For years, industrial sites that once fueled the city’s economy have sat idle and deteriorating in and around residential areas. Now, the brownfields are presenting an opportunity for residents to re-invent their neighborhoods.
State Workers (Mr. Restifo). I don’t want to debate your feelings about state workers - I had them myself prior to coming to work for NYS 9 yrs ago. But I question whether your opinion stems from the amount of Ms. Poulton’s salary & if you’d feel as strongly were you addressing a state worker making $25,000 a yr? It’s always easy to criticize those making more then you or feel they should not complain. But the fact is when they make changes to our salaries they don’t, unfortunately, base it payscale – the changes affect everyone, equally. The person making $25,000 is hit just as hard as the person making $125,000. It would be great if they used a sliding scale so those earning more, gave more but I doubt that will ever happen. I actually make less working for NYS. I was employed by a company that moved to the Carolinas & for personal reasons I opted to stay in NY. The job market at the time was not great & the only job I found was with NYS. I took a substantial pay cut, had to pay towards my health insurance, had no disability coverage, had to pay union dues & had to give up 5 days of my pay, but I was happy to at least have a job. Please understand, I am not complaining, I am still grateful to have a job & never take anything for granted. But when others so freely think we have some obligation to take pay cuts or give up a week of our pay, it does bother me. I really think you forget about the average Joe who works here, focusing on those making higher salaries. Also you’re misinformed about the “lag pay”. Yes, it’s “postponed” but that could be for years. The last time they did that, people still have not received the funds back & that was well over 9 years ago! I don’t know about you, but as a single person with a mortgage, on medical leave w/o pay – I need every dime I can get. 1 more day without pay for 5 paychecks WILL hurt me & many others as well. Are our benefits great? I guess that depends on what you are comparing them to. In my case they are a lot less then what I got in the corporate arena, but I also know they are much better then others. In addition, my agency, the Dept of Labor is almost fully funded by the Federal Government so my salary has very little effect on NYS coffers yet our salaries would be affected the same as any other state employee. There’s always going to be those who make more & get more. The folks who don’t have criticize those that have, until they have & then they don’t want to give it up. There is simply no easy way out of this mess. The whole economic issue is just out of control, in every area, around the world. There’s so many changes that need to be made & so much waste that needs to be addressed it’s pitiful. But Please remember there are just as many state workers struggling right now as there are those living life large & in an attempt to make the big guys pay you could really end up hurting the little guy & I don’t think even you would like to see that happen
So, let’s stop being the spoiled children and stepchildren and let’s get in the family spirit and get through this hard time together. Remember the words of [Little Orphan] Annie — “the sun’ll come out tomorrow, so you gotta hang on ’til tomorrow, come what may.”
Dear Sir: either you make a really nice salary & can afford to take a pay cut, have your head in the clouds or been smoking something really good! why should state workers bail out the economy? we pay into the tax system just like everyone else, we show up for work, do our jobs and try to live our lives best we can. unless EVERY person in the state of NY, a state employee, private employee, personal business proprietor - everyone - is willing to give up a week of pay, relinquish promised bonuses & promised raises for the next 3 yrs why should state workers? i simply don't get that mentality. yes, there's a lot of "fluff" and overspending but that can be said about most businesses successful and otherwise - the auto industry case in point. i don't see anyone asking those employees to take a pay cut. some of those line workers earn 3x my salary! let the state go after all the deadbeats that don't pay their sales taxes or their employee payroll withholding taxes. that's up in the millions. they let these losers stuff that money in their pockets and buy homes and fancy cars instead of forcing them to pay up. i'm sick of everyone thinking state employees have it so great we can afford to live on less. be careful what you offer up: it's the little guys that are going to be hurt by this - don't think a minute otherwise. so go ahead if you want, start the line, have your cash in hand - let's see how many people line up behind you. I won't be that's for sure, not until they suck it up and take responsibility for the choices and actions that put the state in this mess in the first place and it wasn't me. let's start w/ patterson selling off those $40,000 rugs he just bought!
re: Why are nonprofits so picky about volunteers? Susan, I understand your frustration. You are only trying to be a humanitarian and do something nice for others yet you are being inconvenienced by all the red tape. I too like to volunteer and it has become more time consuming then in the past to do so. Unfortunately even non-profits/volunteer organizations have to belly up to the liability bar these days. I think a lot of it has to do with covering their butts as best they can because all it takes is one problem with a volunteer and they can have a mess on their hands. You know the saying "one bad apple..." Try to understand their side to this and do your best to be accommodating without feeling too inconvenienced. I recently decided to volunteer at the APF (Animal Protective Foundation). I had to complete an application & then attend a meeting where they discussed the APF & volunteer opportunities (this was not required). My application was considered and next I have to go in and meet with them. Yes, this is taking up more of my time then I'd like but I guess you just have to decide what is more important: a bit of your time or the chance to help out a cause you believe in. I think you know the answer
re: "don't blame public emp. for fiscal mess" John, you mirror my sentiments exactly. I've only been working for the state for 8 yrs & I had my impression of a state employee just like many folks do. But I had a bit of a wake-up call once I hit the ground running. Yes, we do have a bit more security because we have a union to help protect our jobs but I worked in the private sector before the state & here's a few comparisons: I had fully pd health ins in the private sector, with the state I pay approx $30 each paycheck. In addition to this deduction I pay union dues based on a % so the more I make the more they get-even if I don't become a member! I also have to pay into their retirement plan I can't opt to invest elsewhere. And you know that .60 deducted from most of your checks for disability coverage? Well although NYS requires all employers must provide this, NYS is exempt. Therefore, if we want disability protection we have to pay for it & it's not cheap. Also for the "privilege" of becoming a state worker I had to loan the state a week of my pay-sure I'll get it back when I retire but have you ever given up a week of your pay? This was when the economy was going well, now they want another week. I’m single I need every dime I earn. How about all you lucky folks who get bonuses because you work hard - we don't get that - we don't even get promoted because we do well at our job. We can only get promoted if we are great test takers! And let me tell you there are a lot of buffoons out there who can pass a test. In order to get my position I had to have a minimum 4yr degree which cost me around $50k - I think I deserve a decent pay in return, don't you? There are so many other things like Holiday parties. We have to pay for them ourselves if we want them and then charge our accruals. In the private sector the company paid for this and closed the office for the day. Can you afford to throw your own Holiday party then use up time to attend it? Many state employees can’t so they don’t get to attend. So please get off your high horses about how great we have it. We are just like everyone else trying to make a decent living. We were promised a negotiated raise - many people made financial decisions based on this; like purchasing homes. It's not fair to put our future on the table to bail out the state - we didn't cause this mess! Get rid of all the contractors getting paid 3x our salary, hired to do jobs we can do and the high salaried political appointments. Until the politicians and private sector business and corporations who created this mess are also willing to put their money on the line don't go looking at mine!
dear wmarincic: don't EVER give up. once you do then you've lost everything. that's what people who don't care rely on, the rest of us allowing them to degrade our neighborhoods, our property values and decent way of - living. A few ideas: - Take pictures - document dates & specific incidents - Write letters to the tenants, the owners; you can get property ownership info from the tax assessor and various online sites. - write letters to the news media, the mayor, other gov. reps etc - talk to your fellow homeowners chances are they feel the same way but don't know what to do or are afraid to say anything. there is power in numbers but don't be afraid to do what you can on your own. when you write your letters use the word "we" and "us" instead of I or me. after the rash of auto break-ins we actually started talking to our neighbors. they all felt as we did but for yrs no one had taken a stand. now we are. take back your neighborhoods and boot these losers out!
Posted on December 26 at 3:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
State Workers (Mr. Restifo). I don’t want to debate your feelings about state workers - I had them myself prior to coming to work for NYS 9 yrs ago. But I question whether your opinion stems from the amount of Ms. Poulton’s salary & if you’d feel as strongly were you addressing a state worker making $25,000 a yr? It’s always easy to criticize those making more then you or feel they should not complain. But the fact is when they make changes to our salaries they don’t, unfortunately, base it payscale – the changes affect everyone, equally. The person making $25,000 is hit just as hard as the person making $125,000. It would be great if they used a sliding scale so those earning more, gave more but I doubt that will ever happen. I actually make less working for NYS. I was employed by a company that moved to the Carolinas & for personal reasons I opted to stay in NY. The job market at the time was not great & the only job I found was with NYS. I took a substantial pay cut, had to pay towards my health insurance, had no disability coverage, had to pay union dues & had to give up 5 days of my pay, but I was happy to at least have a job. Please understand, I am not complaining, I am still grateful to have a job & never take anything for granted. But when others so freely think we have some obligation to take pay cuts or give up a week of our pay, it does bother me. I really think you forget about the average Joe who works here, focusing on those making higher salaries. Also you’re misinformed about the “lag pay”. Yes, it’s “postponed” but that could be for years. The last time they did that, people still have not received the funds back & that was well over 9 years ago! I don’t know about you, but as a single person with a mortgage, on medical leave w/o pay – I need every dime I can get. 1 more day without pay for 5 paychecks WILL hurt me & many others as well. Are our benefits great? I guess that depends on what you are comparing them to. In my case they are a lot less then what I got in the corporate arena, but I also know they are much better then others. In addition, my agency, the Dept of Labor is almost fully funded by the Federal Government so my salary has very little effect on NYS coffers yet our salaries would be affected the same as any other state employee. There’s always going to be those who make more & get more. The folks who don’t have criticize those that have, until they have & then they don’t want to give it up. There is simply no easy way out of this mess. The whole economic issue is just out of control, in every area, around the world. There’s so many changes that need to be made & so much waste that needs to be addressed it’s pitiful. But Please remember there are just as many state workers struggling right now as there are those living life large & in an attempt to make the big guys pay you could really end up hurting the little guy & I don’t think even you would like to see that happen
On Letters to the Editor for Dec. 26