THE ANNOUNCEMENT & THE REPUBLICAN’S BIG SPENDING

Bill McTygue has announced his Deputy if he should win the DPW post.  Pat Design, Deputy Commissioner under both former Commissioner Tom McTygue & current Commissioner Skip will be the new Deputy.

For the past 2 weeks I have been getting blasted with Republican political flyers in the mail or on my door knob.  All I can say is that they are either nervous about losing or have some big money to spend (in most cases via big builders).

Although some have good information like Wirth, who we picked to defeat Matheisen for the good of Saratoga Springs, some are just laughable.

One of these jokes came in the mail today ‘A Personal Message from Four Former Mayors’, this was the headline in the return address spot.  I first thought it was restaurant coupons for 4 Guy’s Hamburgers but I opened it and lo and behold it was a letter denouncing Mayor Yepsen (what a surprise) and extolling the former Army man and who now advises homeowners associations. While it doesn’t take a degree in rocket science to run for office (we now have a librarian, dog catcher and dentist among our City’s leaders, I guess an advisor to homeowner associations is ok.  They disparage Yepsen’s accomplishments which are many (more in 2 years than Johnson had in 6) and one profound statement about secrecy ‘too many closed to the public Executive Sessions’.  This statement had to be written by someone that knows nothing about City government because all Executive Sessions are held behind closed doors.  The candidate John Safford extolls his plans if elected, JOHN, Mayor Yepsen has your plans already in operation, get your own.

The letter contains more political dribble but most of it is nonsense.  The letter is signed by 4 former Mayor’s whose terms except Mayor A.C. Riley were a joke.  The other three are Scott ‘red face’ Johnson, Mayor J. Michael ‘smiley’ O’Connell, please don’t get me started about him and Mayor Jim ‘where am I’ Murphy, who’s tenure was 1966-1969 when Saratoga was really rocking (right).    I wonder why they didn’t get one of the good Mayor’s,  Mike Lenz’s signature.

The next piece of paper was a door hanger to vote for Skip Scirocco.  His flyer is even more hysterical:

Fixed longstanding infrastructure problems

Upgraded the City water facility filters (gee, you should have done that anyway)

Fixed neighborhood flooding issues (don’t tell anyone living in Geyser Crest about this, they have been calling you for years about this problem and you ignore the pleas.)

Resolved decades long water capacity resource (this is just an outright joke, the ‘new’ holes he dug would not supply the City with enough water for a day in a drought or any new building.  As a matter of fact he had said he fixed the water supply in the Crest however anyone we talk to has water pressure so low they can pee a stronger stream.

Improved safety at dangerous intersections- where and how?

It gets better:

City Hall – restored the steps and lions (contracted out the work)

Canfield Casino is now handicap accessible (I guess he didn’t see the ramp on the side when he was first elected)

Saratoga Lake – new park & entranceway (the Park was in planning when you were still a dog catcher)

Flowers, leaf pickup & snow removal, accomplished with professionalism under Skip’s leadership.  (Seriously?  All three have deteriorated every year under your leadership.)

You left out one thing – how lousy downtown and the garages look, both have one thing in common, they look dirty.

Just a comment about this race.  A person’s last name should not disqualify them for a shot to win an election, if the person is qualified then he or she should at least be considered.

If your son shoots someone and kills that person does that mean you should be looked upon as those who look at your son?  Each of us is his own person and should be judged on their merits.

It seems in Saratoga, many City dwellers hold a grudge for life.

Please look at the previous post and see who we backed for elected office, and next time you are at Four Mayors order your burger medium with fries. 

ELECTION DAY DRAWS NEAR

Well it is almost here, Election Day Tuesday November 3^rd.  How can you tell?  The land is covered with signs, so many in fact you can’t tell who the candidates are. 

The local newspaper has a subscription rate of at least 700 homes so we know that Saratogians can’t get their information from there. The candidates have to get their information out themselves, that’s why every one of them need to go door to door themselves and talk to voters themselves.

The Mayor’s race is one that gives me a chuckle.  We have a Mayor that has a good track record and a newcomer who has not gotten involved in or on any commissions but declares himself ready because of him being in the military and advising some homeowners associations.  The old lip service that he must get rid of a career politician (10 years) and bring stability back to the Council is just that lip service.  Mayor Yepsen has had to control the Council but Madigan, Matheisen and Scirocco clearly do not want harmony so 2 times a month create a circus atmosphere and even the new candidate won’t be able to handle unless he rolls over and is subject to them.  He also talks about career politicians yet I don’t hear him trying to get rid of Skip for going for his 4^th (8 year’s) and his (8 years as Supervisor) for a total of 16 years times in office, wouldn’t he be classified as a ‘career’ politician?  Stafford isn’t upset about this?  Isn’t this kind of being two faced and not being honest about his feelings and statements?

On to the DPW race.  Skip has done too many questionable things to be re-elected.  There are too many lawsuits against the City (against Skip), including but not limited to the Betty French suit, The giving away of over $1 million dollars to 1 developer concerning water hookups without getting Council approval (required), changing the Charter and eliminating the hookup fees then charging certain developers water hookup fee but not the one he gave $1 million dollars to, also during this past very cold winter a plumbing firm I will not name the outfit but I’ll give you the first letter of their name ‘B’ was repairing a water line break and had to dig up the road over to the house, however when they didn’t finish that day left the hole open causing sever water main breaks. 

The major repairs are now being done on Washington regarding this and hopefully the plumbing outfit will be paying the City for the work and not us taxpayers, also the pressure he put on his Party to not have any Republican to run against Democrat Madigan for Commissioner of Finance even when the Party had 2 qualified candidates that wanted to run for the position and well just for being Skippy who is like past President Coolidge “Silent Cal”,  we call him “Silent Skip”, although Skip does try to get into a discussion but  forgets what he is discussing 1 minute into talking and when he does discuss an item and he gets around the ooh’s and uhm’s and finally sounds like he might make a stand he reverts to voting along with Madigan & Matheisen.

Skip’s opponent is former DPW Director of Public Works and he did a good job while doing his job.  The one mark most people think Bill has is his last name, McTygue.  Bill’s brother Tom was a good Commissioner for years and the Skipper ran a successful election victory beating Tom McTygue.  However, Bill is his own man and he was involved with many popular and important projects.  The one thing noticed by City residents and tourists alike is the appearance of Downtown and how dirty and unkempt it is.  This is not good. Infrastructure was certainly updated during these years and won’t be a problem. Let’s do as John Stafford says and vote out a career politician and give a chance to someone who will probably be a better fit for the job and the City.

As for Madigan & Matheisen, their absolute disregard to the majority of citizens who have spoken on issues in the past 2 years and one who it appears wants to close businesses down and the M & M’s are the same two Commissioners who have gotten condescending and downright mean to citizens when they (citizens) are speaking, just about gives the nod for their seats to go to qualified opponents.

Of course everyone should thank all citizens who want to take their personal time to serve the City, there aren’t many and we do appreciate it.

So, here are our picks.

Mayor - Joanne Yepsen – she should continue to add to all the good projects she has done.

Commissioner of Finance – Ken Ivins, a former Commissioner who should be back in because of his knowledge and positive contact with citizens. It’s time to vote out one of two Commissioners who have gotten condescending and downright mean to citizens

Commissioner of Public Safety – Richard Wirth (it should have been Sarah Burger), it’s time to vote out one of two Commissioners who have gotten condescending and downright mean to citizens

Commissioner of Public Works – Bill McTygue – We need to get someone in that position who know what the heck is going on and one who will talk to, reply to and answer citizen’s questions directly.

Commissioner of Accounts – John Franck (running unopposed) ‘he can’t be beat even with an opponent.

Remember to vote, it is a right no one can take away from us, if you are going to be away get an absentee ballot.  

Election Day Tuesday November 3^rd, 6:00am – 9:00pm

Don’t complain about issues if you don’t vote.