Taxpayers vs. The Mayor


By DIA, Section News
Posted on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 05:58:29 AM EST

The mayor wants to pass the buck on this whole "I've spent you all into a heap of trouble" issue. Here is his excuse for why we have budget problems.
He blamed the city deficit on rising costs for health insurance, salaries, utilities and gasoline.
Now as a taxpayer I want to comment on this. Has my health insurance gone up in cost in the last 4 years? Yes. Quite a bit. Has my salary gone up? No. Have my utilities gone up in cost? Big time. Cost of gas way up? Check. And let me see what else has gone way up. Oh look, my water bill is up 50%. Fees charged by the city up at least 30% across the board. Anyone want to guess what has happened to tax bills?

So, if I was like Mayor Jennings I should be declaring bankruptcy and applying for welfare. As should every other resident of Albany. Or, perhaps, some of us balance our budgets, cut unnecessary spending and adjust to the new realities of our world? I know the mayor thinks that is "crazy" but that is how things work.

And now all of us in Albany who have been dealing with the higher cost of living that is facing all Americans are going to have to get a big dose of the Jennings Tax because he has never cut spending to adjust for reality. Borrow and spend. Borrow and spend. Last year we had an $8 million deficit in our budget and he called it "responsible".

At least Governor Paterson is willing to make the hard decisions.

Meanwhile the Mayor gave himself and all his top appointees another nice raise last year and blames the budget problems on higher salary costs.

I truly hope Jennings wants to run for mayor again. I guarantee you that everyone in Albany will know that he called that budget "responsible". Guaranteed.

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Taxpayers vs. The Mayor | 1 comment (1 topical, 0 hidden)
Taxpayers Pay for Theft of Services (none / 0) (#1)
by A Muse on Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 08:54:36 AM EST
Town & City Bankruptcy

The Mayor is correct that costs of goods and services have gone up substantially.  There should have been an emergency fund line item that would have helped out.  After a few years this should have been a substantial sum.  I challenge taxpayers to make signs that say: "BROUGHT TO YOU BY MAYOR JENNINGS AND THE CITY OF ALBANY" and post them on every vacant building and in every pothole within the City.

Cities and towns do declare bankruptcy and NPR carried news yesterday about a town out in Oregon that had been receiving federal funds to fund their budget.  The town residents made the bulk of their money on logging.  The jobs dried up and the town may do so as well.  The Federal funds had an expiration date and the Mayor and town leaders have done nothing to address the problems.  Springfield MA went into receivership a number of years ago.  It was broke.

The City of Albany cannot wait until the next election.  Jennings must be removed as Mayor now.  He has failed in his fiduciary responsibility to the residents and a special election should be called for his removal.  A Strong Mayor is only good if he is smart.

As Mayor the first thing he should done is to cut his salary and those of department heads by 10%.  All departments should cut across the board, however, I have observed and recorded evidence of waste and theft of City Tax Dollars directed by Nick D'Antonio and Mayor Jennings and for that they should resign.


Taxpayers vs. The Mayor | 1 comment (1 topical, 0 hidden)
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