Troy Politics

Council Caves In

After seeing a plan to impose a new library tax defeated soundly by voters, after getting beaten in court yet again and having their charter plan declared illegal, and after running a dishonest campaign against charter changes that would have reduced spending in city government, leading to a possible inquiry by the New York State Board of Elections, Troy Council Democrats took the easy route and simply threw in the towel before another fight with popular Mayor Harry Tutunjian.

The Catastrophe Council proposed yet another charter commission this weekend, perhaps in an attempt to avoid a backlash from Troy voters upset that Council Democrats lied to the public and misrepresented the Tutunjian charter plan. Let's do it bi-partisan style, say Council Democrats.

A careful look shows Council Democrats really don't mean what they say about making needed changes to the charter and here is why:

1. Democrats were already invited to participate in the mayor's charter commission and refused. Plus, the mayor's charter commission was bi-partisan, including a handful of Democrats.
2. Democrats really wanted to hijack the whole charter process, but the state courts declared the Council Democrat's-Jim Conroy charter commission illegal, so that option is out.
3. Mayor Tutunjian's plan makes sense, which is why it was endorsed by The Record. Reducing the Council and streamlining city government makes all the financial sense in the world.
4. Democrats lied to voters the Tutunjian changes would increase the size and cost of city government; now that the truth is circulating around Troy, city voters are getting pissed and the Council Democrats are losing credibility. In a separate article in The Record, Democrats were pinned for their out and out lies on the charter.
5. After getting caught lying, and getting trounced in the courts, Democrats are hoping to throw voters off their trail by proposing a new charter commission and pledging to work with the Mayor. And they are so serious about working with the Mayor that they sent out a press release about the invitation before telling the Mayor himself. That's Council Class!

No Plea Needed

Former tough-as-nail, take-no-prisoners prosecutor, Mr. Day One Everything Changes himself, Eliot Spitzer, landed a real creampuff of a deal for himself.

In the Tank

Was The Media in the tank for The One? Well, yes, according to The Media.