The New York (Thru) Way

Excelsior . . . Ever Upward . . . It's the New York Way . . . at least when it comes to taxes and fees.

Following the recent Toll Hike, traffic on the Thruway has declined so much that the Authority can't pay for planned road maintenance and will have to scale back... Looks like we'll be getting more for our money: More Bumps!

It's no surprise that the toll hike was followed by less traffic. Mayor Bloomburg tried to reduce traffic in Manhattan by adding a toll . . . but the people there would have nothing of it . . . We can't interfere with Manhattan's economic vitality, now, can we? But Upstate? There is apparently nothing there because no one is complaining.

The Thruway needs to be toll-free, like almost all the other interstates both in NY and in the rest of the country. . . . but we hear not a peep from Ms. Destito, Mr. Townsend or Mr. Griffo.

Can we dump these people . . . please?

Tug-O-War Over Chip Plant

There's a Tug-O-War going on over the state's second taxpayer-subsidized computer chip plant -- this one by IBM.

The problem for us: Marcy isn't a player.

Can we dump EDGE . . . PLEASE? And while we're at it, can we dump our Albany representatives, too? All the good stuff is going to areas that are already thriving.

PM Update: Picente urges Gov. to bring IBM expansion to area. Someone commented "pipedream" and that's pretty accurate. Picente compadres, former County Execs. Eannace and Griffo, appear to have gone along to get along to advance in their own political careers while Joe Bruno walked all over this area. I did not hear CE Eannace complain even once that the state had potential chip makers touring a Saratoga County site that was not even off the drawing board while our Marcy site was (supposedly) "shovel ready." CE Griffo said nothing either. Now Republican Picente expects Democrat Patterson to deliver the goods? Give me a break!

OD: Down For the Count?

Gear has the details in the Snakepit.

State Ed Skullduggery . . .

Leave it to our Board of Regents and State Educrats to screw things up -- and burn a ton of our money while doing it. Per yesterday's Associated Press and Times Union: "Scoring low no bar to passing."

New York's new integrated algebra test administered in June was so hard that a student could get a "raw score" of 30 points out of a possible 87 and still pass.

Wait a minute ... What could be more objective, easier to score, and less subject to "interpretation," than mathematics? If X + 4 = 10, then X=6 . . . Right? Well . . . This is New York, where government jobs are created to substitute for real ones -- where it takes 10 people and 3 politically appointed supervisors to do the work done by one in India (or the NY of 50 years ago).

A student can answer less than half of the questions right and still pass because State Ed uses a "scale score" for the grade, allegedly giving more points for more "difficult" questions.

. . . the Board of Regents says it uses them because it's a more accurate gauge of whether students are meeting standards for understanding a subject...

...Test questions for Regents exams are devised in committee by some of the state's top teachers and are field tested before they make it to a Regents exam...

After the June test, the state also had to issue a directive clarifying how to score one question for partial credit...

And you thought it was simple! This is complicated stuff - - you will get the bill next April.

Look, what is going on here is sorting . . . grading students in relation to each other rather than in relation to what they should or should not know. What is "hard" or "easy" or "appropriate" or "challenging" is pretty much in the eye of the beholder - - unless you are the one making the rules. These words describe performance rather than knowledge. That is why scoring directives must be sent -- why teachers are even given special seminars on how to score exams. And when performance is graded, you may be inadvertently grading things like physical, mental or social maturation, interest, outlook, even political perspective. Take a look at the new standards . . . they are quite vague in so far as what a student is expected to KNOW. Knowledge, on the other hand, is easy to score: you either know the material (and get a point) or you don't (and get zero).

So when you read of the "hard" algebra regents and State Ed using a scaled score, ask yourself:
Is State Ed hiding the fact that the students really don't know the material.

Utica Name Dropped Again . . . (2)

The more I think about this (Utica Name Dropped Again . . .) the angrier I become. The taxpayers of Utica take a huge hit on this event every year, not to mention suffer a huge inconvenience. It is suburban snobbery that wants to remove the name 'Utica' . . . taking advantage of the city's services, but pretending it does not exist. The "Regionalization" argument made by Tim Reed (like other 'regionalization' arguments) is Rubbish. People from all around have always been and felt welcome to participate in the event.

Utica needs to stand tall, put its foot down, and not allow itself to be walked upon. Mayor Roefaro holds the cards. He needs to show he has some cajones and say: "If no 'Utica,' then no permits and no race."

Enough is Enough!

Sign the online petition to keep Utica in the Boilermaker.

Utica Name Dropped Again . . .

The disappearing ‘Utica’ name is finally getting attention from places other than this blog -- this time from the O-D. In the front-page story published in print today, “Road race marketing limiting Utica mention” (which seems to have mysteriously disappeared from the OD's website), the OD notes that ‘Utica’ will be removed from the 2009 Boilermaker logo, and also seems to be lacking from the race’s website. Supposedly the organizers want a more “regional” identity. Former Mayor Julian believes that this would be the loss of an area marketing tool. Mayor Roefaro, however, does not have a problem with it. . . Could Roefaro be right?

The City of Utica is so closely associated with the Boilermaker Road Race that its name may not have to be attached. The Boilermaker will still be Utica’s ‘signature event.’ The thousands of runners converging on Utica from all over the country and beyond is probably all the “marketing” that is needed. The Running of the Bulls = Pamplona, Spain. Il Palio = Siena, Italy. The Boilermaker = Utica. The name is there, whether it’s legible or not.

The race organizers have arranged a spectacular, well-run event. But they’ve done something more: They’ve grown a sense of community pride in a place where people have lost much to be proud of. The Boilermaker’s close association with the ‘Utica’ name over these many years has given Uticans a sense of ownership in the event. This is really THEIR race … and like proud homeowners, THEY want it to shine. . . And they make it so. . . by the thousands … with water ... funny hats … ethnic costumes and dancing ... music ... and more. Many of these people normally would care less about running, or who wins ... but they cheer everyone on, spurring them to do their personal best. Given statistics, many probably don't have two nickels to rub together . . . but they give what they have and they give their all . . . It is the participation of the throng lining the route that sets the Boilermaker apart from other races. Watch other major road races on TV, and you will see how dead the others are in comparison. The ‘pride of ownership’ -- Utica's pride -- makes the difference.

No, Utica does not need to have its name attached to ‘Boilermaker’ as a marketing tool . . . But maybe the reverse is true: The Boilermaker needs to keep ‘Utica’ attached to its name. Without 'Utica,' the Boilermaker is just another 15k race.

The Tradewinds Are Blowing . . .

Barely a week after the Observer-Dispatch complained that Utica's proposal to charge user fees would hurt Not For Profit (NFP) organizations, we see a Guest Column, a "Special to the Observer-Dispatch" singing the accolades of Upstate Cerebral Palsy’s Tradewinds Program. The Guest wrote:

My daughter has just graduated from this program. Every year, these special individuals give these special kids a chance to attend a prom. Limos, formal clothing and a wonderful dinner is donated by local merchants. They have a grand march, where each child is announced by name. Deejay music and dancing fill the cleverly decorated gym . . .

Is the timing of this editorial coincidence? Or is the OD trying to manipulate public sentiment, engendering sympathy for NFPs and opposition to the user fee proposal (not that the proposal does not have significant flaws)?

What we don't get from the OD is any reporting about what Tradewinds is.

A visit to Guidestar.org indicates that there is a Tradewinds Foundation, Inc., with a New Hartford mailing address, that provides

programs for handicapped and developmentally challenged individuals (primarily youths) and at-risk children, located in New York State, Florida, California and Maryland. The Charity's programs consisted of developmental activities for children and adults in need of special training . . .

The 2006 Federal Form 990 is interesting reading. According to the 990 on pages 35 and 39/44, the purpose of the foundation was to support various programs of United Cerebral Palsy and another NFP that work with children and adults, including the Tradewinds Special Education Center in Utica. I say "was" because further reading indicates that the organization was winding down operations (which involved boating operations of some sort). Officer compensation "from related organizations" was $322,694 for one officer, $112,347 for another, $53,099 for a third (the last figure still more than double the income of the median household in Utica, p. 23-4/44).

Not bad for officers of "charitable" organizations. Of course, these people I'm sure do much more than put on proms, because they are involved with related interlocking organizations that do many other things . . . but with such generous compensation packages, one has to wonder why such organizations would not be able to pay fees to Utica to clear the snow or repair the sidewalks at their Utica facilities.

Making the Most of The Mills . . .

In many respects New York Mills seems like a place that time forgot -- in a good way. It's a compact village of under 3500 residents where most places are within walking distance, people are friendly, there is a nice grocery store (Hapanowicz Market - with fantastic sausages made on the premises), Santa Claus rides through every neighborhood on a red firetruck during the holidays, and the schools have their own district. Most people know their neighbors, and if they don't, there are plenty of opportunities to meet them over the summer at the Tuesday night concerts at Pulaski Park.

The BEST of New York Mills will be on display this weekend at the annual Bell Festival with a parade, entertainment, food, and fireworks.

New York Mills is, indeed, a place apart . . . but can it continue?. . . Two stories this week raise some long standing concerns.

Mills residents are proud of their school system. Somehow the little village manages to keep it going . . . However, the school taxes are among the highest in a region where all school taxes are too high. . . . and this is in a village where average family incomes are below average in a region that is below average. If residents want to maintain the separate existence of their school system, they have to insist that things be done to bring down school taxes - - - otherwise the district may wind up being merged with an adjoining one to keep people from being taxed out of their homes.

An opportunity to do something about school taxes was passed up this week. With very little fanfare, much less exploring options, the NYM school board promoted one of its own administrators to be superintendent to replace outgoing Supt. Langone. This would have been the ideal time to try going without this position. Simply put, a school district as tiny as the Mills does not need a superintendent -- and, indeed, it is my understanding that the district (when it had more students) did without one for many years.

Another troubling story this week was that a group of residents felt compelled to bring suit against the village to enforce its own laws! People like living in small villages because they believe they have more control over their own environment --- that their government will respond to their needs better than some larger form of jurisdiction.

Well . . . the Mills has just demonstrated that a village does not necessarily respond to or protect its people any more than a Town or a County. Why bother having a village government when the residents have to spend their own money to ensure that the village's laws are enforced?

So this weekend while whirling on the polka floor, downing pierogis or pizza frittas or shortcakes, or eying the fireworks, ponder this:

Being small has its advantages . . . but unless leaders work to preserve those advantages, the reasons for New York Mills' separate existence will disappear.

Plunging Populations . . . Exactly What We Deserve!

We open the paper this morning to read "Utica and Rome losing population," and "Herkimer Co. villages losing residents. " People awoke to similar headlines in Buffalo, Albany, Niagara Falls, Rochester, Syracuse, and Binghamton.

No surprises here. Just read the comments on the Utica-Rome post. Everyone knows that New York's style of government makes it impossible for people and businesses Upstate to make ends meet. The cause:

• Government spends too much
• We have too much government.
• Government makes the wrong choices.

But ultimately, WE are all to blame . . . We tolerate the government we have (or even ask for more of the same) rather than change it.

Some Good Advice . . .

Some good advice (for a change) is offered by the OD editors to the Utica school board, along with a bit of criticism.

The Utica City School District is filled with immense potential and opportunity, yet its leadership continually manages to turn the simple into the complicated, the sure thing into the missed opportunity.

Lou LaPolla gets a bit of an accolade:

For years, board member and former Utica Mayor Louis D. LaPolla has been one voice shouting into the wind as he’s criticized waste, inefficiency and poor management. Now, the board has selected him its vice president.

While Ms. Skermont seems to be taking the fall:

Skermont’s heart was in the right place, but she struggled with aspects of the job and mismanaged planning for the massive capital project that voters will consider later this month.

But I don't understand the deal with Ms. Barbara Klein, who demonstrates "a grip on power that’s been unusual on in recent years." She seems to be getting a pass. With all the nonsense that the residents of Utica have had to put up with from the Board . . .

Why are there no calls for Ms. Klein's resignation?

Fees for NFPs . . .

More ODd journalism yesterday. The editors of our local newspaper jump to oppose the proposal for Utica to assess annual "user" fees on ALL property owners -- including Not For Profits (NFPs) -- for such things as snow removal and sidewalk repairs, but fail to offer any data from Rochester, NY, where this has been done for years.

The OD editors raise valid concerns about fees possibly driving people and businesses out of the city and becoming excuses to increase spending. These are things that Utica needs to come to grips with, if fees are not going to create more problems than they solve. But that is why it is so important for the OD to explore what happened in Rochester.

The valid concerns, however, are no justification for not charging NFPs their "fair share" for the services they receive from Utica taxpayers. Per the OD editors:

But while nonprofits don’t pay taxes, they do provide human services this city could not do without. They reach out to the city’s poorest residents whose needs, if left unmet, might end up costing taxpayers even more. Places like Hope House, New Horizons, Catholic Charities, Thea Bowman House, dozens of houses of worship and so many more people-committed agencies provide essential services ranging from meals and clothing to day care and housing. Their clients are most often people caught in the cracks of life who have no place else to turn. . . .

Slapping a tax on that is not only wrong, it’s unconscionable. Any “fee” would only end up being paid by the same generous people who already donate time and money to keep the facilities going.

Every community has poor, and to the extent that they need services, they are everyone's responsibility. But for many, including the OD editors, the concept of "community" seems to stop at the city line, as though city policies made a high percentage of its citizens poor and needy. Of course, they did not.

For years Utica taxpayers were forced by law to pay significantly higher taxes than the surrounding jurisdictions in order to fund welfare programs for the poor. This made sense at the time the laws were drawn because municipal boundaries were the boundaries of the "community" economically speaking, containing both its rich and poor.

With the advent of the automobile, however, it became practical for people to make their living in the city, while living in another jurisdiction near by. It also became possible for people to leave the high taxes of the city behind. While many who could afford to move just wanted more space and that new house, the low if non-existent local taxes in the suburbs were also an attraction. (My understanding is that New Hartford at one time had NO Town taxes.) The rest is history. Wealth concentrated in the new "suburbs" while the city became increasingly poor . . . which, in a perverted feedback-loop, raised city taxes and drove even more to the 'burbs. The stark contrast between homes in Cornhill and those just 2-3 miles away in the upper Tilden Ave and Higby Road areas of New Hartford is breathtaking. No one wants to deny those in New Hartford their fabulous homes -- they worked long and hard for them -- but why should they not have to shoulder the burden of municipal services to the region's NFPs while those in Utica do?

The OD's solution is for the city to "tighten its belt," but how can that work when Utica has the lion's share of the region's tax exempt properties, owned by the NFPs, as well as taxpayers who have the region's lowest incomes? The OD's solution is no solution.

While the OD editors periodically beat the "racism" drum, they apparently are OK with "class-ism" -- safe behind their municipal boundary wall.

Stacking Up Schools . . .

Steve Schiavi has a thoughtful article in this week's Life & Times going over the report cards from our local schools. As expected, the New Hardford district did the best. What was interesting was how some of the Utica schools did in relation to each other. King did the best overall, and Watson Williams came in fourth. Both are inner city schools -- which should tell you that no matter where these kids come from, if you know what you are doing you can achieve success. Perhaps a surprise was how poorly Kernan did, coming in as the worst school in Utica. It once was a great school. How painful to read of one's alma mater this way . . .

But Kernan's dead last performance should be no surprise to readers of this blog. You remember that Krazy Kernan Skewl . . . with its Kollege Daze? and Yoga Klasses? and seminars on Kommunity service . . . and Health Klinics.

. . . Anything but Reading 'Riting and 'Rithmatic!

Meanwhile Utica School administrator Bernadette Eichler has an editorial in the OD pushing the upcoming capital project. According to Ms. Eichler . . .

Over the years, I have worked with brilliant, creative and caring administrators, teachers, members of the Utica Board of Education, college staff and community members.

Their wisdom, leadership, support and ideas did indeed bring the students in the Utica district to a higher level of academic achievement. These abilities and talents also created a stimulating environment for learning, as well as provide opportunities for students to explore and try new ideas.

Now this leadership and support groups of Utica have an unbelievable opportunity to once again demonstrate their wisdom and talents by supporting the $187.6 million bond issue.

Wow. These are the same people who studied a project for months that they could not carry out, shuffled administrators like they were a deck of cards, couldn't keep student schedules straight, ran out of textbooks, and spent a ton of money at Proctor and now want to spend more at the same school. Did Ms. Eichler "slip" with the reference to "support groups" in the quote above. One suspects that the spending really isn't to benefit the kids, but to benefit the "support groups" and all the others who are allegedly there to "help" the kids, but are really helping themselves . . . to a lot of money.

We saw what happened with the Millennium fiasco: $37 million was spent building a school that required administrators in quadruplicate.

Before pulling the lever for this allegedly "free" now-$187 million project, ask:

What will the capital construction plan mean in terms of additional square footage to be maintained? Additional personnel for staffing? Additional costs for heating, electricity, communications? Reorganization of students and transportation costs?

If history is our guide, this spending will beget permanent increases in costs for operation and maintenance that will likely break the backs of Utica taxpayers . . . and probably create more distractions to real learning.

Rearranging Deck Chairs in Syracuse . . .

The engineering firm O'Brien and Gere, with its 300 employees, is going to be moving from suburban to downtown Syracuse thanks to a $6.5 million gift from the NYS taxpayers that will be applied toward construction of a 6-story, multi-tenant, $25 million office building.

"This isn't about O'Brien and Gere, it's about the community, public private partnerships, to do something to restore the vitality of the city of Syracuse," said O'Brien and Gere CEO Terry Brown.

Meanwhile, across town, following the loss of 330 jobs at New Process Gear in March, 250 are immediately out of a job at Magna International, and another 42 are laid off at CXtec. To the north in Jefferson County another 75 will be out of work Friday when Brownville Specialty Paper closes.

Down the Mohawk Valley, another State subsidized move is having some negative repercussions in Canajoharie whose water and sewer rates are expected to skyrocket 250% after Beach-Nut moves 20 miles to suburban Amsterdam.

While it's nice to see the State encouraging redevelopment of a city in the Syracuse project as opposed to sprawl in the suburbs, spending money to move employees from one place to another while plants close or make layoffs is like . . .

Rearranging deck chairs on a sinking ship.

ODd Journalism (3)

I don't normally link to forum articles, but this one on Utica Topix about our local newspaper: GATEHOUSE PUBLISHER HELPS DESTROY CITY was a good read.

"If the only newspaper in our area has become a deceptive, sly snake, with an agenda that corrupts us and spews venom and poison on us, perhaps we should kill it, whether it's our only "newspaper" or not." -- "Bouncer"

Indeed!

ICU . . .

I came across an interesting blog while searching for information on Utica's Harbor Point. It's called "ICU" by "CNY Urban Guy" - - - who is believed to be a beloved Utica long-time radio personality, master of ceremonies, former public official, and all around "good guy." It's been around for a few months and has a lot of videos featuring interesting local spots (such as Utica Harbor) that often are overlooked. A great read . . . and a great addition to the Blog Roll.

Is that you, Lou?

Training Shmaining . . .

The Observer Dispatch continues to keep its fingers crossed in hoping that the NYS Homeland Security Training Center at the old Oneida County Airport amounts to something, and points to a doubling of the number of students as progress.

Sorry . . .Two times almost nothing is still almost nothing.

Homeland Security's list of upcoming courses from July through December is rather sparse: 24 courses, only 16 of which are offered in Oriskany, and most of those are only 1-day affairs. This is hardly worth tying up the old Oneida County Airport Terminal Building, much less than discarding what had been well-maintained runways and other associated facilities.

Can't the OD read the tea-leaves? This was never a serious project.

As I posted back on 12/05/05:

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.

This situation has been painful to watch 'develop': 1/1/08, 9/13/07, 8/31/07, 2/27/07, 1/18/07, 3/24/06.

Pull the plug, kick 'em out, and market the old airport as an airport for private use.

Good Money After Bad . . .

"$15 Million Griffiss Project Advances" . . .
This is throwing good money after bad . . .

But who's counting??? and Who counts?

Roll Me Over . . .

Roll me over . . . in the clover . . . . roll me over lay me down and do it again . . .

Who wouldn't think of that old song when coming upon a pretty field of clover such as this one?

This field is practically in Downtown Utica, located near the eastern end of the bike path, bounded by the path and Erie Canal on the north and Mohawk River on the south.

But you might think twice before rolling around here because this is no ordinary field of clover. . . It was not there last year. . . .

Months ago I noticed heavy equipment knocking down the woods that were on the site. The site was graded until almost flat, about even with the bike trail. That was followed by truckload after truckload of what appeared to be rich black topsoil. "Good, the site is being prepared for development," . . . or so I thought. But the trucks kept coming and dumping, and the mound kept getting higher and higher until it towered over the adjacent DOT Maintenance Building. The contours started to look suspiciously like a landfill . . . and were those channels for drainage from the hill to the canal that had been cut across the bike path and then paved over?

"Who would want to build a mound of dirt?"

I did not find my answer until the early days of 2008 when I read an OD Editorial by DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis, who was responding to some parting shots fired at DEC by outgoing Mayor Tim Julian. According to Grannis:

Julian implied nothing has been done by DEC at Harbor Point, the site of a former manufactured gas plant now owned by National Grid. Again, he failed to mention a salient fact: a lawsuit by National Grid slowed action for a time. And he failed to mention the notable progress made by the department at this sprawling, polluted parcel: thousands of yards of contaminated soil excavated; a slurry wall to prevent tar from migrating toward the water; storm and sanitary sewers repaired to prevent leaks into Utica Harbor; dredge spoils capped. DEC also expects to approve a plan to remove tar deposits in the Mohawk River in 2008.

A quick search at the DEC Website turned up this March 2001 "Record of Decision" (ROD) regarding remediation of only a portion of Niagara Mohawk's Harbor Point Inactive Hazardous Waste Site. On page 35 on a site plan, there it was! . . . "Dredge Spoils Area 2 (DSA2)" . . . DSA2, an area where dredge spoils from clearing Utica Harbor had been disposed of years ago, is the field of clover.

I was not happy with what I read. The dredge spoils in DSA2 had been heavily contaminated from the old coal gas operation nearby. They were considered a threat to public health and the environment and needed to be contained somehow. The ROD described the plan.

DSA2 contains no identifiable "hot spots" that can be readily removed. A soil cover on this area will eliminate direct human exposure to site contaminants and will reduce the generation of groundwater contamination. A use restriction will prevent future human exposure to contaminated groundwater. . . [p. 26]

Clearing, regrading and installation of a soil cover at DSA2, consisting of an 18-inch layer of non-contaminated fill material and a 6-inch layer of topsoil. Dredged sediment will be allowed as alternative grading material below the soil cover at DSA2 provided the concentration of PAHs in the sediment is less than 35 ppm and the concentration of total PCBs in the placed sediment is less than 10 ppm. . . [p. 27]

. . . there will be a deed restriction placed to ensure that redevelopment is limited to nonresidential uses. Further, deed restrictions on groundwater usage on and in the vicinity of the DSAs will be placed, as well as notices to future developers of the site regarding the need for worker protection and proper handling and disposal of any materials encountered during future development. Groundwater contaminant levels will be monitored. The deed restrictions will also require present and future owners to annually certify to the NYSDEC that the institutional controls have been maintained and that the conditions at the site are fully protective of public health and the environment in accordance with this ROD. [p. 28]

Perhaps I missed something or there is something I don't understand or there was a change of plans after 2001, but that site had been graded flat and a lot more than 18" of fill plus 6" of topsoil was dumped there afterward. Regardless . . .

At this point I have to presume that DEC did its job and that the threat to health and environment has been eliminated. But what of the future?

The restrictions on residential and ground water useage do not seem to present big issues to redevelopment, but the mound is what it is, and most people would call it a hazardous waste landfill. . . . a downtown Utica landfill!

"Who would want to build ON a mound of dirt?"

Had this site been graded to be flat and left that way, reuse of the site would have seemed feasible... perhaps for a restaurant, some type of concession stand, shops, offices, or a park. But the grade present won't even allow for siting a picnic table! And because regrading would be required to reuse the property, the contaminated spoil beneath probably will prevent this site from ever being productively used.

What a WASTE! It's water-front property (front AND back) with a view of Downtown!


Again, it is unknown if the mound that we see was planned, was not apparent from the plans (it's not apparent from the ROD), or was a change to plans, but the mound is the problem to redevelopment. Interestingly enough, the ROD's "responsiveness summary" does not indicate any concern by our local officials or local news media.

Draw your own conclusions about why things like this just seem to happen.

They Want to Be a Part of It . . . .

Acacia Village wants to be a part of Utica, NY, that is! Really? SOMEBODY actually WANTS to be part of Utica?

This should be a message to the nay-sayers: Utica does have things to offer people that they want . . . and maybe having been located in Herkimer County had something to do with this development . . .

Had they been located in Oneida County, they probably would have simply gotten whatever services they wanted by having the county "regionalize" the services for them.

"We're extremely disappointed," Herkimer County Administrator Jim Wallace said. "We have no problem or concern with how the individuals voted. They did what they had to do. We understand that. We're just very disappointed with the Masonic Home for the tactics they used ...we think it's a historical break, and totally unnecessary. We also didn't get the support of the City of Utica or Oneida County. It's just disappointing in a time for regionalization."

But, Mr. Wallace, Annexation IS Regionalization . . . the way it should be.

. . . but see below for an idea on how both Utica and Herkimer County might benefit from more Utica annexations . . . if the annexed land were allowed to stay in Herkimer County.

Think about this for a minute. If Utica expanded into Herkimer County with the right kind of zoning (eg. industrial or retail -- whatever will not generate need for social services), Utica services would provide all that are needed to support growth. . . with minimal negative impact to Herkimer County finances. . . However, the property taxes and sales taxes that would be generated for the Herkimer County coffers could be significant. Since Herkimer County and the City of Utica have roughly the same population, Herkimer County probably could cut its County Wide sales tax in half and not even feel it because Utica would shop in the Herkimer County part of Utica! Retail traffic might even move from New Hartford to the New East Utica because of a significantly lower sales tax. Utica would have property to expand its tax base . . . and Herkimer County would have services to expand its tax base. Herkimer County could not do this by itself because it does not have the population to support the services, but a Utica-Herkimer County team does! While the Town of Frankfort might lose a few acres, it will not have to service them . . . And probably very little land would need to be annexed to accomplish a transformation of both the Utica and Herkimer County economies. . . There might even be some benefits that Frankfort could be given for the favor of giving up a few acres.

Now THAT would be regionalization!

Utica: A City In Herkimer County . . .

The OD is fretting about what Utica's annexation of Acacia Village may mean to Herkimer County. But here's a thought: why does it have to mean anything at all?

Why does annexation by Utica require annexation by Oneida County? It is Utica Services that the people want - - - NOT Oneida County Services. Why shouldn't these people be allowed to annex themselves to Utica without leaving Herkimer County?

New York City spans 5 counties, so the precedent is there. It should not be much different than when a village is split among two towns (like New York Mills in our area) which is not uncommon in NYS.

I can (mischievously) think of all sorts of benefits that might accrue to a portion of Utica lying in Herkimer County. Perhaps the presence of Utica services and low Herkimer County sales tax might spawn large retail development in the new (but currently under served) East Utica area - - with the money benefiting Herkimer County -- of course. I'm sure that the City of Utica will not insist that it be located entirely within Oneida County.

Why not?