Mayor plans to seek second term as names of GOP foes emerge
Last October, there were reports floating around that Mayor Gary McCarthy would not seek a second term in the 2015 election. He rejected the speculation but left the door open a crack.
"The next mayoral election is two years off. Granted, in politics two years can be a lifetime," McCarthy said at the time. Well, it now appears the Democrat has closed the door on guesswork about his re-election plan.
"The Friends of Gary McCarthy Committee" has scheduled a re-election fundraiser for the mayor on Sunday at the brand new Mexican Radio Restaurant. It's billed as a "surprise birthday party," but the news is already on Facebook.
According to the invitation, contribution levels start at $40 for Democratic Committee members and top off at $500 for sponsors. Last fall, a McCarthy fundraiser generated about $18,000.
While the mayoral election is well over a year away, reports are already swirling about potential opponents. Just the other day, I checked out a tip that Republican Peter Guidarelli was considering a run for the roses.
"I've been approached by several people who feel it's time for a change at City Hall," Guidarelli said. "I haven't ruled out being a candidate."
In the 2003 mayoral election, Guidarelli came within about 300 votes of upsetting Democrat Brian Stratton.
Other potential McCarthy foes include maverick Councilman Vince Riggi and Roger Hull, former Union College president and head of the city's Alliance Party. Hull came within 90 votes of ambushing McCarthy in 2011.
Riggi, the only non-Democrat on the council, has growing grassroots support. Riggi and Hull have both been endorsed by the GOP in past elections.
McCarthy will lose his re-election bid because he has caused 2,000 properties to come off the tax rolls. McCarthy chased all the real estate investors out of Schenectady now no one wants to buy the $hit houses. McCarthy will lose his Mayoral seat on this very issue! The $hit has hit the fan your time is up McCarthy VOTE HIM OUT!
Who ever runs against Gary McCarthy will win in a landslide! McCarthy has truned his back on the voters who got him elected in office. McCarthy is on the side of the billionaires Casino developers, Galesi and the Downtown cronie businesses. McCarthy doesn't give a $hit about the poor people and the neighboorhoods! Name an average citizen in the City of Schenectady that can afford a $500 sponsorship to McCarthy? Answer is no one. The cronies are the ones helping McCarthy to fill up his campaign war chest! VOTE MCCARTHY OUT OF OFFICE! OUT OF TOUCH MAYOR!
Name an average citizen in the City of Schenectady that can afford a $500 sponsorship to McCarthy? Answer is no one. The cronies are the ones helping McCarthy to fill up his campaign war chest!
and when he ran he claimed on his facebook page that rodger hulls donations were all from outside the city...hypocrite much?
Who ever runs against Gary McCarthy will win in a landslide! McCarthy has truned his back on the voters who got him elected in office. McCarthy is on the side of the billionaires Casino developers, Galesi and the Downtown cronie businesses. McCarthy doesn't give a $hit about the poor people and the neighboorhoods! Name an average citizen in the City of Schenectady that can afford a $500 sponsorship to McCarthy? Answer is no one. The cronies are the ones helping McCarthy to fill up his campaign war chest! VOTE MCCARTHY OUT OF OFFICE! OUT OF TOUCH MAYOR!
I'll tell you, I don't live in the city but I hope you are right. However, I have a feeling that too many people see the "pretty new buildings" downtown and don't make the connection between their higher tax bills and the fact that virtually all of downtown is tax exempt. Most people don't have the slightest clue of how filhty rich Galesi is, or that they are paying his taxes while he collect the rents. Ditto the other properties owned by other millionaires.
I don't think the people make the connection that owner occupant owners are losing their homes because they cannot pay the extra amount in the tax bill to cover the bills of the downtown rich. I doubt they realize how much blight has spread while downtown has been fixed up.
What is needed is to see the records from 2003: - Total number of vacant houses - Total number of boarded up houses - Total number of parcels in the city - Total number of tax exempt properties - Average assessed value - The amount of the total tax bill for the averaged assessed house plus fees - Total number of tax foreclosed houses - Total number of bank foreclosures - Total number of homeowners underwater on their mortgages and at what payment intervals (1 yr after purchase 5 yrs after purchase, etc) - Number of grocery stores IN the city - Number of car dealerships IN the city - Typical household income - Percent of people in poverty
And then provide all of the same figures for the above as of this year. Guaranteed it would be jaw dropping and McC would be lucky to get 20 votes!
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
I'll tell you, I don't live in the city but I hope you are right. However, I have a feeling that too many people see the "pretty new buildings" downtown and don't make the connection between their higher tax bills and the fact that virtually all of downtown is tax exempt. Most people don't have the slightest clue of how filhty rich Galesi is, or that they are paying his taxes while he collect the rents. Ditto the other properties owned by other millionaires.
I don't think the people make the connection that owner occupant owners are losing their homes because they cannot pay the extra amount in the tax bill to cover the bills of the downtown rich. I doubt they realize how much blight has spread while downtown has been fixed up.
the DSS folks don't give a crap and the new up and coming 20-somethings(who rent) are luvin' the bars. So it appears to be a win-win for McMayor.....SAD TO SAY!!! Neither of these groups could give a rat's a$$ about who is paying taxes and who isn't. And the 'friends and family club' will make damn sure that McMayor wins so they can all keep their empires afloat. Altho....i'd be hard pressed to believe much would change no matter WHO was in command. Remember....they are all one in the same....they just have a different 'friend and family club'. But don't think for a minute that if a new commander was elected...that s/he couldn't be bought by the millionaires. ..............just sayin
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
For once, I actually agree with this whoevers keyboard is logged in as Bumble today.
We are advised NOT to judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works.