Too many gaps exist in ethics, lobbying and open meetings laws for local governments.
THE STAKES:
How can taxpayers have confidence in their leaders' decisions without closing such gaps?
On the eve of a new legislative session, the New York Public Interest Research Group released a report validating what news media and community activists have been saying for decades: State laws to help foster honest, open local government are lacking.
NYPIRG started looking into the operations of local governments that would most likely be affected by hydrofracking, investigating whether citizens could have confidence that those governments would make decisions publicly and with their residents' desires at heart.
While the hydrofracking issue was rendered moot with the Dec. 17 announcement that the drilling process won't be allowed in the state, the message of "Drilling Down: Local fracking decisions highlight failures in New York's municipal ethics laws" remains relevant.
NYPIRG reported it found:
The state's ethics laws fail to ensure decisions by local municipalities are free of conflicts of interest.
The state's lobbying law contains a gaping secrecy loophole: Exempting reporting for municipalities with fewer than 50,000 residents.
The state's open meetings law contains gaps that can be used to deprive the public of timely notice of agenda items and access to pertinent documents.
Some small local governments lack the financial resources, infrastructure, expertise and personnel to substantially comply with the state's open government laws.
Capital Region residents don't need the nearly 50 pages of examples from NYPIRG's report to appreciate the findings. They have ample arguments right here for greater openness and accountability, from the questionable relationship between developer Bruce Tanski in Halfmoon and that community's power brokers to the East Greenbush Town Board's secretive deliberations on a proposed casino.
State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli surely appreciate the need, too. The Joint Task Force on Public Integrity they formed in 2011 has prosecuted about 50 people in a range of public positions.
Overhauling the state's ethics law for municipalities to include strong conflict of interest provisions and more training.
Applying the same reporting standards on lobbying in municipalities with fewer than 50,000 residents as required in larger ones.
Strengthening the open meetings law to improve public participation and confidence in local government decisions.
Using measures like videotaping, archiving and webcasting meetings to bring local government transparency into the 21st century.
As the state Legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo set the agenda for the 2015 session, these are surely worthwhile improvements to consider. While lawmakers and the governor have the state's own ethical loopholes to close as well, that hardly disqualifies them from making sure that local governments get it right.
To Supervisor Langley--it is with great hope that you take note of EG's mention in this article, as this occurred under your watch Mr. Supervisor, "to the East Greenbush Town Board's secretive deliberations on a proposed casino."
ReplyDeleteDear AT,
ReplyDeleteMany of us have taken to referencing our current Supervisor as "Casino" Keith Langley for that very reason.
Thanks for the post.
Happy New Year to you!
Be well,
Tom
Tom- I prefer CasiNO Langley myself.
ReplyDelete"Casino" Langley may want to google his own name and notice the pages of casino article related to him, without even including casino in the search. He may want us and the rest of the area to forget about the casino, but it is his legacy.
ReplyDeleteLets put kidding aside and get to the hard work of electing officials we can have confidence in. For this week, the place to start is getting the agenda for the org meeting on line right now and requiring our elected officials to vote down any attempts at cronyism or nepotism. This will be a good start to end the era of our town being the poster child for poor government,
ReplyDeleteFor me secrecy is ALWAYS connected with dishonesty. If elected officials are doing the right things in the right way what else would explain secrecy?
ReplyDeleteThe same goes for citizens filing ethics complaints. If you have nothing to fear you fear nothing. That may seem trite but think about it. Langley's administration simply cannot stand up to honest scrutiny. Thus secrecy and his urgent need to avoid citizens filing ethics complaints.
Only the unethical need fear an ethics complaint. Deep down Langley knows that his behavior cannot stand such examination. His exchange with Jack Conway, the grandfather (Smile Jack!) of the ethics code, was laughable if it were not so sad.
Dear Anonymous 12:07 PM:
ReplyDeleteI share your views about the organizational meeting.
Respectfully, I also view the "Casino" references as important daily reminders of the secrecy and lack of respect for differing opinions exhibited by the current Supervisor over at least the last eight Town Board meetings. I agree with Bonnie K. that, whether he likes it or not, Mr. Langley's legacy is indeed the circumstances surrounding the unsuccessful siting of the proposed casino in East Greenbush.
This "legacy" has provided us all with an important example of how a government is NOT supposed to act when it is asked to consider issues, big or small.
Mr. Langley should begin to use the limited time he has remaining in his term of office to begin to demonstrate at least some understanding of the importance of supporting open and transparent governmental reform. The best place for him to start should be with strengthening the Town's Code of Ethics. If he is successful, I will be among the first to call him Keith "Ethics" Langley.
Until then, for many of us, "Casino" Keith Langley he will remain.
Be well,
Tom
Well put, Tom.
ReplyDeleteRemember, the Town Board Organizational Meeting is 6:00 p.m. on Friday (1/02/15).
Wishing all a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
Pete Stenson
Pete,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder. See you on Friday.
Happy New Year!
Tom
I'll be there Friday night. Gotta keep an eye on 'em!
ReplyDeleteIt might be helpful to read again the material which was out there prior to the sneak-up casino attack. It has to do with the illegal Plat "approval" signed by the PB Chair with out a meeting or a Resolution. This issue has not gone away, and is closely connected to the casino fiasco. The folks behind that put the arm on Langley to do the casino. Both Parties are involved. Sleaze and corruption all the way, and it involves the paving of the Hill Road for private benefit and all the rest.
ReplyDeleteHere's the link to that material:
Deletehttp://eastgreenbushgadfly.blogspot.com/2014/04/governance-by-avoidance.html
Again, a copy of the y-tube link demonstrating the Supervisor's misguided conduct where ethics is concerned should be sent to the NYS Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) and Solomen Syed at Time Warner Cable News (albany.twcnews.com). You just can't make this stuff up.
ReplyDeleteThere is also "The Report Misconduct Tip Line" to consider if the Supervisor's behavior falls under the jurisdiction of the JCOPE.
Go to www.jcope.ny.gov
One would think that when the DeFruscio "advice" and direction hadn't panned out in some important instances that the Supervisor would start to question the trustworthyness of the DeF. Guess not. Langley had been made a patsy by the Dem players on the Hill who have sealed their own fate by overextending themselves. Guess who doesn't "own" this town anymore......
ReplyDeleteI just read back to the April 6 post and comments... wow, there WERE people "in the know" about the casino well before it became publicly known. My eyes popped out of my head when that "Larry" guy mentioned "a casino" -- which was so far off everyone else's radar that it was taken as a gambling joke/reference. This town is absolutely the epitome of sleaze.
ReplyDeleteMBE:
ReplyDeleteIt goes back even further to the January 2, 2014 Organizational meeting when Langley engineered the appointment of the same attorney for both the planning and the zoning boards. The Supe was hoping for a quick and quiet fix. Let's keep an eye on Langley's appointments at tonight's Organizational meeting.
1/2/15 @ 10:54 AM and NO Organizational Meeting Agenda online!
ReplyDeleteagenda's finally online
DeleteI have a question - or a few. How much do our lawyers get paid to consistently misinterpret the law? Seriously, first the ZBA and now Mr. Gruenberg seems to think the residents of East Greenbush don't know how to read. The law specifies that part of the Board of Ethics duties are to receive and handle complaints. It doesn't take a lawyer to find this information or look around at what other towns are doing.
ReplyDeleteWhile we're on the subject of being overpaid, it appears that our Town Board doesn't speak to each other or other board's prior to the Town Meetings, so they are at the town meeting for maybe 3 hours on a long night, maybe a half hour to an hour on a pre-board meeting night for a total of maybe 4 hours a month. Even if we give them another hour, that's 5 hours a month, 60 hours a year to show up at town hall to do a poor job for $10,000 or $166/hr to do a poor job at keeping our town as corrupt and in debt as ever. What is it they are actually doing to earn this?!?!?!
Talking about being overpaid. How have the people of East Greenbush (With the notable exception of the Supe's favorite Court Attendant, Chris DeFruscio) benefited from paying "Casino" Langley $70,000 a year plus his mileage reimbursements?
ReplyDeleteDear AnonymousJanuary 2, 2015 at 11:10 AM---Town Board Members that take their responsibility seriously and understand the definition of a civil servant do spend many hours researching, reading and reviewing resolutions, ways to improve the Town as well as laws to update and/or introduce. Granted, EG has seen much dysfunction in interactions and communications between Board members and most of that seems to be derived from the Supervisor and his incredible case of extreme paranoia but, they do quite a bit of work on their own time as individuals before they attend meetings.
ReplyDeleteWhile I'm sure some of them do their best to perform their due diligence, the amount of times I've heard from the board members admit that they've never heard of some of the appointments, or heard about the resolution before the night nor spoken to other boards about the resolution (or each other for that matter) is disturbing.
DeleteAs the agenda for tonight's Town Board Organizational Meeting shows, the sleaze bags will not go quietly.
ReplyDeleteReappointments for a whole cast of characters who have actively worked to change the character and financial stability of our town for the worse. Reappointments for Matt Polsinello, Danaher, Gruenberg, JOYCE LAPHAM (!), a few Harts, Crist, etc.
Should be fun tonight. More for the citizens of EG to clean up in the future. We're going to start putting out the trash...beginning next November. Tick toc.
@ 3:17 PM- And why is Mary Ann Matters seconding many of these reappointments?
ReplyDeleteShe wasn't asked. Don't go by the agenda, go by what comes out of her mouth.
DeleteDone forget Ercole DeFruscio. He's back on the docket as a Court Attendant.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me that the Agenda is one of the best gifts the current Administration could give to a Reform initiative for the next election. We need a new broom to sweep clean.
ReplyDeleteIt seems clear to me that the citizens of EG have another mandate. Figure out how to dig deeper into the murky activities of our planning and zoning boards. Collectively, the citizens know that there has been a series of illegal actions taken despite a smoking gun. The illegal plat approvals can be "documented" by the absence of documentation. Destruction of records is a crime (like the Nixon tapes) but I suppose that this is just another example of our town's corruption and illegality. Our own little Watergate. East Greenbushgate? Polsinellogate? Our job here is not done.
ReplyDeleteThe anti-casino effort has surfaced a brand new electorate and it has scared the crapola out of both Rep and Dem machines - whose graft operation is now under a possible threat from a new possible administration. They will cooperate where ever possible to in an attempt to stop that from happening.
DeleteAll the same players will stay in place until even the fired-up citizens accept that it takes more than complaining at a podium during a comment period to make change. The SEG group proved that EG residents can organize and won't take it lying down anymore but will they actually do what it takes to get elected? It is only by getting elected and becoming the decision-makers that EG can truly be saved. Everything else is just saber rattling.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of "same players," they're not all the same but some of the same show up in the paving of Thompson Hill Rd. with Town funds, the casino debacle, the illegal Thompson Way Plat approval, four front doors on a duplex and the "remodeling" of 1 Cooper Avenue replete with a sewer connection during a moratorium without a building permit. Ya think the "fix" might be in here and about with some folks?
DeleteThe trick here is not defeating the current administration or even the past one. The real challenge to come is keeping this renegade faction together and keep them from fighting themselves. What invariably will happen is everyone will want to be in charge and have their own vision for what should be done. They will need to establish a consensus among them or they will parish as fast as the casino bid did. Everyone is going to need to learn very quickly that change doesn't come as fast as anyone would like, just ask Obama, and sometimes the change your looking for doesn't look like what you expect. Even among the "vocal minority" who were against the casino, any new effort is going to need to make sure they can count on them for support and not act like the devil we already have in their pursuit. You can't assume because they were with you before they will stay with you. You need to make sure they can tell the difference between what they have and what they are offering. Vegas odds are against a third faction succeeding because someone or someones, will screw it up before it gets off the ground. Just a note of caution.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning and Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteNO CASINO in 2014. NO LANGLEY in 2015.
Looks like a consensus to many of us.
Three cheers for Board Member Matters!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.timesunion.com/local/article/East-Greenbush-gets-deadline-for-Civil-Service-6000454.php?cmpid=twitter
Well done Mary Ann!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe one cheer...it is their job after all, but hopefully we found a councilperson not only willing to do her job appropriately, but a councilperson that isn't just following the herd and doing things the way they've always been done. If the latter proves true, then she'll get a full 3 cheers from me.
ReplyDeleteIt takes some "moxie" not to go with the flow around here. There's a whole list of things that need to be addressed and "repaired." This is the kind of stuff of which tax cuts are made.
DeleteI know people like Langley, Malone and Mangold will never understand but...is it really that hard to do the right things in the right way? Is it? I think not - except when you let special interests get in the way of your duties to the citizens and taxpayers of our town.
ReplyDeleteSome label our town board corrupt. Some label our town board incompetent. Some label the actions, stupid decisions and lack of action by our town board was malfeasance. To varying degrees they are all probably accurate characterizations.
I think, in the end, everyone on the town board, except Mary Ann Matters, has their priorities way, way wrong. Sure the Harts, the Witbecks and the casino goons are or were huge economic forces in town. Sure some issues are complex. Sure there is pressure. But if Langley, Malone and Mangold would just focus on what is best for the regular, everyday citizen things would be just fine and dandy.
With the singular exception of Mary Ann Matter they all need to go. And the sooner the better.
Sometimes all it takes is for one member of the herd to demonstrate the courage to lead, and the rest will follow. Keep leading the way, Mary Ann, because that is what we elected you to do. Anyone can follow but it takes an exceptional person to lead. Unfortunately, after THREE YEARS into his term, this supervisor has not yet demonstrated the ability to lead, only to be led. We need a leader, Mary Ann. Take it away! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteDoesn't the Supervisor get embarrassed when part-time board members are working harder than he is to practice responsible government? The Supervisor should have made this payroll certification business a top priority his first year in office! So, why didn't he? There are way too many questions associated with his secretive administration and far to FEW answers. We, the heavily taxed taxpayers, have a right to know EVERYTHING that's going on with the town. Silence and blank stares are not tolerable anymore. Now that it appears that the casino threat has gone away (although I'm not convinced), we, the residents MUST stay active, aware and involved. Yet another significant problem with the way East Greenbush is run was written about in the TU today. How embarrassing! What else is going on behind our backs?
ReplyDeleteYes, this action coming from a part time board member rather than from the supervisor is reprehensible, especially since the issue had been brought to his attention ( as though it should need to be) repeatedly.
DeleteFor your attention:
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.timesunion.com/schools/east-greenbush-school-tax-exemption-hearing-is-jan-28/2910/
Wow. I'm passionate about supporting our veterans, but this seems arbitrary -- not to mention expensive for other taxpayers. Why not include civil servants? I work in a public, inner-city building. I could get shot tomorrow while working for the public good. Are my school taxes going down? I don't think so.
DeleteReading the article about the position classification, I was struck by the comment that it is not as easy as handing a bunch of papers over to the county. Why not? Why would it take several months to update records for pedigree information such a addresses, marital status and phone numbers? How many employees are there, and is not office management 101? As someone who oversees a government office that is also accountable to the taxpayers, correct position classification, annual performance evaluations using standard instruments, hiring and firing according to civil service rules etc. is all a given. Including constant upkeep of changes in employee's personnel information. Really, several months they have been working with the county on this and we still miss the deadline? I guess, thanks to Councilperson Matters, at least we are finally complying. This all boggles my mind.
ReplyDeleteI too am completely amazed that it takes weeks, even months, to compile a list of Town employees and their essential information. This is SOP in any business or government entity! The information should already be in a database or in payroll records. If our Town workers can't supply such a fundamental piece of recordkeeping, what CAN they do? And the bigger question: why are citizens PAYING THEM to be so completely ineffectual?
DeleteTo AnonymousJanuary 8, 2015 at 9:19 PM--You are not seriously comparing yourself to a military veteran?! Please do not say because you work in a public inner city building that you are the equivalent of a military veteran. If you honestly consider yourself putting your life in jeopardy to protect the freedoms American citizens enjoy simply because you work in a public inner city building, you should reassess your thought and evaluation process. Working in a public, inner city building does not even come a smidge close to serving in the military and shame on you for believing it does.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing---if you are that terrified of your work place you should seek a new employer.
857 - re-read 919. You completely over-reacted!
Delete@9:19 - I'll give you this, you are pretty brave to make a comment like that. I think the sacrifice of ones life for our freedom justifies the veterans receiving a tax break - it's the least we could do. However, concerns about the cost are legit. However, the point of the announcement is to let you know there will be a hearing addressing concerns like that and explaining what it means.They estimate the cots to be 0.75% for non-veterans (not including any new school budget increases).
ReplyDeleteNow that 2015 has started, wait and see how ambitious our supervisor gets in an effort to get re-elected. If he was busy as a beaver in 2014 taking advantage of his new "majority" status to "fix" the town, like DiMartino and Matters said he would, we could believe that his efforts in 2015 are sincere. However, since he not only lost his majority status, did nothing to "fix" anything, and spent ALL of 2014 working behind our backs to sucker punch us with a gambling casino, we cannot trust or believe that his efforts in 2015 will continue in 2016 and for the next four years after that. Granted, he wasn't a majority supervisor his first two years but he squandered every minute of his third year and now he wants to use his fourth year to make up for lost time and supporters. NO!
ReplyDeleteFOOL US ONCE, SHAME ON YOU, MR. LANGLEY.
FOOL US TWICE, THEN SHAME ON US!
@ AnonymousJanuary 9, 2015 at 9:45 AM---Maybe you should re-read 9:19, unless you are 9:19 in which case, maybe you should reword the comment.
ReplyDeleteThe comment reads, ". Why not include civil servants? I work in a public, inner-city building. I could get shot tomorrow while working for the public good. Are my school taxes going down? I don't think so."
The author of the comment does not imply his/her life is in danger on a daily basis, he/she actually writes that his/her life is in danger on a daily basis due to where he/she works.
While this is not at all the point of the news article notifying people of the school tax meeting, it was an inappropriate comparison to make. But then again, freedom of speech allows people to make such comments and who protects our freedom of speech---the military.
Excellent post 10:08. This is food for thought.
ReplyDeleteSome good news for East Greenbush:
ReplyDelete"However, the Board will not consider opening up either the Catskills/Hudson Valley Region or the Capital Region to additional Applications."
http://www.gaming.ny.gov/pdf/01.09.15.GCGFLBStatements.pdf
@9:19 I understand your points and somewhat support your concerns--and while I think a country that sends men and women to war do owe a debt to those who put their lives on the line for us (policemen do this too)-these last wars were served by people who were not drafted but made a decision to work in the military as a career choice. Do I think it's a nice thank you for the vets, yes, but why is this gesture only being done little town by little town? Maybe Bush and Cheney who seem to be enjoying the lives of the rich and famous should cover this for our vets since this was their doing.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness, Gadfly. I think everyone has had their fill of this casino nonsense for a lifetime. Imagine suggesting a casino on suburban Thompson Hill. Why not a race track and an amusement park, too? We can turn EG into a three-ring circus. It is a true blessing that we are free of this hideous project in the new year and can resume normal town business. The Supervisor wants to just forget it ever happened. "It's time to move on," he said. Not a chance, Mr. Supervisor. The wounds are still fresh.
ReplyDeleteNow we need to work to get a municipal government in place with which that kind of secret insider shenanigan will never happen again. The lesson should have been learned that transparency and accountability will be demanded from here on out. The supposed "elite" should be disabused of the notion that they somehow "own" the Town. Never Again!!
DeleteNO Langley in 2015!!!
Delete@ AnonymousJanuary 9, 2015 at 11:05 AM--Suggestion, this post refrains from politics at the national level because that is not the topic of this post and, if you want to discuss foreign wars, take a look at the current White House Administration.
ReplyDeleteTo discuss a new domestic war which is the war on police, again, take a look at the Obama administration and the DOJ, Eric Holder.
The whole school tax problem is a total joke, it is such a large machine that will never be solved . that is what is killing not only Eastgreenbush but the state and before all you sword rattlers get in an uproar about the teachers i would fell better if they all had to live in this highly school taxed town. We pay them so pay your fair share like we do
ReplyDeleteThis supervisor is going to seem like a different man this year. Don't believe it! We need a Supervisor who will do the job RIGHT for the entire 48 months of his term, not just for the 10 months prior to Election Day. A supervisor needs to be a leader, a true leader, who is open and honest with the people s/he serves and who welcomes the public into the governing process. The bottom line is that if you do your job in a proper, correct, and above-board manner, there is no need for secrecy.
ReplyDeleteNO SECRETS/
NO LANGLEY
IN 2016!
Holy cow people take a rest, please. Anonymous this and anonymous that. Look these people are vets and have served their country, they have put their lives on the line it doesn't really matter who was in charge at the time (Bush, or Obama).
ReplyDeleteWhile I do think these fine men and women deserve sincere gratitude I'm not so sure I like the idea of a tax break. If they get a break that means the rest of us will have to pay more. This is some like the notion of older people with no children left in school getting a break on school taxes, while I love the idea and think they should get a break too, just like veterans, that would mean that the rest of us would get stuck paying more. PLEASE NOTE: I AM NOT COMPARING SENIORS TO VETERANS, and please note no anonymous here my name is signed!!!
Every audit ever done in East Greenbush has cited Internal Controls in its findings and recommendations. Every Board has chosen to ignore these findings and recommendations. The problems the Town has are a direct result of those elected to be responsible not being responsible. It's as simple as that. The wink and the nod has been operative, and as a result of that, we're in trouble.
ReplyDeleteWhy won't Supervisor Langley start implementing a system of internal controls? He's been in office for over three years. What's he waiting for?
ReplyDelete8:26 p.m. Just like with payroll certification, EG's Town Supervisors have always preferred a loosy-goosey approach to governing that has as few eyes as possible looking at what they're doing. This is good for them because it gives them the freedom to do what they want with taxpayer dollars but bad for the taxpayers who want as much oversight as possible on town transactions. Payroll certification and internal controls should be priority one on day one of any Supervisor's term. Otherwise, you can expect business as usual for the duration of his term. Supr. Langley has not concerned himself with three critical things since taking office in 2012: payroll certification, internal controls, and a financial recovery plan for the town. Whether or not he was in the "majority" since 2012, it was within his power as the Supervisor to have these three critical items firmly in place. It is time to stop using his majority status as the number one excuse for not doing his job.
DeleteThis Alternative Veterans Tax Exemption took a wrong turn. Concerns about what it will cost us are valid (if you read some of the literature the estimated cost to those not filing the exemption is roughly 0.75% or $750 per $100,000). This is not Obama's idea or East Greenbush, this exemption has been available for towns and counties to enact for 30 years (1984). Before people start throwing fists with their words, please do a few mintues at least of research.
ReplyDelete@ 8:26 and 10;06-
ReplyDeleteSadly, "Casino" Keith Langley's solution was to impose a property tax increase for 2014. And "Casino" Keith now wants to impose sewer and water fee increases of up to 40% for 2015.
We just can't AFFORD to keep allowing "Casino" Langley to "supervise" our taxpayer dollars any longer.
NO Langley in 2015.
Indeed 8:12, everyone needs to stop for a minute. In defense of 9:19, there is always a "what about me" reaction when you talk about exemptions, but a few things need to be considered, before you go asking about civil servants.
ReplyDelete1.) These days, you don't need to be a civil servant to get shot at work. What about a teacher, church goer, movie worker, shopper at a local mall? Society has taken a wrong turn and we are all at risk every day, and no, gun control won't cure that. You can buy a hand gun for $250 in Albany any time you want.
2.) If you're a civil servant, chances are you have some college education of some magnitude. College graduates trade four years of learning for the chance of getting a better paying job in the future. Military people give four years and put everything at risk with no guarantee that there is a good paying job when they get back, IF they get back.
3.) A vet doesn't have the luxury of telling their superiors what they want to do, where they want to go or how long they want to be there. They follow orders. College kids these days, show up, don't show up, drink, smoke, do whatever. Hardly an even comparison, and there is little to no discipline these days. At least a vet understands a chain of command, has respect, honor and loyalty. Try finding THAT these days.
Finally, before anyone suggest an exemption for civil servants, what about seniors? People on a fixed income with no kids in the school system, or for that matter, those who choose to NOT have children. The extra curricular activities for students are paid for by tax dollars. In the south, it's a pay to play approach. You want to be on the football team, do fund raising and build your booster base.
No, I'm okay with the vet exemption. In fact, I'd go one better and look for more scholarships for the children of those who died in battle. If our national conflict has taken a parent from you, the least we can do is help prepare for your future.
But that's just me. In any case, I'm sure it wasn't a woes is me comment, but like someone said, if you're THAT concerned about your work conditions, there is nothing that forces you to stay there, or here for that matter. Chances are you are attracted to that awesome pension. We all make choices, it's time you appreciate the other benefits you receive and just enjoy them.
We all need to stop saying "what's in it for me". I'm sick and tired of me, me, me!
ReplyDeleteWe are all being taxed to the max and lower income people just can't give much more! I appreciate the booklet that Cathy Jimino sends with the tax bill that show's where the money is going! Have you all looked at that?
And don't get me wrong....I know the middle and higher income payers are maxed out also! I am NOT for wealth redistribution!!!
Our governing bodies have to make some changes in allocating our monies. It's all about "us"!
Anonymous 5:49, that was kind of the point I was trying to make. Everyone keeps saying whats in it for me. I'm sick and tired of that mentality too.
ReplyDeleteI have nothing against people that serve this country we owe every one of those people so much, but on the same token we could also say what about the people that are police officers they serve this country too, and the way things have been lately in NYC not sure I would want to be an officer down there right now.
I will also add that instead of giving a select few a break, how about they ( our elected politicians) give all of us a break, and stop wasting so much of our money. Most people that read this blog know of all of the shenanigans that have gone on in this town over the last so many years, so instead of handing out stipends to a select few in this town, maybe they could have shared it with all of us in this town.
The problem with the school budget is pretty simple. We, the residents, vote on that budget. That budget is democratic in the sense that the public votes for that budget and if it passes, we did that. The school board does not put up budgets with decreases BUT, the majority continues to vote for the budgets that the school board does put up.
ReplyDeleteThe town budget is very different. The public does NOT vote on that budget which is the same as the county. We pay those elected officials and they create as well as pass those budgets.
If the school taxes are too high we can blame the voters. Offering a discount or a credit to military veterans I am in favor of because without those veterans we may not have the freedom to send the children to schools. The military protects the freedoms we all enjoy. Offering the men and women that sacrifice to protect our freedoms--sure, absolutely! Why not offer them a credit for the school taxes and if those complaining that the school taxes are too high (which I COMPLETELY agree with) maybe they should help rally a group to combat the school budgets and their passage each and every year. The residents are more aware of what is going on and now might be a good time to "autopsy" the school budgets and ask the school board members a few questions.
5:49 p.m. Unfortunately, we live in a 'me first' kind of world. But we also live in a 'not me, let someone else do it' kind of world, too. Most politicians rely on the fact that people are so busy with their own lives that they're not paying attention to what's going on with their tax dollars. Too many citizens think that they pay elected officials to do the job so that they don't have to pay attention to the government of their community. Each month, the same 25 or so residents attend town board meetings. Rarely do we see a new face, which does not go unnoticed. When government officials are not being watched and are not held accountable for their actions and inaction, government is run every which way from lackadaisically to blatantly corruptly and everything in between. It is at the grass roots town level that all government begins. Come to the town board meeting at 7 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month to see how YOUR tax dollars are being spent. Show your elected officials that you care enough to attend and observe the job they are doing. It will make a difference in how you are represented. Never blindly trust others to spend your tax dollars wisely and responsibly. Make the effort to show them that you ARE paying attention. The future of your community and your personal finances depends on it. At the pre-board meeting at Town Hall, at 4 p.m., on Jan. 15, a comprehensive presentation will be given by one of the town's engineering consultants that will address in detail the need for rate increases for water and sewer. I urge you to attend.
ReplyDeleteIr this presentation is for a reasonable exchange of viewwpoints it would be held at a time that residents could attend (not 4PM0 And in a forum where residents could speak. Forthermore, it is a fiscal issue and a financial recovery plan must be a part of any feesetting discussion. WE need accountants not engineers.
DeleteI think this is ,just a way to pressure the CP's who stood up for the residents and refused to vote for an increase without fiscal responsibility. No matter how many high paid engineers Langley hires to cover his incompetence, we all know a fiscal plan is what is needed. the fees will never be rolled back even if we sort out the mess Langley sat on for three years.
12:24: please don't urge me to attend meetings held at a time known to be unreasonable for working people.
Would love to attend but working at my job where I am accountable and expected to be in attendance.
DeleteNew York State allows School Districts and Local Governments to “grant a reduction on the amount of property taxes paid by qualifying senior citizens” as well as “qualifying persons with disabilities”. You can learn more about Property tax exemptions at http://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/property/exemption/index.htm
ReplyDeleteBack in October, many of us received Property Tax Freeze Credit checks in the mail from NYS.
Many of us also receive Basic Star Exemptions on our School Taxes. Qualifying Senior Citizens can get an Enhanced Star Exemption on their School Taxes.
There are three types of Veterans’ Exemptions available to Local Governments - Alternative Veterans’ Exemption, Cold War Veterans’ Exemption and Eligible Funds Exemption. Eligible veterans can only receive one Exemption at a time.
School Districts may offer only the Alternative Veterans’ Exemption, which is what EGCSD proposes. I see nothing wrong with this.
I don’t mind paying a bit more in taxes to thank our eligible veterans for their service or our eligible seniors for building EG or to help out our disabled.
FYI, both of my parents served in WWII and received the Veterans Exemption on our home, which they may well have bought under the GI Bill.
Pete Stenson
In case anyone missed this young gentleman's inquiry about whether it was possible to remove a town board member during the December town meeting, here it is http://youtu.be/4wDqV1DLKQQ (you can hear Langley at the end assume this young man is referring to him). Thank you again to the Gadfly for providing full video and audio.
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing about this exchange is that almost every resident in the room was able to an swer the recall question because we all wish it were possible., Oh, and BTW Gilbert's blog is active again, trashing the dems this time.
Delete12:24 are you a member of the board or a paid engineer? I don't see anhything about this meeting on the EG site.
ReplyDeleteI thought the TB voted against water and sewer increases and agreed not to reconsider the issue until the CFAC completed and presented their analysis of the subject? Has that analysis been completed and presented? Will representatives of the CFAC also be presenting at the pre-board meeting?
ReplyDelete10:48 a.m. Three of the five TB members voted no for the water and sewer rate increases because they weren't properly analyzed and justified. The Supervisor and one other board member voted yes. There was no agreement to table the issue until the CFAC completed an analysis. Board "agreements" are done via resolutions. We requested that the engineering consultant to the Waste Water Treatment Plant upgrade analyse the numbers, explain why increases are necessary, and how we can manage the increases while putting the least amt of burden on the taxpayers, but there is no getting around it, the WWTP upgrade has to be paid for. Reps of the CFAC will not be presenting at the meeting.
Delete@ 10:48 AM- Keith Langley, the Casino Queen, loves double digit fee increases whether they are warranted or not and hates listening to people who provide any factual information to the contrary.
ReplyDeleteNo surprise here--- This is the same Keith "fee me" Langley who loved placing the casino in a residential area and hated listening to people who provided him with factual information to the contrary.
Supervisor Langley has NOT LEARNED ANYTHING from his casino debacle!!!!!
I hope the TB Members who voted no last time stand their ground. Of course, in the unlikely circumstance of financial plan supporting the increase they should listen carefully and take it under consideration for the future..
ReplyDeleteWhy would any Town Board member trust anything Keith Langley proposes regarding anything about budgets, fees and taxes? The Supe has no idea what he is doing in these fiscal matters and refuses to ask any questions of his so called consultants. As a result, the taxpayers of East Greenbush will be paying the freight for the next 20 years for his lack of due diligence.
DeletePlease keep the questions coming Mary Ann, Sue and Phil. Your skepticism about the Langley fee increase plan is well founded.
Langley needs to stop representing his hand picked consultants and begin speaking up for his over taxed and over fee'd constituents.
"Nice" photo of the Thompson Hill questionable Plat construction project on page 17 of today's Times Union Spaces Real Estate Section.
ReplyDeletePart of the Langley "moving forward from the casino" program?
Not good, Mr. Langley, not good at all.
At this point I have to laugh. Larry Davis cried how our town needs this along with the rest of his "friends" and that this area needs jobs. Then they post a photo on the same road where the casino was supposed to help provide jobs to all of those who needed them? Not mention that this said "approved" flat is a highly sensitive subject. Kudo's to them for posting it in the Times Union for everyone to see yet again, how incompetent they are.
DeleteHeard that some heavy duty lobbying from Town Hall got Hart/Maney some electric service at their illegal duplex. Not to worry, who did what will all shake out eventually. Polsinellogate?
DeleteWhat's gone down on Thompson Hill with the duplex and the paving and on Cooper Ave. have a collection of some of the same "personages." Maybe we need a new Building Inspector to keep an eye on things. That Thompson Hill Plat (it could be argued) was a filed false instrument. That fact has been presented to the Town Board, the Town Attorney and the Attorney for the Planning Board publicly. The response has been "deadpan." They know what went down and their inaction makes them party to it, in my opinion.
DeleteDid you see that the pic in the TU had the duplex with one door on each side, not two as the Building Inspector has said is OK now? Why does a duplex need 4 front doors?
DeleteCandidates! We have some great ones coming fourth! Can't wait!
ReplyDeleteHope they know the difference between "forth" and "Fourth"
ReplyDeleteI'm confused. Isn't it fairly straightforward? If they don't have an approved site plan, which should show the house in a specific location, shouldn't the building inspector stop work there because it's not in the right spot? Doesn't that make HIM more at fault than the developer. Shouldn't someone file a complaint against him?
ReplyDeleteThe fact is that there is NO Planning Board approved Final Plat approval for the Thompson Way development owned by the bunch who brought us the casino fiasco. Inside jobs all the way around, and it's time to stop this crap. Time for the Board and the Supervisor to perform their legally mandated responsibilities, instead of looking the "other way."
ReplyDeleteWhat did the building inspector know and when did he know it? Shouldn't his boss, the Supervisor, be asking that question?
ReplyDeleteThe Supervisor either doesn't have a clue or doesn't want to have a clue, and I suspect the latter. Look, folks, sometimes a little old fashioned detective work can uncover a lot of dirt that's being steadfastly and deliberately hidden under the rug. Asking questions is an excellent start but it has to go beyond that. Electing better representatives is key but if that's not immediately possible then doing some investigating on our own, alerting the proper authorities, and squawking to the press can also be extremely effective. The worst thing we can do is stay quiet. If we stayed home last year, we might have a casino coming in the very near future! Compared to that, this plat approval business seems like small potatoes but it isn't. It's the root of how CASINOGATE got started. Start digging, people. Start digging.
ReplyDelete@ 12:21 PM-
ReplyDeleteAgreed! A good place to start is to begin examining FOILable documents signed by the Supervisor and his Building Inspector. A number of us are beginning to discuss how best to coordinate these FOIL requests. Once these FOILed documents are released by the Town, we will be well positioned to pose a number of detailed questions to the Supervisor and his Building Inspector.
The media loves this type of citizen inquiry. Just take a look at what's going on up in Saratoga County.
It's hard to FOIL information on meetings that never occurred.
ReplyDelete@ 1:19 PM-
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, you are correct. However, a close examination of the dates, signatories and specs on contracts and building permits that DO exist is often very revealing. Especially when the dates of the permit applications occur after the construction work has already been completed. We're finding that the Langley administration often condones a policy of doing what you want and asking for permission only when questions are raised by outraged taxpayers..
Of course, this "do what you want" policy only seems to apply to the rapidly diminishing group of connected Langley cronies and hangers on. The rest of us thankfully have no problems with following the lawful procedures.
Such is life in the "Casino" Langley era.
Did you ever think that maybe you are looking at this all wrong? Instead of chasing them from one step behind, jump one step ahead! On any given parcel in a residential zone, you can build at least one house. You don't need a sub-division to build one house. They may make the case that it's one house on the entire parcel and doesn't need a sub-division. They would need that for any subsequent buildings, which would mean they'd have to go through the process again. We could make the argument that if this house is ok, then they have forfeited the approval on any prior sub-division and can't build anything else without a proper plot plan. It's at least worth presenting that argument to them and force them to answer which situation we are in. They won't likely want to give up the multiple lots they supposedly have approved OR the house they are building. Force them to identify which situation we are in. They can't have both scenarios!
ReplyDeleteI doubt all this would have happened if EG had a full-time Director of Planning!
ReplyDelete@ 9:31 AM- Agreed!! And I doubt all this would have happened if we had a Town Supervisor who was paying attention and actually worked at his job for the benefit of the taxpayers of East Greenbush. Instead of just a few of his political cronies.
ReplyDeleteNO LANGLEY in 2015.