| The
Issue |
What's
Wrong Now |
How
to Help You |
| Taxes
& Spending |
The Democrats’ incredible claim
they’ve cut Town taxes by 8% since 2001 is completely
false. The Town Board raised property taxes five times in
six years from 1999-2005, despite a nearly $3 million increase
in sales tax revenue.
Town Board members have also raised their own pay 89 percent
since 1999. |
The Town Board squandered a nearly $3
million sales tax revenue increase in six years. Instead of
using it to ease property tax burdens, Town all-funds spending
grew 70 percent from 1999-2005. More reasonable spending would
reduce taxes.Verify these numbers yourself at the NYS Office
of Comptroller website! |
Unfair
Assessments |
Outcry over tax assessments led to 600
grievances. Many others were upset but chose to avoid the
hassle and expense of grievances. Why should Town Board member
Mike Ricard, for example, be assessed at $79/square foot for
his 2,500 square foot home? That's well below the town average
of $117/square foot, despite his inground pool and 12 acres
of land. |
Let professionals do their jobs assessing
property and take the politics, and favoritism, out of it.
There should also be a more organized and taxpayer-friendly
process for grievances to avoid the Grievance Day 2005 fiasco.
Some residents waited for over four hours to be heard. Others
gave up and went home.
|
Secrecy
-
Public
Safety
|
The Town continues to cover-up details of the poor oversight
involving the resignation of Police Chief Murley. This is an
important public safety matter. |
Mark Grimm has called for full disclosure of Murley investigation
documents and has proposed a seven-member citizen task force
to help select a new Police Chief. |
|
Secrecy
-
Budget |
The Town required Mark Grimm to file a Freedom of Information
Law request to get a copy of the Town budget. And then he
actually had to pay for it. A copy of the Town Budget should
be sitting on the front desk available to anyone wishing to
view it, without having to submit any form.
Subsequent to Mark Grimm's public criticism, the budget has
been posted on the Town website, where it should have been
all along.
|
The current budget is cryptic, preventing careful public scrutiny.
In fact, the Town Budget doesn't even tell you what the Supervisor
makes. The Town Budget should be converted into a document citizens
can readily understand. |
|
Secrecy
-
Board Meetings |
Town Board meetings are staged events. Since
January of 2006, there have been 450 Town Board votes; just
one vote had dissenting votes --- just one.
|
Former investigative reporter Mark Grimm
will be a “seasoned watchdog” on the Town Board
fighting for a greater public airing of Town issues.
|
Quality
of Life
Sidewalks |
Guilderland has a bizarre patchwork of
hit-and-miss sidewalks and bike paths, making it difficult
for parents to go for walks and rides with their kids. |
Move proactively to link walkways or bike
paths so families can enjoy quality time together in a safe,
convenient manner. Incumbents have had eight years to make
this happen. |
| Quality
of Life
Parks |
Our parks should match what Colonie has.
We certainly have the money.
Guilderland parents often bring their kids to the Crossings
(Colonie) instead of
staying here.
|
Install special safety flooring similar
to what the Crossings has in Colonie in a Guilderland park.
Also, chart the progress of neighborhood park upkeep on a
systematic basis with ongoing residents' input. |
| |
The Western Avenue traffic problem remains
unaddressed. |
Create a nonpartisan Western Avenue Traffic
Task Force to make specific recommendations to mitigate problems.
Have public hearings to discuss the recommendations and then
act! |
| Integrity |
The Town Board is vindictive and spends
far too much energy on attacking people who challenge them
on legitimate issues.
Too often, Town officials take a "kiss my ring first"
attitude towards residents and businesses. The Town Board
routinely places politics ahead of people
|
Return government to what it was originally
designed to do - placing people first. Then, the politics
will
take care of itself.
Provide political leadership that people can truly admire,
not fear.
|
My 12 years as a TV news anchor/reporter
sharpened the investigative skills needed to uncover the truth hidden
in Guilderland government and the media savvy to effectively advance
the people's causes.
Mark
Grimm 