We dodged a bullet

This study was just brought to my attention.  Looks like East Greenbush would have had a major problem if that Casino Thingy had been permitted to go forward as desired by the all-knowing insiders.  They should be ashamed of themselves for what they tried to dump on their neighbors. 

Institute report finds low growth in gambling revenue

By Jimmy Vielkind
11:13 a.m. | Apr. 12, 2016
As four casinos push to open their doors early next year, a report from the Rockefeller Institute of Public Policy found minimal growth in gambling revenue for states over the last decade and intangible costs associated with increased wagering options.

According to the report, which is funded by former ambassador Harry Blinken, state revenue from gambling grew by 1.8 percent between 2008 and 2015 — largely attributable to new casinos in Maryland and Ohio. Additionally, gambling revenue (including lottery revenue) declined slightly in 2015 for the second consecutive year.

"State officials considering expansion of existing gambling activities or legalization of new activities should weigh the pros and cons carefully," study author Lucy Dadyan wrote.

Here is the study: http://bit.ly/1Q4InFx

Jack Conway's Supervisor's Report for April 1st.

On April 13, 2016 the East Greenbush Town Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed sewer user rate increase at 7:00 p.m. in Town Hall.  Comprehensive information on the proposed rate increase is available on the Town’s website, www.eastgreenbush.org.  We hope residents will come to the hearing and share their views.

The rate increase follows a series of irresponsible Town Board decisions made by several administrations.  In 2008 the Town entered into a service agreement with the Rensselaer County Water and Sewer Authority (RCWSA) to borrow $6.55 million for sewers at 5.1% interest requiring an annual debt service payment of $400,000/year until 2048.  Efforts to refinance that debt are failing because the Town doesn’t have adequate documentation of how the money was used.  In 2013 we undertook a $15.6 million upgrade to our Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).  After closing on long term financing in August 2016, the town will owe another $700,000/year for 30 years.  No arrangements were made to pay these bills. The sewer user rates haven’t been increased since 2011 even though we knew the WWTP bill would come due this year.

The approval and lack of oversight for the RCWSA service agreement, and the inaction of previous Town Board members to adequately address the WWTP financing has led to the unavoidable and unpleasant necessity to increase revenue.  It has been suggested that we should generate the revenue solely from the tax levy, which would result in an 8% tax increase in the 2017 budget, a cost that would also be borne by non-users of the sewer system.  An 8% tax increase would depress property values and further discourage commercial investment in our Town.  We ask that you review the proposed increases, and note that the General District, which serves more than half the residents in Town, will still have rates that are among the lowest in the Capital District after the increase has been implemented.

We have to stop the profligate spending habits and irresponsible fiscal planning of the past.  Come to the public hearing and share your views with us.

From Save East Greenbush.....

We did it! With the generous support of all of you we have reached our fundraising goal! Our Grand Finale was a smashing success. Our final payment to our lawyer is in the mail, and we are free and clear of our obligations as Save East Greenbush.

We are very grateful to all the individuals and businesses who have donated their time, money, and goods and services, not only for this most recent silent auction and event but throughout the course of our campaign, to save our town from a casino. We truly banded together as a community and have much to show for it. We cannot thank you enough for being the town we all fought so hard to save.

We have some loose ends to tie up (a few of you still need to pick up your silent auction items!), but then we will be able to close the books on this chapter in our Town's history. At the end of April we will be shutting down the Facebook page and the website and officially closing out Save East Greenbush, Inc. We encourage everyone to stay involved! Please go to Town Board meetings. Show up to the County Legislature. Stay informed and connected. In fact, the next East Greenbush Town Board meeting is on April 20 at 7 PM. We'll see you there.

Warmly,

Your Friends and Neighbors of Save East Greenbush

The Final Save East Greenbush Fundraiser

It's been quite the journey. We're coming up on the two year anniversary of the first Town Board resolution to approve a casino in East Greenbush. A lot has changed since then (including the Town Board!). We've worked together to save the town from unwanted development and from back door deals. We have one last bill to pay off as Save East Greenbush. Then we can get on with other good works to further our town's well being.

Meantime, please join us for our final fundraiser on Saturday, March 19 The Elks Club, 683 Columbia Turnpike, East Greenbush
Cocktails at 6 pm (cash bar); Dinner at 7 pm
The SEG Grand Finale will be an evening filled with friends, music, dancing and fun.
Your $50 ticket price includes scrumptious appetizers, gourmet buffet dinner, decadent dessert and of course -- a fabulous Silent Auction! Guests will have an array of auction items from which to choose, including vacations, artwork, vintage items and antiques, jewelry, professional services, gift baskets and much more!
There are 3 ways to purchase your tickets:

• Purchase your tickets online:  http://saveeastgreenbush.nationbuilder.com/seg_grand_finale?utm_campaign=grand_finale&utm_medium=email&utm_source=saveeastgreenbush
• Send a check (payable to Save East Greenbush) to: Save East Greenbush, P.O. Box 115, East Greenbush, NY 12061
• Or, or call Larraine at 518-477-9613 to reserve your tickets

Details coming soon on how to donate items, services, or vacations rentals, etc. for the auction. 

Remember: Save East Greenbush saved East Greenbush.

Let's make this final fundraising event our biggest and best yet! See you in March.

Warmly,
Save East Greenbush
Save East Greenbush
http://saveeastgreenbush.nationbuilder.com/

A Comment that deserves to be a new Post....

The comment below just came in, and I think it should start a new Thread.  We didn't get into this pickle overnight.  It took years of mischief and neglect.  Part of the responsibility lies with the citizenry too, for not paying attention.  Now we have to pay the piper. 


"Mike G has left a new comment on your post "It Was Like David and Goliath......":

Greetings... I can happily say that i participated in voting out the incompetence. I'm just as happy as anyone else when it comes to the potential changes ahead. With that being said can we finally put an end to showering the new supervisor and his team with well deserved praise.

I come here routinely to keep up to date with whats going on. People on here are focusing too much on patting themselves on the back and re-enforcing what a great thing has been accomplished. Now that the election as over and 2 months behind us can we get some sort of real discussions going on regarding the 'painful' tax increase that's hanging over our heads. I for one am very concerned and almost enraged that i will be left holding the bag as a fairly new resident. Depending on how severe the increase i may find myself in a situation where i will have to put the house up for sale and most likely take a pounding on the resale value.

When looking for a new house you set certain criteria(school dist,neighborhood,taxes etc etc) for where you're looking to settle down with your loved ones.Its not a decision most take lightly. This time around i thought I had all my bases covered. Never in my wildest dreams did i consider it necessary to dig down deep into town politics prior to purchasing here. Had i known what i've learned over the past 2 years of living in EG i would have run for the hills.

Im very concerned regarding the language Mr Conway used in the TU article regarding the tax hike. Depending on how great the hike is, I could be forced to lose the home.Trying to make my new mortgage payment may become to hard or just impracticable.

Listen i'm an adult and very realistic. I budgeted and expected taxes to increase over time. That's what they do,they go up. What blindsided me was this impending "hurtful" increase on such a large scale. I would expect out of my new supervisor someone that makes a calculated well thought out decision on how to go about recouping the pile of money owed. I'm positive this is what the residents of EG want and deserve. If the supervisor is not willing to give it the proper attention it deserves on the behalf of his constituents then he is no better than the people we Just pushed out. I know his intentions are indeed in the right place but please don't let your drive and determination cloud your judgement. It would be nice to see this administration stick around for quite a while to get some real work done over the long term. Pleased realize , if you place too many people outside of their comfort zone too quickly you will find yourself alienated and this administration will be 1 and done.

From what i gather certain people are not willing to drop the money on a proper study whats fair. If you're gonna stick me with some monumental bill at least stroke me a little and let me know you at least gave me the time of day and were somewhat concerned about my family's well being.

Good luck and thank you."

It Was Like David and Goliath......

Next Wednesday evening at the Town Board Meeting, the Resolution "inviting" casino developers to Thompson Hill in East Greenbush will be RESCINDED!!!  This last year and a half has been quite an experience and has resulted in a "sea-change" in our little town.  Our community came together and went up against a collection of very powerful, connected, well funded and arrogant elements.  Think about this list of opponents who conspired to dump that "thing" on the Hill without consulting the population.......  Churchill Downs, Feathers and his buddies in Albany, County wheeler-dealers, East Greenbush wheeler-dealers, Morgan Hook and SKDKnickerbocker.  Feel free to add to the list.  Had it not been for a united community effort in education and mobilizing neighbors, putting together the presentation to the Location Board and a brilliant attorney - Jeff Meyer - we'd be getting rolled like that little town in Seneca County.  And a way of life and a bright future would have been lost forever. 

Be sure to attend the Board meeting next Wednesday at 7:00pm and see history made. 

Also, coming on March 12th is what will hopefully be the last Save East Greenbush fundraising event to clean-up the last of the legal bill.  Stay tuned for details.  Dinner, jazz, silent auction.......

Milestones and Watersheds

It's been quite a ride over the last few years. We're coming up on the anniversary of the Casino Location Board deciding to NOT locate a casino in East Greenbush. December 17^th is the date, and we're going to celebrate with a Save East Greenbush party and fundraiser. I'd call that date a milestone. A watershed is the fallout of that decision and the community activity which led up to it – the election of the East Greenbush First majority to the Supe job and the Town Board. Both political machines which had “run” East Greenbush in concert for a long time were turned out to pasture in a landslide. They're still trying to figure out what happened.

Save East Greenbush still has a balance on the legal bill to Meyer and Fuller. They made a great case even in the face of a major “fix” attempted by the players with the Zoning Board. What was important is that the community saw the extent to which the political pressure was exerted. Instead of asking the ZBA attorney for guidance, they asked the Building Inspector for an interpretation of the law. Good Grief.

The citizens of East Greenbush should be abundantly proud of the accomplishments of the last year. Some of the efforts started years ago. But the recent victories are pleasant. Now we have the last bills to pay. (The Players who visited this plague upon us should be contributing, but they won't.) The payoff is that the insider trading which once went on won't happen anymore. No more illegal Plat approvals, no more road paving for insiders…….no more stipends and illegal “incentives.”