ODd Journalism (2) . . .

Tonight the OD tells us that "Area SUNY leaders' pay below par."

So what's the point?

Pay in all of Oneida County is "below par" -- in 2002 for individuals, being only 81% of the national average and 85.5% of same for the median family.
Pay in all of Herkimer County is "below par" -- in 2002 for individuals, being only 74% of the national average and 78% of same for the median family.

Ya gotta wonder: What is the motivation for this article?

How about some real investigative journalism for a change? . . . Like telling us . . .

Who owns all the properties along the MVWA's proposed pipeline to Verona (and who will get to write off the cost against their water bills)? Or . . .

What was recently buried beneath the clover field next to the Canalway Trail only a stone's throw from AquaVino and North Genesee St. (and what it means for the future development of Utica) ? Or . . .

What is the value of all the properties improperly hooked up to the Sauquoit Creek Pump Station (and which jurisdictions are collecting how much in taxes, but who is paying to fix the problem)?

There are plenty of things people want to know about that will sell newspapers . . .
but what we seem to mostly get are pieces that drag 'certain' people through the mud, puff up 'certain' others, prop up some communities over others while incompetence or wrong doing there gets a pass, and (like this article) generally distract the public from the real issues affecting them.

Indian Point Progress . . .

The Journal News reports that the Indian Point nuclear plant has cleared a hurdle in being relicensed. That's good news for us Central New Yorkers, because if this plant were to close, it would give another reason for the NYRI power line to be built . . . not to mention send electric rates through the roof.

Clearing a hurdle, however, should not make us feel too secure since the Big Wigs in state government still want to shut it down, and more than likely will pull out all the stops to cater to the NIMBYs of Westchester -- people who need the power, but would rather foist the impacts of power generation and transmission on others (us). Of course, there being more people in Westchester, what do you think the politicians will do?

While this is an issue for discussion downstate, it is not mentioned by our local media . . . which allows it to be off the radar screens of our reps in Albany.

In the Hate "Utica" Department . . .

We find this story out of the Rome paper: ‘Red Cross of Mohawk Valley’ born from merger of two chapters.

The American Red Cross chapters in Utica and Herkimer will merge, according to a joint release from the groups. . . .
The American Red Cross of the Mohawk Valley, with its 600-plus volunteers and 11 staff members, serves 221,380 people in Herkimer and Oneida counties.

Since Herkimer County only has about 60,000 people and since the chapter serving Rome and Western Oneida County is not included, that means that the remaining 160,000 people must be from the Greater Utica - Eastern Oneida County area ... but somehow their regional identity disappears into the "Mohawk Valley" -- which is already the name of the Herkimer Chapter.

Frankly, I'm getting a bit sick of what seems to be the systematic extermination of "Utica" from our regional identity. It does not have to be done this way. E.g., when the Utica Area and Herkimer United Ways merged, "Utica" remained in the new name.

I've given to the Utica Chapter of the Red Cross before . . . but seriously doubt that I will give to a "Mohawk Valley" Chapter in the future.

ODd Civics . . .

In yesterday's newspaper the OD Editors have called for an end to Utica's residency law that requires city employees to live within city limits . . .

"In recently promoting four Utica police officers who live outside the city, the Roefaro administration chose not to enforce the city charter’s residency requirement.

"Here’s a better idea: Don’t break the law — scrap it."

So far, so good...

While I do not necessarily feel that the residency law should be scrapped (there are pros and cons on this), scrapping a law is always better than breaking it.

"This issue has been going on for decades, and Mayor David Roefaro must put an end to it once and for all. . . .

"“The last administration left this in my lap, but I plan to put it to bed once and for all,” he said.

"Good. So do it already."

How impatient of the OD! . . But the last time I checked, the Mayor does not have the authority to "scrap" any law . . . The Common Council does. . . .

It's simple civics: the Legislative branch (Council) makes the laws and the Executive Branch (Mayor) carries them out.

The editorial is directed to the wrong person. Is this just ignorance . . . or is the OD looking for an excuse to dump on the Mayor?

Unfair Advantages . . .

We read over the weekend the Hotel Utica folks' complaints about the tax advantages that its competitor, the Radisson, has received that the Hotel Utica did not. (Since this is nothing new, why we should read about this now is another one of those ODd things that convinces us that our local newspaper plays politics rather than reports news. Regardless . . . )

While the Radisson's tax advantages are clearly unfair to the Hotel Utica, they are understandable because when they were given, there was NO downtown hotel. Nevertheless, the Hotel Utica's complaints should cause us to reexamine policies that dole out advantages to newcomers over taxpaying competitors.

Unmentioned in the article are the advantages being given to the New Hartford Business Park. While school taxes will be collected, they will be diverted to pay for a road to service the park. (The legality of this is clearly questionable because there is nothing in the Education Law that authorizes Boards of Education to divert their tax monies to non-educational purposes. . . . but that is a side issue). Again, this particular developer is being given an advantage that is not being given to competitors . . . and others should be expected to complain (but no one in the media seeks them out).

These complaints about unfair advantages should remind us of the words of Article VIII of the NYS Constitution:

Section  1.  No  county,  city, town, village or school district shall
give or loan any money or property to or in aid of  any  individual,  or
private  corporation  or  association, or private undertaking, or become
directly or indirectly the owner of stock in, or bonds of,  any  private
corporation or association; nor shall any county, city, town, village or
school  district give or loan its credit to or in aid of any individual, . . . 

There was a reason why these words were written.

ODd Journalism . . .

Was anyone else bothered by this story in our Observer-Dispatch yesterday: "Former EDGE winner a sex offender"?

The kiddie porn conviction was three years old . . . so that is not news.

The disqualification of this person's company from the EDGE Business Plan Contest prize happened weeks ago . . . so that is not news either . . . although the public never got an adequate explanation why this company was disqualified.

The OD now implies that somehow the conviction and the disqualification are connected, yet offers not a shred of evidence, such as a contest rule that disqualifies entrants with a conviction.

This is not news, it is speculation.

A more plausible explanation is that the judging may have not been impartial and EDGE got caught by a disgruntled contestant. (Frankly, I was shocked when the innovative "rubber sidewalk" entry did not win.) Why else has the runner up not been awarded the prize? But this would be speculation, too . . . and while EDGE's silence invites speculation, it does not convert it into news.

Why is this person's sin hung out like laundry for the public to see? Did he do something politically that the OD does not like? Or is the OD running interference for EDGE? Or does the OD just look for excuses to run provocative headlines to sell papers, no matter who it hurts?

This odd story allows us to speculate on what the OD's motivations may be.

Judicial Foolishness . . .

Just in from the Times-Union:

A judge in Manhattan ordered state leaders Wednesday to increase judicial salaries within the next 90 days, ruling that it was unconstitutional for lawmakers to link pay raises for judges to their own salary hikes. . . .

The judge ordered the defendants -- Gov. David Paterson, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno -- to adjust judges' pay to reflect an increase in the cost of living since 1998 and to make it retroactive . . .

And if Messrs. Paterson, Silver and Bruno ignore this ruling . . . then what?

Our judicial branch seems to have forgotten the functions of the three branches of government. . . . shown disrespect for the other two . . .
and given us citizens reason to disrespect them all!

Maybe It's Not the Loire Valley . . .

Maybe its not the Loire Valley . . . or Lourdes . . . or the Louvre . . .

But a lunchtime walk through West Utica can be an interesting diversion.

Is There a Sale On Gazebos?

Last year a new park with a gazebo (Purple Heart Park) was built in West Utica. A couple weeks ago Yorkville dedicated a new gazebo. Now we read that New Hartford plans on developing a baseball field and recreation park in New York Mills complete with a pavilion (probably another gazebo), this time as a "firemen's park." Three parks . . . practically within a stone's throw of each other.

What is going on?

While veterans, police and firefighters are certainly deserving of public appreciation and honor, isn't this overdoing it? The school districts (presumably NYM and New Hartford) and the villages of New Hartford and NYM and Town of New Hartford supposedly are teaming up for this project as a joint effort, although why the NH school district and its Superintendent, Dan Gilligan are involved raises an interesting question. According to Gilligan “We will work together to raise money,” he said. “The town would help them build them a pavilion and a park.”

The implication seems to be that no taxpayers' dollars will be needed but ... Just who will have to pay to maintain and police all these new installations?

There is already a nice park in NYM. The population is going DOWN not up. If the village and town did not need this park 40 years ago when the population was larger, why do they need one now?

This looks like an excuse just to spend taxpayer money so some one can clean up.

Update: Looks like this will be a Big Money Boondoggle: at least $1,000,000 Big!

Playing By the Rules - Not

Tonight we read: Police promotions: city doesn't follow residency law.

In promoting four police officials who live outside the city, the Roefaro Administration has chosen not to enforce the city charter's residency requirement.

Last night we read: Factory may grow in New York Mills after all.

The New York Mills Village Board recently decided not to fight a lawsuit by Oriskany Manufacturing over zoning regulations.

In neither case was the law changed. In both cases it was ignored.

Why should people have respect for public officials when the officials have no respect for the public laws?

Honoring the Past . . .

Reading that the Landmarks Society of Greater Utica is purchasing Rutger Park brought a sense of relief, but mixed with concern. It was a relief to know that an important piece of Utica's history and architectural heritage would be preserved.

Unfortunately, there is concern because some of our more recent forays into historic preservation have left a bad taste in some people's mouths. The Hotel Utica comes immediately to mind. Although beautifully restored, the Hotel's financial situation has become a drain on Utica taxpayers . . . and the high Utica taxes, in turn, make it difficult for new people to want to invest here both in historic structures and otherwise. The Oneida County Courthouse is another. All at taxpayer expense, it went beyond historic preservation to reflect the $40 million self-indulgence of its occupants, with no visible benefit to the environs. This project contributed to high Oneida County taxes, which, again, make it difficult for new people to want to invest here.

Yet, David Oster's conceptual drawing of a renovated Rutger Park, above, gives a sense that honoring our past could be a key to our future. People travel thousands of miles to experience an ambiance -- a sense of place -- a mixture of history and beauty. We have that here, but too often take it for granted and allow it to erode. An editorial over the weekend by David Mittel, Jr., of Providence suggests as much:

... Utica is a city God has blessed. It lies on the Mohawk River and... it was built by the Erie Canal. . . . The Erie Canal still runs through Utica . . .But the beauty of the canal cannot be overstated, and it seems to me that better exploiting it could help revive Utica and all the other cities and towns along it.

Utica’s architecture is dominated by the Italianate style dating to the 1860s. Seeing the city for the first time, a young couple might easily say, “Here we will stop and raise a family.” . . .

... in France, there are cities in the Loire Valley about as far from Paris as Utica is from New York that thrive on their beauty alone. At a glance, the Mohawk Valley has every advantage of the Loire. Somehow, the beauty, the housing stock, the Internet, leadership and a bit of luck ought to be able to bring back Utica and the many cities like it.

Greater Utica has a good thing in its natural and man-made environment, and needs to resist those things that threaten its quality -- such as NYRI, the North South Arterial proposals, and decay.

A good thing for this particular project is that the Landmarks Society, rather than politicians, will be in charge. Government is notoriously inept at creating anything of quality. It certainly won't be easy to make the restorations a success, and it will get increasingly harder for this and similar projects until the local economy is turned around and the public is better able to make the necessary contributions.

Nevertheless, time is of the essence. Something needs to be done, now, before the losses are unrecoverable.

Thank you, Landmarks Society, for taking on this project. . . and Good Luck.

Pain for Gain . . .

A couple weeks ago we were a bit outraged to read of the $250K Pylman buyout. On today's OD Editorial Page Mayor Roefaro attempted to explain all. The significant points:

• $82K for unpaid vacation, sick, and personal leave
• $168K negotiated settlement.

The negotiated settlement supposedly represents payment for 384 days "compensatory time" out of 562 days Pylman allegedly had on the books, saving taxpayers $77K. While taxpayers would be justifiably steamed over this comp time abuse, according to Roefaro this had been an accepted practice for years ... which would make it difficult for the City to deny Pylman now. (The good news is that Roefaro is ending the practice of accumulating comp time by implementing a "use it or lose it" approach.)

Additionally, according to Roefaro, the City had been notified by the State that the waiver Pyleman had been given to both work for Utica while collecting his state retirement check would end next year . . . ending the retirement check and (under his Julian-era contract) obligating the City to make up the difference (an additional $67K per year).

The original Pylman contract was a bad deal for Utica just considering the 2019 expiration date. The $ provisions made it worse.

Roefaro's numbers may inflict some pain now, but they may result in a gain in the long run.

Say WHAT?

According to the Sentinel:

Congressman Michael Arcuri does not support the construction of new refineries in the United States. "For what," he asks, saying it has not been "demonstrated how building a refinery will lower the cost of gas. No one has done that."

Hmm . . . No refineries built in the US for more than 30 years . . .
More people driving more cars for more miles (Urban Sprawl, my dears) . . .
What about the Law of Supply and Demand. . .
(Do you have to be over 60 to understand)??

Hopefully the Congressman was misquoted.
This is almost (but not quite) as bad as the Boehlert theory of 'Global Warming' before he was demoted.
It's scary . . . and disturbing . . .
Maybe there is something in the Washington, DC atmosphere that explains such blathering.

Windowdressing . . .

While Governor Patterson, to his credit, has taken an interest in Hinckley Reservoir by directing implementation of the Working Group's recommendations, they are, at best, NYS window dressing.

Last summer's crisis, where Greater Utica's drinking water supply was threatened, can now be comfortably forgotten because government agencies have done an impressive job to get things under control. They have spent countless hours studying the issues, produced a massive report with tons of data, and have made recommendations designed to ensure that what happened last year never happens again....

At least this is what the agencies and our elected representatives hope you will think. And they would be right, based on the comments posted on the OD's version of the story.

But the basic question still remains:

Would the crisis have occurred had everyone been following long standing rules such as the 1920 Rule Curve and the 1917 Agreement?

Until that question is answered, you should not be comfortable ... because a government that did not follow its own rules in the past cannot be counted upon to follow new ones in the future.

Same Sickening Story -- Same Old Response

More bad news for the local economy, Con-Med will shut down two plants, laying off 150 workers.

Finished goods are now stored locally, but those operations will be moved to Atlanta, Ga., and shipped from there. Atlanta is a transportation hub, and freight costs are lower, officials said.

" . . . when we looked at the production of some of these products, it was the only way to stay competitive . . .”

Last week Gloversville received similar news when Callaway announced it was closing its golf ball factory by July 31.

. . . more than half of the company's customers live outside the United States, making it more cost efficient for the company to move its manufacturing operations outside the country. . . .

"[Callaway] does have a responsibility to its employees and shareholders to maintain its competitiveness in the industry . . . "

"Competitiveness" : That's it in a nutshell . . . Companies leave New York State to stay competitive. New York State is Not Competitive.

The responses in both cases are similar . . . Look at bright spots . . . Look forward to the future. We'll just keep (spending lots of money) trying to sell our respective areas to other prospects.

But do we EVER hear any of our elected leaders and industrial development types use their respective bully pulpits to lobby for changes that will actually FIX what is driving businesses away?

NONE of our local legislators has lifted a finger to dismantle the Thruway Authority and rid our main commerce artery of tolls. NONE of our mayors, county executives, industrial development heads have even suggested it. NO ONE suggests ways to spend less on our schools (which are the biggest drain on the taxpayers). Does anyone really believe that we need to spend $18,000+/ student in NYS to educate them? Does anyone really believe that Utica needs $187 million in new school construction - - - or Syracuse needs $900 million?

Money spent on "economic development" is money wasted because we're promoting a defective product. "Wins" cannot last in a state that has no control over its spending, and nickels-and-dimes its people to death.

Wake up, people! Time to say enough is enough.

Other People's Blogs . . .

Interesting reading may be had in some of the recent posts of other area bloggers . . .

NYCO ruminates on the relationship between stuff and community planning.

Cathy at New Hartford Online gives us the scoop on how the Town makes some residents pay for their water lines, while making all taxpayers pay to give them free to other residents. (Maddening!) .

Finally, Gear at CNY Snakepit contrasts the very different public reactions to two separate Utica fires.

THIS Is a Solution?

The state's Commission on Property Tax Relief has finally made some "Preliminary Findings and Recommendations" to the Governor, nicely summarized in the Post-Standard.

Why are taxes so high?
1. New York schools spend more per student than any other state in the country - a total of $18,768, about 50 percent more than the national average. . . .

The solutions offered:

1. Place a cap on property taxes to keep them from rising more than 4 percent annually. Voters could choose to override the cap.

2. Create a "circuit-breaker" program by redirecting $2 billion from the existing STAR program to people who pay the largest portion of their income in property taxes.

3. Reduce unfunded mandates by requiring the state Legislature and Education Department to propose revenue sources to cover the cost of any new directives.

This is a sham - Bait and Switch. It's not a cap on taxes, its a cap on annual growth of taxes. It's Business as Usual! Generous increases are still allowed. Whatever happened to the 2% constitutional limit (that government could never take more than 2% of the value of your property) that we once had? School taxes alone exceed that in my district.

The most troubling aspect of this report is that it ignores the obvious:

If New York State schools are spending more per student than schools in every other state, and are spending 50% more than the national average, then tax relief could easily come if NY Schools would

Spend Less.

But spending less is no where suggested in the report. Heaven forbid there should be an analysis of what schools are doing differently now that requires spending in excess of former limits.

It's obvious that the Suozzi group caved in to the Teachers Union and education cartel (including book sellers, technology marketers, architects, and construction firms who have gotten rich from school spending).

Same old, same old.

The One That Got Away . . .

In the "this one really hurts" department, here is a story from the Plattsburgh Press-Republican: Proposal for massive entertainment and racing complex shared. The project includes:

• Five hotels with 2,040 rooms.
• 6,000 slot machines.
• A three-quarter mile speedway with seating for 120,000.
• A 20,000-seat, quarter-mile drag strip.
• A 1-mile harness-racing track that seats 10,000 people.
• A 270,000-square-foot entertainment/events center and arena.
• An 18-hole championship golf course.
• A parking garage.

Why does this story hurt? The project is by a Utica company and is one in which our local officials showed no interest!

Can Utica Be Far Behind?

Real estate prices in Elmira are soaring . . . A pattern is emerging:

Neighborhoods at the edge of a downtown district that were blighted begin to attract interest -- and more importantly -- investment dollars. . .

"There is a tremendous amount of really great infrastructure that's waiting, and as money starts to flow, people are starting to look into downtown Elmira and they see a great opportunity and an appreciating real estate market" . . .

Can Utica be far behind? Will it be ready to make the most of it?

Why Are School Taxes So High?

A couple stories out of yesterday's Times Union give us an idea why school taxes are so high.

How would you like a guaranteed 8.25% return on your money? That's what a New York City teachers' savings plan guarantees that has actuaries scratching their heads. The only problem, it's the City's Taxpayers that give the guarantee, courtesy of the folks in Albany passing a law to allow it. Of course, the law was slipped through with practically no notice. . . At least we don't live in NYC, but it shows you how easily these things happen.

Double dipping administrators with six-figure pensions are becoming as common as the dandelions on my lawn. Why does this happen?

"It's a closed shop," said Sen. Dean Skelos, R-Rockville Centre.