With the beginning of Fall, a few thoughts.
When will City Hall be open so everyone can see the
palace that Madigan (the Mad Hater) call her office? The
amount she spent on furniture is the talk of City workers and soon the citizens
when we can see it.
Talking about City Hall, exactly how much is it going to
cost the taxpayers? Madigan’s incompetence
with budget matters pre pandemic will raise
taxes big time.
The fight between Madigan & Scirocco regarding camera’s
being monitored in Congress Park at
night was a bit childish on Madigan’s part ,she has to be yelling at someone at
Council meetings and the big surprise is that it was her Siamese twin Scirocco . Black Lives Matter destroyers toppled a Civil
War era monument to those Saratogians that died serving in the Civil War and
other vandalism will most likely never be caught. Madigan hired a PR firm to come up with a ‘Mask
Campaign ’ about wearing masks cost taxpayers some big money and was about 5
months too late. She didn’t want to spend
the money for a position to monitor Congress Park’s cameras and a nighttime
dispatcher but had the money for her projects, it’s a funny thing what happens
when you have 1 person in charge of all the money – they get what they want and
everyone else has to beg.
Well Charter Change is back on the ballot and this year
the Democratic Committee voted to support the initiative. The renegade ex Democratic committee members who quit
the Committee last year when they couldn’t get their way are leading the group
opposed to the change. They just can’t stand not getting their way on all things. They are as bad as Republican leaders who don't want to give up controlling the City. As one of the Anti - Change leaders Jane
Weihe wife of John Kaufman the unbiased blooger (hahaha) said “Abolishing and
setting up a new government is expensive, disruptive, and challenging under the
best of circumstances. Why would we want to do it – imagine this – doing it
during a pandemic and in the midst of probably the worst economic crisis since
the Great Depression? "So our message is this…make love, not wards!”
Jane Weihe, there is no large expense in a change and
saving money and better management and citizen involvement with their
government is a good thing right? And as
for your words of wit “So our message is this…make love, not wards!”,I hope
your husband is up for it. Sore losers all around these ex Dem Committee
whiners are.
Is it true that Mrs Madigan has one small rug that cost taxpayers 17,000.00? 17K for a rug? Not carpeting?
ReplyDelete17,000.00 !!!!
TOP TEN REASONS TO VOTE YES FOR CHARTER REFORM
ReplyDelete#10. As a form of local government, the time of the commission form has passed. The commission form peaked in popularity in the 1930’s and has declined since. Today, 130 MILLION US Citizens have elected a council Manager plan in their municipality, while less than 1 M still use the commission , The closest commission example is Mechanicville NY. Like the evolution from the typewriter to the computer and the rotary-dial phone to the cell phone, it’s time to make that evolution in local government.
#9. The council-manager form of government, proposed in charter referendum, is the most popular and successful form for cities the size of Saratoga Springs. Two out of every three cities with populations over 25,000 utilize the council-manager form, as do most cities with a AAA bond rating. It is the fastest growing form of government. Hundreds of cities have moved from the commission form to the council-manager form but not one city has ever moved back.
#8. Professional management is introduced to manage the city’s $50 million-plus city budget. We live in a city where two-thirds of our property taxes are already managed professionally. The school district is managed by a professional superintendent, and Saratoga County has a professional county manager. Our city budget is too big and complex to operate without professional expertise.
#7. The city will be managed as one team instead of five separate ones. Every successful organization, from a business to a sports team to restaurant is managed via coordinated management where one person is held accountable for success.
#6. Faster government. Coordinated management will produce faster decisions. Things will get done in a more timely manner. We won’t have to wait years and years for such things as a new parking garage or a waterfront park.
#5. More efficient government. Professional coordinated management will produce opportunities for cost savings, like one vehicle maintenance garage instead of two, or one payroll office instead of five.
#4. More effective government. Managing as one team, city operations will become better. We can solve problems like chronic turnover in the building inspector’s office or the lack of positions filled in charter- mandated offices such as human resources or parks, open space, and historic preservation.
#3. “Vote yes for lower taxes.” Smarter, faster, cheaper government will inevitably impact tax rates. The immediate financial impact of implementing the proposed charter will be a small cost savings. But, in time, more substantial opportunities will be identified to lower taxes from what they would otherwise be.
#2. End the gender bias against women. Under the current commission form of government, women have comprised only about 7% of the composition of the city council since adoption of the form in 1915. No woman has ever served as commissioner of public safety or commissioner of accounts. City councils under the council-manager form of government have much greater participation by women.
#1. More citizens can participate on the city council. Beyond gender bias, too many citizens won’t think of running for city council under the current commission form because they don’t have the time or comfort with the administrative responsibilities of running the day to day operations of a department. Under the proposed council-manager form, the administrative duties are transferred to a professional manager, and the city council can focus on a legislative agenda, a role more suited to a part-time commitment of regular citizens.
Tim for fuck’s sake, three of the current city council members are women, including public safety. I am helping get the charter passed, if you want to help get your info straight so we don’t look like morons.
DeleteCustom made wood window blinds and $60,000.00 worth of desks for the finance commissioner Madigan's office.
ReplyDeleteHow tone deaf is this woman? Covid 19?
she projected the city will be 12-14 million in the red and she is using designers to decorate her office.
Did we really elect Robin Dalton into office? WOW what a mistake. The entire Department of Public Safety is in total disgust and she is despised by her fellow commissioners. What an accomplishment in less than 9 months. She trips over her tongue every time she opens her mouth
ReplyDeleteDalton is a complete phony and not a good Commissioner anyway. The choice between the 2 should have gone to her opponent and she may well be the spokesperson for the Council. We need a Charter Change to get more qualified people involved in politics. Exactly what was her qualifications to take that job?
DeleteJohn, maybe you should educate yourself on the system of government we have now before you toss it out the window because it’s clear you don’t understand the roles of the commissioners. Also her opponent had multiple allegations of domestic abuse made against him, that you think that’s an appropriate person to represent our police department speaks volumes.
DeleteWell Tim, I guess you are tight with Dalton. The charges were dropped by the complainant according to the Police in the city where it was supposed to have happened. Although it was a good ploy attacking the character of a person. A typical Dalton family move.
DeleteAnd the cycle of abuse goes on, taking the side of the abuser and not the abused. So John of you, literally painful...����
DeleteOh Sandra �� ok, cause public safety would have loved her opponent, that would have been a nightmare. Like her or not, it is pretty easy to see why the other commissioners are pissed off - she makes them look bad. She really appears to be the only working- when was the last time anyone saw or heard from the mayor ..?
ReplyDeleteHey Capt
ReplyDeleteWhy not give us more of your opinion on charter change?
It is the same as every other proposal. The City needs change so any resident can represent its citizens and not have to run departments. I have always preferred Wards so every area of the City has a voice at the table. That about sums it up.
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/506252432890000/videos/896644850517421
ReplyDeleteCap't, Give us 1 more post and make it an even 4 for 2020!!!
ReplyDelete