gdp's Comments

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Anything But Great News

Sat, 4 Sep 2010 00:56:47 +0000

ROFL -- don't forget Norm MacDonald as Bob Dole ...

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Capital Idea

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 15:27:14 +0000

I understand the same-- bond funding not subject to tax cap. Naturally this allows bonds then to fund things that should not be bonded such as demolition. What intrigues me is why we bond for demolition yet bond no projects with any construction or growth. What is the last initiative funded by the council that involves any type of growth scenario? I can't think of one. Meanwhile Schenectady is funding a major renovation to their library while here, at the first mention of the budget figures, our local library funding immediately finds itself on the chopping block. Shouldn't we bonding with some strategy to drive growth versus using it as a way to offset expenses resulting from non-growth and intentional anti-growth policies?

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : WTF

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:16:09 +0000

I'll look forward to that

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Economics 12010

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 00:17:16 +0000

I see what you mean-- how do you now tell "those people" from "those people"? It's all so confusing

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Yawn

Mon, 2 Aug 2010 17:01:52 +0000

I have to quibble a bit with this "responsibility falls to the citizens, both to come up with solutions and then elect new officials who will put them into place." -- and I have to walk a fine line as I agree with part of the sentiment but not all of it. We elect leaders and in turn support public entities with the expectation that they will perform their responsibilities successfully. I don't think it's fair to say that the responsibility to develop a solution falls on its citizens as that suggests that the leaders and entities do not own the problem. Maybe I'm reading more into the statement than you suggest but wanted to clarify my point. If so, how could we ever function as a democracy on a local, state, federal and international level? I do have some concrete steps but, at the risk of becoming my own self-parody by saying so, I'll need to loop back with you ;) Give me a week or so and I'm sure you'll call me on it if I don't do so.

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Yawn

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:38:07 +0000

I'm not sure; I seem to recall several studies that disputed such claims and to your point on the unions, I think such performance-based policies meet resistance from the unions. While I believe the issue includes teachers, locally we have utter apathy by the board and community-at-large when it comes to academics. The decline is not new news and I'd argue driven by policy decisions by the board and administration to a large degree over the past decades coupled with an electorate who demands no accountability other than a delusion that the board focus exclusively on cutting taxes through micromanaging expenses. It's simple really: the NYSED results are now out and the Business Review rankings have been out a few weeks. What have been the reactions from the GASD board on the performance? Where are the reactions from community leaders? What does the administration say in light of these results? What are the PTAs and parents saying? Who owns fixing the problem? Apparently nothing and nobody. And there you have your answer.

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Felonious Monk

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:05:14 +0000

The bond for infrastructure versus dump is a 5 to 10 multiple in the size of the bond-- I think that is the key difference between the issues along with who does the bonding. I try to let it go but you cannot simply ignore the elephant in the room sometimes. Admittedly the anonymity issue strikes a nerve with me.

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Felonious Monk

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:01:34 +0000

Tim, I'm not suggesting that questions can't be raised or challenges made or eyebrows raised. The difference between your posts and those of which I'm critical centers on the basis for the criticism. I'm criticizing those who criticize only based upon them being 'them' with no other reasoned basis. I do not believe you fall anywhere near that category and again I was not suggesting that all criticism suggests it is driven by 'us versus them' mindset. I think this is similar to my point on the bridge and Chalmers -- where we have opposing views-- that reasoned, thoughtful arguments can be made but a faction of the opposition does not hold reasoned, thoughtful arguments. Instead they advocate anything but reason and thought. I do not think the latter applies to you. On polarization, we exchanged posts a while back on this issue; I'm not sure what else to add at this point.

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Parks and Parking Lots

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:49:29 +0000

I should have acknowledged that it was not my find; it was sent to me so the kudos belong to someone else.

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Growth Industry

Fri, 28 May 2010 01:55:50 +0000

Tim, Let me try to clarify my position and views on the bridge: the main focus of my criticism is directed at those advocating redirecting funds for the pedestrian bridge to infrastructure. I recognize, and in fact, share a number of concerns raised on this project from its conception to its execution; I think you raise some in your posts (ownership, legislative control, costs, marketability). Those are valid and legitimate points for discussion; the infrastructure versus bridge strawman is quite the opposite as I've written. So I'm tackling a specific argument against the bridge not attacking the broad array of arguments against it. Or said differently, I'm challenging the advocates of that specific argument versus advocates of other arguments. As far as mental disorders, I'm not suggesting that at all. By self-loathing, I'm again challenging the advocates fighting any promotion and marketing of the community because this place is not good enough and never will be good enough until every problem from crime to infrastructure to downtown to whatever (aka my "tipping point argument") So for this argument, I was actually moving beyond the bridge to a larger point which was mentioned in the editorial and upon which I harp ad nauseum. While it's not true that all critics are against change, a faction of the critics indeed fight all change. I'm making the latter argument. On Pythonesque, I'm simply stating what I find to often be absurd on what takes place here and that drives my point of view and commentary. Is it constructive? Do I fuel divisiveness rather than unity? Am I just as guilty of the self-loathing of which I accuse others? I don't know for sure and either way, I'm not an unbiased observer. I write to express a point of view and to hopefully make some positive impact.

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Bipartisanship

Fri, 21 May 2010 13:34:23 +0000

Tim, I think the main point was that this issue garners bipartisanship while others not so much. More importantly, the need for bipartisanship indicates a way to mitigate future partisan battles on the issue. With an issue such as crime, why can't we just figure out what works best and do it without the usual politics trumping policy. You raise a great point which I did not address-- is crime strictly a legislative and police issue? I agree it is not. What can you possibly legislate that prevents 30 to 40 people taking to the streets in a melee and then a few ultimately assaulting officers? I think you need a broader set of players to work it from a different angle. I think assaulting police officers already has enough legal and legislative force to deter such acts. I differ that the committee is strictly legislative in purpose; the article indicates a broader mandate although the labeling of 'bipartisan' suggests otherwise.

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Memes and Mimes -- GASD School Budget

Mon, 17 May 2010 21:45:27 +0000

Jerry, Then something is off as the contingency budget does exceed last year's budget. I did not receive a GASD flier so I'm going off of the budget PDF on the GASD site. Can you explain the discrepancy between your post and what the district proposes? Thanks

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Ain't No Sunshine

Sat, 15 May 2010 10:14:33 +0000

Tim, I think the issue with Market Hill is that it is largely commercial (CVS, McDonalds, FastTrac, Gas Station, Stewarts) in terms of area covered by the chains. That said, you do get a few blocks that may work a bit north but that's about it. I tend to think that the area heading west on Division Street may work well as it is not an arterial, already has a blend of residential and retail, some commercial, and is easily accessible off of the main arterials. Plus it does allow for growth from the core and is easily accessible and walkable. Disclosure: I live near the area in question although that is not why I'm advocating it. I also think the South side off of Bridge Street is intriguing although we would have downtown on the opposite side of the river from where most of the populace lives. Still, it possesses many of the qualities we need in a revitalized center.

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Defining Downtown

Sat, 15 May 2010 09:04:29 +0000

Tim, I'll post a response on your blog to not fragment the discussion

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Cluster Something

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:40:36 +0000

Diane, I agree with everything you've said. However, my issue stems from the sale price which seems well off of the listing price -- $325K-- presumably set with all the code issues known upfront. I question it even further in light of recent district decisions say cutting modified sports or not fixing the roof for the Walter Elwood Museum as necessary cuts while radically discounting the sales price of the building many times the value of said cuts. Why not try to get a better price if dollars are so urgent? If the argument is that a discount is merited in light of usage as a daycare center which makes sense as a repurpose of the space and its neighborhood, I'd accept that argument. But then don't tell me that decisions are made solely on their financials versus the impact on the community. You cannot have it both ways citing financials to suit your policy objectives. That's what I see here.

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Where Art Thou Infrastructure

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:29:29 +0000

Hardly surprising. Maybe folks will start to see through the facade of those who claim we need broad scale demolition magically funded with no taxpayer dollars for what it is-- a fantasy. That "shared services solution" around demolition is not working out so great after all. And let's remember who is not funding this: the Council.

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Where Art Thou Infrastructure

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 16:43:12 +0000

Karin, I agree somewhat with your intent here but in my mind, it is not workable. Capital projects require training, skilled workers, and accountability to management. Any volunteer or community based effort typically falls short in those regards. I'm not suggesting that we do not need more community efforts or that they are not essential; I'm only arguing that certain projects do not lend themselves to those approaches. As an example, infrastructure projects dealing with water/sewer et al would seem impractical to implement on a volunteer basis assuming you could even recruit enough volunteers. To sharpen my point a bit, I find it a bit off-putting that skilled and professional workers -- plumbers, Web designers, et al-- get dismissed as simply as plugging in a few volunteers without an appreciation or understanding that you may not get the same quality or capability. If so simple, why don't entire municipalities function on a volunteer basis. Public officials who float the idea that we can cut services and then get the same service through volunteers are simply trying to have it both ways; they should not. I know a few things about plumbing but does that qualify me for running water lines and hydrants? Hardly

Political and Economic Commentary on Amsterdam NY and Beyond : Magic Numbers and Move Along

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:35:32 +0000

maybe I\\\'m not following your point but the course is a public course and therefore a public asset. The only way the course would not be considered as using public finances would be if it could independently finance its capital projects as but one example. As the course clearly cannot given the story instead relying upon taxpayer funded capital, I do not see how it could be deemed otherwise.