Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Jimino's sneaky raise


JIMINO
I read in the Times Union - and no other publication - that Rensselaer County Executive Kathy Jimino is asking for a raise for herself and her deputy, Chris Meyer. Of course it wasn’t made public until after her budget presentation and, coincidentally, after November’s election.

Not that it mattered much in her own campaign because for the third straight election cycle the Democrats failed to find a candidate to run against her. Then why wait? You may ask. Why not just be up front about the whole raise thing if you truly think you deserve it?

Well, it was to protect the Republican legislators, some of whom actually had an opponent and had to run a race. God forbid they have to take a stand on something as controversial as a raise for an elected official while heading into an election.

I’m not going to weigh in on the size of the raises – Jimino’s salary would go from $112,000 to $121,300 while Meyer’s would jump from $87,751 to $98,700 – that’s up to the Legislature to decide. She is asking just like anyone would and the 19-member panel has to decide to grant them the first raise they’ve had in eight years. But, the sneakiness is … well … just, sneaky.

If you remember eight years ago, after the budget presentation and after election, Jimino and the Legislature gave everyone a raise including themselves, County Clerk Frank Merola, the majority spokesman Rich Crist and a slew of others in county government. The minority got a raise too, if for no other reason than to keep them quiet. It worked.

I’m convinced there is a grand conspiracy going on where the GOP get the towns in Rensselaer County and in turn the Democrats get Troy. And the organizational hierarchy of each party directs the machinations to act in line with that unwritten rule. The Republicans mentioned above all make a pretty decent buck and so does city Chair Jim Gordon – who works for the county – and there are a bunch of Democrats who make a decent buck in the city. Why rock the boat when to many people who control too many jobs are making out OK.

It could be a reason not a lot of Republicans made a lot of noise in the city this time around – or for the last few years actually - and Democrats in the towns are all but non-existent. Sure, every once in a while we get a maverick in Troy like former Mayor Harry Tutunjian and Carmella Mantello but by and large the city is Democratic. (As an aside, Tutunjian had four lines and still failed to come in the top six in his bid for the Legislature but it’s difficult to run for anything after serving eight years as mayor.)

Or, I could be over-analyzing the entire thing and it’s just the way the demographics are shaking out with Troy, like most cities, decidedly left of center while the towns maintain their right of center tradition.

Na, it’s more fun to over-analyze and make a conspiracy theory out of it.

21 comments:

  1. I see a little dig at the Record there Jim.

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  2. Reminds me of the Troy Democrats four years ago, Pete Ryan and Mayor Lou called Mirch & company the greedy bunch and pledged not to take the raise. What did they do: they got elected and not only kept the raise, they never mentioned it in four years.

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  3. Jimino learned from the best, MIRCH. They are both inherently greedy.

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  4. When it comes to greed Mayor Lou tops the charts....he collects $80,000 in retirement, $95,000 in salary for a total of $175,000. Plus his wife is a retired school teacher. So it's safe to say Mayor Lou's household TOPS the charts at $200,000 plus in taxpayer dollars......that blows the mercury right out of the greed monitor.

    Add Jimino and Mirch together and they don't equal Mayor Lous greed.

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  5. Who's gonna fill Harry's hole and who's gonna develope monument square

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  6. Coops already obsessing about this page. At least some driveways got done when you were away Jim. And what about treeman

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  7. Buell is the best candidate to fill Harry's hole. He had 6 years of practice.

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  8. Develop. Coop. Your spelling betrays you.

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  9. You are not acurately reporting. There was nothing sneaky about it. It was listed in her published Tentative Budget the day she announced the budget on October 18, 2013...long before Election Day. You should be reporting on the fact that the Dems fell asleep at the wheel and didn't even read the budget they had in their hands until long after it was made public on October 18th.

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  10. I said it wasn't made public not that it was added after the fact. So one could also ask, in addition to where were the Dems, where was the media? And if the Dems did know about it and didn't say anything it kind of plays into my conspiracy theory doesn't it.

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  11. No conspiracy behind the present Democrat dominance in Troy. Need a new Republican chairman.

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  12. I have to wonder about people sometimes. What the eff does Lou Rosamilia's retirement and salary have to do with greed? He earned his retirement money like anyone else who worked for YEARS, and now he is mayor and earns a salary like anyone else would in that position.

    I am also amazed at all the anonymous commenters. All talk and no show your darned face; especially when you want talk sh*t.

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  13. Kathy needs the money, supplements the South Troy Dodgers.

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  14. If a Republican earns a salary it's greed, if a Dem does it it's normal and ok......$200,000 in taxpayer dollars is the average income in Troy. From the article in todays paper regarding the city budget it appears that Lou is not earning his mayoral salary.

    PS: collar city brownstone how about cleaning up your language. It's obvious you are not capable of an intelligent conversation without gutter language!

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  15. Welcome back James. Good to read you again

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    Replies
    1. Ahaaaaaaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha !~~!

      That Photo is what 100 years old what a joke you are Vito

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  16. Will bobby can't keep his hands off the zba chair cox be at the tree lighting? He rattled off quite a resume before vandenburgh told him to sit down like a dog and he did

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  17. You know something? You are right. No matter how much garbage I read I should never allow that person to make me lower my standards. I did not actually say the "f" word or spell the "s" out completely, but the effect was the same, and for that I MUST apologize.

    While I am at it, I think it would be in your best interest to stop begrudging Lou Rosamilia his due retirement money and salary as mayor. Jealousy is an ugly thing and will not move you forward in life. I could understand it if you were talking about the bankers who have been involved in the greatest ponzi scheme (The Federal Reserve). But Lou is a man who worked hard all his life.

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  18. Who is collar city brownstain

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  19. Crowley Jay Vrandenburg And Sarris
    All the True Rats in one place precept Vito Rat Citizen of the year.
    Vito had to Flee South Troy to Pawling Ave he would have gotten arrested or beaten to death.
    When he landed up on Pawling Ave he told a vary good friend of mine that he was from the Burgh and that friend Told His Wife to keep his kids away from Vitos House That he was not telling the truth and he was hiding something.
    Hey Vito you never figured on me showing up in Troy Ha Rat Face
    Well Guess What Vito I was a Cook @ Emma Willard and I have friends who told me plenty about your Days Riding Shotgun With Mirch too pal.
    Your Going to go down in flames Rat Citizen.

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