ToT, those numbers I quoted are not 'mine', its NYS Govt stats. If anyone would like further info, pull up the 'Labor Force Participation rate for 2011'. It counts all able-bodied people 16-65 in the workforce and how many are employed. You will see that the actual unemployment rate, before anyone gets to fudge the numbers, was 36% in Nov. 2011. To be fair, the same rate was 32.1% in Jan 2001, so that is consistent with the rise from 4.8% unemployment in 2001 to the current rate of somewhere between 9 and 11%, depending who's #,s you believe. A broader measure of unemployment which does include those who want to work but have given up is currently at 16.1%. Scary. Now what was that about the improvement of our local economy again???
What a generic, play it safe, question. How about something a little more thought provoking? How about, "What do think is going to happen, if your drowning in Pleasant Lake, and our one boat is over at Sacandaga?"
Laker88 is right on, this area is in a crash and burn tail spin that it can't recover from, the latest round of Northampton School and Fulton County property tax increases is the last staw for me, I'm voting with my feet,good by Fulton County!
MrBob - In regard to the bus ticket vouchers,I think it is great that WE are providing a (another)free ride to get these individuals back to work (atleast it eliminates one excuse for them not to work). But when their paychecks start coming in, when are their required to pay their own ride like their co-workers making the same pay have to do? So they will have their benefits (slightly cut I'm sure by their new income - if they report it), a weekly paycheck and a free ride to work. I understand they need to "get back on their feet" - just wondering how long the taxpayers are required to allow them to do this, 1 month, 3 months - how long does free transportation last? We all need a game plan - what's the plan?
Even though your numbers seem high MrBoB51 what do you think that they would be if people were not falling off unemployment without finding a job or quit looking for employment. I believe that number would be very much higher, and it isn't only our city or county that the improving unemployment rates are creatively invented. Although there may be "jobs" for someone that really wants (has) to work but has not yet sunk to the public arm for welfare assistance. Then there are the jobs that keep shuffling around to the areas that have the best incentives only to move once again when the breaks run out are also part of the problem.
Just read the article about G'ville purchasing bus ticket vouchers to provide welfare recipients a ride to jobs in Amsterdam. If there are so many jobs there why is the unemployment rate currently at 10.6% with a job growth potential at -1.12%? Fulton Co. isn't any better with a unemployment rate of 10.70% and job growth potential at -2.36%. I think this has a lot to do with pumping up numbers to continue qualifying for the State block grants. There is a lot more to this than what has been reported. (source: labor.ny.gov./stats).
You're not being negative Mrbob, you're being realistic!....high taxes, high unemployment, dropping property values, out of control welfare, state mandates and unfair state aid distribution crippling our schools....hard to remain positive about the economic future of Fulton Co!
The word is out that this is the place to come for benefits. They have signs down south telling people to relocate to New York for benefits. Time we start putting up some signs "keep out - our well is dry"!
Yes Laker, we need to make the 'safe haven' you speak of very unattractive for those seeking social services benefits. There are very few jobs here, most are minimum wage. We cant afford to provide income to those who have no chance of getting employment. Once the word gets out that the Ful/Mont. area is making it harder to collect benefits, the hordes will have go elsewhere. It is up to our County legislators to change the course we are on. There are no good jobs around here and prospects for growth are slim to none. So quit wasting money on pipe-dreams of an economic boom with all the industrial parks that are empty. I don't like to be so negative but with my property value dropping and my taxes going up, I, and many others cannot afford to subsidize anyone, anymore.
Adding to what MrBob said...look at the railyard project near Mechanicville. Saratoga and Fulton Counties are 2 counties going in opposite directions. And just wait until Global foundries/AMD gets underway in Malta...meanwhile higher taxes and dismal job opportunities continue to drive people out of Fulton Co, except for the welfare people who find it a safe haven.
We no longer have the infrastructure for economic growth. With the Railroad connections gone there's no longer an economical way to move goods in or out. Saratoga Co. is another matter, they had the foresight to keep their connections to the east-west freight routes. Quad Graphic even had their own siding installed at a great cost which has paid for itself 10 times over in shipping savings, so no, we were once a hub of activity but that went out with the skin mills and knitting mills and glove factories. We would be better off if we restructured ourselves into an attractive bedroom community that serves Saratoga and the Capital region.
Things we can share: "city" engineer, water district, sewer district, fire district, dpw machinery/ people power, teacher's. Some of this on city level, county level and two county level. Really people we cannot afford these mini-kingdoms. We should think why we can do something rather than why we can't. Happy New Year to you all.
My children are both in college and I have suggested that they look to other areas of the state and country to live and work. It breaks my heart but looking over my life almost every one of my friends who are "successful" have moved away. It is not just our area but our state that has problems. If my kids come back at least they will have a basis of comparison.
This area will never be attractive to anyone until the crime and welfare are cleaned up. Get the gangs and crackheads out of here and stop sending money to these welfare, scumbag, lazy pieces of crap! Take away their dollars and make them work...!Unemployment (under my system its a loan) and disability (real disability) are the only times government should be handing out money to citizens (emphasis on citizens...stop paying the illegal aliens!).
As a college educated person in their late 20s, I knew that this place was not a good place to raise a family and have a future, and many people I graduated high school with thought the same thing. Recently I moved out of the area and found that what people might think is "normal" here, isn't the case at all. Our elected officials (as well as the bulk of these counties' residents) are stuck in the past and haven't realized that without educated people, lower taxes and industry,this area is going to keep dying. Luckily the college is attempting to draw more people this way to get an education by expanding its programs. Problem is, there isn't anything to keep the educated here. No stores, no activities, no culture, no entertainment etc etc.
Notgood, I think page was confused as you had a typo, instead of "Listening" you had "Listing" someone pointed that out to page. Disco, Rex Ryan - New Jersey Jets head coach... I love the idea of merging the two counties back together.
It's getting kind of old when people comment and they really have no clue. Most probably didn't even vote! They just sit back and collect from those that have put forth. I am still waiting page, please tell me why you think you have a clue.
Well come on page, tell me what could change and make things better. You probably think the Occupy Albany stands for something. Don't worry about being nice for I agree with nothing this administration stands for. They are full of hot air.
Unfortunately the two cities are too small to hire the caliber of leaders we need. The ones who are truly capable do not want to put up with the pettiness or are busy with their own careers.
MrBoB51
ToT, those numbers I quoted are not 'mine', its NYS Govt stats. If anyone would like further info, pull up the 'Labor Force Participation rate for 2011'. It counts all able-bodied people 16-65 in the workforce and how many are employed. You will see that the actual unemployment rate, before anyone gets to fudge the numbers, was 36% in Nov. 2011. To be fair, the same rate was 32.1% in Jan 2001, so that is consistent with the rise from 4.8% unemployment in 2001 to the current rate of somewhere between 9 and 11%, depending who's #,s you believe. A broader measure of unemployment which does include those who want to work but have given up is currently at 16.1%. Scary. Now what was that about the improvement of our local economy again???
0 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
bleekerbob
The answer is RON PAUL 2012
5 Agrees | 2 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Discobulous
I always check to see which lake the boat is in before even considering drowning.
2 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Stackrat
What a generic, play it safe, question. How about something a little more thought provoking? How about, "What do think is going to happen, if your drowning in Pleasant Lake, and our one boat is over at Sacandaga?"
2 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
native
Laker88 is right on, this area is in a crash and burn tail spin that it can't recover from, the latest round of Northampton School and Fulton County property tax increases is the last staw for me, I'm voting with my feet,good by Fulton County!
2 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
ataxpayer
MrBob - In regard to the bus ticket vouchers,I think it is great that WE are providing a (another)free ride to get these individuals back to work (atleast it eliminates one excuse for them not to work). But when their paychecks start coming in, when are their required to pay their own ride like their co-workers making the same pay have to do? So they will have their benefits (slightly cut I'm sure by their new income - if they report it), a weekly paycheck and a free ride to work. I understand they need to "get back on their feet" - just wondering how long the taxpayers are required to allow them to do this, 1 month, 3 months - how long does free transportation last? We all need a game plan - what's the plan?
6 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
TiredOfTax
Even though your numbers seem high MrBoB51 what do you think that they would be if people were not falling off unemployment without finding a job or quit looking for employment. I believe that number would be very much higher, and it isn't only our city or county that the improving unemployment rates are creatively invented. Although there may be "jobs" for someone that really wants (has) to work but has not yet sunk to the public arm for welfare assistance. Then there are the jobs that keep shuffling around to the areas that have the best incentives only to move once again when the breaks run out are also part of the problem.
2 Agrees | 4 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
MrBoB51
Just read the article about G'ville purchasing bus ticket vouchers to provide welfare recipients a ride to jobs in Amsterdam. If there are so many jobs there why is the unemployment rate currently at 10.6% with a job growth potential at -1.12%? Fulton Co. isn't any better with a unemployment rate of 10.70% and job growth potential at -2.36%. I think this has a lot to do with pumping up numbers to continue qualifying for the State block grants. There is a lot more to this than what has been reported. (source: labor.ny.gov./stats).
3 Agrees | 3 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
MrBoB51
Happy New Year everyone.
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laker88
You're not being negative Mrbob, you're being realistic!....high taxes, high unemployment, dropping property values, out of control welfare, state mandates and unfair state aid distribution crippling our schools....hard to remain positive about the economic future of Fulton Co!
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ataxpayer
The word is out that this is the place to come for benefits. They have signs down south telling people to relocate to New York for benefits. Time we start putting up some signs "keep out - our well is dry"!
7 Agrees | 2 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
MrBoB51
Yes Laker, we need to make the 'safe haven' you speak of very unattractive for those seeking social services benefits. There are very few jobs here, most are minimum wage. We cant afford to provide income to those who have no chance of getting employment. Once the word gets out that the Ful/Mont. area is making it harder to collect benefits, the hordes will have go elsewhere. It is up to our County legislators to change the course we are on. There are no good jobs around here and prospects for growth are slim to none. So quit wasting money on pipe-dreams of an economic boom with all the industrial parks that are empty. I don't like to be so negative but with my property value dropping and my taxes going up, I, and many others cannot afford to subsidize anyone, anymore.
12 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
laker88
Adding to what MrBob said...look at the railyard project near Mechanicville. Saratoga and Fulton Counties are 2 counties going in opposite directions. And just wait until Global foundries/AMD gets underway in Malta...meanwhile higher taxes and dismal job opportunities continue to drive people out of Fulton Co, except for the welfare people who find it a safe haven.
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Gemini
notgood--Your comment to page was sweet. It made me smile.
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notgood
Sorry page
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MrBoB51
We no longer have the infrastructure for economic growth. With the Railroad connections gone there's no longer an economical way to move goods in or out. Saratoga Co. is another matter, they had the foresight to keep their connections to the east-west freight routes. Quad Graphic even had their own siding installed at a great cost which has paid for itself 10 times over in shipping savings, so no, we were once a hub of activity but that went out with the skin mills and knitting mills and glove factories. We would be better off if we restructured ourselves into an attractive bedroom community that serves Saratoga and the Capital region.
6 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Pards13
Things we can share: "city" engineer, water district, sewer district, fire district, dpw machinery/ people power, teacher's. Some of this on city level, county level and two county level. Really people we cannot afford these mini-kingdoms. We should think why we can do something rather than why we can't. Happy New Year to you all.
5 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Pards13
My children are both in college and I have suggested that they look to other areas of the state and country to live and work. It breaks my heart but looking over my life almost every one of my friends who are "successful" have moved away. It is not just our area but our state that has problems. If my kids come back at least they will have a basis of comparison.
7 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
TJ1979
This area will never be attractive to anyone until the crime and welfare are cleaned up. Get the gangs and crackheads out of here and stop sending money to these welfare, scumbag, lazy pieces of crap! Take away their dollars and make them work...!Unemployment (under my system its a loan) and disability (real disability) are the only times government should be handing out money to citizens (emphasis on citizens...stop paying the illegal aliens!).
7 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
LoyalSocialist
As a college educated person in their late 20s, I knew that this place was not a good place to raise a family and have a future, and many people I graduated high school with thought the same thing. Recently I moved out of the area and found that what people might think is "normal" here, isn't the case at all. Our elected officials (as well as the bulk of these counties' residents) are stuck in the past and haven't realized that without educated people, lower taxes and industry,this area is going to keep dying. Luckily the college is attempting to draw more people this way to get an education by expanding its programs. Problem is, there isn't anything to keep the educated here. No stores, no activities, no culture, no entertainment etc etc.
8 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
JohnSteady
Notgood, I think page was confused as you had a typo, instead of "Listening" you had "Listing" someone pointed that out to page. Disco, Rex Ryan - New Jersey Jets head coach... I love the idea of merging the two counties back together.
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notgood
It's getting kind of old when people comment and they really have no clue. Most probably didn't even vote! They just sit back and collect from those that have put forth. I am still waiting page, please tell me why you think you have a clue.
1 Agrees | 4 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Discobulous
I guess nobody wants to occupy Gloversville except the low caliber slugs that already seem to own it.
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notgood
Well come on page, tell me what could change and make things better. You probably think the Occupy Albany stands for something. Don't worry about being nice for I agree with nothing this administration stands for. They are full of hot air.
6 Agrees | 4 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Pards13
Unfortunately the two cities are too small to hire the caliber of leaders we need. The ones who are truly capable do not want to put up with the pettiness or are busy with their own careers.
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