Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Sign, sign everywhere a sign

We now have an electronic sign at Genet middle school on route 4 where they took down multiple maple trees to be able to view this sign. Tax dollars paid for this sign and the tree removal. Another blog said it was paid for by a grant so it didn't cost us anything. Last time I checked, it was my tax dollars that paid for grants! If it is a state grant as reported, where did the state get the money, we're broke? Oh yea, they borrowed it so it will cost even more with interest. What about the trees they cut down, there goes their carbon footprint, less trees equals more carbon dioxide! the other new electronic sign is at the East Greenbush Fire Department - Park Station. It apparently replaces the temporary lighted sign that kept getting blown over with the wind (more climate change?) I understand that they got one hell of a deal on the sign and the Michels (the company who put up the new power lines) installed the sign for free. Just how many cars pass that station that they need any kind of sign there? I mean seriously, how many cars go by, excluding the return trip of people going to the store or work? Again our tax dollars at work. Oh I know someone will say it was the fire company, not the district that paid for the sign. Yea, where do they get their money? From the district for rent to house the trucks (tax dollars) donations (taxpayers money) or from pizza and fish fry nights (more taxpayers donations). Same well different bucket.

14 comments:

  1. Hal, I like the way you think. Money is money.
    It isn't ours or theirs. One way or another, it alays comes from us.
    Hal, would you consider running for office? You make a great deal of sense and have good ideas.

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  2. Hmm, run for office? thought about it but didn't seriously consider it. Here's why. 1) which office? the signs belong to two different governmental agencies school district and Fire district. So if I ran for Town board, I couldn't affect either. 2) holding office is a tremendous opportunity and responsibility. Not only for the office holder but his/her family. 3)It costs money. I don't have the financial resources to effectively run for office. 4) I don't handle rejection well. What would I do and how would I cope if I lost? 5) Better question, how would I cope if I won!

    No it is easier, cheaper and I think, more effective for me to stand outside and throw stones. I take being an activist seriously, so I put my name and face on everything I post and state in open forum. I try very hard not to spread rumors and attempt to find facts BEFORE I speak. I have worked very hard my entire life to build my integrity and intend to keep it in tack. I will support any candidate that speaks the same thoughts as I have and hope that we can save ourselves from ourselves.

    I have always said, Those smart enough to hold office are smart enough not to run for office. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

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  3. Hal, tell me why nothing is getting done in EG.
    I watched the last board meeting on channel 14 last night. It seems the Town needs a specific truck. Ginny does not want it! Lo and behold, Phil Danaher kowtows to her and the voting is
    put off for another month.
    Oh, how smug and arrogant she looked after that!
    Why isn't a special meeting, concerning an audit, being called?
    It seems it is all talk and no action.
    Hal, I sincerely would like to hear your thoughts.

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  4. Crap! I knew I was forgetting something. I wasn't at the meeting.

    I'm not sure what kind of "special" truck is needed, so I can't really comment on the need for it. Is it a replacement for a special truck that outlived its usefulness? Come to think about it, there is a large white truck sitting across the street from the Town garage. I believe it is a sewer sucker, a vacuum truck to clean out storm sewers. What is wrong with it? Is it the special pump and tank or the engine and drive train. Couldn't we put the pump and tank on a new chassis? How about replacing just the pump or patching the tank. That sucker (pun intended) is probably pretty expensive. Was it budgeted? A lot of questions rattling around in my brain. Think I'll pay a visit to the DPW.

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  5. Back to your question...
    Nothing is getting done because the Town Residents are being held hostage by the power brokers of the Democratic party. They (McCabe and Holleran)not sure if I got the last name correct but it is the disgruntled fired Town worker who is the head of the local Democratic party. Anyway, as you know they have sued to keep Christo and Danaher off the Town Board when they were voted into the County Legislature. FYI, Ginny O'Brien held both positions simultaneously in the past. I don't like the idea of holding two positions, but if it was wrong, how did they get on the ballot? According the Mr. Christo, his attorney told him not to cast a deciding vote (or Danaher for that matter) in case they lose the court case all votes would be null and void. So the fact they have a temporary court order saying that they can serve, they are impotent. If they win the appeal, will the Democrats counter sue again and keep this process going or will they concede? It is my opinion, as long as the two council members are in limbo, the Democrats win so I expect them to keep fighting. This could last all the way until next November when part of the Board is up for re-election. It is quite apparent that the Democrats are more concerned about holding onto power than serving the voters. The Republicans have appointed some Democrats to positions in an effort to govern and keep the town running. So until the matter of the Town Board is settled, nothing of any meaning will get accomplished. That includes voting for an audit. What are the Democrats trying to hide? Mr. Matters stated that no one is looking for crooked politicians, but just trying to find out where the money went. Personally, I think an audit will indeed find crooked politicians and/or crooked Town employees. At the very least, it will find inept and overwhelmed politicians. I haven't seen any change in spending and/or much in changes in budgeting so it is business as usual. Ginny O'Brien, in my opinion is vetoing everything (last month was a GPS unit for a major program we already authorized) and will run on a platform of reformer and budget cutter. I believe she will be running for Town Supervisor in the next election. Why else would she leave the County and return to the Town. She stands to increase her retirement greatly if she serves full time as the Town Supervisor and then retires. I think she is a disgrace and I intend to do what I can to help anyone who runs against her. She deserves to be dethroned and tossed out.
    What can we do? Make sure the Board knows that we are unhappy. Attend meetings, speak out and ask questions, hard questions and support candidates that will take the reigns and stop the fraud, waste and political games. I imagine anyone who does this will probably serve just one term as I believe jobs need to be cut, serves need to cut and spending needs to be drastically cut in order to get our financials back in line. this will make a lot of people unhappy as we have a lot of town residents either making a living off the town budget or family/friends who do.
    I want to have a tea party in front of Town Hall to show that we are sick and tired. If we can't get people together to change the Town politicians, how can we hope to chang ethe State and Federal Government? All politics are local and we can have a very dramatic effect on our Town's future. We need to take charge.. I can't believe the residents are happy with where we are headed, but ignoring it won't make it go away. Hey, you asked...

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  6. HAL I AGREE!!!!!! I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT WILLING TO STAND UP AND FIGHT.
    I FOR ONE LOVE THE IDEA OF A TEA PARTY AND ONCE IT IS ON ITS WAY I WILL JOIN. WAITING TO SEE THIS HAPPEN. IF WE DO NOT DO SOMETHING YOU CAN REST ASSURED THAT O'BRIEN WILL INDEED RUN FOR SUPERVISOR AND SHE MAY WIN. STILL CANNOT BELIEVE SHE BEAT OUT ANN. WHAT A DISGRACE TO US. THANKS AND KEEP DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB. SORRY I CANNOT GIVE YOU MY NAME AT THIS TIME BUT I WILL AT SOME POINT. THANKS
    AGAIN. me

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  7. Hal, I for one would love to attend a Tea Party if needed. I Attended two in Albany last year. You are right, we have to start somewhere. I have stated on Mikes Blog that politics has taken on a life of its own. It has become our master and we live day to day as sheeple, servitude to its whims.


    Non transparency is the power of the master (political machine) and it's time we the people press harder for answers from our elected officials. The residents of EG are rockin at the town meetings, this should have been happening a long time ago.


    I remember attending town meetings with 6 to 7 people in attendance. I came questioning drug activity taking place in my neighborhood. Slowly more people started to attend. I asked neighbors to come and speak up or at least give support. I got only two to come over the years. The blogs have been a great source of information and interest to the residents of EG. I hope all the blogs continue to grow in comments and lurkers also.

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  8. Bonnie and all,

    There is an Albany Tea Party scheduled for April 19, 2010 at the Corning Preserve. I will attempt to get more information for you as time goes on. Thanks for the support.

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  9. Hmm, run for office? thought about it but didn't seriously consider it. Here's why. 1) which office? the signs belong to two different governmental agencies school district and Fire district. Hal Speak the truth here.....the Sign on Phillips road belongs to the FIRE COMPANY......Not the district get it right!

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  10. Anon-

    One of the problems with using anonymous is it sounds like one person, but I guess it is not. Any you are correct the sign at the Park Station does belong to the fire company not the fire district. I Stand corrected. Now lets look at it a little closer, most people don't realize there is a difference, so let me explain. The fire district is a governmental agency that is run by elected officials, voted into power by the voters of said district. Having said that, the district does not hold their elections at the same time as the other political subdivisions do so most people aren't aware of the elections. That is why the State has passed a law recently that all fire district elections across the state must be held on the same day. The fact that most voters don't realize that they have a vote, don't actually vote in the election or run for office for that matter. The result is most times, the elected fire commissioners are members of the fire company because it is mostly fire fighters and their family members and friends are the only ones who vote. Talk about the tail wagging the dog! If the fire commissioner doesn't vote the way the fire fighters want them to, they don't get re-elected. This IS democracy at work, but it is controlled by a small part of the community (SPECIAL INTEREST). The fire company is a non-profit entity. They get their funds from multiple sources. Most comes from the fire district. How? The company owns the stations and the fire district pays them rent to house the apparatus within. The apparatus is owned by the district (voters). The company then utilizes to district apparatus to perform their functions. The rest of the company funds comes from donations (tax payers again) and things like pizza night and fish fry night (tax payer supported again). So you are indeed correct that the fire company owns the sign not the district, BUT it is the taxpayers who ultimately paid for it. I still think it is a waste of taxpayer funds. If you spend money on the sign, lower the taxes. Just how many people see that sign? Did you take that into consideration before purchasing it? When you put the old sign up (temporary back lit sign) did you see an increase in turnout for your fund raisers? Was there a need for the sign or did it look cool or is it just bigger than someone elses?

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  11. One other thing, please continue to comment on this blog and keep me honest. I appreciate you pointing out errors in my reports. My goal is to bring issues I think important to light and I hope to do it in a fair and honest way.Thank you.

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  12. Hey Hal, that is something that was debated between myself, and another person on the other blog. Why the need for another sign, and in the end this person actually admitted that the sign in front of Genet was just to keep up with the Jones. Isn't that what they are all for, so people can run around and thump their chest's and say look at my sign it is bigger then yours.

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  13. Hal - you should "foil" the costs for the sign - i hear that the grant money didnt even come close to covering the cost?

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