- $57 million for a "community" swimming pool, tennis courts, and building repairs in the Whitesboro CSD.
- $26 million for what was previously called a "community" performing arts center, artificial turf, and classrooms in the New Hartford CSD.
- $39 million for the new BOCES facilities.
- $187 million for the Utica School District's building program.
- $11 million for little Holland Patent SD.
- $20 million for the Marcy "Nanocenter"
- $22 million for Griffiss
And this is just a short list of capital projects . . . It does not include the day to day amounts that we taxpayers pump into various government entities to maintain some of these things. . . such as the $2 million/year for losses at Griffiss.
To repeat ad nauseum: This is a region of declining population . . . These levels of spending do not represent "real" community needs. Rather, they represent the "wants" of those who are "connected" and will benefit.
For a similar "taking advantage" theme, read Gear's post about Hotel Utica.
5 comments:
unbelievable!
It sounds like you are saying that we just continue to throw tax dollars on top of problems and think that it will solve everything. Sounds like you might be saying that we just continue to dig ourselves deeper into the hole.
Man, it's nice to see someone actually gets it. But they are so stupid and arrogant that they will continue to do the same things over and over expecting a different result. Or, do they even "expect" different results anymore?
Strikeslip,
The thing that I first noticed on your list of capital projects is that the first five could have been voted down by the taxpayers, but none were.
What does that say...either the majority of taxpayers want this spending or not enough people who were against the spending bothered to vote.
This foolishness will continue until enough people truly "want" change.
Apparently, at this point, we are not there yet. How bad will it have to get?
Actually, The HP school project was voted down, with a very rough approx. turnout of 750 against vs. 400 for. Now, a very small contingent of "concerned parents" has somehow managed to accumulate 1000 plus signatures from the community to petition the HP BOE to bring up the project for a re-vote. I apologize that much of this is in the link posted in original entry. I just dont see how this re-vote stands a chance of passing, considering the solid margin of defeat previouslly, not to mention the price tag increasing over 10% in just a few months. I'm sure some of the petitioners were able to sway some of the voters, they certainly were armed with their BOE supplied talking points. The most annoying of which is the "free money" concept, otherwise known as state funding. I wish there was a way to impress upon people how much damage is being done to this state and its residents with its propensity for defecit spending. The fact that 80% plus of this project is "free" state money does little for my conscience, especially when I add up all the state taxes and fees which ultimately fund these "free" projects. Talking point #2, that another district will grab this "free" money if we don't. We'll forgive me if I sound naive, but someone has to be the first to exercise some fiscal responsibility. Maybe the concept will catch on.
I don't think this is a done deal yet. Just because one of these petition moms says they have seen a lot of support, don't make it so. I can't imagine how they got 1035 signatures, but have to give them credit, they got the Board to go for a revote. I suppose the support the Board gave to them, like letting them set up a table at parent teacher conference night Monday at Floyd Elementary probably helped. I wonder if the Board also allowed those opposed to the field an equal opportunity to get face time with district voters? I didn't see that table. I did see one of these Moms handing out a roadside poster telling people to vote yes for the project. I wonder if the state would be so willing to hand out funding if they knew the school districts were openly coercing voters to vote yes on these capital projects?
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