And then there were 29 (UPDATED: And it's back to 30)

It appears the Republicans do have a candidate to run in the heavily Democratic District 4. Joe Navarra will run against incumbent Bob Doherty (of the Wiltshire camp) and Barbara Jones Higbee (of the Wade camp.) So the number of candidates is back up to 30.

The astounding number of candidates, 30, running for a limited number of open seats in Troy, 10, has shrunk by one.

Pamela Troue, who was running in District 2 with what is commonly known as the “Wade Democrats,” or the slate headed up by mayoral candidate Patrick Madden and supported by Rensselaer County Chairman Tom Wade, has opted to drop out.

That leaves incumbent Councilwoman Anastasia Robertson, who is solidly with the “Wiltshire Democrats,” or the slate headed up by mayoral candidate and council President Rodney Wiltshire, to square off against Mark McGrath, who is running with the Republicans for the seat he was term limited out of about 18 months ago.

Troue is caring for her ailing mother and said a run for council is too much of a commitment at this point in time.

With petitions due no later than July 9, here is a list of candidates and their respective teams. That list could change dramatically depending on whether or not the candidates get enough signatures to get on the ballot.

Wade Democrats (or those endorsed by the Democratic Party Committee proper, with party enrollment next to their name)

Mayor:         Patrick Madden (not enrolled)

At Large:      Erin Sullivan-Teta (I)

                       Carol Weaver (D)

                       Cary Dresher (D)

District 1:     Laurie Ryan (D)

District 2:    

District 3:     Charlie Clifford (I)

District 4:     Barbara Jones Higbee (D)

District 5:     Lynn Kopka (D)

District 6:     Wayne D’Arcy (D)

Wiltshire Democrats (or those endorsed by the Working Families Party with their enrollment next to their name)

Mayor:         Rodney Wiltshire (D)

At Large:      Peggy Kownack (D)

                       Anasha Cummings (D)

                       David Martin (not enrolled)

District 1:     Jessica Ashley (G)

District 2:     Anastasia Robertson (D)

District 3:    

District 4:     Bob Doherty (D)

District 5:     David Bissember (D)

District 6:     Corey Jenkins (D)

Those endorsed by the Republicans:

Mayor:         Jim Gordon

At Large:      Carmella Mantello

                       Kim McPherson

                       Andrea Daley

District 1:     Jim Gulli

District 2:     Mark McGrath (C)

District 3:     Dean Bodnar

District 4:    

District 5:     Tom Casey

District 6:     John Donohue

Those not endorsed by anyone

Mayor:         Ernest Everett (A Democrat)

                       Jack Cox Jr. (Revolution Party)

  
 
 

(UPDATED) THA Commissioner Paul Moses arrested for welfare fraud

MOSES

Paul Moses, a tenant commissioner on the Troy Housing Authority Board of Directors, was arrested this morning on three felonies related to not reporting income and collecting social services benefits.

After an investigation headed up by the state Inspector General’s Office with assistance from the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Department and the THA, Moses was arrested at Bradley’s Tavern, a bar on Fourth Street where he worked off the books.

He faces the felonies of welfare fraud, grand larceny and filing false instruments. According to sources, Moses, 58, was on Medicaid, which is health care reserved for only the income eligible, food stamps and he lives in the Taylor Apartments of the THA, where rent is based on reported income and is often subsidized by the federal government.

His future as a tenant commissioner on the THA board is uncertain as is his eligibility to continue living at the THA. Tennant commissioners are elected by THA residents and serve two-year terms. The other five members of the board serve five-year terms and are appointed by the mayor.

If it is proven that Moses was working under the table at Bradley’s, the bar owner could be in trouble too for things like tax evasion. Sources say the owner is cooperating with the investigation, which is ongoing.

Here is a link to the Inspector General's press release. http://ig.ny.gov/pdfs/MosesPR6-10-15.pdf

According to Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott, Moses allegedly defrauded the state out of nearly $50,000 over a nine year period. According to her welfare fraud investigators, he allegedly accepted some $8,730 in food stamps rom 2009 to 2015 and $40,842 in rental subsidies from 2006 to 2015. On both applications he claimed he was not making an income.

"Food stamps and rental subsidies are not meant to fraudulently enhance the quality of life for a corrupt housing representative," Leahy Scott said in a release.

Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel Abelove said: "People who feel they have a right to defraud the welfare system in our county will be caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

More information as it becomes available.