Guilderland Update


By wredlich, Section Diaries
Posted on Tue Oct 09, 2007 at 06:48:51 AM EST

For those who are interested in what's going on in Guilderland, and with Dave Bosworth, there's plenty on the Guilderland NY website.

In short though:

Debates: Bosworth and Ricard refuse to debate me (Warren Redlich) and my running mate Mark Grimm. This is the third election cycle in a row where the Guilderland Dems, under Bosworth, have refused to debate. All well documented by the Altamont Enterprise and the LWVAC.

Dave Bosworth: Grimm's expose (how do you do an accent?) on Bosworth's non-profit has some legs. The non-profit gets almost all its money from the Albany County Legislature. Two of the non-profit's board members are legislators. The treasurer is Pat Slavick. The books are audited by an Albany firm that gives money to the Albany County Dems. Bosworth and his wife take home nearly $200K in salary and benefits from the $1.4M budget, plus Bosworth drives around in the non-profit's Ford Expedition -- Eddie Bauer no less.

Mike Ricard: Ricard sued to knock me off the ballot. He won, but I'm still on the ballot. I don't even understand that one. They have offered no explanation for Ricard's sweetheart assessment.

I also uncovered Ricard's zoning variance. He got a variance in 14 days, so he could put his pool much closer to his property line. He claimed he couldn't have put in the pool anywhere else ... on his 12 acres.

To draw attention to the debate refusal, I did a poem at Town Hall, Dr. Seuss style:

Mike Ricard where are you now?
Since you made your August vow

You said you'd debate on any topic
Now you run like a rocket

...

You hide behind David Bosworth
His ethical lapses do not cause mirth

...

You tried to knock me off the ballot
But did not have the proper mallet
(the mallet got some laughs)

...

< Jennings divides city Dems.. | Speaking tonight at 6pm at the New York State Court of Appeals will be Geoffery Canada. >

Login

Make a new account

Username:
Password:
Display: Sort:
Guilderland Update | 31 comments (31 topical, 0 hidden)
what is the non profit? (none / 0) (#1)
by DIA on Tue Oct 09, 2007 at 06:54:38 AM EST
do they have a website?

there was a diary (none / 0) (#5)
by Lame Man on Tue Oct 09, 2007 at 10:19:23 AM EST
posted just before the primary about Bosworth and the non-profit.  I'm still looking for it, I'll let you know if I find it.

[ Parent ]
No website, no web presence (none / 0) (#13)
by wredlich on Thu Oct 11, 2007 at 07:52:27 AM EST
I searched for information about the non-profit (Center for Advancement of Family and Youth, aka Project Strive). There is almost no information about either on the web.
Albany Lawyer Warren Redlich Blog: Albany Lawyer Blog
[ Parent ]
From Guilderland (none / 0) (#2)
by kateb on Tue Oct 09, 2007 at 07:04:56 AM EST
was in school with one of your brothers, Steve, a math whiz.  Albany now, and for the past 17 years, which hardly means much, given how we all live our lives.  Guilderland is next door.

About Bosworth.  One thing that caught my eye is Bosworth and his wife were in the same work long before they became politicians.  If someone had questions, did it come up in the county legislature at one of the many public meetings, or just now?

About debates, I think you're right.  Why the pattern of not debating?  What about transparency, about goals, motives, and platforms?

Growing up in the house my parents bought in 1957, our next door neighbor for more than 40 years was a Javits Republican, worked for him.  I learned a lot from her, though I'm a Democrat.

I don't like that Democrats in Gulderland seem to take all their learning lessons from Democrats in Albany, holding it all close to the vest, keeping only their friends around them, unable to debate and give the voters a chance to form their own opinions.

You don't debate when you don't need to (none / 0) (#3)
by ObnoxioTheClown on Tue Oct 09, 2007 at 07:12:47 AM EST
If you're going to win handily, as the people in Guilderland did, debating is nothing more than an opportunity to fuck that up.

[ Parent ]
Debates and tactics (none / 0) (#14)
by wredlich on Thu Oct 11, 2007 at 07:54:35 AM EST
Not debating can be a bad tactic if the voters know about it and it's explained to them. Tough to do, but it's there. Debating is often safer -- just make sure to be boring so you don't say anything that catches attention.

Mike McNulty debated me 4 times and it didn't hurt him at all.
Albany Lawyer Warren Redlich Blog: Albany Lawyer Blog
[ Parent ]

If you want to know what I mean (none / 0) (#4)
by kateb on Tue Oct 09, 2007 at 07:20:24 AM EST
about Guilderland Democrats taking after Albany Democrats......

In the latest County committee offered by the Democrats (which defeated Jennings' committee), THREE of the people from the suburbs are related to me.  All first cousins to each other, one a sibling to me.  (Our Moms are sisters.)

It's the exact SAME thing we said Jennings did wrong.  Spitting images of each other.

I think we Democrats have to be more diverse.

And if they thought about it long enough, instead of just relying on their friends, I think they'd get it.

But hey, I've been accused of being "crazy" on this board, so form your own opinion.

Warren Redlich (none / 0) (#6)
by HarryS on Wed Oct 10, 2007 at 10:54:21 AM EST
He is crazy, almost certifiably so. He and his cover boy  running mate will get 39% of the vote, if that. Guilderland has open government, low taxes, great services and has added substantial amounts of public use properties (parks, soccer fields and golf course) under the Democrats.

[ Parent ]
I disagree (none / 0) (#7)
by kateb on Wed Oct 10, 2007 at 11:26:22 AM EST
but not for any political reasons.  He's not crazy, but it seems to be a free floating word on the 'net.

Guilderland has become a democrat town;  I worked for that.  But I'd like to see it stay/be vibrant with at least two competitive parties.

[ Parent ]

Maybe I am crazy ... (none / 0) (#15)
by wredlich on Thu Oct 11, 2007 at 07:57:37 AM EST
Maybe I am crazy, but I can't agree with the comments. My taxes are up since I bought my house in 1999. Town spending is up 70% since then - where did the money come from?

Government is not at all open. Getting detailed info about the budget is like pulling teeth. They keep bragging about their "interactive" website but  it isn't interactive and there isn't much information at all.
Albany Lawyer Warren Redlich Blog: Albany Lawyer Blog
[ Parent ]

P.S. (none / 0) (#8)
by kateb on Wed Oct 10, 2007 at 12:17:34 PM EST
I think the real problems with Democrats is we only want diversity that comes with money.

couldn't find web site (none / 0) (#9)
by joealbanyny on Wed Oct 10, 2007 at 12:49:53 PM EST
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=621913&category=INSIDERCOL&BCCode=&ne wsdate=10/7/2007

GOP candidate Mark Grimm sent out a news release questioning Democrat David Bosworth's role as head of the Center for the Advancement of Family and Youth

I'm not going to listen (none / 0) (#10)
by kateb on Wed Oct 10, 2007 at 01:16:24 PM EST
to people who didn't care enough when they were one of us, citizens, but suddenly care when they are p o l i t i c i a n s.

The county legislature's support of Bosworth's non-profit happened in the light of day.  

Not debating, and appointing only FRIENDS to committees, and no DIVERSITY, those are issues in Guilderland.

Bosworth and his non-profit (none / 0) (#16)
by wredlich on Thu Oct 11, 2007 at 08:04:45 AM EST
Kate,

#1, thanks for commenting at all. Nice to see that people read what I have to say.

#2, you don't have to take my word for it about Bosworth and his non-profit. His IRS filing is available on my website. You can see the following details:

a. Albany County provides nearly all of the non-profit's funding (roughly $1.5 million)
b. Two county legislators are on the board of the non-profit
c. The non-profit's Treasurer is Pat Slavick, who is also Bosworth's fellow town board member and his choice to run for Comptroller
d. The audit firm that signed off on the IRS form is Teal Becker and Chiaramonte. Check campaign finance data on the state BoE site and you can see that they give money to the Albany County Democratic Committee.
e. Boz and his wife take home close to $200k from the non-profit -- roughly 13% of its budget.

Another detail you can't see is that Boz drives around in a Ford Expedition (Eddie Bauer edition) that is owned by the non-profit. Who knows what other benefits he gets from the non-profit that aren't properly accounted for

and

f. With all of these potential conflicts and nepotism charges, the IRS form indicates they do not have a written conflict of interest policy.

Don't take my word for it. Check the facts yourself.

Yes, I didn't care enough before I was running for this office to look into this. Now that I'm running, it makes sense to check up on my adversaries and these are serious concerns.
Albany Lawyer Warren Redlich Blog: Albany Lawyer Blog
[ Parent ]

I'll follow through on those things (none / 0) (#18)
by kateb on Thu Oct 11, 2007 at 08:22:59 AM EST
when I have time.

What troubles me, accepting what you say, is your knowledge as a Republican combined with my knowledge as a Democrat is really making County politics smell bad for being inbred.

Bosworth's attorney is my cousin.  He also represents at least one suburban town.  Another cousin is a county legislator.  Three family members were appointed to the last county committee.  

It's all above board, which is why I got just to the point of saying it, without embellishing.

I just have lived long enough to know there must be other situations like this, and many talented people who are shut out.

I don't want inbred politics in the city of Albany, or in the county of Albany.

[ Parent ]

There's a difference (none / 0) (#19)
by ObnoxioTheClown on Thu Oct 11, 2007 at 09:04:37 AM EST
Having people in the same family who careers follow similar paths isn't necessarily a bad thing. In one of the branches of my family, 4/5 kids are teachers.

There is a problem if you use your political position to fund a non-profit social services organization of dubious value, use a significant portion of it to employ yourself and your family.

Before I became a clown, or even moved here, I worked for a midwest state government. I lost alot of friends when I discovered that a contractor (who did an excellent job) was employing the sons and daughters of midlevel civil service staff who were in a positon to influence the amount and type of business that the contractor received. I terminated the contract, because that is the legal, ethical and smart thing to do.

There's a line that, once crossed, makes all of those things that seem above-board look like something else.

[ Parent ]

Sure there's a difference (none / 0) (#20)
by kateb on Thu Oct 11, 2007 at 09:08:42 AM EST

and I said so.

The problem I see in a small area is not having diversity.

[ Parent ]

Has nothing to do with being a small town (none / 0) (#21)
by ObnoxioTheClown on Thu Oct 11, 2007 at 09:18:50 AM EST
Government here is secretive.

Even civil service postings are "publically" posted in strange locations that nobody seems to know about. Have you ever seen an announcement in the TU for a local government exam?

Diversity is a bad word, because it's meaning has been changed.

[ Parent ]

Kate (none / 0) (#11)
by alfrednewman on Wed Oct 10, 2007 at 06:46:39 PM EST
Its called a conflict of interest, isn't it?
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"
was it a conflict (none / 0) (#12)
by kateb on Thu Oct 11, 2007 at 02:26:31 AM EST

when the city treasurer was county chair?

A little disengenuious, eh? (none / 0) (#17)
by ObnoxioTheClown on Thu Oct 11, 2007 at 08:18:49 AM EST
Having an appointed or elected official be an officer in a political party organiation is a little different from running some "non-profit" organization that uses state and county monies to employ yourself and your family at high salaries.

When you're the chairman of the party that governs the county, and most of your outside income comes from the lavish salaries that you and your spouse receive from a county-sponsored entity, there's an obvious conflict of interest.

Here's a better way to put it in perspective for you. How would you feel if DA Soares's wife and son were paid $250,000/yr from some BS non-profit funded by grants from DCJS and the District Attorney's office? Would that be appropriate?

[ Parent ]

Warren, a question for you that many ... (none / 0) (#22)
by Jim Travers on Thu Oct 11, 2007 at 01:36:38 PM EST
in Guilderland and in Albany are very concerned about:

What's your position on development in Guilderland's section of the Pine Bush?

As you must know, right now a developer has before your planning board a proposal to build 75 homes on 100 acres within this most unique eco-system, home to the rare and endangered Karner Blue Butterfly and other rare species.

This question is very important to voters living in Guilderland and those of us living elsewhere who are concerned about the developers seemingly never ending assault upon the ever diminishing pine barrens ecosystem.

Are you opposed to this project or are you in favor of it and why?

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=629092&category=ALBANY&BCCode=&newsda te=10/11/2007

Thanks for asking ... (none / 0) (#23)
by wredlich on Sat Oct 13, 2007 at 07:33:58 AM EST
I'm personally opposed to any further development in the Pine Bush. As for the particular proposal, I don't know enough of the details to state what I would do about it as a Town Board member.

This is a zoning problem. If the property is zoned residential, then the developer has every right, legally, to put a residential development in that area.

The larger problem is not this one development, but zoning of the area in general. There is a precedent (from a case in Utica in the 1950s, if I remember correctly) for zoning an area like this with very restrictive rules. If a town (or city or village) identifies an area with unique environmental value, it can enact restrictive zoning laws to protect that area. The Pine Bush certainly has that unique environmental value.

But legally, a Town generally cannot retroactively apply such zoning to a development that has been proposed.

Warren
Albany Lawyer Warren Redlich Blog: Albany Lawyer Blog
[ Parent ]

Wredlich gives Guilderland Voters zero credit (none / 0) (#24)
by NormalGuilderlandVoter on Sat Oct 13, 2007 at 12:10:44 PM EST
Does Mr. Redlich really think that anyone in Guilderland is taking his wild diatribes and rhetoric seriously?  I am a long time resident of Guilderland and am frankly offended by the fact that Mr. Redlich is asking me to buy the line that he is simply doing a service to the public by making  these silly accusations about Mr. Bosworth's and Mr. Ricard's conduct.  Call a spade a spade, it is dirty pool, mudslinging or however else you wish to refer to it.  It is a tactic used by someone who clearly has no real issues or ideas and is simply sating a post-adolescent, inflated ego by getting his name on the internet.  It is clear that Mr. Redlich is fashioning himself as the poor-man's Karl Rove and is using every cheap trick in the arsenal of a hack, wannabe politician.  I mean what is next? Will you find a disabled Vet and denigrate his military service?

Mr. Bosworth, as I understand it, runs an agency that provides services for disadvantaged and underprivileged youth and families in the area.  How an ambulance chasing buffoon who does no service to the community what-so-ever other than to waste our time with his incessant drivel in print and on the internet can question the behavior of Mr. Bosworth is beyond me.  

A man, who in all seriousness, went before town hall and recited some sort of bizarre poem expects to be elected to political office? This is simply surreal.  I think Mr. Redlich should spend less time authoring his own wikipedia entry or playing on MySpace or whatever else he is doing on the internet this week and more time considering the damage being done to his reputation by his outlandish behavior.  Does he want to be remembered by the members of the community he lives in as a silly man? a buffoon?

Simply stated, stop wasting the good people of Guilderland's time.  Run a race free of mudslinging and wild accusations.  Stop making a mockery of the political process that members of the United States Military are dying to protect in conflicts around the world as we speak.

Leave government to true public servants with genuine interest in the public good.  You and your buddy Grimm should stay home and perhaps argue about what brand of hair gel you will be using in your next internet glamor shots on your awfully designed website.

Thank you for your time.


Think of the children (none / 0) (#27)
by ObnoxioTheClown on Sun Oct 21, 2007 at 07:31:30 PM EST
I'm weird, but the first time supporters of a political candidate roll out the "think about the chillren" defense, he lost my vote.

[ Parent ]
High Comedy regarding Mr. Redlich (none / 0) (#25)
by NormalGuilderlandVoter on Sat Oct 13, 2007 at 08:07:46 PM EST
I do not know who wrote this, but it is very amusing.  Found it with a google search for "Warren Redlich" albany.  

The title-

Profile in Courage: Warren Redlich

http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s4i23495

Mr. Redlich's Myspace page (none / 0) (#26)
by NormalGuilderlandVoter on Sat Oct 13, 2007 at 08:12:41 PM EST
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=27100082

Apparently Myspace is not limited to 15 year old computer geeks looking for first dates.  Ambulance chasing, Hack Politician lawyers from Albany also are in on the craze.

About Redlich (from his page)

 About me:
I'm a lawyer in Albany, NY, and I spend most of my time working, or with my family. I sneak out for golf from time to time, and I'm into politics a bit too. My hobby and retirement plan is building a traffic court directory. Oh, and I lived in Hiroshima, Japan, from 1994-1995, and I speak Japanese (Spanish and French too).
Who I'd like to meet:
People who need a lawyer for speeding tickets, DWI, criminal defense or personal injury cases. People who are interested in politics because they care about making society a better place. People who have some reason they want to meet me.

---
Shameless, simply shameless.  I am literally blushing for the poor chump.

Warren, your sarcasm in not appreciated ... (none / 0) (#28)
by Jim Travers on Thu Nov 01, 2007 at 03:28:51 PM EST
either is your avoidance of answering the question I asked you.

When you post to a blog, its audience is brought into the conversation. That means me. Your post invites me to participate. If you didn't want my input, you should have posted your comment on your own or Grimm's blog.

Unless you're claiming to be the author of the TU blog's privacy policy, which I am sure you are not - you copied it.

I would also add that any lawsuit you might be contemplating against the TU for a supposed violation of their privacy policy might be mooted by your violation of their copyright by posting here that policy without first receiving their permission to do so.

Only a suicidal lunatic would be happy to be in someones headlights, by the way.

Perhaps I should have used the word 'supporter' rather than 'staffer' when I asked if you were he who posted the comment which prompted the TU to expose the fact it had come from Grimm's email address.

So I'll ask you directly: were you the Grimm supporter who posted the "suspiciously fawning" comment that "reeked of political posturing" on the TU blog using the pseudonym "truthsquad"?

By the way, what on earth did you think lameman's 10-26 diary entry "TU outs some blog commenters", which you refer to above, was about if you don't think it was specifically about the TU's privacy policy?

The first commenter to lameman's diary entry mentions "sockpuppet" as did the TU 10-30 blog entry "Poster or poser?" and still you feign ignorance of the term? After have read it at least twice and commenting after having read it and before my mentioning it? Unbelievable!

But you're right. I shouldn't have used that term. I should have used Meatpuppet, as it more accurately describes what I believe you, excuse me, the "Grimm supporter" who posted to the TU blog using the pseudonym "truthsquad", to be.

Oh, before I'm done here, about that snide comment on me adding something constructive to the conversation: Aside from your reposting here the TU's privacy policy, What's your point that you couldn't have made on lameman's diary entry?

Why don't you say something at all in the way of your opinion after your diary entry?

If anyone has a right to be pissed about being outed by the TU it would be Csaposs.

After all he didn't pawn off his guilt on an anonymous Bosworth supporter like Grimm did.

Granted he was upset, but he owned up to it.

He went on in his comment to say "... you aren't allowed free expression of your views as a private citizen without subjecting yourself to false and malicious personal attacks by low-rent losers like Grimm and Redlich, who want to tag any negative commentary about their pathetic excuse for a campaign as partisan rather than a simple statement of opinion. I don't object to the fact that they're Republicans. I do object to their lies, their low-rent spin-doctoring, and the fact that they offer voters nothing that remotely resembles an alternative, and nobody's paying me or ordering me to say so.

Now I don't know this guy or either you or Grimm, but you missed an opportunity to lay out your platform as a response to his comment, but you didn't.

So maybe Csaposs is right about you and Grimm.

Here's what your website says your platform is:

"Mark Grimm and I are running on a message of ending the secrecy and insider privileges"

Wow! Makes me want to run out and vote for you.

And Grimm's site has nothing but griping as his platform, with little being offered as solutions.

Bitch and Moan.

Too bad you didn't better advertise your support for that libertarian lunatic, Ron Paul. I'm sure that would have helped your campaign.

Lastly, when I asked you how you felt about the housing project seeking approval in the unique in all the world pine bush ecosystem, you had this to say: "I am opposed to any further development in the Pine Bush." Which is where you should have stopped. If you had, I wouldn't be wasting my time posting this now. Especially for such a petty, and I mean that in every sense of the word, politician wannabe like you.

You see, after stating you were opposed to further development in the Pine Bush, you went on, and offered your apologia supporting its development:

"As for the particular proposal, I don't know enough of the details to state what I would do about it as a Town Board member.

This is a zoning problem. If the property is zoned residential, then the developer has every right, legally, to put a residential development in that area.

The larger problem is not this one development, but zoning of the area in general. There is a precedent (from a case in Utica in the 1950s, if I remember correctly) for zoning an area like this with very restrictive rules. If a town (or city or village) identifies an area with unique environmental value, it can enact restrictive zoning laws to protect that area. The Pine Bush certainly has that unique environmental value.

But legally, a Town generally cannot retroactively apply such zoning to a development that has been proposed."

It's nonsense to pawn off your opposition to development in the Pine Bush on whether or not zoning permits it. You could have said you'd work towards establishing a "hands off" policy in Guilderland's portion of this incredibly rare ecosystem instead of stating a developer has every right to build upon it and destroy it because it may be zoned residential.

That's where you lost me and my support.

How's that for adding something constructive to the conversation? :-(


Warren, your sarcasm in not appreciated ... (none / 0) (#29)
by Jim Travers on Thu Nov 01, 2007 at 03:42:12 PM EST
either is your avoidance of answering the question I asked you.

When you post to a blog, its audience is brought into the conversation. That means me. Your post invites me to participate. If you didn't want my input, you should have posted your comment on your own or Grimm's blog.

Unless you're claiming to be the author of the TU blog's privacy policy, which I am sure you are not - you copied it.

I would also add that any lawsuit you might be contemplating against the TU for a supposed violation of their privacy policy might be mooted by your violation of their copyright by posting here that policy without first receiving their permission to do so.

Only a suicidal lunatic would be happy to be in someones headlights, by the way.

Perhaps I should have used the word 'supporter' rather than 'staffer' when I asked if you were he who posted the comment which prompted the TU to expose the fact it had come from Grimm's email address.

So I'll ask you directly: were you the Grimm supporter who posted the "suspiciously fawning" comment that "reeked of political posturing" on the TU blog using the pseudonym "truthsquad"?

By the way, what on earth did you think lameman's 10-26 diary entry "TU outs some blog commenters", which you refer to above, was about if you don't think it was specifically about the TU's privacy policy?

The first commenter to lameman's diary entry mentions "sockpuppet" as did the TU 10-30 blog entry "Poster or poser?" and still you feign ignorance of the term? After have read it at least twice and commenting after having read it and before my mentioning it? Unbelievable!

But you're right. I shouldn't have used that term. I should have used Meatpuppet, as it more accurately describes what I believe you, excuse me, the "Grimm supporter" who posted to the TU blog using the pseudonym "truthsquad", to be.

Oh, before I'm done here, about that snide comment on me adding something constructive to the conversation: Aside from your reposting here the TU's privacy policy, What's your point that you couldn't have made on lameman's diary entry?

Why don't you say something at all in the way of your opinion after your diary entry?

If anyone has a right to be pissed about being outed by the TU it would be Csaposs.

After all he didn't pawn off his guilt on an anonymous Bosworth supporter like Grimm did.

Granted he was upset, but he owned up to it.

He went on in his comment to say "... you aren't allowed free expression of your views as a private citizen without subjecting yourself to false and malicious personal attacks by low-rent losers like Grimm and Redlich, who want to tag any negative commentary about their pathetic excuse for a campaign as partisan rather than a simple statement of opinion. I don't object to the fact that they're Republicans. I do object to their lies, their low-rent spin-doctoring, and the fact that they offer voters nothing that remotely resembles an alternative, and nobody's paying me or ordering me to say so.

Now I don't know this guy or either you or Grimm, but you missed an opportunity to lay out your platform as a response to his comment, but you didn't.

So maybe Csaposs is right about you and Grimm.

Here's what your website says your platform is:

"Mark Grimm and I are running on a message of ending the secrecy and insider privileges"

Wow! Makes me want to run out and vote for you.

And Grimm's site has nothing but griping as his platform, with little being offered as solutions.

Bitch and Moan.

Too bad you didn't better advertise your support for that libertarian lunatic, Ron Paul. I'm sure that would have helped your campaign.

Lastly, when I asked you how you felt about the housing project seeking approval in the unique in all the world pine bush ecosystem, you had this to say: "I am opposed to any further development in the Pine Bush." Which is where you should have stopped. If you had, I wouldn't be wasting my time posting this now. Especially for such a petty, and I mean that in every sense of the word, politician wannabe like you.

You see, after stating you were opposed to further development in the Pine Bush, you went on, and offered your apologia supporting its development:

"As for the particular proposal, I don't know enough of the details to state what I would do about it as a Town Board member.

This is a zoning problem. If the property is zoned residential, then the developer has every right, legally, to put a residential development in that area.

The larger problem is not this one development, but zoning of the area in general. There is a precedent (from a case in Utica in the 1950s, if I remember correctly) for zoning an area like this with very restrictive rules. If a town (or city or village) identifies an area with unique environmental value, it can enact restrictive zoning laws to protect that area. The Pine Bush certainly has that unique environmental value.

But legally, a Town generally cannot retroactively apply such zoning to a development that has been proposed."

It's nonsense to pawn off your opposition to development in the Pine Bush on whether or not zoning permits it. You could have said you'd work towards establishing a "hands off" policy in Guilderland's portion of this incredibly rare ecosystem instead of stating a developer has every right to build upon it and destroy it because it may be zoned residential.

That's where you lost me and my support.

How's that for adding something constructive to the conversation? :-(


Warren, your sarcasm in not appreciated ... (none / 0) (#30)
by Jim Travers on Thu Nov 01, 2007 at 03:44:45 PM EST
either is your avoidance of answering the question I asked you.

When you post to a blog, its audience is brought into the conversation. That means me. Your post invites me to participate. If you didn't want my input, you should have posted your comment on your own or Grimm's blog.

Unless you're claiming to be the author of the TU blog's privacy policy, which I am sure you are not - you copied it.

I would also add that any lawsuit you might be contemplating against the TU for a supposed violation of their privacy policy might be mooted by your violation of their copyright by posting here that policy without first receiving their permission to do so.

Only a suicidal lunatic would be happy to be in someones headlights, by the way.

Perhaps I should have used the word 'supporter' rather than 'staffer' when I asked if you were he who posted the comment which prompted the TU to expose the fact it had come from Grimm's email address.

So I'll ask you directly: were you the Grimm supporter who posted the "suspiciously fawning" comment that "reeked of political posturing" on the TU blog using the pseudonym "truthsquad"?

By the way, what on earth did you think lameman's 10-26 diary entry "TU outs some blog commenters", which you refer to above, was about if you don't think it was specifically about the TU's privacy policy?

The first commenter to lameman's diary entry mentions "sockpuppet" as did the TU 10-30 blog entry "Poster or poser?" and still you feign ignorance of the term? After have read it at least twice and commenting after having read it and before my mentioning it? Unbelievable!

But you're right. I shouldn't have used that term. I should have used Meatpuppet, as it more accurately describes what I believe you, excuse me, the "Grimm supporter" who posted to the TU blog using the pseudonym "truthsquad", to be.

Oh, before I'm done here, about that snide comment on me adding something constructive to the conversation: Aside from your reposting here the TU's privacy policy, What's your point that you couldn't have made on lameman's diary entry?

Why don't you say something at all in the way of your opinion after your diary entry?

If anyone has a right to be pissed about being outed by the TU it would be Csaposs.

After all he didn't pawn off his guilt on an anonymous Bosworth supporter like Grimm did.

Granted he was upset, but he owned up to it.

He went on in his comment to say "... you aren't allowed free expression of your views as a private citizen without subjecting yourself to false and malicious personal attacks by low-rent losers like Grimm and Redlich, who want to tag any negative commentary about their pathetic excuse for a campaign as partisan rather than a simple statement of opinion. I don't object to the fact that they're Republicans. I do object to their lies, their low-rent spin-doctoring, and the fact that they offer voters nothing that remotely resembles an alternative, and nobody's paying me or ordering me to say so.

Now I don't know this guy or either you or Grimm, but you missed an opportunity to lay out your platform as a response to his comment, but you didn't.

So maybe Csaposs is right about you and Grimm.

Here's what your website says your platform is:

"Mark Grimm and I are running on a message of ending the secrecy and insider privileges"

Wow! Makes me want to run out and vote for you.

And Grimm's site has nothing but griping as his platform, with little being offered as solutions.

Bitch and Moan.

Too bad you didn't better advertise your support for that libertarian lunatic, Ron Paul. I'm sure that would have helped your campaign.

Lastly, when I asked you how you felt about the housing project seeking approval in the unique in all the world pine bush ecosystem, you had this to say: "I am opposed to any further development in the Pine Bush." Which is where you should have stopped. If you had, I wouldn't be wasting my time posting this now. Especially for such a petty, and I mean that in every sense of the word, politician wannabe like you.

You see, after stating you were opposed to further development in the Pine Bush, you went on, and offered your apologia supporting its development:

"As for the particular proposal, I don't know enough of the details to state what I would do about it as a Town Board member.

This is a zoning problem. If the property is zoned residential, then the developer has every right, legally, to put a residential development in that area.

The larger problem is not this one development, but zoning of the area in general. There is a precedent (from a case in Utica in the 1950s, if I remember correctly) for zoning an area like this with very restrictive rules. If a town (or city or village) identifies an area with unique environmental value, it can enact restrictive zoning laws to protect that area. The Pine Bush certainly has that unique environmental value.

But legally, a Town generally cannot retroactively apply such zoning to a development that has been proposed."

It's nonsense to pawn off your opposition to development in the Pine Bush on whether or not zoning permits it. You could have said you'd work towards establishing a "hands off" policy in Guilderland's portion of this incredibly rare ecosystem instead of stating a developer has every right to build upon it and destroy it because it may be zoned residential.

That's where you lost me and my support.

How's that for adding something constructive to the conversation? :-(


Yes, that was much more constructive (none / 0) (#31)
by wredlich on Fri Nov 02, 2007 at 11:52:37 AM EST
Jim,
Sorry you disagree, but yes, your last comment was much more constructive in terms of discussion.

Some responses to your comments:
1. Under the current zoning code, residential development is permitted there and the Town cannot legally stop it. I want to amend the zoning code to enact further protections of the Pine Bush, consistent with the law. Once amended, further development would be more difficult and would have to comply with much stricter environmental requirements.

The case I mention from Utica upheld extreme restrictions in an environmentally sensitive area. Under the current Guilderland zoning code, it's easier to develop housing in the Pine Bush than it is to do anything on Western Avenue.

Your position appears to be that the Town should illegally prohibit development. My position is that the Town should protect the Pine Bush but do so legally.

Strangely, you did not ask me about this back in mid-October when I answered your question (10/13). Your claim that this is when I lost your support is laughable. Everyone knows I never had your support.

   2. I'm not suicidal, but you are not the first to call me a lunatic. If all the regular politicians are normal, then I'll wear lunatic proudly.

   3. I copied parts of the TU privacy policy to show where they violated it. Thanks for your legal opinion. You apparently know less about copyright law than I do.

   4. Our platform is far more than what you mention. I did a blog post on this on the 27th: http://www.wredlich.com/stop-wasting-money/2007/10/guilderland-vision-thing-and-economic.html

   5. I have never posted via a fake name to the Times Union, and I don't think I've done that anywhere else. Like you, I'm not afraid to post things in my own name.

   6. I never lost your support because I never had it. Your use of name-calling ("meatpuppet") rivals Don Csaposs, who has called me a low-rent loser and an ambulance chaser, among other things.

   7. Why is Ron Paul a lunatic? He voted against the war in Iraq. He voted against the Patriot Act. If you voted for Kerry, and if you support Clinton or Edwards, they all voted for the war. So did McNulty. Seems like the country would be a lot better off if the lunatics were in charge.

Ron Paul's main message is support for the Constitution. With Bush's ongoing attacks on the Constitution, I would think DIA fans would be fans of Ron Paul, the only presidential candidate who actually defends the Constitution.

Despite my criticisms of your comments, I do appreciate that you have something to say, and that you, like me, don't hide behind a fake name.

Warren
Albany Lawyer Warren Redlich Blog: Albany Lawyer Blog
[ Parent ]

Guilderland Update | 31 comments (31 topical, 0 hidden)
Display: Sort:
create account | faq | search