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ROTTERDAM
Town faces tough 2009 budget No raises are included for elected officials
BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter

    Supervisor Steve Tommasone decided against including raises for the town’s elected officials in a preliminary 2009 budget, citing an estimated double-digit percentage increase in Rotterdam’s tax levy.
    Revenues from interest earnings, mortgage and sales tax receipts are predicted to decline by roughly $400,000 next year. The lost revenue coupled with increases in personnel costs, energy expenses and contractual services will drive an estimated 4.7 percent increase, bringing the general fund levy to about $6.9 million.
    In addition, the highway fund levy is expected to jump to $3.7 million or by about 5.5 percent. Tommasone said the result of the two increases will likely mean a double-digit percentage increase in a “worst case scenario” budget, which identifies a total of $20.7 million worth of spending.
    The previous year’s $19.9 million budget reflected a 2 percent decrease in highway and general fund allocations. Under the 2008 budget, homeowners paid a tax rate of about $3.36 per $1,000 of assessed property value, while commercial properties paid $5.59 per $1,000 with the town’s dual tax rate
    Facing an almost certain increase in taxes, Tommasone said, he didn’t feel it was a proper time to consider raises for the Town Board members or other elected and appointed officials, as recommended in August by an ad hoc committee. The five-member committee suggested an immediate 20 percent salary increase for the elected supervisor and Town Board members, as well as members of the appointed Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals.
    The committee suggested increasing the supervisor’s and highway superintendent’s terms from two years to four years; it also recommended a cost of living allowance for both positions.
    In their report, the committee indicated the Town Board and super- visor hadn’t received raises since 1991, while the planning and zoning board salaries hadn’t changed since 1998, when they were decreased. The committee also suggested the cost of campaigning every two years was hurting the effectiveness of the offices of supervisor and highway superintendent.
    Tommasone said the recommended salary increases didn’t seem sensible during a year when the town is facing such a difficult budget situation. He said the committee’s justifications for the raises wasn’t compelling enough to outweigh the impact on taxpayers.
    “If we were in a better position nationally and, in particular, at the state level, we might consider it,” he said, following a budget committee meeting Monday evening. “But at this time, we can’t.”
    Tommasone did include money to fund an appointed economic development specialist position for the town. The position, which was given a $47,500 line item in the supervisor’s office budget, will be focused on grant writing and attracting business to the town, among other obligations.
    The deputy supervisor’s position was also given a $1,500 stipend in the budget. Tommasone said the position — now occupied by board member Joe Signore — will become effective with the day-to-day operation of the town’s water and sewer districts.
    Tommasone said he will also discuss offering early retirement incentives for some town employees. He said the early retirement might reduce some of the taxpayer burden if it is supported by the Town Board.
    “If the [board] is going to do one thing, this is the year to do early retirement incentives,” he said.

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. Silly Donkey Club (Schenectady Chapter):  We’ve never been shy here at f/k/a about noting our disappointment with the Schenectady County Democratic Committee (e.g., here and there).  Today’s newspaper brought one more reason for registered Democrats in Schenectady County to blush with embarrassment over the crassness and political ineptness of our so-called party leaders. The Gazette article “Fair campaign group seeks more pledges” (Sept. 19, 200 describes efforts by the group Fair Campaign Practices for the Capital Region, Inc to get county parties chairs across the Region — and not merely individual candidates — to sign the group’s Fair Campaign Pledge.  FCP is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady Counties and the Interfaith Alliance of New York State, Capital Region.

Seven years ago, FCP established procedures to accept candidates’ charges of unfair campaign practices within the Capital District, hold hearings and issue decisions regarding the charges, and their efforts have been welcomed by the voting public.
See their “tips for Candidates” and list of “2008 Pledge Signers” , as well as their Candidate Manual (.PDF), and Decisions from prior years.
This sounds rather non-controversial, and the Gazette article tells us that party chairs around the region have signed the FCP pledge — except for Brian Quail, chair of the Schenectady County Democratic Committee.

According to the Gazette:
. . QUAIL OPTS OUT
At least one party leader said he will not sign the pledge. “There are several reasons why I won’t sign it,” said Brian Quail, chairman of the Schenectady County Democratic Committee.
“You should not sign a piece of paper to promise to do good and decent things when you should always be doing good and decent things,” he said.

The second reason, he said, is that Fair Campaign Practices for the Capital Region lacks credibility. “They use totally subjective standards and they apply their standards to other people’s conduct,” Quail said. “They don’t matter. Who matters are the voters.”
I’m sorry, Chairman Quail, but voters really do want to know what an objective source like FCP has to say about the claims and accusations made in campaign materials, and about the charges hurled by political candidates and their election managers and parties.  The voters need to hear from balanced sources.  Your failure to sign the pledge makes us all wonder just what you have to hide and what FCP decisions you are hoping to avoid.

Here’s what Fair Campaign Practices says about its structure and procedures:
“A pool of 32 respected individuals from the four county region is selected to hear complaints. These community representatives serve on Hearing Panels that determine the validity of complaints. In order to ensure a balanced, fair process for all sides, the local chairs of all the recognized political parties, or their designees, automatically become ex officio members of the FCP Hearing Panel and attend hearings.

“After a hearing is held and a decision is made by the hearing panel, the decision is made known to the candidates involved and to the media so that the media can inform the voting public.”
I’m really tired of the leaders of the Schenectady County Democratic Party acting as if the rest of us are morons who will simply take them at their word and nod agreement to their nonsense.  Quail, Savage, et al. continue to make the Party look bad with their high-handed, irrational positions and policies.  They keep presenting a very big target for anyone wanting to pin the tail on the Democratic Donkey.

update (September 20, 200: Today’s Gazette editorial is titled “Party Chairmen should embrace fair campaigns.” Here are excerpts worth repeating:
“But the process is elaborate, it seems meticulously fair, and, slowly but surely, it has been gaining acceptance with candidates and voters. Now the League wants the region’s political party chairs to join in — a logical step, since chairmen often set the tone for campaigns and are behind much of the advertising.”

“Unfortunately, as a story in Friday’s Gazette indicated, only a few have done so thus far, and one — Schenectady County Democratic Chairman Brian Quail — even denounced the idea as unnecessary and lacking credibility. His scorn for the system might have something to do with the fact that his party was flagged for violating fair campaign practices during the last election cycle.”
“. . . [T]he more candidates and committee chairs who sign onto the concept of fair campaigns, the more likely they’ll adhere to the principles. That can’t help but make for fairer campaigns, a better-informed electorate and better government.”

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ANGELO SANTABARBARA URGES ENERGY TAX RELIEF

Posted on: 09/17/08
Ashley Lucas, Clifton Park-Burnt Hills reporter
email: lucasa@spotlightnews.com

Legislation that could save Schenectady County residents on home heating costs this winter has been drafted but has yet to make it to the floor of the county Legislature for a vote.

The legislation, introduced by Angelo Santabarbara, R-Duanesburg, would exempt all energy products from the 4 percent county sales tax.

Santabarbara said he has received several letters from residents who say the rising cost of home heating fuel is affecting their ability to spend money on other necessities.

“Even though I heat with gas, I support the elimination of the county sales tax on home heating fuel,” said Richard Kramer, of Glenville, in a letter to Santabarbara. “We are taxed enough and this is not a luxury; it is a necessity in our climate, and it is regressive to tax those in the lower income brackets.”

If the tax is eliminated, Santabarbara said residents would save 40 cents for every $5 spent on home heating fuel and electricity.

Schenectady County is one of 15 counties in the state that tax residential sales of coal, fuel, oil, wood, gasoline, propane, electricity and steam, according to the state Department of Taxation and Finance. Schenectady is the only county in the Capital District that taxes home heating fuel and electricity.

“They are asking for relief,” Santabarbara said. “We can’t let them down on this.”

He said it is not fair in this type of climate to tax home heating fuel because it is a necessity akin to food, some of which is not taxable.

“Instead of saying we’re going to reduce taxes, let’s start with this,” Santabarbara said.

“As one who is self-employed, performing carpentry and home repair services, I have watched the decline in homeowner discretionary spending as the costs of necessities have escalated at unprecedented levels,” said Delanson resident William Wenzel. “On the local level I strongly support cutting taxes and spending.”

According to wording in the legislation, “Few items are as essential to daily life, our economy, and the health and well-being of our citizens as energy products.”

Santabarbara said the elimination of the energy sales tax should not come at the expense of other county taxes. He said the county should rework its spending to accommodate the loss of revenue without increasing other taxes.

“Any decrease in revenue experienced by the county as a result of this exemption, must be offset by the county manager with across the board reductions in equal revenue amounts from all county agencies,” according to the drafted legislation.

Legislator Robert Farley, R-Glenville, said he supports Santabarbara’s legislation, saying party affiliation should not be an issue in passing this legislation.

“Even the governor came out yesterday and said we have to reduce the cost of heating,” Farley said.

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We're Hiring Paid Poll Workers Right Now!

The Schenectady County Board of Elections employs hundreds of poll workers on Election Day. We are in need of poll workers to work in a variety of polling places for the upcoming Presidential Election on November 4, 2008 and the Primary on September 9, 2008.

Poll workers are responsible for performing a variety of tasks including, but not limited to: signing in voters, directing voters to their correct polling place, assisting voters that may need help voting, carrying out various paper ballot tasks and documenting information on appropriate forms.

In order to serve as a poll worker you must be a registered voter, resident of Schenectady County and attend a two to three hour training session.  Training sessions are scheduled at various times over the summer.  You can select the time that is most convenient for you.  Day and night sessions are available.

You will be paid:
     -- $25 for training
     -- $130 for serving as a poll worker on an Election Day
     --.$80 for serving as a poll worker on Primary Day

The General Election runs from 6am to 9pm and poll workers serve from 5:30am to 9:30pm.  Primary Elections run from Noon to 9:00pm and poll workers serve from 11:30am to 9:30pm.

Poll workers are provided two 30 minute breaks.  You must provide your own transportation and meals.

If interested in this position please contact Darlene or Cindy at the Schenectady County Board of Elections: 377-2469, or email us at boe@schenectadycounty.com.