MsKreed

I admit I'm a bit confused. Before last week's Special Meeting to vote on the 2024 Budget, I thought I'd seen some source (WETM and/or legislator?) refer to the pay raise being voting on at the regular Legislature Meeting tonight (12/11). I assumed I'd recalled that wrong when they voted last week (12/04) and Moss announced that he signed the Budget. However......the Agenda for tonight (linked HERE) does in fact include a resolution specifically for the Legislative pay. Perhaps @Lawana Morse can clarify if (like the ARP funds) expenditures in the Budget require a separate vote to finalize??? (Although I'm sure it's very improbable to hope that one of the eight will swing their vote from last week.)

The cost of the 'Home Alone' grocery trip has nearly doubled in the past year. And we had a spike of higher inflation the year before. When you add household bills, gas, clothes and everything else.....I have no doubt that the total for all the goods/services for a household is up $300/week ($15k/yr). Source There seem to be a few competing price estimates, but many of them relied on "generic" brands at Walmart or Aldi to trim this years price down to around $50 to $60. While that is, in fact, how many consumers are managing to get by these days, the actual comparison is the kid buying name brand items at a local grocery store in his neighborhood. If he'd had purchased the suggested generic alternatives in 1990, it would have been a lot less then.

That's FB completely useless algorithm that arbitrarily decides what is or is not "relevant". I am constantly forced to select "All comments" when checking comments on any page I visit.

I missed where he posted that garbage. I'd love to hear more of what Joe considers "better government".

"If there be time to expose through discussion, the falsehoods and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence." The Counter-Speech Doctrine established by Justice Louis D. Brandeis (Whitney v. California -1927)

Speaking of taxes......Here’s something I have long contemplated: An option of monthly “budget” payments for property taxes would greatly reduce default for non-payment. There is a reason why mortgage lenders prefer tax escrow. Paying 1/12th each month is easier for most people than being hit with a couple of large bills right before and after the Holiday season. They are less likely to fall behind and risk tax foreclosure. I also suspect there is a reason why taxing entities have historically stuck with the lump sum tax bills. Because delinquent taxes were a huge revenue grab before this year’s SCOTUS ruling (HERE) that overturned “full forfeiture” laws that allowed tax collecting bodies (in 13 states including NYS) to keep the entire equity of a property....not just the amount of taxes/fees owed. Thankfully, that scheme is gone. So why not allow property owners to pay a monthly amount (even with a small processing fee) and help ensure that more people are able to keep up with their tax bills?

Doesn't look like that will happen....

For sure! Saglibene made some good points. I do think what they've accomplished (term limits, etc) has been positive...and should give them a sense of pride.....but it's tacky to assign a dollar number for their achievements while raising the tax levy. For what?? An extra $10-12 bucks a week? The amount of the raises seem like a trivial "reward" for the negative vibe they're sending. It really seems petty to "stand their ground" over. Legislator salary of $17,591 will increase to $18,119. ($528) Majority & Minority leader will increase from $20,369 to $20,979. ($610) The Vice Chairman’s salary will increase from $21,597 to $22,245. ($648) The Chairman’s salary will increase from $42,217 to $43,484. ($1267) Yes...and it occurred to me that many of the ones voting to keep the raises in the budget are the same ones who opposed term limits (and will not have as many more years to boost their incomes as they'd hoped).

The Full Legislature Meeting to vote on the Budget was tonight (Video HERE) . Legislator McCarthy made a motion to Amend the budget (to eliminate the legislators' pay raise). Sadly, that motion failed. AYE Votes (to eliminate raise): Morse, Saglibene, Donovan, Palmer, Pickering, Chalk, McCarthy Nay (keeping raise in the budget): Sweet, Brennan, Margeson, Burin, Stermer, Drake, Smith, Strange PS: If you watch the video, stay tuned after the voting for a very nice farewell for retiring Budget Director Steve Hoover.

I also watched this on Disney+ yesterday. I agree, it was enjoyable overall with a good ensemble of characters that represented the Indy franchise well.

I figured the common reason both of them were doing it was because they both love to hear themselves talk.

Thank you @Lawana Morse I truly hope that the IDA provide the transparency and accountability that we all expect and deserve. Including a past accounting of their use of taxpayer money to give the Legislature and the public a full context. Okay, we can all agree that the misguided decision to “invest” $1.25 million into the (then) “City of Elmira’s” hockey arena was made by county Legislators who have all since ‘left the building’. Even in 1999, that decision was not without controversy (I believe a 10-5 vote). However, a number of our current legislators were in office by the time the last "private" owner (current Aviation Director, Tom Freeman) occupied the Arena. All of the Legislators who have currently held four or more terms of office voted for a 25yr commitment (2014 – 2039) to provide $103,000/yr of Room Tax Revenue to the IDA for the Arena....as well as in 2016 when the IDA made the decision to “assume temporary ownership” of the Arena and the Legislature voted to also funnel $1 million in Casella funds to the IDA’s acquisition of the Arena. (That 25yr Room Tax commitment makes one wonder just how “temporary” the arrangement was intended to be. We’re 10 years [over $1 million] into it with another 15 years [1.5 million] to go.) And in the last 2 years... the $875k in ARP funds. I can’t be certain that other county tax money hasn’t been spent (it’s quite likely I’m unaware of some). But those I’ve noted amount to over $2.9 million paid to the IDA in last 7 years.....and another $1.5 million committed through 2039. Room tax (2014-2024) $103,000x 10yrs: $1.03 million Casella funds (June 2016): $1 million ARP funds: $875,000 Still promised, Room tax (2025-2039) $103,000x 15yrs: $1.545 million And then there is whatever Donner may or may not have deposited into that wonderful “capital” account that the latest (Nov 2021) IDA lease required. That agreement was made under the current IDA leadership – no passing the buck to “past actors” who mismanaged the situation. That provision “guaranteed” a minimum of $125k per year from Arena revenues (with promises that it would likely be at least twice that amount). How much had Donner put into that ‘kitty’ in the 20 months before the lease was terminated? And where is that money? If that amount is anything less that a quarter million dollars....can we have some explanation from Margeson/Roman why they abjectly failed to hold Donner to that agreement (and some justification on why/how we should trust them now?

I saw that their stock had dropped. I find it ironic that they have been making a huge effort to expand to international markets while simultaneously creating more Woke content that is rejected, even in the US.....and even more unpopular in other cultures.

Good point. It seems like her philosophy is based on the same argument not to "presume that everyone who enters the country illegally intends to commit other offenses."

If the determination was just a couple weeks ago, then it's still possible that he'll be filing one of his lawsuits.