Just when things seemed to have quieted down, a spate of news stories has pricked our interest. Unfortunately, as usual, the news is more of the same.
We no sooner put our wallets away in anticipation of a spring end to high heating bills when we get confronted with a potential double digit hike in water rates. While recent changes to federal regulations may have something to do with the hike, the unhappy homeowner should know about how he or she may be subsidizing some of our large "industrial" users in the area, such as the prisons, Hamilton College, and the Brewery. To see what we mean, look at the table on p 45 of 141 at MVWA 2003 Bond Series Info and notice MVWA's ranking for "Industrial" rather than "Residential" users, and it will tell you why your individual home rates may be so high. If you want to know who are the beneficiaries of YOUR largess, check out: MVWA 2005 Financial Report Page 105 of 116.
On another front, we find out that the Utica Municipal Housing Authority has chosen a new leader, a former Utica City School District superintendent, who apparently interviewed for a superintendent's job in Fall River last summer, when questions were raised about his departure from East Providence. The Internet sure makes life interesting, doesn't it? No questions seem to have been raised here ... Is MHA still on dialup?
Meanwhile, Oneida County (with the highest sales tax in the state) feels the need to borrow some more - up to $2 million dollars more - to construct an aircraft maintenance training center for MVCC (or is it really for Empire Aero) at Griffiss. While our local colleges should be providing our students with training that will lead to jobs in the local economy, do we really need to BORROW to do this, especially now when our tax burden is already so crushing? What is the projected Return On Investment for this borrowing? (The legislation may be reviewed at page 18 of 58 here.)It's interesting to compare the tons of press coverage and back-slapping given to the State's security training center ($1-6 million state dollars) as opposed to the practical silence on this proposal ($2 million County dollars).
Finally, we have the non-news story of the year, since we can literally see it every day in boarded up houses and businesses: the region's population shrinking.
Perhaps the first three stories explain the last.
PS Happy St. Paddy's Day to you all. Maybe if we pray real hard we can drive the "snakes" that hold us back out of Oneida County. Don't miss Utica's big parade tomorrow morning!
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Education Government Rome Utica Water+Supply
Friday, March 17, 2006
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
N.C.L.B. Underfunded? Hah!
The Federal Government should not be playing a role in controlling our education system since that power was left to the states under our Constitution. However, when the states fail to properly educate our children, it becomes a national problem, threatening our security and economic well being. While the Federal government cannot directly control what goes on in our schools, it can achieve the same thing through the Federal Purse. States and School Districts will agree to do certain things in return for Federal dollars.
Over the years Congress and various administrations have sponsored education programs to address a plethora of issues. Overall, we cannot say things have improved because we are still dissatisfied with the results after 30 years of spending. A number of programs started out well intentioned, but may have created more problems because they came with unacceptable details.
For example, several years ago the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was intended to ensure privacy of student records. However, because of an expansive interpretation of what constitutes an "education record," FERPA has become an excuse for school districts to conceal what is happening in their classrooms, halls and buses. So, if you want to view a videotape of a class to see how your child is being taught (and how your hard earned tax dollars are being spent), you will be denied under FERPA because it violates the "privacy rights" of other parents'children who might be depicted on the tape. Even teachers have had problems in viewing tapes of their own classes. This is rediculous. THERE IS NO 'PRIVACY RIGHT" of students BECAUSE CONGRESS HAS NO CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY IN THIS AREA. Instead, what is happening is that your Federal tax dollars are being paid to get local bureaucrats to deny you access to the videotaped information. Was there ever a national problem of people getting into student's records with no valid reason? Who knows? The Federal interest in all this is really unclear -- but the purported NEED for FERPA would not be there (if it ever was) if local officials were handling students' records responsibly.
Another Federal requirement is that Special Education students be placed in the "least restrictive environment." This means that Special Ed kids are to be kept in the regular classsroom wherever possible. Common sense would dictate this because students taken out of regular class would miss what goes on in that class and fall behind. Apparently, the federal government recognized what was actually happening and tried to stop it: the wholesale segregation and warehousing of students who had fallen behind as "educationally disabled." The Federal Funds that were addressed to special ed came with a number of onerous "due process" requirements to make sure that student's "rights" are not being violated. As well intended as this was, it unfortunately resulted in a lot of litigation and paperwork, resources that would have been better spent on teaching children. Again, none if this would have been needed if the states had been doing their jobs properly.
Now we have the Federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) -- the latest national response to the national disgrace of our system of public education. Of course, the NEA is complaining about insufficient funding, and even local people are complaining about a lack of funding... What Nonsense. This act does nothing more than give money to the states and school districts to get them TO DO WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING ON THEIR OWN (WITH THEIR OWN MONEY): Using effective teaching methods and monitoring progress to ensure that ALL children are learning.. . . But for the educationists, there is NEVER enough money. .. and That will be their excuse when they Make NCLB fail.
But maybe Money for education is indeed the problem . . . Like too much ice cream will make you sick, perhaps there is so much money available for special programs (each with its own special administrative requirements) that our schools now spend too many resources on "compliance" issues and not enough on teaching. Perhaps the Fed should just get out of the Education business altogether and take its money with it.. . . and perhaps we would all be better off for it.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Education
Over the years Congress and various administrations have sponsored education programs to address a plethora of issues. Overall, we cannot say things have improved because we are still dissatisfied with the results after 30 years of spending. A number of programs started out well intentioned, but may have created more problems because they came with unacceptable details.
For example, several years ago the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was intended to ensure privacy of student records. However, because of an expansive interpretation of what constitutes an "education record," FERPA has become an excuse for school districts to conceal what is happening in their classrooms, halls and buses. So, if you want to view a videotape of a class to see how your child is being taught (and how your hard earned tax dollars are being spent), you will be denied under FERPA because it violates the "privacy rights" of other parents'children who might be depicted on the tape. Even teachers have had problems in viewing tapes of their own classes. This is rediculous. THERE IS NO 'PRIVACY RIGHT" of students BECAUSE CONGRESS HAS NO CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY IN THIS AREA. Instead, what is happening is that your Federal tax dollars are being paid to get local bureaucrats to deny you access to the videotaped information. Was there ever a national problem of people getting into student's records with no valid reason? Who knows? The Federal interest in all this is really unclear -- but the purported NEED for FERPA would not be there (if it ever was) if local officials were handling students' records responsibly.
Another Federal requirement is that Special Education students be placed in the "least restrictive environment." This means that Special Ed kids are to be kept in the regular classsroom wherever possible. Common sense would dictate this because students taken out of regular class would miss what goes on in that class and fall behind. Apparently, the federal government recognized what was actually happening and tried to stop it: the wholesale segregation and warehousing of students who had fallen behind as "educationally disabled." The Federal Funds that were addressed to special ed came with a number of onerous "due process" requirements to make sure that student's "rights" are not being violated. As well intended as this was, it unfortunately resulted in a lot of litigation and paperwork, resources that would have been better spent on teaching children. Again, none if this would have been needed if the states had been doing their jobs properly.
Now we have the Federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) -- the latest national response to the national disgrace of our system of public education. Of course, the NEA is complaining about insufficient funding, and even local people are complaining about a lack of funding... What Nonsense. This act does nothing more than give money to the states and school districts to get them TO DO WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING ON THEIR OWN (WITH THEIR OWN MONEY): Using effective teaching methods and monitoring progress to ensure that ALL children are learning.. . . But for the educationists, there is NEVER enough money. .. and That will be their excuse when they Make NCLB fail.
But maybe Money for education is indeed the problem . . . Like too much ice cream will make you sick, perhaps there is so much money available for special programs (each with its own special administrative requirements) that our schools now spend too many resources on "compliance" issues and not enough on teaching. Perhaps the Fed should just get out of the Education business altogether and take its money with it.. . . and perhaps we would all be better off for it.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Education
Monday, February 20, 2006
A Quiet Presidents' Day Weekend . . .
A quiet Presidents' Day weekend draws to a close. The tantalizingly brilliant days were simply too breezy and cold, and the snow was too patchy (in spite of the WeatherChannel's threats of "lake-effect"), for X-C skiing. It was a good weekend for household chores. Weatherwise, I suppose we can't complain this year. While not enough snow to ski, it was rather pleasant not to have to snowblow to get out of the driveway. It was certainly better than '02-'03 and '03-'04, which looked like the beginning of the next Ice Age. [I'm somewhat of a Global Warming Skeptic -- but I'll save that subject for another day]. Oh well, it's only 4 weeks and 1 day to spring -- and gardening!
One thing did get my attention this weekend: the story about Dubai Ports World acquiring the London-based Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation. The latter company apparently controls operations in most of the U.S.'s major ports, and the former is apparently a corporate face for the Dubai government. I don't know about you, but this worries me. How can we allow our ports to be controlled by a foreign government? How could we have already allowed our ports to be controlled by a foreign corporation? Perhaps this was done in the same way we allowed National Grid (from the UK) to take over NiMo, or German RWE to take over American Waterworks (soon to be spun off). Perhaps this was done in the same way that "American" corporations have exported most if not all of their manufacturing overseas. (Can we really consider them "American" anymore?) Perhaps my worries may be attributed to the history lessons I learned in school (apparently no longer taught) on how we were able to convert our peace time assets to war production to protect ourselves and allies during the two World Wars. If our industrial capacity has been exported and our ports and utilities are foreign owned, what's to stop others from pulling the plug and walking in and taking over? I simply do not understand why the export of jobs and foreign control of vital operations are not viewed as national security risks.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Whining Educrats . . .
Did anyone catch the show on WCNY this evening "Making the Grade" about the state of education in New York? If not, it will be repeated Sunday, February 12, 12:30 pm. The panel included Commissioner Mills, Regent Botar, Mr. Lowengard (former Utica and now Syracuse Supt.) and the Buffalo Supt. It was the same old song ... the funding formula is wrong, we need more money, we need more programs, blah blah blah ... and a million excuses why the job of education has become so 'difficult.'
The most telling point during the entire program came in response to a caller. The gentleman related that he was a teacher who had taught in several very poor countries including Ghana, that children in those places could learn without any of the funding and luxuries we have here, and that we were spending more than enough on education. The response from the panelists: ignore the statement and talk about how more money is needed. If you didn't pay close attention you would think that the caller had asked for increased spending. They apparently never learned listening skills.
We have heard for many many years that our schools have not made the grade, and have seen one failed initiative following another. Regents competency tests, Regents Action Plan, the Compact for Learning, Shared Decisionmaking, "Higher Standards" . . . the list goes on and on. Schools consume more tax dollars and a greater percentage of total tax dollars than ever, and the results seem only to get worse. Why should the public believe anything that any of these so-called experts say when their track record has been so poor?
Technorati Tags: Education
The most telling point during the entire program came in response to a caller. The gentleman related that he was a teacher who had taught in several very poor countries including Ghana, that children in those places could learn without any of the funding and luxuries we have here, and that we were spending more than enough on education. The response from the panelists: ignore the statement and talk about how more money is needed. If you didn't pay close attention you would think that the caller had asked for increased spending. They apparently never learned listening skills.
We have heard for many many years that our schools have not made the grade, and have seen one failed initiative following another. Regents competency tests, Regents Action Plan, the Compact for Learning, Shared Decisionmaking, "Higher Standards" . . . the list goes on and on. Schools consume more tax dollars and a greater percentage of total tax dollars than ever, and the results seem only to get worse. Why should the public believe anything that any of these so-called experts say when their track record has been so poor?
Technorati Tags: Education
Thursday, February 02, 2006
New Stores Ordered to Close
Because of a Pyramid Corp lawsuit a Judge orders stores to close in a new project in Watertown. This happened because the Watertown Planning Board failed to conduct an adequate environmental review when it approved the new project.
COULD THIS HAPPEN HERE?
There are some similarities. Like Salmon Run Mall in W'Town, Pyramid Corp owns Sangertown Square, which is near newly built and occupied Consumer Sq. and the Orchard. As we found out last weekend, we now have overflows of raw sewage into the Mohawk in part caused by a "spate of recent development" which we all know has occurred in New Hartford. While I don't know it to be the case, the overflows suggest that the New Hartford environmental review may have been less than adequate.
What makes our situation more interesting is that (1) we have a clear environmental impact that is undeniable and (2) our "regionalized" sewer system visits damages on others who would be potential plaintiffs.
By default, the cost of solving the overflow problem will likely fall on ALL USERS of the sewer system: i.e., people in Utica, Whitestown and beyond, so the Part-County Sewer District could be a potential plaintiff. Additionally, if the situation results in a construction moratorium in Whitestown, Whitestown would be another potential plaintiff.
It certainly would be more than annoying if New Hartford is permitted to reap and keep the tax-base benefits of these projects to itself while passing on increased costs and restrictions to its neighbors who had no say in the matters.
Things could get very interesting if people are annoyed enough with New Hartford to want to make it so.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Environment Regionalization Utica
COULD THIS HAPPEN HERE?
There are some similarities. Like Salmon Run Mall in W'Town, Pyramid Corp owns Sangertown Square, which is near newly built and occupied Consumer Sq. and the Orchard. As we found out last weekend, we now have overflows of raw sewage into the Mohawk in part caused by a "spate of recent development" which we all know has occurred in New Hartford. While I don't know it to be the case, the overflows suggest that the New Hartford environmental review may have been less than adequate.
What makes our situation more interesting is that (1) we have a clear environmental impact that is undeniable and (2) our "regionalized" sewer system visits damages on others who would be potential plaintiffs.
By default, the cost of solving the overflow problem will likely fall on ALL USERS of the sewer system: i.e., people in Utica, Whitestown and beyond, so the Part-County Sewer District could be a potential plaintiff. Additionally, if the situation results in a construction moratorium in Whitestown, Whitestown would be another potential plaintiff.
It certainly would be more than annoying if New Hartford is permitted to reap and keep the tax-base benefits of these projects to itself while passing on increased costs and restrictions to its neighbors who had no say in the matters.
Things could get very interesting if people are annoyed enough with New Hartford to want to make it so.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Environment Regionalization Utica
Monday, January 30, 2006
Distracted in Rome ...
Last week I highlighted school-stories from Utica. This week Rome has stolen the education spotlight.
Lab, RCS partner on cyber security. This is pretty interesting. In a partnership between AFRL, Syracuse U and Rome Catholic School, a course will be offered at RCS in cyber security as a "technical" elective. I feel a bit uncomfortable when K-12 curriculum gets tailored around the needs of particular industry, particularly when it sounds like recruiting before students know enough to lock into a career choice. Is such highly specialized fare appropriate for high school when the subject matter may be irrelevant by the time the student enters the work place? The shelf life for software is pretty short. In this age of Windows XP (soon to be supplanted by Vista), is training in MS-DOS still useful? Maybe this is OK for students who plan to immediately enter the job market on high school graduation -- and no one is forced to take it because it is an elective. However, I think students continuing their education might be better served by something more general that would provide a better foundation for specialization LATER in life.
In Rome students to get leg up on fun workout we find out about climbing walls being installed in 8 elementary schools. This just could be the cure for the obese "couch-potatoes" we've been told we are raising! I only hope that (1) the kids are supervised while using the walls, (2) there is a school nurse in the house, and (3) the schools are ready for a lawsuit when someone gets hurt.
In School program focuses on distracted driving, we are treated to students with faces painted white and going to class escorted by the "Grim Reaper" -- all to remind students of the highway deaths caused by distracted drivers. More events are planned throughout the year. Well, what about the DISTRACTION FROM EDUCATION that this entails? This involves someone getting a grant (the typical underlying factor) to infringe on valuable school time to advance a particular cause. It seems like every special interest group or teacher or principal with a pet interest is vying for airtime with the kids. No wonder we have so many functional illiterates. No one denies the problem with distracted driving -- but if this is such a problem among young people, then target the effort where it will do the most good: Driver's Ed and the DMV manuals and testing. Walking around school in costume is nonsense.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Education Rome
Lab, RCS partner on cyber security. This is pretty interesting. In a partnership between AFRL, Syracuse U and Rome Catholic School, a course will be offered at RCS in cyber security as a "technical" elective. I feel a bit uncomfortable when K-12 curriculum gets tailored around the needs of particular industry, particularly when it sounds like recruiting before students know enough to lock into a career choice. Is such highly specialized fare appropriate for high school when the subject matter may be irrelevant by the time the student enters the work place? The shelf life for software is pretty short. In this age of Windows XP (soon to be supplanted by Vista), is training in MS-DOS still useful? Maybe this is OK for students who plan to immediately enter the job market on high school graduation -- and no one is forced to take it because it is an elective. However, I think students continuing their education might be better served by something more general that would provide a better foundation for specialization LATER in life.
In Rome students to get leg up on fun workout we find out about climbing walls being installed in 8 elementary schools. This just could be the cure for the obese "couch-potatoes" we've been told we are raising! I only hope that (1) the kids are supervised while using the walls, (2) there is a school nurse in the house, and (3) the schools are ready for a lawsuit when someone gets hurt.
In School program focuses on distracted driving, we are treated to students with faces painted white and going to class escorted by the "Grim Reaper" -- all to remind students of the highway deaths caused by distracted drivers. More events are planned throughout the year. Well, what about the DISTRACTION FROM EDUCATION that this entails? This involves someone getting a grant (the typical underlying factor) to infringe on valuable school time to advance a particular cause. It seems like every special interest group or teacher or principal with a pet interest is vying for airtime with the kids. No wonder we have so many functional illiterates. No one denies the problem with distracted driving -- but if this is such a problem among young people, then target the effort where it will do the most good: Driver's Ed and the DMV manuals and testing. Walking around school in costume is nonsense.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Education Rome
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Urban Sprawl: The bill becomes due! Now ... Who pays?
A few days ago the Observer-Dispatch treated us to the story of the Road to growth , which tantalized us with visions of new stores, homes and a business park. The prospects generated buzz and more buzz. I previously noted that this so-called "growth" is really "sprawl" because our region's population is not growing, and that it would ultimately result in increased costs.
Well ... It looks like the first bill for our "growth" just came due. State: Sewage overflow into Mohawk must stop. It seems that a "spate of recent development" (note the term "growth" isn't used) has overloaded the Sauquoit Creek sewer line to the point where raw sewage is spilling into the Mohawk River. The state wants it stopped. The study alone to solve the problem is estimated at $3-5 million. Supervisor Shannon does not see it as a Whitestown problem. Note that no comment apparently was sought from New Hartford's supervisor.
While some development in Whitestown has occurred and more is planned, everyone knows that most of the "spate of recent development" has actually occurred in the Town of New Hartford. New Hartford encouraged this "growth" to expand ITS tax base. Unless New Hartford now wants to share the benefits of its expanded tax base with the other communities comprising Greater Utica, it seems only fitting that New Hartford should bear the FULL COST of what it caused.
Hopefully the costs of the "growth" will not be "regionalized" without also regionalizing the benefits.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Environment Regionalization Utica
Well ... It looks like the first bill for our "growth" just came due. State: Sewage overflow into Mohawk must stop. It seems that a "spate of recent development" (note the term "growth" isn't used) has overloaded the Sauquoit Creek sewer line to the point where raw sewage is spilling into the Mohawk River. The state wants it stopped. The study alone to solve the problem is estimated at $3-5 million. Supervisor Shannon does not see it as a Whitestown problem. Note that no comment apparently was sought from New Hartford's supervisor.
While some development in Whitestown has occurred and more is planned, everyone knows that most of the "spate of recent development" has actually occurred in the Town of New Hartford. New Hartford encouraged this "growth" to expand ITS tax base. Unless New Hartford now wants to share the benefits of its expanded tax base with the other communities comprising Greater Utica, it seems only fitting that New Hartford should bear the FULL COST of what it caused.
Hopefully the costs of the "growth" will not be "regionalized" without also regionalizing the benefits.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Environment Regionalization Utica
Monday, January 23, 2006
How to Get More Math and Science Teachers . . . and Engineers ...
A proposed scholarship program to solve the shortage in Math/Science teachers is again in the news -- this time in the Rome Sentinel article How to get more math and science teachers. The article also expresses concern that the number of engineering graduates has decreased 20% since 1985 while the demand is increasing. As usual, the response is to throw money at problems, avoiding the causes. Here are three possible causes of students staying away from math, science and engineering:
(1) Students do not have an adequate foundation to be successful. When you don't know the basics, its hard to understand higher level math and science classes in school, or engineering courses in college. This makes these subjects "too difficult" to be interesting or enjoyable, or impossible to master.
(2) Time is wasted in activities with other students. Students these days are often required to spend their time with other students working on projects to "construct" their own knowledge rather than being directly instructed by the teacher. An example of this approach is spending four weeks studying and designing the soles of sneakers, so students can discover how "science is used to solve real-world problems." I could not imagine either being a student in such a class, or teaching it. Boredom and drudgery is a sure-fire way to drive students and teachers alike from math and science.
(3) Textbooks (when they are used) are uninteresting. I remember my Earth Science textbook back in 1962: colorful, easy to read and understand. The book (plus a really great teacher) made what I expected to be a boring subject interesting, and led to my majoring in it in college. My child's recent Earth Science textbook, however, was all black-and-white and "business." It was difficult to understand and had things in it that were far too advanced, such as phase diagrams of rock composition (something I did not encounter until I took a graduate level course in petrology.) The book was a real "turn off."
If we want more math and science teachers, and more engineers, let's fix the things that drive away potential candidates.
Technorati Tags: Education
(1) Students do not have an adequate foundation to be successful. When you don't know the basics, its hard to understand higher level math and science classes in school, or engineering courses in college. This makes these subjects "too difficult" to be interesting or enjoyable, or impossible to master.
(2) Time is wasted in activities with other students. Students these days are often required to spend their time with other students working on projects to "construct" their own knowledge rather than being directly instructed by the teacher. An example of this approach is spending four weeks studying and designing the soles of sneakers, so students can discover how "science is used to solve real-world problems." I could not imagine either being a student in such a class, or teaching it. Boredom and drudgery is a sure-fire way to drive students and teachers alike from math and science.
(3) Textbooks (when they are used) are uninteresting. I remember my Earth Science textbook back in 1962: colorful, easy to read and understand. The book (plus a really great teacher) made what I expected to be a boring subject interesting, and led to my majoring in it in college. My child's recent Earth Science textbook, however, was all black-and-white and "business." It was difficult to understand and had things in it that were far too advanced, such as phase diagrams of rock composition (something I did not encounter until I took a graduate level course in petrology.) The book was a real "turn off."
If we want more math and science teachers, and more engineers, let's fix the things that drive away potential candidates.
Technorati Tags: Education
Saturday, January 21, 2006
More Distractions . . . .
Last week it was YOGA .... Now THIS . . .
http://www.uticaod.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060121/NEWS/601210318/1001/NEWS
How much time do these kids get to spend on their "ABC's"?
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Education Utica
http://www.uticaod.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060121/NEWS/601210318/1001/NEWS
How much time do these kids get to spend on their "ABC's"?
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Education Utica
Sunday, January 15, 2006
In the MoVa?
Down in Amsterdam, Dan has no confusion over where he lives: Why, in the MOHAWK VALLEY, of course!
But up HERE at the western terminus of that valley, we seem to be going through an "Identity Crisis" of sorts. We don't know what to call ourselves. Are we Western Mohawk Valley? Upper Mohawk Valley? Greater Utica? Utica-Rome? Rome-Utica? Utica-Rome Metro ? The Utica-Rome Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area? . . . .
This is no trivial matter. It is particularly distressing for marketing purposes. People need to know where you are if you want them to find you. Stewart Airport finds itself in a similar situation, just to show you how important this is.
Utica-Rome or Utica-Rome Metro are the most accurate (to include both cities and surrounding suburbs into Herkimer County and to place the names in order of historical prominance) and are easily found on a map. "Utica-Rome" however, seems to have fallen out of favor, though it was commonly heard in the 70s. There seems to be a desire to eliminate the "Utica" portion of the designation, in spite of its long and prominant history. "Upper Mohawk Valley" replaced the "Utica" in the Water Board -- and then all that recently morphed into the "Mohawk Valley" Water Authority even though it serves no further east than Schuyler. The Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce has nonsensically rebranded itself as the "Mohawk Valley" chamber even though it is primarily Utica area businesses and is "bookended" by the Rome and Herkimer chambers. (If New Hartfordites are behind this, they should just forget it. We don't need to be confused with a city in Connecticut.)
While the president of the "Mohawk Valley" Chamber is correct when he says that the "Mohawk Valley" is "a name that's been developed and people take pride in" he doesn't realize that he's talking about people from Schenectady to St. Johnsville! [If our Chamber is supposed to be the local expert in marketing, are we in trouble!]
I wonder what people like Dan think of all this?
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Economic+Development Rome Utica
But up HERE at the western terminus of that valley, we seem to be going through an "Identity Crisis" of sorts. We don't know what to call ourselves. Are we Western Mohawk Valley? Upper Mohawk Valley? Greater Utica? Utica-Rome? Rome-Utica? Utica-Rome Metro ? The Utica-Rome Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area? . . . .
This is no trivial matter. It is particularly distressing for marketing purposes. People need to know where you are if you want them to find you. Stewart Airport finds itself in a similar situation, just to show you how important this is.
Utica-Rome or Utica-Rome Metro are the most accurate (to include both cities and surrounding suburbs into Herkimer County and to place the names in order of historical prominance) and are easily found on a map. "Utica-Rome" however, seems to have fallen out of favor, though it was commonly heard in the 70s. There seems to be a desire to eliminate the "Utica" portion of the designation, in spite of its long and prominant history. "Upper Mohawk Valley" replaced the "Utica" in the Water Board -- and then all that recently morphed into the "Mohawk Valley" Water Authority even though it serves no further east than Schuyler. The Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce has nonsensically rebranded itself as the "Mohawk Valley" chamber even though it is primarily Utica area businesses and is "bookended" by the Rome and Herkimer chambers. (If New Hartfordites are behind this, they should just forget it. We don't need to be confused with a city in Connecticut.)
While the president of the "Mohawk Valley" Chamber is correct when he says that the "Mohawk Valley" is "a name that's been developed and people take pride in" he doesn't realize that he's talking about people from Schenectady to St. Johnsville! [If our Chamber is supposed to be the local expert in marketing, are we in trouble!]
I wonder what people like Dan think of all this?
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Economic+Development Rome Utica
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Ooooommmm-my! Schools are in the News
Lots of news about schools this past week.
The Lines Are Drawn in Fight to Add Charter Schools according to the NY Times. The State Senate panel urged to create math/science-focused schools according to the Albany Business Journal. And our illustrious Board of Regents may drop school age to 5 according to the Rochester D&C.
All these recommendations reflect a recognition that our SCHOOLS JUST AREN'T "CUTTING IT."
All these recommendations reflect the usual NY response to a problem: THROW MORE MONEY AT IT -- and by all means DO NOT LOOK FOR THE CAUSE -- it just might require finding fault.
Well, we're not called "Fault Lines" for nothing . . . .
Here's an example of what is wrong: OOOOOooooooommmmm! YOGA !!! ...
The Utica newspaper this past Sunday had an article about the weekly yoga classes being taught at Kernan Elementary by a social worker. [Why is a social worker teaching? And what are the students' teachers (who are paid to teach) doing while the kids are in yoga?] This is nothing against Yoga -- it is very relaxing ... but why are teachers or principals allowed to take up a period a week on a non-academic subject while our graduates can't make change?
We don't need more charter schools, specialized schools or more time in school. We need the schools we already have to focus on their task.
To get to the point: Schools waste time on irrelevant material, group projects, and ineffective/inefficient teaching methods -- resulting in graduates who are functionally illiterate and too much money out of our pockets. See the latest George Will spin on this.
SCHOOLS HAVE CREATED THEIR OWN NEED for smaller classes, teacher aides/assistants, more special education, more outside tutoring, etc. Since schools seem to get REWARDED with more resources when they do bad, there is no incentive for them to do good.
In the weeks ahead I will return to this topic as illustrative news stories pop-up ...
We have a real problem on our hands that will NOT be resolved by giving more to those in charge.
Happy New Year!
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Education Utica
----
Update 1/15/06: RomeHater comments on John Stossel's report about education in America. (A great show in case you missed it).
The Lines Are Drawn in Fight to Add Charter Schools according to the NY Times. The State Senate panel urged to create math/science-focused schools according to the Albany Business Journal. And our illustrious Board of Regents may drop school age to 5 according to the Rochester D&C.
All these recommendations reflect a recognition that our SCHOOLS JUST AREN'T "CUTTING IT."
All these recommendations reflect the usual NY response to a problem: THROW MORE MONEY AT IT -- and by all means DO NOT LOOK FOR THE CAUSE -- it just might require finding fault.
Well, we're not called "Fault Lines" for nothing . . . .
Here's an example of what is wrong: OOOOOooooooommmmm! YOGA !!! ...
The Utica newspaper this past Sunday had an article about the weekly yoga classes being taught at Kernan Elementary by a social worker. [Why is a social worker teaching? And what are the students' teachers (who are paid to teach) doing while the kids are in yoga?] This is nothing against Yoga -- it is very relaxing ... but why are teachers or principals allowed to take up a period a week on a non-academic subject while our graduates can't make change?
We don't need more charter schools, specialized schools or more time in school. We need the schools we already have to focus on their task.
To get to the point: Schools waste time on irrelevant material, group projects, and ineffective/inefficient teaching methods -- resulting in graduates who are functionally illiterate and too much money out of our pockets. See the latest George Will spin on this.
SCHOOLS HAVE CREATED THEIR OWN NEED for smaller classes, teacher aides/assistants, more special education, more outside tutoring, etc. Since schools seem to get REWARDED with more resources when they do bad, there is no incentive for them to do good.
In the weeks ahead I will return to this topic as illustrative news stories pop-up ...
We have a real problem on our hands that will NOT be resolved by giving more to those in charge.
Happy New Year!
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Education Utica
----
Update 1/15/06: RomeHater comments on John Stossel's report about education in America. (A great show in case you missed it).
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Right Problem - Wrong solution
Under a Republican proposal Thursday in the State Senate, property owners would get a tax rebate check every September from Albany, and municipalities would see new incentives to consolidate services with neighboring governments. Essentially, this expands the "popular" STAR program which rebates to residential property owners some of their school taxes.
While the leadership correctly identifies New York's excessive property taxes, particularly school taxes, as one of the state's major problems, their solution is the same old "New York response" to any problem: throw money at it.
While some people have received relief under the STAR program, it did nothing to curb the cause of high school taxes: out-of-control spending by local school districts. In fact, STAR made it easier for local districts to spend more by BUYING OFF the votes of those most likely to oppose spending increases: the elderly and others on fixed incomes living in depreciated homes. Now, in typical NY fashion, a whole class of people will become further dependant on the government to give them a handout check every September.
While details of the plans for encouraging municipal "consolidation" are not described, it sounds like it will be more of the same: more handouts rather than attacking the structural impediments to consolidation.
Of course, all this only takes money from one taxpayer's pocket to put in another -- with the appropriate administration fee (employing how many more government bureaucrats) deducted along the way.
New York has to stop producing schemes like STAR that only enourage more bad behavior. Instead of giving taxpayers rebates, NY needs to stop taking so much from us to begin with.
Technorati Tags: Government
While the leadership correctly identifies New York's excessive property taxes, particularly school taxes, as one of the state's major problems, their solution is the same old "New York response" to any problem: throw money at it.
While some people have received relief under the STAR program, it did nothing to curb the cause of high school taxes: out-of-control spending by local school districts. In fact, STAR made it easier for local districts to spend more by BUYING OFF the votes of those most likely to oppose spending increases: the elderly and others on fixed incomes living in depreciated homes. Now, in typical NY fashion, a whole class of people will become further dependant on the government to give them a handout check every September.
While details of the plans for encouraging municipal "consolidation" are not described, it sounds like it will be more of the same: more handouts rather than attacking the structural impediments to consolidation.
Of course, all this only takes money from one taxpayer's pocket to put in another -- with the appropriate administration fee (employing how many more government bureaucrats) deducted along the way.
New York has to stop producing schemes like STAR that only enourage more bad behavior. Instead of giving taxpayers rebates, NY needs to stop taking so much from us to begin with.
Technorati Tags: Government
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Let's look at regionalizing recreation
"Let's look at regionalizing recreation" suggests the OD editorial board in yesterday's paper. Yes, lets do that. But instead of looking forward to regionalizing ice rinks in Clinton, New Hartford and Whitestown, lets look back at other recreational facilities or programs that have already been regionalized: the Utica Aud and the Youth Bureau.
I don't believe anyone can say that things have improved at the Aud since a regional authority took it over. And the County dropped the ball with the Youth Bureau to the point that Utica is taking back those functions.
If memory serves me correctly, the Aud and the Youth Bureau deals were part of the deal to regionalize the Water system. Utica gave up its water asset to be relieved of the burden of the Aud and youth programs. Now that the suburban areas have taken the water and "grown" using Utica water, they've turned their backs on the other two responsibilities they took on.
What's the lesson for today's proposal for a "regional sports authority?" Uticans had better hold onto their wallets. The proposal is nothing more than a thinly veiled plan to get Uticans to pay the expenses for suburban ice facilities -- facilities they will not use because they are too poor to pay for the ride out to them.
Regionalization in Oneida County has never been and will never be anything more than taking from Utica (the poor) and giving to the suburbs (the rich).
Technorati Tags: Regionalization Utica
I don't believe anyone can say that things have improved at the Aud since a regional authority took it over. And the County dropped the ball with the Youth Bureau to the point that Utica is taking back those functions.
If memory serves me correctly, the Aud and the Youth Bureau deals were part of the deal to regionalize the Water system. Utica gave up its water asset to be relieved of the burden of the Aud and youth programs. Now that the suburban areas have taken the water and "grown" using Utica water, they've turned their backs on the other two responsibilities they took on.
What's the lesson for today's proposal for a "regional sports authority?" Uticans had better hold onto their wallets. The proposal is nothing more than a thinly veiled plan to get Uticans to pay the expenses for suburban ice facilities -- facilities they will not use because they are too poor to pay for the ride out to them.
Regionalization in Oneida County has never been and will never be anything more than taking from Utica (the poor) and giving to the suburbs (the rich).
Technorati Tags: Regionalization Utica
Monday, December 19, 2005
Fairness to Utica
Mayor Julian's editorial in the Sunday OD, and Mr. Schiavi's editorial in this week's Life and Times raise a number of interesting points. Both are "must reads" by anyone serious about moving the region forward.
Mr. Julian focuses on how the region has harmed/done nothing for Utica's taxbase. He can legitimately complain about jobs being moved from Utica to Rome when Uticans are hit in the pocketbook. He can also legitimately complain when Uticans pay for "regional" job development, but none of Utica's areas are promoted. Try to find Utica on the EDGE Website. It corroborates Mr. Julian's claim that Utica has been "relegated to its present status as a regional afterthought."
Mr. Schiavi focuses on the things that make the region uncompetitive, specifically high sales and property taxes, and high utility rates. He rightly complains that nothing has been done about them. Almost echoing Julian, he states,"Utica has been relegated to its back seat position by those who want it to remain there, by those who do not want to live next to the poor, the illiterate, the unemployed, the socially negligent, and the rest who cannot 'make it on their own.'" Of course, Mr. Schiavi is correct in his assessment. For years, those who could afford to do so left Utica for lower taxed suburbs, continued to use Utica amenities, and escaped their responsibilities to take care of its poor. Unlike most other counties in New York, only recently did Oneida County take over its cities' welfare burdens.
There almost seems to be an intent of the regionalists to wipe "Utica" from everyone's consciousness, inaccurately substituting "Mohawk Valley" (which runs from Rome to Albany) in its place. If this is what is necessary to move the region forward, then, in fairness to Utica lets REALLY do it and fold the City of Utica into one county wide municipality along with Rome, New Hartford and all the other towns and villages. Such an action would certainly eliminate a lot of Mr. Julian's and Mr. Schiavi's concerns.
But somehow I don't think our elite really want this kind of regionalism to happen.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Regionalization Utica
Mr. Julian focuses on how the region has harmed/done nothing for Utica's taxbase. He can legitimately complain about jobs being moved from Utica to Rome when Uticans are hit in the pocketbook. He can also legitimately complain when Uticans pay for "regional" job development, but none of Utica's areas are promoted. Try to find Utica on the EDGE Website. It corroborates Mr. Julian's claim that Utica has been "relegated to its present status as a regional afterthought."
Mr. Schiavi focuses on the things that make the region uncompetitive, specifically high sales and property taxes, and high utility rates. He rightly complains that nothing has been done about them. Almost echoing Julian, he states,"Utica has been relegated to its back seat position by those who want it to remain there, by those who do not want to live next to the poor, the illiterate, the unemployed, the socially negligent, and the rest who cannot 'make it on their own.'" Of course, Mr. Schiavi is correct in his assessment. For years, those who could afford to do so left Utica for lower taxed suburbs, continued to use Utica amenities, and escaped their responsibilities to take care of its poor. Unlike most other counties in New York, only recently did Oneida County take over its cities' welfare burdens.
There almost seems to be an intent of the regionalists to wipe "Utica" from everyone's consciousness, inaccurately substituting "Mohawk Valley" (which runs from Rome to Albany) in its place. If this is what is necessary to move the region forward, then, in fairness to Utica lets REALLY do it and fold the City of Utica into one county wide municipality along with Rome, New Hartford and all the other towns and villages. Such an action would certainly eliminate a lot of Mr. Julian's and Mr. Schiavi's concerns.
But somehow I don't think our elite really want this kind of regionalism to happen.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Regionalization Utica
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Musings on a former Mayor
I really don't want to defend Mr. Hanna -- like any of us he was right on some things, terribly wrong on others, BUT ...
->He was elected because he dared to say what people were thinking.
->He was not beholden to party bosses -- or the local elite -- or anyone for that matter (except the voters on election day).
->I think he really believed his sign "This Government belongs to the People" -- which is the truth..
->He knew the value of aesthetics: Utica never looked better. The gardens were at their peak. He knew the value of art in the streetscape. A walk through the well manicured parks with beautiful floral displays, a drive down the parkway with its newly lighted monuments -- you knew: "This is a CITY" in the best sense of the word -- the cultural center --- and you wanted to be part of it.
As far as the watering can -- that was art. Whether its good art or bad art is a matter of perspective. BUT IT GAVE PEOPLE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT other than a tax increase or some other municipal complaint. It could be the subject of debate among people -- something to even make fun of perhaps -- without serious consequences. And getting people talking to each other BUILDS COMMUNITY. And that, my friend, can only be GOOD.
If Paris can have its Lips in a fountain, Chicago have its plastic cows, Utica can have its watering can.
[For CONTEXT and FOLLOWUP COMMENTS see Utica Area Discussions
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Government Utica
->He was elected because he dared to say what people were thinking.
->He was not beholden to party bosses -- or the local elite -- or anyone for that matter (except the voters on election day).
->I think he really believed his sign "This Government belongs to the People" -- which is the truth..
->He knew the value of aesthetics: Utica never looked better. The gardens were at their peak. He knew the value of art in the streetscape. A walk through the well manicured parks with beautiful floral displays, a drive down the parkway with its newly lighted monuments -- you knew: "This is a CITY" in the best sense of the word -- the cultural center --- and you wanted to be part of it.
As far as the watering can -- that was art. Whether its good art or bad art is a matter of perspective. BUT IT GAVE PEOPLE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT other than a tax increase or some other municipal complaint. It could be the subject of debate among people -- something to even make fun of perhaps -- without serious consequences. And getting people talking to each other BUILDS COMMUNITY. And that, my friend, can only be GOOD.
If Paris can have its Lips in a fountain, Chicago have its plastic cows, Utica can have its watering can.
[For CONTEXT and FOLLOWUP COMMENTS see Utica Area Discussions
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Government Utica
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Planned "Sprawl"?
For a second this morning I thought the O-D Editors may have finally seen the light:
"We want real growth, not just sprawl. When suburbs spread outward without really growing, municipal services are stretched over a larger area but there's no corresponding growth in the tax base to support the increased costs. And we've all seen retailers simply move from an older shopping complex to a new one leaving empty eyesores behind."
Of course, this is exactly what's occurred in Oneida County over the last 40 years: A shrinking population (encouraged by state and local policies) spread itself over so much acreage that it's become difficult to afford municipal services. New development sprung up in New Hartford, leaving decaying areas behind in Utica. But given the jurisdictional boundaries, Utica took the tax hit and New Hartford got the benefit.
Now older parts of NH will be hit as development spreads up the new "840" into undeveloped parts of NH and ... Whitestown. Is NH afraid of suffering the same fate as Utica? Will it eventually lose tax revenue to Whitestown? Now that it may hit the pocketbooks of the editors, does this underlie their sudden concern for regional planning?
Regardless of the motivation, it's a good recommendation -- better late than never.
But wait! There's more to read ...
... about the 840: "it makes way for development of thousands of acres in rural areas of Whitestown, Westmoreland and Kirkland. . . These communities will need to work in concert if they hope to maximize the growth potential that exists along this new corridor."
I guess they did't get it after all. They will try to "maximize the growth potential" in the hinterland ... while the population continues to decline! ... I guess it does not matter to them that their OWN "Next Step" ZOGBY POLL showed: that the PEOPLE want UTICA to be the region's hub. Any regional planning needs to have that as its focus ... but everyone knows that it will never happen. A regional hub in Utica is obviously not the O-D editors' concern.
See the complete OD editorial at Area needs regional growth plan
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Regionalization Utica
"We want real growth, not just sprawl. When suburbs spread outward without really growing, municipal services are stretched over a larger area but there's no corresponding growth in the tax base to support the increased costs. And we've all seen retailers simply move from an older shopping complex to a new one leaving empty eyesores behind."
Of course, this is exactly what's occurred in Oneida County over the last 40 years: A shrinking population (encouraged by state and local policies) spread itself over so much acreage that it's become difficult to afford municipal services. New development sprung up in New Hartford, leaving decaying areas behind in Utica. But given the jurisdictional boundaries, Utica took the tax hit and New Hartford got the benefit.
Now older parts of NH will be hit as development spreads up the new "840" into undeveloped parts of NH and ... Whitestown. Is NH afraid of suffering the same fate as Utica? Will it eventually lose tax revenue to Whitestown? Now that it may hit the pocketbooks of the editors, does this underlie their sudden concern for regional planning?
Regardless of the motivation, it's a good recommendation -- better late than never.
But wait! There's more to read ...
... about the 840: "it makes way for development of thousands of acres in rural areas of Whitestown, Westmoreland and Kirkland. . . These communities will need to work in concert if they hope to maximize the growth potential that exists along this new corridor."
I guess they did't get it after all. They will try to "maximize the growth potential" in the hinterland ... while the population continues to decline! ... I guess it does not matter to them that their OWN "Next Step" ZOGBY POLL showed: that the PEOPLE want UTICA to be the region's hub. Any regional planning needs to have that as its focus ... but everyone knows that it will never happen. A regional hub in Utica is obviously not the O-D editors' concern.
See the complete OD editorial at Area needs regional growth plan
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Regionalization Utica
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Mayor wants to move Murnane Field to Psych Center
Just what Utica needs -- another ball field -- NOT! Given all the fences and concrete dugouts that have gone up all over Utica parks, this guy's brain must be stuck at first base.
I'm sick and tired of all these "plans" coming out of left field with no warning: first the politicians deciding to move the county airport to Griffiss, then turning the county airport terminal (of all things) into a classroom, and now this.
WHERE WAS THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE PUBLIC IN MAKING THESE PLANS?
For one, I'd like to see the county at least attempt to market the airport for sale AS AN AIRPORT before converting it to a new mission, because as an airport it would be most likely to yield the greatest value to the taxpayers for all their years of investments in the facility.
As for moving Murnane -- lets look at the entire picture: how are all the properties and neighborhoods to be effected? Where is the PLAN? If there is a plan, why was the public not invited to participate in it's making?
The mayor, county executive, and governor are there to lead -- not unilaterally make all the decisions themselves. Election to office does not confer intelligence or wisdom. Maybe when they learn to SEEK OUT and LISTEN to the opinions of those they serve (WHICH SHOULD BE US) things will
start changing for the better . . .
I only see more wasted money and public assets with such a plan.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Economic+Development Government Utica
I'm sick and tired of all these "plans" coming out of left field with no warning: first the politicians deciding to move the county airport to Griffiss, then turning the county airport terminal (of all things) into a classroom, and now this.
WHERE WAS THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE PUBLIC IN MAKING THESE PLANS?
For one, I'd like to see the county at least attempt to market the airport for sale AS AN AIRPORT before converting it to a new mission, because as an airport it would be most likely to yield the greatest value to the taxpayers for all their years of investments in the facility.
As for moving Murnane -- lets look at the entire picture: how are all the properties and neighborhoods to be effected? Where is the PLAN? If there is a plan, why was the public not invited to participate in it's making?
The mayor, county executive, and governor are there to lead -- not unilaterally make all the decisions themselves. Election to office does not confer intelligence or wisdom. Maybe when they learn to SEEK OUT and LISTEN to the opinions of those they serve (WHICH SHOULD BE US) things will
start changing for the better . . .
I only see more wasted money and public assets with such a plan.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Economic+Development Government Utica
Monday, December 05, 2005
Security Center - More Smoke & Mirrors
Looks like the governor, our county executive and other elected officials are giving the Utica area the "shaft" again.
Airport lands security training center
Given all the TAX EXEMPT state institutional land that is being underutilized in the Mohawk Valley, we will now have another chunk of property being dedicated to public use which could have been privatized and taxed. Given the proximity of former Utica State next to Utica College (which is getting into the cybersecurity area) West Utica would seem to have been a natural fit for this facility -- no additional state lands would have been needed!
Choosing the Airport for this facility does three things that benefit Mr. Griffo, the County Legislature and our local state-level elected officials (but not the people):
1) It provides an instant solution to the problem of what to do with the Old County Airport -- a problem that they created by choosing to move the airport to Griffiss without first determining a plan for the old one.
2) It ENSURES that Utica-New Hartford-Whitesboro, or the Oneida Nation, or some enterprising entrepreneur (like the one who created a housing development where people had their private planes in their garages), will NOT continue airport operations there -- avoiding potential competition for the new Griffiss facility.
3) Our Albany reps can claim to have "brought home the bacon."
I predict that very little benefit will come of this. Sorry, but one million dollars is practically NOTHING and does NOT represent a "committment" to this project or this region [compare with the $700+ MILLION of state money going to Albany Nanotech]. A million can be blown on some minor renovations and some conferences. Meanwhile, a tremendous public asset -- the old County Airport -- will be wasted -- I guess we should be used to this style of government by now.
This is nothing more than what happened with the "Center for Brownfields Studies" that we were promised back in 2001 with much fanfare. It produced some conferences but little else.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Economic+Development Government Utica
Airport lands security training center
Given all the TAX EXEMPT state institutional land that is being underutilized in the Mohawk Valley, we will now have another chunk of property being dedicated to public use which could have been privatized and taxed. Given the proximity of former Utica State next to Utica College (which is getting into the cybersecurity area) West Utica would seem to have been a natural fit for this facility -- no additional state lands would have been needed!
Choosing the Airport for this facility does three things that benefit Mr. Griffo, the County Legislature and our local state-level elected officials (but not the people):
1) It provides an instant solution to the problem of what to do with the Old County Airport -- a problem that they created by choosing to move the airport to Griffiss without first determining a plan for the old one.
2) It ENSURES that Utica-New Hartford-Whitesboro, or the Oneida Nation, or some enterprising entrepreneur (like the one who created a housing development where people had their private planes in their garages), will NOT continue airport operations there -- avoiding potential competition for the new Griffiss facility.
3) Our Albany reps can claim to have "brought home the bacon."
I predict that very little benefit will come of this. Sorry, but one million dollars is practically NOTHING and does NOT represent a "committment" to this project or this region [compare with the $700+ MILLION of state money going to Albany Nanotech]. A million can be blown on some minor renovations and some conferences. Meanwhile, a tremendous public asset -- the old County Airport -- will be wasted -- I guess we should be used to this style of government by now.
This is nothing more than what happened with the "Center for Brownfields Studies" that we were promised back in 2001 with much fanfare. It produced some conferences but little else.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Economic+Development Government Utica
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
"Consolidation"
With all the hype about "consolidation," I've been thinking about this lately and concluded that government has actually DISCOURAGED consolidation with poor policy decisions.
Back in colonial days, villages and cities were formed by people gathering together for mutual protection and services. By virtue of their population density and compactness, villages and cities were economically able to provide policing, water, sewer, garbage, road maintenance and other services. People who wanted to live in the country had to be prepared with shotguns to protect themselves, to dig wells and latrines, had to burn their garbage (or live with it), and had to either put up with transportation via horseback or dogsled, or had to clear paths if they wanted to transport goods via carts. Of course, the villages and cities grew because it was EASIER and CHEAPER (either in time or money) for people to take care of their basic necessities.
On top of this "natural" structure of villages and cities, politicians drew the ARTIFICIAL lines of towns and counties. The lines had little to do with actual settlements, and potentially encompassed settlements who might have been competitors. They were needed, however, to ensure that some governing authority existed in all areas.
We went wrong when we permitted counties and towns to duplicate city/village services in the country and charge not only the people in the country, BUT ALSO THE CITIES AND VILLAGES, for the services to the outlying areas. This increased costs to people in the cities and villages (with no increase in benefits) while creating artificially low costs for those who chose to live in the country. Instead of cities and villages consolidating with their surrounding territories through natural patterns of growth, we subsidized urban sprawl governed by multiple levels of government. It is no wonder why tax levels have risen so much: we have spread ourselves too thinly across the landscape to be efficient.
Now the "powers that want-to-be" expect people to accept consolidation along artificial Town and County lines. Don't expect this to go down without a fight. One community will always fear being shortchanged to benefit another one (be the other more populous or more politically connected). The fear is based on experience. An easy example at a larger scale is how the metropolitan areas in the state have been treated differently in terms of state level job development efforts: Albany gets almost a billion taxpayer dollars to develop a nanotechnology center while Utica did not even receive its promised downtown center for Brownfields Studies. Communities want to know that they can control their own destinies.
If "consolidation" is the way to go, then we need to go back to the natural way of doing it: give back to the cities and villages their natural economic advangages, let people living in the outlying areas pay the true costs of their services, and let them VOLUNTARILY join a city or village when clearly an advantage to do so.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Regionalization Utica
Back in colonial days, villages and cities were formed by people gathering together for mutual protection and services. By virtue of their population density and compactness, villages and cities were economically able to provide policing, water, sewer, garbage, road maintenance and other services. People who wanted to live in the country had to be prepared with shotguns to protect themselves, to dig wells and latrines, had to burn their garbage (or live with it), and had to either put up with transportation via horseback or dogsled, or had to clear paths if they wanted to transport goods via carts. Of course, the villages and cities grew because it was EASIER and CHEAPER (either in time or money) for people to take care of their basic necessities.
On top of this "natural" structure of villages and cities, politicians drew the ARTIFICIAL lines of towns and counties. The lines had little to do with actual settlements, and potentially encompassed settlements who might have been competitors. They were needed, however, to ensure that some governing authority existed in all areas.
We went wrong when we permitted counties and towns to duplicate city/village services in the country and charge not only the people in the country, BUT ALSO THE CITIES AND VILLAGES, for the services to the outlying areas. This increased costs to people in the cities and villages (with no increase in benefits) while creating artificially low costs for those who chose to live in the country. Instead of cities and villages consolidating with their surrounding territories through natural patterns of growth, we subsidized urban sprawl governed by multiple levels of government. It is no wonder why tax levels have risen so much: we have spread ourselves too thinly across the landscape to be efficient.
Now the "powers that want-to-be" expect people to accept consolidation along artificial Town and County lines. Don't expect this to go down without a fight. One community will always fear being shortchanged to benefit another one (be the other more populous or more politically connected). The fear is based on experience. An easy example at a larger scale is how the metropolitan areas in the state have been treated differently in terms of state level job development efforts: Albany gets almost a billion taxpayer dollars to develop a nanotechnology center while Utica did not even receive its promised downtown center for Brownfields Studies. Communities want to know that they can control their own destinies.
If "consolidation" is the way to go, then we need to go back to the natural way of doing it: give back to the cities and villages their natural economic advangages, let people living in the outlying areas pay the true costs of their services, and let them VOLUNTARILY join a city or village when clearly an advantage to do so.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Regionalization Utica
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Textbooks run short at Proctor
Did anyone catch this story? Textbooks run short at Proctor Principal says one thing, Lowengard seems to say another .. but a student says he had to take algebra over because he had difficulty taking the textbook home because they weren't available.
Funny, I heard a similar story 5 years ago from a Bosnian gentleman regarding his elementary pupil when I attended a public meeting with NYS education commissioner Mills in Utica.
There really is NO excuse for this situation. Clearly someone isn't doing their job ... and clearly someone had given a priority to something else (an extra principal? an extra administrator?aides? ) over BOOKS!
It should be pretty obvious that these people place more importance on themselves than our children's education.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Education Utica
Funny, I heard a similar story 5 years ago from a Bosnian gentleman regarding his elementary pupil when I attended a public meeting with NYS education commissioner Mills in Utica.
There really is NO excuse for this situation. Clearly someone isn't doing their job ... and clearly someone had given a priority to something else (an extra principal? an extra administrator?aides? ) over BOOKS!
It should be pretty obvious that these people place more importance on themselves than our children's education.
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Education Utica
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