The cold weather will be here soon.  No one knows whether it will be as cold as last year.  But whether it's as cold this year, or next year, or other future years, why is it that McCarthy, while being so focused on downtown, does NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING to institute a Code Red program in Schenectady?   Guess the mayor only cares about his rich Galesi and couldn't care less to insure that the city helps get the homeless off the street in the cold.

There should be a plan in place and the plan should not  be something to address after the bitter cold as set in.

the government DOES NOT have to take care of the homeless...per say.

the city mission, salvation army, the bridge, Bethesda house, the 'y', and some churches are taking in the homeless and feeding them.

and for your information.....we belong to a church where there are homeless who REFUSE to take shelter, so to say.

government is already tooooo big!!

it is the governments job to provide a safe, stable, business friendly environment for it's citizens so they can survive on their own.

but believe it or not......some folks DON'T WANT to survive like perhaps you or I would. FACT!!!

most are plagued heavily with addictions, uneducated or have mental disorders.

there are folks who don't want the stress of working 9-5, filing taxes, maintaining a car, buying clothes, paying national grid..blah blah blah....or for that matter, even going to the market.

I hope you aren't suggesting that the government take EVEN MORE of  your tax money to take care of the 'needy'....are you?

Put your money to good use with your choice of charities...or donate your time to help.

we see it up close and personal!!!

Frankly, who the hell are these two, who started this thread, that they stand in judgement of everyone else on every subject under the sun?
Obviously, they have some disordered hatred of Mayor McCarthy and some other people with a (D) after their name or who just disagree with them on anything.
They are so bitter and negative day in and day out.  Who would want to live such a miserable existence?
If they are so concerned about the city - why don't they live in the city?
If they think no one else can do as good a job as they could in a public office - why don't they run for office themselves?
And if they are really so concerned about the homeless - why don't they invite a few to live with them?

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Frankly, who the hell are these two, who started this thread, that they stand in judgement of everyone else on every subject under the sun?
Obviously, they have some disordered hatred of Mayor McCarthy and some other people with a (D) after their name or who just disagree with them on anything.
They are so bitter and negative day in and day out.  Who would want to live such a miserable existence?
If they are so concerned about the city - why don't they live in the city?
If they think no one else can do as good a job as they could in a public office - why don't they run for office themselves?
And if they are really so concerned about the homeless - why don't they invite a few to live with them?

the homeless problem is real....and the fact is that MOST don't want help!! (we see it all the time...they want to be off the grid)

but we can't continuously look to the government for ALL the answers.

if you do....then vote for BERNIE SANDERS FOR PRESIDENT.

as a side note....it doesn't matter who the mayor is, or what political party.....because of the METROPLEX/GILLEN....things would be the same.

I thought it was known as "Code Blue"...

Quoted from bumblethru

the homeless problem is real....and the fact is that MOST don't want help!! (we see it all the time...they want to be off the grid) but we can't continuously look to the government for ALL the answers.  if you do....then vote for BERNIE SANDERS FOR PRESIDENT.
as a side note....it doesn't matter who the mayor is, or what political party.....because of the METROPLEX/GILLEN....things would be the same.

Yes - homelessness is real - i would say that "some" not "most" don't want help - and there is much that can be done without the government.  There are good non-profits working to assist the homeless that don't take a dime of government money.  

I have no intention of voting for Bernie or Hillary.   I want to see and be able to vote for a Carson-Rubio ticket.

As for Metroplex, my only issue is the makeup of the board.  Golub should NOT be on it.  As for Mr. Gillen, I like him and think that he is doing a great job --- and I won't apologize to anyone for saying that.

Finally - my comments/post was directed at the author of this thread who seems to have some seriously disordered hatred and insane jealousy towards certain people like Mayor McCarthy. Homelessness and other issues are real and serious matters.  We should continue the discussion of the topic with maturity and civility.  There is absolutely no need for the authors of this thread to bring their bitterness and jealousy into this and every other subject that is brought up for discussion.

Quoted from PlateUmp

I thought it was known as "Code Blue"...

You are right.

Quoted from PlateUmp

I thought it was known as "Code Blue"...

Yes, my bad.  Apologies.

Quoted from bumblethru

the government DOES NOT have to take care of the homeless...per say.

the city mission, salvation army, the bridge, Bethesda house, the 'y', and some churches are taking in the homeless and feeding them.


...

Who said the government is taking care of the homeless.  Code Blue is not a program where the government has a building (at taxpayer expense) with beds (at taxpayer expense) and heat, lights, baths, kitchen, etc (at taxpayer expense).

It's more an announcement that gets many organizations to help get people off the street in cold weather below a certain threshold.  Where a police patrol car might see someone sleeping on a park bench or a doorway of an empty building when it's 50 outside, they would ignore them.  When the temp get's below that threshold the police may merely place a call to the dispatcher or someone in the department, whatever, to contact some shelter to let them know that there is someone sleeping on a park bench, or some doorway of an empty building at a given location.  During a Code Blue, a sheriff's department might delay evictions, i.e., the part of actually going to the home and escorting the person out (if they have no place else to go, and this does not mean a 6 month delay in eviction) or it could mean the department contacts some agency to provide assistance.  


But why is it that other local cities that use the Code Blue program have lower taxes than Schenectady which does not have such a program.   Why is it that other local cities that have the program have home values increasing while Schenectady which does not have such a program has home values falling?


Perhaps during the fire on Jay St last year the city should not have allowed those people inside city hall.  Those tenants should have been left to fend for themselves I guess.  What's the difference between that fire (which was during a cold spell) and any other severe cold (where other communities declare the Code Blue)

For the people in the Stockade who were it with the floods, it may not have been cold out, but would you have been opposed to Schdy H.S. being open to people who were flooded and maybe had no family to go to?  And what about people who lose power, think about the October snowstorm in the 80's I think, where people didn't have power for a week, I guess if there were 5,000 people in the city of Schenectady for example, the government should not open up a cafeteria in the school so that they can have meals, right?

It's not the government providing for everyone's shelter needs 365 days of a year, it's a short term thing.   I'm guessing that you are opposed to laws which prohibit power companies from turning off the heat during bitter cold because it's not the government's job to help people and if people can't pay their bill, and the heat is shut off, it's OK if they die like that couple in Schenectady did.  

It's funny that the city can't use a few dollars if that much to have a Code Blue program in the city, but the city has money to give to billionaire companies like Galesi and GE.  It's also interesting that considering that the taxpayers paid for that Key Hall, a lavish and expensive banquet venue which is defined as a not-for-profit (but rakes in HUGE MASSIVE amounts of money--probably the most expensive wedding venue around) but it  cannot host Thanksgiving dinners for the poor.

Quoted from mikechristine1

Who said the government is taking care of the homeless.  Code Blue is not a program where the government has a building (at taxpayer expense) with beds (at taxpayer expense) and heat, lights, baths, kitchen, etc (at taxpayer expense).

It's more an announcement that gets many organizations to help get people off the street in cold weather below a certain threshold.  Where a police patrol car might see someone sleeping on a park bench or a doorway of an empty building when it's 50 outside, they would ignore them.  When the temp get's below that threshold the police may merely place a call to the dispatcher or someone in the department, whatever, to contact some shelter to let them know that there is someone sleeping on a park bench, or some doorway of an empty building at a given location.  During a Code Blue, a sheriff's department might delay evictions, i.e., the part of actually going to the home and escorting the person out (if they have no place else to go, and this does not mean a 6 month delay in eviction) or it could mean the department contacts some agency to provide assistance.  


But why is it that other local cities that use the Code Blue program have lower taxes than Schenectady which does not have such a program.   Why is it that other local cities that have the program have home values increasing while Schenectady which does not have such a program has home values falling?


Perhaps during the fire on Jay St last year the city should not have allowed those people inside city hall.  Those tenants should have been left to fend for themselves I guess.  What's the difference between that fire (which was during a cold spell) and any other severe cold (where other communities declare the Code Blue)

For the people in the Stockade who were it with the floods, it may not have been cold out, but would you have been opposed to Schdy H.S. being open to people who were flooded and maybe had no family to go to?  And what about people who lose power, think about the October snowstorm in the 80's I think, where people didn't have power for a week, I guess if there were 5,000 people in the city of Schenectady for example, the government should not open up a cafeteria in the school so that they can have meals, right?

It's not the government providing for everyone's shelter needs 365 days of a year, it's a short term thing.   I'm guessing that you are opposed to laws which prohibit power companies from turning off the heat during bitter cold because it's not the government's job to help people and if people can't pay their bill, and the heat is shut off, it's OK if they die like that couple in Schenectady did.  

It's funny that the city can't use a few dollars if that much to have a Code Blue program in the city, but the city has money to give to billionaire companies like Galesi and GE.  It's also interesting that considering that the taxpayers paid for that Key Hall, a lavish and expensive banquet venue which is defined as a not-for-profit (but rakes in HUGE MASSIVE amounts of money--probably the most expensive wedding venue around) but it  cannot host Thanksgiving dinners for the poor.

There needs to be a program for humanitarianism?  If people have to be prompted by a government program to call a shelter if they see a person sleeping outside when temperatures are below freezing, then there is a problem with the character of that society.  

Quoted from mikechristine1

It's more an announcement that gets many organizations to help get people off the street in cold weather below a certain threshold.  Where a police patrol car might see someone sleeping on a park bench or a doorway of an empty building when it's 50 outside, they would ignore them.  When the temp get's below that threshold the police may merely place a call to the dispatcher or someone in the department, whatever, to contact some shelter to let them know that there is someone sleeping on a park bench, or some doorway of an empty building at a given location.  During a Code Blue, a sheriff's department might delay evictions, i.e., the part of actually going to the home and escorting the person out (if they have no place else to go, and this does not mean a 6 month delay in eviction) or it could mean the department contacts some agency to provide assistance.  

Again.....charities don't NEED to hear there is a code blue!

They are ALREADY preparing...THEY ALREADY KNOW!

If you were, and maybe you are, involved in one or more of these charities, you would know that they are already planning with winter coats, gloves, wool socks, blankets, personal hygiene products...and yes...even Christmas gifts!

some homeless DO NOT want to go to a shelter...so warm clothing, food etc are placed out on the streets for them to take....AND THEY DO...TRUST ME!!

As far as evicting folks, i'd have to look into that one cause our relative works at DSS and we were told that NO ONE can be evicted nor their national grid shut off during the winter months.

And if they are evicted, for whatever reason, DSS has to find them shelter by nightfall.

my point here is that there is already non-profits/charities in place with years of experience regarding the poor or homeless.

it is not nor should it be the job of 'law enforcement' to take this task on.

they should be dealing with the 'crime overload' ONLY!

imo