Democracy In Albany - New York Politics ||

Driver?

By DIA, Section News
Posted on Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 06:59:23 PM EST

I've never understood why the tax payers of Albany need to pay for a car and gas for the Treasurer. Shouldn't she just get up and drive to work and do her damn job in the office and then drive home? Why does that require a car? She doesn't personally deliver the tax bills. Total bloated city budget waste. And now that the city is facing serious financial issues I think we need to start taking a closer look at these things. So in today's article on the lack of leadership in albany, this line made me think.

The accounts of the incident given by Pickel and officers Lawrence Heid and Joseph Shanahan, who is now the personal driver for Mayor Jerry Jennings, differed significantly, Radel said.

Personal driver? We are paying taxes for the mayor to have a personal driver? And he got a raise this year? I think this is another easy campaign issue. We live in a city with 100,000 people. If there is an event happening in Albany downtown, you can walk to it from city hall. And if its uptown he could take the bus. How cool would it be to have a mayor who took the bus and actually talked to the citizens. Personal driver? We are a tiny city with big financial problems. We can't afford personal drivers. We certainly can't afford Jerry Jennings.

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Driver? | 3 comments (3 topical, 0 hidden)

Correction!! (none / 0) (#1)
by hawkny on Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 05:56:39 AM EST

Albany is a city of approximately 90,000 residents with a per capita income of approximately $30,000 per year.

Colonie, on the other hand is a town of approximately 85,000 residents with a per capita income of $45,000 per year.

Despite the 50% disparity in incomes, not a single elected official, to my knowledge, has a chauffered vehicle available to the to get to and from work, to meetings, etc... in Colonie.

Corning had a driver and car when he was mayor but he donated his entire annual salary, $12,000, to the United Way. People figured for the 5.5 days a week he put into the mayor's job he was entitled to at least a car & driver, especially as he got older.

Its not too hard to figure out why Albany is in financial straits...with all the largress being grabbed up in 2008 by the big shots at city hall!

: plus the cost of firehydrants, (none / 0) (#3)
by Breakupthemachine on Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 12:15:52 PM EST

telephone poles and SUV repairs
~~~~In Vino Vertas~~~~
[ Parent ]

Give him a bike (none / 0) (#2)
by Tom Paine on Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 09:11:02 AM EST

A Mayor who gave a damn abot the city and the future, who had some leadership qualities, and who lived off New Scotland ave, who have a bike rack set up outside City Hall and ride a bike back and forth to work. At least during the warmer months. It'd be a 15-minute ride to his house from city hall - 20 if you're slow and out of shape.

What a message that would send.
- Save the taxpayers the cost of a vehicle and driver
- Set an example of commuting without using a car
- Set an example of green policy
- Raise awareness of bike safety

Obviously these are just a few examples of things Tanning-the-Hut doesn't care about.

Driver? | 3 comments (3 topical, 0 hidden)

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