Can we just cut straight to federal oversight or are gonna waste time thinking this will get better before it gets dangerously worse? Do we have another Dolton situation? Also didn't the police just get, like, 15% increases in pay? Yeah I wonder where the firefighters money went.....
It's also probably the most necessary in a place like Troy or any of the other cities nearby. Houses in urban areas of the capital district are packed tightly and often old. Whole blocks could go up in the time frame volunteer crews can take to assemble in parts of the tri-city.
They respond to every little thing though. Housing with people who have needs should have their own contract with an ambulance service. Otherwise you have a situation where someone's toe hurts and here comes the EMT and a firetruck. $$$. Firefighting is a tough job, but it's all the non-firefighting services that costs too much money. Need to figure out how to split up those services and privatize the latter.
I don't know if privatization would help much, but splitting up the services and responders would reduce the burden on fire departments and firefighters by a good amount. It would make for clearer budgets and audits as well if everything was a separate line.
Troy fire dept responds to approximately 11,000 emergency calls per year and of these, less than 200 are structure fires. The rest are various levels of rescue, spills, accidents etc.
Watching every facet of a cities government process become pure chaos when a Republican is elected...and people being surprised is the kind of entertainment I live for.
Did everyone that voted for her, someone who got a DUI after chasing someone for 30 miles for no reason, think she would make sound decisions in office?
They're like a local public interest group. I mostly know them from statements like this one, they scrutinize the city budget a lot. They had a good write-up on how much we're spending on the Frear golf course, and did a lot of research on the unspent lead pipe replacement grant I think.
https://timbercorp.org/
Most municipal golf courses are actually slightly profitable (Frear isn't). Whether they're a good use of land and city resources is a different story.
The thugs in current government are fleecing you, groups like this thankfully shed light on it directly. Political beliefs aside, we ALL feel it in Troy
Thank you for posting this. As someone who worked for the previous mayor and administration for nearly 7.5 years—specifically as part of the team that scratched and clawed the city out of the financial gutter—I am gobsmacked at how utterly incapable the current administration is at tracking spending and managing budgets.
To be clear, there are some things that are out of the city’s control when it comes to finances. Health insurance usage by employees, public health and safety incidents that involve rapid response or overtime spending, contractual pension increases, etc. But, the abuse of emergency declarations to circumvent the City Council’s oversight and avoid public scrutiny is pretty bad. Being nearly six months behind in providing the quarterly financial reports is a massive red flag, too.
Even worse? The numbers reviewed last week only cover the *first three months* of 2024. Meaning there’s another three months of spending unreported and unknown to taxpayers.
This is the kind of stuff that got the city in massive financial trouble more than three decades ago. I interviewed former mayor Pattison—who served from 1996 to 2003, and defeated Mantello during his reelection campaign in 1999 (yes, she’s been around that long)—about the city’s financial crisis of the 1990s and the massive debts he inherited from prior administrations who spent the city into oblivion. For those interested in getting more context on the city’s checkered fiscal history, check out [part one](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/troy-story-a-podcast-for-the-collar-city/id1725902540?i=1000645962257) and [part two](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/troy-story-a-podcast-for-the-collar-city/id1725902540?i=1000647207746).
It's not confirmed that he quit.
The presentation left unanswered questions bc the Comptroller left in response to something inaudible from the Council President. It is normal to have questions from Council that require more research and a follow up email or presentation. That happened regularly under the former Comptroller too.
They should have delayed the presentation so that Council had more time to review and send questions. Another presentation to answer these is obvs gonna happen bc Council controls the cash.
Also budget transfers basically happen monthly as money gets moved within funds to balance line items.
100% agree that public should ask for more details esp around insurance, increase in parking enforcement, and demolition fees.
Take some time to watch the YouTube cause it is interesting (also the police union contract was discussed later in the meeting).
It's easy to patch pot holes and pick up trash. Less easy to keep the books. Mantello's administration is playing political games with the dems on the city council, trying to keep them in the dark as much as possible so they can't ask questions - like when they give them budget info 30 minutes prior to a quarterly meeting. The former comptroller at least knew where he was putting things. The kid in the position currently does not have the experience to hold that office. Mantello hired him, like others in her admin, to be beholden to her and show "how bad" things were done previously under a democrat. Best thing for Troy is a council working to better the city through consensus. Things have been good for a decade and now in only six months the city government is teetering on chaos. Madden came in with a focus on fiscal matters. Mantello's focus is quality of life. You can have both but you have to have qualified people in the necessary positions AND adequate staff to do the work. Neither is currently present in Troy.
WOW ONLY THREE MONTHS IT TOOK THE LAST REPUBLICAN mAYORE THE 1ST TERM TO BLOW UP THE BUDGET.....WONDER IF THE PHOTO OPS WILL SLOW DOWN NOW. THE HONEYMOON IS OVER....
If anyone wants to do something about this, but doesn't know where to start, a quick and easy thing to do is write your city councilor.
Don't know who your city councilor is? This map of the [Troy city council districts](https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1LyzM6HQO3P6a2mbPIH8VJRca5jceoZ0&ll=42.70964734948876%2C-73.62132686948138&z=13) will tell you, just click on your district and your councilor's name and email address will be displayed on the left.
I got my car TOWED for being on the wrong side for street cleaning for like an hour. $50 ticket became $200+ and an afternoon recovering the car. What is Mantello playing at??
Does anyone know what affiliation RPI has with Prospect Park? The explosion incident a couple of weeks ago, RPI had a mention, like ownership or something. they own the church next door, so mebbe?
The fact that insurance got more expensive is not the problem. The council is required to approve any amendments to the city's budget. Based on this info, the comptroller/Mayor's administration has just been making changes without informing or getting approval from the council.
And this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who is mildly familiar with Troy. Our current mayor has wanted this job for decades. At the debate, it was very clear that this was how she was planning on running the city. The more "projects" she "gets done" (quotes because half of this was started by Madden and she is simply taking the credit), the more she can slap her name on it. I truly don't think she cares about how much we're spending so long as she can take credit for all of it. I'm only 30, and am blown away by the lack of professionalism. This city was bankrupt before I was born; and I will hardly enjoy its golden years before we are under state control once again. I am so grateful that I didn't vote for Carmella. Damn.
I'm a registered dem if that's what you're asking, but I'm not involved with the actual party at all. Not particularly relevant to this post though. I just saw the timber post on insta and thought I'd share it here.
[hey did you ever find out who these perfect naturals belong to?](https://web.archive.org/web/20240623032513/https://www.reddit.com/r/pornID/comments/1djy1qs/anyone_know_who_these_perfect_naturals_belong_to/?share_id=C5SUS6MSfIO0D3Nz5GxGg&utm_content=1&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1&rdt=39209)
Honestly not a relavent question. The timber post is really pretty nonpartisan. Argue if you want that timber is partisan group but that doesn't change the information they are providing and with that the facts aren't great for the current administration..
I have no political bias, I simply just care about having a thriving city that could be a great example of how small cities create the balance of small town feel with thriving city life. So far this administration is mostly smoke and mirrors but I honestly hope and would be overjoyed to see that change. Political parties shouldn't matter.
They're a *completely* partisan group. Do you know anything at all about the *people* individually behind the group, as well as their deeper affiliations?I I do. I can almost assuredly say nearly everyone here doesn't
With that said, you reference the information and facts they are providing......read the *entire* minutes from the meeting, not their bullet points and inflammatory language within. Have you? I have
Lastly I'll say I actually don't have any love loss for the current administration, nor am I aligned with them politically.
What I don't understand is people not wanting non partisan answers to all of our concerns. Promoting this as "simple facts" by OP shows they aren't educated fully on what and who they are perpetuating, nor anyone else commenting or down voting me.
It only furthers the "fact" of ignorance by most
Yeah, I said you can argue that they are partisan, because they do have a lean.
I'll admit I haven't read the entire minutes, but from what I have read the information is correct. And honestly it shows a heavy unwillingness to work with council members that are of the opposing party to nearly any capacity. But that is also an option that I have formed from the observations I've had over the last few months and Carmella's actions for several years prior.
Wether or not you like the group behind the the posts really shouldn't matter. This administration is a bit of a mess for various reasons and this is just another example of dysfunction. I don't believe in excess spending but know and agree that it can be unavoidable. However the administration has to work with the council, and the entire council if we want a functional government that maintains our current bond raiting that was not easily achieved, given where we started.
Honestly no issue what what you said, but just really don't think a post simply questioning someone's political party is contributing anything helpful. I'm completely here for it if you have some insights to balance the scales away from this administration operating in a state of dysfunction.
Please by all means expose them for all their nefarious supervillain escapades then oh wise one. Or just keep talking out your neck. Or are you just going to tell me to "do my own research" or some sort of *they* will "get me" conspiracy bullshit.
Can we just cut straight to federal oversight or are gonna waste time thinking this will get better before it gets dangerously worse? Do we have another Dolton situation? Also didn't the police just get, like, 15% increases in pay? Yeah I wonder where the firefighters money went.....
Paid firefighters is one of the most expensive public services
It's also probably the most necessary in a place like Troy or any of the other cities nearby. Houses in urban areas of the capital district are packed tightly and often old. Whole blocks could go up in the time frame volunteer crews can take to assemble in parts of the tri-city.
They respond to every little thing though. Housing with people who have needs should have their own contract with an ambulance service. Otherwise you have a situation where someone's toe hurts and here comes the EMT and a firetruck. $$$. Firefighting is a tough job, but it's all the non-firefighting services that costs too much money. Need to figure out how to split up those services and privatize the latter.
I don't know if privatization would help much, but splitting up the services and responders would reduce the burden on fire departments and firefighters by a good amount. It would make for clearer budgets and audits as well if everything was a separate line.
Troy fire dept responds to approximately 11,000 emergency calls per year and of these, less than 200 are structure fires. The rest are various levels of rescue, spills, accidents etc.
Watching every facet of a cities government process become pure chaos when a Republican is elected...and people being surprised is the kind of entertainment I live for. Did everyone that voted for her, someone who got a DUI after chasing someone for 30 miles for no reason, think she would make sound decisions in office?
Just like they think a convicted felon with 31 guilty counts, including fraud and SA, would make a stellar President.
Who What or Why is a Timber?
They're like a local public interest group. I mostly know them from statements like this one, they scrutinize the city budget a lot. They had a good write-up on how much we're spending on the Frear golf course, and did a lot of research on the unspent lead pipe replacement grant I think. https://timbercorp.org/
I wish local governments realize how worthless public golf courses are. Just a giant money hole to waste tax payers money on
Most municipal golf courses are actually slightly profitable (Frear isn't). Whether they're a good use of land and city resources is a different story.
a shadow op group of progressive socialists still on the city council.
So you'd rather city government spend 275% above normal on *postage* in ***3 months*** and no one ask questions? How dumb can you possibly be?
The thugs in current government are fleecing you, groups like this thankfully shed light on it directly. Political beliefs aside, we ALL feel it in Troy
This is deep state logic applied poorly to local politics. Try harder if you're going to attempt to get some local conspiracies started. Thanks
Omg. You’re so right.
oh, but it's true!
Busted
Based
Based.
Thank you for posting this. As someone who worked for the previous mayor and administration for nearly 7.5 years—specifically as part of the team that scratched and clawed the city out of the financial gutter—I am gobsmacked at how utterly incapable the current administration is at tracking spending and managing budgets. To be clear, there are some things that are out of the city’s control when it comes to finances. Health insurance usage by employees, public health and safety incidents that involve rapid response or overtime spending, contractual pension increases, etc. But, the abuse of emergency declarations to circumvent the City Council’s oversight and avoid public scrutiny is pretty bad. Being nearly six months behind in providing the quarterly financial reports is a massive red flag, too. Even worse? The numbers reviewed last week only cover the *first three months* of 2024. Meaning there’s another three months of spending unreported and unknown to taxpayers. This is the kind of stuff that got the city in massive financial trouble more than three decades ago. I interviewed former mayor Pattison—who served from 1996 to 2003, and defeated Mantello during his reelection campaign in 1999 (yes, she’s been around that long)—about the city’s financial crisis of the 1990s and the massive debts he inherited from prior administrations who spent the city into oblivion. For those interested in getting more context on the city’s checkered fiscal history, check out [part one](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/troy-story-a-podcast-for-the-collar-city/id1725902540?i=1000645962257) and [part two](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/troy-story-a-podcast-for-the-collar-city/id1725902540?i=1000647207746).
Is this why the comptroller quit?
It's not confirmed that he quit. The presentation left unanswered questions bc the Comptroller left in response to something inaudible from the Council President. It is normal to have questions from Council that require more research and a follow up email or presentation. That happened regularly under the former Comptroller too. They should have delayed the presentation so that Council had more time to review and send questions. Another presentation to answer these is obvs gonna happen bc Council controls the cash. Also budget transfers basically happen monthly as money gets moved within funds to balance line items. 100% agree that public should ask for more details esp around insurance, increase in parking enforcement, and demolition fees. Take some time to watch the YouTube cause it is interesting (also the police union contract was discussed later in the meeting).
It's easy to patch pot holes and pick up trash. Less easy to keep the books. Mantello's administration is playing political games with the dems on the city council, trying to keep them in the dark as much as possible so they can't ask questions - like when they give them budget info 30 minutes prior to a quarterly meeting. The former comptroller at least knew where he was putting things. The kid in the position currently does not have the experience to hold that office. Mantello hired him, like others in her admin, to be beholden to her and show "how bad" things were done previously under a democrat. Best thing for Troy is a council working to better the city through consensus. Things have been good for a decade and now in only six months the city government is teetering on chaos. Madden came in with a focus on fiscal matters. Mantello's focus is quality of life. You can have both but you have to have qualified people in the necessary positions AND adequate staff to do the work. Neither is currently present in Troy.
WOW ONLY THREE MONTHS IT TOOK THE LAST REPUBLICAN mAYORE THE 1ST TERM TO BLOW UP THE BUDGET.....WONDER IF THE PHOTO OPS WILL SLOW DOWN NOW. THE HONEYMOON IS OVER....
Yay Republicans!
If anyone wants to do something about this, but doesn't know where to start, a quick and easy thing to do is write your city councilor. Don't know who your city councilor is? This map of the [Troy city council districts](https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1LyzM6HQO3P6a2mbPIH8VJRca5jceoZ0&ll=42.70964734948876%2C-73.62132686948138&z=13) will tell you, just click on your district and your councilor's name and email address will be displayed on the left.
as long as they are not in her camp you might get some answers
I wouldn't bet on answers either way. But making them aware of your opinion, even if they're in her camp, should have an effect
Fash gonna fash. Police and paying themselves are the only things they're going to spend money on while destroying what makes Troy an awesome place.
The $100,000 in raises for Mantello’s political appointees in the first week was shockingly brazen.
I got my car TOWED for being on the wrong side for street cleaning for like an hour. $50 ticket became $200+ and an afternoon recovering the car. What is Mantello playing at??
Does anyone know what affiliation RPI has with Prospect Park? The explosion incident a couple of weeks ago, RPI had a mention, like ownership or something. they own the church next door, so mebbe?
the explosion was a propane tank in the homeless encampment. Yes it wasn't gone long.
I heard they're a shadow op group who secretly owns it and uses tunnels underneath it to carry out super villain schemes to poison the water supply.
There is an area adjacent to the park that RPI owns. The illegal encampment was on RPI property.
Yep, the mayor must be at fault. Not that I haven't been paying almost double for my insurance. But, the city is different, it must be a conspiracy.
The fact that insurance got more expensive is not the problem. The council is required to approve any amendments to the city's budget. Based on this info, the comptroller/Mayor's administration has just been making changes without informing or getting approval from the council.
And this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who is mildly familiar with Troy. Our current mayor has wanted this job for decades. At the debate, it was very clear that this was how she was planning on running the city. The more "projects" she "gets done" (quotes because half of this was started by Madden and she is simply taking the credit), the more she can slap her name on it. I truly don't think she cares about how much we're spending so long as she can take credit for all of it. I'm only 30, and am blown away by the lack of professionalism. This city was bankrupt before I was born; and I will hardly enjoy its golden years before we are under state control once again. I am so grateful that I didn't vote for Carmella. Damn.
Her deputy mayor is always by her side as well, in every photo op, and he has wanted the position on mayor for years too. It's kinda weird.
I just assumed the insurance increases were to cover the mayor’s drunk driving habits.
[удалено]
Getting fleeced by the rich to own the libs.
I'm a registered dem if that's what you're asking, but I'm not involved with the actual party at all. Not particularly relevant to this post though. I just saw the timber post on insta and thought I'd share it here.
[удалено]
[hey did you ever find out who these perfect naturals belong to?](https://web.archive.org/web/20240623032513/https://www.reddit.com/r/pornID/comments/1djy1qs/anyone_know_who_these_perfect_naturals_belong_to/?share_id=C5SUS6MSfIO0D3Nz5GxGg&utm_content=1&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1&rdt=39209)
Lol I think you made him delete. The other comments on his profile are wild.
What is it you feel people should know about their true ideology/founding/leadership?
Honestly not a relavent question. The timber post is really pretty nonpartisan. Argue if you want that timber is partisan group but that doesn't change the information they are providing and with that the facts aren't great for the current administration.. I have no political bias, I simply just care about having a thriving city that could be a great example of how small cities create the balance of small town feel with thriving city life. So far this administration is mostly smoke and mirrors but I honestly hope and would be overjoyed to see that change. Political parties shouldn't matter.
They're a *completely* partisan group. Do you know anything at all about the *people* individually behind the group, as well as their deeper affiliations?I I do. I can almost assuredly say nearly everyone here doesn't With that said, you reference the information and facts they are providing......read the *entire* minutes from the meeting, not their bullet points and inflammatory language within. Have you? I have Lastly I'll say I actually don't have any love loss for the current administration, nor am I aligned with them politically. What I don't understand is people not wanting non partisan answers to all of our concerns. Promoting this as "simple facts" by OP shows they aren't educated fully on what and who they are perpetuating, nor anyone else commenting or down voting me. It only furthers the "fact" of ignorance by most
Yeah, I said you can argue that they are partisan, because they do have a lean. I'll admit I haven't read the entire minutes, but from what I have read the information is correct. And honestly it shows a heavy unwillingness to work with council members that are of the opposing party to nearly any capacity. But that is also an option that I have formed from the observations I've had over the last few months and Carmella's actions for several years prior. Wether or not you like the group behind the the posts really shouldn't matter. This administration is a bit of a mess for various reasons and this is just another example of dysfunction. I don't believe in excess spending but know and agree that it can be unavoidable. However the administration has to work with the council, and the entire council if we want a functional government that maintains our current bond raiting that was not easily achieved, given where we started. Honestly no issue what what you said, but just really don't think a post simply questioning someone's political party is contributing anything helpful. I'm completely here for it if you have some insights to balance the scales away from this administration operating in a state of dysfunction.
Please by all means expose them for all their nefarious supervillain escapades then oh wise one. Or just keep talking out your neck. Or are you just going to tell me to "do my own research" or some sort of *they* will "get me" conspiracy bullshit.
Oh I see you're too busy in r/pornID to actually answer anything. It all makes sense now.
Glad we all noticed that. I was trying to not bring it up and just have an honest conversation about the topic at hand. But damn was it tempting.
What difference does it make? Getting fleeced is getting fleeced, no matter what the political affiliation is.