ALBANY COUNTY
DOWNSIZE. LIMIT?

Radio news reports this morning
that Albany County Executive
Dan McCoy is advocating term
limits for the County Executive
and downsizing the Albany County
Legislature.

Voters can limit terms every election.

Downsizing the legislative body has
a downside. Fewer legislators and larger
districts results in money and special
interest groups assuming a greater role
in elections.

The caliber of those elected is more
important than the number. Voters
in the respective districts would be
better off, participating in the selection
of candidates to represent them.

Take the County Executive's call
for term limits and downsizing the
county legislature to a logical step.

Why not abolish the current system
of county government and replace
it with a county board of supervisors
made up of the elected executive
officers of the cities and towns, who
in turn, elect a county executive from
among their ranks?

The major  socioeconomic
problems that exist in Albany County
(and the cities of Albany, Cohoes and
Watervliet) are the result of a growing
population dependent on government.

This population is not self sufficient
and cannot pay for the services it
requires, including: housing, food
healthcare, education, police, fire
and EMT.

The largest expenditures in local
city and county governments can
be traced to the growth of this
dependent population.

How about term limiting and
downsizing the welfare? How
about complete overhaul of
the welfare system that promotes
the dysfunction that occurs in 
households, neighborhoods and
schools, particularly in the City
of Albany?

Note that welfare fraud in
Albany County is increasing
at an alarming rate.

Why should county residents
have to contribute to the support
of a system that is destroying
the cities?

EBT card abuse is widespread.
These cards should be limited
to purchase of food staples.

The same goes for food stamps
and the "SNAP" program.

EBT cards/food stamps are
often used as underground
currency, with recipients
obtaining food from food banks
and depending on schools
to feed their children.

The Section 8 housing program
is responsible for the blight and
destruction of one neighborhood
after another in the City of Albany.

This past Sunday, the Albany Times
Union published a crime map of the
City of Albany.

Overlays of Section 8 housing and
the distribution of social services
dependent households would
correlate closely with this crime
map.

The City of Albany has an aging
population of homeowners in wards
8,9,12,13, 14 and 15 who pay the
lions share of the property taxes
that support city schools and city
government.

Failing city schools , crime and
rising property taxes have created
flight to the suburbs.

As the cities collapse, these
problems are appearing in the
suburbs.

As I predicted last campaign
the Governor's New  York
Education Commission, issued
it's report after the November
6 election. The report contains
a number of recommendations
that essentially expand the
welfare state , which will result
in higher property taxes and
which culminate in spreading
the pain of the cities to the
towns in Albany County.

Refer to Transforming the NYS
education system- The Preliminary
Education Action Plan.

Ever wonder why politicians are
out to transform every aspect of
our lives? Transform America.
Transform Education? Transformations
which are geared to creating a larger
and more dependent welfare population?

The Democratic Party of today, is not
the Democratic Party of Dan O Connell
and John F Kennedy.

Democrats control local, state and national
government. Rank and file Democrats hold
the key to reversing the growth and control
of big government. This will require rising
beyond blind partyline voting - becoming
an informed voter, despite media, which
is largely a PR outlet for those who control
the Democratic Party.

Where to look for a return to smaller
less controlling government which
adheres to  the Constitution and
promotes  our "life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness"?

Don't  look to the Republican Party
it is controlled by me too Democrats
who go along and get along with the
Democrats, and get some patronage
crumbs, including elective office.

Look in the miror, enrolled Democrats.
Only you can save America and your-
selves, and the rest of us.

                                    Joe Sullivan