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The Saratogian Newsroom blog, complete with thoughts and commentary from our newsroom staff and regular posts on happenings around town.

Tuesday, June 9

The rain stayed away

Despite the odds stacked heavily against them, city Democrats pushed forward with a plan to announce Peter Martin's candidacy for Finance this afternoon on the steps of City Hall.

The skies were gray, and Peter Tulin carried a shopping bag full of umbrellas, but it did not rain.

What's more, erstwhile Democratic colleagues Ron Kim and John Franck -- who as recently as April couldn't agree that it was correct to drive on the right side of the road -- lined up to voice their unified support for Martin.

Dem chairman Allen Turkheimer said the Democrats had realized the only way they could be successful was to present a unified front. Peter Tulin, chairman of the endorsing committee, said he'd made a number of $5 dollar bets that endorsements would be unified and unanimous. It seems that, not only did he win them all, but he had no trouble finding people to vote against him.

So far, the dems appear to be remarkably unified, although November is still a long way away.

On the other hand, the city Republicans seem to be equally organized, if characteristically less dramatic.

7 Comments:

Anonymous Citizen for a lawyer free zone said...

Just what we need another lawyer.

June 9, 2009 at 9:39 PM 
Anonymous Merlin said...

Maybe there is hope afterall. Franck wants to run beyond this office in the future. This was a must for him to make nice with the good democrats.

June 11, 2009 at 7:01 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why do we need a lawyer to do an accountants job?
Martin was General Counsel for Ayco. While they are a finance based company, his job was not focused on finances.
I say we abandon both parties and get someone in the position with no party affiliation. Work for the city not for your silly parties elected officials.

June 11, 2009 at 10:29 AM 
Anonymous Merlin said...

I don't know there folks. He may be a good fit. The real problem is the government form. Change that and you will see new faces that are qualified. As for another outside party you will get more of the same.

June 11, 2009 at 3:57 PM 
Blogger Horatio Alger said...

Bruce,

Changing the party will do nothing to change politics. Don't try to sell snake oil and call it the cure to all our ails. That's precisely why the last push to change the charter failed.

If you really want to change the form of government, demonstrate the inefficiencies of this one and the efficiencies of the new form. That's the only cogent reason for ditching the commission system. Rolling out the same old line of bullshit(i.e., it will save money, it will draw better candidates) will prompt the majority of skeptics like myself to rail out against it.

As for an outside party bringing more of the same, you're probably right. Politics is one of the few things on this planet that corrupts even without power.

June 11, 2009 at 10:07 PM 
Anonymous Merlin(Not to be confused with Bruce L.) said...

Horatio, you are right. We must educate the public on the pros and cons. That's why it seems to be the right time to bring this out. People may be ready to listen. The council is no different regardless of who is in the seats.

June 12, 2009 at 9:39 AM 
Blogger Horatio Alger said...

Merlin,

Sorry, but it was a logical assumption ;)

June 14, 2009 at 11:31 PM 

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