Clear’s skills valuable to city
Gloversville's biggest problems are financial. Property taxes are too high, and may be going higher. The city budget proposal includes a roughly $1.4 million gap. As a result of the downward economic trend, businesses have moved out of downtown and other parts of the city, leaving vacant storefronts behind, and some local citizens and landlords have allowed homes to fall into a dilapidated condition.
Solving these problems requires a leader who has a strong command of budgetary matters and a willingness to reduce spending and shrink government. The voters of Gloversville have an opportunity Tuesday to choose such a leader -mayoral candidate Jo-Ann Clear.
Clear, a former Gloversville finance commissioner, has more financial expertise than her opponents - Dayton King, Judy Marcoux and Dirk Myers.
At this juncture, Gloversville needs a mayor who's going to roll up her sleeves, attack the city's financial woes, make what may be unpopular choices and concentrate on keeping taxes down.
One of Clear's first orders of business as mayor would be to seek guidance from the state comptroller's office. The Republican plans to be tough in contract negotiations and seek concessions. She would look at ways to reduce staffing levels and examine possible new revenue streams. She would encourage meetings between Gloversville supervisors - who serve on the county Board of Supervisors - and city council members to help the city deal with its challenges.
She would aim to update the city's charter and develop a long-range plan for road, bridge, sidewalk, park and playground improvements. She'd study ways to consolidate services and equipment and would make sure the council communicates openly with the public.
Clear graduated from Gloversville High School, has a business and accounting degree from the University at Albany and a master's in education. She's a certified public accountant and has worked as an audit specialist for the state comptroller's office. She was executive director of the local YWCA and was the Gloversville Economic Development Zone administrator. She's been involved in numerous local organizations.
All four of the mayoral candidates have strengths, which is fortunate for the city. We're compelled to draw particular attention to King. The 31-year-old has great potential and would have received this paper's endorsement if Clear were not in the race. King offers good ideas, answers questions honestly, has a likable personality, and is enthusiastic and positive. He wants to bring people together to reach common goals. We hope he runs for a city council post, gains public-service experience and returns for a future mayoral race.
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MadDog
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11-02-09 7:33 AM
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Al, come on you check this blog daily, the first time I posted your flip flop falicies you came back to blog within 50 minutes,then again 12 hours later without any reference to my post but you replied to two separate people,finally on 10/31 at around 11:00 am you responded but claimed my post was confusing. After walking you through my post to better help you understand as of today 11/2 you still are SHH!!! QUIET!!!!!! Al, on a serious note Mrs. Clear is not the person to run the city, she can count but as I have said before all, yes all of the candidates have their strengh and weakness in different areas so folks whatever you do on Tuesday please get out and vote!!!!!!!
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citizen60
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11-01-09 8:39 PM
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Jo-Ann Clear was the Endorsed Conservative and Republican candidate in 1989. She lost the Republican primary. She then quit the campaign altogether and left the Conservative party without a candidate. The Conservative party will never forgive her for that. NO Republican candidate has ever won the election for Mayor in Gloversville since then without the Conservative endorsement.
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MadDog
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11-01-09 8:50 AM
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Al, your side stepping the issue, same people supporting Mrs. Clear,(the editors of the leader herald) who also supported Tim Hughes who your have said repeatedly over and over is so terrible (which by the way we agree on) were so bad when they did this sre now so professional, oh and by the way I'm still looking for the Siena Poll that your guru SNOOPDOG says is out there showing Mrs. Clear leading the mayorial race. Now hopefully its not so confusing because it for sure is BOLSHOI!!!!!!! p.s. SHH!!!! Its QUIET AGAIN!!!!
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Adirondackal
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10-31-09 10:59 AM
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Oh, and Saitosandbox- I have a job, I got it via civil service not by the promises of some politician. And I never changed my mind because I never seriously considered supporting King. Now that I know who is, I'm very glad of my decision.
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Adirondackal
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10-31-09 10:57 AM
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MadDog, the reason I failed to answer your confusing question is simple: half the people who supported Hughes two years ago are supporting Marcoux and the other half are supporting King. I don't understand how that is germain to the fact that Tim "99 and Gone" Hughes and Frank DeSantis are supporting King NOW?
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TiredOfTax
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10-31-09 7:58 AM
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SaitoSan, ra ra ra shiss boom ba, do all the cheer leading you want it is not going to matter. Dayton has shown by his own actions (staying in the race) not only that he does not deserve the win but also that he shouldn't even be a republican. Once again, he will not and does not have what it takes to win.
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MadDog
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10-31-09 7:41 AM
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Al, its still quiet!!!!!!!!
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SaitoSan
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10-30-09 8:16 AM
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MadDog - good bit of investigating... love to see it pointed out when know-it-all's start to flip-flop. Wonder what Al was promised to cause him to change his mind? And cruella (might as well just say "Judy") - Ms. Marcoux was not smart enough to bring down Mr. Hughes. I believe the voters did that. All she did was file a complaint which (once again) brought more embarrassment to the city. Here's a headline: "Gloversville tired of being ashamed of its leadership, makes fresh start with Dayton King." Of course, in the LH, that headline would read "31-year old Dayton King."
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MadDog
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10-30-09 8:10 AM
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Still quiet AL on the endorsement comments and your pal snoops poll on G'ville dot com!!!!! SHH!! Hear that its QUIET!!!!!!!!!! More BOLSHOI!!!!!!!
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Adirondackal
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10-30-09 5:21 AM
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And Cjpi02, your contempt of older voters as witnessed by your comment: "the older ladies won't have their teeth in yet when King is leaving Wal*Mart" speaks to the special interests that King has cultivated instead of trying to represent everyone.
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Adirondackal
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10-30-09 5:17 AM
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ADKMTNMAN, Let's put that rumor to rest. I have not and will not betray personal conversations but I can report that the Dayton King who came to my home and met with Carol and I back in the spring is NOT the same as the Dayton King who took money from Tim Hughes and Bruce VanGendren and an endorsement from former mayor Frank DeSantis. I adopted a "wait and see" attitude back then and when I better, more qualified candidate emerged, I decided to support her. After what has transpired, I know that I made the right decision. When it comes between supporting city citizens overfinancing outside agencies like countywide transit or taking care of our own, I side with the citizens of Gloversville.
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Discobulous
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10-30-09 12:20 AM
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Today I poled the guppies in my psychiatrist's fish tank. They're for King, but I think they're all wet.
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MadDog
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10-29-09 11:41 PM
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Ric, good points but in reality its anybody's game, the seat for mayor is up for grabs, no one candidate has a leg, arm, or hand up over the other. all have strengh and weakness in different areas. To the good people of Gloversville no matter who you vote for on Tues. just get out and vote!!!!! Also ADK AL I see silence is golden, the same way your puppy has gotten on G'ville dot com site on the siena poll when caught up after opening mouth it gets real QUIET!!! What a bunch of BOLSHI!!!!!!
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Ricktavious
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10-29-09 11:22 PM
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Well if nothing else MadDog it seems the Animal Rights Activists have at least secured suffrage for pheasants, now is voter rights limited to only this species or are all fowl eligible in the city? Jo Ann Clear will make a good Mayor and I believe has secured the support of parakeets, crows, and the occasional titmouse. The dogs and cats have not to my knowledge released their endorsements.I think the real key to this election may be the pigeon vote.
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Cjpi02
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10-29-09 8:56 PM
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Al, King has told people many times what his hours will be at Wal*Mart if elected. Read them. 4am-8am Thursday and Friday. 4am-10am Saturday and Sunday. not 40 hours a week. Most people are still sleeping at these hours. Nobody but Clear supporters (you and the Republican Good ole' boy network) have a problem with this. Keep trying to look for something to discredit him. The older ladies won't have their teeth in yet when King is leaving Wal*Mart.
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ADKMTNMAN
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10-29-09 7:52 PM
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Adirondackal 05-21-09 12:37 PM "looks like a good start. And we certainly need a real mayor." referring to Dayton King.
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MadDog
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10-29-09 7:16 PM
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Al, noticed you picked apart your response as usual you left out or side stepped the rest of the post, JoAnn, your candidate said on talk of the town what she planned with her employment follow now AL JoAnn Clear made this statement, the leader herald who you are now calling professional for endorsing JoAnn Clear are the same people who endorsed Tim Hughes Get the picture yet AL, you can't have it both ways!! The nice regular citizens as you so refer to us will vote for who we want to, Go drink some more koolaid as you have stated on other blogs!!!!
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Adirondackal
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10-29-09 6:56 PM
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MadDog, take a chill pill. The election isn't going to be determined by "pheasants" but rather by regular citizens going out to vote. King is the one who took Hughes' money and endorsement, not I. And then he took the endorsement of another former mayor well known to the employees in city hall. And King is the one working 40 hours for Walmart and trying to pick up this as a PART TIME JOB. While raising a young family. That's real my friend, that's real. Jo-Ann Clear has made ZERO promises to the old boy network. She's the real deal.
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MadDog
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10-29-09 6:06 PM
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Al, wow these people are now professionals, now remember Al four years ago these same people endorsed Tim Hughes and well we all no how that worked ouy and we know your almighty opinion of Tim Hughes and linking him to Dayton King so tell us pheasants and common folk how when Huges gave his left over money to King , King is so bad but the same LH that endorsed Hughes who was so bad are now endorsing Clear are so professional! Give us a break AL, what a buffoon!! By the way Mrs Clear statement about her employment was she notified Empire State College that she would be un-available in the fall and sring of this year (spoken by her on talk of the town) notice she did not say she was retired or that she would be un-available for the next four years. Get Real! ALL BS!!!!!
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cruella
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10-29-09 5:19 PM
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Saito, what a nasty thing to say. Maybe you should look in the mirror and see where yours are! Hughes needs to be found out.They don`t get any lower than him, and by that post, you are not far behind. Hughes that is!
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cruella
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10-29-09 4:28 PM
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Vote for Judy if you want somebody who cares about the city, the people and your money!! Dayton, You better wait till next time, maybe by then you`ll have Hughes out of your system! Remember Judy was the one who was smart enough to bring Hughes down to the level where he belongs. I think most people know where that is, don`t you?
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1stwardcitizen
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10-29-09 2:26 PM
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3 votes for Clear 7 votes against.
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SaitoSan
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10-29-09 2:06 PM
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TriedOfTax - "No one is going to get elected from an off majority political party." Prove him wrong - vote for Dayton, and prove that as voters, we don't need to be tied down to a two-flavor political process.
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ADKMTNMAN
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10-29-09 1:32 PM
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One thing is clear about Jo-Ann Clear she is part of the problem not the solution. All of the regular faces and names.. Politics as usual for Gloversville. I say let us try something new. I will vote for Dayton King on the Accountability ticket. He has the positive attitude and determination to make our city great again. Good Luck Dayton!
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Adirondackal
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10-29-09 1:23 PM
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The writing of this endorsement shows why these folks are professionals and I'm a rank amateur. They concisely explained in a few paragraphs exactly why I am supporting Jo-Ann Clear for mayor. She isn't warm and fuzzy and she's not in my circle of close friends, but I am not voting for a friend or a pal. I'm voting for the financial survival of our city. The Dayton King of today is nothing like the nice guy who came to my home a few months back. Taking money from Tim Hughes and endorsements from Hughes and Frank DeSantis have taken their toll. They cast a cloud over his judgement. And the idea that he can continue to work a full time job, be mayor and raise a young family is very unrealistic. Certain people may not like what Ms. Clear might have to do, but I can assure you the decisions she will make will be in the best interests of all of our citizens.
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