You guys are missing the big picture here. It is not about the stores products. It is about the Mayor and Democrats expanding their death grip of control and power over Schenectady's small businesses. They already pocketed Proctors and most non profits in Schenectady. If you don't tow the line with the DEMOCRATS YOU WILL BE OUT OF BUSINESS.This is the simple message they are sending to these business owners.
they wouldn't be out of business if they were mom/pop bookie stores, now would they? maybe allowing the 'real' businesses to attract higher wage earners will bring 'drug control' or at least the appearance of cleanliness?
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
The mayor is taking aim at corner stores that encourage the drug trade, he announced in his State of the City address. “They foster an environment of drug activity, buy stolen merchandise, their accounting is creative at best and they clearly have a negative impact on our neighborhoods,” Mayor Gary McCarthy said. While many corner stores are good, strong businesses, he said, he has a long list of ones that need to be scrutinized. He plans to meet with each owner, along with the police chief, building inspector and fi re chief. The message will be clear, he said. “If they don’t play by the rules, I want them out of business,” he said.
Did anybody read anywhere in this article the evidence of corner stores buying stolen merchandise and "fostering the drug trade"? Which stores are they? Were the owners charged with crimes the mayor is alleging, and given a chance to defend these allegations in court?
Does anybody find it disturbing that the mayor is going to use the police chief, fire chief, and building inspector to go around the city and intimidate business owners HE SUSPECTS of doing these things? He's going to "scrutinize" small businesses by using the police?
The businesses with the most creative accounting are located on the corner of State and Broadway - it's called property tax exemptions. Now, when a neighborhood corner store uses "creative accounting" to put food on his family's table, the city is going to intimidate them with visits by government officials.
The mayor is using Gestapo style tactics to destroy the businesses HE deems persona non grada.
His state of the city speech are the words of a fu(king tyrant.
That's what I'm sayin', Cicero. Where, exactly, did he get this list? If he has any real evidence, well then, use it! The business owners should tell him to put up or shut up. Like they know what standard accounting practices are, anyway. BTW, are the free cars and phones some of the city employees are taking home being counted as income on their taxes? Or are those things a gift, paid for with other people's money?
I find it interesting that Mootooveren, and Porterfield are not saying anything? Since after all their Black and Guyanese community groups are going to be affected by McCarthy's small business raids. The Black and Guyanese groups are going to feel the full brunt of McCarthy's assault on their community while Mootooveren and Porterfield stand watching like little puppets.
I find it interesting that Mootooveren, and Porterfield are not saying anything? Since after all their Black and Guyanese community groups are going to be affected by McCarthy's small business raids. The Black and Guyanese groups are going to feel the full brunt of McCarthy's assault on their community while Mootooveren and Porterfield stand watching like little puppets.
I find it interesting that Mootooveren, and Porterfield are not saying anything? Since after all their Black and Guyanese community groups are going to be affected by McCarthy's small business raids. The Black and Guyanese groups are going to feel the full brunt of McCarthy's assault on their community while Mootooveren and Porterfield stand watching like little puppets.
VERY well stated!! That's what happens when the DEMS put the strings on you, the voters voices no longer count. Too bad neither of them has a backbone, but that's what puts them in the same jellyfish pool as their DEM buddies.
I suspect Porterfield & Mootooveren will feel alot of heat from their ethnic groups for McCarthy's stand against small business raids. Politically this is great for the Republican party. The Dems will alienate and self destruct their base by conducting these raids on the Black and Guyanese businesses.
That smoke shop, they "knew" there was drug activity going on there, didn't they? I can see it coming, the city will have us on the hook for human rights violations as they target minority owned small businesses. I'm all in favor of cleaning up crime, but who ever heard of the mayor and non-resident henchman paying a little visit to suspect businesses? You watch them, maybe send someone in (not an informant), get a warrant based on EVIDENCE, and conduct a raid. If you want better businesses, maybe give the legitimate businesses a little support, such as keeping Albany Street as clean as State Street in front of downtown. That street is filthy. In fact, maybe instead of moonlighting as an amateur realtor, McCheese could get his butt over there, with his cronies, and demonstrate his commitment by scrubbing things down himself. I saw in the paper that businesspeople along Albany Street were heroically trying to save their neighborhood, I didn't see a response from the city, did anyone else? They stole that money meant for Hamilton Hill, maybe start making up for it with a little elbow grease.