Happy holidays to all. My own gifts received included the books "Life's a Campaign" by Chris Mathews and "How to Win a Local Election" by Judge Grey. Yeah, I'm a political geek.
The post-standard features an article on how a Manlius contractor has classified his new houses as condominiums and saved his buyers plenty in property tax for what is essentially still a house. Personally if I were doing this I wouldn't be talking about it to the Post-Standard, but it seems to me like this is something that should be looked at for possible fixing.
I am once again trying to get coverage for a Young Dems event, this one a beginning of the year kickoff party at the Palace Theater on Saturday 1/12. We're inviting Democratic candidates and community motivated folks of all types. $30 to the Young Dems if you RSVP by the 9th includes a carving station, food, and open bar. $35 at the door. Anyone interested in going or any media contacts please contact me.
December 30, 2007
December 19, 2007
How not to run a job creation program...
First off, young Dems meeting tomorrow. 7 pm, 248 E Water St. We've switched to the 2nd Thursday of every other month, in the hopes less committment to meetings will make things easier on current and future members. And now for something completely different...
The Post Standard reports that two good-government groups are lashing out against empire zones. Join the club. The PS reports that the program, which gives tax benefits with few promises of new jobs, has swelled from a $30 million project in 2000 to a projected $558 million fiasco this year. Meanwhile, the state can't say how many jobs have been created, and a 2004 audit by the comptroller found that 23 percent of Empire Zone businesses cut jobs rather than create new ones. Yeah, okay, somebody should fix that. Once again I implore people to sign my online petition. The only reason it asks for email is so that I can try and have some guarantee that it's different people signing the petition, one per email. I'm not going to give the emails out or anything.
Additionally, Sean Kirst hypothesizes on what might happen if we took down route 81, which currently forms a nice ugly dividing line through the middle of Syracuse. Part of the difficulty is that it's already there and has already been built around. If we were to do it, I'm not sure how long and complicated it would be to mend the wound if you will. However, I'm willing to consider it, but an alternative has to be built before the dismantling. 690 being under construction for the next two years is enough traffic problems for one city.
A former coworker of our county exec's has been named our new county attorney. Gordon Cuffy has moved from the District Attorney's office to the mostly civil law County Attorney's office. I'm not sure I'm completely opposed to this change of pace, but I do question how reassuring it is that both Joanie and Gordy stated that he will inherit a staff of experienced and competent lawyers. If he's going to lead them, should he also be describing himself as experienced and competent?
Finally, I get a huge kick out of the fact that google reports at least one person found my site and clicked on it after doing a search for Emerald 5 ShowTel.
(raspberry noise)
The Post Standard reports that two good-government groups are lashing out against empire zones. Join the club. The PS reports that the program, which gives tax benefits with few promises of new jobs, has swelled from a $30 million project in 2000 to a projected $558 million fiasco this year. Meanwhile, the state can't say how many jobs have been created, and a 2004 audit by the comptroller found that 23 percent of Empire Zone businesses cut jobs rather than create new ones. Yeah, okay, somebody should fix that. Once again I implore people to sign my online petition. The only reason it asks for email is so that I can try and have some guarantee that it's different people signing the petition, one per email. I'm not going to give the emails out or anything.
Additionally, Sean Kirst hypothesizes on what might happen if we took down route 81, which currently forms a nice ugly dividing line through the middle of Syracuse. Part of the difficulty is that it's already there and has already been built around. If we were to do it, I'm not sure how long and complicated it would be to mend the wound if you will. However, I'm willing to consider it, but an alternative has to be built before the dismantling. 690 being under construction for the next two years is enough traffic problems for one city.
A former coworker of our county exec's has been named our new county attorney. Gordon Cuffy has moved from the District Attorney's office to the mostly civil law County Attorney's office. I'm not sure I'm completely opposed to this change of pace, but I do question how reassuring it is that both Joanie and Gordy stated that he will inherit a staff of experienced and competent lawyers. If he's going to lead them, should he also be describing himself as experienced and competent?
Finally, I get a huge kick out of the fact that google reports at least one person found my site and clicked on it after doing a search for Emerald 5 ShowTel.
(raspberry noise)
December 18, 2007
Toll hike, other news
Assemblyman Al Stirpe is urging people to talk to Thruway authority board members and voice their opinions on the proposed toll hike, and I am completely with him on that. Of course, unfortunately in New York State we can add it to the list of taxes and fees that people should complain about, but that doesn't make this one any less important. Visit www.nysthruway.gov or call 518-436-2700. The problem with this state is that we keep raising fees or taxes to solve our problems when we should be looking at how we've spent the money we do have. The original plan called for the thruway to make itself eventually toll free, but clearly that was a pipe dream. Last time the problem was too many people were using the thruway so it needed repair, and now the problem is supposed to be not enough people using the road? Lets take another look. I'm headed to the site.
Meanwhile our Salina justice race heads to the appellate court.
Congressman Walsh voted against a ban on waterboarding. Boo, hiss. These United States should be above those kind of actions, and just how reliable is an answer given after waterboarding anyway?
That's all I got. Please discuss.
Meanwhile our Salina justice race heads to the appellate court.
Congressman Walsh voted against a ban on waterboarding. Boo, hiss. These United States should be above those kind of actions, and just how reliable is an answer given after waterboarding anyway?
That's all I got. Please discuss.
December 9, 2007
I return to the digital age...
My internet had problems earlier in the week, but that seems to be ok because most of the local political news seems to have appeared on the weekend.
Note that I do say most. The Salina Town Justice race has now become as close as possible without a tie. A judge has now allowed 3 more ballots to be counted, all of them for Judge Alessio, putting him up by one. Paul Carey plans to appeal.
The front page of todays local section (sorry, can't find link, go buy a paper) announces all the development projects going on in Syracuse. Development is of course good news, but I can't help but notice that almost all the projects require parking, and a good number elminate parking spaces, while very few actually build any spaces. We need to start getting new development plans to include parking for their facilities. Still, it's mostly positive. In particular, I'm happy for the use of Central Tech as a vocational school, even if it means some of my fellow county employees may lose their parking spots. Job and skills training is one of the biggest things we need in this area to jump start our economy.
Governor Spitzer says "The Upstate economy... is perhaps the most important issue confronting me as governor." To which I say, good.
The convention center is now officially named for Nick Pirro. Speaking of names, the Destiny hotel has a name. And that name is the "Emerald 5 ShowTel." If anyone can tell me what the F that means, or what exactly Emeralds 1-4 were already reserved for, please, please send me an email or comment.
Note that I do say most. The Salina Town Justice race has now become as close as possible without a tie. A judge has now allowed 3 more ballots to be counted, all of them for Judge Alessio, putting him up by one. Paul Carey plans to appeal.
The front page of todays local section (sorry, can't find link, go buy a paper) announces all the development projects going on in Syracuse. Development is of course good news, but I can't help but notice that almost all the projects require parking, and a good number elminate parking spaces, while very few actually build any spaces. We need to start getting new development plans to include parking for their facilities. Still, it's mostly positive. In particular, I'm happy for the use of Central Tech as a vocational school, even if it means some of my fellow county employees may lose their parking spots. Job and skills training is one of the biggest things we need in this area to jump start our economy.
Governor Spitzer says "The Upstate economy... is perhaps the most important issue confronting me as governor." To which I say, good.
The convention center is now officially named for Nick Pirro. Speaking of names, the Destiny hotel has a name. And that name is the "Emerald 5 ShowTel." If anyone can tell me what the F that means, or what exactly Emeralds 1-4 were already reserved for, please, please send me an email or comment.
November 28, 2007
Well it actually happened...
Do not be alarmed, but there is actually something where I'm on the side of Bob Congel. Our wonderful WSTM news aired a story that the FBI was looking into Bob Congel and his relationship with Alaskan Congressman Don Young. Problem is, that was based on a story by McClatchy newspapers reporter Greg Gordon, and Gordon states that is not what he said and he has no evidence to support that. Yet WSTM's Jim Kenyon states he will not retract the story, stating if there was any error it was not his. Okay, I try and avoid coming to the defense of Bob Congel whenever possible, but if Gordon states he has no evidence I think you have to retract it. Maybe if Mr. Kenyon would do some real investigation of his own we wouldn't have this problem. Again, I apologize for being on the side of Congel, I promise to do my best to see that it never happens again.
Joanie Mahoney has finished naming the rest of her transition team. It appears I am not on it.
There are some nice tales of open government in Syracuse, although the paper's timing is a bit late as usual. The state is holding open budget hearings where you can talk about what programs are important to you, the idea being that legislators have to trim and hopefully they'll do that from what people do not state is most important at these hearings. Those wishing to offer testimony should register in advance. Syracuse.com posted this at 7 am on Tuesday (yes, yesterday), with the hearing apparently being at 1 pm on Tuesday (yes, yesterday), so good luck with that registering in advance thing. You can still go to hearings in Brooklyn (Thursday) and Long Island (Friday). And Congressman James Walsh will answer questions tomorrow at 7 pm at C Grant Grimshaw School. They've seen fit to post this on Syracuse.com with slightly over 24 hours notice, so that's a 400% increase in hours notice. Still seems a bit late.
Joanie Mahoney has finished naming the rest of her transition team. It appears I am not on it.
There are some nice tales of open government in Syracuse, although the paper's timing is a bit late as usual. The state is holding open budget hearings where you can talk about what programs are important to you, the idea being that legislators have to trim and hopefully they'll do that from what people do not state is most important at these hearings. Those wishing to offer testimony should register in advance. Syracuse.com posted this at 7 am on Tuesday (yes, yesterday), with the hearing apparently being at 1 pm on Tuesday (yes, yesterday), so good luck with that registering in advance thing. You can still go to hearings in Brooklyn (Thursday) and Long Island (Friday). And Congressman James Walsh will answer questions tomorrow at 7 pm at C Grant Grimshaw School. They've seen fit to post this on Syracuse.com with slightly over 24 hours notice, so that's a 400% increase in hours notice. Still seems a bit late.
November 25, 2007
this just in... actually checking to see we get what we asked for
The tax deal for the Jefferson Clinton Commons (the one that promised parking, but had a net gain of 28 spots) was actually voted down. I view this as something we definitely don't do enough of in New York State, and CNY in particular, making sure we get what we ask for when we hand out a tax break.
Lots of other political news. Congressman Walsh has more cash on hand than his oponent Dan Maffei, but Maffei has more than he did than at any point during the previous election, and that was close, so... Oh and one district over, Michael Arcuri (D) is beating them both and has no declared opponent yet.
Cayuga county doesn't think it's getting enough out of it's cap on the gas tax. As stated previously, our county exec to be doesn't think we are either. I never have and would be okay with seeing the cap go. It's another one of those things where it's hard to get a guarantee that they won't just raise the price. Might as well put those dollars toward the county instead of toward oil companies. Hey look, I involved a CNY county other than Onondaga!
Finally, we have a very close town justice race in Salina. Paul Carey is beating George Alessio by 2 votes. But Alessio has put in a bid to count the absentee ballots that had stray marks and the affidavit ballots that were in an extra envelope. They opened everything up and did the count. With the absentee ballots only, Alessio by 1, with the affidavits only, Carey by 3, which means with both we have a tie! Only not really, because then the town board picks and they're Republicans, so that will pretty much hand it to Carey. It's all up to a judge now.
Lots of other political news. Congressman Walsh has more cash on hand than his oponent Dan Maffei, but Maffei has more than he did than at any point during the previous election, and that was close, so... Oh and one district over, Michael Arcuri (D) is beating them both and has no declared opponent yet.
Cayuga county doesn't think it's getting enough out of it's cap on the gas tax. As stated previously, our county exec to be doesn't think we are either. I never have and would be okay with seeing the cap go. It's another one of those things where it's hard to get a guarantee that they won't just raise the price. Might as well put those dollars toward the county instead of toward oil companies. Hey look, I involved a CNY county other than Onondaga!
Finally, we have a very close town justice race in Salina. Paul Carey is beating George Alessio by 2 votes. But Alessio has put in a bid to count the absentee ballots that had stray marks and the affidavit ballots that were in an extra envelope. They opened everything up and did the count. With the absentee ballots only, Alessio by 1, with the affidavits only, Carey by 3, which means with both we have a tie! Only not really, because then the town board picks and they're Republicans, so that will pretty much hand it to Carey. It's all up to a judge now.
November 18, 2007
New and improved?
Our congressman Walsh voted with the Democrats on a resolution urging an eventual halt to the Iraq War. From the Post-Standard article, it doesn't sound like the resolution was all that strong in itself, but that's on the Democrats in Congress not being as powerful as they should. We really need organization. New Walsh is more palatable to me then old Walsh, but I wonder what we have to do exactly to keep Walsh from downgrading to version 1.0 to put it in computer terms. To the couple who wrote a letter to the editor declaring that Walsh should become a Democrat, I'm usually for everyone becoming a Democrat, but seriously, one issue does not make him a different party.
Michael Bragman wrote an article in the Post-Standard suggesting we give OnTrack another chance. I do think it's a good idea, but it wasn't marketed at all (the only evidence I had that it existed, until it didn't, was the presence of a train station at Carousel that occasionally had trains), and it needs to run through the city more. Be more of a light rail as opposed to running only to a few key areas. Still, with a decent marketing campaign, I'd be willing to give it another try.
Not as many blurbs on local politics in the Post-Standard recently. Probably waiting for Mahoney's new regime to take over. Lots of big races next year too, so we'll start seeing things put forward in efforts to secure races next year. I don't think Defrancisco's fitness thing counts as much in that regard.
Michael Bragman wrote an article in the Post-Standard suggesting we give OnTrack another chance. I do think it's a good idea, but it wasn't marketed at all (the only evidence I had that it existed, until it didn't, was the presence of a train station at Carousel that occasionally had trains), and it needs to run through the city more. Be more of a light rail as opposed to running only to a few key areas. Still, with a decent marketing campaign, I'd be willing to give it another try.
Not as many blurbs on local politics in the Post-Standard recently. Probably waiting for Mahoney's new regime to take over. Lots of big races next year too, so we'll start seeing things put forward in efforts to secure races next year. I don't think Defrancisco's fitness thing counts as much in that regard.
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