The 120 year-old O’Neil/Ross building was torn down earlier this year after pieces of it started falling on the sidewalk. The site where the building once stood is in the very center of Binghamton, a great location. The article is supposed to explain why there has been zero interest on the part of developers in this prime downtown real estate. The article starts, instead, by praising Ryan for an unrelated bit of news–the mayor “might have” sold the city-owned Regency Hotel. The only things the Regency and the O’Neil/Ross site have in common is that they’re city-owned and real estate. Mr. Hill has to start out on the positive spin-cycle to build up ole Matt with that pesky upcoming election in November–especially after Ryan raised everyone’s taxes by more than 15% and their water rates by more than 43%.

Mr. Hill goes on to explain that the city’s economic development director, Merry Harris (who happens to be the regional director of the leftist Citizen Action of New York, and who is receiver of her job via political patronage and payback from Matt Ryan for helping him win his seat 3 1/2 years ago), was originally hopeful that the site would be quickly redeveloped because two “prominent local developers” had expressed interest. So she sent out RFPs (Request for Proposals) that invited developers near and far to submit plans for what they would do with the site. Sadly, the two local developers didn’t bite, ostensibly because they had other projects to work on, as the subhead explains.

But that’s not the real reason why they, nor anyone else (not one, single developer) has submitted a proposal. Somehow journalistic ethics must have crept back into Mr. Hill’s writing (or perhaps he just wanted to keep his job), because the last two paragraphs contain the REAL reason why no one has offered to develop that very prime piece of real estate. He tries to put it in the best light possible, but the truth still shines through:

The original proposal, which garnered no offers, called for street-level retail with upper levels of retail, office or residential space. It also asked for, but didn’t require, building design and construction that adheres to “green” environmental building standards; commitment to use local labor and services; and payment of a living or prevailing wage.

Because the city used state funds to knock down the historic building, any new construction would have to incorporate architectural elements from the original building, either salvaged or reproduced. (Press & Sun-Bulletin, Nov. 28)

Yes indeed. When you put the lefties in charge, they govern from the (surprise!) left. You want to develop that prime real estate with Matt Ryan and gang in charge? You use local workers, pay them more than they’re worth, build it “green” (translation “big bucks”), and oh, by the way, they’ll tell you how it will look and just what you can and can’t put on each floor of it. Welcome to the socialist paradise of Binghamton (and of New York, and now I fear, of the United States). Welcome to the inept failures of the left, and the real reason why anyone with a brain won’t touch that prime piece of real estate in downtown Binghamton.

Technorati Tags: Binghamton, Mayor Matt Ryan, Merry Harris, Citizen Action, Citizen Action of New York, O’Neil/Ross Building, leftists, socialists, green development

I call the sewage plant Exhibit A in why government consolidation does not work. Weekly we hear the bleating of local politicians (in particular Barbara Fiala, County Executive) about the wonders of consolidating governments and services. Bunkum. I’ve written about this before, but thought it would be a good time to revisit the topic in light of the fact the local socialist Democrats are about to re-elect Fiala to another four years. What a shame.

But back to sewage as our topic. It certainly seems to make sense to share services like sewage so only one (or maybe two) plants, which are expensive to construct and maintain, are built. Makes sense to me! Except when politicians get involved. This plant was built in 1965 and is 55% owned by the City of Binghamton, and 45% owned by the neighboring Village of Johnson City. The plant serves not only those two municipalities, but also eight others in the county. There’s a lot of…waste…that flows through the plant.

When the plant was built, the politicians decided that both Binghamton and J.C. would each appoint three members to a six-member board. The board has complete power to control spending, hiring and daily operations at the plant. Such brillance! We not only see this kind of abdication of responsibility locally, it’s through every layer of government. Let the “experts” run it and make the decisions. Throw away your constitutional authority by giving it to someone else and let them make the decisions–because it’s “too hard to run it unless you’re an expert”. Bunkum. Meanwhile, the taxpayers are hosed and we can’t do anything about it. You can vote politicians out of office every few years. Not so with the board of the sewage plant. They are insulated from accountability for the decisions they make.

Yesterday the Johnson City Board of Trustees voted not to accept the sewage board’s latest budget. Each year for 43 years they have voted to accept it, which is largely ceremonial. Until now. So what happens, you may ask? Nothing. The sewage board still holds the power to raise the rates and they will. Which means J.C. rate payers will see about a 58.5% jump in their sewage bills, along with similar jumps in Binghamton and the other affected municipalities. Talk about adding insult to injury! Mayor Matt Ryan just raised water rates 43%. And now this! Hold on to your wallets Binghamtonians. The good Mayor Ryan and his merry band of socialists will be knocking on your door soon to relieve you of ALL your money.

My take on this “mess” and how I would handle it if I were Mayor Harry Lewis from J.C.: Immediately fire the three members of the sewage board that J.C. appoints. There must be some provision to replace members of the board. You must get the current members out–now. And replace them with citizens who are not happy with the way things are being run at the plant. Second, sue the state and federal government over their unfunded and unfair regulations. If they are requiring obscenely strict new rules, you need to challenge them and tie it up in court to prevent it from busting this year’s budget. Third, work with Binghamton (if you can–they’re such dolts in Binghamton City government it will be a difficult task) to rewrite the agreement for governing the plant to make it more responsive to the rate payers (i.e. taxpayers).

One thing’s for sure: Status quo at the sewage plant is not an option. We must get a handle on it now to prevent this from happening again. Let this sad tale of sewage be a lesson to everyone on the folly of government consolidation.

Technorati Tags: Binghamton, Johnson City, sewage plant, government consolidation, municipal consolidation, Broome County, Mayor Harry Lewis, Mayor Matt Ryan

The closer we get to election year, the more Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan (Democrat, Citizen Action flunky, socialist) sounds like a conservative Republican. But don’t let his rhetoric fool you.

Today’s Press & Sun-Bulletin runs a story with the headline, Ryan freezes city hiring. The story reports the hammer has come down: No new hiring for the city through the end of this year. This comes after Ryan tried to hand out generous raises to people who work directly for him only a few months ago. But with Democrats, facts never get in the way. Yesterday was yesterday and is forgotten. Today? A new day!

Ryan told department heads who just handed in artificially inflated budgets (knowing this would happen), to “cut spending 5 percent.” Just like a used car dealer: Raise prices 10% and then cut them 5% so it seems like the customer is getting a bargain. Department heads knew they would be told to cut, so they just padded their budgets ahead of time.

Mayor Ryan has a problem…he can’t afford to raise taxes this year or next, which will be an election year. A few months ago, Ryan raised water and sewer rates for all Binghamtonians 43%. And Binghamton property taxes have gone up every year he’s been in office. One thing politicians know is this: You don’t raise taxes in an election year.

The latest tactic Dems like Ryan use to cover up their own incompetence is to blame everything from syphilis to global warming, including the New York State and Binghamton economies, on George W. Bush. From the article:

“The national economy is reeling, banks are defaulting on bad debt, the state is experiencing major shortfalls in revenues and the skyrocketing price of oil has increased costs all across the board,” Ryan said. “I do not need to say that these larger trends deeply impact our local budget.”

What can I say. I’m ashamed of people like Matt Ryan and the socialist Democrats that run our local government.

Wake up! We spent $44+ BILLION for Medicaid last year in New York State! That’s an astonishing $2,316 for every man, woman and child in the state. What is Medicaid? Socialized medicine. My non-working neighbors get better health care than I do, and I pay for mine. (I also pay for theirs via Medicaid.) And you blame Bush? Get your head screwed on straight! We’ve made a mess of our state and our city by being socialists and pretending we could tax everyone and everything and give it away–to buy votes. That day is quickly coming to an end.

People like Matt Ryan and the Citizen Action Council (formerly known as the Binghamton City Council), don’t have a clue how to respond or to govern. How about this brilliance from City Councilman Robert Weslar, Democrat:

“We’ve got to spend what little money we have in the best possible way.”

The “little money” he’s referring to is a budget of $73.5 million for Binghamton, which has a population of 45,000. That’s $1,633 for every man, woman and child who live inside the city limits. And they STILL want more!

Oy veh.

Technorati Tags: Binghamton, Binghamton budget, Mayor Matt Ryan, Binghamton taxes, Medicaid, Robert Weslar

“This is a chance to celebrate the many contributions of the LGBTQ [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer] community, to reject any and all forms of prejudice, and to declare our commitment to the growing movement that advocates for equal protection under the law for all families,” said Mayor Ryan. Justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and fairness are all guiding principles of my administration, and this occasion embodies them.”

This also from the press release:

Mayor Ryan has been a leading advocate for LGBTQ rights. He was the first Binghamton mayor to raise the Rainbow Flag in honor of LGBTQ Pride month, and last year he signed an executive order recognizing same sex-marriage in the City of Binghamton.

This shows you how far left Matt Ryan is. He is illegally recognizing same-sex marriage in the City–a power not accorded to him under the Constitution of the United States, nor the New York State Constitution, nor the City of Binghamton Charter. He has simply declared himself to have dictatorial powers and has issued an executive order.

Here’s a bit more of Ryan’s viewpoint:

“Governor Paterson and the California Supreme Court have taken the next step toward full rights for the entire LGBTQ community,” said Mayor Ryan. “But a lot of work remains. We must eliminate not just discriminatory laws, but also the violence and hate directed at the LGBTQ community. This affects all of us, and it’s imperative that we all do our part.”

Let me offer a few opinions here. I have worked with and have friends who are gay, so please, no gay-bashing on this blog. Likewise, no comments about how I’m prejudiced or hateful toward anyone. Gays, lesbians and all the other terms they use to describe themselves, are citizens and already have full rights as citizens in this country. Those rights include “inherent rights” endowed on them by our common Creator–life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They also include those few rights enumerated and granted by the United States Constitution–free speech, property ownership, bearing arms, etc. And that’s it. They have the same “rights” we all do.

Those rights do NOT include marriage. Marriage is not a right–it is a privilege and denying it to people who are of the same sex is not prejudiced and does not harm them–it protects the fabric of our society. Our society is undeniably based on Judeo-Christian values. That is, the bible and a belief in God is the foundation, the bedrock, of our society. The God of the bible clearly rejects homosexuality. You must deny the bible and the God who created us in order to support it. Until a few short years ago, most countries on this planet recognized that the building block of society, the very fabric of society, is the family–father, mother, children. You cannot interchangeably replace the roles as father father children, or mother mother children, without lasting harm to that society.

Should same-sex couples be denied a house or an apartment because of their sexual practices? No. Should homosexuals be denied a job because of their sexual practices? No, as long as the place they seek empolyment is not a church or religious organization with an honest objection to immoral sexual practices (which includes not only homo- but heterosexual immorality). Should homosexuals be barred from running for political office? No. Should they be granted special recognition and encouraged by our government to form “partnerships” and accorded preferential treatment under tax codes, hiring practices, etc.? NO!

The bottom line is this: There are some moral standards that must be protected–written into law–for the proper functioning of a society. Marriage is one of them. It is an institution created by God, and therefore the rules of it are governed by God. Sorry, whether or not you believe in God is immaterial. Our society was founded on that belief, and on the principles set forth in the bible. The cry will be, “but that’s joining church and state!” It is not. Our entire system of laws, “don’t steal,” “don’t hurt someone else,” “don’t murder,” and so on are all based on the bible–many laws are based on the Ten Commandments (which aren’t displayed in public schools anymore).

The whole “separation of church and state” issue as portrayed today by leftists is a dishonest rewriting of history. No place is that terminology used in our country’s founding documents. The only place it is mentioned is within a single private letter written by Thomas Jefferson. Our Constitution and other founding documents all show that our country was set up to prevent the government from establishing an official religion as had been done in England. It decidedly was NOT about keeping all traces of religious influence out of government!

The very system of having laws to control the excesses of human (sinful) behavior is a distinctly “religious” feature of our society, and the laws themselves derive from that religious framework. You cannot separate morality from law–the law is society’s statement of morality. The question is: Whose morality will our laws reflect? Will our laws continue to reflect the morality of our Judeo-Christian heritage, proven over the centuries to deliver the best life possible and the most individual freedom possible for its citizens? Or will our laws change and reflect the morality of materialism, statism, and godlessness, which ultimately leads to tyranny? That is the great debate we face, among which are skirmishes and battles like recognizing same-sex marriage.

People of faith, and some with no stated faith, consider marriage to be under attack by leftists in our country. Mayor Matt Ryan is one of the people attacking it. For Mayor Ryan, Gov. Paterson, the California Supreme Court and others, know this: We will fight you tooth and nail to the bitter end to protect marriage. The first step in that fight for those of us living in Binghamton–toss Matt Ryan out of office in the next election cycle. It’s “imperative that we all do our part” to save marriage, and save our society. Getting rid of Matt Ryan will be one small step in the right direction.

Technorati Tags: Binghamton, Mayor Matt Ryan, LGBTQ, same-sex marriage, gay pride, gay pride flag, David Paterson, California Supreme Court, Judeo-Christian values

The “evil gang of landlords” invited local media to go with them to the mayor’s office to capture this impromptu exchange. The mayor immediately moved it outside because of his flim-flam “rule” about no cameras or tape recorders allowed inside City Hall unless previously approved by his office. Never mind it’s government property–owned by the people–and the rule is not because of safety or security. It’s pure bullying and manipulation by a miserable failure of a mayor who wants to suppress dissension with his whacked out leftist agenda.

May I point out the obvious? It’s fine for the good mayor to hoist the gay pride flag at City Hall (as he has done), and use local assemblies to call for the impeachment of Bush & Cheney (as he has done), and do any number of other idiotic things that have nothing to do with running a city–all in the name of free speech. But when the citizens of the City arrive at City Hall to make their voices heard about an extremely important and relevant issue, the mayor creates all sorts of hoops for them to jump through, in essence restricting and suppressing their free speech.

Typical liberal. Use “the people” to attain power–then crush “the people” once you have it.

Read more about it on the WBNG-TV Action News website: City Hall Enforces Camera Policy. (By the way, not a word of this has appeared in the Press & Sun-Bulletin so far.)

Technorati Tags: Binghamton, Matt Ryan, free speech, government suppression free speech, Binghamton City Hall, no camera rules

Ryan is mouthing the typical response when a liberal’s continued political power (re-election) is threatened…something along the lines of, “We didn’t mean we would do it right now–we’re only looking at the issue. No decision has been made.” Right. This ploy is used to lull the angry hordes into submission before the ax falls. The landlords of Binghamton recognize it for what it is–a LIE–and are staying vigilant. According to one landlord, Ellie Farfaglia,

“This administration can’t be trusted,” Farfaglia said. “We are not waiting for the ax to come down on our heads.” (Press & Sun-Bulletin, May 20)

But don’t shed any tears for the good mayor and his merry band of socialists who are out to rob from the evil rich landlords to give to themselves (that is, to their socialist programs that keep people voting for them). Ryanhood is using reassessments to steal his money now–nevermind waiting for an 80% increase in the tax rate. They’ve figured out they can reassess properties and grab the money now! The city has just sent out 452 change-of-assessment notices, many of them to landlords who rent to Binghamton University students. Such clever people these socialists.

It’s good to see people like the mom-and-pop landlords of Binghamton who aren’t going to take this socialist administration’s garbage sitting down. Methinks Mayor Ryanhood and the merry Citizen Action gang better enjoy their first term running the city. I seriously doubt they’ll get a second term.

Technorati Tags: Binghamton, Matt Ryan, Binghamton City Council, property taxes, landlord

Read about it here: Binghamton wavers on tax change for landlords

Stay tuned for more updates!

UPDATE: After posting this, I came across this little piece from Fox 40 News: Mayor Says Tax Hike Vote a Misunderstanding. Read it and laugh…then cry that this nincompoop is our mayor.

Technorati Tags: Binghamton, Matt Ryan, Binghamton City Council, landlord, property taxes

Some landlords are facing an 80 percent increase in property taxes after city council on Monday unanimously backed legislation that would force them to pay the same rate as commercial property owners.

The bill, to be filed later this week in the state Assembly by Donna A. Lupardo, D-Endwell, would make only owner- occupied housing eligible for the city’s lower homestead property tax rate.

Currently, residential properties pay the city’s homestead tax rate — $16.90 per $1,000 assessed value. Commercial properties are charged $30.24 per $1,000 assessed value.

Rental properties with fewer than four units, including those owned by limited liability corporations, local landlords and out-of-towners, are now charged under the lower homestead rate. The change would force all landlords not living in their properties to pay the higher property tax rate.

Is Mayor Matt Ryan and the Citizen Action Council (formerly known as the Binghamton City Council) so utterly stupid they don’t know what will happen to housing in Binghamton if they do this??? Astonishing just how dumb the desire to steal other people’s money–and the desire to punish those who achieve–will make you. This is somehow fair or just? By whose measure? This group is out of control.

Here’s the thoughts of our brilliant mayor:

Mayor Matthew T. Ryan said before the meeting that he was in support of the change.

“These are commercial enterprises, and they should be taxed as commercial enterprises,” the mayor said.

You think there’s been a reduction in population in Binghamton recently? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. This group is ruining Binghamton faster than even I thought possible.

Technorati Tags: Binghamton, Matt Ryan, Binghamton City Council, landlord, property taxes

The point of The American Thinker article, in brief, is this: Al Gore and his socialist buddies have succeeded in hijacking science. They have turned science from an objective tool of inquiry into a political weapon with which they intend to seize and keep control of the government. How? By changing the debate from “here’s the evidence FOR global warming” to “prove you have evidence AGAINST global warming.” Excuse me? If you have evidence to support it (which the left clearly does not), you need to make your case. But such is not the way with the left. Those of us who think global warming is bunkum are “deniers” and the equivalent of the Salem witches who had to prove they weren’t witches!

From The American Thinker article:

In Stalin’s Russia any dissenter from the Party Line was guilty. Innocence had to be proved. It’s a standard tyrant’s trick. During the reign of Oliver Cromwell in England, witchhunters did not have to prove that their victims were guilty. The accused witches had to prove their innocence.

That’s what Al Gore has done to science: He and his friends have flipped innocence and guilt from normal science to Stalinist science.

In Al Gore’s America, any “global warming denier” is guilty until proven innocent. He or she must have been bought off by Big Oil. Skeptics, no matter how well-qualified, must prove the negative about really silly alarmist hogwash. And whenever some prediction is falsified, the warm mongers have an explanation: it’s just a temporary glitch in the data.

How have Al Gore and the fraudsters pulled it off? It’s really simple. They just flipped the burden of proof and put it on the “deniers” — the skeptics, who don’t believe the computer models. With the Left in control of the media, you can do it.

Question: Are the computer models used to predict global warming created by the same people who author computer models that can’t predict the weather accurately more than five days from now? Mankind cannot accurately predict the weather for more than a week, and they want us to believe a bunch of assumptions in computer models about temperatures 50 years from now?? How vapid is that?

Also, this from the article:

To answer the biggest con trick in the history of science, you just have to address a single question to True Believers:  What’s your evidence for this barmy idea? (Not: Here’s my evidence against it. That’s not how it works).

And the answer is: There are no facts robust enough, consistent enough, and verified enough to support the mass hysteria. The climate system is hypercomplex, nonlinear and poorly understood. The media spinners are immensely ignorant about real science, and just care about the next scare headline. There’s a lot of wild speculation and a mob of self-serving politicians, bureaucrats and media types who stand to gain a ton of power and money by suckering millions of taxpayers. Al Gore just started a 300 million dollar PR campaign to convince everybody.  When was the last time you saw 300 million bucks being spent to promote a scientific hypothesis that was already proven? We’re not spending millions to prove the existence of gravity. The uproar and money involved in this fraud is in direct proportion to the lack of solid facts.

Have you noticed Al Gore’s idiotic television commercials about saving the planet and doing what you can do to help? Even poor old Pat Robertson has lost his marbles and appears in one of these loathsome commercials with black racist Al Sharpton (see WeCanSolveIt.org). Those with weak minds will accept it without questioning it. The commercials start with the premise there is a proven impending crisis and if we don’t act NOW it’s going to be too late. What utter nonsense! There is no crisis! The left has not proven a single thing–other than their own stupidity.

The naked truth? In the past 10 years we’ve had global cooling (see Has Global Warming Stopped?). You read that right. The planet’s temperature has stayed stable or cooled and has not risen since 2001. But that doesn’t seem to make the headlines, does it? It doesn’t fit the template of people like Ted Turner who said if we don’t change course immediately we’ll be 8 degrees hotter in 30 or 40 years and those who are left on the planet will turn into cannibals for lack of food (Atlanta Journal-Constitution). What a dope.

So now the warm mongers have renamed the issue “climate change” since “we’re experiencing both extreme warming and cooling.” News flash: dot dah dot dah dot dah dot… There’s weather happenin’ on the earth! Oh no! It’s gets hot, and then it gets cold (huh!), and then it gets hot again! Run for the hills! Grab the salt and pepper so you can eat the neighbors! Who knew we would have weather?!! You get my point–utter vapidity by the left. PLEASE don’t fall for the fake science that “the sky is falling” and the planet is in danger. It’s not, plain and simple. The warm mongers are really just socialists who want to run your life–right down to the lightbulbs you use in your house. It’s the ugly face of socialism–and it must be opposed and defeated.

Technorati Tags: Binghamton, Mayor Matt Ryan, Binghamton City Council, global warming hoax, Al Gore, Ted Turner, The American Thinker, socialism

Yes dear citizens of Binghamton, your already extremely high water bill, up about 250% in the past 11 years by my calculations, is going up another 30% this year, and an additional 10% next year. A lot of pain now, ahead of election-time, a little pain later closer to election-time, so hopefully you forget all about this particular shenanigan. Why are the rates going up? As previously reported on this blog, the excuses offered are because Binghamton is losing population, meaning fewer “entities” to pay the bills, and because “the price of chemicals is going up.” Do you think maybe Binghamton is losing population because of higher taxes and fees? Nah, that’s makes too much sense.

Oh, and the geniuses who are raising the rates figured out how to raise them 43% instead of the original 42% they first floated to the public! By raising them 30% this year and 10% next year (that’s 10% of what will be the new 30% higher rates), the end result is your rates are going up by 43% total. Such clever people we have running our city.

Read the standard Press & Sun-Bulletin defense here:
City raises water rates 30% for ‘08

Technorati Tags: Binghamton,   Mayor Matt Ryan,   Binghamton City Council,   municipal water rates