A LITTLE GUN HISTORY

In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.
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China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated
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Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975…

CSEA members ratify contract

CSEA members overwhelmingly ratified a new contract for more than 70,000 state executive branch employees, the union announced yesterday. The vote was 29,755 to 1,839. The contract has to be approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

The agreement includes salary increases of 3 percent retroactive to April 2001 (when the previous contract ended,) 3 percent in April 2008, 3 percent in April 2009 and 4 percent in April 2010. Other parts of the contract include increases in longevity payments, improvement in downstate and mid-Hudson salary adjustments to reflect the higher cost of living there, and some increases in health insurance co-payments, balanced by a number of benefit enhancements.

The agreement is fair to employees and good for the people of New York, CSEA President Danny Donohue said in a statement. “The strength of the ratification demonstrates that our rank and file fully support the agreement,”…

Magic-wand school of public finance

http://statepolitics.lohudblogs.com/2008/01/03/magic-wand-school-of-public-finance/

State Senate Republicans today wheeled out a plan that would seem to answer the prayers of property-tax payers around the state. They want to triple the property-tax rebates that were mailed to taxpayers this year, and over five years eliminate all school property taxes for homeowners.

What is the catch, you ask?

Well, there is a minor issue known as cost. The tab would be $11.6 billion after five years.

There’s no indication where the money would come to pay for any of it. A spokesman said it would come “out of the budget.’’ That would be $4 billion to be found somewhere next year, and then an additional $1.9 billion a year for four years after that.

The state is already facing a potential $4.3 billion deficit for the fiscal year that starts April 1.

Contaminated Children’s Vaccines May Have Been Given at Guthrie

A Guthrie Group spokeswoman tells WETM that their family health practitioners administer Hib vaccines supplied by Merck, which are under recall for a contamination risk.

It was a government mandated vaccine, if you did not get it for your child, your child could not go to school. So everyone gets it and it is a crap shoot whether your kid dies or not. I guess life is like that, and i bet there is an exemption for politicians children.

Well, as long as you can get the people who really work for a living to keep footing the bill. Go ahead, add a few more to the top of the pile, maybe it won;t topple over.

Report: State work force soars

ALBANY — The state’s work force has swelled to its highest level in more than 12 years, putting more pressure on the state budget, according to a report issued Wednesday by a conservative think tank.

Truckers say they’ll bypass Thruway if tolls are raised

A majority of truck drivers say they’ll use secondary roads if a proposal from the Thruway Authority to raise tolls goes through.

Works for me, in fact, if they raise tolls, I too will use only small back roads.  I have been thinking for a while now, it is time to slow down and watch the scenery, and that really isn’t possible on a highway.  Bring back the roadside diner!

I wanted to see the feasibility of bringing wireless to downtown Elmira, it would reasonably be able to be done with about a million dollars, outright. 5 Million means that Spitzer has a friend who does internet feasibility studies, and needed some cash. 5 million dollars would not do a thing.

Call me naive, but I am only starting to see that a politician funding a ‘Study” is just a way for them to hand out money to either political cronies, or friends. We, as NY State Tax payers might as well hold a BBQ and use rolls of $20.00 bills for all the good this will do.

State looks to expand high-speed Internet access

ALBANY– Gov. Eliot Spitzer unveiled a $5 million plan Thursday to improve the speed and availability of high-speed Internet to underserved areas of the state.

GOP holds hearings on toll increases

Assembly Republicans are waging a new war on Gov. Eliot Spitzer: Dump the toll increases on the New York state Thruway.

Much like the Tax we are still paying to pay of the war Spanish American war, the thruway tolls were supposed to be in place until we paid off the roads.  Of course, once a tax is put in place, it never, ever goes away (Reference, Spanish American War Tax, otherwise known as Federal Income Tax).

Politicians have never sen a tax they did not absolutely love, I mean, take home to mother and buy the ring right now love!

Elmira wastewater project on federal radar

Elmira may be eligible for $5 million in federal water resources grants but that doesn’t mean the city can just pocket that amount for wastewater projects, the city manager said.

Consultants, reports, meetings though, they will be able to do that.  And the money will be spent, and then, when it gets down to actually doing something, there wont be any money left.  History, will sorta repeat itself, you know?

Usual stuff @ council last night. Over $27,000 paid to EPD for October overtime. EFD overtime will probably come up for a ‘yes’ vote next meeting.

During the 2nd public portion, Atty Gerhard (the person who has the ‘why Elmira fails’ blog) of West Elmira stood to address the demise of Elmira’s historic buildings, in particular the imminent bulldozing of the Armory which he feels is due to poor maintenance by the City. He presented pictures and other handouts about the building which also included pictures of the stained glass windows of a church.

If this report sounds somewhat convoluted, it is because at that point the presentation became convoluted and (for me, at least) became difficult to follow. Gerhard (I might be misspelling that name) pointed out that maintenance work had been recommended to the Iraci/Hughes reign which has gone undone. In particular, he mentioned the…