LOTS GOING ON

It never rains but it pours. We can talk about taxes in Rensselaer County, another confession being tossed or the Carignan lawsuit, or as we refer to it....Insuro-Gate! ("We just saved nothing on our insurance and screwed one or two private businesses along the way.")

We'll go with Insuro-Gate.

Most of you know that the case settled for $25,000. If the matter went to a verdict, and Carignan won, they'd receive approximately $30,000 + interest. Therefore, the $25,000 is not a nuisance settlement. Carignan got 80% of they wanted. A convincing victory.

The City will not be paying the $25,000. That amount will be paid by Nicoll & MacChesney.

The spin, about as convincing as O.J.'s search for the real killers, has begun:

"This was a political and malicious attempt to bring down my administration for helping the taxpayers of Troy save money," Tutunjian said in a statement released by the city.

And it would have worked too, if it wasn't for you meddling kids! Yes, Harry discovered the covert plan. Sue for breach of contract in order to topple his regime.

In point of fact (as those of you who have read the Mayor's deposition transcript know) refusing the $25,000 offer and and making Tutunjian take the stand and explain the "savings" would have been malicious. Funny, but malicious.

But, questions remain:

The administration has maintained that by switching brokers, the city saved $65,000. Doesn't it seem a funny way to thank N&M for providing us that savings? Thank you, Nicoll & MacChesney...now fork-it-up!

If the city did nothing wrong, why would anyone pay anything? We could understand nuisance value, $2,500 or $5,000. But $25,000? It seems odd that Harry would even approach a private business for that type of money if everything was kosher.

The administration was never able to explain how money was saved by switching brokers and using quotes secured by Carignan. Lets recap:

1- Harry said Corporation Counsel (probably Hicks, not Mitchell) and/or the Comptroller told him they'd save money;

2- The Comptroller said they were told in a meeting that there would be a savings but there's no documentation of that proposed savings. Someone just told them it was so.

3- There was such a good savings that a non-party is paying Carignan $25,000 on a $30,000 claim.

Maybe it's best not to ask too many questions.