Bringing Home the Bacon Part 2

Some good news from the "Pork Department" today: SUNYIT sportsplex gets $20M from state. While this may not be quite in the same league as Binghamton, it is a welcome change, nonetheless.

Now the question becomes how to make the most of it. According to the Mayor of Rome "Here we have an opportunity for Whitestown, Rome, New Hartford, for the whole community, to utilize this multifaceted complex at SUNYIT right down the road." It is a worthy suggestion constructing a facility that all these communities could use, and certainly with our system of roads and the access to SUNYIT, use by those three communities is feasible.

But Mayor Julian of Utica also has a suggestion: Put it in Downtown Utica next to the Aud.

WHY NOT?

First of all, next to the Aud is a more convenient location than SUNYIT because the Aud is just off I-790 and is near the convergence of several major bus routes. While it might be 1-2 miles farther from Rome, it is closer to New Hartford and parts of Whitestown. Space for parking will be available now that Washington Courts is being cleared away.

The added benefit is the chance for Synergy with the Aud and nearby downtown. Noting that hotels and restaurants would be within walking distance, Julian said, "a $20 million facility on its own is certainly going to be a nice facility. A $20 million facility attached to and part of the Aud would take it to another level."

I think it would be even more . . .
A location adjacent to the Aud would also be within walking distance of the Brewery District (with its developing shops, galleries and pubs), Pratt at MWPAI (with student housing nearby), and the Players Theater (under construction). Add the nearby bus routes that would make the facility accessible to students from All the region's colleges, and you will have created a "critical mass" of activities within a small enough area to turn Utica into a bona fide College Town. Physically locating the SUNYIT facility in the midst of a thriving community would make SUNYIT that much more marketable. Being adjacent to the Aud might also offer an opportunity for both facilities to economize with some shared services.

The idea of locating a college facility off-campus in the heart of downtown to revitalize the downtown is exactly what SUNY is doing in Binghamton. Why not here?

A sportsplex at SUNYIT will only be a sportsplex at SUNYIT. A sportsplex Downtown would satisfy the same needs but also spawn all sorts of ancillary activities that would not be possible on a college campus. Utica's stature as the region's entertainment, college and cultural center would be taken up a notch, making the whole region more competitive with other regions in the state.

Think about it. . . . Mayor Julian is on to something.

Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Economic+Development Education Government Regionalization Utica

Downtown in the Evening

A brisk walk through downtown Utica this evening . . . The late day sun brought out interesting details in everyday sights.

© All rights reserved

Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Utica

Destruction of County Airport Terminal Right on Schedule

Construction of two classrooms for the State's "Emergency Preparedness Center" will begin next month in the LOBBY of the Oneida County Airport Terminal, with a second construction phase commencing in October for more classrooms. The State intends to lease the County facility.

Of course, this will ensure that the facility (UCA) is never again used as an airport. This is an incredible waste of a perfectly good terminal and airstrip the marketing of which had not even been attempted.

While the O-D gushes about "name recognition" and the unspecified economic benefits the training center will spin-off, there are some warnings buried in the verbiage.

"The state continues to be confident that 400 to 500 people a week will travel to the emergency preparedness facility, and would like to offer first responders some incentives for attending courses." If incentives need to be offered, it suggests that the market for such a facility may not be there.

"State officials are trying to provide some college credit and certification" which means they haven't even linked up with an institution yet.

The lease of the facility and the paltry sum the State is investing shows the State's lack of commitment. (Compare this project with the "real committment" shown to two Binghamton projects in the article below.) The project does, however, bail out our Board of Legislators who previously decided to spend $millions to transfer UCA's functions to Griffiss without any plan whatsoever for UCA.

The bailout, and some positive press for local Albany representatives, is the only sure thing from this fiasco. Don't expect this project to transform the local economy.

ADDENDUM:
On page 2A of the 3/24 O-D there was a related story about how the Airport Reuse Committee had asked the State Homeland Security officials several questions concerning the state 's use of UCA only to have Board of Legislators Chairman Fiorini abruptly end the meeting before the questions could be answered. Fiorini was quoted as saying: " Homeland security is here... Homeland security is going to be here. You're going to have to work around it." More is available on this from the 3/25 Sentinel which indicates that the best land may be going to the state.

Who is Mr. Fiorini to cut off the Public's right to know how THEIR facilities and tax dollars are going to be used? What is this? A dictatorship?

It's obvious that the Airport Reuse Committee is merely window dressing. In fact, THEY should have been consulted before the decision was even made to locate Homeland Security at UCA. As I said earlier, this training center scheme is nothing but a Bailout out for our County officials. Fiorini's statement should make that even more clear. No, Sir ... There is no way to mistake who is in charge and what is really going on.

Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Economic+Development Government Rome Utica

Bringing Home the Bacon

Announced today, Sen. Libous brings in $50-60 Million for New Engineering Facility at Binghamton U. Announced 12/5/05, Sen. Libous brings in $29 Million for SUNY Education and Community Center in Downtown Binghamton .

We find out today that the balleyhooed Homeland Security Training Center announced 12/5/05 to be located in Whitestown accounts for only $4.5 Million in the upcoming state budget.

Riches vs Chump Change --- Draw your own conclusions.

Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Economic+Development Government Rome Utica

Educa$$ion News

Yeowwwch!!! There goes the wallet again ...

Rome school budget may have 8 percent hike . Oriskany school board OKs 6.9 percent spending increase.

Evr'y body's doin' it ...

As UpstateBlog.Net repeatedly points out in similar stories:
"The state Division of the Budget has projected a 2.8 percent rate of inflation for New York State for 2006-07."

Our schools lack discipline . . . It comes right from the top!
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Education Government Rome

Waiting for a Makeover

Old neighborhoods that have fallen on hard times can be brought back to life, sometimes with tremendous success. A great example is Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo. Browse through the Forever Elmwood website for some inspiration and instruction. A respect for history, design, and detail is the key.
Utica has a lot of interesting buildings and neighborhoods that have been ignored. Many are true "diamonds in the rough" that only need some well thought-out TLC to be brought back. Unfortunately, too many places get overlooked for so long that they ultimately succumb to the wrecking ball -- only to be replaced (if at all) with something modern, ordinary, and at odds with the surroundings. With some imagination, it does not have to be that way.
With the presence of MWPAI, Pratt, Sculpture Space, and design programs at MVCC, among others, there is no shortage of imagination and creativity in Utica. There are others who are are expert in business. To make renewal happen, perhaps we only need to mobilize these talents by focusing on some possibilities.
From time to time I am going to highlight some the places which (to my untrained eye) seem to offer possibilities. Maybe someone out there with some ideas or some money to invest will see the possibilities, and begin the process of renewal.

* * *

Utica's Union Station is truly an architectural gem.
© All rights reserved

* * * *

Sitting just east of the station and adjoining it is a building that appears unused or at least underutilized .

With Union Station, the Trackside Tavern and the Children's Museum nearby, this building and area could be a hub of activity and seem to be just begging for a makeover. Add some money and an imagination, maybe this could be a ... market place? Anyone have any ideas ? (serious ones only, please)
Technorati Tags: Mohawk+Valley Economic+Development Utica

Water Rate Hike, MHA Shuffling, More County Borrowing and Losing More Ground

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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
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Update 1/15/06: RomeHater comments on John Stossel's report about education in America. (A great show in case you missed it).

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

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

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