  

Wow DV, having a bad night?

As a multi-unit property owner in Schenectady, someone who THOUGHT the Plex was going to improve the state of the City, I call it like I see it!

Yes, Gillen came on board in 2004 (as Rotterdam pointed out - thank you), and in that time, $100's of millions of dollars have been spent re-locating existing businesses from one part of Schenectady to a tax-exempt-PILOT-hidden-agreement downtown. PILOTS of which the public is NOT privy to.

The Plex has FAILED time and time again to keep Rudnicks, Olender, James in the City...not even an attempt to try to keep these businesses downtown. Pathetic. The only retail and tax-paying entities gone.

Not to mention Cornells was bailed out by connected friends so Gillen wouldn't have to get the egg off his face alone. Cardio Mag took Plex money and PILOT and left, the Parker Inn took Plex money and went bankrupt, the Van Dyke was bailed out by MacDonald.

The Plex has failed to retain or help small businesses in this City. As well, the Plex track record has many blemishes of its own. If Gillen was working for a private company, he would have been long gone before the $100 million was wasted in the decade he's been onboard.

Quoted from rachel72

Wow DV, having a bad night?

As a multi-unit property owner in Schenectady, someone who THOUGHT the Plex was going to improve the state of the City, I call it like I see it!

Yes, Gillen came on board in 2004 (as Rotterdam pointed out - thank you), and in that time, $100's of millions of dollars have been spent re-locating existing businesses from one part of Schenectady to a tax-exempt-PILOT-hidden-agreement downtown. PILOTS of which the public is NOT privy to.

The Plex has FAILED time and time again to keep Rudnicks, Olender, James in the City...not even an attempt to try to keep these businesses downtown. Pathetic. The only retail and tax-paying entities gone.

Not to mention Cornells was bailed out by connected friends so Gillen wouldn't have to get the egg off his face alone. Cardio Mag took Plex money and PILOT and left, the Parker Inn took Plex money and went bankrupt, the Van Dyke was bailed out by MacDonald.

The Plex has failed to retain or help small businesses in this City. As well, the Plex track record has many blemishes of its own. If Gillen was working for a private company, he would have been long gone before the $100 million was wasted in the decade he's been onboard.

I guess you aren't sharp enough to understand --  Metroplex's money could NOT have saved those businesses.  Their problems were deeper than that.  

You and your he-she nitwit friend keep repeating the same negative mantra -- you will never acknowledge the mistakes or problems that occurred BEFORE 2004  (you even attempted to pin those on someone who wasn't even there before 2004)  ... you will never acknowledge the many good and great things happening in Schenectady.  And quite frankly, you nayboobs are just a boring bunch of losers that aren't worth arguing with.  

Schenectady is improving -- the Renaissance is going strong.

Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority
Board Meeting Minutes
February 10, 2010

Present: Ray Gillen, Bob Wall, Sharon Jordan, Neil Golub, Gary McCarthy, Patrick Saccocio, Bill Chapman, Bob Mantello, Janet Hutchison and Ed Capovani

Absent: Brad Lewis

Others: Neil Levine (Counsel), Jayme Lahut, Jim Callander and audience of 4

Call to Order: Mr. Gillen called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

1. Approval of Minutes: Mr. Wall moved adoption of the December 9, 2009 meeting minutes; seconded by Mr. Saccocio. The minutes were unanimously approved.

2. Treasurer’s Report: Ms. Jordan reviewed the Income and Operating Expense Report for the period ending December 31, 2009 noting that the sales tax revenues were down about five percent. Cash on hand totaled $4,246,805. Following the review of the Predevelopment Budget and Capital Projects report, and brief discussion about sales tax forecasts for 2010, Ms. Jordan moved acceptance of the Treasurer’s Report, seconded by Mr. Capovani and approved.

April 10, 2013
Present:      Ray Gillen, Brad Lewis, Sharon Jordan, Bob Wall, Bill Chapman, Ed Capovani, Robert Mantello, and Karen Zalewski-Wildzunas  

Absent:      Neil Golub, Janet Hutchison and John Mallozzi

Others:      Jayme Lahut, Jim Callander and Chuck Steiner

Call to Order:    Mr. Gillen called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

1.     Approval of Minutes:  Ms. Jordan moved adoption of the March 20, 2013 meeting minutes; seconded by Mrs. Zalewski-Wildzunas and approved.

2.    Treasurer’s Report: Mr. Wall reviewed the Treasurer’s Report for the period ending March 31, 2013 which was distributed prior to the meeting. He noted that operating expenses were below budget, income was slightly ahead of budget and cash on hand totaled $1,947,062. The Treasurer’s Report was moved by Mrs. Zalewski-Wildzunas; seconded by Mr. Capovani and approved.



Let's get this straight...Plex was formed in 1998. Gillen came in seven years later (with a salary increase...he's one of the highest paid in the County $168,719.51) in 2004.

Doesn't seem like they are retaining lots of cash. 2010 a 4.2 million, now on hand not even 2 million.

If any private company saw that they were losing 2 million dollars in three years...they'd re-structure, re-organize, stop the bleeding before the well runs dry. But in in the County, we just let the blood flow until the taxpayers are drained.