The Passing Lane

A recap of the this week's events that have passed us and a look at the oncoming traffic for the week ahead.

Local

• Jefferson County Industrial Development Executive Director, Jim Fayle, resigns. The board of directors and county officials would be wise to review local talent and not just resign themselves to the fact that a replacement needs to come from a national search.

• The County and Towns appear to be tussling over the wind power money. Whatever decision they arrive at, they should remember a couple of things; this will set a precedent for other developments in other towns and position the county to be amenable to negotiating with any town for a tax deal each time a development comes along. Also, each turbine or tower constructed is the equivalent of building a 2-3 million dollar home, which would pay conservatively estimating $75,000 annually in property taxes, the developers are requesting to pay less than $17,000 per tower. That is less than 25% of their obligation.

• Mike Oot debuts his website, absence of any formal announcement or press conference, we have to assume he is a candidate for the 23rd Congressional district. His website and lack of any structured announcement makes you wonder if he is serious or not.

• We await word from local candidates in the 118th and 112nd Assembly districts as well as the 48th Senate district. The illustrious leader of the state GOP runs at the mouth and leaves open a lot of speculation on who will run or not run.

State

• The budget is late, a surprise there, and the people's business that has been done so far, is all being accomplished privately. At this point, there is no need for a message of necessity from the Governor on the budget bills, this will only further the appearance that lawmakers are hiding something. They are. A budget that spends more than the taxpayers can afford and lawmakers will be back later in the year to trim spending.
  

• Troopergate continues to make Albany and associated investigators look like the Keystone Cops

• Along with the budget, there will be no special election in the 118th Assembly district.

National

• The Democrats continue to appear like a skydiver without a parachute. "Obama can't win" says Hillary. She can't manage money, while Barack, should be called BaRake, the campaign cash he is raking in is astonishing and twice that of Hillary. Hillary can't manage a campaign message either and she won't leave the race, further dividing a party heading for a convention nightmare.

• Meanwhile, McCain is yelling to the media at every stop. Hey, look at me, I am in this race also you know!

What is Ahead

• Jefferson County Sheriff is poised to request another canine to accompany the current 2 dogs, Bullet and Liberty.

• Maybe State leaders will settle the congestion pricing and the education piece and come forward with a budget this week.

• Clinton comedy continues and the campaign introduces a new theme song by "Weird Al" Yankovic, "You Don't Love Me Anymore"

Another Clinton Blunder

Hillary has been relaying a story of a pregnant woman and baby, the baby was stillborn and the mother died during childbirth. The story was told to her second hand and her campaign never took the time to check the facts before she began repeatedly telling the story on the campaign trail.

The emphasis of the story by Mrs. Clinton was the poor state of health care in the U.S. and that the mother was uninsured and was unable to receive proper care, which resulted in the mother's death. The facts of the story she is telling are incorrect.

Reckless and another example of poor judgment on the part of Clinton and her campaign. The claim she is more experienced than Obama is ringing hollow, her campaign lacks management at about every level.

Read More NY Times

Clinton in action

Mike Oot, Congressional Candidate

After reviewing the website there are several questions or perhaps a desire for more specifics, not just platitudes. You claim that you are not a politician and communicate in lofty comments, which lack detail and much thought.

You start right off in the opening comments by stating that Washington is broke and will not change until we change the people we are sending there. Are you suggesting a wholesale change then, such as replacing Democratic members as well as the Republican members of Congress?

Further, you state we have serious challenges in our district ahead of us, and you make a claim for an independent voice to get things done. First, what are the specific challenges that you see in our district and understanding the reality of Washington, how do you intend to get your goals accomplished as an independent voice?

Affordable Health care, Iraqi government, create good paying jobs, and end the war, this all sounds pretty, but that is it, what is your plan and how will you implement it? The internet is a nice device; it allows you to expand upon your thoughts in detail as opposed to TV, which forces sound bites because you are competing for the air time with other stories.

The best and brightest, Nancy Pelosi and company have not been able to end the war as she promised, how will you?

Are you suggesting regulating the publics personal financial management? You make a suggestion for targeting predatory lending, no disagreement there, what about credit card companies? Are you suggesting it is government's role to become big brother and make people more reliant on government and less self sufficient?

It would be appreciate if you have some time to answer some of these questions and concerns.

The Guv Gets It

Finally, maybe someone in Albany gets it, the Governor, at least he is sounding like he does. Here are some of the comments from Paterson who clamped down on lawmakers yesterday and told them they were staying through the weekend until a good budget is crafted.

"I inherited two crises," referring to Albany's political dysfunction and the troubled economy.

"We've got to hold the line on spending, we're going to have to make cuts and we are going to have to turn our own economy around by tightening our belts - and not always finding somebody to tax in these situations."

"It seems we just go to the same places to find poor businesses to tax, [businesses that] are struggling to survive, and they're picking up and locating to other states," he said.

"And then . . . whenever we get in big trouble, we go and find the nearest millionaire and tax them"

"Next year, we might be able to cut 5 to 10 percent off the budget from the top."

Governor, I sure hope you are serious and follow through with these comments and they are not simply sound bites. Show me the proof and you can earn a vote and sure to be a lot more votes.

Do you support the Governor's efforts, comments welcome and all comments are anonymous, the only ability that exist is to delete them (if offensive), they cannot be altered or identified.

State Democratic Chair To Step Down

Dave Pollak, co-chair of the New York State Democratic Party, selected by former Governor Eliot Spitzer, is stepping down. This will leave local lady June O'Neill as the sole party chair for New York State.

Democratic Rural Conference

The Democratic Rural conference begins tonight.

Here are the highlights: (of course lighter side)

• Theme is "Take Back The State Senate" - key word is "back"
  

• Governor Paterson is a no-show - do you feel Andy on your heels yet?
  

• AG Cuomo is hosting a desert reception tonight - translation he is running for Governor

• The Queen and her court will be there -June O'Neill and Dave Pollak

• Darrel Aubertine will tell everyone how to run a Senate campaign - don't forget to tell everyone that you can't be seen as negative, just imply it, through the silver spoon and my granddaddy and I fish the river.

• Darrel Aubertine on NY economic development - whoa powerful!

• Eliot Spitzer - sorry Eliot the convention is in Saratoga, not at the Mayflower.
  

• Dave Pollak using the internet in rural campaigns - TF fill me here will you?
  

• Kirsten Gillibrand will be there - sorry again Eliot, that is Congresswoman Kirsten.
  

Politics, Porn and The News

IDA Successor

There is much talk in the North Country about the "brain drain" and that we "export" some of our best talent, and a bit of our future leaves every day when our kids leave the area.

The North Country has some talented and intelligent people, some of whom may actually have talent in job creation, experience putting together packages that will attract employers to our area or possess the knowledge and skills it takes to keep employers here. A person locally may possess positive connections beyond the borders of Jefferson County just like someone "imported" for the job.

The IDA would be strongly advised to look in their own back yard for that talent and to demonstrate to people of this area that there actually is a future here and advancement opportunities do exist.

The Watertown Jaycees, a group of young, interested and intelligent professional types, should actually have input here, a place at the table, who best to represent the future than the future itself

If the North Country is truly concerned about the "brain drain" then they need to lead by example and show us they believe talent exist within and does not need to be "imported".

Examples of local talent include Ray Fountaine, St. Lawrence County IDA Executive Director or JCJDC President and IBEW Business Manager, Dennis Affinati, both of these people are examples of local talent.

Shop Local, and that includes for talent, what are your thoughts.

Another Day Without A Budget

Time keeps passing by as taxpayers sit and wonder what is in store for their wallets once the frenzy of activity in Albany, called a budget session is over. The budget is not on time, nor does it appear forthcoming in the next couple of days and as time passes more of New Yorker's hard earned dollars are going to be spent.

Areas of hold up for the budget, which was due April 1, include congestion pricing and education funding. Funding for SUNY and CUNY which is typically a 70-30 split, but Democrats favor increasing spending for CUNY over SUNY with a 60-40 split which will affect campus' such as Potsdam and Oswego.

This is no way to run government and comments like such as this by E.J McMahon is enough to scare any average person who manages their own fiscal matters.

"They have no financial plan in front of them. They literally have no idea what they are doing in terms of the big picture."

McMahon estimates actual spending will rise from the reported 4.4% to a 6% increase when this process is complete. The current state of the economy and what is projected, the state taxpayers cannot afford even the 4.4%, and by many accounts the legislature will be back later this year paring the spending down

"While other states have responded to the challenges of a stagnant national economy with significantly reduced spending, New York instead is increasing spending in the coming fiscal year at a rate much higher than inflation," said Kenneth Adams

Democratic Comptroller DiNapoli, a former Member of the Assembly, was even making a plea to reduce spending and referred to himself as a "reformed sinner". What does that say about our budgets and this process.

What Is The Plan

Since GOP State Chair Joseph Mondello threw the baby out with the bath water the other day, with his remark about Barclay, perhaps a little conjecture on what is ahead.

You can't help believe the other possible candidate is Dede Scozzafava and may be the chairman's choice for Senate candidate in the 48th district. This would leave two Assembly district races in the North Country without a sitting incumbent, the 118th and 122nd.

The decision to run for these seats has to be made by the interested people in relatively short order, probably around mid May is about the right time.

There has been a lot of speculation as to who will run in the 118th, but the 122nd, which is the poor stepchild district, has been under the radar. Who is out there for the 122nd seat?

Who can the GOP feature in this race:
Dave Renzi, Town of Watertown
TJ Fayle, Lowville
Don Peck, Governeur
Kent Burto, West Carthage
Rick Lucas, Montague
Mike Behling, Adams

Who can the Democrats feature:
Sallie Brothers, Norfolk
Wayne McIlroy, Carthage
Joel Bartlett, Town of Watertown
Karl Williams, Henderson
Sean Hennessey, Black River
Bruce Krug, Port Leyden