Call to table legislation requesting Metroplex bond cap increase the correct one
Re: the May 17th editorial “Tedisco Should Keep Out of Metroplex Affairs”, I support elected officials like State Assemblyman Tedisco, State Assemblyman Amedore, Schenectady County Legislator Suhrada, and Schenectady County Legislator Santabarbara who place the public interests above personal and professional gain, party advancement, and the benefit of campaign donors.
The haste exhibited by the Schenectady County Legislature and the Metroplex Authority to rush passage of legislation to increase by 50% to $75 million the bond cap and to extend the charter of the public authority by five years, while an independent audit by the New York State Comptroller’s Office, is fiscally irresponsible.
The fact that both bodies are Democratic-controlled and that action on the recommendation of a Republican candidate for inclusion on the Metroplex Board of Directors was delayed for months due to the failure of the Legislative Chair to allow the nomination to come to a vote, suggests that it is Ms. Savage, not Mr. Tedisco, who is “playing politics with the future of economic development in Schenectady County”.
The editorial cited several of the Metroplex mistakes; failures that have resulted in a loss of public revenues that should have been more wisely and securely invested. According to the minutes of the Metroplex Board of Director meetings, there are other projects for which the loan terms have been restructured to extend the terms and delay dates when balloon payments were due and payable. At least one recipient of funding that discontinued loan repayments, was awarded by the Board of Directors with the forgiveness of a large portion of the loan to “entice” the borrower to recommence payments. The Metroplex leadership has issued unsecured loans and has agreed to being repositioned to a subordinate position on a loan. These practices compromise the security of and jeopardize the return on investment of public (tax) revenues.
In consideration of the recent report by the State Comptroller’s office regarding the ineffectiveness of the Empire Zone Grant program through which $7 million dollars of state taxpayer money was invested in Schenectady County resulting in a mere 31 jobs being created and calls by New York State Governor Paterson and Attorney General Cuomo to audit the hundreds of public authorities that exist in NY state and to investigate and identify fraud, waste, and abuse of public revenues, Assemblyman Tedisco and Legislator Suhrada are right in calling for the legislation to be tabled. Action should not be taken during this legislative session, but should await the results of the state audit.
The Daily Gazette article “Tedisco unsure on Metroplex cap” that appeared on May 15th failed to disclose that the initial legislation that established the public authority provides for the operations of the Metroplex to continue through 2028. Further, $8 million of the current bond cap of $50 million remains available for future investment. Thus, there is no reason to expedite the legislation. The public revenues paid by the hard working and oppressed county taxpayers must be managed more responsibly.
I received an email on Monday from the Gazette asking me for evidence to support the claims made in paragraph 4 of my letter (above) regarding the issuance of unsecured loans, the forgiveness of loan principle, the revisions to loan repayment agreements, and the acceptance of a subordinate position on a loan. I provided links to the Metroplex Board of Directors meeting minutes and the Metroplex project plans that addressed each. I have not received further communication re: the publishing of my letter or a request for additional information.
Hi, Mr. Littlefield,
Could you tell me specifically which loans you are talking about in fourth graf, and where i can find them in meeting minutes.
Let's take a look at "Local Stories" on page B1 of the Gazette over the past 7 days.
8/15/08 - 5 stories, 3 concern Schenectady, 1 in Colonie and 1 in Saratoga Springs - 60% Schenectady 8/14/08 - 4 stories + Carl Strock - 3 from Albany (Capital Region), 1 from Princetown - 25% Schenectady 8/13/08 - 5 stories, 2 Schenectady, 1 Scotia, 1 Clifton Park and 1 Cobleskill - 75% Schenectady 8/12/08 - 4 stories + Carl Strock - 2 Schenectady, 1 Ballston Spa, 1 Albany - 50% Schenectady 8/11/08 - 4 stories, 2 Schenectady, 1 Albany and 1 Glens Falls - 50% Schenectady 8/10/08 - 4 stores + Carl Strock, 1 each, Capital Region, Gloversville, Rotterdam Juntion and Rexford - 25% Schenectady 8/9/08 - 5 stories, 2 Schenectady, 1 Northhampton, 2 Albany - 40% Schenectady 8/8/08 - 5 stories, 2 Schenectady, 1 Perth, 1 Albany and 1 Capital Region - 50% Schenectady 8/7/08 - 4 stories, 3 Schenectady, 1 Albany - 75% Schenectady
That is an average of 50% of the "Local" section (b1) of the Gazette covering Schenectady stories.
I notice they've altered their Masthead to be the "Schenectady Albany County Edition" recently. Maybe they'd be better off if they didn't try to go head to head with the Times Union in Albany, and concentrated on their "hometown" spirit. As another poster pointed out, they've been cutting staff significantly, and don't have enough reporters to cover LOCAL stories. Maybe they should concentrate their efforts, or just stop the presses.
Single Party Tyranny Begins January 20, 2009 - Stay Tuned.
The TU appears to be able to cover their area very well, considering how much is going on in the STATE'S CAPITAL! I would like to see the gazette do the same. I would like to see them focus and report more on Schenectady county. And I would also like to see them report it without the bias.
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Good luck. I've even found evidence once that the Gazette shortened a story that they got from the AP, cutting out the parts that might have sounded too "conservative." Don't ask me which story it was, at the moment, I don't remember. If I ever come back to remembering it, I will let you know. I think I may have thrown something in here somewhere or in my blog a long time back about it.
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I think you vastly overestimate the effort editors put into producing a newspaper. To do what you're suggesting would be a logistical nightmare. Anyway, I thought the idea of AP articles was that they're all fairly well-balanced. That's the major leagues of the media.
JoAnn, re: your letter:
The only reason I can think they changed that was if their was still more sales tax revenue than the previous year, but that it was less than previously expected or budgeted. Otherwise, it is a very curious change, albeit one that doesn't really change the crux of the letter.
Bumble,
It's funny you say that. I've got a lot of friends in living in Albany and they all call the TU by the same moniker: The Times Useless. There's no denying their coverage of the capital. They've got a juggernaut of a state capital staff, which is probably the best in New York, as it should be. But I've heard a lot of Albany folks say they can't stand the local coverage because it's only quick-hit in nature. Never is there any comprehensive coverage of the towns. And think how they feel dealing with news from as far away as Queensbury and Delaware County showing up instead of Albany news. Believe it or not, the same people that hate the TU seem to glow at the mention of the Gazette.
MT - As promised, I counted the corrections in each paper last week. TU registered four, but I'll give 'em a pass on one of those because it was an AP mistake. Schenectady Gazette managed one. Admittedly, this proves little. On other weeks, I'm sure the tables are turned.
Frankly, I think both papers do a pretty damn good job considering what they're up against with circulation figures. And the funny thing is, there is more local news in today's paper than that of 20 years ago. Sure, there is gaps in the coverage. There always will be. But considering what say Montgomery County has to deal with for a local paper(the Amsterdam Recorder), I think we're pretty lucky on this bend of the Mohawk.
Hack, What I was saying is that the AP story itself was a balanced story. The Gazette "reviewed" the story and "shortened it for their publication" at just the right point to take out all conservative view from the article.
I've tried to find this, but I don't think I'll be able to. Sorry, but I don't even remember what the context of the story was. All I know is that they did shorten it at just the right place. If (or when) it happens again, I'll let you know.
Look, the truth is that the media is liberal. That is a no-brainer. Now... I have come to expect that from the large media outlets. I do however find it actually offensive when it is our very own local, hometown newspaper playing the liberal bias card. They can be as bias as they want on their ownblogs/opinion page. Carl Strock seems to have that covered very well. The TU has an entire section (on-line any way) with columnist's bias opinions.
I find it offensive when a local newspaper reporter gets a story, and it gets edited with their liberal spin. IT IS SOOOO OBVIOUS!!!
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