The $3 Million City Hall Bungle

Who can turn a potential $3 million gain into a $3 million loss for taxpayers?

The Troy City Council Democrats, that's who!

The special panel convened by Council Democrats has decided that instead of selling City Hall for a profit, taxpayers should be stuck with a $3 million bill to fix up the fast-decaying building.

The shameless four months of fumbling by Council Democrats scared away a legitimate offer by Judge Development worth $3 million that would have also seen the current City Hall property redeveloped and put back on the tax rolls. It's likely the Council's unnecessary politicization of the issue will reduce the bids expected to be opened this week.

It was amusing watching Council Dems try, without success, to convince the news media the deal will work out for taxpayers. Except when the Dems had to answer questions about exactly what was accomplished for the city by blocking the $3 million deal put together by Mayor Tutunjian and why exactly it was a good idea to throw $3 million into a building that is crumbling more and more by the day.

It's been quite a month for Council Democrats – caving in without a fight after they were caught violating the City Charter for attempting to punish city employees by lowering their salaries and now, officially blowing up the deal for City Hall and trying to stick Troy taxpayers with a bill for $3 million.