Water theft and Zoo cuts (New Video)

[tanouryjr]

[tanouryjr]

BTW - That picture of Utica I found on Google. I hope it's not one of Strike's, and if it is I apologize. I thought it was a great picture though.

[bobbbiez]

Larry, very, very well stated.

Just wish our other legislators remember that the Zoo is in Utica but "ALL" enjoy and visit it.

All the activities held at the Utica Zoo is attended by "ALL' and the financial support should come from "ALL", meaning the County.

[Clipper]

That is right Bobbbiez. Utica Zoo isn't the Bronx Zoo or the National Zoo in DC, but it is a nice small zoo, and a great place to spend an afternoon. When my boys were younger, I was a member of the zoo. It was a good place to go wile away an afternoon and to watch the animals play and have a picnic lunch. People from all over the county visit the zoo and people from all over the county should support it.

I don't know about anyone else, but the Utica Zoo still catches my interest even at my age. I was at the zoo not too long before I moved here to Tennessee in 2002. Yes Syracuse has a much larger zoo, but then you have to drive 40 miles to see it and pay a much higher admission charge.

[Ralph]

That was excellent Larry!!!! Very well put.

The Utica Zoo is a great place, though its budget has forced it to look more like an eccentric gentleman's hobby than a real up-to-date zoo.

I feel sorry for the animals there knowing the cost of taking care of exotic creatures.......and we only have the birds!

[tanouryjr]

Thanks for the support guys. What we need is a total overhaul of the budget process and county government as a whole. If the people knew of all the layers of duplicate government and pork in the budget they would puke.

[Clipper]

The whole concept of government has taken on the same look. The question is where do we start? Do we start at the top and work down, or do we start locally and work up? I think you are doing the right thing and the concept of starting close to home is the correct way to make your voice heard and get results. I don't know the answer to the problem on the city level. I don't know what the cure is when you have a mayor that folds and sucks up to the county, costing the city a ton of money in lost county services being transferred to the debit column of the city budget.

Does anyone else think that the only salvation for Utica would be for a search committee to find a mayoral candidate from out of town, through a "hiring process," instead of an election? Here in the south, many cities have a "City Manager" structure in city hall, that hires an experienced manager that makes the city's financial and hiring decisions, and the mayor is a position elected among the city council members, to lead the council. the city manager has a contract for his employment, and can be fired or renewed at specified times in his tenure. That concept seems to take the partisan politics out of city business to a certain extent, and we get sound financial responsibility by a qualified individual. Believe me when I tell you, that it seems to work for the cities around here, and their city taxes are kept low. Political bullshit doesn't fly around here. RECALLS are used to get rid of deadwood and crooks. The city of Bristol Tn had a recall election a few years back and dumped a couple of people on the council that were trying use eminent domain to assist a "friend" that was a developer gain some very valuable land near the speedway for condos. The project was nixed by law, but the citizens were so pissed off that they recalled and tossed the council persons playing the game.

We take our budget issues seriously here, and when cuts need to be made, they are across the board, whether they hurt or not. Our quality of life here is no less desireable because of the lack of pork or unnecessary services and patronage. What works for cities here, would work at the county level also. A "QUALIFIED" county manager could be recruited, instead of a partisan CE running the county into the ground. Powers should be limited, leaving most decisions to a majority of representatives at the county level. That alone can be precarious, without putting the county's check book in the hands of a nitwit that spends our money where HE sees fit, pandering to his buddies and special interests, and then passes the buck to the city.

Politicians that push for ill conceived projects or pander to special interests and unpopular issues around here are NOT re-elected, and can be recalled without hesitation.

I think that the answer lies in the hands of a committee called "CHARTER REVISION." The charter can be changed to accomodate whatever is necessary to insure sound government. It is a responsibility to be met without political interference. It is a responsibility to the WHOLE county and not just one administration or party. It will take people like Larry Tanoury, that are willing to put party politics and special interests aside and do what is good for the county's citizens. Charter revision can take the reigns of government from the hands of crooks and hand them over to responsible parties with the good of the county in mind.

[snickers]

Well, the Utica Zoo looked like "an eccentric gentlemen's hobby" when I first saw it in 1975. It hasn't improved.

[snickers]

Now, that's NOT to say there has been lack of effort or a caring staff. (sorry, hit the post button prematurely there)

What this county does lack is $$$$$$$. After all, we are now responsible for every pregnancy , every illegitimate kid born, all their breakfasts, lunches, entertainment, education, Christmas stocking, medical care and summer camp outing. We must welcome busloads of refugees and provide them with the same services plus transportation and translators. There is just so much money to go around. We can't afford the fancy pets, too.

[dgriffin]

Don't forget the money we get from the state and feds for these needs, which I bring up almost sarcastically because it originates in our pockets and we'll be seeing less of it coming home in the future, what with the "new crisis." (Isn't there always a crisis?)

[snickers]

Federal, State, County, City.....it's all coming from the same threadbare pair of pants, just different pockets.

Makes me cringe every time someone says oh, that comes from Federal funds.....NOT County taxes....SO IT WON'T COST US TAXPAYERS A DIME (one glaring example, Rome's Taj Mahal high school).

[dgriffin]

We're thinking of possibly moving to the Albany area as we get older (kids live there.) We happened to be up there today and passed by the high school in the suburb where we'd prefer to locate, even though their taxes are rather high. Driving by the high school "campus," one can see the pool building, fields and tracks and wonderful technology-filled buildings. I told my wife I'd be resentful every time I passed it on the way to visit the grandchildren. "Think of how you'd feel," she said, "if you were younger and WORKING, trying to pay your bills AND the taxes when your drove by."

[bobbbiez]

Snickers, Utica's Zoo might be small. You might think it looks like "an eccentric gentlemen's hobby", and you have a right to your opinion but the smiles on my grandkids and their friends faces every time I bring them to the Zoo is priceless and contradicts how you feel about it. ;D

The animals and the annual events held there are a tourist attraction and a plus for us who live here. No reason the County can not afford to help them out. The Country will only find other areas to throw cash into as far as entertainment and attractions.

The Zoo has not enlarged or improved since you were there last because of the funding not given to them as in other fields. With what they are allowed, and the donations they receive from private citizens, they're doing a damn good job keeping things going for all to enjoy.

[lioneljoe]

Larry,
thank you for looking out for us. Have a Happpy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
BTW, I hope that you do run for county executive. I'm one of many republicans who will be voting for you.

[snickers]

Nov 24, 2008 21:32:55 GMT -5 bobbbiez said:

Snickers, Utica's Zoo might be small. You might think it looks like "an eccentric gentlemen's hobby", and you have a right to your opinion but the smiles on my grandkids and their friends faces every time I bring them to the Zoo is priceless and contradicts how you feel about it. ;D

The animals and the annual events held there are a tourist attraction and a plus for us who live here. No reason the County can not afford to help them out. The Country will only find other areas to throw cash into as far as entertainment and attractions.

The Zoo has not enlarged or improved since you were there last because of the funding not given to them as in other fields. With what they are allowed, and the donations they receive from private citizens, they're doing a damn good job keeping things going for all to enjoy.

I'm glad your grandkids enjoy it.

But YEAH! there's a reason the County can't afford the place - we taxpayers have to pay for everybody's every little wince and complaint...and WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY!!!

Call me selfish, but if we have to support every pewling bastard born in this area until he grows up and moves elsewhere, we can't afford the fancy duck pond your grandkids llike to visit. And I don't intend to lose my home because confiscatory taxes drive me out of it to take care of the above mentioned bastards OR your grandkids' passing entertainment!