The Rotterdam Windmill

Leaderless

2011-02-12T18:41:00.003-05:00

The last Rotterdam Town Board meeting made one thing resoundingly clear – there isn’t a true leader among any of the elected five members. Procedurally, the meeting was a complete mess. Most have been after the 2009 election. Sure, there are a few political novices among the bunch but there is also a fair degree of experience as well. It’s now 2011 and there has not been much if any progress toward conducting a meeting efficiently or transparently. The cause of that has been the subject of enough finger-pointing to cause a blindness epidemic! At this juncture, it’s beyond disgraceful.

Even worse though, is the rancor. No one on the dais seems to be able to maintain any semblance of professionalism. The disrespect is blatant and intentional. It’s very sad to witness but the real damage isn’t limited to the political participants. It has seeped into the audience. Disrespect has been validated by the behavior of the Town Board members and has now been adopted by too many in attendance. Disrespect breeds disrespect. I have previously stated on this blog that if you intend to hold someone to a higher standard, then you’ve got to hold yourself to that same higher standard first. This Town Board has collectively failed to do that.

It is abundantly clear that every member of the Town Board is trying to advance their own personal agendas at the expense of everything else. Normally, this might not be so surprising but this crew was elected as a unified team with a unanimous Democrat endorsement. What’s occurred since is nothing short of a travesty.

I don’t believe there is a leader among them. If there was, they would have already emerged to quell the fiasco. Instead, each seems hell-bent on fueling it.

The solution lies in upcoming elections. The Supervisor seat and two Town Board seats will be up for election in November. It’s still wicked early so most candidates are not known yet. What we should know at this point is who we definitely don’t want. We need to start looking for those who will bring some professionalism back to the meetings in place of the juvenile antics we have currently. We need to start looking for those who favor rigorous, respectful discourse and debate in place of last minute shenanigans and political maneuvering. We need to look for true leaders.

A View From The Perimeter

2011-01-08T19:47:00.003-05:00

Third party politics seem to be flourishing in Schenectady County. The Alliance Party, founded by Roger Hull, is poised to stage a third party threat to city politics. In Town of Rotterdam politics, the No New Tax Party (NNTP) will re-emerge with a return appearance by Brian McGarry. Both men announced their intentions for 2011 pre-Christmas 2010 and have indicated that they would be announcing full candidate slates eventually.

I am intrigued by these developments and will be paying close attention to their evolution. My immediate question regarding these announcements is whether they will be true “independent” endeavors or morph into some hybrid of the two-party state. By that, I mean will they be seeking cross endorsements from the major parties or solely go their own way? This was an aspect I wrestled with to some degree during the first NNTP run. After my previous experience, I prefer a pure independent approach.

From newspaper reports so far, it appears the Alliance Party does not intend to seek any cross endorsements (though I suppose that doesn’t mean they won’t receive any) while the NNTP will be seeking major party endorsements (though that doesn’t mean they’ll receive any) in addition to their independent ballot line. Of course, both efforts will face the daunting task of actually creating their own independent ballot line regardless of whatever endorsements they might receive. Success or failure at that endeavor is really the important wild card either way.

Concern starts creeping in depending on how all of this ultimately unfolds. My whole life revolves around a notion of being “not beholden.” I believe cross endorsements can taint that. The major parties don’t relinquish power easily – they want to pick their own candidates – not be dictated to. Making nice to secure additional ballot lines runs counter to what should be the underlying motivation to create an independent ballot line anyway, in my mind. If major lines are deemed a desirable advantage, then simply primary for them, much like I did in 2009 (much to the Republican Party bosses’ dismay when I won.) My point is that if you think you have appeal to a major party voter base, then appeal to it through a contested primary, independent of party power bosses. Even this approach has a downside though as some people will start to question “your real stripe.”

Of course, I’m not a politician – and politicians and their strategists will tell you my approach is a losing one. (Hey – I lost – they must be right.) I wonder why the major parties are so intent then on trying to usurp independent efforts. Quite simply, it’s because they recognize the threat and are quick to try to diminish it through absorption, if possible, or outright dismissal, if necessary.

Courage of My Conviction

2011-01-08T19:41:00.001-05:00

Conviction. This is one of the most important attributes I look for in gauging a person’s character, especially when it comes to politicians. Let’s face it, there are plenty of “great guys” that still have trouble finding their backbone when the sledding gets a little tough. A fantastic notion is immediately compromised in the absence of conviction. In the presence of conviction, even a fledgling idea can become fantastic. Conviction is powerful – it is transformative. Unfortunately, it can be as equally fragile and vulnerable. Not only do you have to know what you believe, you have to actually believe it. You have to believe it when the sun is shining and you have to believe it in the fiercest windstorm.

Having conviction doesn’t mean you necessarily have to be stubborn, inflexible, or uncompromising either. More accurately, it’s about being unwavering in principle. In the end, words and actions have to be consistent.

Not Beholden

2011-01-08T19:36:00.001-05:00

The 2011 election season has (unbelievably) commenced already with local independent hopefuls staking their claim early. I’m not among them nor do I expect to be anytime in the near future. What interests me at the moment is that the major tenets of my campaign seem to have found a continued voice through new candidates. I’d be lying if I said there’s not a degree of satisfaction in that development, but I think it was inevitable – our effort was early but the underlying motivation behind it was pervasive and is now simply taking better shape. I’ll be watching closely to see how it unfolds.

Of course, these developments have caused some to speculate about my political future. I’ve always maintained I was never a politician – just a concerned citizen. I remain so. Being an effective part of the solution doesn’t always involve running for office. Make whatever you’d like of that. I always do what I think I must to be able to sleep at night and look at myself in the mirror the next day.

Keep your eyes on those that step forward. Hold them to their word. Make sure they have a clue beyond their rhetoric. I was happy to read a comment on another forum recalling my philosophy of not being beholden. It was discussed in a political sense, but the phrase “not beholden” wasn’t just for my campaign. I actually live by that every day. It has helped me succeed, and at the same time, it has held me back, but it works for me.

No Respect

2010-11-21T19:26:00.004-05:00

I had the great misfortune of accidentally stumbling into a replay of the most recent Rotterdam Town Board budget vote meeting. Overall, it was probably one of the most embarrassing public displays ever by an elected body.

Personally, I was deeply disturbed by the proposed budget by the Supervisor which would’ve resulted in a 7.4% residential tax increase, and a whopping 11.4% commercial tax increase. It is incredulous that this budget was submitted by an administration that ran for election on a platform of lowering taxes!

Now, I’m supposed to be relieved by the surprise 11th hour budget proposal, subsequently adopted in a contentious 3-2 vote, by 3 of the dissenting Town Board members that results in a 3.5% residential tax increase and a 7.4% commercial tax increase? I’m not. Seemingly, I’m supposed to be enamored of these three so-called “3 Musketeers” for being my tax relief champions. That’s equally ludicrous! All of these officials campaigned on lowering taxes. Obviously, they can’t deliver. They should be voted out.

The truly disgusting part is not only did we just get a tax increase, but we got it by way of severe dysfunction and incivility. I’m reminded of that campaign question about getting along after elected that I’ve discussed a few times since. The Rotterdam Town Board has achieved the epitome of dysfunction, evidenced by the manner of budget deliberations, or lack thereof. Apparently, the members of the Revitalize Rotterdam Team are each choosing to go their separate ways…and they don’t seem to be hesitant about expressing their displeasure with one another quite rudely. The Supervisor demands respect yet then shouts at another Town Board member to “shut their mouth” while also calling them a “liar.” The councilmember on the receiving end of the insults is outraged by the show of disrespect yet is the same member that publicly shredded a resident a few months ago in an equally harsh manner. The bickering is childish, unprofessional, and utterly disgraceful. It’s also counterproductive. The fact that it is done publicly makes it even more so.

The reporter for the Spotlight seems equally out of touch – headlining a recap of the circus with stating the budget “cuts spending, lowers taxes.” That’s just plain wrong. The budget they adopted RAISES taxes. They only cut spending and lowered taxes relative to the previous outlandish proposal which really means they didn’t do either.

There should be one realized objective driven by one critical question: 0% tax increase by asking the question, what is absolutely essential? I’ve offered my views on how to achieve this objective in the past (November 2008). Until our elected start addressing the question properly we as taxpayers will get no respect.

Call an Ambulance

2010-11-10T13:10:00.000-05:00

The Town of Rotterdam is poised for a public referendum on a new tax district to support ambulance service. REMS will be the supposed beneficiary of those tax funds should the tax district vote succeed.

The debate on this issue has raged for far too long, in my opinion. Is the creation of a tax district for ambulance service a valid approach to provide a necessary, vital service? Absolutely, no question. A better question would be is a tax district to support ambulance service necessary? Absolutely not, no question.

The real question is, are you willing to pay higher taxes? At this exact moment, I’m not. Not because I don’t think ambulance service is important – in fact, I consider it necessary and vital. And it’s not because I can’t afford to pay the tax if it is approved because I can. I’m against it because I’m not willing to increase my tax burden further, at this point in time.

There are alternatives, however. First, it’s not a situation where people will be faced with no ambulance service at all. Mohawk Ambulance is eager to fill any void created by the disappearance of REMS. In fact, they already compliment a competent REMS with competent service of their own. There will be ambulance service. I’m not about to begin arguing which service might be better qualified because I’m not qualified nor interested in doing so. I’m arguing taxes, pure and simple, while attempting to take panic out of the decision equation.

As I said, I believe ambulance service is necessary and vital. I also said I don’t wish to pay additional tax to support it at this time. Contradictory? Not necessarily. If we assume that ambulance service is a desirable necessary and vital service, then the question is asked and answered, in my opinion, especially when I’m not willing to assume a larger tax burden. I believe ambulance service should be funded through the General Fund by using our existing tax dollars. (Current policy and practice, in fact, supports this approach.) Since budgets are tough all over these days, this desire puts an even greater demand on our elected officials to find the appropriate cuts elsewhere to pay for it. If they can’t do it when something is deemed necessary and vital, they’ll never ever be able to do it on anything. It’s time to make the hard decisions…and funding ambulance service shouldn’t be one of them. But raising taxes in arguably the most difficult environment we’ve ever seen shouldn’t be the solution.

I ran for office recently with a campaign largely based on No New Taxes. I lost, so maybe it’s me that’s out of step. We’ll find out soon enough. The vote is scheduled for Tuesday, December 14, 2010 from 8am -8pm.

Alliance Party

2010-11-09T14:28:00.001-05:00

Schenectady’s Sunday Gazette provided some interesting news in an editorial offered by Mr. Roger Hull, former Union College president. He, along with some others, announced the formation of the Alliance Party, a new party designed to be an inclusive, solution-minded vehicle. I absolutely love the concept he describes. My original hope for the No New Tax Party effort was similar - attract participants and candidates of as many parties as possible and shed the usual constraints that serve to impede real solutions – though we failed to accomplish that with regard to candidates, even if we attracted supporters from across the spectrum. It was an honest start anyway and I’m heartened to see others attempting to take it to the next level because I think it can work.

Not surprisingly, the effort is already the subject of scoffing from several quarters. Once again, the same people who claim to want a different approach that yields results are reluctant to embrace this initiative. The same old arguments of splitting the vote, ulterior motives, or sheer impossibility are being recycled. There even seems to be some jealously from former independent hopefuls that have offered some similar thinking on some subjects! Sorry, but in my mind, no one owns a monopoly on previously expressed ideas that get us better government.

I particularly like the self-imposed term limits the Alliance Party will rely on. Though I didn’t make it an express part of my campaign for office, I intended to do exactly that if elected. By doing so, it takes the influence of special-interest money out of the equation.
Their idea of a pay freeze is also one I support. I’ve previously fought against pay raises for elected officials. It should be all about a desire to serve, not compensation. Transparency and Quality of Life, two subjects I’ve written about in the past, also appear to be cornerstone elements.

Personally, I’m excited to see this effort unfold. I’ll be attending the forum being held at the Eastern Parkway Price Chopper tonight at
7:00 pm to learn more firsthand.

Seeking Leaders

2010-10-02T23:18:00.002-04:00

Where are today’s leaders? From top to bottom, our government doesn’t seem to have many, if any. Rancor, partisanship, and even corruption seem to infect nearly every discussion and issue. As a result, important needs go unaddressed. Possible solutions get postponed or stifled altogether. And nothing changes…except for the worse.

A big part of the problem is the influence of special interest money in both major parties. It doesn’t seem to matter if either Democrats or Republicans hold the reins because the only true difference is which special interests get served. The hard working American is always left holding the short straw. As a result, anger has been building among the electorate and an optimist would say that things are finally on the verge of change. The Tea Party has emerged and is beginning to flex its apparent might.

And that’s where it all begins to unravel again unfortunately. Both major parties have recognized the anger as a force to be reckoned with and have begun to re-fashion themselves as Tea Party champions. Among the scary hopefuls are personalities like Palin, O’Donnell, and Paladino. If these are our saviors, I’m sad to say we are doomed. Even for more “traditional” Tea Party candidates, money has flowed relentlessly to support those “with a shot.” Palin seems to fancy herself as some sort of kingmaker. O’Donnell is carrying enough baggage to sink her candidacy several times over. Paladino continues to try to paint himself as a reformer when in fact he is among the biggest insiders NY has ever known. In my eye, the hope that was sparked by the anger has deteriorated to desperation candidates. The Tea Party candidates emerging are extremely divisive and have given strong voice to the fringe. Personally, I am disappointed but not surprised by that progression.

One of the more interesting questions posed to me when I ran for office last year regarded the ability to work effectively together with whoever got elected to get things done that needed to get done. It was a perceptive question, especially considering the dysfunction and discord that has ensued among those that were united before the election but have since assumed individual agendas and relegated effectiveness to the sidelines. The local discourse in Rotterdam has once again turned nasty and divisive. I am greatly disappointed in that development as well.

So what’s the answer? My friend at Poli-Tea recently provided an excerpt from the Huffington Post that I found intriguing in its simplicity.

Once you begin to expose that two-party, Democratic versus Republican paradigm for the manufactured fraud that it is, a political opportunity starts to emerge.
Drop the theatrics of left versus right and you see that both parties are united
in their corruption by special-interest groups. Suddenly, a real alternative
founding principle becomes clear; one that could effectively rally the support
of a significant number of Americans. Our country needs a third political
party based on the explicit rejection of lobbyist money as its fundamental,
unwavering principle. This party sales pitch would be clear and compelling;
"Unlike the Democrats and Republicans, we aren't corrupt."
Because this party will break the chains of left versus right, its policies would be unlikely to fit neatly into the current paradigm. The traditional questions of big
government versus small government would be replaced by an emphasis on effective government.
People have lost faith in our current political system and with
good reason. I believe we're close to a tipping point, where the incredible
advances in communications technology combine with a strong anticorruption
philosophy to help build a political party that breathes life into American
democracy before it's too late.

In practice, I don’t believe it will be as simple as described but the emphasis on effective government is certainly the key. Many think they know my mind and will be perplexed by this post. I’ve always been a registered Republican but I wouldn’t say I’m a Republican anymore. I’ve agreed with some Democrat objectives, usually taking issue with implementation, but I’m no Democrat either. I consider myself to have conservative leanings but I’m fairly certain Conservatives would lynch me, and though I hold some liberal views on certain topics, I’d lynch myself if I thought I was a Liberal. I’m definitely angry, and have been for longer than most others that have recently been motivated by their own anger, but I’m definitely no Tea Partier either. The rhetoric of their “leaders” scares the hell out of me. Anger, in itself, just isn’t enough. It has to be tempered and magnified simultaneously and then focused thoughtfully to realize worthy accomplishment. It’s easier to be loud and angry than to translate the anger into meaningful and desirable change. I don’t believe the Tea Party has quite figured that out yet.

Just consider me an independent – totally and completely – and if you think you know my view on a particular aspect, you’ll probably wind up being surprised to learn my actual view. My views are as disparate as they come. Sometimes they are even contradictory. That dichotomy gets reconciled through effectiveness, which is something I’m usually skilled at. I’d like to see my leaders equally skilled.

2010: A New Odyssey

2010-02-08T11:37:00.001-05:00

Don’t send out the St. Bernard…I’m still alive. After intentionally burning my candle at both ends and anywhere else it would burn, I have purposely simplified my life for 2010.

I’ve intentionally refrained from offering much unsolicited comment since the election. That’s mostly a result of some personal circumstances that dictate my energies be directed elsewhere, but also from a desire to reenergize myself after the exhausting demands of last year’s campaign. Additionally, I thought I’d try to avoid criticizing the new administration while they rolled out their vision for town affairs. However, I’m not particularly pleased about most of what they’ve unveiled and implemented so far. It appears it’s business as usual – where politics, favors, and rhetoric continue to rule the day.

Eventually I’ll post the final installment to my election analysis, but lately I’ve been contemplating the best path forward for independent politics. Current election law makes the scenario of duplicating our local effort very challenging if not unlikely. The No New Tax Party (basically Rotterdam’s version of the Tea Party) was a ballot line that ceased to exist the day after the election. To keep it or any other independent ballot line alive in coming elections will require a level of unparalleled motivation and commitment to collect the necessary signatures. It is a daunting task and the effort required is incomprehensible to anyone that hasn’t tried to do it.

As far as the local effort is concerned, these are among what I consider to be the key elements going forward:

What individual will lead this effort?

Is this individual capable of mustering the necessary manpower?

Can he motivate enough voters?

Does he have the courage of his convictions?

Is he knowledgeable on the specific local issues that face us?

Does he have a plan for addressing those issues beyond the rhetoric?

These questions can be asked equally about any candidate but they become particularly important when looking for that elusive alternative…otherwise, why even go through the trouble of creating an alternative? I will be curious to see if a local independent line gets created again for this or any other election, or will “independent” hopefuls simply seek the path of least resistance and operate within the entrenched two-party system?

The answer to that question may be reflected in what has been going on nationally. Last week, Tea Party Nation organized a controversial tea party convention that in my opinion was not reflective of the grass root intentions of the majority of tea party participants. From the questionable motivations of the event organizer to the role of Sarah Palin, the convention seemed to be a perverted version of real tea party sentiment.

My friend at Poli-Tea has numerous worthwhile commentaries and analysis on the relationship of independent politics and the two-party system. The links below are to a few of his more recent posts that I found interesting and I hope you’ll explore them too.

On the Inevitable Failure of Strategic Infiltration, or, the Degeneration of Tea Party Activists into Petty Party Functionaries
http://politeaparty.blogspot.com/2010/01/on-inevitable-failure-of-strategic.html

All Jokes are Half Truths and the Joke is on You: if You Support Democrats or Republicans, You are the Problem
http://politeaparty.blogspot.com/2010/01/all-jokes-are-half-truths-and-joke-is.html

Already Dead: the Democratic-Republican Partisan Paradigm in the Age of the Independent Voter
http://politeaparty.blogspot.com/2010/01/already-dead-democratic-republican.html

Pretend-ependents and the Tea Party Movement
http://politeaparty.blogspot.com/2010/02/pretend-ependents-and-tea-party.html

Tea Party Revolution Suffers Defeat at the Hands of Red-Coated Loyalists to the Two-Party State, Some Carry On the Work of Real Opposition
http://politeaparty.blogspot.com/2010/02/tea-party-revolution-suffers-deafeat-at.html

Post-Election Analysis: Icarus Falling

2009-11-16T12:11:00.002-05:00

Part 2 in a series

Thought I was different and it seems I’m just the same
As a game I put my hand over the flame
Thought I was smarter as I flew into the sun
But it turned out the way it does with everyone

---lyrics from the song Moth on the album Revelations by Audioslave

This isn’t the first time I’ve highlighted noteworthy lyrics by Chris Cornell. I’ve always been a student of the lesson of man and his limitations. There can often be many different motivations for reaching beyond them. In my case, I’m guilty of being an idealist. Idealism often leads to the pursuit of lofty goals but it’s also a path that leads directly into the sun. Tough gig.

The election is over. I lost. The alternative choice we had hoped to provide by creating the independent No New Tax Party ballot line was not fully embraced by the electorate, although we pulled some significant numbers in spite of prognostications otherwise. In the end, it simply wasn’t enough.

The ramifications of our involvement though have caused many to speculate that “we split the vote” and were responsible for the paradigm shift of power in the town. A Republican supermajority was transformed into a Democrat supermajority overnight. It was a Democrat sweep of epic proportion.

So what does that mean? First, it means some people (ousted Republican incumbents and their leadership) are really, really p*ssed. They attribute the loss solely to the existence of the No New Tax Party. They assume that we split the vote and ALL our votes, or at least the majority of them, would’ve gone to the Republican candidate. Maybe, but I don’t agree. The argument is fair enough but I think it’s too simplistic. Here’s why: it doesn’t account for the fact that we appealed to independent voters, some that may not have even voted otherwise and also that we commanded many Democrat votes as well. It also doesn’t account for the impact of an ill-advised Republican attempt to create a new town-wide tax district prior to the election. In other words, it’s plausible that the Republicans lost because of their own missteps. There is an element of party arrogance that hasn’t been acknowledged. People definitely wanted and voted for “change.” We tried to provide it in the form of the No New Tax Party but instead the voter opted for the “change” offered by the Democrats. In my opinion, the Republicans would’ve lost the election either way, albeit by a narrower margin perhaps.

Let’s take a closer look at my race in particular. Remember, I won the primary in September to secure the Republican ballot line and thus, essentially returned the dynamic in my race to the traditional dynamic of two-party politics. I was competing in a separate, special election rolled into the general election. My opponent was a Democrat, who also had the Conservative endorsement. I’ve been the recipient of some Republican leadership wrath because they lost control of the town when their candidates fell to the Democrats. They blame me. I don’t believe the blame is warranted but I understand how I make a convenient scapegoat. If the Republican leadership really was interested in keeping seats, they would’ve supported me after I rightfully won the Republican primary. They didn’t. Moreover, a prominent Republican state assemblyman appeared on my Democratic opponent’s campaign mailer days before the general election. I lost by 572 votes and actually commanded more total votes than either of the two big dog Republican candidates running for the 4 year terms in the other race. Not too shabby in my book. Maybe some party support could’ve changed the outcome?

Let’s forget about the “what-if’s?” I lost. I only had a Democratic opponent. There wasn’t anyone else “to split the vote” unless I want to count my Republican primary opponent who stayed in the race on two minor party lines and garnered 403 votes. My point is the night belonged to the Democrats likely no matter what. Oddly, that point is in the same instant scoffed at by the Republican leadership when it’s being used to explain their defeat, but then offered as the reason for my defeat had I had their support or not.

We created the No New Tax Party in response to a perception that voters wanted an alternative. Undeniably, some did. I garnered 3098 votes unofficially in my race. I suspect about half of those were cast on the No New Tax Party line. Overall, however, the voter dynamic we envisioned and were relying on to win the election never materialized as evidenced by our individual totals on our independent line. We failed to motivate enough unaffiliated voters to come out and vote for us. We also didn’t pull enough from the two parties.

Failure? In some views, yes. Not in mine. I’ve always believed failure is an integral part of eventual success. Let’s consider it victory delayed. We most certainly lost, but we also had many noteworthy accomplishments that hopefully, strengthen the foundation of future third party independent campaigns.

Next series installment: Inside the Numbers

Post-Election Analysis: The Agony of Defeat and the Thrill of Victory

2009-11-12T10:54:00.003-05:00

Part 1 of a series

My campaign experience, like probably most others, was a series of ups and downs. Yet, some of my biggest ups and downs were superimposed on each other. The euphoria of securing enough petition signatures to file our ballot petition was tempered by my daughter unexpectedly being hospitalized. The triumph of winning my Republican primary was muted by the somber news of a good friend’s death in the moments before results started coming in. It seemed inevitable that joy would be elusive for me in this pursuit. On Election night, it became clear to me early that the trend of the result tallies were going against me and that I would eventually lose. I had set out to win. Expectations from five months of grueling, non-stop effort were evaporating with each district that reported. Surprisingly, the disappointment of this trough passed almost instantly, countered perfectly by a peak; the joy of my daughter’s impending wedding. Throughout the campaign, I spoke about priorities. Personally, mine are back in alignment.

Candidate Forum

2009-10-16T10:48:00.000-04:00

The Schenectady County League of Women Voters will be sponsoring a Rotterdam Candidate Forum on Tuesday, October 20th at the Rotterdam Branch Public Library. The event is scheduled to begin at 6:15 pm and is scheduled to end at 8:15 pm.

This is an event I have attended several times in the past as a voter. I’ve always found it beneficial in some regard. This time, of course, I will be there as a candidate. I hope my views can offer the same benefit of helping voters make their choice.

I like this event because it tries to assemble all the candidates for office in one place, gives them each an opportunity to briefly lay out their message, and provides those in attendance to ask the candidates questions.

Nearly the entire Town of Rotterdam Town Board is being contested, with races for Town Supervisor and 3 Town Council seats. This year the event takes on even more significance because of the inclusion of the No New Tax Party slate of candidates. Voters will get to choose from 3 candidates for each slot instead of the usual two.

It’s a great opportunity to get better informed on the important issues facing the town and the vision each candidate has for addressing them. I hope you’ll attend.

Taking Stock

2009-10-13T21:26:00.002-04:00

With 3 weeks to Election Day, I thought I’d take a moment to reflect on a few things. Becoming a candidate for office and subjecting myself to the rigors and scrutiny of campaigning has reinforced my distaste for many aspects of status quo politics. But that reinforcement only reaffirmed that I took the right path when I decided to get more involved. From the very beginning for me, it’s been about “changing the game” rather than “playing it.” I’ve been fortunate to be able to remain true to the unorthodox approach I set for myself when I jumped into the mix so my integrity is still intact anyway. (I’ve offered other early reflections in a guest post on Poli-Tea a few weeks ago.)

By the way, I succeeded in winning my primary in September for the Republican ballot line, knocking off the hand-picked candidate chosen by the party. I’m told that has significance because with a major party line “I might be able to win.” I find that pretty amusing. I don’t attribute the same significance to securing that ballot line as others do. I think the independent No New Tax Party ballot line we created is more powerful than it gets credit for. If elected, I hope that’s where I garner the votes.

Here’s how I view the significance of winning the Republican primary. It’s a giant win for the credibility of the No New Tax Party candidate slate. It’s proof that our message is resonating with voters. It’s proof that message and effort can trump party boss agenda. In addition, it was good strategy because it eliminated one of our opponents earlier. In the end, labels shouldn’t matter. Whoever gets elected is supposed to represent all the residents, not a select few.

That last sentence brings to mind a question posed to me at a recent Rotterdam Business Association dinner we were invited to speak at. The questioner essentially acknowledged and appreciated the alternative choice the No New Tax Party candidates would provide voters but wanted to know how we’d be any different at being able to get along with each other or someone else in order to actually facilitate solutions. It was a great question. In one swoop, it encompassed all the hope and promise our slate of candidates offered while also introducing the entrenched underlying doubts and fears about politicians promising change. Being able to overcome differences and produce results is always the wild card factor. I answered the question the best I knew how in the moment and I hope it sufficed but I haven’t stopped asking it in my head. Just the fact the question was posed demands one goal must be being able to consistently put aside partisanship and simply produce the results that are needed. In the end, it all comes back to shedding labels for real and working for the public good, not that of some special interest. For me, the question itself now serves as a constant reminder of that obligation.

Our third party involvement in this election has already impacted policy and actions of the other candidates. The current administration originally sought to unilaterally impose a new town-wide tax district. The No New Tax Party candidates were the only ones to take an early position against it and publicly oppose it. Our outspokenness contributed to sending the issue to a future public referendum to decide the matter. The No New Tax Party candidates advocate a 0% tax levy increase for the next 2 years. That entire notion was originally dismissed by the current administration that said that approach was both impossible and irresponsible, yet they eventually followed that with a tentative budget proposal that yields no tax increase. (Isn’t it funny how it suddenly becomes possible in an election year?) Our other opposition adopted a campaign flyer banner of the Tax Cut Team. It seems like the major parties want to be more like us all of a sudden. That tells me we’ve been listening to the voters better than they have because we were there first and we were there early. Win or lose, we’ve definitely been successful in shaping the discussion. But we were never in it to simply have influence on the dialogue. We’ve always been in it to win and affect the change people want. In 3 weeks, we’ll find out.

Civil Discourse

2009-09-30T10:43:00.001-04:00

The Rotterdam Town Board conducted a public hearing last week regarding the proposed new tax district. The room was filled with plenty of concerned citizens with differing views on the subject. What really made this meeting significant in my mind was the constructive nature of it. Many people spoke up. Views were expressed passionately. Several different suggestions were offered. It was an informative encounter, and I think, a productive exchange of ideas. That was possible because it seemed that people were listening to each other. If we want to find lasting solutions, then it has to begin by respecting the views of those that disagree with you. Civil discourse is an essential element to effectively solving not only this problem, but every problem and sadly, that kind of discourse is usually elusive. The other night everyone seemed to appreciate the seriousness of the issue at hand and the need to find an acceptable solution. When all is said and done, I’m confident we’ll find that solution. No one has a monopoly on being “right” and if we really want to make progress on the difficult issues facing us then we’re going to have to be able to respectfully explore all the alternatives available to find the best path forward.

Below is a copy of the remarks I delivered at the public hearing expressing what I think is the best path forward on one of those difficult issues.

TOWN BOARD REMS HEARING 092309

A. I support REMS remaining as our ambulance provider under the right conditions.

B. I DO NOT support a tax district to accomplish that objective.

While I admire and appreciate the effort and dedication that the new administration of REMS and others have demonstrated in their progress toward improving financial affairs at REMS, the fact of the matter is that the vast majority of people in town are against paying more taxes.

Currently, we’re assisting REMS through the general fund – in essence, our current tax dollars have been reallocated to provide this support. That is an approach that appears to be working and I support it in the short-term. In the longer term, I’d prefer to see REMS become self-sufficient.

As a community, I think we all agree that REMS provides a vital public safety service and as a result, we rightly have provided financial assistance through the General Fund. Yes, of course, that’s your tax dollar. But it is a reallocation of your CURRENT tax dollar, not a new tax. IF, as a community, we are in agreement that REMS provides a VITAL, NECESSARY function, then General Fund assistance is the appropriate approach. I believe that approach provides better transparency and accountability than a new tax district would. I also think it allows for quicker financial adjustments to be made if necessary to maintain public safety.

I don’t think we should be in a rush to increase the tax burden, and in no way do I mean to imply that you have not considered matters carefully. But I don’t accept the underlying premise being made about what the tax district will ultimately cost.

---If the cost is expected to be so minimal, then why is the tax district necessary at all?

---If the cost is expected to rise, then isn’t the new tax just as likely to annually increase?

---Lastly, and importantly, does it make sense to create a dedicated revenue stream at this juncture to support an organization in undisputed financial peril? Doesn’t that actually provide a disincentive to manage finances efficiently going forward, knowing there is a tax that could simply be raised instead?

Aside from either of these two approaches is the approach of possible privatization. To ignore it and then lock out the option in perpetuity through the creation of a tax district is a bad move, in my opinion. At the very least, it needs to be considered and explored further. That’s called due diligence.

The overwhelming sentiment expressed to me as I’ve gone throughout town is people can’t afford another tax. At the very least, any further consideration of a tax district should occur through a referendum allowing direct consent of the people. If it takes a referendum to abolish a tax district, then it certainly ought to take a referendum to create one. I’m heartened to learn that a referendum will now be part of any eventual decision.

I don’t think there is a person in this room that questions the importance of reliable ambulance service. There probably isn’t a person in this room that questions the determination of REMS to straighten out their financial difficulties. There’s a lot of fear being peddled with regard to this issue. No one should be afraid. REMS does and is doing a great job for us. I’m confident we can figure out the best approach without compromising public safety or creating a new tax district…because the people need and expect us to.

Guest Post: Two-Party Paradox

2009-09-19T11:43:00.006-04:00

by Damon Eris of Poli-Tea Party

One of the more perplexing paradoxes engendered by the politics of the two-party system is the lack of all proportion between the number of independents among the people of the United States and the number of independents among our elected representatives. A significant plurality of Americans consistently identify themselves as independents, rather than Republicans or Democrats, when queried as to their party affiliation. Nationwide, almost 40% of Americans consider themselves to be independents, according to recent polls. In some states, such as Utah, among others, Republicans and Democrats taken together do not constitute an absolute majority of the population. In government, however, almost 99% of elected officials are beholden to the Democratic and Republican Parties. If millions of voters nationwide do not identify themselves as Republicans or Democrats, or with the Republican and Democratic Parties, with their means, their ends, or both, why are we only represented by officials who do? Confronted with this question, partisans of the major parties, many of whom are themselves dissatisfied with the political status quo, are often quick to assert the brute fact of the two-party system: we are represented by Democrats and Republicans, rather than independents and third party advocates, because we have a two-party system, they say. In other words, we have a two-party system because we have a two-party system. And because we have a two-party system, the argument continues, we have to work within the Republican and Democratic Parties, or simply accept the reigning Democratic-Republican duopoly system of government, if we desire to effect political change. Perhaps one might object here that this is nothing but a straw man argument. But is this not the exact logic by which millions of Americans resign themselves to voting for the lesser of two evils, when they are not simply voting against the greater of two evils, election after election? Otherwise principled liberals, conservatives, progressives and libertarians thus find themselves compromised by one party before they even confront the other, defeated from the outset by an ideological tautology.

Ironically, among the illusions that sustain the two-party system is the illusion that we have a two-party system. The US Constitution mandates no party system whatsoever; the framers where highly suspicious of what they called the "spirit of faction." The reigning Democratic-Republican duopoly system of government is rather an extra-constitutional political convention. In many ways it is little more than a fiction. At the local, state, and federal level, polities across the country are effectively dominated by a one-party system of government in which the Republican or Democratic Party has a virtual monopoly on seats for elected office. Yet, at the same time, there is always some level of independent and third party activity bubbling underneath the surface of the political status quo. Take the Northeast, for example. With the demise of Rockefeller Republicanism, it is considered a Democratic stronghold, at least for now. But there is strong evidence of independent resistance to the reigning two-party order, as such, in every state of the region, from the local to the federal level: in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey. Nor is such movement confined to the Northeast; promising independent campaigns for office are taking shape in Arkansas and Idaho, for instance.

Recognizing that the Democratic and Republican Parties are no longer effective vehicles for political representation, but have rather become obstacles to effective political representation, many people say they would consider voting for a "viable" third party or independent candidate for office.Though it may not be entirely correct to say that there is an independent movement taking shape in the United States, citizens from across the ideological spectrum are declaring their independence from the two-party system. But this is only the first step. If we only consider Republicans and Democrats to be viable candidates for office, then there will be no viable independent or third party candidates for office. The true measure of an independent is not whether he or she sometimes votes for Republicans and sometimes votes for Democrats, as partisans of the duopoly parties and their enablers in the media would have us believe, but rather, whether they vote for independent and third party candidates for office. The people can impose term limits on Democrats and Republicans any time we like: we must simply cease voting for them against our better judgment.

The Impossible Becomes Possible

2009-08-18T23:21:00.003-04:00

History was made today in the Town of Rotterdam and Schenectady County when the No New Tax Party filed their independent nominating petitions. The alternative that voters have long sought will be available to them in the General Election in Schenectady County on November 3, 2009.

The event was documented in video and still photos (certain to find their way to our website and other forums in short order) by supporters that arrived to witness the formal petition submission. In addition, esteemed TV news reporter Kumi Tucker from News Channel 13 captured complete footage of the candidate’s news conference in the parking lot of Schenectady County Board of Elections which aired on the 5:30pm, 6:00pm, and 11:00pm News Channel 13 newscasts and can be found on their website.

Over 1700 signatures were submitted, far surpassing the thresholds for filing. The sheer magnitude of signatures submitted is testament to the growing sentiment of voters demanding tax relief, accountability, and transparency from those they elect. The support garnered by the No New Tax Party candidate slate is a reflection of the dissatisfaction with the status quo of governance.

Many thought this effort was an impossible task. Guess what? The impossible task just became possible. Undeniably, it was a monumental undertaking. The process was grueling. Success was fueled by the outpouring of support behind each successive door we knocked on. Our effort was unrelenting, driven by our desire to ensure the people’s voice was heard.

Today is just the beginning, not the end. The momentum is building daily and I’d like to extend my sincere gratitude to The Albany Tea Party Patriots, The Upstate Conservative Coalition, The Constitution Party, and Primary Challenge for lending their support in making this effort succeed. To all the dedicated volunteers that worked long grueling hours alongside us to make this effort a success, I offer my humble thanks. I reserve the highest praise for the residents we visited and spoke with. Their input of views and concerns, and of course signatures, is the real pillar of the effort’s success. The excitement of potential is palpable.

No New Tax Party

2009-07-23T12:26:00.006-04:00

The Daily Gazette reported today on an extraordinary new effort taking shape. The effort is a grassroots independent ballot line initiative that I am pleased to say I am part of. I thought it appropriate to clarify our initiative in my own words, now that Mr. Lamendola has given you his interpretation of our effort.

Our candidate slate is comprised of:

Brian McGarry for Rotterdam Town Supervisor
John Mertz for Rotterdam Town Council
Michael O’Connor for Rotterdam Town Council
Brad Littlefield for Schenectady County Legislator District 4

We are collectively, trying to collect petition signatures in an effort to create a new independent ballot line, the No New Tax Party. It is a monumental task.

Our message is simple and straightforward: No New Taxes. We are all committed to 0% tax increases for the next 2 years. We believe it is a realistic and achievable goal. More importantly, we know from knocking on hundreds of doors that it is what the people need, want, expect, and demand. The taxpayer is maxed out. He desperately needs relief.

This is not, as Mr. Lamendola reports, an “insurgency.” Insurgency implies that our cause is illegitimate. Insurgency also negatively introduces a suggestion of unlawfulness or armed revolt. Our effort can more accurately be described as a grassroots movement. It is intended to create a totally new dynamic of governance. A dynamic where taxpayer concern is placed first. We aim to shed the labels and constraints of party politics we’ve grown accustomed to and replace them with a true commitment to fiscal restraint and tax dollar efficiency. We intend to be held accountable.

Are these ideas brand new? Of course not. We’ve all heard politicians promise these things before but they have failed in large part to deliver on that promise. Our effort is the tangible incarnation of the displeasure associated with that failure. We have taken the highly visible tax protest gatherings we’ve witnessed across the nation to the next logical level. Action. We’ve become candidates for office to facilitate solutions to the dissatisfaction already so prevalently displayed. Despite what appear to be insurmountable odds against our success, we are motivated to try nonetheless. If we fail, we’ve tackled an “impossible” task and reinforced its impossibility. (Or maybe we’re just the wrong messengers.) If we succeed, then we’ve suddenly made the “impossible” possible. We intend to succeed and believe we can.

It’s been suggested in some circles that our actions are “destructive.” I prefer to think of our actions as creative. I’ve heard the term “creative destruction” by some and maybe that is the best description. We are challenging the status quo for sure and in that sense, success would certainly lead to the demise or destruction of certain party interests, I suppose. I think that’s a good thing. Governance should be about the people’s interests. Our goals, however, revolve around what we intend to create, not destroy. We need to transcend the negativity and distractions that currently engulf our electoral process and return to a mindset of accomplishment that best serves the electorate’s needs.

See Spot Zone

2009-07-08T12:55:00.000-04:00

The Rotterdam Town Board meets again tonight and among the festivities is a public hearing on a change of zoning request for parcels in proximity to the McLane’s warehouse project site that ultimately failed to materialize.

B. To amend the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map of the Town of Rotterdam for
a
Change of Zone request from Aladdin Properties and Marie Iovinella, owners
of (2)
parcels of property comprising 3.4 acres. The site is located at 330
Becker Drive,
Rotterdam, New York 12306 and is known as Tax Parcel No.
57.00-3-24 and No. 57.00-
3-25. The applicants are requesting a Change of
Zone from Agricultural (A-1) to General
Business (B-2).

More spot zoning in the offing? I’ll be interested in how our outdated Town Comprehensive Plan is applied to any eventual decision.

To view the entire DRAFT agenda for tonight’s meeting:

http://www.rotterdamny.org/calendar1/calendar/eventimages/7082009.pdf

Pinnacle of Dysfunction

2009-07-08T11:38:00.001-04:00

As a New Yorker, I am appalled and disgusted by the circus we call our state government. If I ever had any doubts about replacing every last one of our state elected “leaders”, they have been dispelled. The current shenanigans occurring in the state Senate demand a backlash the likes of which our elected officials have never before seen. It is my opinion that every single solitary member of the Senate deserves to be voted out of office at the first available opportunity. Spare no one. Every single one must go.

Why? It is an obvious travesty that the peoples business has been relegated to an afterthought. But listen to the rhetoric coming from both sides. It’s laughable if it wasn’t so disturbingly pathetic. All the main players should be asked to resign immediately. They won’t of course. The remainder of them, even the ones you never heard of and who may be keeping their mouths shut also have to go at the earliest opportunity. There is not one voice speaking for us, the people, throughout this crippling inaction. Where are the leaders? Not one is fit to remain in office, if only for their failure to effectively speak up and stand against what has paralyzed our state government. The whole affair is sickening. Someone… everyone… must be held accountable.

The icing on the cake is that we get to pay through the nose for these elected officials to act like crybabies while they simultaneously do the people a disservice by doing nothing! Interestingly, I recently read a letter to the editor in the local paper that asked the governor to let the stalemate continue. The writer liked it just fine that these clowns weren’t acting on any legislation…therefore, no passage of new taxes or other hindrances they are notorious for providing.

This is the clearest example yet that our state government needs a complete overhaul. Please join me in first demanding that these stooges resign. If they refuse, show them the door at the next election.

7th of July

2009-07-07T13:19:00.001-04:00

It’s appropriate I think that today, July 7th kicks off petition signature gathering for Independent Nominating Petitions in New York State. There is a sea change of voter sentiment in progress. There have already been two major successful Tea Party events in Albany alone. The New York State Senate demonstrates new lows in dysfunctional government and disregard for the voters of New York daily. People are truly fed up. I think we will see them actually do something about it next election. My belief stems directly from the conversations I’ve had with voters after knocking on their doors.

Assuming I can successfully navigate NYS Election Law, you’ll soon have ballot alternatives at least when it comes to the Town of Rotterdam and Schenectady County. Not alternatives just to be alternatives but alternatives offering real solutions. The “revolution” is beginning. It’s time to declare your independence again by seeking out these alternatives when you enter the voting booth. Our elected leaders must be held accountable. Many of them have forgotten that they are elected to serve us. We can do better. We must do better.

So as you begin to enjoy your summer with election thoughts far from your mind, know that the next level of independence – independence from two-party politics and gridlock, independence from the strangle-hold of ever-increasing taxes, independence to achieve the quality of life we deserve and tax relief we require – is a knock on your door away. Will you answer it? I hope so.

Winds of Change

2009-07-01T21:33:00.000-04:00

I read Mr. Arthur R. Wargo’s letter-to-the-editor in yesterday's Daily Gazette (Why one longtime GOP voter is giving up on it) with particular interest. Mr. Wargo’s culmination of disgust seems to be predicated on the current dysfunctionality of our state government but it clearly transcends that one aspect. It is another glaring example of deteriorating sentiment and support for the major political parties.

No, I am not going to become a Democrat, but will register
as an independent, hoping that someday there will emerge a
strong third party that will force the others to pay more attention
to the needs and wishes of the people and not to special interests
and/or their own selfish agendas.

The burgeoning rank of independents is a clear sign to me anyway that the time for a viable third party to emerge is upon us. Obviously for that to happen, ordinarily “uninvolved” people will have to step forward and become “involved.” Swelling disillusionment logically suggests that the needed candidates will come from the burgeoning rank. Candidates that emerge will come from a different mold. They’ll likely be ordinary people from different walks of life sharing one common coupling of traits. They will be as fed up as you are and they’ll be motivated to be beholden to no one but the taxpayer they represent and they will not let the assumed obstacles in their path to that quest deter them from succeeding. That is currently a rare coupling to encounter.

The problem for the people that step forth, of course, is acceptance as a viable candidate by the electorate. Let’s face it, you won’t be the typical candidate they’ve become accustomed to and even though they’re as fed up as you are, they still might not be able to believe the ingrained obstacles (money, time, special interests, etc.) can be conquered… by you or anyone else. That’s the challenge – can you get the non-believers to believe?

It’s somewhat of a Catch-22. Belief is earned through delivering. To get the chance to deliver, you’ve got to already command enough belief that will translate to votes in order to deliver. A leap of faith is essential at the beginning. I believe if I’m fed up enough to get “involved” then people, like Mr. Wargo, are fed up enough to be willing to take that initial leap of faith.

Guest Post: The Bankruptcy of the Two-Party System

2009-06-28T19:43:00.005-04:00

by Damon Eris of Poli-Tea Party

The ongoing debacle in the New York State Legislature in Albany has bolstered the positions of downstate cynics and would-be reformers. At the opening of the Ringling Brothers Circus in Coney Island, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg dubbed the state government "the second greatest show on earth." Former NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, on the other hand, has suggested that Albany convene a state constitutional convention, apparently unaware of the irony involved in calling up the arsonists to put out the fire.

The chaos in New York's state government is yet another symptom of the bankruptcy of the two-party system, in which entrenched elites and the special interest groups that back them seek to maintain their hold on power at all costs, and deprive voters of even the opportunity to drive their so-called representatives out of office. It is but one instance of a nationwide phenomenon. Among political scientists it is common knowledge that elections in the United States have become significantly less competitive over the course of the last century. In an Op-Ed for the New York Times in April, entitled 'No Country for Close Calls,' Nate Silver and Andrew Gelman of FiveThirtyEight noted that competitive elections for the House of Representatives are "exceedingly rare." They wrote: "in the past decade, there were 2,175 elections to the United States House of Representatives held on Election Days 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. Among these, there were 41 instances — about 1.9 percent — in which the Democratic and Republican candidates each received 49 percent to 51 percent of the vote (our calculations exclude votes cast for minor parties). In the 1990s, by contrast, there were 65 such close elections. And their number increases the further one goes back in time: 88 examples in the 1950s, 108 in the 1930s, 129 in the 1910s."

This trend is apparent, and even more pronounced, at state and local levels. As Danny Hakim notes on an article of the power of incumbency in Albany: "Last year, more than half of the 212 legislators in the Senate and Assembly won with more than 80 percent of the vote. Fifty-seven ran unopposed . . . The average senator has served for nearly seven two-year terms." Given such numbers, one could be led to conclude that the people of New York were highly satisfied with their representatives in the state government. But the reality is quite different. Consider the following example. According to the New York State Board of Elections, 161, 786 voters turned out for the 2008 election in the state's 1st Senate district. The State Senate seat was won by Kenneth P. LaValle, who ran unopposed and garnered 63, 058 votes. On the other hand, 80, 692 voters preferred to vote for "Blank" rather than Mr. LaValle when filling out their ballots. The situation is equally dire in our local politics. According to the Shawanagunk Journal, in the upcoming county elections in Ulster, New York, "there are only four candidates running for four seats . . . the four candidates have been cross-endorsed by each of the two major political parties." One of the candidates went so far as to frame what basically amounts to bipartisan back-room dealing as a triumph of democracy: "I'm hoping that it's a testimony to the fact that we've done a good job."

The alleged "coup" in Albany is nothing of the sort. It is merely the latest scuffle between the duopoly parties over who precisely will control the flows of money and power in New York State. The real coup has taken place slowly, over the course of the last century, as the Republican and Democratic Parties have tightened their grip on control of our local, state and federal governments. Though they agree on little else, in virtually every state of the Union the Republican and Democratic Parties have come to the consensus that third party and independent candidates must be kept off our ballots at all costs. Since they view the disenfranchisement of voters as enlightened administration, it is no surprise that they have successfully turned our electoral process into little more than a formality necessary to extend their power and influence for the benefit of their corporate paymasters and to the disadvantage of the people they supposedly represent.

Guest Posting

2009-06-27T22:06:00.005-04:00

I am pleased to report that Poli-Tea Party blog author, Damon Eris, has graciously accepted to guest post on The Rotterdam Windmill. Damon is an astute writer who examines and critiques the two-party system and duopoly politics. I hope you’ve already taken the opportunity to explore his blog – there’s a link to it on the sidebar – but if not, I encourage you to check it out.

His latest entry on Poli-Tea, The Ideology of Duopoly and the Infantilization of the American Voter, pointedly illustrates the untapped power of the ranks of independent voters. The post lays bare the fundamental potential ready to erupt and upset the current duopoly dynamic.

Idealism

2009-06-19T21:33:00.001-04:00

I’m often accused of being too idealistic. I’m okay with that. I haven’t encountered anyone yet that disagrees that achieving some of the things I suggest isn’t worthwhile. They just don’t believe these things can be achieved anymore.

Let’s be clear. I don’t operate with my head in the sand. I’m crystal clear on the realities of certain situations. Does that mean that the “idealistic” goals are unachievable? I don’t believe so. Usually anything worth accomplishing has some obstacles in the way of achieving it. Most of us take our freedoms in this country for granted, for example. But the reality is we gained them through extreme sacrifices and exceptional effort and desire. To realize anything that seems insurmountable, it requires the same type of fortitude, determination, and sacrifice. I know…fancy talk again, right? The fact is if you don’t first believe, then you’ve already begun to lose the battle for whatever you’re fighting for. I’m a believer.

The Reason Why

2009-06-18T19:50:00.005-04:00

I’ve encountered a few people that seem a bit bewildered by my entry into the political arena. They have a hard time understanding why I’d subject myself to the possibility (likelihood?) of unsubstantiated negative personal attacks. Politicians, in general, are not held in the highest regard. So why would I be interested in what they view as a “game?”

I have to admit that I asked myself the same question early on before committing to getting more involved.

The answer though, is pretty simple. As I stated in another recent post, I don’t accept the apparent futility of trying to achieve what appears to be an unachievable goal. Perseverance yields results. I can attest to that personally. More importantly, it’s not a “game,” even if the politicians treat it as one. That’s part of the problem. I’m not a politician. I’m not getting involved to “play the game.”

I have an objective that I believe the vast amount of town residents share with me. It includes relieving our tax burden, protecting our Quality of Life, and ensuring that proper Comprehensive Planning gets done.

So I guess the answer is I’m not getting involved to “play the game,” but more to end the game. {I know the thought “It can’t be done,” just crossed your mind so see my post Tell Me I Can’t before proceeding.} It’s important I try (at least to me and I hope to you.) I need to be able to look myself in the mirror each day and know I tried to do something about what I perceived to be wrong. Do I believe the current politicians are evil? Of course not. I do believe they have lost touch though with what the residents really need.

I’ve been “involved” for a number of years now. All from the perimeter, never as an elected official. Some things got done, other things didn’t. It’s the things that didn’t get done that compel me to take the next logical step to trying to make sure they do get done.

Tell Me I Can't

2009-06-14T23:01:00.001-04:00

I love it when someone tells me “it can’t be done.” The argument usually goes a little something like people have tried before to do it and didn’t succeed so you’re wasting your time. It doesn’t seem to matter if they desire the change or not. They just are resigned to the fact that it can’t ever change. Never. Ever.

I’ve been told exactly that several times in recent memory. The first instance is when I started to try to get the residents of Masullo Estates involved to obtain long-overdue road reconstruction and drainage relief for the neighborhood. Every single person I encountered said it would never happen. I was wasting my time. Did I know how many times they had already tried and failed? This was a decades old problem that no one was ever going to address. Never. Ever. Thankfully, enough people were willing to go along with my foolhardy notion that this time might be different. They didn’t believe me but they were willing to stand with me. John Mertz was among them. He may have been the only other person to actually believe we could do it. He certainly was as committed as I was. It took nearly 5 years, but we persevered and emerged with an approved project.

During that period, I also mounted an effort that most everyone thought was sheer lunacy. I opposed Wal-Mart and their plans to build a new super center in an inappropriate location. No one believed that the behemoth that was Wal-Mart could possibly be thwarted…but we prevailed there too…despite the declarations that it simply couldn’t be done. Strangely enough, John Mertz was an advocate with me on that victory too.

I’ve been told that to run an independent campaign against the major parties, with limited resources, and without mud-slinging was also a pipe dream, no matter how noble. We’ll find out soon enough if I can prevail on that count.

Lately, I’m hearing a similar sentiment when I talk about my 0% tax pledge. There is no doubt in my mind that it’s the right message and is attainable. Still, I occasionally run into the person that says, “It can’t be done.” When I ask them why they think that the reply is something like, “because taxes always go up – it’s just the way it is and you’ll never be able to change that.” Incredible isn’t it? They just reluctantly throw up their hands and say oh well, that’s the way it is so I guess I have to accept it. I don’t accept it.

I had the great privilege of watching my oldest daughter obtain her MBA from Union College this weekend. I can’t describe in words how proud of her I am. She worked hard. I bring this up because the commencement speaker struck a theme of perseverance I could personally relate to. Interestingly, his remarks contained a secret I learned myself long ago and perhaps is the reason for my own successes. Failure is a key component of success. Every time you fail, you actually get one step closer to your desired goal, because you learn something. You learn what doesn’t work. It sounds cliché, but it is the absolute truth. It’s all about perseverance. You don’t have to accept the status quo simply because it is. You can change it.

So please… tell me I can’t. It’s the biggest motivating force there is. The more I hear it, the more confident I become that I’ll eventually reach the goal. I won’t ever stop persevering. Never. Ever.

Be Yourself

2009-06-12T13:34:00.000-04:00

I am a giant fan of Chris Cornell. http://www.audioslave.com/site.html
I find the song “Be Yourself” from their album “Out of Exile” to be particularly inspiring. The lyrics are simultaneously straightforwardly simple and insightfully complex.

…To be yourself

is all that you can do (all that you can do)

Hey...

Be yourself

is all that you can do

even when you've paid enough
been put upon or been held up
with every single memory of
the good or bad, faces of luck
don't lose any sleep tonight
I’m sure everything will end up alright

you may win or lose

But

to be yourself
is all that you can do

Yeah...

To be yourself

is all that you can do…

I take these simple words to heart every moment of every day. My campaign for elected office will reflect this simple truth.

http://www.michael-oconnor.org/

Tremor

2009-06-10T15:11:00.000-04:00

Did you feel that? A political tectonic plate shift occurred today when John Mertz announced his intention to seek re-election to the Rotterdam Town Board, despite not receiving the Republican Party endorsement. Good for him! Though often tasked with being the front-man for all issues controversial, Mr. Mertz was always a strong voice for the residents. As arguably the largest vote-getter among the incumbents seeking re-election, his entry into the race throws down the gauntlet to the existing Republican Party establishment.

Alternative

2009-06-02T12:26:00.001-04:00

Those who read my blog regularly know I announced my candidacy for Rotterdam Town Board last week. Justin Mason, reporter for the Daily Gazette did a nice piece on my announcement which I fully appreciate. The link to the article can be found on my campaign website.

Those familiar with New York State Election Law know how prohibitive it is for third party candidates such as me to satisfy the requirements to gain access to the ballot. But it can be done and I intend to do it.

Designating Petition signature-gathering for the major parties begins one week from today, Tuesday, June 9th. Independent Nominating Petition signature-gathering doesn’t begin until Tuesday, July 7th. Since only the first signature counts, it is easy to see the disadvantage placed upon a third party challenger. As a result, I will be seeking the Republican ballot line against those already endorsed. That will allow me to begin my effort alongside the major party candidates. The real fun begins though July 7th, when I’m able to reach out to everyone, especially all those registered blanks that dominate the eligible voter registration roll.

I respectfully ask that anyone approached to sign a candidate petition be especially thoughtful in giving their support. Remember, it’s the first signature that counts. If you desire alternatives to appear on the ballot, then please reserve your right to sign for the candidate that will best support your interests. I’m hopeful that candidate is me. I intend to earn your petition signature and eventually your vote by demonstrating my commitment to delivering a 0% tax increase.

Nine

2009-05-26T16:55:00.000-04:00

…number nine…number nine…number nine…

I am officially announcing my entry into the contest for one of the Rotterdam Town Board positions up for election in 2009. My approach will be 2-pronged. I will mount an independent effort to create an independent ballot line, but as a currently enrolled Republican, I will also mount a primary challenge for the Republican ballot line. The constraints of NYS Election Law put me at a distinct disadvantage and serve to compel me to pursue all avenues to the ballot. I enter the fray to win, not to simply stimulate the discussion.

For additional information regarding my candidacy, please visit my official election campaign website,
http://www.michael-oconnor.org/

And Then There Were 8

2009-04-23T22:27:00.000-04:00

The Democrats announced their November slate of Town of Rotterdam candidates today. Opposing Supervisor Steve Tommasone will be former town board hopeful, Richard Leet. Bob Godlewski, Nicola DiLeva, and Matt Martin will vie against current town board members Joe Signore, Stan Marchinkowski, and John Mertz surrogate, Joe Suhrada.

I was slightly surprised that Mr. Godlewski won’t seek the supervisor position. It will be interesting to see how Mr. Leet fares. As far as the remainder of the slate, I am not familiar with either of them.

I’m in the final stages of evaluating my own intentions but this is likely my last printed communication on the subject either way.

Barometer

2009-04-08T22:04:00.002-04:00

The Town Board passed the necessary resolution calling for bids on the road and drainage work for Masullo Estates tonight as expected. I can now measure the last 4 1/2 years of NAG effort by this accomplishment. It's unbelievable it took this long but I suppose it represents an important step forward and helps make my resignation as NAG Chairman the other day the right move.

Tirade

2009-04-08T21:30:00.003-04:00

I attended tonight's Town Board meeting and delivered what I can only characterize as an emotional tirade. I hate it when I let my anger dictate my comments. Anyway, I think I remained mostly appropriate and conveyed what I set out to. I'm upset about the continued activity on the land parcel I've discussed at length elsewhere. The thrust of my argument tonight revolved around what amounts to an illegal curb cut. I augmented that aspect by revisiting my previous legal argument and concerns. The whole affair is just another example of the Town failing in the areas of oversight and code enforcement. Who will be accountable? Apparently, no one.

Maintenance

2009-04-07T11:26:00.003-04:00

I've reviewed all my previous posts and affixed LABELS in an effort to categorize my thoughts. I hope it makes it easier for those interested in particular topics.

Since readership of this blog has been steadily increasing, I've also added some new links on the sidebar to stimulate more discussion and broaden the usefulness of this blog. Please check them out.

I continue to welcome your feedback.

Open Water

2009-04-06T08:43:00.002-04:00

Wow. The open water is still scary. I only used to come out here with my Dad, but now I’m on my own. I’ve escaped the noise of the breakers. Everything is quieter and clearer out here. I can see my goals, the tasks to take me to them, and more importantly, the obstacles that loom in my way. I can still see land too.

Building the Machine

2009-04-04T14:00:00.001-04:00

I’ve taken counsel from various quarters since my intention to seek elected office has filtered out to the masses. I’m encouraged by the early support I’m receiving as I gauge the viability of an independent campaign. There are still plenty of naysayers too but their input is just as valuable to me.

There are a few paths to choose from as I proceed. Some would make the challenge of getting elected easier. The appeal of such an approach is countered by my desire to remain true to the ideals that have brought me to the brink of this endeavor. Otherwise, I fear I become “just another politician” which I certainly am not. I won’t compromise my integrity to make matters easier for me, already evidenced by the rejection of me by the Republican committee. Nonetheless, there may be an option that allows me to walk a fine line. Easier and harder at the same time. I’m aiming for simpler. People understand simple. I know I do.

I can count the people I truly trust on one hand…and still have fingers left over. When I need guidance, their advice is critical. They keep me and my ego in check. I’ve been burned by people with agendas before because I was naïve and misplaced my trust in them. I strive to not repeat my mistakes. I am already wary of some circling my effort.

It’s still early in the process but I’ve begun building the machine. Since machines in politics are typically viewed negatively, I like to think of mine as the anti-machine. It’s a machine bent on serving the residents interests first and foremost. It’s a machine powered by integrity. It’s a machine where no one speaks for me, except me. The intent is to create a new paradigm. One supported by the principles of Accountability, Responsibility, and Transparency or what I like to refer to as the ART of government. It’s really pretty simple.

Broader Shoulders

2009-04-03T00:20:00.001-04:00

I write this as I watch David Letterman interview Michael J. Fox about his illness and his forthcoming documentary/special about optimism. His book is titled Always Looking Up.

At any rate, he said something interesting and poignant while relating an amusing story. I wish I had been listening more closely but the gist of it was “sometimes we wish for a lighter load and sometimes we wish for broader shoulders.”

I think I’ll wish for broader shoulders too.

Enigma

2009-03-26T16:12:00.001-04:00

Some of my posts and associated views have some of my closer friends scratching their heads. It’s not so perplexing if you read ALL my posts. Granted, most won’t ever be able to reconcile some of what I’ll simply characterize as “a moderation of my early beliefs.”

Essentially, my ideology on certain matters has evolved resulting in probably what is a unique bundling of beliefs and views in relation to the typical packaging we’ve grown accustomed to from any of the major party platforms. I’m immersed in the gray, so to speak.

I’m sure some will see it as a nonsensical bundling or an attempt to pander. Whatever. I’m not too concerned. I’ve truly moved beyond any belief in litmus tests or rigid attachment to party ideology. I suppose some would characterize it as being pragmatic. Maybe so, but I see it differently. Pragmatism within the parties means something completely different, I think. It’s not intended as compromise either. It’s more about right and wrong for me. Many will never understand what I mean. That’s okay.

Nonetheless, people are often surprised to learn their preconception of me is not quite entirely accurate. I hope I leave them thinking. Not wondering where I stand, because to find that out, all you have to do is ask me.

Unravel

2009-03-26T12:19:00.001-04:00

Have you ever had anything unravel on you? Not implode or explode, but unravel? It’s a slow progress that winds up gaining unexpected momentum. The results can often be devastating. By the time you realize it’s happening, it’s too late to reverse. Sometimes you realize it’s happening but choose to ignore it, dismissing the significance of the early warning signs.

The truth is that almost every single thing is vulnerable to an unraveling. That’s right…almost everything.

It takes care to avoid complacency. Most things are more fragile than thought. An unraveling begins imperceptibly. There is an advantage gained by those who perceive it first.

Technicality

2009-03-25T13:18:00.002-04:00

A little earlier today, the candidacy of Libertarian Eric Sundwall for the 20th Congressional District race was invalidated. Although he collected upwards of 6700 signatures, well exceeding the required 3500, something on the order of 3700 signatures were called into question.

NYS Election Law is intentionally quite complicated and convoluted. It is designed, in part, to make it prohibitive for independent third-party candidates to challenge the two major parties. I never much liked that. It limits voter choice.

In this case, you have a person who would like an opportunity to be included on the ballot and from what I can tell, genuinely tried to comply with the rules. He even went to lengths to provide over double the required number of signatures. To be sure, there might very well be legitimate exclusions, but 3700? Why are the major parties afraid to have another name on the ballot?

I can’t say I’m surprised though. This type of thing has occurred in many previous elections. I am sensitive to it in my own contemplated attempt to be included on November’s ballot. I’ve read and re-read the pertinent election law. I’m pretty sure I can navigate it successfully but I’ve already been to the Board of Elections for clarification once and intend to go again at least once more. I won’t have my efforts undone on technical challenges.

Lobby Time

2009-03-20T13:56:00.002-04:00

And so it begins. This effort by the Town of Colonie described in the Spotlight (http://spotlightnews.com/spotlightnews/article.php?article_id=tR1237405800t49c15068b2f13 ) is exactly the type of pro-active approach I advocated in my post, Infrastructure http://rotterdamny.blogspot.com/2009/02/infrastructure.html , last month. If you want/expect the money, then you’d better demonstrate the need for it before it’s all spoken for. I’d make this a priority task of our newly appointed Economic Development Specialist.

Strap It On

2009-03-20T10:43:00.002-04:00

Many months ago, I wrote about a higher standard. (http://rotterdamny.blogspot.com/2008/09/higher-standard.html) It’s an understatement to say there is a lot of warranted finger-pointing occurring at the national level as the various interested parties wrangle over missteps taken in dealing with the country’s fiscal crisis. In my opinion, there is certainly plenty of blame to go around, but determining who it belongs to is secondary to fixing the underlying problems.

I was personally impressed by President Obama’s willingness to step forward and declare, “The buck stops with me.” Again, many will dismiss his comment out of hand as just words that don’t matter. I disagree. They do matter. These are important words. Why? Because it’s an acknowledgement that missteps occurred. As top man, he is ultimately responsible and accountable. It will be his task to right the ship and ensure that eventually those most directly responsible for the missteps are held accountable in whatever sense makes most sense in the context of fixing the underlying problem.

Read my old post. To expect a higher standard from others, you’ve first got to exhibit that standard yourself. Does anyone else find it a bit disingenuous of our various politicians claiming outrage about the taxpayer being taken advantage of? These same guys across the political spectrum have been doing exactly that for as long as I can remember. They ride in taxpayer paid vehicles, enjoy per diem expenses to accomplish nothing, routinely fail to pay their own taxes, etc. In my opinion, it’s false outrage to distract from their own shortcomings. The bottom line is we’ve got to fix it. How we do that will be no easy feat. It certainly couldn’t have been realistically expected by anyone that understands economics that it would be fixed in short order.

The fix begins by “owning” the problem. So far, the only person willing to do that is President Obama and I respect him for it.

Too much finger-pointing. Too much name-calling. Too much nonsense. It can’t continue if we want to move forward.

I end with one question: Can you hold yourself to the higher standard you expect from others, or are you part of the problem?

High Gear

2009-03-19T15:30:00.002-04:00

If you’re anything like me, you’ve noticed the multitude of branches piled at curbside throughout town. That ice storm sure wreaked some havoc, didn’t it?

Anyway, be patient. The Highway Department will certainly have their hands full getting to it all. In fact, I saw them rolling the heavy equipment quite early this morning in efforts to do just that.

The town website had this bulletin posted yesterday:

***** I M P O R T A N T B U L L E T I N *****
Posted: 3/18/2009
NOTICE
TOWN OF ROTTERDAM RESIDENTS

BRUSH PICKUP: Since the ice storm in December, we have been picking up brush when possible and are now going section by section and will continue until the debris is cleaned up. We appreciate your patience as we complete this task and ask for your cooperation in getting your debris curbside as soon as possible. THERE WILL BE NO SET SCHEDULE.

NOTICE: If you hire a contractor to work in your yard and/or cut trees, the contractor is responsible for removing the debris. The Town WILL NOT pick up debris left by contractors.

STREET SWEEPING: Street sweepers will be out by the first week of April.

COMPOST FACILITY: The Compost Facility on Princetown Road will be open to the public Monday, March 30, 2009.

Labels

2009-03-12T14:05:00.003-04:00

I’ve been involved in some worthwhile dialogue recently about political realities encountered when contemplating a run for office. My view has always been idealistic, I suppose. I appreciate the two-party system. I am often enamored by serious third-party candidates, however. My disappointment with the status quo has led me to believe that real solutions will be offered not by either of the major parties, but by a new independent movement. Though the idea is appealing to many, the same people tell me it’s virtually impossible. I understand the arguments but find myself unwilling to accept them anymore.

I’ve been a registered Republican since I came of voting age many years ago. Increasingly, I’ve found myself pulling the lever for candidates of all stripes – Republican, Democrat, Independent, Conservative – especially at the local level where ideology often counts for less. The cumulative effect of the political bickering and maneuvering between the various parties has achieved very little other than consistently increasing the tax burden. I’ve had enough.

I’ve discovered recently that party structure and decision-making is rigid and controlled, driven by motives and mechanisms I don’t have any interest in. I mistakenly believed that our interest as citizens was paramount. I’m disappointed to learn otherwise.

I find myself at a political crossroads of sorts. I’m not a politician. A purely independent run is daunting and appealing in the same breath. But if I don’t win, then what was the point? I’m not looking to make a valiant stand for idealism – I’m looking to make a real contribution to the betterment of my community. I want to make a positive difference toward preserving, protecting, and enhancing the Quality of Life of my neighbors. I think I have something worthwhile to contribute to that end. I need a stronger voice than the one I’ve been exercising as a voter and concerned citizen.

In the end, labels are irrelevant. If elected, I’ll serve everyone – Republican, Democrat, whatever – equally anyway. Does it really matter what my label is? To some, surely. To most, I hope not. I won’t be beholden to anyone other than the residents. That’s the way it’s supposed to be, right?

My message will be concise and understandable. The path I take to deliver it might wind up being a bit unorthodox but I’m intent to deliver the message.

Solar Eclipse

2009-03-02T11:55:00.002-05:00

The Rotterdam Town Board took another step recently toward operating in the shadows when they ceded power to appoint engineers to the Planning Commission. Of course, the move was touted by the majority of the Town Board as a means toward expediency. Developer interest was served over resident interest. The sole dissenting vote was cast by Mr. Mertz.

The problem with this procedural change is that it undermines ultimate Town Board accountability and pushes engineer selection further into the shadows. Transparency and open government are among the most fundamental and important aspects of effective governance. The passage of this measure seriously erodes those principles.

Who will ensure that potential conflicts of interest are properly scrutinized and disclosed? What are the criteria that will be used to qualify for the “preferred” engineer list? What are the criteria that will be used to be selected from the list? Will this selection process be uniform and public? Is it proper that the Planning Commission is the only unelected town body with the ability to hire/fire now? Who will be accountable to us, the taxpayer, when things go awry as a result?

Transparency in Rotterdam just became more opaque. I still have not heard a convincing argument for why this change is necessary and how it will benefit me as a taxpayer. I don’t like it.

Infrastructure

2009-02-27T14:56:00.002-05:00

Forget for a moment how you personally feel about the federal stimulus funds that will soon flow. The fact of the matter is that they are going to flow…like it or not. Interestingly, even the politicians that railed against passage of the stimulus are among the first taking credit for “securing “ funds for this or that, or first in line with their hand out for a piece of NY’s action.

I am pleased that significant money will be spent on infrastructure. I have been and remain an advocate for building or re-building infrastructure. Ours is generally crumbling, if it exists at all. In my opinion, this money will be money well spent. We are far behind the curve in keeping our once envious infrastructure updated and properly maintained.

I plan on doing some serious lobbying to those that control the purse strings. I wonder if our local elected officials will be doing the same. The excuse in the past has always been the lack of federal money and now, lo and behold, there’s some on the horizon. I hope we go get some. It is after all, our tax dollars too.

There are conditions attached to securing the funds and I must admit I haven’t yet explored all the criteria that need to be met. However, my understanding is that most will be directed at projects that are ready to go. We need to ensure that the criteria also include a measure of necessity, economic potential, and being worthwhile beyond just being “ready to go.” So what looks shovel-ready in Rotterdam? Hamburg Street comes to mind. Revamping that stretch could have economic bang for the buck. The Junction water tower? I don’t know if that would qualify or not but I hope somebody checks. Masullo Estates roads and drainage? I can only hope. A new sewage treatment plant? Leveraging rail improvements to spark initiatives similar to RailEx? The list could be endless, but certainly the money won't be. Meeting the criteria and lobbying hard…harder than ever before…will be key.

Why is Rotterdam so special? We just completed 3 CDTC planning studies and are theoretically poised to implement the suggestions. Our town has 3 major interchanges and infrastructure improvements should lead to economic development opportunities. This is a window we can’t afford to miss trying to climb through.

Translate Your Outrage

2009-02-23T15:14:00.002-05:00

It’s that time of year again. Tax time. I posted my thoughts last year in a post titled Taxman, (http://rotterdamny.blogspot.com/2008/02/taxman.html ), but feel compelled to revisit the topic.

In last year’s post, I rhetorically asked, “how much is enough?” Though the answer to that question varies, there is one answer that seems to embody all the others. That answer is “less.” Every single person I speak to is in agreement that the burden is overwhelming and must be reduced. In these difficult economic times, that burden becomes especially noticeable. It’s way past time to actually do something about it.

The natural next hurdle is just how to accomplish that task. It starts with a cap on spending. First and foremost, we’ve got to hold the line on any new tax proposals. Like the first President Bush once said, “No New Taxes.” He failed to honor his pledge, we can’t. We absolutely have to make that commitment. To make it happen, we have to eliminate strategies that simply call new taxes fees, or pay raises stipends. We have to ask ourselves what is essential, not necessarily to me as an individual but to the needs of the community overall. That process involves setting priorities and then subjecting those priorities to the fiscal restraint necessary to achieve them without breaking the back of every hard-working citizen. Wants and needs are not the same and we’ll need to be able to distinguish between them. There is no free lunch and we shouldn’t expect one.

Disagree? Even George Harrison didn’t contemplate the tax wrinkle Governor Patterson recently proposed. A tax to file your taxes. If that is not the epitome of tax excess than I don’t know what is. It disgusts me and it should disgust you too.

That brings me to the first part of my solution which I have proffered previously. The concept is not new. Vote the incumbents out of office in favor of those that will restore real fiscal discipline. Forget complicated tax credits targeted to certain groups. Put the money back in the pocket of the person who earned it. Enough is enough.

I’ll repeat what I’ve said before. I’d abolish the tax code as we know it, if it was up to me. It’s not. What is up to me, and what is within my control, is who I pull the lever for at election time. I’m done tolerating the lip service of those that run for office, only to disappoint me by increasing my tax burden. Those officials currently in office won’t be there as a result of my vote next time.

I can’t be alone in my outrage, can I? It’s time for all of us to translate that outrage into different outcomes. We can’t afford to let matters get any worse.

Progress

2009-02-12T11:42:00.003-05:00

Thomas Edison once said, “Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress.”

I attended last night’s Town Board meeting; partly I admit to see the dynamic of the board now that Mr. Mertz has been ostracized from the Republican Party. I didn’t see any of the other announced candidates in attendance but it’s possible they may have been there. Mr. Mertz, class act that he is, conducted himself in the same manner we’ve grown accustomed to, so no sordid tale to relate. I believe every single resolution, of which there were three pages, were motioned and seconded by a combination of Mr. Della Villa and Mr. Signore, however.

The recently proposed matter of granting the Planning Commission autonomy to select Town Designated Engineers (TDE’s) prompted the most discussion. It was on the agenda as a well-disguised public hearing. Had not Mr. Mertz made some comments that forced Mr. Comenzo and one of the TDE’s to respond, I would have been oblivious that it was a public hearing regarding this issue. I have views of my own on the matter and after listening to the other comments, I weighed in too. I basically expressed concerns about the process and criteria that would be used to produce and maintain the “Approved” list of TDE’s. While I appreciate the effort to improve efficiency of the current planning process, I would like to see the Comp Plan, performance standards, and all other zoning language updated, adopted, and firmly in place before looking to serve developer interests to speed up the process. The lag time currently is not burdensome, in my opinion. I am also concerned about granting hiring power to appointed town officials. I believe that ultimate accountability should remain with the Town Board and that changing the current approach diminishes Town Board accountability.

The answers provided seemed to indicate that accountability for any TDE “mistakes” would become that of the Planning Commission Chairman. I also understood the answer to my direct question about whether there would be a formal, defined process to select preferred engineers or an ad hoc, case-by-case process to be the latter, which also disturbs me. It may be splitting hairs to some degree because as it stands the Town Board usually relies on the Planning Commission engineer recommendation anyway in their determination. Though I didn’t say it last night because many of the people present would have interpreted it as some sort of accusation, I’m concerned that the change in procedure could create a window for a “pay-to-play” component. I wasn’t looking for trouble so I carefully danced around what I was trying to say without causing anyone offense.

I think I actually witnessed progress though on several of the issues foremost on my mind. The 3 CDTC studies were rolled into the existing Comprehensive Plan. That’s a huge advance, I think, and was accompanied by Mr. Comenzo’s stated commitment to getting performance standards and zoning language incorporated also. We’ll hopefully see some upcoming public comment period related to the Comp Plan.

More progress involved the passage of a resolution accepting the land deemed necessary for drainage relief to proceed in Masullo Estates. I’m not holding my breath but it represents another hurdle cleared. I congratulate and thank Mr. Mertz for his tireless effort to see that aspect through.

There was also a brief comment from Supervisor Tommasone regarding what he characterized as forward progress on building a new, long-awaited water tower in Rotterdam Junction. I’ll accept his remark at face value but with all the delays we’ve seen so far with that initiative, I’ll just hope this time is the charm.

Today is President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. His take on progress? “I walk slowly, but I never walk backward.”

What?

2009-02-10T16:25:00.002-05:00

It appears the Rotterdam GOP has succeeded in ousting Mr. Mertz from the Town Board. Personally, I am dumbfounded that arguably their single best vote-getter would be considered a liability somehow. It’s mind-boggling.

Undeniably the lightning rod for all issues controversial in town, he carried the water on the issues that scared others into silence but mattered most to residents. I suppose the only explanation is that he was carrying water someone else didn’t want carried. The local GOP must have another agenda and I confess, I can’t imagine what it could be.

What seems equally odd is that according to news reports, Mr. Mertz will be replaced by Mr. Suhrada, a Schenectady County GOP legislator, and an extremely vocal and often controversial character in his own right. What perplexes me most is that the GOP is already firmly in control in Rotterdam, soon to have 5 sitting Republicans while the County GOP is in the minority and Mr. Suhrada has proven to be an effective minority voice. This seems to weaken an already tenuous county foothold.

The ART of Government

2009-01-25T19:39:00.001-05:00

My philosophy of effective government revolves around 3 important concepts.

Accountability.
Responsibility.
Transparency.

The first two concepts are very closely related but subtly different. I distinguish them apart by thinking of accountability in terms of answerability, while thinking of responsibility in terms of the burden, duties and obligations of having to take action on something. Of course, transparency is simply having it all out in the open for scrutiny.

Getting all 3 together is the real trick.

Then there is the infamous quid pro quo, or “something for something.” Quid pro quo, though not inherently sinister, has increasingly taken on negative connation in the political sphere. In politics, it’s what gets things done. In politics, it’s what sends people to jail. In politics, it serves interests…just usually not yours. Whenever you are presented with a quid pro quo, it’s a potential red flag. Take extra precaution to remain in the light, because if it takes place in the dark, it probably isn’t ethical and maybe even illegal.

Beyond the Breakers

2009-01-08T14:57:00.001-05:00

I’ve been swimming in the surf without realizing it. It’s time for me to swim out past the breakers.

http://thebeacon-rotterdamny.blogspot.com/

Top 5 '08 Accolades

2009-01-08T14:53:00.003-05:00

5. Council member Mertz serving as everyone’s favorite whipping boy by continuing to be a tireless advocate for what he believes.

4. Bagels & Bakes providing exceptional product and service.

3. Shop-O-Rama Pizza defying the ice storm power outage by conducting generator-assisted business as usual.

2. Adirondack Tire on Curry Road providing unparalleled level of service on multiple occasions.

1. Dunkin’ Donuts at Helderberg and Curry providing consistent, friendly service on a DAILY basis.

Top 10 '08 Disappointments

2009-01-08T14:42:00.003-05:00

10. Approval of Helderberg Meadows.
09. Proliferation of vacant eyesores along main thoroughfare.
08. Lack of progress on Hamburg Street sewer initiative.
07. Ongoing code enforcement issues.
06. Further delays for new water tank in Rotterdam Junction.
05. Town tax increase despite tapping surplus.
04. Ongoing adverse consequences of town reval.
03. Stalled remediation effort for Masullo Estates.
02. No emergence of independent candidate.
01. No updated Comprehensive Plan.

Revelation

2008-12-16T17:30:00.002-05:00

The year is essentially over and as is common for me, I take stock of where I am, where I’ve been, and most importantly, where I’m going. It’s time to evaluate my progress toward intended goals and reevaluate my priorities so that my new goals are in step with where I’m going.

This year was a rough one personally because of my Dad’s death. I think I fared okay but it certainly was and is different than I expected. Nevertheless, it clarified a lot of life’s lessons that somehow had remained murky.

My awareness and understanding of many town issues has been heightened by my involvement in them throughout the last 4 years, even leading to a contemplation of a run for office, which fortunately has dissipated. Unless Governor Patterson wants to sidestep Caroline Kennedy and offer me the vacant senator seat, all bets are off for any immediate political ambitions. My impact on matters has so far been less than noteworthy and after channeling my effort toward another endeavor, fundraising for the American Cancer Society, I see that my efforts ought to be redirected. We raised our goal of $1000 in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer…a goal I never thought we’d get close to when I set it. My effort made a real, tangible difference in other people’s lives.

I already volunteer my time in other matters, but it seems appropriate to divert my attention from banging my head against an unyielding town wall to doing things that produce actual results. A matching of talents, if you will.

I was thinking about 9-11 recently and wondered where the feeling of unity and common purpose went after the attacks. It was palpable back then, but cynicism seems to have prevailed. The recent ice storm is a smaller example of what will certainly be fleeting good will. Harder economic times are ahead for most of us and there will be great need to step up and help those who struggle. I intend to be focused on what my part in that will be.

So that’s where I’m going. It doesn’t mean I’ll never speak up again on town stuff but don’t look for me to be nearly as vocal anymore. I’m pretty sure I have more important contributions to make next year than flapping my gums on deaf ears at Town meetings.

Merry Christmas!

Budget Review

2008-11-07T20:46:00.002-05:00

(intended budget hearing remarks prefaced by previous post)

I’d like to begin by drawing attention to an article in today’s newspaper. “There Will Be Pain.” That’s a quote from Mayor Bloomberg, roundly regarded as a pretty sharp budgetary navigator. His proposed budget spares no one and no thing and will surely be very unpopular with those affected. But his approach serves as a blueprint for us in some respects.

The very first question when considering the budget should be: what is absolutely essential? In my mind, that usually suggests police, fire, and paramedic services – basically, safety-related services. Much of the anticipated increases are in fact, locked in contractually anyway if I understand correctly what I’ve been told and most people, I think, are rightly reluctant to cut in those areas.

The second question becomes: can we cut other departments? Without even looking, my initial gut reaction is to cut every single item by a straight, equally applied percentage. Equal pain, if you will. Some view that as simplistic but I’d love to hear the argument for why it can’t be done. There’s always a lot of talk about “fairness” – so where is the fairness to the taxpayer that routinely is asked to pay more for less?

That’s right, MORE for LESS. We keep hearing that old, worn-out cliché, DO more WITH less, but in actuality we always PAY more and then GET less. Every level of government is too big and too expensive and if the example can’t be set from the top level down than we should seriously consider setting it from the bottom level up – starting with our own Town government.

The harsh reality, if anyone has the guts, is to start doing without. Layoffs are ugly but it’s going on across America and I’d like to know why our own Town government should somehow be exempt? Start with my suggested across-the-board % cut and perhaps you retain jobs if that is an objective, but in my opinion it should be more about priorities at this juncture.

Looking for specific cuts? Start with the easy stuff. Freeze salaries for town employees rather than doling out raises, even if they seem inconsequential. I’m personally irked by the apparent end-around on the previously considered councilmember raise by including what you’re calling a stipend instead. I don’t recall voting for a Deputy Supervisor position and any additional duties it involves should be considered a privilege. My mindset on this is a reflection of my belief in being citizen legislators and certainly not a reflection of any perceived shortcoming on Mr. Signore’s abilities.

We should also be cutting back on things like office supplies by eliminating any unnecessary mailings or interoffice correspondence or the like. From what I recall, virtually every department has a projected increase on that line. We paid a lot for state-of-the-art telephone systems and other technology and we ought to be squeezing every penny out of our technology by thinking of creative alternatives to achieve results. I realize in the scheme of things, these items are small potatoes but they start to add up when viewed cumulatively and more importantly, cutting them reinforces and cultivates a culture and atmosphere of ACTUALLY doing more with less.

One budget area that concerns me is the legal and attorney lines. Why are the budgeted amounts increasing on the scale they are? In fact, the department request was even larger. What gives? I remember arguments that having a contracted legal team would be cheaper for us than having our own Town Attorney, especially since most of the pending tax litigation seems to have been resolved. Similarly, what about considering a Town Engineer to replace what appears to be a significant burgeoning of contracted engineering expenses?

We’ve spent inordinate amounts of money on a plethora of studies…many for worthwhile endeavors…but it’s been money ill-spent probably because many of these capital-intensive, infrastructure projects have not come to fruition and will likely have to be delayed even further because of the economic backdrop. The data collected may not be valid later on. I’m not suggesting that we suspend all these projects but realistically, we both know priorities and timetables will not be friendly to our objectives. We should be giving serious consideration to changing our engineering approach.

Another line that jumps out at me is the Economic Development Specialist for $11,875.00. What the heck is that for? It seems redundant to me. We already have an IDA, involvement with Metroplex, an Economic Development Chairperson in the form of Mr. Mertz, and of course, each of you, who I thought were elected in part to foster that sort of activity. It sounds like an unnecessary liaison type of position that we could do without.

There has been an indicated desire to tap the surplus to mitigate the tax increase. I’m not necessarily against that notion but I caution strongly that doing so is merely a recipe for putting off until tomorrow that which should be done today. The Town collectively does that trick well. No increase now, followed by a big increase down the road does no one any good. It’s time to start the bloodletting by cutting EVERYTHING that can be cut. If it’s not contractual, then it should be on the table – period.

My comments are not meant to imply you’re doing a horrible job or are insensitive to the budget reality. But it’s way past time to take the burden off the taxpayer. The taxpayer needs real, lasting relief, not some politically expedient quick fix. With declining revenue streams, it’s time to get the machete out and start hacking.

A tax increase is not acceptable to me…and it shouldn’t be to you either. We need to make deeper cuts and we need all of you to muster the resolve to do so.

Budget Prelude

2008-11-07T20:43:00.002-05:00

(Intended opening budget remarks)

I began reviewing the Preliminary budget that was posted on line line by line but I’m going to move on to more general comments because…

Page 1 Town Board Major Subtotal indicates a 28.879% overall decline from ’08 Adopted to ’09 Prelim. I believe that is incorrect. That is based on town board salaries of $15,000 each thus increasing the ’08 major subtotal by $20,000. The correct ’08 subtotal s/b $46,900 which yields an approx 1% increase in comparison.

Based on the fact that the very first line in the 62 page document was inaccurate, it didn’t seem very productive to continue examination.

I’ll make a few observations nonetheless, which I will address further in my prepared comments:

TB Conf = 750
TB Subscriptions = 450
Supvr Conf = 350
Supvr membership dues = 600
Compt Conf = 2230
Compt membership dues = 100
Tax membership dues = 50
ASR Conf = 1500
ASR membership dues = 400

Town Justice Office Supplies = 7750 3% increase
Supvr Office Supplies = 4000
Compt Office Supplies = 2500 11.1% increase
Tax Office Supplies = 700

Supvr Office salaries for various positions 24.04% increase
Tax Collection salaries avg 6% increase
ASR salary reflects 5% increase

Telephone services for all these areas reflect increased expenditure too which I’m wondering if is a one time increase for installation of new system?

Overall legal services show nearly a 15% increase
Overall Supvr Office shows 20.6% increase
Overall Compt Office shows nearly 6% increase
Overall Tax Collection Office shows nearly 6% increase
Overall ASR Office shows roughly a 37% increase

ALL of this contained on the first 3 pages!

Outrage

2008-11-07T20:34:00.002-05:00

The Rotterdam Town Board conducted a well-attended 2009 budget hearing last night. I prepared the best I was able by examining the Preliminary Budget posted on the town website on Monday. Of course, the Tentative Budget had been available previously as well. The document, if you’ve examined it, is an unwieldy beast of some 62 mind-numbing, vomit-inducing pages. With a contemplated 8% tax increase looming, there was plenty of unprettiness contained not only within its pages, but in the room as well.

Anger was palpable. People have had more than enough. Another tax increase of any magnitude will not be received well at all by the masses.

Supervisor Tommasone made a decent enough presentation to lead the night off. I think we all understand the revenue constraints we face. The real problem is the expenditure side of the equation. We simply have to reduce spending in order to survive. That’s not an easy task. In fact, the challenge is enormous in many respects. The Comptroller and others have done an outstanding job in many of their revenue forecasts. The bulk of our town budget is locked in contractually for things like police services and such. Those items cannot change by next week when by law we must adopt a budget. But the preliminary budget as it stands contains many salary increases, a costly newly proposed Economic Development Specialist position, and line items like office supplies, conferences, etc. that certainly can be reduced or eliminated.

I’m angry. Actually, I’m fuming mad. I almost did not attend the meeting because I don’t like to be that angry publicly. I also strongly dislike the procedural manner that our town budget hearings manifest themselves. “Town Hall style” Q & A went mostly unchecked, resulting in much off topic discussion and several hours of venting. The Supervisor bore the brunt of the wrath, with the rest of the Town Board occasionally weighing in from around the room. Too many distractions, I thought. I much prefer comments at the podium directed to the entire Town Board. I purposely brought prepared remarks to deliver in hopes it might help temper my rage but the format sucked me into a free-for-all that forced me to improvise poorly. I’m not proud of my conduct.

I’m not optimistic about prospects for next week. I certainly don’t think the Town Board will achieve 0%, or even desires to, without seriously raiding the surplus. Even a generous tapping of the surplus may leave us staring down the barrel of something on the order of a 5% increase.

We need to make deep, painful cuts to spending regardless. I suggested a simplistic approach to that task, in addition to identifying specific smaller potato cuts. Apply an equal % cut to every line that isn’t contractual. With one week available to achieve results, this would apply the pain equally and relieve the Town Board from needing to identify priorities. It may not be an ideal solution, but it works for me.

Later, I’ll post what were my intended remarks last night.

Experiment Concludes

2008-11-07T20:30:00.001-05:00

For the past year, I have been evaluating if I should create a new party and mount an independent campaign for Town Board. After my attendance at last night’s Town of Rotterdam budget hearing, I believe I have all but made my decision regarding any immediate involvement in politics. I am 99.9% positive of how I intend to proceed.

Watchtower

2008-11-01T23:59:00.001-04:00

I spent October on the sidelines…watching…and waiting for events to unfold. I’m disappointed.

The updated Comprehensive Plan we were promised in March for Fall has not uttered even a peep since. The oft promised water tank for Rotterdam Junction looks to be delayed yet again as the Town considers new siting and design elements. The 2009 tentative budget is dismaying. It goes without saying that further progress on Spring preparations for work in Masullo Estates is nonexistent.

Times will be getting tougher in the near term. Money will become even scarcer. Many things will be left undone as a result. This is the inevitable and regrettable price of inaction, indecision, and procrastination, sadly letting possible achievement slip away.

Fortify the gate. There’s a storm coming.

Living in Masullo Estates

2008-09-11T18:21:00.001-04:00

I have been a happy resident of Masullo Estates for 16 years. Despite the delays of procuring infrastructure improvements that I have experienced as NAG Chairman over the last 4 years, I am still happy. Really, no joke.

I’ve said it all along but it bears repeating since Masullo Estates has become the poster child for certain infrastructure deficiencies that in fact, are prevalent throughout most of the Town of Rotterdam. I was actually interviewed a few years back for the Times Union Neighborhood series when they profiled our neighborhood. I’d like to make it crystal clear to anyone who may believe otherwise – Masullo Estates is a fantastic neighborhood to live!

Masullo Estates is comprised of 90 homes built in what amounts to one giant cul de sac. It is an extremely quiet and peaceful neighborhood inhabited by many friendly people. The roads, though needing repaving, are much wider than most you find throughout town. This makes it especially nice to take a walk or ride your bike without interference or feeling unsafe even though car traffic is typically light.

Mounting negative perceptions of our neighborhood have unfortunately arisen out of our vocal efforts to make a great neighborhood even better. Whether or not we ever achieve what we seek, I will continue to enjoy living here – and will defend it as still one of the premier neighborhoods in which to live in the Town of Rotterdam.

11th Dimension

2008-09-11T18:16:00.001-04:00

They turned the Big Bang Machine on yesterday and just as predicted, the universe was altered. After nearly 4 years of NAG’s submittal of comments to the ACOE Public Notice regarding proposed construction of Helderberg Meadows, I received a letter, which accounts for hell freezing over. I almost had given up hope.

The short version of the ACOE reply is that they denied our request for a public hearing, though they indicated taking our concerns seriously and addressing them with the applicant. They went on to assure us that the special conditions of the permit when it is issued will be monitored and enforced.

As I concluded reading the letter, a small black hole opened, no doubt coinciding with the atom smasher’s debut, and I was hurled into the 11th dimension.

Failure Is Not An Option

2008-09-11T16:34:00.002-04:00

The taxpayer strapped on more massive debt when the government announced it’s takeover of the troubled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac institutions the other day. As a taxpayer, I hate it when I’m forced to shoulder someone else’s blunder. Where’s my bailout?

But the simple fact, like it or not, is that allowing these mortgage giants to fail was not an option. I’m pretty certain it isn’t going to be the last “bailout” we see in the short term either. It’s a fact the credit markets are in dire straits for myriad reasons. The real prospect of a catastrophic banking system collapse would be unimaginably worse. Why and how we got to this point is somewhat beside the point until we regain the integrity and stability the system needs.

This move wasn’t desirable to anyone but it was necessary. A benefit will be a reduction in mortgage rates which will help return some much needed liquidity to home lending. My favorite description of the takeover by a pundit was, “The fat tail risk of an Armageddon has been reduced.” Basically, that means immediate matters just got a little better.

3 Months

2008-09-11T06:27:00.001-04:00

Today marks 3 months without my Dad. It seems like every day, I’m reminded of something else that had been long forgotten. It’s interesting and it sucks at the same time, because first I smile and then I’m disappointed I didn’t appreciate certain things when they were happening.

7 Years

2008-09-11T05:42:00.001-04:00

After seven years, the sadness of 9-11-01 hasn’t paled. I often reflect on memories of the people I knew that perished in the towers that day, but the anniversary always seems to stir emotions I’d rather leave unstirred. Having worked previously at the WTC myself, I had a special fondness for hanging out there on my periodic visits back to the exchanges. I still can’t believe it’s gone. It took me several years to revisit the site, by then just a huge hole in the ground. The expanse of the void was overwhelming. I haven’t returned.

Many fine people were lost in the attack. Like Michael, at his usual breakfast meeting at Windows on the World. Like Val, at her Cantor trading post on the uppermost floors. Too many good people gone in an eye blink. I hope you will please take a moment to reflect on all the lives lost and offer a simple prayer on their behalf. Then too, remind yourself how precious and fragile this life is (because it’s easy to forget), and remember to cherish every single minute of it.

Higher Standard

2008-09-09T17:20:00.002-04:00

I readily admit to being idealistic. For me, consistency is singularly paramount. I strive to ensure my comments are consistent with my actions.

For good reason, I don’t traffic in rumor in life, business, or anywhere else. The local forum lately seems laden with misrepresentation. The same people who routinely cry foul when it comes to inaccurate reporting from our local newspaper, seem quite content to offer up as fact whatever half-truths come their way. The same people that are indignant about the negativity and mud-slinging in politics, seem quite content to engage in it if it suits their purposes. I don’t get it.

If you want to hold people to a higher standard, then you’ve got to hold yourself to that standard first.

Real Change

2008-09-09T17:17:00.002-04:00

Everyone is talking about bringing change to government. After subjecting myself to the propaganda coming out of both conventions and the incessant media follow up, I’ve reinforced my belief that “change” has lost its meaning. Like every good catch phrase, I suppose it was inevitable. On the local level, the phrase Smart Growth met a similar fate.

Every campaign seems to be a show of some kind. The conventions certainly lost their political relevance years ago and today are no more than very expensive political theater. Theater that we pay for by the way, and could do without, in my opinion. Of course, the media keeps the drama ratcheted up through a constant offering of provocative sound bites by second tier party operatives. I yearn for a more concise election process focused on the issues. I realize I won’t get it though and maybe it never existed.

#13...With A Bullet

2008-09-02T15:50:00.002-04:00

Thanks to the continuing generosity of our friends, The Pink Floyds has received $875 in donations toward our intended $1000 goal so far, placing us # 13 on the list of online participant teams!

Come walk with us Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 12:00 in Albany’s Washington Park.

You can join our team or make a donation to fight breast cancer at either of the links below:

www.main.acsevents.org/goto/michaeloconnor

www.main.acsevents.org/goto/thepinkfloyds

It's Not About You

2008-08-29T15:11:00.002-04:00

Those who know me know that those opening words in Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life, hold quite a bit of meaning for me. In my own personal experience, they represent a recurring lesson that I long resisted. They serve as a daily reminder to remain focused on what really matters.

Earlier posts have alluded to my growing fascination with the Democratic candidate for President, Barack Obama. I’m certain that last night’s convention speech cemented any lingering doubts I may have harbored. That surprises even me, though it probably shouldn’t, and is sure to alienate many of my closer associates who know me as a conservative Republican.

I don’t think anyone disputes that Barack Obama is a powerfully eloquent speaker. What many conclude though is that it is just fancy talk…and perhaps that will turn out to be true if and when he gets elected and fails to deliver. I’ll concede that. I’ll also concede that many of his initiatives give me pause because I’m not sure if he’ll be able to pay for them. What I won’t concede is that this country needs to be redirected…on multiple fronts. Historically, we occasionally encounter crossroads. Like Mr. Obama, I believe we are at one. I hope he is the one who can lead us to where we need to arrive.

His fancy talk resonates with me. Not because I am lulled by its promises. I believe great initiatives begin with that kind of talk, in fact, they require it. In my own experiences of trying to motivate people to be better than they believe they can be (myself included), to achieve the seemingly unachievable, to make a difference, to simply not accept what every other fiber of their being is telling them cannot be done, the essence of success can only be embodied in that kind of fancy talk. Achieving begins by doing, and doing begins by believing. Knowing the obstacles and eliminating the doubts is not the same as pretending they don’t exist. I believe solutions and improvements always exist, even when they might not necessarily be apparent. Because something is behind a wall, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Finding the way over, under, around or through the wall is the challenge. It can always be done with the right belief, determination, and perseverance.

I’m sure many of you watched Mr. Obama’s speech, as I did. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94087570
I’ve provided a link to the transcript and recommend reading it again even if you saw it, paying particular attention to the latter half of it. Some of the passages that stick out for me and illustrate what I’ve written above are:

“Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility – that’s the essence of America’s promise.”

“What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose – our sense of higher purpose. And that’s what we have to restore.”

“I know there are those that dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that’s to be expected. Because if you don’t have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don’t have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.

You make a big election about small things.

And you know what – it’s worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn’t work, all it’s promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it’s best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.

I get it. … But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the naysayers don’t understand is that this election has never been about me. It’s been about you.”

I offer my view not so much to influence your vote but to hopefully get you to consider alternatives to what you may have accepted as unchangeable. If you want better, than you have to demand it. Even more important, you have to believe it can be achieved and then actually participate in the efforts to achieve it.

Fancy talk? Absolutely. But I also believe. And I’m prepared to do my part in achieving an even better America.

Capacity

2008-08-19T12:11:00.002-04:00

The Town of Rotterdam finally acknowledged that the sewage treatment plant needs an upgrade. Project after project has gotten approval on the misleading supposition that there is plenty of capacity at the treatment plant, but Justin Mason’s article in the Gazette on August 16th (http://dailygazette.com/news/2008/aug/16/0816_rottsewage/) plainly makes clear the case I’ve been making for some time. The plant is maxed out.

Add up the reported numbers. The plant receives 1.1 million gallons against a total capacity of 1.5 million gallons daily. That leaves 400,000 gallons to play with. But when the Helderberg Meadows project, which required sewers as a condition of approval is built, that will generate an anticipated 150,000 gallons daily, leaving 250,000. Also, if the dry sewers in Eldorado Estates are connected, a logical connection considering the sewer pipe is existent, that would eat up roughly 200,000 of the leftover capacity.

Cause for alarm? Depends on your viewpoint, for sure. The town thinks they are being proactive by commencing a study to examine energy costs as they contemplate adding capacity. As far as that goes, fine. My concern lies in the fact that meaningful sewage treatment upgrades can be multi-million dollar projects. The level of concern rises when you try to reconcile that with the town’s record of inaction after conducting these studies and their unbridled approval of new development.

Not convinced? Consider the additional 300,000 gallons that a Burdeck Street / Route 7 sewer line is estimated to generate, not to mention the combined load of all the other smaller unmentioned approved development that takes place in town. This is an issue we should all be paying close attention to.

Once again, I think it bears noting that a town-wide moratorium would be a good tool to aid the commendable effort now being made to finally address this matter. Lowering energy costs and doing it right is good. Study is good, but only if what we learn is implemented in a timely fashion. A moratorium would reflect a responsible approach to what is shaping up to be a very sizable problem.

Mercury Rising

2008-08-18T16:20:00.001-04:00

We’re off to a spectacular fund-raising start! The Pink Floyds have already raised $350 towards the fight against breast cancer. That’s 35% of our goal…all in just a few days! Thanks to everyone who donated to this worthwhile cause. Your generosity is truly appreciated.

We’re just getting started and there is still plenty of time before the Walk. Please take a moment to visit our webpage, www.main.acsevents.org/goto/thepinkfloyds to make a donation or to learn more about the meaningful difference your involvement can make.

Hope starts with us.

The Pink Floyds

2008-08-10T21:51:00.003-04:00

Is your name Floyd? Neither is mine, but for one day, Sunday, October 19th, 2008, it can be when we walk in the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Please join us to help raise awareness and advance breast cancer research by joining our team, The Pink Floyds!

www.main.acsevents.org/goto/ThePinkFloyds

As many of you are aware, my family and friends annually participate in this event but it has taken on ever-increasing importance since the passing of my dear sister-in-law, Mary O’Connor. We walk for many survivors but especially for Mary, who is my personal inspiration for my strong belief in the phrase, No Excuses…ever. Mary battled passionately, many times seemingly getting the upper hand, only to have the pendulum swing hard the other way. Yet despite the hardships endured and the pain suffered, I rarely heard her complain. She became an example to me of what hope and faith is all about. Sadly, Mary lost her battle but others don’t have to with your help.

This year we are formalizing our fundraising effort by creating The Pink Floyds. We hope you’ll donate to this very worthwhile endeavor. Just as importantly, we hope you’ll join us the day of the walk too. The links below to either our team page, or my personal page, make it easy.

Hope starts with us!

www.main.acsevents.org/goto/ThePinkFloyds

www.main.acsevents.org/goto/MichaelOConnor

Excellence

2008-08-10T17:33:00.001-04:00

I thought I'd take a moment to mention some noteworthy service I received lately from some businesses here in Rotterdam. I hope I have occasion to do so again.

The first is Adirondack Tire on Curry Road. I have been there twice and received exceptional service both instances. I used to go to Sears for my tires but found their level of service deteriorating consistently past a point I could continue to tolerate. Adirondack Tire, on the other hand, surprised me...twice. They have earned my future business with their pleasant and competent customer approach.

The second is Dunkin Donuts on Curry Road. Admittedly, I am a coffee-holic and with the dependable, consistent service I have been receiving for several years, I'm not likely to break my addiction. I will gladly continue to navigate the dangerous parking lot for my future caffeine fix.

There are many businesses that provide competent, efficient service but I mention these two as standouts. Their emphasis on satisfying the customer is exceptional and I highly recommend both of these outstanding Rotterdam businesses.

Change

2008-08-02T18:14:00.002-04:00

It seems that Change is now the new buzz word for every single candidate for office from the national to the local level. I’m giving the credit to Barack Obama for starting it, though President Bush is probably the most deserving catalyst. When Hillary Clinton realized her approach wasn’t working, she tried unsuccessfully to reinvent herself as a candidate of change. Even John McCain has adopted the mantle of change in his campaign rhetoric.

It didn’t stop there. Candidates of every ilk on the local level are casting themselves in the garb of change too. The most memorable is Assemblyman Amedore who invokes, “Change is Coming.” Let me know when it arrives because I’d love to see it. Speaking of Mr. Amedore, I noticed he’s also using a slogan of “Promises made, promises kept.” I thought he ran last time on a platform to lower my property taxes and prevent Thruway tolls from rising? I’m pretty sure he didn’t succeed on that score in his short time in office, so now instead of promising change, we’re getting a promise that change is coming. I’m not reassured.

But thankfully, some things never change. For instance, the quality of music that The Police produced last night at SPAC was as good as it was 25 years ago when they last graced the stage. Elvis Costello wasn’t too shabby either. And after shelling out for tickets, beer, water, coffee, and a souvenir T-shirt, I had no change.

Outsider

2008-07-18T21:52:00.002-04:00

I attended the Duanesburg Planning Commission meeting last night, my particular interest being the first wind turbine project to be considered since their new ordinance was adopted. Of course, Rotterdam is in the process of adopting similar legislation so I thought it’d be educational for me.

Before I get to that, I’d like to make some observations about the Duanesburg Planning Commission dynamic. I was very impressed with their entire handling of the agenda, one which was chock full by the way. The meeting lasted 3 hours, with the wind turbine evaluation coming nearer the end and lasting 45 minutes in itself.

As most know, I’ve been a critic of our own Town of Rotterdam Planning Commission more often than not, and I didn’t expect Duanesburg to be much different. So I was pleasantly surprised to see open government in action. All the members seemed well-prepared on every project, asked thoughtful questions and offered useful suggestions to the applicants. It was clear to me that each member had some particular expertise and qualification to consider the various projects. They also made use of an overhead projector for attendees to be able to see plans which I appreciated. The most impressive aspect though was that all the discussion took place during the meeting – out in the open. In other words, there was no closed door executive session where things get decided in the dark. They also seemed to have an acute appreciation for SEQR and segmentation, which is usually a significant concern of mine as well.

The wind turbine application didn’t disappoint me either. To date, I’m still forming my opinion on the feasibility of wind power, but my immediate concern regarding wind turbines is that they are properly regulated. The applicant was a knowledgeable and informed applicant and the new ordinance seemed pretty well understood by the commission too. It got interesting when it was determined that the project would not satisfy the setback in some regards. It was a difference of some 15 feet or so and it looked like they may have encountered a stumbling block. Given the actual circumstances of the setback shortfall it seemed appropriate to grant a waiver but I could sense the reluctance to undermine the new ordinance right out of the gate. However, in this case, the turbine is being mounted on an already existing tower so the waiver was more than appropriate, I think. I’m sure everyone hoped they’d have a more straightforward project but I think the wrinkles of this case was actually a great first test…and the commission handled it superbly. I’m looking forward to what transpires at the public hearing.

Shell Game

2008-07-15T22:11:00.001-04:00

I still have a few lingering questions related to the recently defeated sewer vote in Masullo Estates. Though sewers were soundly rejected by residents, my eyebrows went up when I noticed that an item on the Town Board agenda following the defeat concerned a resolution to approve the required sewer district extension for Helderberg Meadows. I found that odd since Masullo Estates was essentially voting on tying into that nonexistent sewer line. Shouldn’t that line have been established before our vote? Moot now, but procedurally it seems out of order, especially when the Town has gone to great lengths to continually assure us that our destinies were not dependent or intertwined.

I’m also perplexed regarding the swath of land that the Town claimed to have all locked up as far back as November 2007. They voted to spend an additional $40,500 to study this land (that they apparently still don’t own) for drainage relief. (Incidentally, that brings the total to $73,500 without a shovel in the ground.) No results of this study have been forthcoming and now the engineer says the Town has to consummate the sale before he can provide estimates. Excuse me, but what was the $40,500 for then? I suspect that the land deal has been lingering because it was contingent on the Town getting sewers approved. Why else would this sale be delayed for so long when the Town has said how vigorous their pursuit of drainage relief is?

Lately, the Town has begun to spin a new thread that incorporates our relief with the relief planned in other neighborhoods. That’s a little strange and the first we’ve heard that strategy since our effort was supposed to serve as the model for the other neighborhoods. Sounds like a recipe for more delay.

I’m no conspiracy nut, but I do remember being told that the consideration of sewers would in no way delay or impact the planned drainage and road repair. This October will mark 4 years of recent effort and unfulfilled promises. Oh yeah…drainage and road repair is now delayed until next year…again.

Indecision

2008-07-15T21:40:00.001-04:00

The consequences of waiting, or studying too much, or simply taking too long to act decisively are always certain and mostly undesirable and unexpected. The latest casualty to befall the Town of Rotterdam is the announcement that the bike path connection to Montgomery County won’t be completed anytime soon.

That’s unfortunate but not all that surprising given the state of financial affairs in the State of NY presently. I think we’d all agree that there are probably more pressing infrastructure needs that have to be addressed before the bike path. But it’s an illustration of the cost of delaying initiatives. Things change…and that’s not always a good thing.

The recent CDTC Study just completed for Exit 26 examined many bike path elements that ultimately could’ve been vital to other considerations in the area. That could have far-reaching adverse affects on these other plans. See how delay can quickly unravel the best laid plans?

The Town Board of Rotterdam needs to begin acting more swiftly. No one is saying they should be fool-hardy or less than diligent while performing due diligence on matters but too much study can leave everyone pondering what-might-have-been.

Memories

2008-06-19T21:59:00.001-04:00

They say time heals all wounds. I hope that’s true. Death probably causes the hardest emotions to cope with, especially if the death is of a parent. I expected the sense of loss, but not the unique void created by losing my Dad; a void certain to widen when my Mom takes her turn.

We’re five children and he was a father to each of us in different ways, but Dad to all of us. It’s funny the things that come to mind now. Silly things, really. Important things. Commuting on the train together to work. I wish I’d paid closer attention. Or standing in front of his closet, being taught how to dress properly as he selected a tie for me to wear from his tie rack while instructing me in the finer points of wingtip shoe care. I feel honored I got to select his final resting garments and hope I got it right. I’m overwhelmed by memories of other seemingly unimportant events, surprised by some that have resurfaced.

It’s been a little over one week since his death and I still feel numb more than anything else. I’m sad but not distraught. Perhaps I’ve just simply been too busy, preoccupied with all the arrangements that needed attention. I’m starting to feel slightly unsettled with the likely certainty that it will catch up to me somewhere when I least expect it. I suppose I’ll just have to rely on time.

In Memoriam

2008-06-11T09:20:00.001-04:00

Heaven gained another soul today. It was the soul of an 81 year old man who made a difference, but more importantly, fulfilled his purpose while he was here. He was a devoted husband and father who believed in God. He grew up during the Great Depression and was no stranger to hardship, but he rarely complained. Instead, he worked hard and made willing sacrifices that often went unnoticed. His work ethic was a waning virtue in this world and those that knew his, realized and appreciated it for its unparalleled nature. It won’t be lost completely upon his death because he successfully instilled it in his children.

He was an honorable US Marine that served his country in WWII, more fortunate than his brother that perished on the beaches of France and is buried abroad. Fittingly, he will be honored as such at his wake.

In the midst of today’s sadness at his passing, however, there is sorrowful joy. He is finally at peace with the Lord in paradise. This is not his end, but a new beginning. I’ll miss you, Dad.

Down The Drain

2008-06-10T21:10:00.001-04:00

Tonight was the mandatory sewer referendum to extend Sewer District 2 into Masullo Estates. Mandatory only because residents of the subdivision petitioned to have their say after the Town Board surreptitiously attempted to subvert that vote and determine the issue themselves. I’m sure the Town Board was not pleased that the affected residents thwarted the plans to ram-rod the extension through.

From the outset, the 3 ½ year old Neighborhood Action Group (NAG) efforts to secure road reconstruction and drainage relief has been subverted by efforts to have Masullo Estates residents subsidize development of Helderberg Meadows, a nearby approved subdivision that was opposed. That was adding insult to injury as each year saw increasing conflicts of interest and non-productive engineering studies to the tune of $73,500. The consideration of the sewer extension was flawed from the beginning with the Town botching a hand delivered non-binding postcard survey for interest in sewer cost estimates. The Town then spun lackluster survey response into a mysteriously binding result. All the while, planned drainage and road work were held hostage to the sewer vote outcome. (It’s no coincidence that tomorrow’s Town Board meeting agenda has a resolution advancing sewers in Helderberg Meadows.)

I’m happy to report that the prospect of sewers in Masullo Estates has gone down the drain tonight. It met resounding defeat as expected by most residents. It simply was a bad plan they pitched. With that prospect now vanished, it will be especially interesting to see if the Town will expeditiously proceed with the promised road and drainage work or if they will continue to manufacture excuses to avoid remedying this long-acknowledged decades-old problem.

The Art of Weeding

2008-05-26T21:14:00.001-04:00

Have you ever read the book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? Well, I don’t own a motorcycle and I’m not too handy for that matter. If you haven’t read the book, I’d recommend it but for now you’ll have to settle for my version which I’m dubbing, iPod and the Art of Weeding.

I’ve been traveling a lot unexpectedly and so have fallen behind on some seasonal chores. I decided to turn up the volume and pull weeds. Surprisingly, I discovered my Grandmother’s advice was still as sound as ever.

So how does this relate to solving any of Rotterdam’s problems? It doesn’t. Not one iota. I know some of you were secretly hoping for some sort of weed analogy but today’s posts are strictly personal therapy. Alright…one analogy…if the Town systematically addressed one problem at a time they’d eventually be staring at a weed-free landscape. I know someone is thinking why not just spray the weeds with weed killer all at once and be done with it? Because then you wind up with a dead lawn that still needs you to pull up the weeds by hand anyway. Okay, so I don’t have a green thumb…

Thanks for letting me indulge myself. I’ll be back to Rotterdam business and other topics of interest soon for sure.

Journey

2008-05-26T20:50:00.001-04:00

Today marked the 3 year anniversary of the end of one family member’s journey. My sister-in-law waged a courageous battle and there were many valuable lessons for me upon her passing. I reflect on these lessons daily. They have profoundly altered the manner of my thinking. I miss her.

Oddly, my Dad is approaching his journey’s end too. But he simply refuses to go, defying the odds. I’m at peace with the ultimate conclusion of his journey. I suppose that’s easy since I’m not the one dying. I’m still learning the nuances of the lessons learned, I guess. My compassion unfortunately translates as awkward callousness. But I know what I mean and feel, even if I convey it poorly to others.

So today’s post is meant as a brief reminder to cherish every single moment of your life and of the lives around you.

Virtues

2008-05-08T19:34:00.001-04:00

Benjamin Franklin was one of the most extraordinary persons the world has ever known. He certainly has always impressed me. I found this excerpt from Wikipedia intriguing given my own Cornerstones post.

Franklin sought to cultivate his character by a plan of thirteen virtues, which he developed at age 20 (in 1726) and continued to practice in some form for the rest of his life. His autobiography (see references below) lists his thirteen virtues as:
1. "TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation."
2. "SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation."
3. "ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time."
4. "RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve."
5. "FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing."
6. "INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions."
7. "SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly."
8. "JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty."
9. "MODERATION. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve."
10. "CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation."
11. "TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable."
12. "CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation."
13. "HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates."

Playing Checkers

2008-05-07T23:00:00.002-04:00

I am particularly concerned about the apparent lack of progress toward updating our Town Comprehensive Plan for Rotterdam. Yes, there are numerous CDTC studies completed or in progress for each NYS Thruway interchange that feeds our town. Yes, town officials are trying to update the town code to be more relevant. But this has been going on for far too long without a resultant Comp Plan that can be applied to development pressures throughout the town.

For instance, the first CDTC study was completed for the Route 7 – Burdeck Street Corridor in 2004. The information contained within it wasn’t part of the Comp Plan when Wal-Mart was planning a new super center in that area. That should’ve been a wake-up call to the Town to get their house in order and they were essentially granted a reprieve for their past failure to do so when the Wal-Mart idea was scrapped. Interestingly, the Town adopted a 6 month moratorium during that time but failed to implement the zoning they desired when it was over. I think if they had implemented the town-wide moratorium I advocated for at that time instead and focused on updating the Comp Plan properly, we’d be in better shape now.

Two other studies are done or nearing completion, and are yet to be incorporated into an adopted Plan. But assuming your Comp Plan gets updated every 10 years (our 2001 Plan was scheduled for updating after 5 years in 2006, by the way), the information from the first study is already halfway out-of-date. The Town Code (yet to be available to residents online) is incredibly stale. The obvious problem this all highlights is the fact that development pressure has not been standing still and we are increasingly falling behind in addressing it adequately. We’re busy playing checkers when we should be playing chess.

It’s still not too late to make our best attempt at preserving our Quality of Life and denying Rotterdam from becoming merely a non-descript drive-through town. Here’s what I’ve suggested before and continue to suggest. First, impose a year-long, town-wide moratorium with the intention of getting the Plan updated and functional. At the same time, freeze all requests for zone changes and update the Town Code. The absolute simplest way to beef up the Code is add at least two zeros to every existing penalty/fine on the books in an effort to deter violations, but it certainly needs more than that. Enforcement and oversight has to become a higher priority than it has been previously. Second, develop a detailed plan for building infrastructure in a strategic manner to support the vision that has been determined by the Plan. These are broad strokes to be sure, but at least they’re strokes.

McLane’s recently pulled the plug on their intended project, but Route 7 parcels are being gobbled up as I write, no doubt the next “crisis” of planning. On the other side of town, Hamburg sits waiting for sewers to revitalize that corridor. We need to be better than we’ve been addressing these matters before it’s too late. We need to start playing chess instead of checkers.

Economic Eyepoke

2008-04-30T18:15:00.001-04:00

Waiting for your economic stimulus check? Me too. Though it won’t likely go too far or give any real lasting relief from the multitude of factors pressing down on all of us, I suppose it’s better than nothing. I just passed the gas station where a gallon was up to $3.75. It’s only going to get worse unfortunately.

The Fed cut interest rates again today by ¼% for whatever that’ll be worth. Inflation is rearing its head in an ugly manner on all fronts though. The government continues to say we’re not in a recession. I’m pretty sure I’m in one.

Towers

2008-04-30T17:59:00.001-04:00

It is important to note that the next Rotterdam Town Board meeting on May 14th will be held at the Rotterdam Junction firehouse. I’ll bet almost anything there will be discussion of some sort regarding the long-overdue water tower on the agenda. I’m guessing it will involve the results of whatever study was done to eventually site the new tower on SI Group property. Look for a promise that the tower will be built “this year,” but don’t hold your breath that it actually happens.

The other interesting news to note is GE’s reported intention to locate a wind turbine on their property. As you’re already aware, approval for a wind test tower was given recently in Pattersonville. Neither of these developments is necessarily problematic but each will need close scrutiny to ensure QOL is not compromised in the process. Wind turbines have proven controversial elsewhere and the Town of Rotterdam needs to rapidly develop and implement appropriate guiding regulations. The Town seems to be constantly several steps behind where they need to be on important planning matters. Once again, I submit the need for a moratorium has never been more compelling.

More Moratoriums

2008-04-28T19:42:00.001-04:00

I noticed in the Spotlight News that yet another local moratorium is being considered. This time in the Town of New Scotland. Like the discussion in Niskayuna, it’s intended to ensure the Comprehensive Plan addresses the relevant impact of large projects. Are you paying attention Town of Rotterdam?

44

2008-04-24T20:23:00.001-04:00

What a beautiful day today turned out to be. I’m surprisingly filled with happiness in the midst of a storm. I’m fortunate to be surrounded by such a loving family that helped to celebrate another milestone and remind me of the blessings in my life that make it worth living.

Things I Left Alone

2008-04-24T20:12:00.001-04:00

I’d like to touch on a few other aspects to the sewer district extension that I didn’t comment on last night.

We have been trying to secure drainage relief and road repair in this latest effort since October 2004 when NAG was founded. We’ve endured many setbacks, unfulfilled promises, and numerous studies along the way. We’ve been patient though, even when confronted with the permutation that included this sewer district extension.

I don’t understand how the Town isn’t prepared to bid the construction costs after so much elapsed time. The sewers were supposed to be an added consideration, not an impediment to proceeding. Now the referendum won’t take place until June 10th and no matter if sewers pass or fail, there will be no progress for at least 6 months optimistically. That means we miss yet another construction season. I’m beyond words to express my disappointment and frustration at that turn of events.

I purposely avoided drainage comment as much as possible last night since the hearing was focused on the sewer aspect. But one interesting point that needs to be explored is what the additional $40,000 paid to study a proposed land acquisition for drainage paths got us beyond further delay last year. No mention has been made about it and all of a sudden we need another 6 months minimum to rework costs? I suspect the land deal is somehow contingent on the Town getting the sewer district extended first.

Let’s assume for a moment that sewers are approved by residents. That’s fine with me ultimately despite my cost objections. I’m a financial guy who knows how to navigate those waters to my own personal satisfaction. The problem is that we still can’t do the project this season. Costs will increase again and now the approval impact could be much different financially for many. More importantly, approval of sewers will now inextricably link us to the Helderberg Meadows project schedule. With the real estate market what it is currently, what happens to our project if Helderberg Meadows progress slows or stops altogether? In addition, ACOE still needs to sign off on permits for Helderberg Meadows and the anticipation of getting that approval soon is pure speculation. That comment period dates back to early 2005 and I’ve been calling them periodically ever since for status.

Many other salient points were raised by my neighbors. For instance, where is the Highway Superintendent input? He’s an elected official that doesn’t seem to feel a need to participate directly in this discussion. What is the accuracy of the estimates? Already estimates have risen substantially three times over the last year. Additionally, some residents have indicated they will not need a grinder pump according to the engineer but when they explored connection costs on their own discovered that indeed they would need one because their lateral would meet the gravity pipe street connection too low. To imply that connection costs will be typical is misleading because the way the homes were built will require a costly retrofit to connect.

We considered the sewer proposal in good faith because it made sense to consider it, especially when we were assured that consideration could occur without further derailment of the intended drainage and road repair relief. Unfortunately, we are now finding out otherwise.

Replay

2008-04-24T20:00:00.002-04:00

I thought I’d begin simply by posting a copy of the remarks I made last night at the public hearing on the sewer district extension for Masullo Estates. Others in attendance raised many other important questions so I’d encourage you to try to see the taped replay on TV.

4-23-08 PUBLIC HEARING
SEWER DISTRICT EXTENSION PROPOSAL

Thank you for this public hearing finally.

I thought I’d try to keep my comments limited to the actual sewer district issue best I could. I’ll try not to stray too far into peripheral issues which are certain to creep in despite my best efforts, but I feel I’ve spoken to many of them already in recent weeks anyway.

Prima facie, this sewer district extension proposal looks attractive on economic terms. Bond retirement costs are no doubt as low as could be hoped for if coupled with planned road reconstruction. But looks can be deceiving.

I love building infrastructure. I don’t mind paying to do so either. But unfortunately, this sewer district extension proposal disproportionately burdens some homeowners in the anticipated district; specifically, those that live along E. Lucille Lane, of whom I am one, who will be required to install grinder pumps at their own expense in order to connect to the line.

I’ve obtained estimates of grinder pump installation, and its cost prohibitive just to install, let alone maintain. The estimates so far range anywhere from $3000 to $10,000. Include the amortization of those numbers and economically, for those affected, the proposal begins looking unattractive.

Already, my personal feeling is that I’ll be defraying Helderberg Meadow costs since that is the driving force of this sewer initiative. On top of that, I’m expected to subsidize the cost of the line for the rest of the homeowners not required to install grinder pumps. Also, I’d be assuming a likely grinder pump maintenance headache that I currently don’t have and don’t really desire. Lastly, sewers open additional acres of land to development that are currently prohibited from development. Those landowners stand to benefit disproportionately from this sewer proposal.

Unless I hear someone else make a compelling case in favor, my predisposition is to pull the lever against approval of the sewer district extension for Masullo Estates. If approved, I won’t connect, until forced to do so.

As desirable as sewers may be, let’s remember this in proper context of what we as residents originally sought. We need road reconstruction and drainage relief. Sewers were an add-on consideration, not a priority, nor a desire. The high water table is the underlying issue responsible for our dilemma and no matter how you slice it, sewers to replace septic only nominally, if at all, alleviate it. It’s simply not a material impact to the groundwater issue.

I’m against the sewer proposal to extend the district as it stands and urge the Town Board to reject it and proceed solely with the road reconstruction and drainage elements previously planned for posthaste.

Lost Moon

2008-04-23T22:49:00.001-04:00

Remember that moment when Apollo 13 astronauts realized their problem would cause them to miss their moon landing? It was a lot like that tonight at the public hearing on sewers for Masullo Estates. It is highly likely that we will miss another season to achieve necessary drainage and road work. The referendum for the sewer extension will not occur until June 10th if the Town Board determines the sewer initiative should proceed. That scenario, coupled with increasingly less reliable road reconstruction estimates previously obtained and dependence on ACOE permissions to Helderberg Meadows could conceivably delay any other planned work by 6 months…and that was best case. It was gut-wrenching to witness the realization sweeping through attendees as the hearing progressed. But like the hope and determination that ultimately saved Apollo 13, we intend to persist in our efforts. There is one glimmer that could still turn things around.

Mr. Mertz, our champion from Day One, is still our strongest advocate. To him, we are grateful. We could’ve been easily abandoned.

I’m tired. My notes are in the car and I failed to remember my digital recorder. Perhaps after news reports, I’ll provide my version of the meeting. In short summary, the room was packed. At least a dozen residents expressed reservations or outright disapproval and many important questions were posed. No one spoke in favor but I won’t jump to the conclusion that there isn’t anyone who would vote ‘yes.’ Want to know how I weighed in? Catch the taped replay until I post a transcript of my remarks.

The Trees

2008-04-20T15:00:00.001-04:00

I'm still deep within the woods but what didn't seem possible last week has suddenly shown signs of alternative. It's several weeks at least to the edge of the forest, an edge I can't see yet. The edge of the forest offers no grand solution or reward, only resolution of sorts. But now I can search for the path to take me there. I have many paths from which to choose, unfortunately, and only one leads to where I want to wind up; the others undoubtedly will lead me deeper into the woods. Strangely, it's 3:00 PM as I come to this decision...I am confident in my choice.

Smokey the Bear

2008-04-20T14:07:00.001-04:00

It must be Spring again. I know that not by the bloom of the forsythia or the flutter of the hummingbird outside my window but by the steady roar of chainsaws working across the street.

There is no curb cut, yet a registered pickup truck freely enters and exits the woods now to aid in deforestation.

As brush piles are forming throughout the woods, I can only wonder if matches will join stupidity again this season. After reading an article in today's Gazette about the numerous wildfires in the area that started through negligence and ripe conditions, I've double-checked that emergency police and fire numbers are in my cell phone.

Notes

2008-04-16T18:43:00.002-04:00

Two things to watch.

First, of course, is the public hearing on extending a sewer district to include Masullo Estates next Wednesday, April 23, 2008. This is the precursor that needed to occur prior to undertaking planned road reconstruction and drainage relief for the subdivision. I intend to speak. I’m sure I won’t be alone.

Second, the court ruling in Niskayuna overturning a previous court decision regarding Stanford Crossing has now prompted calls for a moratorium. In fact, the Gazette editorialized today on the topic. I find it interesting especially since I intend to renew my own call for a moratorium in Rotterdam.

Off the Grid

2008-04-16T18:31:00.001-04:00

Sad circumstances have conspired to curtail my ability or will to post. I hope to be able to channel my emotions constructively soon. In the meantime, I am comforted and inspired by a quote from my friend, John Mroz:

“Peace is not the absence of chaos or conflict, but rather finding yourself in the midst of that chaos and remaining calm in your heart.”

While I was Sick

2008-04-16T18:24:00.001-04:00

While I was ill (which is one reason I haven’t posted in a while), two Daily Gazette news articles caught my attention. The first was “Owners ordered to fix septic system / Sewage bubbled from ground at truck stop” by reporter Justin Mason on April 2nd. This was especially interesting because the McLane’s distribution facility is directly across the street and will also be served by a septic system. Resident concerns about McLane’s aired recently during the Princetown hearings begin to be viewed in a different context altogether and hopefully, will be factored into future decision-making.

The second article, “Residents say Route 7 is due for an upgrade /
DOT spokesman says studies show little need to change road” by Mr. Mason also, amplified that infrastructure in that area is increasingly becoming substandard to support existing demands let alone anticipated development.. The I-88 exchange is poised for development and undoubtedly will affect future traffic flows all the way through the 5 Corners intersection. It is naïve to think otherwise and irresponsible not to address the inadequacies beforehand.

DOT spokesman, Peter Van Keuren, aptly sums up the situation though the intent of his quote runs contrary to the point I make here. He is quoted, “some of the issues may end up being the price the area will have to pay for economic development. It’s kind of a Catch -22.”

Everything in Rotterdam when it comes to development seems to be a Catch-22. That’s because we don’t have a proper Comp Plan and we can’t as a community seem to see past the immediate dollar sign. Let’s face it; development of some kind will occur in and along that corridor. Believing otherwise is equally as naïve as believing that the current infrastructure is adequate to advance that development.

It doesn’t have to be a Catch-22. And if economic development comes at a “price” that destroys QOL, then there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of sense behind achieving the development anyway, does there?

For those that don’t accept the simple argument above, why not turn the Catch-22 inside-out? Instead of saying, “some of the issues may end up being the price the area will have to pay for economic development” we can state, “some of the potential for economic development may have to be curtailed until adequate infrastructure can be built.” Better still, actually build the infrastructure first. In all likelihood, the result is an eventual lower “price” that we can all live with comfortably.

Quality of Life

2008-03-29T22:38:00.001-04:00

Quality of Life. It’s this term that is purportedly key to Rotterdam decision-making. Often times, this term becomes linked with another popular term in Rotterdam. That term is Smart Growth.

Smart Growth is mostly a euphemism for economic development. It means many different things depending to whom you’re speaking. In Rotterdam, Smart Growth has come to mean economic development while preserving and enhancing Quality of Life. Accepting that description in simple terms begs the question than of what Quality of Life (QOL) means. Therein lies the rub.

I’ve heard both terms used so often by our elected here in Rotterdam that I suspect they’ve lost their meaning for many. Seemingly, the definition of QOL for our elected is simply predicated on an expanded tax base. More businesses. More jobs. The implication is that if these are provided you can’t help but have enhanced QOL. While I agree these things are important if not vital, they can actually be at odds with preserving and enhancing QOL.

How else can you explain the previously proposed Wal-Mart super center that would’ve disrupted the QOL that many residents in that area enjoy currently? How else can you explain the approval of Helderberg Meadows that will exacerbate drainage problems in the town? How else can you explain the McLanes food distribution facility that will operate trucks 24 hours per day and increase traffic through a high-end residential area? How else can you explain the exploding construction effort adjacent to the aquifer, putting our precious water supply in jeopardy?

In and of themselves, none of these projects are “bad” and in fact, they deliver some of that all-important economic development…but there’s certainly not anything “smart” about much of the growth we’ve invited. So much of that relates back to an outdated Comprehensive Plan. I’ve said it before but it bears mentioning again. The Plan has got to come first, followed by the building of appropriate infrastructure before approval of these projects. Doing it in reverse as the Town has attempted is a recipe for disaster and ultimately the very QOL we aim to preserve and enhance is compromised.

So just what is QOL? Here’s my attempt at a concise definition: A healthy, enjoyable environment where community design discourages additional traffic, noise, or adverse environmental effects, especially in the residential areas of Town. There’s a lot unsaid here but real quality is somewhat of an intangible. It varies depending on who you are talking to but deep down there is a universal feeling attached to it by the typical resident. He wants a place to relax, feel comfortable and safe, and raise a family safely. We all know progress marches on but it doesn’t have to be at the expense of what we value. If we can’t preserve that, all the economic development in the world won’t matter.

Interaction

2008-03-29T22:22:00.002-04:00

Big K has breached the void by logging the first direct comment of what I hope is many to follow. Though this blog was never intended to be tremendously interactive, I hope others that read my views are encouraged to open constructive dialogue with me on the topics I introduce. We can probably all learn something from the discussion.

I moderate all comments that are made. If they are inappropriate they won't be published which isn't to say you can't disagree with me. I don't tolerate politics of hate, however. If you want to spew rumor, slander or mock elected officials, or toe party lines and invect rhetoric, this isn't the place to comment. If you'd like to offer solutions or alternatives, or provide useful factual update (like Kevin did) then I welcome your participation and look forward to the positive outcomes our debate can achieve.

Discussion

2008-03-28T22:26:00.004-04:00

I went to the Town Board meeting Wednesday, March 26th with no intentions other than to listen to a discussion of the seemingly adopted SI Group PILOT sponsored by the IDA. There still seems to be some confusion and concern by the Town Board, who mostly still hadn’t seen the actual agreement so I gleaned less than I had hoped. Mr. Mertz raised some thoughtful questions that hopefully will be answered adequately.

One gentleman from Rotterdam Junction expressed concerns about how the proposed water tower was being considered in light of new site possibilities created by the SI Group PILOT.

The agenda overall was again very light and uneventful. Despite a public hearing for a recently recommended zone change by the Planning Commission, no one chose to speak to it outside of the applicant. Zone changes usually get more interest than that. My own interest has already been satisfied when I attended the Planning Commission review of the matter.

Since the meeting concluded in relatively short order, I impulsively decided to issue my 4th annual Spring plea for drainage relief and road repair for Masullo Estates. There is much still to be done to accomplish getting a shovel in the ground this season. With March over, no status on the “ongoing” surveying, a looming sewer district vote to determine the extent of any eventual plan, there doesn’t appear to be much room for optimism right now.

On a side note, Mr. Silva inquired about the progress of the Salary Committee. Sadly, no one had an answer beyond that the Town was preparing some information for the committee to use in their ponderings, though no one knew if ponderings had commenced.

Quarterly Review

2008-03-28T22:26:00.003-04:00

The first quarter of 2008 is about to conclude and I thought I’d briefly evaluate my efforts and intentions in creating this blog.

I must admit I thought I’d be more active in my postings but I don’t typically spend a ton of time in front of a computer for personal use. Heading forward, I probably should think about a schedule for days I will definitely post, but it isn’t likely to happen because I like to feel inspired when I write and my crazy schedule probably isn’t going to afford me that predictable luxury. Plus, I don’t want to post just for the sake of maintaining a posting count. The Town Board agendas have been pretty quiet too which hasn’t helped production.

One thing I’ve enjoyed is stretching into some other levels of government. It simply couldn’t be avoided in a presidential election cycle and the unprecedented state government events, but I’ve tried to limit myself because I want my focus to remain primarily on Rotterdam issues I feel are important and what drives me to think the way I do.

I’ve just finished organizing my archives again so I expect to explore a few topics in more depth over the coming weeks.

Round Rooms

2008-03-28T22:23:00.001-04:00

The politics of hate. For all the talk of moving beyond the daily vitriol, we seem to collectively fail in that pursuit. Whether we’re bashing our town officials, county officials, state officials, federal officials, party officials, or even each other, it’s self-defeating to our desired goals. I suppose it’s just easier to criticize than to actually try to participate in forging solutions. The problem with that, of course, is that we’re doomed to remain stagnant, stuck in our own cesspool of bitterness, anger, and apathy.

I’ve always believed that assigning blame is generally a non-productive exercise beyond identifying root causes of problems so that measures can be implemented to help prevent similar missteps from occurring. Unfortunately, for some people, they become obsessed with revisiting who’s to blame and become mired in a mindset that can’t get to dealing with possible remedies.

Long-time ex–Rotterdam Supervisor Constantino is still blamed for a multitude of sins. Ex- Supervisor Paolino is still getting knocked for initiating the town’s reval. Current Supervisor Tommasone is abused for studying issues to death while Councilman Mertz is routinely criticized for nobly sticking his neck out on a host of issues. County Legislator Dagostino is still vilified for her involvement in a questionable land sale. State leaders seem dysfunctional in nearly all aspects. Presidential contenders have resorted to trading distorted or exaggerated barbs daily. Some will say it’s just the nature of the game and can’t be avoided. I don’t accept that. I don’t accept that it’s some sort of game, with us as pawns to be maneuvered. I’m sick and tired of accepting the inappropriateness that dominates the process without getting results. It’s time for a new paradigm.

I don’t live in a bubble. I do my fair share of complaining and I’ve probably been guilty of being inappropriate myself at times. Let’s face it, many times they probably deserve it. I hope I’ve succeeded in never making it personal, though I’m also aware I’ve upset a few people along the way that have taken my comments personally.

I think the situation Senator Obama finds himself confronted with is a lesson for us all. He’s proved not to be perfect and Rev. Wright’s comments are undeniably disturbing. I don’t find my politics to be in alignment with Senator Obama as he leans left when I lean right, though I appreciate the foundation of his arguments because they surprisingly begin from the same constitutional basis more often than not. We just arrive in slightly different places. I can respect that because as I’ve said before, I don’t necessarily have all the answers. What I think is important about his candidacy is that we finally choose as a nation to acknowledge the existing racial divide in terms we haven’t before, put aside the provocative comments from the fringe, and begin trying to find a better way to co-exist so that we can solve the bigger problems that need solving that perpetuate. We’ll never, ever make progress if we continue “to retreat into our respective corners” of excuses. And that corner doesn’t just accommodate our discomfort discussing race but every other issue we encounter. It’s time for all of us to embrace the effort to be better than we’ve been regardless of our candidate preferences. And that applies from top to bottom. From the White House in Washington to the Town Hall in Rotterdam.