The new Mayor has set an agenda for her term of hard work
for all citizens, for getting things done and for breaking down the barriers
that the previous administration had put up as a barrier between themselves and
the everyday citizens. It looks like the
‘good old boy network’ here in Saratoga
has been put in moth balls for a while.
The best move so far has been the code blue she helped install in the
City and the second was the removal of Clifford Van Wagner as head of the
Planning Board.
Also, I am glad that she and the Council haven’t and
hopefully won’t take a vote on the sitting of the Casino in Saratoga Springs , let the State Committee do
their work.
Saratogian’s hear all the time from the Save Saratoga group
about the 58%. I will tell you now that
if a vote were taken today it would be 50-50 or less than 50% for those against
casino in Saratoga . I have heard from many people that voted
against Proposition 1 and have changed their mind since it passed, that they
would rather have the Casino here than in another community close by. The worries of Save Saratoga (a) HIGHER
HOMELESSNESS is happening at an alarming rate without the Casino, (b) INCREASED
GAMBLING ADDICTION, (most of the players will be bussed in and those who visit
and stay in hotels will certainly take advantage of our downtown and
restaurants), and the problem gambling issue can be addressed by the fine
agency we have now in The Prevention Council.
(c) HIGHER CRIME – take a look in the papers, it is accelerating already.
There is no worse gambling addiction than horse betting and I have never heard
a peep about helping to control this affliction here. Downtown merchants shouldn’t worry because if
at least 20% of the people drawn to Saratoga
by the Casino shop or eat downtown, that would be 20% more than now.
The water issue is another issue that seems to be going back
and forth in Council meeting discussions.
The Commissioner said we have enough water for emergency conditions and
that the back up sources are able to pump enough water to make up the
difference in case we need it. The other
side has said that according to a DEC study the Bog Meadow wells cannot pump
enough water to fill a water truck daily.
The Geyser wells are going bad as residents say the water pressure is
quite bad. The study done a few years
back should be updated if only to give us the number of g/p/h can our existing
wells and lake can pump.
A fact that all Saratogian’s should be worried about was
discussed on a radio show I listen to.
Carrie Woemer lost a bid for our Assembly seat in November against Tony Jordan,
who was also running for Washington
County DA Saratoga and
Destination Saratoga should come together on this issue of representation for Saratoga as well as the
communities in our District.
Cliff Van Wagger (as in tail of the dog) was following his orders from the "top dog" J.Tommy Roohan,Jr. As recently reported, Bruce Levinsky (Rip Van Dam) has been trying for over a year to add on to his hotel. Maybe Cliffy didn't like it that the hotel had a "Van" same as in his name. But the top dog gave his orders to Cliffy, and Bruce's plans were put on the back burner.
ReplyDeleteAll Bruce had to do to move his project forward, was to get Sonny Bonacia involved. It would have taken the fast track, same as all of Sonny's other developments. And Jules could have made some more commissions on selling something, anything, just to be top agent once again at Tommy's realty/replublican headquarters.
But old wounds take a long time to heal. If only Bruce didn't hide that wire, and if only Dalton and Tommy didn't have to go to court for coercion. Oh well, it will be fun to see if Yepsen's new appointment can move the project forward.
Expect some hurdles to be put in the way.
Saratoga Lake - pipe the water into the City !
ReplyDeleteCan anyone grab the text of this article -- The County Board of Supervisors are really pulling one on the one Tropical Hut heirs - if there are any ....
ReplyDeleteEminent domain payout OK’d in Saratoga Lake case
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
By Stephen Williams
Gazette Reporter
The Saratoga County Sewer District will pay $175,500 to the estate of a city woman killed by her son last fall in a high-profile murder-suicide.
I read in the Saratogian about the Planning Board meeting and the reservations they have about allowing Bruce Levinski to build his addition. They cite traffic concerns as a problem. Mr. Levinski will have valet service at his hotel; will build a parking garage on his property on Hamilton Street to accommodate parking problems. I wonder how this same Board with Van Wagner at the helm decided Bonacio’s same problems on the new Theater/Price Chopper/Condo block. Traffic concerns with a grocery store with inadequate parking and an 11 screen theater with no parking, oh wait, the City built him Woodlawn parking garage. I think it’s time for Van Wagner, Tom Lewis (former Republican Chair), a former Republican Supervisor, and a current Republican Committee member to hit the road and have the Mayor appoint people that want a fair process without favors for friends.
ReplyDeleteThere's plenty of parking at the Price Chopper "City Market". The bulk of the target shoppers are walking anyway. It was built to service the surrounding area - all the people who've moved into those condos, and some who walked to the old PC before. If you're driving to a Price Chopper, they have the Rt 50 location.
DeleteNice early 'breaking news' (that you wrote last year) on the news about the judge and DA..PR conference today. But your readers read it here first !
ReplyDeleteThank you very much. Also, remember the 'other piece'. Murphy does not have to step down as DA to run for judge, so if he wins his seat will be vacant and I also predicted that none other than Dave Harper, City Republican Chairman and attorney for the land owner that the DPW Commissioner sold water to in Wilton without Council approval, will be named County DA to fill Murphy’s term.
DeleteIt is always nice to pass along some informative blogs I can recommend 2 for some good information
1. Tom Noonan
2. Citizen Nancy
Each has their own brand and opinions and are good, clean and well written
7:50 AM
ReplyDeleteWell documented that the parking garage on Woodlawn Ave. was supposed to have only two levels of parking. Same as the other two parking garages, which, by the way, shoulda had at least four levels, but hey, one of them has John Thomas Roohan Sr.'s name on it, so that makes it special. Oh, yep, it was Joe Bruno who was well known as John Thomas Roohan Sr's golfing partner, who "found" the money to build that parking garage. Oh, wait, yes that was the parking garage that had problems with the cement, and who was in charge of that project????
So what did they decide to do with that parking garage on Woodlawn Ave you ask?
Well Sonny decided to demolish the ghetto chopper, and build a theatre. Oh, snap, we don't have any parking spaces for that theatre. Oh, let's call Tommy Roohan and tell him that he, being the chairman of the new parking garage, he should build two more levels of parking so that we can have parking for the theatre as well as those high-priced apartments above the new ghetto chopper.
Captain
ReplyDeleteI will disagree with you on the Casino issue.
Your statement about if the vote were held today is hogwash! The vote was taken and the vote stands. I will bet there are people who voted for certain candidates that given an opportunity to "revote" would do so. Is there any politician who would allow that?
Another great quote from our "out of town" owners of the racino
What does all this casino expansion really mean for Saratoga Springs? "We are planning a $30 million expansion this spring to include 120-room hotel, performance center, restaurant and other attractions. If [the casino license] is awarded, ANOTHER EXPANSION would be necessary." - J. Featherstonaugh, owner of Saratoga Racino
Thank you for your opinion. I believe that the 58% that voted against is not a 58% against the issue now. You are right about a revote however as the Board of Supervisors and the previous are on record as wanting the Casino and both should not have to be made to vote again. As far as expansion, sadly that is what Saratoga is all about, 11 screen Theater with a parking lot provided for Sonny, no less than 3 new hotels going up, after how many were built in the last 10 years (that should shiver the timbers of the current hotel owners downtown), condos on every corner etc.. If someone from a long time in the past visited the world as it is today, they would drop dead from shock. The same goes for a Saratogian who moved away 40 years ago and moved back, so growth is what Saratoga is all about and we should get used to it. The land use boards had a chance to have managed growth but instead chose to let growth run rampant.
ReplyDeleteIn todays Saratogian
ReplyDeleteTime to act on gaming expansion is now
Albert Einstein defined Insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. And that is how to define the proposition that if we have a casino in Saratoga Springs, we are still going to be Saratoga Springs.
Do we really think that Saratoga Springs is going to be different than another other town that gets a casino? Does anyone really think we are going to get the only casino in the world that is willing to share the wealth and be a good neighbor to our downtown, and be protective of our “Country”?
Downtown is in jeopardy because casinos are a destination: That is the model, and the legislation requires that it be a resort destination with superior amenities in order to be awarded the license from the state.
For Saratoga Raceway and Casino to promise otherwise is simply false. The name of their lobbying group is “Destination Saratoga”; They are stealing our brand, “Saratoga”, and branding themselves as the destination.
What happens to our downtown then? Our rural areas are in jeopardy because the development pressure will be unstoppable. The citizens and the city council, even if so inclined, will be powerless in the face of the political influence the casino will wield.
If the citizens and business owners of Saratoga Springs are against siting a casino in Saratoga Springs, the time to act is now. Please attend the city council meeting on Feb. 18 and let your elected officials know you don’t want a casino.
Captain
ReplyDeleteCheck your records
The Council already voted in opposition.
Please view new report of last year's unanimous vote in favor of expanded table games and casino.
Deletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwpCIAVqJlE
Saratoga Voters on Prop 1
ReplyDelete8526 voters
3393 said yes 4725 said NO 408 Blanks
Another question
How did Michelle Madigan get 800 Independence Party votes and no one else got 500? She was unopposed? My uncle Gordo has a hand in this. He likes LV Casinos too!! Miss Madigan is losing her base. She will not be unopposed next year. Yes I said next year!!!
Never count out a Commissioner who does their job well.
DeleteIf the save Saratoga group wants to really show opposition it needs to put stronger faces like Community leaders and area business owners as the face of the group with the citizens behind them. However, like in the 90's when these leaders went as far as to sue the State to keep the Racino out of Saratoga, (Joe Dalton representing the Chamber members was the most vocal in opposing and suing the State) later was touting the Racino a great move for locating in Saratoga. If I were for the Casino, I would be fighting for local input in the venture, with that rallying call even many of the '43%' would go for that or not in my back yard.
ReplyDeleteO Captain! my Captain!
ReplyDeleterise up and hear the bells;.......
......For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;.....
Walt Whitman was ahead of his time, dear Captain, O Captain !
Thee of lesser writing skills, thee and thou, and thee may be...
yet thee are of such aspiring heights, so eager yet so meager of wit, and skill,
thee may be, and yet thou art not a Nimby at all, ye of such Daltonese, ye of such pondering Roohanisms, and when mentioning such "leaders" might thou also include such appearances in yonder courtroom, yea dear lord, please approach the bench and the judge shall slappest thy wrists, and go, go away and be healed in yonder Broadway and be admired by all that shall view thy countenances.
And Saratogians shall sleep well, once again.
Oh, and bring on the Racino and all that shall accompany it. Dalton dost now approve.
OK Bucko, I get the point, but you better ease up on the home brew and get thee finger back in the sunlight.
DeleteI, like many others, voted against the legislation that would bring casinos to NY. However, I, like many people, have always believed that if the legislation was enacted Saratoga should get the casino. The 58% number, so frequently cited by Save Saratoga, is misleading .
ReplyDelete