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| MANTELLO |
It’s been six months since the
polls closed, but a candidate for Troy City Council is still looking for a definitive
answer to the outcome of the election.
Carmella Mantello, who ran for an At Large seat last November, filed an Article 78 (see below) in state Supreme
Court demanding the Rensselaer County Board of Elections cough up the backup, paper
records of votes that were cast on electronic voting machines.
Mantello, who lost to Councilwoman
Lynn Kokpa by some 60 votes, doesn’t think any review of the paper records will
change the ultimate outcome of the race, but thinks she, like any candidate for
office, should have the right to review the results.
In this case, she has reason.
According to emails Mantello got through using the state Freedom of Information
Act, there were problems with the machines and the board and the vendor were
trying to work them out as late as Oct. 9, 2013. Yet, the Board of Election
used the new machines anyway despite ongoing issues with the way they scanned
the paper ballots.
Previously, Board of Elections
Commissioners Ed McDonough and Larry Bugbee, a Democrat and Republican
respectively, said they would turn over the paper records but only if Mantello
filed what they called the necessary paperwork in court.
She jumped through the hoops. So now it’s up to the
board to not only stand by its word but follow through with what should be
little more than common courtesy to anyone who sticks their neck out and runs
for public office – full and unfettered access to the ballots.
The board has until May 29 to
respond to the Article 78. As I said, I don’t think it can change anything, but
Mantello certainly has the right to know as does the public.
It's been 2 1/2 years since Mahar started investigating himself in the HIPAA violations at Samaritan, sometimes these things take time Jim. What is six months - it's only an 8th of the time Mahar has spent investigating his underlings illegal access of staff's medical records. Any demands for the end of that investigation? Wrong party?
ReplyDeleteIs Carmella filing a lawsuit? (How many have been filed in the HIPAA investigation?) Carmella is only one person who may have been wronged, Samaritan sent out notices to over 40 people. What is the rush?
Hi Gary! The Hungry Hungry HIPPA investigation is important but when is Lt. "Boko" Karem going to release all those school girls in Africa? What say you Gary?
DeleteThey should cough up the records-- By not giving them it casts doubt. If they don't while the FBI is in Troy, they might want to stop at BOE.
ReplyDeleteCasting doubt on the results is precisely the objective sought by Mantello for all voters who think like sheep. She lost---get over it.
DeleteThis is just pure grandstanding on her part to keep her name in the news for another run for office.
No, voters who think like sheep blindly accept voting results despite evidence of malfunctions and irregularities. Let it go and maybe next time it's YOUR candidate that loses because the Board of Elections can't get its act together.
DeleteAnyone who has the guts to put themselves out there and run for office deserves a real vote count. Get out of your mom's basement and put your own ass on the line, and then talk to us about what she needs to "get over".
7:25 nailed it!
DeleteDocuments copied above do not constitute a court order as directed by law. Franco, I think you've been spoofed---no judge's signature or directive, therfore no order to produce documents.
DeleteHe hasn't been "spoofed". Those are the papers Carmella has to file to GET the court order.
DeleteI would bet there are a lot of folks who voted for Kopka and wished they didn't. As annoying as Carmella can be she still knows right from wrong, residents of Troy have seen Kopkas' lack of basic character.
ReplyDeleteThere are plenty of us who voted for Kopka and would again. When she was council president, she didn't treat her title as a launching pad for higher office at the expense of anyone who stood in her way. Unlike her successor, Kopka has intergrity.
DeleteKopka was also professional. She didn't use vulgar language and accuse people of being racists or anti-woman when they didn't agree with her.
DeleteThis council has been a circus freak show from day one because of its new leader, who will sell out to anyone and anything to promote himself.
I myself did not realize how mean spirited Kopka was now she will be sent packing soon.
ReplyDeleteKopkas' one of Mark Pattison leftover Lackeys he was a so called (strong mayor) a drunk and a womanizer
What a total waist of tax payers money she turned out to be.
Galumski never got enough power accept when they all have to vote for something that might shake up the apple cart (gravy train)
Carmella might have proven a better candidate but no one will ever know she wont try again
One thing I know is that Lynn can spell waste correctly. Her waist is a size above a young cub scout.
ReplyDeleteIf they count them, will Carmella finally go away?
ReplyDeleteCarmella is a very nice person! And that's all I have to say!
ReplyDeleteIf they raise our taxes about one more god damned time a lot of people are going to go away.
ReplyDeleteThen you should be swiping the entire county majority out. From Jimino on down.
DeleteThe ratio of taxes in Troy are far above what any county taxpayer pays. Lets just look at our neighbor Brunswick. Check out the tax percentage with county and town tax compared to county- Troy taxes. You should switch to another form of diversion.
DeleteIs everyone in the towns this stupid? No wonder you elect Republicans. The county tax rate isn't controlled by the individual municipalities, Einstein.
DeleteRight Einstein, the municipalities control THEIR own tax rate That's why you people in the city of Troy are stupid for it's 3 times the county wide tax rate. Morons.
DeleteHey Einstein,
DeleteDid you ever consider Troy pays for Fire and Police departments as well as garbage collection ? Brunswick doesn't have this overhead and it is VERY expensive.
It's too hard for some of these county folks to understand, 9:42. The white powder really addles the brain.
DeleteFrom Ms. Einstein, yes I do understand we don't have the overhead of the Police and Fire Departments. I will say we feel safe with the State Police and Rennselear County Sheriffs Department protecting us and also we have the greatest Fire Department in our mix of paid and volunteers. Sadly most of your paid firefighters and cops live here and give nothing back. Quite frankly you can take them back to Troy, but even they won't go.
DeleteKeep voting for these democrats and keep watching your taxes go up but at least you may get ball less cats,composting and no more human trafficking. Oh and bike lanes because there important too.
DeleteYou feel safe with the Rensselaer County Sheriffs Dept? My God you really are stupid. Those clowns break more laws than they enforce and have cost try taxpayers MILLIONS of dollars in legal fees and settlements. Anyone defending that cesspool of incompetence is a Republican or has a screw loose. Oh wait, that's redundant.
DeleteRead it and weep. From the Democratic Times Union. And this is despite you inept leaders in Troy dragging the county down.. Please understand, to compare any form of county government against the Troy city administration makes you look either stupid or delusional. WOW
DeleteRensselaer County's financial position improved as it added $780,000 to its budget reserves, to bring the total to $11.9 million, the 2013 audit found.
The reserves grew due to cost controls and strict management of spending, according to the independent audit by Drescher and Malecki LLP.
Earlier this year, Standard & Poor's raised the county's bond rating to AA.
"This audit is further proof that the decisions we make day in and day out... are keeping the county on sound fiscal ground," County Executive Kathleen Jimino.
The 7 percent increase in the budget reserves came even though revenue from boarding other counties' inmates at the Rensselaer County Jail dropped and sales tax revenues grew minimally.
The fund balance is about 5 percent of county operational costs. The county noted that the state Comptroller's Office recommends budget reserves be 10 percent to 15 percent of expenses
5% is a miniscule budget reserve. Did you miss the part where the Comptroller recommends at least 10%? And by the way, if you think that's an "independent audit", you obviously don't know how things work. Who pays the auditors, genius?
DeleteIf things are so peachy, why did the county just borrow $24M? I'll say it slowly. That's TWENTY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS in bonding. You're probably one of the goons rolling around the ground apoplectic when Troy borrows, but funny how you just gloss this massive debt right over. Get a clue.
Cmon now, go easy on the dems reading is not their strong point and we know the rules don't apply.
ReplyDeleteStirred up by dr death I'm surw
ReplyDeleteWTF?
DeleteYou heard me. Now go build some more small houses on small lots that fane wound never live in
ReplyDelete