According to The Times Union:
The City Council agreed to rezone the Hillside and Beman Park neighborhoods. Both neighborhoods are currently R-3. The new zoning would be R-2, more restrictive and hostile to development. The change was pushed by a few people to stop Stewart's from expanding because we wouldn't want a business to expand into such exclusive neighborhoods.
Due to the new restrictions Nieman Marcus and Herrods have decided not to open locations in Beman Park or the Hillside neighborhoods. While we appreciate the desire to limit development in neighborhoods, this appears to be rezoning for one reason: To stop the expansion of a commercial enterprise that sits on Hoosick Street.
ONE MONUMENT SQUARE
The Troy Farmers Market will not relocate to the project currently planned for the former Troy City Hall site. Troy residents will need to buy their farmers somewhere else.
Speaking of One Monument Square, Council President Elect is stepping in:
From: Carmella Mantello [mailto:cmantell@nycap.rr.com] Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2015 1:09 PM
To: MayorsOffice.
Cc: John.Salka
Subject: Re: Attention: Troy IDA (Please forward to Troy IDA)
Amendment to letter. Meeting date is Friday, November 20, 2105 not 2016. Thanks.
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
On Nov 19, 2015, at 11:32 AM, Carmella Mantello <cmantell@nycap.rr.com> wrote:
Dear Chairman O'Bryan & Troy IDA,
It is my understanding that the Troy IDA will meet on Friday, October 20, 2016 to consider an IDA application for the One Monument Square project. The developers of One Monument Square are seeking extensive tax benefits from the Troy IDA. The $11.7 million financial package includes $10.5 million in estimated property tax savings, $972,000 in sales and use tax exemptions, and $228,750 in mortgage recording tax exemptions.A review of city records indicates that all members of the Troy IDA, except Chairman O'Bryan, had their terms expire on April 8, 2015. I would strongly suggest that before the Troy IDA acting with expired terms consider the large tax benefits for One Monument Square that this matter be tabled. This will allow the new mayor and new city council to act upon a new IDA. The mayor appoints all members to the IDA and they are confirmed by the city council.It is important to recognize that the voters of Troy selected a new mayor and city council, and they should be entitled to seek and/or reappoint a new IDA reflective of their philosophy.This project will have a significant economic impact regarding taxes and other matters in the future of Troy's development.I certainly appreciate all the work the Troy IDA has done, and hope that you will take my recommendations in the positive spirit that it is offered.Carmella R. MantelloCouncil President-Elect
It seems clear that Ms. Mantello does not understand City government. Government, boards, commissions and authorities do not grind to a halt to await her majesty's coronation. We want to give Carmella the benefit of the doubt but this is the second time she appears to be playing politics. Remember Carmella, you do not choose new appointees, the council only confirms them. The Democratic Council did not block any of Mayor Tutunjian's rather dubious choices and Mantello would do wise to remember she is not appointing anyone, merely confirming the choices of the man the people elected as their mayor. Yes, Mantello received the most votes of any candidate on November 3, 2015. It's also true that but for the ill-fated, election spoiling, Team Titanic, she might not be Council President. Her numbers would place her in 6th place in 2011 (the last mayoral election year), behind Jim Gordon and Billie-Jean Green. She received 1,100 votes less than Lynn Kopka did in 2011. So, while we don't want to rain on her parade, lets keep things in perspective. Carmella, listen to Hank Bauer, not Dworsky and Frankie L. Bauer was a solid legislator and freed from partisanship is a good tutor.
GOOD NEWS
A City Hall insider is pushing a plan that would result in a tax increase of 4.9%, just under the bar set by Council President Rodney Wiltshire. This would result in a real, bare bones budget. The City Council did not approve the budget last night and may revisit a tax cap override next week. If the proposed tax increase is 5% or less, will Wiltshire stand by his word and vote to override?
Now you know... the rest of the story.
38 comments:
Mantello doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt.
All she knows how to do is play politics and file law suits.
She has never understood City Government. See Mantello v. City of Troy; 172 Misc.2d 664, 656 N.Y.S.2d 826 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1997)
Available at:
https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=11046208995786271000&q=mantello+v.+city+of+troy&hl=en&as_sdt=4,33
The city of Troy has had a rough few years but we all hope things will be different in the coming years. I suggest that we give the new mayor and council some time before we criticize. Making sarcastic remarks does nothing to move us forward.
This is fucking great. Frank LaPosta is relevant in Troy. Steve is pulling the strings for Carmella. Monica has to decide what job she wants Bill Dunnes Job, Peter Ryan's job or keep her own job. Jim Conroy may be back to take Bill Dunnes job (that by the way handles HUD money). Rodney Jim Kenny and Anistasia are holding Lou hostage. The state may be here to run our city on the second of January. But the best thing is that Kenny ZZZZZZZ want a no fly zone over Troy because the airplanes make to much noise while him and the boys are watching Dancing with the stars. Where all FUCKED.
Don't you have some head cheese to slice LaPosta?
Amen Frank. Couldn't agree more. Bringing up things that happened almost 20 years ago does nothing to move us toward where we want to go.
Bill spending your last morning on goggle I see. You wonder why your phone didn't ring. Now please don't post this. Hahaha
I really don't care what her motives are, and I didn't even vite for her! Nobody worked harder to get elected. If she does a good job, her motives shouldn't matter!
Seven comments and no mention of Harry. Hey Coop, you on vacation?
Harry.
Always defer to the person who won the office you lost twice.
Concerning the change in zoning for Hillside/Beman Park area, tell it like it is please. Kenny Z's friend Jim DeSeve doesn't want Stewart's to expand on Hoosick and 10th. He lives within spitting range of the store.
DeSeve nags and moans until Kenny the Z. pushes thru ill advised legislatin last night to rezone DeSeve's n'hood---oh, almost forgot, threw in a wide swath of adjoining n'hoods so it doesn't appear Ken and Bodnar are doing it just to appease one voter.
Funny thing tho, attorneys for city both adamantly advised the move is illegal. It's called spot zoning and will never be upheld in court.
Another departing jewel by Zalewski, Wiltshire, Robertson and Gordon.
Troy will be better off without these self serving losers.
The rezoning gets us sued.
I was never a planning-oriented guy, but I fail to see how such a relatively large parcel of land would be considered "spot zoning." It appears to me that the advocates of this change can certainly identify sufficient characteristics and surrounding of the environs in Beman Park and the Hillside to contest the spot zoning issue. While I agree that overly-restricting commercial development along the Hoosick St. corridor is ridiculous(that ship sailed over two decades ago), I fail to get the spot-zoning argument, and that should be the primary focus of any challenge. Many of the neighbors that originally fought the Stewart's expansion in the Burgh now concede the store is less of an issue than they had anticipated. You can't fight every change that does not suit your personal tastes and then bitch and moan about taxes.
AMEN
Wow all over the place in these posts. To Frank the flipper, if you forget what mistakes you (and Dworsky) made in the past you're doomed to repeat them. Ken and his insistence that planes landing at Alb. Airport be diverted from flying over Troy is well, you people voted for him. Carmella was voted in because of the incompetent losers in the administration and on the council, that is indisputable. The best news is Ken, Rodney, Gordon and Anastasia are gone.
Good God, what have we done? 2 years of Carmellazilla, will feel like a lifetime of Zalewski. Welcome to Troys latest circus!!!!
Amern! I didn't vite for her either!
You say Randy is obsessed?
Wait until the last meeting for the 4 losers in December, they'll be blowing each other telling themselves what a great job they've done.
Although they have changed the zoning in these specific areas Hoosick Street is still zoned commercial. Haven't seen the plans but would guess 15th street is commercial also.
Carmella has already done something a lot of posters out here have wanted, she's sent Harry away.
Not far enough
Zalewski's farewell speech will be vomit worthy.
oh he is!
I live in his district, can't wait for that smug little twerp to fade into oblivion
Tut has such a need to be mentioned that if we go too long without mentioning him, he mentions himself. Tut, you need help. Just shut up!
Great post
6:15, I'm confused! Is everyone who can't stand Harry and post of their dislike of that horrible man, obsessed too or is it just one person? You cry like a bitch when Harry gets toasted here, then you seem to invite more criticism of that wretched man by bringing up his name when no one is talking about him. Only you know the truth, but if its you Harry, you honestly need some help. I think you need to be recognized alot and you don't even care if its good or bad, as long as your mentioned. That is so pathetic! Go see a shrink, or better yet stop reading blogs because you are despised by many.
Maybe we should just ignore any Tut-propaganda. Maybe he'll take a hint from the last few elections.
No. He still wants to make a comeback. He'll try for the nomination again. Wait and see.
We can't ignore him, he won't allow it! When he doesn't get mentioned in a while, he mentions himself, how sad!
I believe 6:15 was making a joke because coopers obsession, but now that coop goes ananymous on here and longer uses his name it hard telling.
say what you will but Troy had money when Harry was in charge.
And when Harry was done we were broke. He spent the reserve fund.
No we were not broke when harry was done, That was four years ago and 4 budgets ago, dont you think that lou should have seen all this coming, he had 4 years!! And no Harry did not spend the whole reserve fund.
Perhaps Cooper found better things to do with his time. You should try it!
All contributors to this blog continue to ignore the one reason behind Troy's budget problems. The cause is one word: Dworsky.
Troy still pays $6,000,000 annually on the $35,000,000 debt he left as his legacy. There is no disputing this fact unless, of course, you talk to Dworsky.
Thus, I am baffled by the poor judgment of Mantello revealing Dworsky and LaPosta are serving as advisors to this politically ambitious woman.
ummm i highly doubt that!
doubtful.
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