The Budget / The Kingston Daily Freeman

I read the Freeman this morning. The reporter had a very poorly documented list of requests for changes by the legislature. She mentioned Dart and Noonan, both of whom are leaving. Dart's seemed ridiculous, Noonans seemed a little more reasonable, cut the bloated Exec's staff. Gary Bischoff another short timer, and Kevin Roberts had some good ideas, but who the Hell could tell if they are feasible with the vague, poorly researched article.  I guess it is going to be up to us to go the county building and get the list  for ourselves.  

It is disheartening to know that the local paper can't even go through the trouble of listing each request.  The Times Herald Record and Poughkeepsie Journal create searchable databases with vital information on important subjects, while the Freeman leaves us guessing.  Is it a lazy reporter or poor  editorial direction, either way the Freeman sucks.

The Freeman is really a very poorly run daily.  If the others can run a decent paper why can't the Freeman?

Chairman Wadnola

One has to wonder if the Republicans are strapped for leaders with the choice of the resurrected Fred Wadnola as Chairman.  The question begging to be asked is why Fred and not one of the other Legislators who have been there fighting the good fight?   Was it his 1 year as Majority leader 6 years ago that swayed the new Majority?  Or his tenure as Town Supervisor?  The backlash from Rich Gerentine going for Chairman? The lack of faith in the tenured Legislators?  Or is it what I have been told, the influence of County Chairman and fellow Town of Ulster Resident Mario Catalano.

Paul Hansut is a solid choice for Majority Leader.  Jim Maloney, Wayne Harris, Dean Fabiano, Kevin Roberts, Catherine Terizzi, Laura Pettit all could fill that role and that of Chairman if pressed. Fred is not going to be around for another term, a fact he has made abundantly clear over and over. Why not bring in one of the people who is?

Ronk will gain much needed leadership skills in his role as Majority Whip if he gets to actually fulfills the role as disciplinarian.  I  just do not see Frank Felicello  or Kevin Roberts listening to Ronk.  Harris or Roberts was a better choice here.

Some of the murmurs that are being overheard are about Fred's penchant for wringing every last dollar out of his elected positions.  3 pensions, and now this, the highest paid position on the Legislature? Then there is Fred's place, and his perpetual promotion of his family business. To say Fred has his detractors in and out of the Legislature is an understatement.  In a different time, I would not count out a coup d'etat from the "solid south", but I just don't think they have it in them anymore.  Most of them are just phoning it in. 

Time will tell if this was a wise choice. It may turn out to be a stroke of genius, or a complete bust. I will reserve judgment on that for a few months. Look for Hein to heap some praise on Fred in a colorful press release. Hein has some fences to mend with the Republicans after switching party's a couple of years back. You know what they say about elephants, they never forget.

'til next time,
Beware of the dog
bow wow wow yippie yo yippie yeah

Evaluating the Independence party's impact on 2009 races while we wait for the Republicans to choose bosses.

Len Bernardo is running around Ulster County claiming the title of king maker. Let's scratch the surface a little and see if has a legitimate claim shall we?

In the end, it was a sub par year for the performance of the Independence party line. The line usually has a greater impact on races. Bernardo can claim a lot of back room deals that allowed his wife to be elected, but as far as the rest of the county goes, the line could have disappeared and there would have been only one discernible difference in the election results.

I will post my analysis of the county level races based on how the candidates would have done without the Independence party line. I encourage you to dissect it and come up with your own conclusion. 

Here is the link with the detailed results:
2009 Election results in detail


Supreme Court Judge - no impact
County Judge - no impact
County Clerk -  no impact

Legislature
District #1- no impact
4 seats, basically unopposed and they all won on the Democratic line.

District #2- no impact
2 Seats, basically unopposed and they won on the Democratic line.
 
District #3- no impact**
3 Seats, No Independence candidates on the ballot.
** Bernardo endorsed 2 of the 3 winners, but they did not get on the ballot and 4th place was behind by 500. So I guess he can claim a +1 for this race for the endorsement only. 

District #4- no impact
4 Seats,since the 4th and 5th place candidates had the endorsement, it was a push for the last seat.

District #5- impacted the race, but a push for Bernardo*
2 Seats, this one is interesting. Cahill the endorsed candidate lost the line and then lost the general. So is this a lose for Bernardo or a win?  I say the line performed regardless of Bernardo's decision to endorse Cahill. The party gets the win and Bernardo gets the loss. 
*This is the only race that would have changed a seat on the Legislature.

District #6-  potentially - but no impact
2 Seats,since Madsen had the line, he could have been a spoiler had Dart prevailed in the primary.  woulda, coulda, in the end, no impact.

District #7- no impact
3 Seats,since the 3rd and 4th place candidates had the endorsement, it was a push for the last seat.

District #8- no impact
3 Seats,since the 3rd had the endorsement, 4th didn't. It was not close enough even if 4th got all of the votes.


District #9- no impact
4 Seats, no impact on results.


District #10- no impact
2 Seats, unopposed.

District #11- no impact
2 Seats, 2nd had the endorsement and 3rd didn't. It was not close enough even if 3rd got all of the votes.


District #12- no impact
2 Seats, no impact on results.

Ulster Watch Dog

Things have changed.  We will see how things work out.  First things first. Let's see who is rewarded with leadership positions.  That should tell us a lot about the direction we are headed.