BuckinghamPondCrestwood NANEWS

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Location: Albany, New York, United States

CONSERVATIVE ROW C FOR MAYOR CITY OF ALBANY NY November 5, 2013 Election U S Navy Veteran BS Geography, U Wisconsin (Korean GI Bill) MA Geography, U Minnesota (National Fellowship) 30 years as founder and president, Buckingham Pond/ Crestwood Neighborhood Assoc. maintaining/improving neighborhood residential integrity and quality of life. Leadership resulted in creation of Buckingham Pond Park in 1993-94, as well as many other open spaces. See bpcnanews.blogspot.com for list of leadership results. Neighborhood website: bpcnanews.blogspot.com/ see also: albanycityconservative.blogspot.com

Thursday, January 28, 2016

GROUND HOG DAY
FOR ALBANY CITY
SCHOOL BOARD


Will the Albany City School Board
continue to operate in the shadows?

Will they change the date of the vote
on the 180 million dollar high school
spending plan from February 9 to
April 19th Primary Day, when all
the city polling places will be open
with the Albany County Board of
Elections conducting the election
including staffing, counting the ballots
coordinating absentee voting and
posting the voting results by ward
and election district on line.

The proposed February vote is
nothing more than a crooked vote
stacked in favor of those who
support the 180 million dollar
spending plan.
 
 The school board is conducting
the vote, with few polling places
open, at a time when snowbirds
have flown South and when cold
icy weather will drive down voter
turnout of senior homeowners
and apartment dwellers, all of
whom will see their property
taxes and rents increase each
year of the seven year projected
renovation/construction plan.

In addition, the City has a 12.6+
million dollar budget shortfall
that, if not closed ,will result
in layoffs of police, fire fighters
other city workers and a possible
22 percent additional property
tax increase, on top of an unknown
tax increase which will become
known when the City sends out 
Notices, March 1  based on results
of the reassessment already in progress.

Add to all this, the City is in the
process of rezoning which will
adversely impact home values
and the city property tax base
in currently R 1B single family
residential districts which pay
the lion's share of the property
taxes that support city government
and the city schools. 

What kind of lesson in civics
and fiscal responsibility is the
Albany School Board providing
for students in the city schools?

Hold the vote April 19 or withdraw
the 180 million dollar spending plan.

Make the necessary repairs to
the high school and concentrate
on raising the high school graduation
rate from 50 to  90 percent or more!

Uptown homeowners, property tax
payers and renters can make their
demands to the School Board at the
spending plan promotional meeting

7 PM   Monday February 1

Martel's Restaurant
Albany City Golf Course

While you are there declare
you opposition to privitizing
the Capitol Hills Golf Course.

Be there! Be heard!

                                   Joe Sullivan
 

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

GOOD NEWS

Maria and her dog reunited.

See earlier post.

                     Joe Sullivan

STATE OF THE CITY
ALBANY, NEW YORK.
MOVING FORWARD
OR MOVING OUT?


Check out local media
coverage of the State of the
City address, at City Hall.

Albany is a city on the verge
of insolvency and anarchy.

Paul Vandenburgh on Talk
1300 radio, this morning 
called the spectacle an
embarrassment.

The photo of the Mayor in
today's Times Union sums
it all up...an embarrassment
pathetic, lack of leadership
caving in to anarchy and mob
rule.

A deer caught in the headlights!

What of security in City Hall
and the city at large?

Will mobs be running amok
through our neighborhoods
come the hot summer of 2016?

The Mayor tells us the City
is moving forward. The Albany
School Board President tells
us we are moving forward?

Moving Forward to what?

If fiscal stability and law and
order are not restored to the
City of Albany and City schools
Albany homeowners will be moving
out.

The city tax base will collapse.
Who, then, will pay to support
city government services and
the city schools?

Albany is moving forward
to becoming Detroit on the
Hudson.

Read:

http://lonerangeralbany.blogspot.com/2015/10/albany-detroit-on-hudson-albany-ny-is.html                       

                                           Joe Sullivan





 

Monday, January 25, 2016

HELP MARIA FIND
HER LOST DOG

 

Hi Joe,
My Dad Phil DeGaetano gave me your information in hopes you could help me. I have been searching for a lost dog since last Sunday and he was spotted today in the area multiple times.  Once in New Scotland and Kakley at about 4:30 am. Also multiple times between 3:30 and 5 this afternoon on 85 and in the cemetery/woods behind it on Krumkill. I am hoping you can help get the word out to the neighborhood association.

He is about 30pds, tan/brown with a black nose and some black on his back. He has a purple collar on. Below is a picture.

Thank you for your help.

Maria

image1.JPG

Sunday, January 24, 2016

ONE DOWN, TWO TO GO

The Albany School Board has
decided that Superintendent
Marguerite Vanden Wyngaard
is history. Her feelings may be
hurt but 200 thousand severance
eases her pain.

TWO  more actions remain.

ONE. Hold the vote on the Albany
High School spending plan on
Primary Day, April 19, 2016
not February 9. I urge a "NO"
vote. Make the high school
spending plan history!

Why April 19 ?

1. April 19, is Presidential Primary
    Day in New York.

2. All city polling places will be open

3. The Albany County Board of Elections
     (not the Albany City School Board)
     will conduct the election, including
     counting the ballots and coordinating
      absentee voting .

4. April 19 is Spring, the weather will
    be better.

5. City property reassessment notices
    go out March 1. Homeowners and
    apartment renters need to know
    how  much their property taxes and
    rents will increase before being asked
    to vote on the high school spending
    plan.

6. The City of Albany is on the verge
of insolvency with a 12.6 million dollar
shortfall in the current City budget.

Governor Cuomo has not come to the
aid of the City Administration, and will
not likely do so.

Recall that city and county progressives
backed Teachout who beat Cuomo  locally
in last year's primary.

The Governor did not include the
12.6 million dollars in his budget
message that Mayor Sheehan requested.
No surprise. 

Mayor Sheehan is on record as saying
if the state aid is not forthcoming, City
property taxpayers face a 22 percent
increase in property taxes... on top of
the current reassessment now in progress.
Notices of how that will increase property
taxes will go out March 1, 2016.

Renters pay attention! When property
taxes go up, the increases are passed along
to you in the form of higher rents.

TWO. Make the School Board history

Merge the city schools with city
government, with one property
tax roll to support both. Return
to K-8 neighborhood schools, which
are best for students, parents and
neighborhoods.

Make the Mayor and Common
Council Members responsible
and accountable for operation
and performance of city schools.

Amend state law to provide  for
the above changes an that all school 
budgets and fiscal spending 
plans only appear on November
General Election ballots and that
the results be final. No second, third
or more re votes!

The above amendments to state law
require a Home Rule Resolution
from the Common Council to the
State Legislature, sponsorship by
Senator Breslin and Assembly
Members Fahy/McDonald, passage
by both houses of the State Legislature
and signature by the Governor.

Only the voters of the City of Albany
can make all this happen. The politicians
lack the will to do so.  

Make only necessary repairs to
the high school, pending resolution
of the 12.6 million dollar City
budget gap and, until, impacts
of this shortfall, the current City
reassessment and rezoning  underway
and any dramatic property tax
increases are known.
 

Again, vote NO on any high school
spending plan, whenever and
wherever,  it is held!

You have one more chance to
influence the Albany School Board
to change the vote date on the
high school spending plan from
February 9 to Primary Day
April 19 ...or to cancel the vote
altogether.

      *********************

February 1  7 PM at Martell's
Restaurant, Albany Municipal
Golf Course, the Albany School
Board will promote their spending
plan and vote.

Be there and make your views
known!

Insist that the school board hold
the vote April 19, or withdraw it. 

Also, for the record, let it be known
that you will oppose any attempt to
privatize the city golf course in order
to close the 12.6 million dollar gap
in the current City budget or any
subsequent city budgets.

I led the fight to defeat a luxury housing
plan there, and to get the City golf course
rezoned Land Conservation (LC) park
land in 1993-94, and saved the land which
became the present Community garden
and dog park on Hartman Road.

It is a year round scenic, recreational
asset to residents of Uptown Albany 
and the entire City. 

We owe this to the foresight of Dan
O'Connell, Mayor Corning and former
State Senator Howard Nolan.

See prior posts this website for more.

                               Joe Sullivan










Thursday, January 21, 2016

LET ALBANY VOTERS
DECIDE  APRIL 19, 2016 

The Albany City School Board
should put two questions on the
April 19, 2016 Presidential
Primary ballot.

1.Shall the 167.1 million revised
   Albany high school renovation/
   construction plan be  approved?

    Yes ___     No___

2. Shall the contract of  Albany
    School Superintendent Vanden
    Wyngaard be renewed?

     Yes ___     No ___

Why April 19 ?

1. April 19, is Presidential Primary
    Day in New York.

2. All city polling places will be open

3. The Albany County Board of Elections
     (not the Albany City School Board)
     will conduct the election, including
     counting the ballots and coordinating
      absentee voting .

4. April 19 is Spring, the weather will
    be better.

5. City property reassessment notices
    go out March 1. Homeowners and
    apartment renters need to know
    how  much their property taxes and
    rents will increase before being asked
    to vote on the high school spending
    plan.

6.  Superintendent Vanden Wyngaard
     can present her case why her contract
     should be renewed directly to city
     voters.
   
    

These factors will result in a maximum
 informed participation by all 
 eligible city voters on April 19.

Read more:

http://bpcnanews.blogspot.com/2016/01/april-19-2016-primary-day-is-when.html

                                         Joe Sullivan

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Friday, January 15, 2016

APRIL 19, 2016 PRIMARY DAY
IS WHEN THE ALBANY HIGH
SCHOOL SPENDING PLAN
SHOULD BE DECIDED BY
ALBANY CITY VOTERS

Here is the latest on the Albany
High School spending plan vote

 http://wamc.org/post/revised-plan-rebuild-albany-high-aired-community-forum

The Albany School Board should
change the vote date from February
9, 2016 to Primary Day April 19, 2016.

Why?

Primary Day April 19, the election
including absentee ballot voting and
vote tallying will be conducted by the 
Albany County Board of Elections
not the Albany School Board.

All the polling places will be open
April 19, providing for maximum
participation of all city voters.

This will save the unnecessary expense
of holding the high school spending
plan re vote on February 9.

The City of Albany is in the process
of  property reassessment. Notices 
of new values will be sent to property
owners March 1.

City homeowners, businesses, and
apartment renters will need to
know how much their property
taxes and rents will go up.

They should know this information
before any re vote is held on the
Albany high school spending plan
which was defeated by city voters
in the November 3, 2015 General
Election.

In addition, the Governor did not
include 12.6 million dollars in his
budget presentation to close that
shortfall in the current city budget.

The Mayor is on record as stating
that if the City does not close the
12.6 million dollar budget gap,
city services will be cut, layoffs
will happen and property taxes
will have to be raised by more
than 22 percent.

In sum, the City of Albany is on
the verge of bankruptcy.

It is fiscally irresponsible to hold
any re vote on any spending plan
for Albany High School until the
12.6 million dollar City budget
shortfall is resolved, and

until homeowners, businesses and
apartment renters know how the
property reassessment impact is
fully known.

If the School Board ignores this
reality and goes ahead with a
re vote on the high school spending 
plan - the vote should be held on
Primary Day April 19, 2016!

 Read related posts:

http://bpcnanews.blogspot.com/2016/01/albany-city-school-board.html

 http://albanycityconservative.blogspot.com/2016/01/albany-ny-city-conservative-party.html

                              Joe Sullivan 

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

ALBANY CITY
SCHOOL BOARD.
GRADE:  F IN CIVICS
AND ECONOMICS

The Albany City School Board
gets an Failing grade in civics.

The School Board has not
rescheduled the second vote
on a slightly scaled back version
of the 196 million dollar high 
school renovation construction 
plan which voters defeated in the 
November 3, 2015 election.

The School Board set the re vote
for February 9, 2016 knowing full
well that the majority of voters
are not paying attention and will
not vote.

This increases the chances that
the School Board supporters
(about 5,000 )will be pulled to
vote yes, February 9. 

In a letter to the editor, Sunday
Times Union, page D3, January
10 a letter of support for a yes
vote appears, along with an
artists rendition of a Washington
Avenue view of the proposed new
building.

All that is missing are the Albany
Police cars parked at the curb
when school lets out every day.

The names of two individuals
are affixed to the letter.  Kristin
Bonds and Michael Kendall.

Google their social media sites
and you will see the usual cast of
local politicians who are pushing
for voter approval of the now
169.1 million dollar spending plan
most notably  NYS Assembly Member
Patricia Fahy, formerly of Chicago.

The letter is a plant .

Today, on the local media we hear
that Albany High School ranks
at the bottom of the barrel in
graduation rates (50%) of all
Capital District high schools.

With an enrollment of 2,200 
grades 9 through 12 students 
with a 50 percent drop out rate
means that the School
Board and Assembly Member
Fahy are promoting a 169.1
million dollar high school 
renovation/construction plan
to serve about a 1,000 students?

Another F grade in economics!

The School Board and supporters
of this irresponsible spending plan
should reschedule the vote on the
plan from February 9 to Primary
Day, April 19, 2016, when all the
polling places in the city will be
open and the Albany County Board
of Elections (not the School Board)
will prepare and count the ballots
manage absentee voting and conduct
the election.

This would be the fairest and most
"progressive" thing to do, which
will allow for the most participation
of homeowners, small  businesses
and apartment dwellers to vote on
the spending plan.

They are the one's who will have
to pay for it in the form of higher
property taxes and higher rents.

In addition, the City is reassessing
properties and the reassessment
Notices will go out March 1.

Another reason that April 19 is
the date the School Board should
set for a re vote on the high school
spending plan?

By the way, why not reschedule a
re vote on the November 3, 2015
General Election results for public
offices, because some don't like the
results?

Just as the results of that election
in public office contests are final
so, too should the defeat of the 
school spending plan be final
until the next General Election.

No, second or third votes!

See posts below on this subject.



                          Joe Sullivan

Sunday, January 10, 2016

TO MY READERS

Wishing all my readers locally
and worldwide a New Year that
brings  tranquility, security
good health and good fortune.

I am gratified that so many in
Russia, China, the Ukraine
Germany, France, the UK
Australia and elsewhere
take the time to read a
lowly neighborhood website.

Most of you have been readers
of lonerangeralbany.

As you may have concluded
the posts from last Fall touch
on issues vital to our survival.

They remain relevant for
today and the days and months
ahead in 2016.

2016 is bound to be a most
important year in our lifetime.

Stay informed. Do what you
can to make ours a better
world. Take time to enjoy
the beauty that comes our
way with each passing day.

Thank you.

                     Joe Sullivan 

Tuesday, January 05, 2016


I CALL ON THE ALBANY
CITY SCHOOL BOARD TO

HOLD THE RE VOTE ON
THE 167.1 MILLION DOLLAR 
HIGH SCHOOL 
RENOVATION/CONSTRUCTION
PLAN ON APRIL 19, 2016.
 
 
Read: albanycityconservative.blogspot.com
 
 

                                  Joe Sullivan

Friday, January 01, 2016

LAY ASIDE
FEBRUARY
9, 2016 ALBANY
HIGH SCHOOL
REVOTE

The Albany School Board should
cancel the February 9, 2016
High School Renovation/
Construction proposal revote
until the November 2016
General Election.

City voters defeated the 196
million dollar high school
renovation/construction
proposal in the November
3, 2016 General Election
by a small margin.

About 1,000 voters failed
to cast a vote either way
because the question was
on the reverse side of the
paper ballot.

The results of the 2015
General Election are final
for public office contests.

The same should hold true
for school district renovation/
construction proposal which
was defeated November 3.

No revotes!

There are additional reasons 
why any subsequent high school
renovation/construction proposal
should not be appear before the
November 2016 General Election:

1. Declining High School student
    numbers since 2007 and into
    the future.

2. No improvement in the 50%
    high school drop our rate.

It makes no sense for voters to
approve a 169 million dollar
high school renovation/construction
proposal for a student enrolment
of 2,200 students with a 50 % drop
out rate and further declining
student population at decades end.

3. This year, the City of Albany is
rezoning and reassessing single family
residential districts uptown, whch
pay the lion's share of property
taxes that support city schools and
city services.

The impact on the city property tax
base, and support for city schools/city
services could be disastrous.

4. The Albany City government budget
for this year has a 12 million dollar
shortfall,  the City is facing a number
of large lawsuits, both which are bound
to negatively impact City bond ratings
for a city teetering at the edge of
bankruptcy.

The solution?  A period of public debate
from January to the November General
Election and action by Senator Breslin
Assembly Members Fahy and McDonald
to sponsor, and pass, amendments to state
law providing:

1. that school financial propositions only
    appear on November General Election
    ballots, with results being final. No revotes!
2. that the city school district be consolidated
    with the city government

3.  that one property tax roll collection  fund
     both

4. that the Mayor and Common Council be
    responsible and accountable for the
    operation and performance of city schools

5. that the City of Albany return to a K-8
    neighborhood public school system

6 that the Albany Common Council pass
   the required Home Rule Resolution and
   forward it to the State Legislature for
   action before the end of the 2016 legislative
   session.

Listen to Cynthia Pooler Focus on Albany
interview

 
http://focusonalbany.com/radio-interviews/item/407-joe-sullivan-talks-about-the-upcoming-vote-on-the-high-school



                                         Joe Sullivan


 











http://www.albanyschools.org/district/SecondaryProposal/Albany_High_future/New_proposal/2-9_proposal_overview_12-15.pdf