Interesting News Around the State . . .

Albany: State defends greenhouse gas program

"This lawsuit was not filed because of the individual plaintiffs suffering any injury from the program -- but as part of a cause to bring down RGGI in New York," according to legal papers filed last week by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in state Supreme Court in Albany County. 

The RGGI program itself was part of a cause . . . Gov Patacki's symbolic attempt at being "green" -- significantly raising our electric rates with no possibility at all of significantly improving the environment.

Albany: Fracking ban not city's call

Burns' memo specifically cites a section of state environmental law that says it "supersedes all local laws or ordinances relating to the regulation of the oil, gas and solution mining industries" ... "We do run the potential risk that this law may be litigated," Burns said. 

Rochester: Sen. Charles Schumer seeks to salvage PAETEC project, jobs

Sen. Charles Schumer, concerned that Windstream Corp.'s proposed purchase of PAETEC Holding Corp. has jeopardized plans for a downtown headquarters and local jobs, is asking state and federal regulatory agencies to consider those issues when reviewing the deal. 

Just what is needed for economic development in NY . . . government interference with business decisions.

Albany and Syracuse: Our taxes propping up development in government picked areas:

Good news, but shhhhhh!     Syracuse's University Hill area, despite shaky economy, is home to more than $780 million in new construction

Albany:  Health exchange lags at $38.7M

The state has made little headway toward building a health exchange, but with $38.7 million in grants, New York still leads the nation in receiving money for one. 

NY sure knows how to spend grants!

Yorkville: To Be or Not To Be ? . . . .

Isn't that the real question in the controversy over whether or not Yorkville should dissolve its police department? Police protection is probably the most defining municipal service a village can provide to its residents. After the police are gone, what is left?

At this point, the only option seriously under consideration is merger of police with the County Sheriff.  No doubt, on a personal level, Sheriff Maciol would be able to make this work because he came out of village police ranks, was a village mayor, and knows the territory. However,  the County Board of Legislators ultimately will control the budget and the contractual terms will the Village ... the overwhelming majority of whom have no direct interest in what goes on in the Village.  What may be favorable terms now for the Village may not be so favorable in the future -- especially when the County understands that it is taking on more risks to go into village policing.

Contracting with another entity for this service would seem to always subject village residents to the control of others.

If Yorkville truly cannot afford its own police department, perhaps it is time to talk about merger of village government itself with an adjoining village such as New York Mills, Whitesboro, or both.  While Yorkville residents' votes would be diluted with those of its neighbors, would things really change for individual residents?  I think not. The villages are so similar to each other that they are practically indistinguishable.

By merging with other like municipalities, village residents will still be in control.

Another One Bites the Dust...

High-end luxury Steuben Glass is closing . . .

Way - to - go N.Y. - not!

116th: Neither of the Above . . .

WKTV ran a "debate" of sorts between Anthony Brindisi and Greg Johnson, the candidates for the 116th Assembly seat that was vacated by RoAnn Destito.  Neither appeared particularly engaged or engaging.  Mr. Brindisi had his non-specific talking points.  Mr. Johnson talked about enhancing Griffiss Airport as our job-maker, but failed to relate this Oneida County-Republican-elite dream to the job of state assemblyman.

What I would have liked to have seen is an articulation of how New York State policies harm our area in ways that have not been been broadcast ad nauseum.  Forcing people to pay tolls to use Upstate's Thruway "Main Street" does not attract jobs. Maintaining a campus of decrepit buildings and dumping mental patients on the streets of west Utica, does not attract people to the neighborhood.  Sending Upstate-generated "cheap" hydropower to well-heeled Downstate does allow Upstate's rates to be competitive for the types of industries Upstate is cut out for.

I became a bit hopeful when Carl Paladino endorsed Johnson, figuring that Johnson would exhibit Carl's fighting spirit (which, eg., got the Thruway tolls removed from a section  near Buffalo).  I did not see that last night, however.  Now it appears that voters are faced with choosing between a Democrat ideologue and an Oneida-County-Republican (more parochial than a regular Republican) ideologue.

Faced with this choice, logic dictates pulling the lever for Mr. Brindisi.

This is not an endorsement of Mr. Brindisi ... but, like RoAnn, being a member of the majority party in the Assembly would give him an advantage in accomplishing something for this district.   

What do you think?                                                                         

Articles: How capital crushed labor.

Pat Buchannan had a Labor-Day article on World Net: How capital crushed labor .
This is a must-read because it describes how trade policy has crushed jobs.

Articles: China Trade Policy and the Fallacy of 'Idea-Land'

Articles: China Trade Policy and the Fallacy of 'Idea-Land'

This is a must-read for those believing in "free trade."

Clipping Wings . . .

The race for State Assembly 116th District seems rather quiet.

The Brindisi website offers the usual rhetoric on "creating jobs," working for "tax relief,"  "ensuring strong public schools" and "fixing Albany"  -- all phrases calculated to appeal to the disgusted voter -- but with absolutely no specifics offered to indicate that real changes will be made.

The Johnson website promises "job creation,"  but sounds suspiciously like Oneida County's focus on Rome, Rome, Rome ... and the Marcy "Nanocenter" ... but offers nothing to improve job creation in Utica ... which is the 116th District's largest municipality in population. (How Johnson expects to win with a Rome-centric platform is a head-scratcher.)

The one place where Mr. Johnson seems to part ways  with the County is to push for a passenger terminal for commercial aviation.

 There is a shovel ready plan for a 6.3 million dollar terminal at Griffiss. This facility has not been built due to a lack of political courage to move forward with this plan. There is a need for this facility and it can and will be a catalyst for developing new jobs and protecting the jobs we currently have.

Although it's not clear how a county terminal ties into a state assembly campaign, Mr. Johnson is at least refreshingly specific in pointing out a need. And he makes sense. 

As we have painfully learned over the years (and no one in County government admits) anyone looking to locate a major manufacturing facility will not seriously consider coming to an area without commercial air service.
 

However, the dream of a commercial air terminal (which Oneida County had in Whitestown but willingly gave up) may now be beyond reach. Per today's OD Federal money for Griffiss airport may be grounded because another airport in Maine wants a turn at the funds. Congressman Hanna is trying to get a reauthorization, but with the tight federal budget situation more money does not appear likely.

Assuming that the funds will be available, would they be well spent? (This blogger has questioned airport spending for years.) Finally, at least one political candidate who, if elected, would be in a position to do something about the situation, is publicly asking what the taxpayers are getting for their dollars.

Rodger Potocki, who is running on the Conservative line [for County Executive] . . .  said he has been skeptical of the planning process for the airport at Griffiss from the beginning, and if elected would do a cost-benefit analysis of its budget.

“I am dead set against continued taxpayer commitments, be they federal, state or local, without full, responsible justification,” he wrote in an email. “The fact that federal funds may be available or not should not drive local decisions. We, in my opinion, got sucked into airport decisions that have cost us serious tax dollars simply because of the original availability of federal dollars.”

This is the right approach on the airport... and on a lot of other issues, too.  To repeat Mr. Potocki:

“The fact that federal funds may be available or not should not drive local decisions." 

Simply put, federal funds' availability has distorted local decisions ... whether it is Oneida County abandoning an appropriately-sized and well-cared-for airport in Whitestown for a behemoth in Rome, the Utica Master Plan's proposal to require 20% "affordable housing" in all new housing developments in a city already flush with affordable housing, or building a roundabout at Oneida Square that was not on anyone's list of needs.

Clipping the wings of those looking for grants will be the first step toward restoring sound decision-making to government. 

Devastation Downstream . . .

With some notable exceptions (more) (more) (more),  Greater Utica was spared the worst of Hurricane Irene.

Not so our friends to the east . . . YNN has some incredible footage of flooding down the Mohawk River and Schoharie Creek.  I-90 is still closed. Traffic is still snarled in Johnstown. The Elwood Museum in Amsterdam is devastated and Guy Park Manor damaged. A death in Glen has been confirmed. Canal locks are swamped in Rotterdam and the canal's reopening is uncertain. The historic Stockade District of Schenectady had major damage.

The extent of the devastation is just starting to sink in.

Here's a place where Neighbors can help Neighbors. Thanks B95.5

Rainy Day Reading . . .

If you wanted to get away from all the Hurricane Irene TV coverage, today was the perfect day to curl up on the couch with your I-pad or tablet and check out some of the area's newest blogs.

LunarTicks has just launched and promises "A few News items to discuss. From everywhere, with music thrown in for no good reason." It's Dave Griffin's (of Windswept Press) latest foray and joins the popular "Monk in the Cellar" to entertain you. Brother Jesse is working overtime!

Ray Jadwick's Utica has been around for only a couple months but has already stirred the pot, garnering an article in the Utica Daily News, discussion on Mark Piersma's Show,  and threats of a lawsuit from the Observer Dispatch! Mr. Jadwick is a master of Photoshop and paints our local luminaries into ... shall we say "interesting" ... situations.  It's provocative reading and viewing ... and entertaining unless, I suppose, you find yourself painted into one of the pictures.  Caution to parents and sensitive individuals, this is strictly adult stuff that many may find shocking and offensive with some posts crossing the line.  Mr. Jadwick has something to say, and a talent for saying it, but runs the risk of turning off an audience with certain recurring themes.

If curling up with technology is not your cup of tea and you prefer a good old fashioned magazine to share your lounger, Dan Weaver's Upstream & Downtown Blog (formerly just Upstream) has spawned a full fledged magazine: "Upstream - A Mohawk Valley Journal ." It bills itself as "A Cultural and Counter-Cultural Journal from New York State's Mohawk Valley," has a host of talented writers, and is available through Amazon and AbeBooks. Check the link for availability and other information.

Upstate NY -- You've got talent!

All For Naught?

Users of the Mohawk Valley Water Authority have faced increased water bills to pay tens of millions of dollars to construct new water tanks to hold the treated water from formerly open reservoirs. Per a 2009 independent auditor's report for MVWA, EPA regulations are to blame.

Essentially, all open reservoirs must be treated as a raw water source and either re-treated or eliminate the reservoir from daily use by means of covering the reservoir or constructing alternative tanks. 

Now that our water bills have been raised and the construction project to comply with the new rules is about complete comes this article from the Portland Mercury newspaper's blog ... about something happening in New York that might obviate the need to comply with these rules:  New York might just have saved Portland $500 million.

For seven years, the Portland Water Bureau and several activist groups have been fighting a national Environmental Protection Agency requirement stating that the city must cover its iconic reservoirs to protect against cryptosporidium . . .

In March, it looked like the city had lost and would have to spend $500 million to cover the city's five reservoirs...

But from the East comes a sign of hope! New York state is fighting the same rule, not wanting to spend $1.6 billion to put a concrete cap on an upstate reservoir. New York Senator Chuck Schumer wrote a letter to the EPA asking them to scrap the plan and, miracle of miracles, the EPA wrote back this weekend saying they would reconsider. If the EPA is willing to reconsider for New York, they could be willing to reconsider for Oregon, too!

In the early 1990's area residents were forced to pay for a multimillion dollar filtration plant ... a requirement that New York City managed to escape.  Now the same thing seems to be happening with the covered reservoir requirement.

Since there is no memory of MVWA or the earlier Utica Board of Water Supply ever having had a problem with water-borne diseases, these costly federal mandates appear to be unnecessary expenses, placing significant burdens on local residents and businesses and making the region uncompetitive. Perhaps we should have been more like Portland or New York City ... or allied ourselves with them in challenging the need for such rules.  

Anyway, it looks like NYC is getting another break ... too late to save Greater Utica's money . . . but perhaps in time for Portland.

Pataki for Prez? They're Kidding, Right?

From the NY Daily News: Former Gov. George Pataki close to entering Republican presidential race

"Pataki the first two years was great, then we went on a spending binge," said Assemblyman Thomas Kirwan, an upstate Republican first elected in 1994, the same year as Pataki. "The federal debt runup was rivaled only by what we did in New York under George Pataki."

I could not have summed up Mr. Pataki's problem better.

Numbering the Corporate Welfare Days . . .

One can only hope that the days of taxpayer-funded corporate welfare are coming to a close. James Ostrowski's lawsuit against numerous state officials, agencies, and corporate-welfare recipients to end the freebies has been percolating through the courts and will be heard by the New York State Court of Appeals on October 12, 2011.  A big rally is planned for Albany that day.

Government funds going to the politically connected (i.e., state capitalism) has poisoned the marketplace, rewarded defective business models, discouraged competition, and cost the taxpayers dearly.  It must be ended if New York State, and now the nation, are ever to return to robust economic health.

New Hartford Online has all the details on the lawsuit. 

Thank you Mr. Ostrowski for taking this on! 

Big Government in a Small City . . .

Per today's OD, popular events are leaving downtown Utica.

The Indie Garage Sale, Fireworks Over Utica and Taste of Utica are in the process of being moved out of the city or dissolved completely.

 And organizers say oppressive fees – either enacted or enforced for the first time this summer – are to blame. . . .

But it hasn’t prompted any hindsight change of mind from Common Councilman Jerry Kraus, D-at large, who captained the legislation that included a 15 percent surcharge on the sale of alcoholic beverages and a $1 fee per ticket sold at events on city property.

The money gained from the events would have been “nominal” when compared with the level of public safety and public works services from the city, he said. 

How about the level of public safety and public works services from the city for Saranac Thursdays, Utica Monday Nights, and the Boilermaker?  Following that logic, the city should be slapping a participation fee on everyone attending these events, too . . . And what would be the result if the city did this?

As the region's population center, it is advantageous for events to be located within Utica's city limits. However, this advantage quickly disappears if "Big Government" imposes special fees and requirements. Utica is geographically small.  It is easy for organizers to move events across the city line.

Big Government in a Small City simply does not work.

Little New Here . . .

The Final Draft of the Utica Master Plan (UMP) has been issued. The biggest change is the cover which adds the following words, "A NEIGHBORHOOD-BASED PROCESS TO ESTABLISH THE VISION AND GUIDE FOR UTICA'S FUTURE"

That sort of sums up the whole problem with the UMP. 

It's an admission that the master plan is not really a master plan, but rather a plan to make a plan in the future.

Appendices have been added to the Final Draft to explain some of the document's jargon (e.g. "dark sky principles" and "context sensitive solutions").  Some new maps have been added to show current zoning and land uses. 

But overall, the UMP remains a fundamentally flawed document because it, itself, does not present a vision of the city's future, but, rather, substitutes a cumbersome, special-interest charged process in place of the vision to guide Utica's future planning decisions.

I detailed UMP's flaws here so I won't repeat them.   Suffice it to say that the flaws remain.


The UMP in its current form will create more harm than good.  It should not be enacted into law by the Common Council.

Shake Up at MV Chamber of Commerce...

Per tonight's OD: Elias ousted as Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce president

Frank Elias III was removed Tuesday as the president of the Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Of course there is much more that is not reported in the OD. This past Friday, Mr. Elias e-mailed fellow C of C Board members and Ex-Officio members to protest the manner in which a nomination was placed before the Board -- apparently in a surprise move engineered by insiders in the organization and sprung without notice upon other members.

Attached to the e-mail was a document "Fellow Board Members.doc" which is reproduced in the PDF document at left.

The Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce has long been perceived as a non-transparent regional "good old boys" network that caters to the area elite and is uncooperative with peer organizations.  Mr. Elias' missive confirms it as such.

This blog has long been critical of the MV C of C . . . especially with its use of the "Mohawk Valley" moniker when "Greater Utica" is the accurate -- and more precise -- description of the market it serves. . . 

The "regional" trappings adopted by the C of C appear to be nothing more than a subterfuge to serve the interests of particular powerful members.

Too bad . . .

Shooting the Messenger . . .

From the Right: George Will: We’ve Learned Nothing From Standard & Poor’s

And from the Left: ‘Stunning Lack of Knowledge’: Geithner Slams S & P for Showing ‘Terrible Judgment’

Guess that means S & P must be on to something.

Spilling Beans, Mr. Greenspan?

Per CNBC

"The United States can pay any debt it has because we can always print money to do that. So there is zero probability of default" said Greenspan on NBC's Meet the Press

Since that is the case, why would ANYBODY want to invest in US Government Bonds? The bonds get repaid in money that is worth less (if not worthless).

Scary thinking.

Does Anyone Buy This?

John Kerry: ‘This Is the Tea Party Downgrade’

“I believe this is without question the Tea Party downgrade,” Kerry said. “This is the Tea Party downgrade because a minority of people in the House of Representatives countered even the will of many Republicans in the United States Senate who were prepared to do a bigger deal, to do $4.7 trillion or $4 trillion, have a mix of reductions and reforms in social security, Medicare, Medicaid, but also recognize that we needed to do some revenue.” 

I. The Tea Party was not the party that demonized every attempt to fix projected shortfalls in the Social Security System.

II. The Tea Party was not the party that enacted a vast new prescription drug program costing billions without ensuring that money would be available to pay for it.

III. The Tea Party was not the party that voted for Obamacare and Economic Stimulus packages requiring trillions of new spending without ensuring that "increased revenues" would be available to pay for it.

IV. The Tea Party was not the party which failed to produce a budget for over 800 days even though the one party that now complains the most controlled all three branches of government during most of this time.


The Downgrade was caused by a government which spends beyond its means.


The Tea Party has been the ONLY party to insist on fiscal sanity. . . . yet Sen Kerry not only blames the Tea Party for the results that he helped to create, he would even deny air time to the Tea Party to conceal the truth of the situation from the public.


I guess the truth is simply something Sen. Kerry -- and most Republican and Democrat leaders -- cannot deal with.

Spending Business As Usual . . .

I'm really not too sure what was accomplished yesterday in Congress. $2.4 Trillion Would Be Largest Debt-Limit Increase in U.S. History.

Up until now, the largest increase in the debt limit was the $1.9 trillion increase passed by Congress and signed by President Obama on Feb. 12, 2010. That law increased the debt limit from $12.394 trillion to $14.294 trillion.

The bill hasn't even passed the Senate yet, but that doesn't stop the Federal Government from more give-aways. $1.3 million in border development funds available. 

Joseph Farah of World Net Daily isn't too happy:

We're back to business as usual in Washington. . . . .
They could have forced deep cuts and possibly even the elimination of worthless and unconstitutional agencies and departments like Education, Agriculture, Commerce, the Environmental Protection Agency and Homeland Security. They could have forced defunding of Planned Parenthood, NPR, PBS, the National Endowment for the Arts and countless foreign wealth transfers. They could have postponed any implementation of Obamacare until it could be dealt with in finality in 2013.
Republican control of one House could have made all that possible with one no vote on raising the debt limit. 

Instead, House Republicans chose to trade away that one political nuclear weapon it wielded for a "compromise" plan that calls for massive new unsustainable debt and massive new unsustainable spending. . . .

Disaster?
Catastrophe?
Outrage?

Yes, but none of these words even comes close to adequately characterizing the betrayal perpetrated by the Republican establishment in Washington over the last few days.
The era of big government is back with a vengeance – and apparently here to stay.
There are no limits. There are no restraints. There is no accountability. There is no end to red ink as far as the eye can see.

 At least one local Republican voted against this. Kudos to her for standing up for what is right. Whatever . . .

I agree with Joe: "red ink as far as the eye can see."

It Pays to Have Friends in Government . . .

Access still a major issue at N. Hartford business park reads the headline but . . .

The New Hartford Town Board took steps at its last meeting for the two major projects aimed at easing traffic into the business park.

 The board voted to go out to bid for construction of the Route 840 ramp and to establish a public hearing for the eminent domain proceedings that would allow for the Clinton Street extension. 

The New Hartford Business Park is a PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT. Not only is the Town taking residents' monies by applying payments in lieu of taxes to construct roads that are only good for Park access, Town Government is using its power to take private property from another person to complete the project.

County residents should have a beef too because payments in lieu of County Taxes are also being used.

In addition, the type of development duplicates other developments that already exist in the area. It will not create jobs, but, rather, will move jobs and economic activity further away from the older urban core and out toward the fringes.  This sprawl costs us all money because our stagnant population is forced to maintain an ever expanding infrastructure.

If private businesses want to compete with each other, that's called free enterprise.  If some are getting government help to do it, its called state capitalism . . . and state capitalism is unfair. 

Read more on this issue on New Hartford Online: A dollar and a dream.