The staff at Ulster Politics has been following the jail situation for years. A lot of things grow on trees in Ulster County, but no one has told our Good Old Boys Government in Ulster County that money is not one of those things.We arranged to build a jail for $50 million. We wrote checks for close to $100 million dollars.
If this were a house that you were building, and the architect, engineers and builder all agreed that it would cost you $500,000 to build, that is what you would expect. Of course there are always changes and add ons during construction, but as the person paying the bills, you would hold your architect, engineers and builder accountable to come in pretty close to what you agreed to spend.
Imagine if that house that you were building ended up costing $1 million dollars. We're sorry, but the staff at Ulster Politics can't imagine that happening, because we pay attention to what is happening with our money. But because our Good Old Boys Government in Ulster County thinks that money grows on trees, they let that happen with our jail.
We just received a press release from the Bernardo campaign, and couldn't agree more with their take on the recent turn of events with the jail situation.
STATEMENT BY LEN BERNARDO
Regarding Lack of Criminal Prosecution
in Ulster County Jail Case
Regarding Lack of Criminal Prosecution
in Ulster County Jail Case
The Jail fiasco stands as the best evidence of the need for real change in Ulster County Government. From the Legislature that was not on top of the ball, to the Treasurer's office which failed to stay on top of the stunning financial errors of the jail, to a County Administrator's office asleep at the switch, this was government dysfunction at its best.
We need to sweep out the old network of insiders from both major parties who have for too long taken care of themselves at the expense of the taxpayers.
As County Executive, I would work with reform minded leaders of any political party to move our government from the Cadillac we can't afford to the Chevy that we need.
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17 comments:
I'd like to see Jim Quigley look into this. I bet he would get to the bottom of it.
Sure he could. A special Grand Jury (made up of members of the public), The DA's office, the state comptroller's offfice and a special investigative panel couldn't find anything. But Quigley will? OK.
Where does Spada & Oliveri fit in all this, there are an awful lot of rumblings about them, not to mention they now are backing a Democrat Hein because of their affinity for the Democrat/ Republican Lew Kirschner
Funny I don't see Bernardo riding in a chevy...a nice Mercedes Binz
Good Old Boys = Spada, Kirschner, Hein, Oliveri, Williams and Sottile.
Spending other people's $$$$$
And does the District Attorney escape unscathed? Talk about dropping the ball, a first year legal secretary knows better than to let an important date go by. And to brush if off by saying that Harvey Sleight could have let it go by and got his day in court is the most ludicrous comment ever.
Bernardo drives a Benz because he EARNED IT the hard way by starting his own business.
Maybe if we elect him, he can bring some jobs to Ulster County so we all can make some money like him.
The apple doesn't fall from the tree. Bernardo knows how to make money. I'm voting for him.
Len drives a Chevy also...BIG pick-up truck, used it last winter to pull me out of a ditch. You can't drive analogies, so give it a rest, morons.
Bernard riding in a Mercedes Binz shows that he spends his own money on things he wants and not the tax payers money. It just shows that he knows how to earn money. I mean if im sure you would be driving a Mercedes Binz if you were making that much money. But not many people are gona make that kind of money in Ulster County because the Good Old Boys do not know how to bring jobs to Ulster County. So the people making the most money work in a different county with better paying jobs. Lets show support for people who will make Ulster County a better place to work and live. Bernardo/Quigley 08'
Puh-lease.
Bernardo tries to make it sound like Hein's fault. Give me a break. Hein's the one who instituted changes in the Treasurer's office to avoid this crap in the future. He's the one who called out the Republican's on their total mismanagement and then left the GOP to become a Democrat.
The jail was NOT Hein's fault but the fault of poor (if not corrupt) legislative oversight.
We know what Hein drives - a truck. The same truck that SITS AT THE COUNTY BUILDING ALL DAY while Hein is not in there.
We know where the truck is, but where is Mike?
How can you be the Deputy Treasurer and claim you had nothing to do with the jail.
I never heard Hein say once 'DON'T PAY THAT BILL'. How come he didn't say "no more". Instead, the cost overruns mounted and those bills got paid.
You wouldn't pay a bill in your own household that you didn't believe was legally charged to you, so why do it with the taxpayer's money for the jail???
Len Bernardo, an independent running on Republican, Conservative and Independence party lines, said the whole affair was rooted in a lack of managerial oversight at the top of county government. Among others, Bernardo pointed the finger at Hein.
"He was the deputy treasurer and he was signing the checks," Bernardo said, referring to Hein's former position in the Ulster County Treasurer's Office.
Hein shot back that Bernardo is uninformed and that his comment shows "the "cheap tricks" his campaign will use to get elected.
Its true. Why would you keep signing checks when you knew what was going on. I mean come on was he getting some of this money in return for signing them. Its funny how Hein says "If elected, Hein said, he would not rule out contacting federal officials to ask for a review of the case."
I mean he should also be looked at becuase he was oking all of this money to be spent.
"The jail was NOT Hein's fault but the fault of poor (if not corrupt) legislative oversight."
And Hein is part of the corrupt legislative. He knew what was going on, he could of brought it to the public's attention.
Mike Hein was definitely part of the jail problem. He's been part of the 6th floor problem in Kingston for years.
He's not part of the Good Old Boys? HA! Lew Kirschner hired him.
If Lew isn't a Good Old Boy, who is?
To say that he switched parties because of this was is just crap.
Mike Hein is an opportunist. He saw that the power had switched and that the Dems had control and decided to jump ship.
Hein Shot back with "Cheap Tricks" to get elected? I guess they don't like it, when the jail tactics used last election is used against them. As fair or unfair that was then, they had better get used to receiving what they dish out.
Blaber Blackout.
This may or may not pass muster with the master. It is in response to his fair and ballanced discussion with Hugh Reynolds.
You know Jeremy, if you ONLY ommitted comments which contained vulgarity, or unfounded accusations as just about all other bloggers in UC, you could say you were fair on comments. But you don't. You ommit comment SOLEY on your disagreements with them, and if you deem them far to damaging to the candidates you support. That is a fact! Can you honestly say you don't do that? Like Irme said, that IS your prerogative. It is your blog! But don't come off as being this fair and ballanced blogmeister.
I wonder if this picture was taken, just after you told Hugh about just how fair and ballanced you are. Judging by the laughter, I think he'd agree with Irme and me.
Why do you think your readers CC their comments to the other blogs here.
10:28, 11:01, give it up. You have nothing but lowbrow remarks directed at others you cannot debate and expect to win. This is obviously a fight or flight response, a very natural reaction. Nothing wrong with it. But you have obviously chosen the latter of the to as your course.
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