It is just one faux pas after another, followed by spokesperson Drew Mangione offering one lame excuse after another. Drew, as a reporter used to cut through the very same rhetoric that he is now regurgitating.
The Senate passed a bill S8628, which amends the real property tax law specifically regarding Empire Zones to limit their designations strictly to commercial, business or industrial activity, thus excluded housing.
The legislation, which passed with the support of Senator Darrel Aubertine, is waiting for the Governor to sign it into law or veto it. The legislation has received more than it's fair share of local opposition, including Mayor Jeff Graham's letter, to the Governor, which was featured on Newzjunky this week, in the letter Graham states "our economic development efforts will be severely hampered."
An article in yesterday's Watertown Daily Times titled "Paterson urged to veto Empire Zone change" several more opponents including; Watertown City Manager Mary Corrvieau, City Council member Peter Clough, and officials from the town and village of Potsdam as well as others across the North Country came out against the pending legislation as "crippling major efforts to provide affordable housing and economic revitalization throughout the state."
Darrel Aubertine who ran as Mr. Reformer of the Empire Zone during the special election and stated how he understood the legislation then, but, what he failed to understand is how the reformed legislation which has been debated for some time would negatively effect his district's effort to provide affordable housing.
Faster than a speeding bullet, able to leap tall buildings on a single bound...no, no...not Superman, it is Drew Mangione, spokesperson for Darrel Aubertine in an attempt once again to rescue him from a bad vote, when in fact he just caused more foot in mouth disease.
Drew's excuses this time around!
Darrel voted for the bill hoping someone would slip it in the shredder on the way to the Governor's office. Drew was quoted as saying. "It has not been delivered to the Governor, and we are optimistic it will never be."
SAY WHAT??
Uh Drew, you should know better and Aubertine, as a legislator for 5.5 years, should definitely have known it is unconstitutional to have a bill passed by both houses and not delivered to the Governor. IT HAS TO - the Governor then either signs it into law or vetoes it. Drew would have been better off using the shredder comment, it is far more intellectual.
There is more, it did not stop there.
Another Drewism or Darrelism, the famous red herring, "The intent of the bill was to stop taxpayer dollars from subsidizing high end housing in places like Long Island," that is strange, a quick check yesterday found there are no residential projects within Empire Zones in Long Island!This is a bad vote by Darrel Aubertine, and yes by Assembly member Scozzafava also, but at least she recognized her bad vote in the paper. The ventriloquist act of D & D - Darrel and Drew, just continue their head spinning rhetoric in an attempt to cover up one "misunderstanding" after another.
So for this week's screw up there is weekend homework and recommended viewing for Darrel and Drew. This short video from Senator Hugh Farley's site on how a bill becomes law is mandatory so next week you will know how to do your job. Watch it here.
12 comments:
How many do-overs does Aubertine expect? He is pathetic.
Drew and Darrel always want to rely on the "Long Island" card to wiggle their way out of another bumbleheaded mess. People are catching on -- and it's just not going to work.
His new story is that he does as much with 8 employees as Senator Wight did with 14. Maybe returning phone calls isn't part of there job.
Ok, the constant attacks on behalf of your candidate, who promised not to engage in attacks, is boring, predictable, and disingenuous. It really reflects poorly on Renzi to rely on anonymous attacks lobbed by this blog.
Anon 9:53 -- That's priceless. He doesn't get anything done! Maybe it's not the numbers, but quality of his staff that counts. Of course, a fish rots from the head back...
Wow. That video is fantastic. Drew and Darrel should definitely take a look!
Who even mentioned Renzi except the Aubertine hack above? It's somehow undemocratic or unfair to question our elected officials and their ability to get the job done for us?
Darrel won't get away with branding every criticism as an unjustified "negative campaign attack," and saying he should be reelected because he's "one of us."
Unlike last winter, he now has a record that he will have to defend. Good luck with that!
Off the subject of incumbant bashing, but how much more housing do we need?? Currently most of the new projects involve a percentage for low income. How many more of these projects are needed?? Ghettoes in 10 years.
Since when does Jeff Graham become the arbiter of GOOD PUBLIC POLICY???
Last I heard, the Empire Jones were crafted to create JOBS, not housing. Just because a developer won over Jeff with a couple of lunches, does not make abuse of this program a good idea.
Take a quick look at our local empire situation, and you will quickly see that this is a boondoggle designed to stuff party contributor's pockets.
From the WDTimes: "There are 400 units at Creek Wood and Summit Woods in Watertown under construction. Mr. Caughlin (of the FDRLO) said in (his) letter that if the law were to be passed it would increase property taxes for a 100-unit complex from $20,000 to $140,000 over seven years and result in a loss of $6 million in private investment."
WAIT ! ! ! You mean: ($20,000 divided by 7, carry the 6 = $2,800± per year) HOLY RIPOFF, BATMAN: You mean a 100 UNIT HOUSING COMPLEX PAYS LESS TAX PER YEAR THAN I DO ON A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE ?!?!?!
HOW IS THIS FAIR TO ANYONE? This has NOTHING to do with SOLDIERS. That's Crap and a SMOKESCREEN. IT has everything to do with developers coming to town and RIPPING OFF the existing taxpayers of the City.
Sign the Bill, Guvna! These housing units will go up, regardless. AND pay their fair share of taxes. Like the rest of us.
You need to learn what the Empire Zone program was designed for. It was meant to create jobs, nothing else. Just because you like to take wacks at people like Darrel and Dede does not give you the right to mislead people about the actual intent of programs such as these.
It posts like this that make your site irrelevent in terms of actual policy debate. It's a shame.
So his staffer screwed up. It still doesn't change the fact that Darrel is in the same boat as DeDe and all but one Legislator, in supporting a bill they all, the sponsor included, want to take back. So what if his press flack didn't phrase it right.
I realize you have a high opinion of him because he shook info out of this area's politicians like a child whacking a low hanging pinata and did a good job keeping the north country informed, but he's still just your average public relations flack now.
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