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Green activists press Stratton
Conservation league sends

By BRIAN NEARING, Staff writer
First published: Thursday, September 4, 2008
'act now' message; mayor points to city's efforts

     
SCHENECTADY -- A New York City-based environmental group that helped re-elect Mayor Brian U. Stratton last year wants voters to urge the mayor to commit to fighting climate change.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for the New York League of Conservation Voters was careful in describing its motivation behind a glossy, four-color flier mailed to 10,000 households last week that urged Stratton to "act now" on the league's six-point package.

Stratton said he was "puzzled" by the flier, which he called "a little unfair, giving the impression to the uninformed that I have been sitting around on my thumbs doing nothing."

The mayor pointed to city efforts to build environmentally friendly low-income housing, conduct an energy audit to identify conservation measures, and use methane energy from the sewage plant to help power the facility.

The city also has built a new green-certified fleet garage, replaced traffic signals with energy-efficient light-emitting diodes and added insulation to its buildings. Stratton said the changes have reduced the city's carbon footprint by 4 percent since he took office, which is more than halfway to a 7 percent goal by 2012.

League spokesman Dan Hendrick said his group had a good relationship with Stratton and praised his efforts so far. He said the league turned to a public campaign only to "energize" voters behind a comprehensive climate-change package.

The league wants commitments to an all-hybrid city fleet by 2012, use of clean fuel in all city buildings, creation of city "green building standards," a citywide tree planting campaign, and more emphasis on attracting green industries and new development near mass transit lines.

When Stratton successfully ran for re-election in 2007, he was one of only three local officials statewide who got campaign backing from the league, which was rebuilding political clout after years of flagging influence.

After the campaign, Stratton estimated the league's campaign mailings and telephone banks were probably worth $50,000 to his campaign.

"I was dumbfounded that they would promote me as the champion of green energy and on the other hand seem to send a message that I have not done anything," Stratton said.

"The city's efforts have been spread around, and we would like them to package it into one theme," countered Hendrick. "We want to make sure the city stays on the right track."

A return postcard included with the flier used the phrase directed at Stratton that "it's time for Schenectady to develop a plan."

Hendrick said the league so far has received about 100 return postcards and will submit them to Stratton.

Nearing can be reached at 454-5094 or by e-mail at bnearing@timesunion.com.

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Food pantries can use not just food, but help

    When I read Steven Cook’s Aug. 29 article, “Food pantry giveaway draws crowd,” I was pleased that the food pantry had received attention.
    The food pantry provides a service that helps people stay on their feet despite the declining economy. In the article, [SICM food program director Gail] Van Valkenburgh mentioned that more and more people (100 new families every month) are using the services provided by the food pantry.
I would urge people to help support their local food pantries if they can. While I have never helped at the food pantry, I have volunteered at the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York (which can be reached at 786-3691). A day at the food bank generally consists of sorting donated goods into boxes. It is a good place to do community service if you feel like giving back to the community.
WILLIAM ANDERSON
Niskayuna
This writer is senior patrol leader of Boy Scout Troop 34.

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AS OTHERS SAY IT
Pay for your own convention
--The Ledger, Lakeland, Fla.

    As voters watch the expensive sets and glitz of the national political parties’ conventions, they may wonder who’s paying for all this. The answer: They are.
    Taxpayers are footing a large share of the bill for the conventions, and they shouldn’t have to. To begin with, each convention will get more than $16 million in federal money to help pay for convention operations. To make matters worse, Congress voted to appropriate $50 million in Homeland Security funds to pay for security at each convention.
    There’s really no reason for this expense when money is tight and the federal government operates at a tremendous deficit.
    The conventions are no longer a decisionmaking part of the election process. Nominees have long been set. The Democratic National Convention last week and the Republican National Convention this week are nothing more than political theater. They are scripted campaign commercials on free network television time.
    While the federal government is operating in the red, the campaigns are awash in revenue. Both presidential campaigns are raising tens of millions of dollars each month. They and their parties should pay for their conventions.

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Dimension Fabricators to add 14K square feet to Sch'dy facility
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
By Michael Lamendola (Contact)
Gazette Reporter

SCHENECTADY — Dimension Fabricators will construct a 14,000-square-foot addition to its facility on Maxon Road Extension, eventually adding four jobs to its 40-person staff, officials announced Wednesday.

Dimension will also purchase manufacturing equipment, overhead cranes and add 300 feet of new rail as part of its investment. Construction will start in November.

The city of Schenectady Industrial Development Agency on Wednesday granted tax breaks to the company to help lower its overall costs, said Ray Gillen, chairman of the Metroplex Development Authority. Metroplex administers the city and county IDAs.

Dimension will receive an exemption on sales tax for construction materials and supplies and an exemption from the mortgage recording tax.

The company is financing the $1.5 million project through private means, Gillen said. “It’s a good little company,” he said.