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Will Webster accept a new party's principal? Does Gumina Switch Signal Sinking Dem Ship? Monday, February 8, 2010  Monroe County legislator Carmen Gumina has switched from the Democrats to the Republicans. In practical terms it means the GOP now holds a 16-13 majority in the legislature. But does it also provide another sign of impending doom for Democrats in 2010?  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks

Pres. Obama: Perhaps wondering what year his great-grandchildren will be without national deficits & debt Obama's Budget is a Bust: Western New Yorkers Saddled with Unprecedented Debt Sunday, February 7, 2010  Rochester, NY -   "The U.S. is broke", or so says the Urban Institute and USA Today.  The Wall Street Journal and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) called the federal budget outlook "bleak."   The House of Representative just approved a new budget that pegs the next fiscal year's annual deficit at an astonishing $1.9 trillion.  That's $300 billion more than even President Obama requested.  And if that's not bad enough, it appears we are now past 'peak oil', worldwide, and that's very bad for our economy, still the world's largest.  Where will the madness end?  It appears, with the bankruptcy of the United States of America. Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot

'When the Saints Come Marching In': The Colts will turn up the heat in Miami It's All for Real: The Saints Really Do Mean That Much to Their Fans Friday, February 5, 2010 - Much has been written and broadcast about the unique, passionate bond between the New Orleans Saints and their fans. From first-hand experience, Ryan Whirty knows that it's all true, especially now that the team is in its first Super Bowl. Read More ... Ryan Whirty

City Councilwoman Carla Palumbo: Anti-Business, and High Tax. Carla Palumbo Could be a Disaster in the 131st A.D. Thursday, February 4, 2010  Rochester, NY -  The Honorable Carla Palumbo, Rochester City Councilwoman, North West District, is an extraordinarily intelligent public servant.  I served with Carla for several years in the Monroe County Legislature.  She is an attorney, and as such, seemed to easily comprehend a multitude of county policy issues and legislation in the time I worked with her in the Democratic caucus.  However, Palumbo is at times shrill, overly angry, and quite difficult to negotiate with.  She is the wrong choice to succeed Susan John in the State Assembly.  Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot - 1 opinion posted

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Coverage of the former ESL Sports Center Ice Arena---Too Little, Too Late? Monday, February 1, 2010  Rochester, NY -   Earlier this year, the Democrat & Chronicle published an incisive article about the financial troubles at the Sports Center ice arena on the MCC campus, and how the publicly, tax-supported facility might be headed toward bankruptcy.  But in the case of this politically-connected disaster, is the coverage too little, too late? Read More ... Ryan Whirty

Nearly two dozen protesters endured 13-degree temps at Gantt's office. Anti-Mayoral Control Protesters Arrive: Gantt Uses Vulgarity in Negotiations Saturday, January 30, 2010  Rochester, NY -  As promised, Howard Eagle, Glenny Williams, and a number of other anti-mayoral school control protesters slogged through Yukon Territory-like temperatures yesterday, to send Assemblyman David Gantt their chilling message:  Stand (and vote) with us, or get out of the way. Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot - 1 opinion posted

Will Gantt cross Friday's picket line? Mayor's Erratic Behavior Continues; School Control Debate Rages January 29, 2010  What began as a cynically-timed political bombshell has now become the political equivalent of a heat-seeking missile. Mayor Robert Duffy spent the past week zigging and zagging, creating more doubt about just how well-planned his "full consolidation" of the city school district really was. Criticism is mounting as his proposal has become a much steeper hill to climb than it first seemed.  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks - 3 opinions posted

Years, and millions of dollars in court fees will wipe that smile off Duffy's face ! Call to Arms: Protest at Gantt's Today; City Council Out of the Loop Friday, January 29, 2010  Rochester, NY -   If you give a damn about democracy, especially at the local level, then you might want to consider showing up at David Gantt's local district office today, Friday, 1/29/2010, at 4:00p.m., to protest Duffy's RCSD take-over.  In addition, the Smugtown Beacon advises you to attend the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Rochester City Council, not at work.  That's because Mayor Duffy, Sheldon Silver, Joe Morelle, and David Gantt don't need City Council support, and are not seeking it. Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot - 1 opinion posted

Time for Rochester to recognize one of its most influential Sons Thursday, January 28, 2010  Rochester, NY -   Most Rochesterians don't realize that a musical legend used to walk among them.  Hugely influential blues master Son House lived in our City for more than three decades.  So why hasn't City Hall yet given Son House his due recognition? Read More ... Ryan Whirty - 1 opinion posted

Bronson: a "special" candidate? Battle for Albany: The Insider and Outsider Strategies Emerge January 25, 2010  With just over 7 months to the September primary and 9 months until the November election, the battle for Albany is beginning to take form. Insiders are plotting a strategy based on leveraging the power they already have (to gain more, naturally), while outsiders and others are planning to take their case to the people. Is Harry Bronson on the fast-track to the nomination in the 131st AD? Will all of the Rochester-area legislators face grassroots challengers this year? The next days and weeks could be very telling.  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks

Off the Gold Standard, and on to the 'Pay Tomorrow Standard'. Bigger than Health Care: National Debt is Strangling All Americans Sunday, January 24, 2010  Rochester, NY -  Americans owe $12.3 trillion in Treasury debt to banks, individuals, and foreign interests (i.e. China).  That comes out to approximately $40,000 per American, not per household !  This staggering amount of debt (real money !) doesn't even count the amount state governments owe, or, what we individual Americans owe our creditors.  These facts will cripple our nation for decades to come, unless we act now. Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot - 1 opinion posted

My Almamater; Pittsford-Sutherland H.S.: Perhaps All is Not Well in the 'Land of Milk & (M)oney'? While Mayoral Control of RCSD Grabs Spotlight, Fairport & Pittsford Schools are in Trouble with State Comptroller's Office Saturday, January 23, 2010  Rochester, NY -   It is so easy for Monroe County suburbanites to dump all over anything and everything regarding the Rochester City School District (RCSD).  From low graduation rates, to historically dismal state test scores, many RCSD students, parents, teachers, and administrators are easy targets.  But what about the hallowed academic ground in places like Fairport / Perinton, and the much revered Pittsford School District?  While student outcomes are obviously far higher than those in the highly segregated RCSD, perhaps taxpayers in Pittsford and Fairport aren't getting all that they've 'over' paid for? Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot - 1 opinion posted

Will Susan's successor have a Y-chromosome? 131st Candidates Coming out of the Woodwork January 21, 2010 Count Malik Evans and Willa Powell "In". Call Carla Palumbo "In" even though she might not be public about it yet. And, taking a longer-term look, consider Harry Bronson "Out" -- but waiting in the wings.  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks - 1 opinion posted

The Smugtown Beacon Policy Regarding Comments & Attribution  Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot & Aaron E. Wicks

Who will represent the 13st Gerrymander? Breaking News: The Race for the 131st Begins; Protestors Besiege and Beseech City Council Wednesday January 20, 2010 Rochester's political world appears -- for a moment, at least -- to be opening up. Could the area's citizens be lucky enough to elect a reform-minded Assemblymember in the 131st? Is it possible that citizen input on mayoral control might be respected? Probably not, but Tuesday's events offered a glimmer of hope.  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks - 1 opinion posted

Former Cardinal's slugger Mark McGwire: 'We have seen the enemy, and he is us.' Pro Sports Hero Worship, and the Angry, Middle-Aged Male Tuesday January 19, 2010 -- My favorite TV show of all-time is the cartoon series "Futurama," the overlooked product of the mind of "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening. The plot is pretty simple - 20-something guy gets cryogenically frozen for 1,000 years and wakes up in the year 3,000 - but the show was always able to provide wicked satire and spot-on parody of American popular culture. In one episode, the main characters take an afternoon off to watch a blernsball game - blernsball being the revved-up, hi-tech sport that evolves from our baseball. At one point, the characters argue about who should be called the greatest blernsball players of all-time.  Interested yet? Read More ... Ryan Whirty

'Current' RCSD Board Member Van H. White, Esq.: He Claims State Constitution Will Slow Down Duffy If the Teacher's Unions Won't File Suit... Monday, January 18, 2010  Rochester, NY -  Flanked on either side by Assemblymen Morelle and Gantt, Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy announced a few days ago that Governor Paterson, along with Assembly Hatchet-Man Sheldon Silver, and the temporary President of the dysfunctional State Senate, Malcolm A. Smith, announced that legislation enabling Rochester's City Hall to dissolve the duly elected RCSD Board of Education, would be introduced post-haste.  However, NY State United Teachers (NYSUT) has threatened legal action if the governor and Mayor Duffy proceed.  I can't believe I'm agreeing with a public employee's union, but if NYSUT doesn't file suit, I will ! Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot - 2 opinions posted

Cash Strapped City Hall? They Scraped Together $22,400 for Golfing. City Hall Struggling Financially? Not According to Their Own Documents Thursday, January 14, 2010  Rochester, NY -  According to documents obtained by the Democrat & Chronicle (RocDocs), and supplied to me by the Rochester Fire Fighters Association, despite popular belief that Mayor Duffy and City Hall are always on the brink of fiscal insolvency, recent fiscal year expenditures on frivolity may shock you, especially if you are a City of Rochester taxpayer.  And at a time when NY State headquartered businesses could really use the business, Rochester City Hall routinely contracts with out-of-state vendors.  How's that for loyalty? Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot - 1 opinion posted

Rochester City Hall: The New RCSD Admin. Building? Mayoral Control in Rochester: The Political Angle January 12, 2010  Virtually nothing is as it seems in the debate over mayoral control in Rochester. Indeed, while Mayor Robert Duffy claims to welcome vigorous debate on the subject his recent refusal to engage in actual debate on the subject is telling. But it is actually part of a longer-term strategy that can be seen at several key points in the past few years. Sadly, the precipitating factor in the whole process appears to be the demonstrated indifference of many residents.  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks - 12 opinions posted

When it Comes to Sports, Rochester has Always Had an Inferiority Complex Monday, January 11, 2010        Rochesterians look to Buffalo and see two major league professional franchises, the National Football League's Bills and the National Hockey League's Sabres. Toss in the University of Buffalo's Football Bowl Subdivision football team, and the city to our west boasts a plethora of top-level sports. Then we look eastward at Syracuse - a city of roughly the same population and economic demographics - and gaze longingly at Syracuse University, which boasts dozens of Division I sports teams, including highly successful basketball and lacrosse squads and a Football Bowl Subdivision football team. Read More ... Ryan Whirty - 2 opinions posted

Re: Fire Administrator Molly Clifford; "Hey Mayor, What's the Hurry, Where's the Fire?" Clifford is Funny, Smart, Dynamic: Yet is She Qualified for Her New Job? Friday, January 8, 2010  Rochester, NY -  First, a disclaimer:  Molly Clifford, the City's new "Director of Fire Administration" (Duffy's newly created position for Clifford), is a former boss.  When I was young and somewhat green in politics, Molly was my boss when I worked for the Monroe County Democratic Committee (MCDC), when Fran Weisberg was Chair of the MCDC.  In those days, Molly and I got along famously.  She was, and likely still is, well liked in the local Democratic Party.  But to my knowledge, Molly has never even held a fire-hose, let alone worked at a firehouse.  If Clifford has been appointed to primarily close the alleged too numerous firehouses in the City of Rochester, then that's one thing.  But for any other reason... Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot - 10 opinions posted

Duffy Debuts Decade Ducking and Dodging January 4, 2010  Days into his second term, Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy is a walking contrast in rhetorical style. Waxing eloquent about "picking a hill to die on", Duffy seemingly indicated a bold stand on a controversial policy issue. Yet behind the scenes, Duffy was avoiding two issues challenging his governing principles: the rumored appointment of political operative Molly Clifford to the post of Fire Marshall and a refusal to engage the most outspoken critic of mayoral control of schools, School Board Commissioner Van White.  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks - 1 opinion posted

Rochester, NY News and Politics

Would You Trust Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver with Your Kid's (futures)? Mayor Duffy Wants Control of Rochester City Schools: Take Our Poll, and Let Us Know ! Monday, January 4, 2010  Rochester, NY -  Just after the 2009 general election, Mayor Duffy announced that he will seek permission from Albany, by way of Assemblyman Joe Morelle, to abolish the Rochester City School District (RCSD) Board of Education.  Supporters will point to NY City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's qualified success with the nation's largest school system.  Detractors point out that firstly, high school graduation rates in the RCSD are up from 39% - 52% in just two years.  Secondly, those who oppose a Mayoral take-over rightly remind us that despite its flaws (a.k.a. Cynthia Elliot), the RCSD Board of Education was duly elected by City voters.  Also, unlike suburban school district voters, City voters already are not able to vote on the RCSD budget--just its Board Members.  What do you think? Vote in our Poll Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot & Aaron E. Wicks - 3 opinions posted

It took me four years, but I finally decided Rochesterians are too dumb to elect their school board Teflon Mayor Plays Grinch: Steals Your Voting Rights December 25, 2009  What did Rochester voters find in their stockings on Christmas morning? One less package -- their right to select their school board. That is, if Rochester's Mayor has his way. And despite having four years to debate the issue with voters, Mayor Robert Duffy decided to slip his proposal into the holiday season, lest anyone dare debate such a weighty issue. 'Tis the season for giving -- and taking.  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks - 1 opinion posted

N.Y State & National Politics

"Assemblyman, you won't believe this -- you have a challenger!" The Only Way to Change the NYS Legislature in 2010: Primaries December 30, 2009  The NYS Legislature is a lot like the weather here in Upstate NY: people talk about how lousy it is, but no one does anything about it. The reality is that if voters want change in Albany, they have to be far more strategic than they have heretofore been. The defeat of Albany insiders will, ironically, have to come through an insider game: the primary.  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks - 3 opinions posted

Op Ed Briefs

NY State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer: Senior moment, or plain stupidity? Op-Ed Briefs: Is State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer an Idiot?; Duffy Running the RCSD?; Merry Christmas from the Tax Foundation. Friday, December 25, 2009  Rochester, NY -  NY State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer (D-37th District) has been outed on YouTube, for her hilarious inability to answer a reasonable and relatively simple fiscal question from a smarter colleague.  This disaster lasts nearly three minutes, and is a clear illustration of why NY State is going bust.  Mayor Robert Duffy, in a recent letter to RCSD board President Evans, and RCSD Superintendent Brizard, proposes a City Hall take-over of the City school system.  Good idea from a fiscal standpoint, but Bob's doomed anyway.  The Tax Foundation just released a handy pocket size fact book that reminds we New Yorkers, once again, why we are a business and residential disaster zone.  Merry Christmas ! Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot

Senator Chuck Schumer: "Self Serving", or simply self-consumed? Op-Ed Briefs: Iran Ready to Launch at Israel; Schumer Calls Stewardess a "Bitch"; BBC, CBC and NPR Rule ! Thursday, December 17, 2009  Rochester, NY -  The extremist, Fundamentalist-Islamic Nation of Iran (should become its new name) two days ago test fired another nuclear missile, with an advanced detonation system, with a 1,200 mile range, that can easily destroy all of Israel, one of our few remaining allies in the region.  Have Obama and NATO wimped out?  U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) was asked by a female flight attendant the other day to turn-off his cell phone, upon take-off (an F.A.A. / T.S.A. regulation).  Then he used the "B" word.  American TV and radio news shows have reached new heights of idiocy, especially compared to solid and intellectual alternatives such as the BBC, CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corp.) and our own NPR.  Are you surprised? Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot - 1 opinion posted

Society and Culture

Wishes of old, may they rest in peace: 2009's demise of RenSquare 2010 New Year's Wishes Saturday, January 2, 2010  Rochester, NY -  What are my greatest hopes and wishes for Greater Rochester in this New Year?  Lower taxes, better local participatory democracy, a league for the Rhinos in which to play, a revitalized Downtown Rochester...You know, the little things. Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot

Will Downtown Rochester Ever Look Like This? Perhaps Not, But We Aim Too Low in Rochester. 10- Ways Metro Rochester Can Regain Its Greatness Monday, December 28, 2009  Rochester, NY -  We at the Smugtown Beacon have become adept at pointing out to you, the reader, what's wrong with Greater Rochester, and New York State.  We do this not to revel in negativity, but to call 'em as we see 'em.  We are straight shooters, and proud of it.  Yet this article will take a slightly different approach than many I have written.  I will attempt to trumpet assets we Rochesterians still retain, and how we may parlay our historical genius and penchant for innovation, to create a better future for Metropolitan Rochester. Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot - 3 opinions posted