The famous American Charles Dudley Warner journalist said:
'Politics makes strange bedfellows'
THE BACK STABBER
CHARTER CHANGE VOTERS
Even in Saratoga Springs!
Meg and Madigan
Madigan tried to have The City Democratic Party to remove
Meg’s endorsement prior to 2017 election.
Meg betrayed the charter movement, cramming paid parking,
and elimination of the gun show at the City Center all point to a rush to push legislation before citizens get a grasp of what is happening. Strange bedfellows politics makes indeed.
THE BEDFELLOWS 
DJT, "The Failed Captain America"
ReplyDeletehow sad
Strange Bedfellow is an understatement. I wonder if Ms. Madigan is aware of the smear campaign about Mrs. Madigans extra friendly relationship with Mark Baker came directly from her new buddy Mrs Kelly?
ReplyDeleteMrs Kelly connected the local press reporters to Baker's ex girl friend to share the alleged details of the Baker-Madigan relationship.
Hot Stuff.
Captain look back at all of the details your blog posts last summer-fall.
I can assure you that Meg knows the 'sordid rumors' of a relationship between Ms. Madigan and Mr, Baker are a crock of sh*t, as are the rumours of Ms. Madigan and Mr. Franck.
DeleteI wonder if anyone has ever met Mr. Madigan? or even her sons? Personally, I'd like to see just one of you make this comment to their face - because you probably won't have a face left afterwards.
Please people - stop the lies and rumors. This crap on here is NOT TRUE. Not even close. It serves no purpose to make our city better, and only makes you look the fool for believing in it all.
NEWFLASH! Meg Kelly was the source of the Madigan stories. That is the point of this blog post. Less than 7 months ago Meg Kelly was meeting with Mark Baker's girlfriend and collecting the information and distributing to her campaign team to spread. Meg Kelly made arrangement for Baker's girl friend to speak with the press. If you do not think this is true, ask Meg Kelly where this all came from. Meg and Marti had nightly calls to discuss the Baker-Madigan romance. Meg worked closely with Ms. Madigan's own staff to collect dirt on Ms. Madigan. Meg Kelly was obsessed with taking down Ms Madigan. The Kelly camp spent more time working against Ms. Madigan than Baker.
DeleteThe Pro-Charter group got a good dose of how politics work here in Saratoga Springs. As a kid my father shared stories how "things happened" in politics. This is right out of a novel.
ReplyDelete"Things happened"...like an election...which the Pro-Charter lost.
DeleteYou are correct, not to be too picky, the Pro-Charter lost by 10 votes but the current Charter lost by much more. In talking with quite a few people who voted against the Manager form they did so because they were in favor of a Strong Mayor form. The Commission's days are numbered and it will be changed in a few years.
DeleteTime will tell but the only way to predict the future is to look at the past and every effort to change our form of gov't in the past has failed.
Delete"plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose"
Paid Parking? I just read about again. Had to laugh, The mayor starts with one idea, and then Skippy and Madigan snatch it from her and are now doing it another way.
ReplyDeleteShould it be really in public safety department? The PS department is traffic, truck traffic, parking tickets, emergency vehicles?
Who the hell wants paid parking anyways?
Paid parking is far from a done deal - more "fearmongering" rumors from people who don't know what they are talking about. Hear the word once and then go all ballistic. Right now all options are on the table and nothing has been determined.
DeleteNot only strange bedfellows but this Council is cramming as fast as they can legislation on the fly. Take the example of the special meeting to cancel all gun shows on City owned property. According to New York's A.G Scheiderman web page from 2013 "A.G. Schneiderman Joins Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords And Mark Kelly In Highlighting Background Checks Provision During Tour Of Saratoga Gun Show.
ReplyDeleteCo-Founders Of Americans For Responsible Solutions Cite A.G. Schneiderman's Model Gun Show Protocol As National Model
Schneiderman Announces That Every Known Operator In New York State Has Agreed To Background Checks On All Gun Purchases At Shows
SARATOGA -Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today joined former Representative Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, Captain Mark Kelly, in a tour of the Saratoga Springs Arms Fair to highlight the success of New York's Model Gun Show Procedures. Developed by the Attorney General's office, these new agreements have now been signed by every known gun show operator in New York State. As a result, a background check is now conducted on virtually every firearm sold at a gun show in New York State. Nearly three dozen gun show owners covering more than 80 gun shows in New York have now signed the protocols."
"The state's model helps keep guns out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them - like criminals and the dangerously mentally ill - without infringing on our Second Amendment rights," said Captain Mark Kelly, co-founder of Americans for Responsible Solutions. "This is a chance for Gabby and me to visit New York's largest arms fair and highlight this background checks system, which we believe can serve as a template for gun shows around the country."
What our City Council did was a knee jerk reaction to appease the minority that they were doing something but they made a very bad decision.
I hope another City in the area will take up the arms show and welcome over 2,000 people to what they have to offer.
This may be another reason the Casino and Raceway to look at building a small convention center on their property which they can do without City approval. We could then have smaller conventions or conferences on their grounds that would welcome legal and well run organizations.
Michelle Madigan needs professional help. She goes on a public tyraid on our citizens. She should be censored. This week she blamed a 80 year old woman for losing a $750.000.00 lawsuit.
ReplyDeleteShe calls people idiots and liars. Really? Is that the way our elected officials are allowed to interact with the taxpayers?
She is blabbing on social media.
What a fake Mayor Kelly is. she wandered around city hall looking for us to support her in November. She said she would "put Madigan in her place". She told us she put put an end to the 'bitch's bullying bullshit" in city hall. We guess what happened? Now she has the entire city hall workforce wondering what is next. Now she is a member of the dark side. Good luck trying to get re-elected. You lied to our face.
ReplyDeletePaid Parking? Really? It is hard enough to live and work in town. Now I have to pay for parking while I work at a low paying job downtown. What crap is that.
ReplyDeleteAnother Scirocco Shit Show. Mark "the kid" Scirocco.
ReplyDeletegoes out and and gets in an accident, leaves the scene and gets picked up by the police and tested for sobriety.. And you guessed it---drunk!
Mark Goes to jail, his drunk girlfriend and child come and bail him out. And you guessed it, she gets tagged for drunk driving too. With a child in the car with them. And you guessed it...she was drunk
Mark Scirocco works for his daddy at DPW Water Department. Now because of his driving problems he now is driven around the city so he can keep his job as a meter reader. Skip Coluci is now the person tasked with driving "daddy's boy" around. You guessed it...we now pay two people around to do one person's job. Daddy Sciroccois now trying to get the Civil Service commission to change "Daddy's boy" job description so he can stay employed.
I have worked at city hall for 15 years and can not believe this is happening. Come see the Saratoga Zoo called City Hall. What bullshit..and you guessed it...you are paying for it.
From a source inside City Hall is that he also hired an attorney from outside the area to keep it below the radar. I don't remember seeing this in the paper!
DeleteSkippy acts drunk at the council table during many meetings.
DeleteI never would have voted for Meg if I knew what a liar she is.
ReplyDeleteCaptain, your credibility is at an all time low.
ReplyDeleteLead in pipes?
Bedfellows?
very sad
Sorry, but you are in denial. There was lead in pipes and all you have to do is go back and view council meetings from before the Mayor appointed the Charter Commission to this years council meeting votes and you will see bedfellows. It's sad you can't observe this yourself.
DeleteAhem. My son works for the water dept. This was NOT a fault of the city in any way, shape or fashion.
DeleteSo.... what's your next lie?
Captain can't get off that "lead in the water" kick. The homes that have lead, are older homes that have older pipes and older solder. There is no lead in our city water.
DeleteAbsolutely correct.
DeleteDitto the 'bad' pipes that are full of mineral deposits. EVERY home has that 'problem' here. It's ONLY a problem when it becomes plugged up. That crap NEVER should have been a part of the charter debate - or even brought up at all.
After the debacle with Skips son I do not see how he can continue in office. The Mayor got sanctioned for looking for extra work. Now Skip is looking for special treatment for his son that will save him thousands of dollar. The council should deal with this if he does not.
ReplyDeleteEither he announces at the table that an employee has been terminated for drink driving or he announces that DWI is ok and employees will not be fired for it, or he announces he is stepping down because none of the employees in the city can respect him and discipline is gone.
Boyd, Altamari, and Kane just got stiffed by their mayor. I wonder f they think she is their mayor now? Kelly played you like a fiddle.
ReplyDeleteShe is still the Mayor but she also stiffed over 4,000 Saratogians.
DeleteShe didn't 'stiff' anyone. She did EXACTLY what she said she would do if she was elected. She made the right move for the city right now. End story.
DeleteI go with the Captain, she stiffed over 4,000 citizens when she said she wanted a change in the form of government. She should have let the citizens group do their thing. Everyone knows Morris rubs his nose in every politicans backside so he goes along with the new Mayor to get close.
DeleteDear 'nameless',
DeleteAt least I have enough backside to use my own name. And you??
Yea - that's what I thought.
That said, I do what is my right: I meet and discuss issues with the city council, primarily over housing. If that makes me a 'brown noser' for trying to get housing here that people can actually afford again, well, then a 'brown noser' I will be.
So what are YOU doing to help out? YOU also have the right to meet and talk to our elected officials to make positive change. But instead, you decide to namelessly slander others who ARE trying to help people out. Try meeting to a council member sometime. You might be surprised at what you learn and that - HEY!! - Maybe they are good people with your best interests in mind after all..
As for Meg? NO. She did EXACTLY what she said she would do: work with the old government if it lost - and it did lose. I supported the charter too, but the reality is it LOST. She is going forward with the option the PEOPLE chose, even if it is by 10 votes. I applaud her for not listening to a bunch of what can only be dubbed now as a bunch 'sore losers' and sticking to her word. She did the RIGHT thing here. This city was torn apart over the charter. Things were NOT getting done at city hall. Now things are moving along and projects are moving forward once again. The council make make changes that have been deemed necessary for a long time now - and NO ONE KNOWS what they will do. But I will say this: the possibility IS there that we could see separation of administrative and legislated duties from council. Under a commission form of government. That, more than anything, is what needs to be done. They understand that too. But they also understand how this form of government works from the inside too - something probably no one on here does. Give them the chance. If it fails to the point where a new charter is needed, THEN go for it.
Mr Morris
DeleteBe careful. You are not as trusted by city officials as you think you are. I will share more later.
Oh Yeah Dave Morris is an expert on everything. Just ask him.
DeleteI think Dave is an expert in many areas. More so than some of our elected officials.
DeleteCap, what about the rumor that a building inspector was put on leave?
DeleteDave Morris is a legend in his own mind and if anyone belives your statement 1:58 they belong in Four Winds.
DeleteAnytime the clowns in city hall suggest PAID parking is good for the city you can bet that there is a big budget deficit. Finances have been in trouble since 2016.. They keep saying all is good.
ReplyDeleteReally? why are they burning through reserve funds. The clowns were short 1 Million in 2016, even more in 2017, now 2018 and they are short again. Can you say Tax increase.
Excpet no one said we are going with paid parking. Rather, we are having a study done to look at ALL possible options.
DeleteSkippy Skippy Skippy your patronage and nepotism has gone too far.
ReplyDeleteYou have to change the rules to keep your son employed.
Acouple oy yearsa go, you had one of your foreman's get a DWI and you had Deputy Commission Cogan drive him around everyday. Two of the highest payed DPW employees in the same car every day?
Now you have it happening again. Skippy I am sure the tax payers will not find out.
Skippy, I was so impressed with your performance at the March 6th City council meeting. Can you say box of rocks?
Not the first DWI for a city employee. How do you enforce this one?
ReplyDeleteI could have told you what a deceitful character Meg Kelly is. Her children theater group could not stand her by the time she left.
ReplyDeleteNow she is up to her deceitful ways at city hall.
She will go down as one of our worst mayors.
Not once but twice, mayor kelly told me to my face that she would get the 2017 charter referendum back on the ballot in 2018.
ReplyDeleteTwice. I will never believe a word this fraud says going forward. She will never have my vote ever again. I am a forth generation Saratogian and thought I could trust her. I will not make that mistake again. 1/1/2020 can not come quick enough
DO AS I SAY NOT AS I DO. Paid Parking for everyone. Except or our elected officials. Yes they all have a free parking spot reserved for them behind city hall. I wounder if they would give them up?
ReplyDeleteI doubt it. The police department could make better use of them for transporting prisoners.
Elected officials should absolutely not get free parking spaces. They are public SERVANTS not ICONS.
DeleteDowntown parking spaces are all PREMIUM spaces. Elected officials.... "Commissioners"....usually expect perks. Special parking privileges is not a part of the bargain/perks. Are police cars entitled to PREMIUM parking spaces.....Maybe. But the usual six, seven, eight patrol cars on Maple Ave are excessive abuse of PREMIUM parking spaces. You can't tell me that ALL of those patrol cars need to be 10 feet away from the Police Station in City Hall. Look at the video of the cop with the bag of donuts from Dunkin Donuts, and a bag of coffee cups, parking in front of the station, and tell me that maybe he/she should be parking in the city lot instead. Just saying, these whole downtown parking privileges need to be re-examined....soon.
DeleteSkippy acts drunk at the council table during many meetings.
ReplyDeleteThe Scirocco's are all on the public payroll. Skip chased dogs for City of Saratoga Springs for 35 years, the older kid works for Saratoga County and Mark works for his daddy. Now Mark will special treatment because he works for his father because of his DWI. My sister has been working for the city for nearly 20 years, and she would not get special treatment. She would lose her job.
ReplyDeleteI think the bombings in Texas are horrible. I would hope that our City Council pass an law tonight that any bombs in Saratoga will be outlawed. This will show people how a minority of 12 can get this Council to pass anything.
ReplyDeleteSounds familiar. Didn't you show your stupidity on this subject before?
DeleteObservation. What do DPW workers do in the winter when not trying to plow our streets? I passed 4 DPW workers, 1 was using a pole cutter sawing a tree branch and the other 3 were standing looking up at the branch talking.
ReplyDeleteTax dollars at work.
DeleteAt least they are out from behind Shirley's restaurant on West Ave. That is where DPW normally hides
Saratoga has lots of dark alleys for hiding a truck. Check out the places that have empty beer cans strewn about.
DeletePaid Parking, Full Time City Attorney, Scirocco DWI, Charter Review, Budget nightmare, What is going on?
ReplyDeleteNow a full time attorney with an increase in pay, the City should say goodbye to the part time City Atty Tony Izzo, the City also wants to increase the Mayor's salary to over $40,000.00 while giving themselves a raise. The core 3 argued against salary increases and new job positions in the Charter last year but have no problem doing it themselves. The Mayor and this Council needs to be changed out in 2019.
ReplyDeleteYou can make changes to a bad form of government and that will incur expenses. The 3 loudest mouths against Changing the form of government (Franck, Madigan & Scirocco) screamed against proven cost savings in that new Charter. This Council including the 3 loud mouths have already increased spending by creating a full time City attorney position and most likely will keep the Asst. City attorney. This council is also talking about raising Commissioners salaries and benefits and tripling the Mayor's salary. You can't trust a politician.
DeleteWhat a joke Mayor Meg Kelly has become. She might as well just stay in her office as Mrs. Madigan is now the spokesperson for everything. When Meg was deputy and candidate she was out making promises to end the "bullshit" in city hall. Now that she is in she has made it worse. She has empowered the troublemakers to be worse.
ReplyDeleteWe will not be fooled again. One term Kelly.
I wonder if Mayor Meg will admit to her collegue Michele Madigan, that she was the one who was the source of Mark baker - Michele Madigan mudslinging last summer- fall?
ReplyDeleteWhen my husband came home and told me the details I nearly fell off my chair. He told me that Meg Kelly met with Mark Baker's girlfriend ( Marty), who proceeded to tell Meg about the numerous affairs that Mark Baker and Michele Madigan were having. He said Meg even made arrangements for the press to interview Marty. Meg's campaign team spread these details like wildfire. Meg apparently had an ongoing dialog with Mr Baker's girlfriend up until the election. We attended a house party to benefit Meg and her people confirmed that the details were in fact true. At the house party, Meg assured us all that she was going to be the agent of change in city hall.
Stay tuned for the news about Mark Scirrocco's DWI hearing in Milton Town Court.
ReplyDeleteIs the city allowing him to drive city vehicles? Some say he is being chauffeured around each day so he can do his job. At taxpayer expense?
And the city attorney, and the assistant city attorney will continue to hire outside attorneys. And the beat goes on.....
ReplyDeleteAnybody else know of an attorney who is worth "his salt" that is willing to work full time for $135,000 a year?
A decent attorney can make that much money each month, if he or she is any good.
I thought it was Donna Buckley that the cops got for a DWI conning from the track or SPAC last summer.
ReplyDeleteI have had a business in downtown for a very long time. I am appalled at Meg Kelly's two-faced antics. I voted for her because of her comments about charter change. She now is trying to put in Paid Parking. She will never get the support she got from me. Liar!
ReplyDeleteAll of the crap that Meg was spreading was true.
ReplyDeleteMadigan has been sleeping around and is a big time pot smoker and a drunk.
What a joke that the Crescent Avenue bridge will be closed during racing season. If there is a wrong way of doing something, NYS always seems to greenlight whatever that may be. Time to put that left turn arrown at the Yaddo/Exit 14 traffic light. It's nearly impossible to turn left onto Henning road now. That intersection will be a cluster this summer. Oh joy!
ReplyDeleteThat's because the father & son Cuomo act doesn't know there is a race track here that is known around the world. Big Papa Mario was here twice both times in an election and only visited the back stretch workers for a photo op then took off as fast as he could. Baby Cuomo has never visited the track once. So much for Upstate NY.
DeleteCaptain: There seems to be a record number of FOR SALE signs all over Saratoga. Many businesses are going under or are simply moving on. Write about that please.
ReplyDeleteYes there are many, many homes for sale and condos not being sold or leased or store fronts in new buildings not being filled. As a few merchants and builders who have moved out of the City mentioned "Saratoga is a very unfriendly place to do business". This comes from the government down to the landlords that charge outrageous rents. The City in the Country is out and now we are competing with being a mini Manhattan. This might be the beginning of Saratoga slipping down the mountain a bit.
DeleteThe City of Saratoga Springs continues be about 28 years behind in its business planning.
ReplyDeleteBarbara Glaser and Elliot Masie established a Smart City taskforce in the late 1990’s. It was a terrific idea. They turned it over to the city and it went on the slow poke train 28 years later the city gov is still slow walking smart city initiatives. 28 years and we are still just talking…and talking. And Schenectady has flown by us.
In the meantime, Schenectady is now recognized in the top 50 in the USA for its Smart City initiatives.
A blast from the past in the year 2000
Smart City Progress 2000
Mayor Kenneth Klotz said he recently met with Ken Green who had been meeting with Joe Dalton, Linda Toohey and Elliot Masie on advancing the City’s interest in and capacity to handle high tech industry by establishing fiber optic cable in this area. He said he would like to have Elliot Maise give a report to the Council at the March 7, 2000 meeting.
Today 2018 28 YEARS later
SCHENECTADY -- The city of Schenectady received an award during the Smart 50 Awards gala in Kansas City, Missouri, last week.
Schenectady was one of four cities to receive the Horizon Award, after city officials presented their 2017 Schenectady Smart City Report at the gala. The gala was planned to highlight smart cities initiatives around the world.
The Horizon Award is given to cities that demonstrate “foundational and inspiring groundwork for future smart cities projects,” according to a prepared statement from the city.
The awards were handed out on March 26 by Smart Cities Connect, Smart Cities Connect Foundation and US Ignite.In addition to two cities in California -- Yucaipa and Chula Vista -- as well as Annapolis, Maryland, received the Horizon Award, according to the Smart Cities Connect website.
Schenectady’s proposed Smart Cities initiative will focus on converting all streetlights in the city to LED fixtures. Mayor Gary McCarthy has said it could reduce the city’s electrical costs by 50 percent, or $400,000. He also is looking to install sensor-based technology into the light poles so that they could boost Wi-Fi signals, have a dimming function to reduce electrical costs even further, and also produce traffic and pedestrian analytics.
The city said it is working with National Grid on the project. The city previously said it budgeted $1 million this year for the project.
“The Schenectady Smart City Report is an important tool to guide our understanding and momentum of Smart City initiatives, and to create a platform that will help share data and associated trends to ultimately open up dialogue for potential solutions and improvements,” McCarthy said in the press release. “These initiatives represent the utilization of data and technology to improve the effectiveness of the delivery of municipal services to our residents.”
The city sent Eric Shannon, the innovation and performance specialist for the city, to accept the award on Monday.
“This report not only helps city employees coordinate with other departments, but also helps residents, businesses and community organizations understand details of our initiatives, enabling them to provide direct feedback," Shannon said.
The Daily Gazette’s publisher, John DeAugustine, is a member of the Smart City’s Advisory Commission. He said he was happy to see the city get “global recognition” for its work on the initiative.
Schenectady? Really?
DeleteI think you should stay right there. Enjoy.
You are missing the point. we spend all of our time patting ourselves on the back and meanwhile cities like Schenectady go right past us. The Solar Park we just started, took us 5 years to implement. Our city council is full of hot air.
DeleteYeah, I think I will move to Schenectady.
DeleteAnother one bites the dust.
ReplyDeleteAnother Saratoga Springs Restaurant Closes
Limoncello Ristorante in Saratoga Springs, which announced last fall that it intended to become a seasonal dining spot after a dozen years in business and would return this spring, appears to have closed. Its website and telephone number are no longer operational, the Facebook page hasn't been updated in 11 months, and the property, at 11 Ballston Ave., is listed for lease.
The restaurant owners are Giancarlo and Nancy Balestra.
That biz was MIA awhile ago. All their kitchen ware was sold at a second hand store on Milton Avenue in B-Spa.
DeleteThey own property next to the dump on Weible Ave that the DEC told them to clean up. Skippy knew this was part of the dump and refused to clean it up leaving the business owners to go bankrupt.
DeleteJust heard Meg Kelly aka Benedict Arnold, showed up at The Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee meeting to bitch slap the committee.
ReplyDeleteShe made crazy statements and told everyone that she will not tolerate insubordination and she will hold people accountable for public statements made against her. Her finger wagging was not well received and has made many wonder why they supported her in the past. And she handed out a $200,000.00 job to the husband of the Saratoga Springs Democratic Party Chairwomen. Can you say conflict of interest?
Hey Captain, any more news on Mark Scirocco & his wife getting arrested for DWI with a kid in the car? There has been nothing in the news.
ReplyDeleteThe Bickering in City Hall Has Begun!!!
ReplyDeleteSkippy will be on the outside looking in very soon.
Apparently Little Johnny Franck has it in for Skippy.
Now that the Essex County decision is in, what will happen to the recount in Saratoga Springs?
ReplyDeleteWell as I understand it, if the NY Supreme Courts decision holds then a new FOIL would have to be requested by someone wanting the ballots (or computer files) recounted and the Board of Elections would legally have to comply. With Charter Change losing by 0.11% how the BOE didn't call for a recount demonstrates how politicians from both Party's are trying to hold on to a pitiful form of government, reworked or not.
DeleteWhat did Skippy do to piss off Johnny?
ReplyDeleteWoman overboard!!! The Mayor's office lost a staff member last week.
ReplyDeleteThe Executive assistant resigned very quickly.
Guess who just showed up to fill in?
Lynn Bachner, a former Deputy under Michelle Madigan.
Bachner was shown the door by Madigan and was the brunt of many a Madigan conversation after she left. She now will help Mayor Kelly fend off Madigan bombs that will soon invade the Mayors office.
Looks like Johnny does not like Skippy personally, and chose the paid parking project to put Skippy's head on a stick.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Skippy will be the odd man out.
Skippy is rarely seen in City Hall these days, as he is busy trying to get his son Mark out of DWI hell.
Flip Flop Kelly. One day she likes a project then the next she does not. The Code Blue project was hit by Flip Flop Kelly.
ReplyDeletePaid Parking in Saratoga Springs is not a good idea.
ReplyDeleteShame on you Mayor Kelly for bringing this forward.
We will not forget it!
Did somebody say "paid parking?"
DeleteNope.
Nobody has said paid parking. Got it? Good.
There is a study being done about smart parking. Nobody has said paid parking. Got it? Good.
there will be paid parking, you can take that to Adirondack Trust.
DeleteFROM 4/23 NY Daily News
ReplyDeleteEver since New York adopted paper ballots and scanning machines for our elections in 2010, the Daily News has contended that the images of the ballots captured by the machines are public records that should be freely available to all.
That simple and logical standard must now become the statewide rule by the state’s highest court reaffirming an appellate panel decision granting access to the computer files.
Following the 2015 local elections in Essex County in the Adirondacks, Democratic leader Bethany Kosmider sought the ballot images. She was denied by Essex Republicans and sued. Last year, she won the case. The GOP appealed, and now they’ve lost again in appellate court.
The Court of Appeals must now make it the law of the state. In super-close contests, the ballot images can show who really won while the paper ballots stay locked up, safe from tampering.
Last fall, a Saratoga city charter referendum failed by 10 votes out of 8,906; the local board of elections refused to release the images.
Who’s afraid of seeing the actual outcome?
Are you saying you advocate doing away with the time honored secret ballot?
Delete"According to 29 USCS § 402 "Secret ballot" means the expression by ballot, voting machine, or otherwise, but in no event by proxy, of a choice with respect to any election or vote taken upon any matter, which is cast in such a manner that the person expressing such choice cannot be identified with the choice expressed."
There is absolutely no way eliminates a secret ballot.
DeleteThis is how it works: A person fills out a paper ballot, which doesn’t have his or her name or identifying information on it. The voter slips that ballot into a voting machine, where an electronic image is recorded. That image is saved onto two flash drive in a random fashion, which preserves anonymity. The paper ballot is then fed into a secure box underneath the machine. One flash drive is removed and given to the local board of elections. All the data is transferred over to a larger hard drive, and the now-blank flash drive can be used for another election.
Only after the process is complete can the vote be requested via FOIL."
When a voter enters the polling place, he/she is asked for their name. That name is assigned a number that corresponds to the ballot you are given. It's easy to find out who voted for who(m).
DeleteSorry you are wrong.
DeleteElections experts say that, Many people don't realize that records with a person's voting history — not who they voted for, but whether they voted — are public record; so are mail-in ballot requests. Campaigns get and use that data to target frequent voters, or those requested a mail ballot because they are likely to vote. See Anon's reply, it is correct.
Where in the world is Mark Scirocco?
ReplyDeleteDrying out!
DeleteHello Ano 4/23 at 646
ReplyDeleteI have included the portion of a Saratogian story on 2/21 stating VERY CLEARLY the RFP calls for PAID PARKING
Got IT? GOOD
Read it.
Tell me again why you claim that no one says PAID PARKING? Now the back peddling.
FEB 21 2018 Saratogian
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> City officials said they are looking to address a problem — the lack of parking downtown — that residents and tourists have been complaining about for years.
The city recently issued a Request for Proposal “seeking a professional parking management company to study, design, implement and manage a paid parking system in downtown Saratoga Springs that will net the maximum financial benefit to the City balanced with downtown business vitality and efficient traffic management.”
The RFP, which can be found on the city’s website, says the bid “must demonstrate expertise and creativity in the parking management business to implement a successful paid parking program.”
Companies have until March 14 to submit proposals. The city plans to award the bid on April 17.
The Saratogian??
DeleteThat was your first mistake.
the story was also in the Gazette and Times Union. You live in a fairyland if you think there won't be paid parking.
DeleteInstead of the "Saratogian" let's look at the actual RFP from the City for "Smart Parking".
ReplyDelete"Finding parking in downtown Saratoga Springs is a serious issue and can take up to half an hour to locate an open space. As a result, this RFP requires the services of a professional parking consultant/management team to study, design and implement a Smart parking system in downtown Saratoga Springs that will net the maximum financial benefit to the City balanced with downtown business vitality and efficient traffic management. The successful response must demonstrate expertise and success in the parking management business in creating a unified Smart parking management program."
If it means paid parking (meters?) it doesn't say it. If I have to pay $1 or $2 to park in a parking garage, or a nice spot near my destination, then so be it. What's the big deal? Saratoga Springs is now a city for the wealthy well-to-do, get with the program.
Saratoga Springs is well worth $1 or $2 or more, for the experience of just being here.
DeleteYou have got to be kidding me!
Deletethere is nothing in downtown Saratoga worth paying $1 or $2 dollars to park for, I would rather go to Exit 15 or down to Crossgates.
ReplyDeleteThe backpedaling starts! The Meg Kelly RFP that was issued and promoted in all media out let states very clearly PAID PARKING.
ReplyDeleteOr should we look at Mrs Fuss Budget Madigan or Skip The Details Scirocco's RFP. YES WE MUST HAVE TWO RFP's. Which one is official?
Ms Madigan is trying to cover up the big hole in the cities's financial future. I bet she would run away from paid parking if the monies collected did not go into the General Fund or a fund that she could not rob to fill her budget blunders. Deficit spending in 2016 exceeded 1 MILLION dollars in the hole. 2017 resembles 2017, and she has already borrowed from reserves to balance 2018 budget. Does something spell fishy to you yet?
ReplyDeleteShe paints a rosy picture for Saratoga Finances, but her picture smells like POOH not roses.
Wake Up
The truth will come out soon the land next to the dump was sold to John Stark in 2002.
ReplyDeleteYep. During Tommy McTygue's term of office. Didn't make any sense then, and still doesn't make sense now. Just another unnecessary expense for the city.
DeleteYou would have to pay for parking one way or another. Through paid parking or through taxes. Just like the trails, they were to be taken care of by volunteers. People just don't remember.
ReplyDeletePaid parking will drive even more people to Amazon and Exit 15, Exit 9, or the outlets at Exit 20.
ReplyDeleteThe workers in downtown will suffer the most. where are they going to park? This is a forgone conclusion for our politicos. They need money for the budget shortfalls. They all feel that if we raise property tax they will voted out of office.
They were not held accountable for the MILLIONS of dollars they continue to give away through FREE water hook up fees. YES MILLIONS!!!! Mayor Kelly, Comm Madigan and Scirocco are deceiving the public. Good luck downtown merchants
Wake Up