COMMENT POLICY

Looks like we have to lay down some ground rules. Don't want to do it but it's probably for the best.

1. Make your comment relevant to the post. Even just a little bit relevant, by some stretch of the imagination. This is not your forum to discuss whatever you want to discuss, whenever you want to discuss it. If you want to set the agenda, start your own blog. That said, if there's a news item or something you want to bring to our attention or to the attention of the readers, fine. If the comment is merely a gratuitous attack, it is not fine. We try to fair and we have deleted personal attacks on politicians, whether Democrat or Republican.

2. If you want an open thread for open discussions, let us know.

3. Be responsible. If you plan on being irresponsible, find a designated driver.

4. We do not care if someone was arrested ten years ago, or who is sleeping with whom, or who is fat or who picks his nose, or who did drugs in the early 1980's etc. We're not the private morality police. If you think someone with a colorful past or someone with an imperfect private life can't be a good public servant, you're ignorant and know nothing of history.

5. These rules will not be strictly enforced. Still, try and abide by them. Violators will have their comments erased. Repeat offenders will be banned. This rule will be strictly enforced when accusations of criminal conduct are made.

6. If there's an issue, a rumor or a news tip, try e-mailing us.

7. Basically, don't be a dick. If you don't understand what we mean, than you're the dick.

These rules are the result of two or three people who just don't know where to draw the line or when to stop. They are obsessed with a topic (so much so that they are more disturbed than the object of their obsession) that bores everyone else.

The only other step is to moderate comments which means we'd have to review them before comments are posted. That would suck.

Thems the rules. Now, we have to go find our stripes for our new corporals uniform.

CORPORAL POSITION ON AGENDA

The proposed rank of Corporal, for the Troy Police Department, is on tonight's Public Safety Committee agenda. Chief Kaiser will appear to lobby for the controversial new position.

Reports from the meeting will be of interest. The rank and file's hostility to the creation of such a position is well-known. If Kaiser get's his way we fear it will be a blow to the morale of the department.

As long as we're talkin' police business, the internal investigation report on the recent controversy surrounding Detective Sergeant Joe Centanni is finished. It has been finished for some time and now sits on the Mayor's desk while the Mayor awaits a Cliff Notes version of the report, scheduled for release next year.

NEWS WRAP-UP

THE JARED AND JOE SHOW

Thanks to an alert reader, we finally read Sunday's Times Union story about Our Joe's trip to Florida. Joe, you old dog, you. While in Florida, J&J took a detour:

On the drive back from the golf course, the men pulled into Rachel's, a high-class strip club and steakhouse in the heart of West Palm Beach. There, patrons are greeted by overly polite valets who spend much of their time parking Range Rovers and customized BMWs driven by an almost exclusively male clientele.

Actually, it sounds quite classy:

Inside, $40 steaks and $90 bottles of wine are delivered by bow-tied waiters in a darkened four-star atmosphere. On two stages in the center of the club, female performers, some fully nude, move fluidly under pulsing strobe lights while tunes from rockers such as Tom Petty and Jimi Hendrix pierce the air.

Now, if they did that at The Joe, we might go more often.Seriously, we cannot condemn this behavior in strong enough terms. What, in God's name, is a 77 year-old man doing in a steakhouse?

And congratulatons to Brendan Lyons of The Times Union. We're less than a month into 2007 and Brendan wins our Reporter of the Year Award for writing an article about Joe Bruno that contains the phrase "moving fluidly under pulsing strobe lights."

THE KEN SHOW

According to the New York Times, (registration may be required) Ken Bruno is emerging as the central figure in the FBI probe.

As part of their investigation into the business dealings of Senator Bruno, federal authorities are examining a series of land deals involving Kenneth Bruno, who has emerged as a nexus between his father and a wealthy businessman, Jared E. Abbruzzese, whose financial ties to Senator Bruno are under scrutiny.

YOUTUBE BLUES

By now, everyone knows about the action-packed, high octane episode of McGrath & Tutunjian involving the YouTube video. Our crime-fighting mayor and his faith sidekick alerted police to possible criminal activity in the vicinity of the Community Grocery, on Sixth, in North Central. The dastardly villains were apprehended, the grocery closed down and truth, justice and the American way prevailed.

It's a great story. To bad it's not true.

The fact of the matter is, as any cop will tell you, no one was arrested for anything they did in that rap video. Secondly, the stakeout which busted the drug dealers while they were inside the grocery was scheduled prior to Harry receiving the video.

Officer John Comitale had been on to those arrested for some time and was working on bringing them down.

As far as we can tell, McGrath has not tried to take credit for anything. He's merely Harry's pawn in a concocted news event. It's sad to see Harry try and take credit for Comitale's fine work.

Just thought you should know.


NORTH GREENBUSH UPDATE

Finally, for those of you who crave NG Updates:

Reports are sketchy but Linda Mandel-Clemente was back in court on January 5, this time in Schodack. As best we can tell, the Special Prosecutor sought to vacate the plea agreement (whereby Ms. Mandel-Clemente received an ACOD for lifting some town records). For background, go here.

Clemente has an outstanding lawsuit against the town which wasn't disclosed to the prosecutor in violation of the plea agreement. Clemente resigned from the Planning Board pursuant to the plea agreement but has not discontinued an action against the town which seeks to declare her appointment to the Planning Board valid.

Mandel-Clemente is now represented by Kevin Engel. Engel is an East Greenbush Town Justice. The hearing lasted for three hours. We don't know the outcome or when a decision will be announced. We do know that all Schodack Town Court records were inventoried and accounted for before Ms. Mandel-Clemente was allowed to leave court (just joking, Linda, you know we love 'ya).

CHANGE IN COVERAGE

PRESS NOTES

Two area reporters will no longer cover the east side of the river. The Times Union's Tim O'Brien, a longtime fixture on the Troy beat will now be a general assignment reporter, working out of the TU HQ in Colonie.

The Times Union's Kate Perry, now handling North Greenbush, will cover the Albany City Hall beat.

We're sorry to see Tim go. O'Brien is a good writer and has 15 years of experience covering Troy's Byzantine political scene. Tim was also the first area reporter to mention the Troy Polloi in a column (March 17, 2005). Prior to Tim's mention, the Troy Polloi received a pathetic 5-8 visitors a day. Now....

....an average of 275 unique* visitors a day, making the Troy Polloi Troy's number one (and only) political blog. There's no word on who might cover Troy, but the TU may go with two, rather than three, people for that bureau.

Good luck, Tim.

Perry's promotion is thought to be based on the fact that she's: a) a good reporter and b) the TU wants to keep her here. Perry wants to move back to Rochester.

The Albany City Hall beat is a promotion for Perry. While we're sure that Albany City Hall has it's charms, it can hardly compare to North Greenbush's wild west atmosphere.

Both reporters were approached to work for the Polloi but negotiations broke down over the issue of being paid.

POLICE BEAT

In 2006 the Troy Fire Departmen raked in $650,000 in overtime, the Police Department over $885,000. It sounds like a lot of money and it is a lot of money. The bottom line is, we want those men and women out there on the streets and, unlike some, we don't expect them to do it for free. Nor did we give a damn where they live.

In other police news, the word came down from upon high that police officers are no longer allowed to read the Troy Polloi. First a block at City Hall and now this! Sound a bit more like Stalinist Russia than the Home of Uncle Sam.

Now, we guess we'll have to discuss the true story behind the YouTube arrests later this week. The long and short of it is, McGrath, Harry and the video had nothing to do with any arrests. Troy's Finest were already on the case. The connections between the arrests and the video were concocted by the Administration (though McGrath did not attempt to take credit for anything) to raise McGrath's profile for a possible At-Large run.

*An IP address that logs in more than once a day is recorded as only one visit.

IN THIS DAY AND AGE

FIGHT THE POWER!

When former Rensselaer County District Attorney Ken Bruno sought to lower the property assessment on his stately pleasure dome, he discovered the ugly truth about this region.

It's 2007. We thought this type of discrimination was behind us.

Unfortunately, Judge Hummel found one problem with Ken's petition:

"Petitioner has merely alleged discrimination, but has failed to support his conclusions with any evidence," Hummel wrote in his decision

The town assessor gave the court a detailed explanation for its decision, Hummel wrote, and Kenneth Bruno himself had valued the house when built as worth between $375,000 and $400,000.

Since the town assesses property at 10 percent of the full market value, Hummel ruled, Bruno-the-younger's assessment of $38,200 falls well within that range. The court noted that the rate was also a reduction from the original $41,000 assessment as a direct result of an initial complaint by Bruno.

How long will heterosexual white, male, former DA's and sons of prominent state politicians have to endure this type of discrimination? We demand a probe! Hand us that box of latex gloves.

We know Christmas can take a toll on your wallet. Please find it in your heart to give whatever you can to help Ken. A spoiled white boy is a terrible thing to waste.



JOE PREVAILS

On an upnote for the Bruno clan, Our Joe won a brilliant victory, retaining his position as Senate Majority leader. The conference vote was unanimous, with Senator Bonacic abstaining. Bonacic was acting as a stalking horse for Long Island Senator Dean Skelos. If the report is true, that means even Skelos voted for Bruno. Bonacic may want to have a talk with his pal, Skelos.

MORE GOOD FOR UPSTATE

With most of the real state movers and shakers hailing from downstate, it's good to see local Assemblyman Ron Canestrari moving into the Assembly Majority Leader position. Every bit helps.

NORTH GREENBUSH NOTE

Former Supreme Court Justice and former Deputy Corporation Counsel for the City of Troy, Tom Spargo will be making a special guest appearance* at Thursday nights council meeting in North Greenbush. Spargo will be appearing on behalf of an M. Carey (Mariah?). Carey alleges that the subdivision recently created by former Democratic Chair Dan Ashley is illegal. That's about all we know.

*This will be the first guest appearance at a North Greenbush meeting since the ill-fated Charro debacle in 1978.

GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE....

...Sold to the man that still lives at home with his mother!

Who remembers this board game favorite?

What may be the only remaining copy of Troyopoly was auctioned off on Christmas Eve via eBay. The winning bid? The game sold for an impressive $32.82 (U.S.)

The one interesting note is that the seller is from Essex, England (that's in Europe).



The description of the product:

RARE BOARD GAME, TROYOPOLY, THE GAME OF TROY, NEW YORK, HOME OF UNCLE SAM. THE OBJECT OF THE GAME IS TO BECOME THE WEALTHIEST RESIDENT OF YOUR COMMUNITY BY BUYING, OPERATING, AND SELLING LOCAL BUSINESSES. A CUSTOM BOARD GAME FROM PRIDE DISTRIBUTORS Inc, FUND RAISING Div.7453 Anne Ct, W.BLOOMFIELD, Ml 48033. CIRCA 1985. I THINK THIS IS QUITE A RARE GAME AS I CAN`T FIND ANOTHER ONE ANYWHERE ON E-BAY FOR SALE. CONDITION IS VERY GOOD AND I THINK IT IS COMPLETE. THERE IS A LITTLE CURVE TO THE BOARD WHERE IT HAS BEEN IN THE BOX UNUSED FOR SO LONG, THIS MAY FLATTEN OUT IN USE, BOARD FACE IS VERY CLEAN. A VERY NICE ADDITION TO YOUR COLLECTION.

So, if increasing taxes and water rates have put the squeeze on your wallet, head down to the basement and rummage through those dusty bins and boxes. You may strike $32.82. At the very least you may find one of these:

POLL RESULTS

POLL RESULTS

The results of our first poll are in and the people have spoken! It's a tie! Wayne Foy ran a tight race but always lagged behind Tito (pronounced Tee-Toe) Jackson and was eventually overtaken by Ape Men from the Future.

We asked you, "Who is responsible for Harry's incompetence?" You answered as follows:

Democrats - 11% (19)

Wayne Foy- 23% (42)

RJ Carignan - 3% (5)

CEO and/or Trip - 7% (12)

Ape Men from the future - 25% (45)

The CIA - 6% (11)

Tito Jackson - 25% (45)

The correct response, according to our panel, is:

Ape Men from the Future
In response to the poll, Mayor Tutunjian issued the following statement:

"I voted for Tito."


NORTH GREENBUSH FOLLIES

On Dec 15th 2006 North Greenbush Supervisor Mark Evers (Conservative) gave two checks totaling $82,300 to J.R. Casale. The checks were for payment on Water Dist. #14. Unfortunately, the payment was not approved by the Town Board. There's nothing wrong with Evers actions except.....It violates the law!

Evers made the payment the day after a town board meeting where the board specifically told him that they would not approve any additional payments to Casale Excavating. Evers got the checks by going into the town Comptroller’s office, directing that the checks be made out and then walking across the hall into the building Dept. and handing the checks to Casale.

Town Law, Section 118 requires that “prior to any payment for a claim, the Town Board must approve the particular itemized voucher.” Yes, the law even applies in North Greenbush.


NEW BLOGGER

Looks like some amateurs are getting into the act. Not content to leave the new medium in the hands of professional media people (like us), someone named Ed Dague is authoring In Medias Res. Ed's name rings a bell. We believe he may have been involved in television at one time.

Dague's blog may provide some interesting insight into the area's television media. Then again, it may not. We wish him well.

WHY DOESN"T HE CALL?

How many nights do you sit by the phone waiting for Mr. Right to call? You gave him your phone number, really put yourself out there: Why doesn't he call? The bastard's probably married.

Looks like area Democrats await The Call to Albany. Eliot has a lot of jobs to fill. Hang in there.

Many area Democrats did work hard for Spitzer. Was it out of principle or was it to share in the spoils? Hmmm.

Interestingly, according to our sources, there's also been not a few people hurrying down to the Rensselaer County Board of Elections to change their enrollment to Democrat. Should make things interesting as we move into an election year. The Troy GOP is already worried about losing the City Council. It's unlikely Marge will get their endorsement and Bauer wants another job. That could mean they need to scrounge-up three people to run At-Large, an expensive, time consuming race.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The Troy Polloi staff would like to wish everyone a safe and happy New Year. We'd also like to thank all of you for making this blog possible. Without your continued support we'd be unable to bring the region such fine, unbiased programming.

Do not forget to vote in our very first poll. The poll will close on Friday. Right now, Tito Jackson and Wayne Foy appear to be in a dead heat. We thought Ape Men from the Future was an obvious choice but we'll leave it up to you.

There's not too much going on right now so we'll resume regularly scheduled posting next week. In the meantime, it's always fun to stay up to date with the latest on Brunopoly (we call the shoe).

December 29, 2006 Times Union;

December 31, 2006 Times Union.

UPDATE

Just a quick update. We'll discuss the Mayor's penchent for illegal votes raising taxes later this weekend or early next week. Plenty of time for that.

Two interesting rumors:

1) Mirch will be down to 2 jobs come January '07. We heard he's losing his constituent liaison gig.

2) We also heard that 3Job will be, or has, sworn a complaint against a certain former Troy politician for threats allegedly made against 3JB.

Both are unconfirmed but interesting.

SAY GOODBYE TO PAT

Pat Casale, a longtime fixture in area politics, is saying goodbye. We hope he has a long and happy retirement.

BREAKING NEWS

This just in....

The NY Times, as part of their investigation into Sen. Bruno, contacted our own Bob Mirch on his position as Sen. Bruno's alleged Constituent Relations person. The Times was amazed to find that Mr. Mirch is paid $30,000 per year from the Senate and does not have an office for this important position. In fact, any calls to Mr. Mirch through the Senator's office are directly connected to the Rensselaer County Legislature's office. The NY paper was also intrigued that Mirch could at the same time have another full time job.

The Times is also investigating how Thomas Connelly is on Sen. Kruger's payroll in NYC. They are trying to determine what if anything he does for the Senator.

There's also word from at least two sources that two (2) Federal Grand Juries are investigating Senator Bruno. We have no idea weather two Grand Juries could be involved in one investigation. Sounds curious.


Also just in:

3 Job Bob put out a flyer in the DPW today trying to rally support against the Democrats on the Council, blaming them for possible layoffs in DPW if the water rate increase doesn't pass tonight. Why else would the Administration be pushing this hard if they thought they had the illegal vote wrapped-up?

BEGINNING OF THE END?

Our Joe Bruno is now in trouble.

For a politician, being the subject of, or a person of interest in, a Federal investigation is never a positive. It may or may not be a career ender. A more telling sign of Joe's problems comes from his own Republican conference.

There is a typical pattern in political scandals: friends and colleagues offer support; friends and colleagues become "troubled"; friends and colleagues abandon their friend and colleague.

It begins one colleague willing to break ranks. In this case, it's State Senator John Bonacic of Orange County. Bonacic called upon his Republican colleagues to oust Senator Bruno, who will not be formally elected Senate Majority leader until the new year.

Bonacic has a point and many Republican Senators have to be angry with Bruno. If the story of the investigation had broke a few weeks before the election, the Senate might be in Democratic hands. As it is, under Bruno, the GOP has lost four Senate seats in the last four years.

Bruno's age doesn't help things. For the first time that we can recall, Joe looks his age and looks weak and vulnerable. At 77 years old, some GOP Senators have to be looking towards their own future. When they start jumping ship, they jump fast. If there's a revolt in Bruno's conference, we should know by New Year's Eve.

Bruno will say he has the votes. So did Marino.

As for more rumors, one has to wonder if any portion of the investigation involves the construction of Ken Bruno's palatial estate. What contractors were used, what were they paid and how were they paid. We can't help get the feeling that First Grafton is involved. Or is it horse racing, or both?

On a side note, Governor Elect Spitzer has named State Senator Michael Balboni to head the State's version of the Homeland Security Department. Balboni turned down a run for Attorney General recently in order to keep his Senate seat in GOP hands. Now, Spitzer will call a special election to fill Balboni's seat.

If Bruno, for whatever reason, resigns from the Senate, who will run in the special election for the GOP? For the Democrats?

HERE THEY GO AGAIN

According to The Record, the Administration (hereinafter The Gang Who Couldn't Shoot Straight) has called a special Council meeting for tomorrow night in order to vote (a third time) on the water rate increase.

A third vote is in all likelihood illegal (otherwise known in Rensselaer County as a mere technicality). However, the illegal vote will only require 5 illegal votes, not 6, because the resolution has now festered in the hands of the Council for a sufficient period of time.

When it comes to raising taxes and rates, no one works harder than the mayor.

Why the rush on the do-do-over? The water bills, with the new rate hike go out next week.

Mayor Tutunjian worked into the early morning hours drafting his list of people to blame and was not available for comment.

Who's to blame? Why not vote in our poll over on the right.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

From all of us at the Troy Polloi, Merry Christmas!




Come in and warm yourself by the fire:



And the Album Cover of the day:

SCROOGED?

Our contact at CSEA brings us the following.

Troy Mayor Harry Tutunjian's penchant for raising taxes is well-known. In fact, he's never met a tax hike he didn't like. This year, property taxes rose 2.49% A modest hike. Where Harry also likes to get people is in the sewer and water rates. Those have gone up quite a bit in recent years. Those taxes (also called rate hikes) don't generate the same passion as property tax increases.

This year, Tutunjian's water rate hike passed by a vote of 5 to 4 (the Democrats and Marge voted against hitting the Troy taxpayers). The problem was, the legislation didn't get to Council members until the night of the vote. Therefore, six votes were required for passage.

§ C-38. Purposes and adoption of ordinances. [Amended by L.L. No. 1-1984, § 1]
The Council may, by ordinance, provide for the government of the City, the management of its business, and the protection of its property; for the preservation of good order; for the protection of the public health; for the safety and the welfare of its inhabitants and the protection of their property; for the construction of public and local improvements; and for such other purposes as the interests of the City and its inhabitants may require. No City ordinance shall be adopted at the same meeting at which it is introduced or until seven days have elapsed since its introduction, except by the two-thirds vote of the Council members present.

Well, they tried again last night. Again, Dems and Marge voted against whacking the tax payers. Bauer, Wojcik, Collier and McGrath voted for the tax hike. Council Krogh was absent. The vote was 4-4.

The result means no increase. Since the vote had no majority, no reconsideration is possible.

§ 2-32. Motion for reconsideration.

A. No motion for reconsidering any decision of the Council shall be in order unless made by a Councilperson who voted with the majority, nor unless such motion shall be made at the same or next regular meeting after such decision shall have been made.

B. A motion for reconsideration being put and lost shall not be removed, nor shall any vote be a second time reconsidered without unanimous consent.

Harry now knows this because he sent a memo to CSEA President Paul Caroll proposing the termination of 15 Water Department employees to close the budget gap created by GOP incompetence. In the memo, Harry once again resorts to the blame game. Apparently, because the Democrats and Marge didn't vote for the tax hike, they will be blamed for the termination of 15 employees.

F*ck-up #1

Introduce the initial resolution within the appropriate time frame;

F*ck-up #2

Based on the previous vote, you may want to ensure that your other votes are available;

Read The Charter, Harry, or have someone read it to you.

Is this an example of the fiscal health of Troy? One utility rate hike is not passed and the Mayor threatens to terminate 15 employees a few days before Christmas? Is every dollar in the budget accounted for? What about the Federal Grants and the money saved by cutting loose 99 retirees from their benefits? Or was that set aside for next year. Maybe pave a few streets before election day?

Given Troy's fiscal situation, perhaps layoffs will be necessary. That's a debate that should be had, in full view of the public. That's what a leader does. A leader makes tough, unpopular decisions. A leader does not patch together budget after budget with ever-increasing tax hikes because he or she lacks the guts to confront those tough decisions.

More importantly, a leader leads by example. Stop blaming others for your failures. The HUD money? You had the memo in January of '04 outlining the issues. Carignan? You knew you were screwing over a local business and when confronted with the consequences you allowed another business to pay for your mistakes. You hired Spargo despite the obvious ethical issues surrounding the disgraced judge. The list goes on.

Now, just days before Christmas, you'll let employees toss and turn, worrying about their future because you do not know what you're doing (and blame others for your screw-up). Merry Christmas, Troy.

Another great Album Cover (featuring a future GOP At-Large candidate):

IN DEEP DOO-DOO

Is Uncle Joe in deep doo-doo?

As the Feds follow the cash, Joe maintains that as a "part-time legislator" he is allowed to have other concerns. He's quite correct. And one of those outside concerns is a consulting firm, run from his home. One of his clients is Jared Abruzzese. Mr. Abruzzese, according to attorney E. Stuart Jones, has paid Bruno's consulting firm hundreds of thousands of dollars.

According to sources, Bruno started the "at home" business after seeing an advertisement stapled to a telephone pole, declaring "Make thousands a month while working at home." Bruno tore-off the phone number, made a call and here we are. You see, Bruno is only a part-time legislator. So, in order to make ends meet, he needed another job. It was a toss-up between an at-home consulting firm or greeter at Walmart. Bruno wisely chose the former.

What advice could Bruno give Abruzzese that was possibly worth "hundreds of thousands of dollars." Did Bruno help select wallpaper for Abruzzese's office? Or is the advice more simple, such as, "we advise you to retain us."

Why don't we know the identity of Bruno's other clients? There's no confidentiality laws preventing Joe from revealing the identity of his clients. Joes not a lawyer, priest or physician. He doesn't have to reveal the nature of the consulting work but he can't claim transparency while withholding the names of clients.

We think he's stepped in the Mirch. Some of his colleagues may feel the same way.

It will be interesting to see if the standard for New York State politicians remains "He was never convicted" or will it be lowered to "He's never been indicted."

Personally, we've always liked Joe, as an individual. For a New York State, Rensselaer County politician, he's pretty decent and he's always been kind to us. We'd hate to see him go out this way. This just looks bad.

Album Cover of the Day:

SAY IT AINT SO, JOE

Our Joe Bruno? Under investigation?

We know Joe doesn't like the Time Union so, lets just say that according to Capital News 9:

Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno is being investigated by the FBI in regards to business dealings involving his consulting firm.

Senator Bruno said he was notified by the FBI about the inquiry into his private consulting firm back in the spring. But it wasn't until the story was leaked to the media that he came forward.

Bruno said, "I wanted to be up front and assure that I have nothing to hide to avoid speculation, unfounded rumors, distortions."

He wanted to be up front about it? Months after the fact? Isn't that like a guy getting caught cheating and then admitting it?

Anyway, there's absolutely no cause for concern. Such probes are common with a man Joe's age. If something is wrong, you want it caught early. Treatment is much more successful if it's caught early. And please, all of you, avoid speculation, rumor and distortions.

Great Album cover of the day, sent in by an alert reader:

WE COULD ALL USE A GOOD PORC

In the wake of several questionable police interrogations, Troy is may revive the Police Objective Review Committee (PORC).

A PORC, better known as a Civilian Review Board, analyzes complaints and police procedures and then makes watered-down recommendations that are ignored. So basically, it reviews what the police do, how they do it and then offers advice. It's like giving the police a Mother-in-Law.

We don't like feel-good measures with no teeth and giving a committee of citizens 'teeth' is never a good idea. A person may be smart: a committee is rarely smart. The intelligence and wisdom of committees never equals the sum of its parts.

A PORC is a way to make people feel involved without actually giving them any involvement of a consequential nature. If there's a problem in the police department, or any department, that's serious enough to be brought to the attention of a PORC, then it's serious enough to be addressed by City Hall or our City Council. That's what they're elected to do, isn't it?

This proposal is designed to shield Harry and Collier from addressing the problem in the detective bureau. They do not have the balls to criticize a police officer or two because they see that as criticizing the police. And criticizing the police may make the police angry. And they may cause trouble at the next election. That's the way political hacks think.

Let the police conduct the investigation. If that goes nowhere, let the Council investigate and do their job. If Collier can't, let some else do her job for her. The police do not need to worry about a group of civilians looking over their shoulder. They have bosses for that. If that fails, judges will toss cases. If all else fails, juries will toss cases.

Album cover of the day:

HERE COME DA JUDGES

OUR NEW JUDGES

Looks like Senator Bruno has secured jobs for outgoing Lieutenant Governor Mary Donohue and former criminal defendant Henry Zwack. Both will like be confirmed for the Court of Claims. We're glad to see the gravy train keeps on rolling for such outstanding public servants.

The Court of Claims is generally an easy job and neither can do to much harm. Zwack's a joke and we have nothing against Mary but isn't it about time these two went out into the private sector and contributed to society? You know, maybe get off public assistance?

PATTISON WAY

How many more times does Harry have to claim the city's not at fault for the tragic deaths of Hoan and Lan Son?

Based on the facts as we know them, no one is at fault unless the the power vent was improperly wired. That's not something an inspection would reveal. So, is someone blaming the city? Why does Harry seem so adamant about the city's lack of responsibility? Strange.

Even it if was the city's fault (which it wasn't) Harry can always have Nicoll & MacChesney pay the settlement of any suit.

SLUM LORDS

There's a new website focusing on Troy's absentee landlords. We'll talk about that next week. We do not want to name names because there may be some serious problems with the nature and tenor of the site and some of the e-mails that have been exchanged. But for you, we'll delete the names and addresses so you can see what's going on.

We also have a letter about contract negotiations between the city and the PBA. Pretty funny stuff.

But now - more great album covers for your enjoyment.



No idea what the hell that's about.

WHERE'S JOHN?

Has anyone seen John Sweeney. According to the Sunday Times Union, John's having difficulty accepting his recent loss.

It's a rather bizarre article, to say the least. John's been missing votes, he's never in his cubicle and he never calls or writes. Thankfully, a colleague from Texas put together an interesting physical and psychological profile of the current whereabouts of our current congressman.

Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, a close friend of Sweeney's, says the four-term Republican is "frustrated and angry" and feels he was unfairly attacked a week before the election after the Times Union and other newspapers disclosed that police had investigated a domestic dispute between Sweeney and his wife on Dec. 2, 2005.

Sessions, asked why Sweeney was so angry and shocked about his loss, said: "John was disappointed that some frailties in his life were contributing issues to his defeat." He said Sweeney has been ill and his blood pressure had risen.

Sweeney believes he picked up "a bug" during congressional trips to Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Sessions.

"A bug got into his system and lodged in his brain," Sessions said. "It caused unimaginable pain and stress."

Sessions said he and Sweeney are best friends and that his two children refer to Sweeney as "Uncle John."

The truly sad part about this is Sessions children. How does one tell their children that Uncle John has a brain bug?

Maybe it was an earwig that crawled into his brain. Maybe it laid eggs! The horror...the horror.

HOLIDAY FUN

It's the holiday season again. Time to lay aside politics and have some fun.

One of the unintended results of the compact disc era is the demise of LP's and cover art. No one really cares about CD art. No one really bothers to look at CD covers. Has anyone ever said, "The CD cover is really cool." The demise of album cover art is a real shame. Some things should never be forgotten. During the month of December, we'll feature our favorite album covers of the last thirty or forty years.

So, return with us now and enjoy these unique album covers, the likes of which we'll never see again.

Who can forget The Ministers Quartet and their number one album:



Or, the soothing melodies of:

TIS THE SEASON

Nothing says Christmas in the Capital District like Lights in the Park, the Victorian Stroll and tax hikes.

We....this is....forget it.

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.

MCNULTY, STRATTON, BAIL OUT TROY

On Friday, Congressman Mike McNulty and Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton used their combined strength to haul Mayor Harry's ass out of the fire.

Congressman Mike brokered a deal that would leave the $1.1 HUD money in Schenectady. In turn, Schenectady will give Troy $100,000 (plus lessons in administering a city) a year for ten years.

This is good news. No one could argue that Troy needs all the money it can get.

Stratton is not without his faults. We did not agree with his pay raise fiasco, but he does act in a professional manner. For example, Stratton's response to Councilwoman Collier's rather hysterical e-mail (see previous post):

I want to thank you for asking me to respond to the critical email circulated by Councilmember Carolin Collier concerning Schenectady’s recent decision to recapture and reallocate roughly $1.1 million in HUD HOME Funding that Troy had been unable to commit as required by federal law. My Development Department staff has been working in conjunction with HUD administrators and with Troy officials over the course of several years to bring Troy’s development programs into line with HUD requirements. The recent action to recapture and reallocate funding was not intended to benefit Schenectady and Colonie but, rather, was undertaken to safeguard these funds from outright forfeiture by the Secretary of HUD. Federal Law requires that the HOME Funds be committed or obligated within two years of their receipt. If the Consortium fails to discharge that obligation, HUD is required to freeze the uncommitted funds, take them back, and then re-award them to another Participating Jurisdiction.

At the request of Congressman McNulty, I have spent much of the past week brainstorming with my Development and Legal staffs in an effort to find a responsible mechanism to assist Troy recover these funds in a way that will allow Troy to effectively utilize them. We have communicated a proposal to Mayor Tutunjian through the Congressman and we will be meeting later today to hopefully reach an agreement that serves the interests of both cities and ensures the continued viability of this critical stream of urban renewal funding. I am confident that after you learn the details of my proposal, you will be able to respond constructively to your fellow council members and demonstrate that the course Schenectady has been forced to pursue was both responsible and in the best interests of the citizens of Troy.

As always, I look forward to continuing to work with you.

Brian U. Stratton, Mayor

We guess class and professionalism in elected circles isn't entirely dead in the area.

Rather than cast about for someone to blame, McNulty and Stratton provided a solution.

MAYOR STRATTON - A KLEPTO?

Does Collier have a crush on Clem Campana?

What else explains this warm, fuzzy e-mail:

From: Carolin [mailto:skistow@nycap.rr.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 12:25 PM
To: 'Clement Campana (E-mail)'
Cc: Citycouncil.; Deb.Witkowski
Subject: HOME monies

Dear Clem,

I am in receipt of your fax sent to the City Clerks office at 5:04 PM on November 27, 2006. I have had discussions with Comptroller Deb Witkowski regarding the HOME monies that Mayor Stratton feels he is entitled to take away from us. I am also very aware of what theses monies are used for and its importance to our city. What you are not aware of is that Mayor Stratton has tried to steal Troy’s monies in the past and was called to task on it then by Congressman McNulty. Comptroller Witkowski has agreed to update everyone on this situation at our Finance meeting this Thursday. If you are not happy with the results of this meeting, I will be calling a planning meeting in the near future for further updates and discussions into this matter. I do not feel at this time that representation from TRIP or CEO is needed or required as they have nothing to do with what Mayor Stratton is proposing to do. The questions you should be asking as a elected official of the City of Troy is does Mayor Stratton have the right to take contractual monies away from Troy and why is HUD allowing him to continually undermined their process.

If you have any further questions or concerns please feel free to contact me or Comptroller Witkowski.


Sincerely,

Councilwoman Carolin Collier

Clem, didn't you receive the memo? The one that authorizes Collier to determine what questions you should be asking? Only Ministry approved questions are allowed.

Here's a few:

1. If Stratton is stealing money from Troy, why hasn't he been arrested?

2. Has Stratton confessed and if so, was his confession obtained after he requested counsel?

3. Does losing out to Schenectady damage a city's self-esteem?

Of course there's no need to have representatives from CEO or TRIP present, they might keep saying things like this:

Karen Gordon, CEO's executive director, said that was untrue.

"All the money I had under contract with the city to rehab property, I spent," she said. "I also think it is very ironic because a month ago the mayor came to visit me and asked if I could help him spend the money so he wouldn't lose it."

Gordon said she developed a plan and thought as of Friday that she would be working with the city to make sure the funds were not lost.

Patrick Madden, executive director of TRIP, said he received a letter from Troy's comptroller at least a year-and-a-half ago requesting TRIP to stop spending all program funds because the city would no longer allow it.

"There's got to be some confusion at City Hall," said Madden, noting he was surprised at the mayor's remarks. "It sounds like the mayor is saying one thing, but the comptroller asked us to stop spending the money."

Caroline Collier represents South Troy (the 6th ED). For those unfamiliar with South Troy, think of it this way, if Troy is the United States, the 6th ED is Arkansas. True, there's fewer cases of ricketts and less Nascar. Point is, it could use this money. As an elected representative from Arkansas, Collier may want to see the letter Madden received, may want to meet with Gordon, may want to find out how Troy found itself in this position. She may even want to ask Harry for any documentation he may have (from '04) setting forth this issue. We bet there's at least one, maybe two.

Instead, she blames a mayor that actually has a plan to use the money for his city.

This e-mail, combined with Harry's rapid response in assigning blame elsewhere leads us to only one conclusion: Business at the Dept. of F*ck-ups is still booming.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

RJ Carignan's suit for breach of contract against the City of Troy has been tossed out of court by Judge Michael Lynch. City Hall must be breathing a collective sigh of relief. After all, Administration officials have assured us that the case would never go to a jury.

Wait a minute....just kidding. Judge Lynch denied the city's motion for summary judgment and the trial starts December 4, 2006.

Nothing says Christmas like the Mayor of Troy on the witness stand, trying to answer questions.

The Troy Polloi has requested a press pass for the trial. We await a response. Perhaps someone would like to cover the trial for us. Let us know. The pay stinks but the benefits and pension plan are pretty good.

The trial could cause friction within the ranks. Harry has thrown the Comptroller and Corporation Counsel under the bus on this baby. To the extent the City wins, it probably won't matter. If they lose, it will be, in Harry's own words, because, "...my comptroller and corporation counsel identified that they were able and willing to save us money, and I was okay with that, and that's why we went with them."

Looks like a jury will decide, as it should be.

THE DOG ATE IT

In the fine tradition of third-graders everywhere, the Administration is blaming everyone but themselves for losing up to $1.1 million in HUD grants. The chronicle of Administration incompetence can be read found in Tim O'Brien's article.




Money available for 2002-2003 should have been earmarked for a specific project by 2004. Money from 2003-2004 should have been earmarked for a specific project by 2005. This failure occurred on Harry's watch.

As for the first screw-up, we should cut him some slack. Harry had only been mayor for a few months by mid-2004 (although he was Council President for the proceeding two years and, theoretically, knew what was going on).

However, blaming TRIP and CEO is disingenuous. You 'da big boss man, Harry. Time to step up to the plate. The City had oversite of the programs and should have been monitoring these things. Tutunjian would have been the first one in front of a camera if these funds had been awarded for projects in Troy, so guess who gets the blame?

A few queries:

1- Once the program went "in-house" did anyone bother to look at the numbers or did this information (the loss of the money) come as a surprise to the Administration?

2- Why do we find it difficult to believe that two Not-for-Profits did not utilize all the available funds they had access to?

3- Would a thorough review of the books, once brought "in-house" have been a more urgent priority than monitoring computer use at City Hall or tearing down marquees?

4- Does this mean we don't get the faux lighthouse?

NOT AT MY HOUSE

The Rensselaer County Deputy Sheriff's PBA took out a full page ad in The Record on Sunday accusing Bob Mirch of being a threat to public safety. The Deputy Sheriffs are fighting the elimination of road patrols in Rensselaer, a measure first suggested by Bob Mirch.

The add asks, "Who would you rather see respond to your house?" Then a picture of Mirch alongside a picture of two sheriffs with a dog.

Personally, we'd like to see Mirch, especially if he comes with music and his tear-away suit.

AID FOR CITIES

The City of Schenectady was recently awarded a $1.1 million HUD grant. Schenectady plans to demolish up to 9 old, dilapidated structures. The structures will be replaced with housing for low-income families.

It's a win-win for a city like Schenectady. Eye-sores are removed and a housing need is filled at "no cost to the taxpayer."

These grants are 'found money' and cities would be foolish not to take advantage of them. With Harry's penchant for demolition this is right up his alley and we can't wait to see what will be done with Troy's $1,000,000 HUD grant.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving and we'll see you next week.

END OF AN ERA

Troy has lost two of the people that made it such an interesting place.

Former Councilman William Pascarell died yesterday at the age of 83.

On Saturday, lawyer, story-teller, Civil Rights activist and WWII combat veteran, Harry O. Lee died at the age 93.

POLICE BEAT

TROUBLE IN THE DETECTIVE BUREAU

Looks like trouble is brewing in our own Police Department. That's too bad. Our PD had been relatively scandal-free compared to some other area municipalities. We hope any investigation is thorough, fast and resolves any potential problems.

It appears that certain actions by certain police officers have damaged some cases and have resulted in acquittals in others. For example:

Jason Jones allegedly confessed to stabbing his neighbor while an accomplice held the man's arms to his side, but a detective, Sgt. Mary Katherine O'Neil, said she heard Jones ask for an attorney before he confessed to another detective, Sgt. Joseph Centanni.An attorney was never provided. The confession dismissed by the judge. Jones walked.

Internal Affairs is investigating the incidents. However, Councilman Dunne wants the City Council to conduct it's own investigation. Mayor Tutunjian and Councilwoman Collier balked at the suggestion.

Said Collier:

"It is not like the council has turned a blind eye to everything that has gone on over there," Collier said. "It is not getting involved in the investigation. That is not what our position on the council is about. But we want to see the problem solved."

Said Tutunjian:

"The investigation is ongoing and we will treat the results fairly and hold anyone who needs to be held accountable, accountable," Tutunjian said. "When there is a problem we will address it. My policy is I will not let certain individuals run down the city, whether it is City Hall or the Police Department."

Ms. Collier, we believe Dunne requested that the City Council investigate, not that it get involved with the current investigation. It would be a separate investigation based upon the idea that when a institution investigates itself, the findings are sometimes viewed with skepticism. However, Collier is correct that it would be outside the scope of this Council's role to actually do something. After all, the Charter does not give the Council authority to investigate city departments (unless, of course, you actually read the Charter). Anyway, Collier always seems like she's in need of a good probe. No time like the present.

Tutunjian's position is more problematic. Accountable for what? Violating the rights of a suspect? How are you going to hold him accountable, Harry? Let him run for City Council? After all, Bauer was booted from the bench for doing essentially the same thing. Sure, it was at a different phase in the system, but it amounts to the same thing.

A cop screws up and his career is over.


POLICE BLOTTER

On Thursday Nov. 9th in the late afternoon, Mayor Tutunjian and Deputy Mayor Crawley were driving in the vicinity of the old Portico Warehouse (now Dan's Hauling) in the South Troy waterfront area. While cruising the area (looking for the dastardly hooker's gang perhaps) they noticed a very old Troy Fire Engine.

Being the good citizen's that they are, they immediately pulled out their radio and called Troy Police Dispatch to report a stolen fire truck and have the Troy Police evidence team come and retrieve the stolen goods. Well, while they were high-fiving each other in the fine tradition of Andy and Barney, they completed and filed a police report.

Evidently an astute city employee must have gotten wind of the filed report and quietly told Andy and Barney that the fire truck was sold for salvage in 2003, and get this, Mayor Tutunjian voted in favor of the sale at a monthly Council meeting. The police report is on file and available at the Troy Police station.

Sometimes they just make it too easy.

SWEENEY FOLLOW-UP

We won't belabor the point. For those still interested:

Brendan Lyons and Fred LeBrun discuss the status of the investigation.

We guess Sweeney was for releasing the report before he was against it.

LAW SUITS

The city recently settled the case of a woman who was injured when she broke a park swing. According to sources, the Plaintiff received $100,000. If anyone has any info on this one, send it along.

Also, a Civil Rights case brought by Pete Moschetti on behalf of Jack Rogers son will also be settled. That one will probably bring some big bucks.

We wonder if these will be included in Mitchell's report on his exemplary work.

MIRCH LOOKING FOR SOME TRIM

Could someone please loan Three Job some money so he can buy some shame?

On the budget:

One legislator, Majority Leader Bob Mirch said he hopes the union will realize the dire fiscal straights and will ask them for help. One idea, he said, is to ask the members of the United Public Service Employees Union to delay their 3.5 percent pay raise, which is retroactive to last January, until next year. He said the $3 million saved would equate to 7.5 percent of the tax hike. In return, to "share the pain" he said he would vote to roll back the Legislature's $5,000 pay raise they voted themselves last year.

Only in Rensselaer County.

"It is that or layoffs," Mirch said of getting the union's cooperation. "We are cutting across the board and we will be having major layoffs in our own Legislative budget."The Legislature has to approve a budget by Dec. 4.

Bob, stop embarrassing yourself. Collect your three public paychecks and keep your mouth shut. You're part of the leadership that landed us in this mess. You're hardly the person to get us out. Kind of like getting dating pointers from Ted Bundy.

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES

We are experiencing technical difficulties. Do not adjust your antenna.

In the meantime, read about our well-run County government.

Or how about a nice, internal probe (take a deep breath and relax).

ELECTION HANGOVER

SWEENEY - GILLIBRAND

We didn't write much on the Sweeney - Gillibrand race for the 20th Congressional District. Other sites covered the race quite well, especially the Times Union blog, Capitol Confidential. We do have a few thoughts on the race.

1. We are not convinced Gillibrand would have won in the absence of the "domestic dispute" issue. Many of her people claim the race was close but it seems clear that either the original story or, more likely, the Sweeney camp's abysmal response doomed John's chances. So, which was it. The initial report or the inadequate response?

2. Sweeney's concession speech was odd. His actions on Monday were low-key and pointed to a man who saw the handwriting on the wall. Yet, he seemed visibly shaken at the final outcome. The speech was shrill and not his finest moment.

3. The GOP response to the "domestic dispute" report was hypocrisy at its finest. During the past 15 years, Republicans (no, not all) have relied upon the worst campaign tactics. They have accused Clinton of murder, those who did not serve a day in the military have attacked decorated combat veterans, including some in their own party. In Tennessee, the GOP Senate candidate ended up running on a slogan of "here's a black man after white woman." And, worst of all, the RNC paid for ads that were, in short, the classic definition of terrorism: Vote Republican or bin Laden will kill you and your family. After all, what is terrorism but using fear for political gain?

So, here come Kirsten. She has top-notch, professionals running a campaign against an incumbent in a heavily Republican district. We do not know who leaked the domestic disturbance report to the media. If it was Gillibrand, good. If the roles were reversed, the GOP slime machine wouldn't give using such a report a second thought. Boo-hoo.

4. Gillibrand will not be a backbencher for long. Like her or not, she'll become one of the new faces of the Democrats. She'll get a good committee assignment and don't be surprised if Pelosi taps her to make frequent appearances on shows like Hardball etc. Democrats know she'll face a tough challenge in two years and they'll want every advantage. They'll also highlight Gillibrand as one of the Democrats that knocked off an incumbent in a heavily Republican, mostly rural district.

REID - GORDON

Another GOP failure. Who ran Reid's campaign? If it was the same fellow that lost Nassau and North Greenbush, you have to wonder if he earned his pay raise in 2005. Hopefully, he'll run the county legislative races next time around.

MISC.

Does anyone know the status of contract negotiations between the City and the PBA? Just curious what's going on.

THE DAY AFTER

"The results speak for themselves." Feel free to talk about the election.

Also, if you have a minute, send someone around to make sure Vandenburgh hasn't done anything rash. He sounded very upset yesterday, during his three-hour commerical for the GOP.

SECOND REPORT

Two alert readers brought this to our attention. In the interests of fairness, we'll share it with you.

NewsChannel 13 obtained what appears to be a state police document that gives a different account than what was made public last week.

The document that made headlines last week called the incident at Sweeney's house a “domestic dispute.” A document obtained by NewsChannel 13 Monday shows the same incident number, but there's no mention of a domestic dispute.

In the incident report leaked to some newspapers last week, a state trooper described an altercation at the Sweeney home. It said the congressman was knocking his wife, Gayle Sweeney, around the house and that Rep. Sweeney had scratches on his face.

State police assign incident numbers to all of their calls. Last week's report was incident number 1330902.

A new document, with the same incident number, which sources say came from a state police computer, changes the nature of the call to the Sweeney house on Dec. 2. The new document calls it an "aid-assist citizen" and removes the description of the events.
Like last week's document, state police refuse to comment on, or authenticate the new one.

Unfortunately, Sweeney did his Houdini impersonation rather than confront reporters.

Meanwhile, Sweeney has received some unexpected help. Former pro-football star OJ Simpson has vowed to find the real report, no matter how long it takes.

THE RETURN OF DROZD

The Drozed saga continued last week, showing strains between the Administration and the City Council.

Read all about it here and here.

Where to start?

Mr. Drozd is responsible for his actions and must suffer the consequences. He has suffered those consequences. He no longer has a job. It is doubtful that too many would disagree with the ultimate outcome.

Of more concern is how the Administration handled this matter from the beginning. The Administration has gone out of its way to unecessarily embarass Drozd's sister-in-law, Councilwoman Marge DerGurahian, one of their own. Harry and the gang are living examples that the ability to get votes in no way ensures any degree of class or dignity.

Initially, the Drozd matter was discussed in Executive Session. Unfortunately, someone felt the need to contact the television media about the session. Thus, beginning the circus.

After the session, Council President Bauer informed us that his only comment would be that Mr. Drozd resigned. However, there was an 8-0 vote in Executive Session to terminate Mr. Drozd.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, talk began about whether Mr. Drozd was entitled to unused vacation pay. According to City Policy (the policy for non-represented employees) such accrued vacation time is forfeit if the employee is terminated for disciplinary reasons.

Somehow a resolution is placed on last Thursday night's Agenda which would grant Mr. Drozd his unused vacation pay. But what a resolution! It's like no resolution we've ever seen and it may violate Executive Session rules of confidentiality. The resolution was withdrawn.

The Council looks bad here. That's partly their own fault but they received some help from the Administration.

Before we deal with this mess later in the week, we merely ask a few questions:

Mr. Bauer, was Mr. Drozd terminated or did he resign?

Which leads us to this question? If there was an 8-0 vote, did that vote violate Open Meetings Law? If, so, does another vote have to take place in conformity with Open Meetings Law or can the initial vote be somehow adopted as if it took place in an Open Meeting?

Why was the resolution drafted in such a way as to reveal the process (as opposed to the result) of an Executive Session?

Is the Non-Rep policy that would be violated if Drozd is given vacation pay the same Non-Rep policy that is "out of date" with regard to the new auditor's pay rate?

Finally, will Bauer wrest control of the Council back from the Administration so it can function as an independent branch of government or will it remain a non-binding advisory board for the mayor?


Later this week:

More on how the City handled the Drozd matter (unless we're bored with it);
Election results;
Negotiations between the PBA and the City on a contract for the police.

NEW POLL

The last time Siena polled in the 20th Congressional District, Congressman Sweeney had a 14-point lead. Sweeney supporters, including local talkshow host Paul Vandenburgh, were gleeful.

Here are the most recent numbers from Siena.

Tight.

SWEENEY-GATE

Will the December 2005 police report be released by the Sweeney campaign? This has been a tough case to follow.

Sweeney said that he and his wife would sign a properly notarized letter allowing the New York State Police to release the "official, genuine, Grade-A," incident report involving a domestic dispute at the Sweeney residence last December.

We have two simple questions:

Did the Sweeney's send the NYS Police the proper authorization for release of the document;

Do the Sweeney's, and their attorney E. Stuart Jones, have the document now?

Voters simply want to know if the December 2005 911 phone call went something like this:



"He grabbed my neck and pushed me around"

Or...



"Everything's fine. It's just been a stressful time."
Believe it or not, we are going to play Devil's Advocate for one minute.

Is it possible that the events that night went something like this:

1. It is a stressful time, between young John's criminal case, a looming campaign and the Congressman's health;

2. There is a non-physical argument;

3. Emotions ride high and Mrs. Sweeney calls 911 because she's at the end of her rope (and, according to the report in the TU, had imbibed some adult beverages).

4. The incident is investigated;

5. The final report may detail some things not flattering (on that particular night) about Mrs. Sweeney;

6. The Congressman will not release the report because he doesn't want his wife embarrassed further.

We're not saying that our scenario is true. But, a possibility?

This is not to suggest that women use 911 calls as weapons. Only that something spun out of control that night and that someone the Congressman cares about might not be revealed in a flattering light if the exact circumstances came to light. It could be simply that the 911 call ultimately proved unecessary.

Maybe we'll never know.

Without laying blame on any particular side, this has become the type of race that will drive potentially well-qualified individuals away from public life. No matter who wins, we fear this race bodes ill for future political contests in the area.

TIM GORDON FOR ASSEMBLY

Tim Gordon is running for a seat in the Assembly (108th). His opponent is Rensselaer County Legislator Martin Reid.

Gordon is the only real choice here. Reid is one of the culprits in the pay raise fiasco from last year. He's yet to explain his vote. He's also yet to explain why Rensselaer County taxes continue to go up and up and up. Voting against Reid is a great way to punish our county legislators for their fiscal greed and incompetence.

Sure, Reid's ads inform us that he's voted to cut taxes 5 times (or 6 or 7 or 8). What that really means is that instead of voting for a proposed tax hike of 12%, he voted for a tax hike of 8%. See, he voted to cut taxes!

Read about Gordon here, at his campaign website. We like the idea of having an Independent (albeit endorsed by the Democrats) assemblyman. Besides, why not go with a guy who has been endorsed by Spitzer? It couldn't hurt the area.

There has also been some interesting politicking in the 108th. The following is a press release from Keith Hammond and the WFP:

My name is Tom Comanzo and I am the co-chair of the Working Families Party Steering Committee in the Capital District. We are here today to reveal the truth behind a slew of political mailings distributed throughout the 108th Assembly District, falsely attributed to the Working Families Party. Keith Hammond is the candidate who is on the Working Families Party line in the State Assembly race. However, after Keith lost the Democratic primary to Tim Gordon, he immediately went on to endorse, and actively support, Tim's campaign.

The Working Families Party would like to encourage WFP supporters across the 108th Assembly District to follow Keith's lead and cast their vote on Row E for Eliot Spitzer, Congressmember and State Senator. Then they should vote for the best candidate for working families, Tim Gordon, on the Democratic line.

Myself and other leaders of the Capital District Chapter of the Working Families Party were extremely dismayed by the dirty politics used in this race. The mailings circulated by supporters of the Republican candidate use the Working Families Party message of more school funding, living wage jobs and affordable health care. These messages even use the unauthorized Working Families Party logo. They urge voters to support a candidate who is clearly no longer running a campaign. they are attempting to trick voters into wasting their vote. These mailings were neither produced nor approved by the Working Families Party leadership or membership.

I along with the other Working Families Party leaders are considering a protest to Fair Campaign Practices for the Capital Region. However, in the meantime, we are urging all residents in the 108th Assembly District who support the Working Families Party to cast their vote in the State Assembly race for Tim Gordon on the Democratic Line.

With high Democratic turnout and Reid's unpopularity within his own party, we think Gordon can win Casale's seat.

ENDORSEMENTS

It's Endorsement time and will be turning things over to our new correspondent, Trojan Gal.

ENDORSEMENTS

By Trojan Gal*

GOVERNOR

This was a hard one, folks. One guy named Eliot and one named John. Since Johns are my bread and butter, I have to go with John Faso. He has a full head of hair, all his teeth and is very well-groomed.

The one problem I have with Faso is his stance against gay marriage. I am sick and tired of politicians protecting homosexuals and giving them special rights. Why are they protected from the trauma of marriage. They don't have to plan and pay for a wedding, they don't suffer the marriage tax penalty, they don't have to deal with divorce and they don't have mothers - in law. Stop coddling the gays, John and let them suffer like straight people suffer.

COMPTROLLER

Easy. Alan Hevesi. Why? Because he knows how to treat a lady. I do a lot of work in cars and I know that every gal dreams of a chauffeur? Especially when the cost doesn't cut into the household expenses. Good for you, Alan, baby.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Jeanine Pirro, hands down. Any woman who considers taping her husband is A-OK in my book. She's put up with enough crap from that loser. He's single-handedly ruined an otherwise promising career. She deserves something. Treat yourself to a statewide office, honey, and a facial.

CONGRESS - 20th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Another John, this one Sweeney. Because like Alan, he knows how to treat a lady.

* Troan Gal lives and works in Troy, NY

There you have it. We hope the influence of our endorsements will give each candidate the added edge they need to pull it out next Tusday.

Well, it looks like the Drozd saga may finally be over. That and much more, next week.

MEA CULPA

Since we're not politicians, we feel free to admit mistakes.

We were chastised for sounding too flippant in yesterday's post. We say, point taken. Every blog goes through rough patches. However, we try to work together to iron them out.

Obviously, domestic violence is a serious topic. Therefore, if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, here's a good outfit to contact. Yes, they're one of those horrific not-for-profits but they do good work.


Finally, Warren Redlich, the Republican running against Mike McNulty has announced that not only has he not choked anyone, he has endorsed Kirsten Gillibrand. Say what you want about Redlich's chances, at least he's beholden to no one.

Tomorrow, The Troy Polloi's much sought after endorsements.

YOU GO, JOHN

We may have to change our endorsement.

According to the Time Union:

The wife of U.S. Rep. John Sweeney called police last December to complain her husband was knocking her around'' during a late-night argument at the couple's home, according to a document obtained last week by the Times Union.

The emergency call to a police dispatcher triggered a visit to the couple's residence by a state trooper from Clifton Park, who filed a domestic incident report after noting that the congressman had scratches on his face, the document states. No criminal charges were filed.
Gaia M. Sweeney, 36, told a trooper that her husband had grabbed her by the neck and was pushing her around the house, according to the document.

Here's the 'barely legible' document.

The couple is rumored to have argued about House Resolution 25778, which would make May 2, Dick Tidrow Day.

Perhaps this explains why Sweeney's latest ad, where he and Gaia are seated on a couch while Sweeney talks about attacks on his wife, looks more like a hostage video than a campaign commercial.

QU'ILS MANGENT DE LA BRIOCHE

Three-Job Bob Says Let Them Eat Cake (Only if the County Doesn’t Have to Pay for It).

By Politicus Ebonus Abyssus

With a nearly 26% budget increase proposed for the Rensselaer County budget, three-job Bob has suggested that all county services be eliminated other than the county jail. Forget for a minute that many of services are mandated by the State, Mirch is suggesting that we cut needed services to the most vulnerable of the County’s population.

While Mirch and his wife make well over $150,000 combined and have their health insurance paid for by our tax dollars, he has no problem eliminating the Health Department who provides flu shots to senior citizens and lead screening to our children. While Mirch and his wife own a vacation hide-a-way in Lake George, he has no problem cutting programs that support senior centers, eliminating the only socialization and recreation time that many of our senior citizens have. As long as Mirch continues to live off our tax dollars until retirement, he can act like Marie Antoinette and tell the peasants to eat cake. Just remember Bob, the peasants eventually revolted and helped Marie take a little off the top.

Eliminating such services as sheriff’s patrols and maintaining county roads, as Mirch suggests, only shifts the responsibility for those services and the tax burden to the towns. Robbing Peter to pay Paul may absolve Mirch in his mind of the mess he helped create, but it does not help the overburdened taxpayer.

Mirch has taken no responsibility for this problem. Mirch and the Republican controlled County Legislature approved the use of over $29 million fund balance dollars during the last five years to support the general budget. Rather than ensuring that expenditures did not exceed annual revenues, the Legislature used the fund balance to support rampant increases in expenditures. Any true emergency now could only be addressed through another tax hike or borrowing. Mirch and company are not the only villains here, however. Jimino did nothing to curtail expenses and proposed using the fund balance to balance the budget, just not to the level that the county legislature approved.

Both Jimino and the legislature played fast and loose with our tax dollars. Now we have to pay the piper, to the tune of 25.9%.

And folks, don't forget our own Martin Reid. He now wants to bring his pay raise, tax hike experience to the State Assembly. There's no better way to climb the political ladder than through incompetence and failure. Go Marty!

Also, a brief note. There's a very interesting item on the agenda for the November 2 Troy City Council meeting. It raises a number of questions and we'll be talking about it later this week or early next week.

Good luck out there and hold on to your wallets, it's budget time.

NEWS ROUND-UP

DA's OFFICE SUED....FOR $52,000,000

Jeremy Phillips has sued the Rensselaer County DA's Office for a tidy sum. Phillips was held in jail for nearly a month based on an extradition warrant issued by our District Attorneys Office. When Phillips finally got to Rensselaer County, the Grand Jury failed to indict him.

When a Grand Jury fails to indict the case can, at best, be described as weak. Usually, the case is non-existent. Not knowing both sides of the case and not having consulted our legal staff, we defer to others the merits of the cause of action and the defense to those claims.

Of more interest is the fact that Phillips attorney is Warren Redlich. As many of you probably don't know, Redlich is the Republican* challenging Democratic Congressman Mike McNulty.

Of more interest is that Redlich has a blog. Redlich has posted the complaint. He has also discussed the case on his blog. In fact, last April, in a post, he characterized First Assistant District Attorney Joseph Ahearn as "Evil." Ahearn responded by rotating his head 360 degrees and vomiting a pea-green substance.

Redlich later apologized for the comment. A classy move in our book.

I WANT AN ATTORNEY!

This matter may have legs. In fact, we have come to learn that there may be a memorandum out there that conveniently disappeared. The memorandum was written by another police officer and given to a higher-up before Mr. Rosa kicked up a stink about his interrogation . That's just a rumor, of course. Right now, we have seen nothing to suggest that this event was anything other than an aberration in an otherwise decent police force.

SWEENEY V GILLIBRAND

Recent polls have been mixed. Siena has Sweeney leading by 14% Another poll has Gillibrand up by a decent margin. Our Lucky 8 Ball says, "Try Again Later."

The Siena Poll sounds more realistic. Can Sweeney win by 14 points, you bet. The nature of incumbency and the congressional district makes this a hard fight for Gillibrand even in the best of circumstances, which we now have.

However, the 20th's Guestbook shows that this may be a very tight race. Former President Bill Clinton and Senator Clinton are not going to campaign in a race where it's believed the Democrat far behind. Also, First Lady Laura Bush is not being sent to districts where the Republican incumbent is a shoo-in. In fact, Mrs. Bush was scheduled to campaign in Idaho's 1st Congressional District, a fact that may make Sweeney uneasy.

This will be one of the most interesting races to watch on Election Night. If Gillibrand wins or it's tight, the Republicans are in for a long night statewide and possibly nationwide. What's a close race here, we'd say Gillibrand getting 46% or more (depending on how the third-party candidates run).

TAXELAER COUNTY

MY NAME'S BOB AND I'M A TAXAHOLIC

The County GOP never seems to stop giving. They gave themselves pay hikes last year and now we can expect them to give us a nice tax hike. Not just a tax hike, a 25% tax hike. That's like what....adding almost a quarter to our tax burden. Thanks, small government, conservatives. Much appreciated.

This explains the tidy little sum they voted themselves last year. How can our legislators expect to pay their taxes in RensCo without a pay raise?

We'll have more on this outrage later. In the meantime, lets down some bran muffins and have a good Bob Mirch (hereinafter BM).

BM had this to say:

According to Robert Mirch, a Conservative who serves as majority leader for the Republicans, it's time for drastic changes, including the elimination of Sheriff's Department road patrols and the county Health Department, privatization of the Van Rensselaer Manor nursing home and, as a last resort, the elimination of county government altogether with the exception of the county jail."

My opinion is, county government cannot continue as we have for years and years and years," Mirch said. "The taxpayers can't take any more, they just can't."

Gee...Bob...where you been for the past thirteen years? What, waiting for a leadership position before you can get something done? Too busy with your other public payroll jobs? Too busy counting your pay hike from last year? Too busy taking over the WFP? At least you've finally admitted your failure as a legislative leader. That's the first step.

Friends and family of the county need to set up an intervention. We care about you, Rensselaer County. We hate to see you spiraling out of control.

TRISH

Ugh....we almost didn't bother. She just looks and sounds so whipped lately. Yes, even the New York State Court of Appeals has called Trish's behavior "deplorable."

THANK YOU

A sincere thank you goes out to The Record. Last Saturday, The Record ran an interview with Democratus. We'd like to thank them for that opportunity. It was a pleasure working with The Record on what might be the most significant interview of the year.

TAXES NOT THE ONLY THING ON THE RISE IN TROY

By POLITICUS EBONUS ABYSSUS

When the crime statistics were released earlier this month, we heard nothing from our fearless leader in the mayor’s office regarding Troy. If you remember, Democratic city council candidates were relentlessly pummeled during last year’s campaign by the Republican city council candidates, genuflected to the god of Harry who, since elected, had reduced crime in Troy.

Lo and behold, crime in Troy in 2005 is up, with both violent and property crimes increasing over 2004 levels. According to the FBI statistics, which can be found at http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/05cius/data/table_06.html, crime increased by 2% between 2004 and 2005. Specifically, murder, assaults, larceny/thefts, and motor vehicle thefts all rose between 2004 and 2005. More worrisome, however, is that the rate of crime increased by over 3%. The number of crimes increased while the population in the City of Troy decreased. Not a good combination when talking about the quality of life in Troy, which Harry continues to tell us is one of his top priorities for the City of Troy.

While the statistics have shown an increase, they do not represent the true nature of crime in Troy. Throughout the City, there have been numerous incidences of vehicle damage, such as tires slashed, windows broken, or damaged side mirrors. Multiple vehicles but one incident both under counts the crime and under estimates the true financial damage to the taxpayers of Troy.

Let’s review recent or not so recent history. Harry claimed that the Guardian Angels were not needed because crime was not a problem and under control. A killer went free because City detectives violated his rights. And there are still questions about the residency of a number of police patrolling this City. Harry, campaign on this next year.

Politicians tell us what we want to hear. Leaders tell us what we need to hear.

UNCLE JOE'S CRANKY

Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno (R-Brunswick) sounds panicky. At a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the College of Saint Rose, Bruno essentially tried to blackmail voters into keeping the Senate in Republican hands.*

The region, Bruno said, could lose out on the millions of dollars in pork barrel spending he has generated since he took the Republican Senate's reins in 1995.

"I was there for 18 years watching dollars flow to New York City and flow to Long Island," Bruno said of the period before that. "What did we get here? Pretzels."

Joe's animosity towards salty, baked goods is well-known. More incredible is his honesty. Not that we ever saw Joe as a particularly dishonest politician. At Saint Rose, he cut right to the chase. It's all about pork. This region has been treading water for the past two decades, surviving on state grants and gifts. We're hooked and Uncle Joe has been our main dealer. It's going to end soon, either this year or in two years. We may as well get used to the idea and go cold turkey.

Every few months we're treated to one of Harry's proclamations. Troy will get this or that (not that any of it has actually come to fruition) and "at no cost to the taxpayers." Right. Everything is bought and paid for by the taxpayers. Where the hell do they think state grants come from?

It's time to face facts: Our Sugar-Daddy will be gone, this year or in two years. Then we'll be able to judge the fiscal stability of area municipalities. It won't be pretty.

Or maybe Joe just needs more fiber in his diet.

*Bruno also took three hostages but they were later released, unharmed.

MORE MITCHELL-PALOOZA

It's simply too damned tempting to not write about our exemplary Corporation Counsel.

As you all know, Public Officers must live in Rensselaer County. Does Mitchell?

We don't know where he lives and, according to sources, he's refused (illegally by the way) numerous demands to turn over his Annual Disclosure Statement. That statement could tell us a lot. For instance, where does he own real property?

What other facts lead us to believe Mr. Mitchell is not a RensCo Resident?

1) He's registered to vote in Saratoga County (although he hasn't cast a ballot since 1999);
2) He sent Harry two $1,000 money order campaign contributions. Unlike checks, money orders lack an address;
3) He won't tell people where he lives;
4) He ignored a court order in the Carignan case and refused to be deposed.

We can only conclude one of two things: He's not a Rensselaer County resident or he's in the witness protection program.

Number four bears some consideration, especially in light of Mitchell's self-described exemplary service to the city. Mitchell disobeyed a discovery order in the Carignan case and failed to appear for a deposition. Counsel for the City did not seek to extend the discovery order. The implications could be serious.

The Carignan suit is scheduled for trial on December 4, 2006. Suppose Mitchell has information that could help the city. Can he testify? Presumably, Plaintiff's counsel will seek to preclude Mitchell's testimony on the grounds that he ignored a court order. Our in-house counsel tells us that Plaintiff's counsel will likely prevail and Mitchell will be precluded. Ouch! Absolutely exemplary.

Speaking of Carignan, on Tuesday, The Record ran a Jim Franco* story on the suit (could not find a link). Franco secured an interesting quote from the city's attorney, Brian Kremer.

"It's similar to shopping for car insurance--just because a person gets a quote from one company--does not preclude them from...calling another company for a quote."

Brian...no one said it did preclude them from getting another quote. Kremer's a fine attorney and we believe he does excellent work in the Labor Law field. His quote here is inexplicable. The obvious follow-up questions are:

1) Why did Comptroller Witkowski testify that there was only one quote?
2) Why did she testify that the one quote came from Carignan?
3) Why is there a letter from Nicoll & MacChesney stating that they (N&M) were unable to secure a quote?

Here's another fun fact from the Carignan saga. As every lay person knows, truth is an absolute defense to a defamation claim. Carignan claims they were defamed when Harry said the city saved $64k by switching brokers (a lie). What you may not know is that Truth, as a defense, must be pled as an Affirmative Defense. The City did not plead Truth as an Affirmative Defense. Why?

So much fun, so little time. Remember, the first person who can identify where Dave Mitchell lives wins a free Troy Polloi tote bag.

*The article mentions Mitchell ignored a deposition subpoena and refused to testify. We can only imagine Mitchell's reaction when he read that bit of exemplary reporting.