Deficient


By DIA, Section News
Posted on Mon Jun 09, 2008 at 05:01:26 AM EST

Not much to say this week other than that I'm tired of being so right.

DIA in 2006

I've been writing about Mayor Jennings' gross financial mismanagement of the city finances for two years now. Debt has skyrocketed during his time in office. The water department is jacking up rates because it is so poorly managed. And all along the mayor is saying he is "balancing budgets". What he is doing is mortgaging your future. Literally. Because he is either incapable of properly managing the city or he just could care less. He's made his money, made his friends and donors much richer and he will leave the mess to someone else. Today the Times Union chimes in on the latest financial mess. However, let's be clear: this is just one more in a long line of examples that the mayor is digging a deep financial hole for the city of Albany. When you listen to his excuses remember to ask one question: Who has been running the city with total control to make all decisions for the last 14 years?
Jerry Jennings in November of 2007 discussing the 2008 budget
“I put a responsible budget together with the least amount of impact on the taxpayers in the city.”
Jennings puppet council member Mike O'Brien this week letting you know you have a problem several years after I pointed it out.
O'Brien said the city "has gotten addicted to the (garbage) money," adding, "Is there going to be a financial crunch? Yes, there is."
Don't say I didn't warn you. Enjoy those tax bills.

And now would be a good point to remember that this is an issue with DGS. The common council recently voted 14-1 to approve Nick D'Antonio to be the head of DGS. D'Antonio is currently the target of an investigation for stealing tax dollars, he has a high school education and no experience in waste management. He did however, at one point, drive a delivery truck. He is the person the common council approved to deal with this issue. Feeling better?

Mayor Jennings and his appointees have had 15 years to deal with this issue. They have wasted close to $10 million on a backup plan that isn't feasible. They knew this was coming. What did they do. Fuck up.
DEC branded the city's proposed new waste disposal plan -- required under efforts to expand Rapp Road -- as "deficient" in a May 27 letter from Division of Solid and Hazardous Materials Director Edwin Dassatti.
Deficient. Yup. Mayor Jennings and his supporters like to say he is the "CEO of this city". And he is. But he is a really really bad one.

Welcome to the Jennings' Renaissance. It'll be a long one.

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Deficient | 11 comments (11 topical, 0 hidden)
Jennings puppet council member? (none / 0) (#1)
by usuallyanobserver on Mon Jun 09, 2008 at 05:38:44 AM EST
What makes Mike O'Brien a Jennings puppet council member?  Is it because he hasn't been vocal enough in his Jennings policy opposition?

For those of us who are now confused, can DIA please identify which 15 members of the common council DIA thinks are Jennings puppet council members, which are neutral, and which are decidedly anti-Jenning's for future posting reference?

Thank you

hey (none / 0) (#2)
by DIA on Mon Jun 09, 2008 at 05:50:36 AM EST
it was so easy to go along to get along these many long years, wasn't it?  Sort of like McCain and Bush.  And now you want to say you are anti jennings.

Let me try to recall Mike O'Brien's anti Jennings speech when the citizens got all those signatures and tried to get charter reform on the ballot.  Oh. That is right.  Mikey didn't even show up for the vote after PROMISING that he would vote to put it on the ballot.

How about all those statements he made these last few years saying we were in serious financial trouble?  And where he voted against the budget?  Fill us in on that if you can. Having trouble locating those?  We'll wait here.  Or would opposing jennigns by speaking out against him and voting against his idiocy just  just be "symbolic"

yeah.  A real anti jennings person.  next.

O'Brien is like Conti.  They want to pretend they don't support the mayor but then they vote for him on anything that matters.   If either wants to grow a pair, now would be a good time.    

one more thing (none / 0) (#3)
by DIA on Mon Jun 09, 2008 at 05:58:16 AM EST
he voted for D'Antonio to run DGS and the dump.   And now he wants to talk about how the dump is a financial problem?  See the disconnect?

Please spare us your attempts to say he is opposing jerry's policies.  

See how that works?

And there is no one in Albany who is "neutral" in my book.  You either have some moral character and speak out and do the right thing or you don't.  check the vote on D'antonio if you want to know who I think fits in this category.  

I don't care if D'Antonio is your best pal and walks your kids to school and everyone says he is a great guy.  This isn't a clubhouse.  We are trying to run a city efficiently.   That guy is in no way the best qualified person to run DGS.  Do you understand what DEFICIENT means?

So, let's see Mike O'Brien step up.  Time is running out.

OBrien can't be a puppet (none / 0) (#4)
by usuallyanobserver on Mon Jun 09, 2008 at 06:16:51 AM EST
A puppet would not be introducing ordinances to open up the planning board and better allow citizen input to the BZA.  Jenning would never allow that from his puppets.  Do you think for even a second that a puppet like Scalzo would introduce ordinances like that?

That appears to me to be someone slowly chipping away at the Jenning's back-room system and at least someone who deserves to be cataloged as neutral.  

If you do not identify neutral council members, then you don't know who to try to convince for those "close decisions."  Lumping the neutral together with the Jenning's puppets ignores potential allies.  Do you want to even take a stab at identifying those who are "Pro-Jennings by not speaking out against him strongly enough"? as opposed to the Scalzo type of Pro-Jennings?

[ Parent ]

Corey Ellis is a Jennings Puppet? (none / 0) (#8)
by usuallyanobserver on Mon Jun 09, 2008 at 06:37:24 AM EST
Only Dominick voted against affirming Nick...

[ Parent ]
I believe ellis (none / 0) (#9)
by DIA on Mon Jun 09, 2008 at 06:43:44 AM EST
did not vote on the issue because D'Antonio is currently under investigation for corruption and thus Ellis witheld his vote.

You are correct that only Calsolaro did the right thing on the vote.  All others should be embarassed.

Care to explain why you think D'Antonio is the best person for the job?   Or explain O'Brien's vote?

I'm listening.  And "everyone else was voting that way and I didn't want to risk offending Jerry" isn't a valid answer in my book.

Let me be clear on the issue. I strongly believe that people like O'Brien and Conti are a bigger problem than hacks like Casey and Scalzo.   They provide cover for Jennings by appearing "neutral" but supporting Jerry's piece of shit policies.  

[ Parent ]

Please don't read into my reply (none / 0) (#10)
by usuallyanobserver on Mon Jun 09, 2008 at 06:57:42 AM EST
My only question is whether O'Brien or any other council member is neutral.  I think the debate as to who is neutral needs to be had.  However, you are adding a new twist that "neutral" is worse than "puppet."

Nick was a very bad choice.  

[ Parent ]

the D'Antonio (none / 0) (#5)
by hawkny on Mon Jun 09, 2008 at 06:24:33 AM EST
vote by the Albany Common Council, vividly sums up the character and honesty of every  board member.  This vote also typifies the arrogance that become the hallmark of the Jennings administration, en toto.

In sum, neighbors, our city is run by a group of people (mostly white males) who are CHARACTER DEFICIENT, DISHONEST AND ARROGANT, to the core.

When the time comes, throw these bums (all of them) out, lock, stock and barrel.

Ward 13 - Dan Herring (none / 0) (#6)
by makome on Mon Jun 09, 2008 at 06:26:14 AM EST
definitely a Jerry-man.  I also believe he was the "budget-guy" for this year's budget and did "due diligence" for the Common Council.  That kind of due diligence gets you fired in the private sector and possibly 5-10 years at the State Pen.  My guess is Jerry and the Common Council continue to push everything off to the future when the guy that comes in to clean up this mess get's the "shiv" by having to hammer everyone with huge tax increases that have been avoided for years now. Could this effectively "kill" the Democratic machine in Albany?  With Democrats like these who needs Republicans??  

playing it safe (none / 0) (#7)
by DIA on Mon Jun 09, 2008 at 06:26:16 AM EST
What is there to be neutral about?  

You want to have it both ways.  If O'Brien and anyone else who was "neutral" stood with Calsolaro and the few others who are willing to stand up and speak about what is right, we wouldn't be in this mess.  But they have not, have they?  O'Brien had a chance to prove himself on the charter revision vote.  He failed miserably.    

Is O'Brien better than some of the true Jennings' hacks?  Sure.  Does he enable them with his go along to get along approach.  Yup.  And he leaves people like Calsolaro hung out to dry.   Its been a very successful approach up until now.  However, they are all complicit in screwing over the citizens of Albany and now the time is coming to pay those bills that they have been pushing off these many years.  

When do you think O'Brien should start to do the right thing?  Let me know what a good time to stop being neutral is...

Day late, many many dollars short.

Does 'Neutral' and ... (none / 0) (#11)
by Jim Travers on Mon Jun 09, 2008 at 10:48:01 PM EST
'Neutered' mean the same thing?

Deficient | 11 comments (11 topical, 0 hidden)
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