Friday, September 25, 2015

Legislator Chris Allen Arrested

Legislator Chris Allen, the self proclaimed "most respected elected official in Ulster County" was arrested and charged with misdemeanor Assault according to State Police in Catskill.

He is accused of assaulting a teacher in front of her students causing a nasty cut on the back of her neck.   Incredibly, Allen claims the wound was self-inflicted for political purposes.  An asinine explanation for sure.

Let's see if either the Republicans or the Democrats call for his resignation.

As far as I am concerned, he needs to stop accusing the victim and be a man and admit what he did.  Then, he should step down as a legislator.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Chaos in Saugerties Legislative Race.

It seemed the race was over.  A republican forced an OTB and while he and the endorsed Republican split the vote, Democrat Chris Allen won the OTB and took the line.  This left just Angie Minew on the Con and Reform lines.

Looked over until yesterday.

Several news sources report that the State Police are investigating allegations that Allen assaulted a teacher in the presence of her students.

The teacher, a member of a well known and respected Saugerties family, says that Allen grabbed her ID tag hanging from her neck and pulled her causing a 3 inch cut on the back of her neck.

Allen admits an argument though he asserts that he was an absolute gentlemen.  He says he gently touched the ID but denies pulling it.  Allen claims it is a Republican conspiracy against him.

Two questions.  First, if Allen did nothing wrong, why do witnesses say Allen was name dropping when the Police arrived?

Second, there is a picture of a nasty cut on the woman's neck on the Freeman web site.  What caused that?

Are we to believe this lady lacerated her own neck as part of the plot??

The photo of the cut seriously undermines Allen's version of events.

Perhaps the Dems and the Reps should be asking this man to step down.  This kind of behavior is just not acceptable.

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UPDATE

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I was joking when I said that Allen would accuse the victim of cutting herself.  However, the Freeman has amended its story.  It seems that Legislator Allen has now formally accused the teacher of cutting herself as part of the plot.

Based on that, I conclude that Mr. Allen is either stupid, crazy, or both.  Accusing this lady of cutting herself is beyond farfetched.  It is assinine.

Both the Reps and Dems should condemn this man publicly.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Let's Keep It Clean

If someone wants to post an opinion on Kingston politics, go right ahead.

However, vulgarities, accusations of criminal activity without proof, or just plain vicious personal attacks are not welcome here.

This blog encourages intelligent discussion.  If you want to swear or act like a fool, there are other blogs who publish such rubbish.  Go post there.

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Gallo Brings Administrative Charges Against Noble

Mayor Gallo announced that he is bringing administrative charges against Steve Noble for incompetence, dereliction of duty, and for making false statements on grant applications.  In other words, Gallo is starting the process to fire Noble.

Let's be clear, if Noble wins the Mayor's office, he will just discontinue the efforts to fire him and then be granted back pay.  Gallo knows this.  Thus, I have to conclude that this is more of an effort to bring down Noble politically than it is an effort to actually fire him.

By doing it this way, Gallo does not endorse anyone in the race, but works to keep the damaging allegations against Noble in front of the public.

I expect that Noble will still not answer the charges.  After all, they are absolutely true.  I have seen the evidence.  Instead, he will respond in a Clintonian manner.  He will deny wrong doing, claim political retribution by his accuser, claim it is "old news", etc., etc., etc.

The only question now is whether Ron Polacco can get enough votes on Rep, Con, and Ind lines and Gallo's supporters either stay home, write in Gallo, or vote Polacco in enough numbers to give Polacco a narrow win.

Polacco has one other thing for which he must be careful.  He must NOT associate with any of the underhanded political operatives who either will or already have offered their assistance.  While the Conservative City Committee is backing Polacco's candidacy, this would change if he decided to associate his campaign with someone like Blaber.  If that happened, the Conservative Committee would come out against Ron immediately and publicly.

However, I am confident that Ron is politically savvy enough not do something that colossally stupid.  As such, I expect the Conservative Committee will maintain its support for Ron.  Now, let's see if he can pull it off.  He has a real chance, i.e no incumbent, a split democrat party, allegations against his opponent, etc.  It is a real opportunity.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Green Party Write In

According to the BOE, 17 ballots were received.  The winner has not been announced.  I would presume that Steve Noble will win that race given that he is all about Green Party issues.

However, for some reason I have a nagging feeling that Ron Polacco might just get a few votes in that race.

We should know soon, and I will report it.



UPDATE

Noble got 15 of 17 and won the line.

Primary Results

Early returns look bad for Gallo/Provenzano.

Sources tell me that Noble leads Gallo 880 to 668 and in the Alderman at Large race Noble leads Provenzano 829 to 625.

If this unofficial information I am getting is true, it means that the far left liberals have successfully taken over the City Democratic Party.

I hope this information I am getting is wrong.  Stay neutral?


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UPDATE
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BOE and Freeman have confirmed my numbers.  Noble and Noble have won.  The Democrat Alderman races went for all liberals by big numbers.

First, congratulations to Noble and Noble.  They pulled off the upset for Mayor.

Next Question--  Will Shayne Gallo endorse Noble?  Polacco?


Monday, September 7, 2015

Hinchey Endorses Gallo

I have never been a fan of Maurice Hinchey.  I have always recognized though his standing among Democrats.  His support in a Democrat primary is HUGE.

Yesterday, an ad appeared in the Freeman wherein Hinchey endorsed Gallo.  Like Hinchey or not (and I don't), this is a big endorsement.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

More Information on Grant Scandal

A mailing was sent out a few days ago by Shayne Gallo containing detailed information about the various problems with grants caused by Steve Noble.  This letter also absolutely destroys the assertions of Jim Sottile in his recent letter to the editor.

Jim tried to give Steve Noble credit for 16 grants.  It turns out that 9 of these grants were solely during the tenure of Steve FINKEL, not Steve Noble.  Other grants were also not Steve Noble, but were actually by either former Congressman Hinchey, School district, CDBG, etc.  Some of these were: Walkway along the Rondout Creek; Kirkland Hotel; Treatment Plant upgrades; new parking lot for Trolley Museum; Carnegie Library; Wilbur Avenue Pump Station; Wilbur Avenue siphon line; and, sewer work on at least 11 streets.

Several other grants are in jeopardy: NYS Watershed Mangement, NYS Estuary Grant, Ulster County Youth Bureau, Kinderland, etc.

Some more interesting facts were brought forth as well.

a)  The city will not be reimbursed over $90,000.00 on the Recycling grant due to insufficient time demonstrated by Noble as required by the terms of the grant;

b)  Apparently, Noble promised 50% of his work hours for a work year for three years for three different grants covering the same time period.  The grants were Recycling Education Coordinator, Zoo grant, and Youth Bureau.  Thank about this, one cannot promise and deliver 150% of time during the same period of time.  One can only donate 100% of the time.  To offer more than 100% begs the question of double dipping or repeat reporting of the same time,

c)  There have been misrepresentations apparently made by Steve Noble concerning the Fishing Pier.  It seems that Steve Noble certified in writing in December 2014 that the pier: (1) was finished; (2) was in the City of Kingston; (3) was ADA compliant and handicap accessible; and, (4) would be installed in the Rondout in May 2015.

All 4 of these things are NOT true.  It is not finished.  It is not in Kingston.  It is not  ADA compliant and/or handicap accessible.  May 2015 has passed and it is not installed.

At the recent debate, Noble stated that the pier is finished and being delivered.  This is false and he knew it was false at the time of the debate.  He was advised of all of this information in an email 5 days before the debate.   He intentionally and deliberately lied.

These are all very concerning.  Lies, mistakes, and distortions on grant applications?  Blatant lies during a debate?

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At this stage, it becomes clear that voting for Steve Noble would be a colossal mistake.  The next Mayor must be either Gallo or Polacco.  Noble was convinced to run by Democrats (Anti Gallocrats) who just plain hate Shayne Gallo, i.e. Hoffay, Landi, Will, Dunn, both Donaldsons, Blaber, Madsen, etc.  In my opinion, he is being used by the Anti Gallocrats.  He may very well be a real nice guy.  (I don't know him personally). He is not ready for the big chair and is being used.

If Noble wins, you can expect Hoffay to be City Clerk.  Blaber, Madsen, and Fuentes will be immediately rehired.  The city will be run not by the Mayor or the Council, but by a handful of party elites who are so far to the left they make Obama seem conservative.

Get out and Vote on 9/10.