Calsolaro Parroting Jennings' Talking Points


By DIA, Section News
Posted on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 05:12:41 AM EST

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It is now time for the white elephant, more commonly referred to as the Albany Convention Center to be put out to pasture. The headline on Fred LeBrun's Jan. 27 column says it all, "Convention center by the numbers: $397M, 5 years, 1 man."

The original proposal for the convention center had financing in place for a $185M convention center. We either build a $185M convention center or we scrap the idea before any more taxpayer money is wasted on this project.

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Calsolaro Parroting Jennings' Talking Points | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 hidden)
That proposal has my vote... (none / 0) (#1)
by hawkny on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 06:28:10 AM EST
Say goodnight, George.

The Honorable Dominic Calsolaro's choice ... (none / 0) (#2)
by Jim Travers on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 09:18:27 AM EST
of wording reminded me of what Schenectady County Legislature's Minority Leader Bob Farley said back in September of 2005:

"Any time you go into a partnership with Albany, it's like sharing a tent with an elephant."

Farley was a former member of the Capital District Regional Planning Commission. He added this to his comment:

"I've worked with Albany leaders on a number of potential regionalization projects. Their definition of regionalization is one word -- Albany. They aren't very generous toward Schenectady."

I suppose the townspeople of our rural communities feel much the same way.

They, along with you, will be paying for the CC with their tax dollars, should it ever come to fruition, but only certain nearby Albany businesses will see any profit from whatever business it does generate during the 40% of the time it hosts affairs.

Could you imagine what a banker would say to you if you were to go to one asking for a loan to open a non-seasonal business that was expected to remain closed for five months of the year?

If that made good business sense, why aren't banks only open five months a year?

The same day Key Bank announces they're going to change their hours and only operate five months a year is the day I'll announce my support for building the Convention Center.

Calsolaro (none / 0) (#3)
by Roscoe on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 10:15:13 AM EST

I agree with Mr. Calsolaro's sentiments, although I wonder why we need an Authority to accomplish what City Government is supposed to do.  An Authority would merely give us another level of kleptocrats.  We have enough now.

On a lesser note, I wish he'd learn how to write a letter; his use of language is really sloppy.

Roscoe (none / 0) (#4)
by alfrednewman on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 08:59:22 PM EST
I think that Mr Calsolaro's proposal has merrit. I personally would like to see him do some follow through on this.

As I said before, I think that the money should be used to build more state office towers downtown and relocate more state agencies to Albany from New York City.
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"

State Office Towers (none / 0) (#5)
by Roscoe on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 04:04:48 AM EST

Are you saying that the Encon building or the State Comptroller's building or the Empire Plaza were built via State Authorities?

Aren't Authorities a workaround to insure lack of citizen oversight and reduced political backsplash?

I think the State should purchase all of the Convention Center pasteboards for the sums already expended, rescind the enabling legislation, including the bed tax, and if they want to name something for Silda, build it on their own tab, as long as a PILOT is worked out in advance at the going rate for commercial space.

Yes and no (none / 0) (#7)
by AlfredMoisiu on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 08:02:07 AM EST
The Empire State Plaza was actually built with a $2 or $4 billion (not sure which) bond issue by Albany County. The O'Connell machine arranged that so that Rockeffeller could avoid a statewide bond referendum (which would not have been successful). They also skimmed alot of stuff, which is why Corning's estate got hundreds of truckloads of fill for an inconvenient ravine and so many houses in Albany have marble that looks suspiciously like the Plaza marble.

The state comptroller's building, ENCON and the Alfred E. Smith renovation were funded by a $80-90 million Dormitory Authority bond issue.

The Dormitory Authority is a huge entity that nobody's ever heard of. They are one of the biggest municipal bond issuers and have eminient domain powers.

The Dormitory Authority is like a bank/project manager for government entities. (They also fund hospital, public and private college, courts, nursing homes, library (including the Albany library) and school district projets) They issue bonds to take debt off of the public books and manage the projects.

They do serve a useful purpose, in additon to making the books look better. If you let an august body like the Albany Board of Education manage the day-to-day activities of construction projects without adult supervision, you'd open yourself up to a huge world of incompetence and mismanagemetn.

[ Parent ]

Ah yup (none / 0) (#6)
by alfrednewman on Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 07:32:57 AM EST
Thats what I am saying.

Im not sure why the state uses authorities. No one cares if taax payers are getting fleeced.
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"

Calsolaro Parroting Jennings' Talking Points | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 hidden)
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