RESTORE ALBANY TO
FISCAL  SOLVENCY
CONSOLIDATE CITY
SCHOOLS WITH CITY
GOVERNMENT

Consolidate City schools with
City government, create one
property tax roll to finance both
return to neighborhood k-8
schools, make the mayor responsible
accountable for operation/performance
of Albany City Schools.

The City of Albany is at the brink
of fiscal insolvency. The 2017 City
budget was passed by the Albany
Common Council with a 12.5 million
gap, which was closed by a one time
grant of 12.5 million dollars in state aid
this year arranged by Governor Cuomo.

However, because the Mayor and
Common Council have declared
Albany to be a Sanctuary City
The City of Albany will loose 7
million , or more, dollars annual
federal aid. 

The Albany City School District
has a  $224 million annual budget and
in 2015 pushed through a $ 200 million
dollar bond act for a complete renovation
and expansion of Albany High School.
In 2016 another referendum was approved
to acquire and add a 4th middle school.
Work begins on both measures this year.

Albany city schools have a 50 percent
drop out rate. Not a good return for
crushing property taxes imposed on
home owners and small businesses  in
the City.

The school district population has
grown because of the thousands of
refugees settled in Albany as a result
of, policies of former President Obama
with the support of Congressman Tonko.

The School District is converting the
former North Albany K-8 neighborhood
school to a special school for non-English
speaking arrivals.

The Albany City schools are sure to
face fiscal shortfalls in future years
resulting in huge increases in property
taxes.


 http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Albany-schools-face-2-1M-budget-gap-6920939.php

School property taxes account for 2/3 of
 high property tax burden paid by home
owners and small businesses in the City
of Albany.

A bill shifting school board elections from
November to May was passed by the State
Legislature this session and before the
Governor for signature.

Governor Cuomo, a great proponent of
consolidation as a means of achieving
fiscal  solvency, should veto this bill.
Governor Cuomo called the State Legislature
back to Albany this week ,for a special session
to extend mayoral control of NYC schools
for another two years.

http://www.timesunion.com/7dayarchive/article/Albany-school-board-elections-may-soon-switch-to-11260004.php

 http://www.albanyschools.org/district/communications/DistrictNews/2016-17/School.board.elections.6-30-17.htm

Furthermore, the new Mayor and Common
Council elected in the November 7, 2017
City General Election should send a Home
Rule Message to the State Legislature in
January 2018 calling for amendments to
State Law providing for consolidation of
City schools with city government as proposed
above.

State Legislators representing Albany voters 
should sponsor, introduce and push the requisite
legislation  to passage in the 2018 session.

The Consolidation Question should appear
on the November 7, 2017 General Election
ballot to be voted upon by Albany city voters.

                                               Joe Sullivan

                                             

RESTORE ALBANY TO
TO FISCAL SOLVENCY 

The PFM consultant report
recommends increasing
property taxes, selling the
Harriman State Office Campus
and Albany Municipal Golf
Course.

Conservative Mayoral candidate
Sullivan says keep the Harriman
State Office Campus. NYS should
compensate the City of Albany 
with an annual 15 million dollar
PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes).

The Common Council should
declare that the City of Albany
is NOT a Sanctuary City. This
declaration  will avoid a loss
of 7, or more, million dollars 
Federal aid to the City of Albany.

!5 million plus 7 million equals
22 million; closing the projected
looming budget gap highlighted
in the PFM report.

Mixed use development and/or
sale of the Albany Municipal
Golf Course is strongly opposed
by Sullivan.

Listen:

  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cynpooler/2017/06/12/joe-sullivan-talks-about-the-harriman-campus

                            Joe Sullivan

CITY HALL ON THE ROAD
MAKES CAMPAIGN STOP
AT MATER CHRISTI 5:30 PM
MONDAY, JUNE 5. UPDATED

So say the City portable road signs
placed on Hurst Ave.

Do you suppose Kathy Sheehan will
explain why her Rezone Albany Zoning
Code which she rammed through the
Common Council, May 15, with the vote
of her 12 rubber stamp Council elves
rezoned the present Mater Christi
Rectory and adjacent green space
commercial and why the SW Corner
Whitehall/New Scotland green space
across from the Stewart's shop was
rezoned commercial rather than being
dedicated as the proposed Dan O'Connell
Memorial Pocket Park? 

And why she has done nothing to
strictly enforce speed limits, no
passing on right, reckless driving 
running red lights/stop signs and
other V&T laws on New Scotland
Avenue, Buckingham Drive, Whitehall
Rd, Krum Kill Rd, South Manning
Blvd and tributary neighborhood streets?

All this, and more, which erodes the
neighborhood residential integrity
quality of life, home values, and City
property tax base and support for
city schools/city government services
in an already fiscally insolvent city.

The Sheehan City Hall On The Road
show should hit the road out of town 
for Chicago afterwards.

Updated: 2 AM  June 5. Jack
The Puppy took me for a walk
before the rain storm moved in.

The APD portable traffic sign
at the corner of Hurst and Hopewell
Mater Christi Church, was still lighting
up the night sky announcing the
Sheehan City Hall Campaign Road
Show at 5:30 PM today.

                                    Joe Sullivan

ALBANY FISCAL CRISIS

How to fix it?

Read PFM Report: 
   
http://wnyt.com/wnytimages/repository/cs/files/PFM%20Final%20Albany%20Report.pdf

Listen to candidate
for  Mayor Commisso :

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cynpooler/2017/06/01/frank-commisso-talks-about-the-looming-deficit-in-albany


Stay tuned for Sullivan
analysis. 

Elect Mark Robinson an
independent Common Council
President who will lead the
Council in representing the
interests of  the City of Albany
and residents of ALL 15 City
Wards. 

Listen to Mark. The technical
static is a distraction, but Mark's
message is clear.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cynpooler/2017/05/28/mark-robinson-talks-about-his-decision-to-run-for-common-council-president

Sullivan analysis of  Albany
fiscal crisis, PFM consultant
report, the need for a strong
Mayor and Independent Common
Council that truly represent all
the people of the City of Albany

Listen:

 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cynpooler/2017/06/04/joe-sullivan-discusses-the-ballooning-deficit-in-albany

 Read City Auditors evaluation of PFM:

 https://www.scribd.com/document/351404975/2017-OAC-Response-to-PFM-Report

                                Joe Sullivan