SCHENECTADY — The Internal Revenue Service is auditing the city for, among other things, how it reimburses some employees for their boots.

Mayor Gary McCarthy said the city has been providing unionized public works employees and other workers a flat fee yearly to compensate them for on-the-job footwear, but City Hall has not reported the money as income to the IRS. It appears what the city should be doing is either reporting the money — about $100 per year — as taxable or having employees submit a receipt for the boots and be reimbursed, the mayor said.

http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/IRS-auditing-Schenectady-over-work-boots-5139118.php

How much does a vote for Mc Carthy cost....apparently $100 for new boots every year.

Heard Leeza Perazzo wants to run for Mayor.. wonder how much her votes are gonna' cost? Maybe tickets to Wicked?????

The IRS needs to see whether the free cars have been declared as income, as well.
Notice the city does not seem to know how to handle budget matters of any kind, even though thousands of other municipalities do this every day.

How long has this been going on?  Didn't Alam aka Proctors aka Albany lol know anything about this?  Like others have said "good luck Albany"  

This was from the 2011 contract, and other unionized workforces have similar provisions in their contracts. I can't find the article from 2011 that told why they did what they did the way they did it, but I remember seeing that at the time.
I think it wouldn't matter what Ms. Alam was aware of, she would've been overruled by someone who thinks he's a financial wizard.

Most of city workers I see arent even wearing boots.  I've often seen "garbage men" picking up trash wearing basketball shoes, mess shorts and no gloves.

PAY TO PLAY BABY...PAY TO PLAY!!!!.....maybe they could take an advance on their COLA's

Quoted Text

The IRS is auditing the city’s books, focusing on the paychecks from which the city doesn’t withhold taxes.

"Withholding? What is that?"
"You mean you have to INVESTIGATE fires?"
"If only there was a way to be able to plow the snow all the way back to the curb."
"Gee, we wish we could recycle more plastics, but the trucks with the arm to pick up the bin won't fit on some of our streets. There is NO OTHER WAY to pick up and transport recycling."