The hole is getting bigger
Maleficent Maggie is still looking at the Intercept Proposal. For the county to implement this plan, we would be cutting off our nose to spite our face. We’ve already seen, in a previous post, that this would anger school boards and other municipalities who have come to depend on the money from the sales tax revenue:
Jody Siegle is the executive director of the Monroe County School Board’s Association. She says her organization doesn’t want to tell the county how to govern, but that they think the revenue swap is a bad deal.
“It would be very detrimental to all the recipients if that money were to be drastically reduced and as a result we don’t think the county should do this. We think they need to take a long-term look at whatever solutions they’re considering.”
The head of Monroe County’s Town Supervisor’s Association Jim Smith is also reluctant to endorse the revenue sharing agreement, but he says that generally, the group feels that the revenue sharing agreement should be at the kept at the fore as the deal is debated, because of its wider ramifications.
“That represents approximately 40 percent of most of the towns’ revenues, and so if that were to disappear, there would need to be either a fairly drastic cut in services provided by those towns, or an equally fairly drastic increase in their property tax levies.”
Maggie is currently proposing a hike in the county sales tax to make up the difference.
I say, let it die, put it out of it’s misery.
She might want to check in with the County Leg Democrats- I hear they have an economic plan.
Have you actually read the plan you so glibly touted?
I admit to only scanning it, however, the plan contains quite a few “if, come” aspects; more aspiration that liklihood.
Most dramatically, the plan relies most heavily on a shift from the County Government running the Sheriff’s Department to a “Sheriff’s Police District” which will be paid for by the “users” of the service. As I read it, those users are the residents of the Monroe County Towns without their own police.
So the Democrats plan to cut the deficit is to shift the burden for police services to Town taxpayers. Why then do you criticise Ms. Brooks for seeking a Sales Tax increase? How is this shifting of tax burdens fairer than a tax paid by everyone? Calling the cost a “user fee” instead of a tax doesn’t mean much to those who pay.
Finally, I don’t get it, they want to create another “special district”? I thought that those districts (e.g., water authority, sports authority, etc.) were the bane of our existence. Why is a police district a good idea?
The Democrats “plan” is political baloney. Opposition to the Sales Tax is political hypocrisy. There is a deficit. There is virtually nothing left to cut on the spending side. That leaves only one choice: taxes. You may prefer property taxes to sales taxes for political reasons, but at least quit pretending that we can solve the problem without raising revenue.
How funny a Republican proposing raising taxes. Certainly revenue needs to be raised and Maggie is digging in her heels over a “read my lips no new taxes moment” about property taxes. What is missing here is is the cause of the deficit. I mean it isn’t like we got 50 mill in the hole over night.
A little accountablility and responsibility would be nice
Consolidation or sharing services is ultimately a good thing. If done correctly.
I wonder how much COMIDA tax breaks have contributed to the overall deficit?
BINGO on COMIDA !! I wonder where we could find those stats?
Never said that we don’t have to raise revenue-we do. The Water Authority would be a good place to start. I don’t have all the answers, but I don’t think having the towns pay for the services they use is a bad idea (and I live in one of those towns). Maybe you’re seeing something there that I’m not. And though there is “nothing left on the spending side”, I think Maggs would like to cut the library.
Step back out of the loop and ask yourself this:
“What has Maggie Brooks actually done (on her own initiative) to bring in revenues or make Monroe County a better place to live?
Her entire “rule” as Queen has been nothing more than shallow PR masking hiring of all of her “followers” in high-paying positions, while extracting funds back from them in donations to build her “war chest”.
But honestly…what has she done other than PR?
Now we can make a list of all the things she’s “masked” as “improvements” to preserve her line of no new taxes. I’ll go first.
Controlling town governments and increasing her bottom line through the smoke and mirrors practice of increased property assessments. When your assessment increases, the town gets more and she gets more. In 7 years, my mortgage payment has gone up over $200.00/month in reassessments. And yes, I refinanced, fixed rate to reduce the interest, and it’s fixed, and I monitor it - so it’s all my reassessment, and Maggies “little” piece goes up each time they’re raised. And in Greece, NY, some people (due to the fact that the assessor went bye-bye to jail) - got hit twice in one year.
OK - your turn.
Part 2: From the GOP home page:
Calling her election win a “mandate for change,†Maggie has made intergovernmental cooperation, economic revitalization and tax stability the top priorities of her administration.
Translation: METRO GOVERNMENT - successful especially on the West Side of town, resistent on the East Side of town.
Maggie’s first action as County Executive was to submit Legislative Referral #1 of 2004, which ensures that any company receiving County Government tax benefits will have to use local labor in their new construction or expansion. She has also convened an impressive group of local business professionals, economic development experts and community leaders to serve as her Economic Development Strategy Team.
Translation: I got my “husband” a high-paying job working for the Water Authority.
On January 7, 2004, after just one week “on the job†as County Executive, Governor George Pataki recognized Maggie in his 2004 State of the State Address and pledged to work with her to make a new performing arts center in Downtown Rochester a reality.
Translation: Failure
As County Executive, Maggie is the chief executive officer of Monroe County, a chartered county government with an annual budget of $972.1 million, nearly 4,800 employees and a population of 735,000. Maggie oversees a broad range of governmental operations which effect the safety, health, recreational opportunities and general welfare of the citizens of her community.
Translation: I’m a former news reporter - this is pure PR BS. Can you guess which percentage of those 4800 jobs are held by my political friends and family?
A pioneer in cutting edge technology, Maggie was the first County Clerk in the State of New York to provide instant on-line records access and document image retrieval over the Internet.
Translation: But talks double speak the same week while filtering the library and the content of the poor, while offering to negotiate wireless free internet in pocket areas in the county to those who can well afford their own computers and access to the net. Technically savvy my a**.
In 2001, following national election controversies from the previous year, Governor Pataki appointed Maggie to his Task Force on Election Modernization, a seven-member panel charged with making recommendations to improve the integrity and process of elections in the State of New York.
Translation: And NOTHING has changed. They even lost out on federal funding due to not meeting the requirements for reform.
In the private sector, Maggie was the Vice President of Programming for Companion Radio, overseeing the content and quality of programming on four satellite delivered radio stations targeted towards senior citizens.
Translation: Check out the radio station in the Greece School District and further the West Side Coalition of Gates, Greece, Chili, Ogden, Parma, Hilton to take over the Public Access Television next. Once a reporter, always a reporter.
Before joining Companion Radio, Maggie earned the trust of the Greater Rochester community over the course of 18 years of broadcast experience  becoming one of the most recognizable and distinguished members of the local news media.
Translation: I was let go from Channel 10.
That’s’ it - that’s all they have to say. No real accomplishments. No real change. No real nothing. Her entire career is nothing more than spin - spin that has resulted in the lining of more than a few pockets, and the financial gain of more than a few friends.
There’s your record of Maggie Brooks - straight from the GOP website.
When are you guys going to talk about the schools and the just keep spending and get no results agenda they have????
Let’s start there…with all the big salaries these adminstrator make (look that one up) it makes me sick that you never comment on the waste and lack of results in the city school district or anything about the massive spends that go on out in the burbs!
Tote Jode Seigle out has your poster child for what is “right” And pray tell what the _ _ _ _ has she done about reform and considation and getting cost out of schools and getting REAL RESULTS in our schools. She has been in her spot alot longer than Brooks…. and I see no one challenges her for the spot?
Going to turn the spot light on guys??? Shine it everywhere
Remember - this fish rots from the head down. Why don’t you run against any of them? That’s what needs to be done. Don’t rely on politicos to turn on politicos - take it yourself.
if the head of the fish is the school system in Monroe County…..I agree