STRONG MAYOR V GIRLIE MEN

 

SULLIVAN FOR MAYOR  CITY OF ALBANY , NEW YORK 2005

                  ALBANY NEEDS A STRONG MAYOR

                  Reject Liberal Dem-Working Families

                   Party Petitioning Ploy

 

Tuesday, June 7 is the first day to sign party petitions to qualify candidates for the ballot in the November city elections.

The Liberal Democrat-Working Families Party Coalition that now controls the Albany City School District and School Board, is seeking to gain control of city government this year.

First, the Coalition attempted to field a candidate for Mayor, who turned out to have no message and no credibility. That failed.

Then ,the Coalition announced that they would not endorse a candidate for Mayor.

Now, they are focusing their efforts on electing Shawn Morris Common Council President. The Common Council President, by law, becomes Mayor should the latter office become vacant for any reason.

Is Shawn Morris qualified to be next in line to succeed the Mayor? No! Unless voters want the rest of Albany to look like Delaware Avenue, which has become a blighted, crime-riden neighborhood under 8 years of Shawn Morris purporting to represent the Delaware Avenue neighborhood and Ward 7.

Morris is the sponsor of a resolution to rezone 3.5 acres on Holland Avenue at Hackett Blvd as "Highway Commercial" in order that a Walgreen's super store can be built at that location. This is an example of spot zoning at it's worst!

Holland Ave  and Hackett Blvd are primary emergency vehicle routeways to Albany Medical Center. there is alreday too much traffic congestion at that location.

A Walgreen's supers store would drive small independent and CVS/Eckerd neighborhood pharmacies out of business creating more empty store fronts on Delaware and New Scotland Avenues and at Crestwood Plaza.

In addition to electing Morris Common Council President, the Liberal Democrat-Working Families Party Coalition is attempting to gain control of the 15 Member Common Council. A hapless, ineffective body which can't even properly exercise it's current powers and responsibilities.

The Times Union (June 6, 2005, pB1 article by Brian Nearing) reports that the Liberal Democrat-Working Families Party Coalition will circulate a petition to weaken the office of Mayor and shift more powers to the Common Council. The Coalition already has the required 3,031 required signatures from the same flunkies who vote yes on every annual school budget increase, and who saddled Albany homeowners ans small businesses with a 200 million dollar (and growing) bond act debt to finance reconstruction of the failing Albany City Schools.

Albany voters should see this petitioning ploy for what it is - a raw political power grab under the guise of increasing participatory democracy.

I urge Albany voters not to sign this petition, nor the petitions of the Liberal Democrat-Working Families Party Coalition endorsed candidates who are their pawns in this power grab.

Albany needs a strong Mayor. If you feel you don't have one- elect one on November  8th.