Jennings vs. Jennings


By DIA, Section News
Posted on Fri Jan 25, 2008 at 11:37:24 AM EST

Mayor Jennings in November 2007 when he was looking to borrow a bunch more of your future tax dollars.
“I put a responsible budget together with the least amount of impact on the taxpayers in the city.”
Mayor Jennings in January 2008 now that the budget he created will be the one we use.
We will face significant financial pressures in the near future unless new sources of revenue are identified and existing revenue streams such as from our landfill remain constant.
So, the budget he gave us is "responsible" and yet sets us up for "significant financial pressures in the near future". Got it?

If Albany chooses to let someone like this continue to run our city, we deserve what we get (hint: higher taxes and fees, fewer services).

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Jennings vs. Jennings | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 hidden)
Don't Forget the 11.5% Increase in Aide (none / 0) (#1)
by nycowboy on Fri Jan 25, 2008 at 11:59:13 AM EST
The state budget gives the City an 11.5% increase in  revenue sharing payments from last year. That's far more then inflation -- it's 4x times inflation to be exact.

I know plenty of people that make $50,000 a year and are broke. But that's not because they aren't being paid enough. It's because they have no control of their spending habits, and can't ever seem to pass over one store or another with their credit cards, or from getting another leased car or expensive apartment.

I have a real time feeling sorry for those kind of folks, or for the city in their poor financial times. I hope the state doesn't continue to bail out Albany.

two words for you (none / 0) (#2)
by DIA on Fri Jan 25, 2008 at 02:06:48 PM EST
if you get what you wish for

"commuter tax"

Taxes (none / 0) (#3)
by Corruptany on Fri Jan 25, 2008 at 03:39:57 PM EST
My brother and I make over $150,000 dollars combined. We barely have enough to live due to rent, taxes, groceries, commute, student loans, medical bills, etc etc etc etc. This country is a mess, its only gonna get worse. We live outside of Boston, but grew up in the city of Albany. My father did the math and found out with taxes, we would be living no better off. That's kind of scary, that Albany with taxes cost almost as much as Boston.

[ Parent ]
yup (none / 0) (#4)
by DIA on Fri Jan 25, 2008 at 04:14:47 PM EST
commute, groceries, student loans and medical bills.

The four horsemen.

And that doesn't even take into account the rising beer prices due to malt and hops price increases.

however, Albany is still much cheaper to live in than Boston.  

Still can get a nice house here for 3-4 times income.    Sure income is lower and taxes are higher but I'm a shitload richer than my friends in Boston (they don't read this blog, so i'm not bragging).

[ Parent ]

My Problem Is Status Symbol Spending (none / 0) (#8)
by nycowboy on Sat Jan 26, 2008 at 01:34:15 PM EST
Nobody really needs a car that costs more then $5,000. They don't need cable, or a television that costs $1,000, one of those wizbang-2000 cellphones, or a fancy new computer every two years. Or the nice apartment with the fancy vinyl siding on the outside.

Honestly, if you live in Albany, there really is no need to even own a car. It's a luxury -- but a fun one at that. I don't drive from Monday thru Friday, and it's amazing how much money I save by taking the buses to get anywhere I want to.

The other day, I was looking at an ad for land outside of the city. It a 10 acre parcel in Berne, zoned rural residential, for $65k (that's cheap -- it's kind of a mountainside though!), Throw a $3k used mobile home on it, and you'll have a darn nice place for living -- for a fraction of the cost of living the suburbs, and without the harassment of neighboors.

[ Parent ]

Yup, the student loans are definitely a killer... (none / 0) (#5)
by hawkny on Fri Jan 25, 2008 at 07:12:38 PM EST
They amount to the 21st century's version of 18th & 19th century slavery.  

Current and former students should organize themselves to "demand" that their rates be lowered...or file, in mass, for bankruptcy...if they government doesn't respond "take to the streets!" Protest.

Bush's edict to bar bankruptcy petitions for excessive amounts of student loans only applies to Federal loans...not private loans federally guaranteed.  Enough people file, the lending instutions, that get 8-10% INTEREST on student loans, some in six figures, would go under...

There ought to be a law enacted that mandates that student loan interest rates, across the country, cannot exceed the rates the  Federal government charges itself to borrow from dedicated funds like the Social Security trust...2%...NOT A PENNY MORE!!!!

People who improve their education, after high school...almost always pay more taxes over their lifetime than people who do not.

Student loans are the second biggest rip off of the Bush presidency, behind the Iraq fiasco...

Why Borrow? (none / 0) (#7)
by nycowboy on Sat Jan 26, 2008 at 01:27:07 PM EST
There is no reason you have to borrow to go to school. It's still relatively inexpensive across New York State if you go to school as a commuter student and work in the day time. You might even be able to get through cash by paying school.

The goal of Rockefeller and the legislature with the SUNY system was to put a SUNY school within driving distance of every New Yorker, be it a community college or a quality four year institution. Notwithstanding popular criticism, the SUNY system does this well and inexpensively for most families.

I know it's no fun to live at home and drive to school. But it's a hell of a lot cheaper. Between TAP and Pell, it's virtually free for students of modest means to attend community colleges in New York (except for the cost of gas and books). People of modest means can also go to most State Colleges for little over $1000 a semester.

SUNY is cheap. It's more expensive if you go to a live away school, but if you live minimally, work 10 or 15 hours a week and 60+ on breaks, and attend only during the fall or spring semesters, it's more then possible to pay for school with cash.

If your a SUNY graduate in debt, the debt is largely due to housing costs or wasteful spending during college. If people only made better choices.

I think it's a pile of horse shit to tell people it's okay to borrow shitloads of money to attend the school of their dreams. You'd be better off getting the bare essentials in education, and working your way up with hard work, then some elitist education.

[ Parent ]

The college marketing machine (none / 0) (#9)
by AlfredMoisiu on Sun Jan 27, 2008 at 05:57:21 AM EST
Says that you're not supposed to let money make your decision -- choose the college that makes you "feel at home" or whatever. US News and World Report says so too.

Also remember that those spring break trips to Cancun, cars and apartments are usually financed by student loans as well.

Another big factor is landscaping. If you're a clueless 17 year old who looks at SUNY Albany and then Union or Skidmore, you'll pick the better looking college. Kids are well trained to influence parental decisions, so they do what they want.

[ Parent ]

hawkny (none / 0) (#6)
by alfrednewman on Fri Jan 25, 2008 at 09:00:36 PM EST
As someone who worked my way through college and is basically school loan free let me just say this:

You signed the damn contract, pay the damn bill.

This "I am not responsible because you were dumb enough to give me the money" mentality is one of the biggest things wrong with the country.
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"

Jennings vs. Jennings | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 hidden)
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