I read with interest the opinion piece presented by Dan Weaver in todays The Daily Gazette of Schenectady he posits that a scandal in Amsterdam is more about the lack of funding for building code enforcement, (not just in Amsterdam other municipalities suffer as well), than the hypocrisy of the citys fourth ward Alderwoman, Deputy Mayor and Chair of the Codes Committee Diane Hatzenbuhler. Dan is a thoughtful and intelligent man and is spot on pulling that position into the light. Unfortunately, I think, Dan steps too closely to the big tapestry and by focusing at this one area is missing the larger pattern that this rather low level politician has chosen to weave. A year long quest to belittle and harass city employees, taint the names and reputations of businesses, repetition of third hand information as fact, accusation of criminal activity and intent with no basis, a sort of indirect and implied bigotry and a failure to understand a budget she voted on and approved. Her actions though do not stand alone they are backed by the tacit approval of the Republican members of the Common Council that for the most part have sat silently allowing her ramblings and political shenanigans to draw attention from any meaningful work on a financial crisis that has crippled and threatens further damage to the real victims here, the property taxpayers in Amsterdam. And, in a less direct, but no less important way. the inhabitants of the region. Now we have an effort to trivialize the indiscretion, to split hairs on ethics jurisdiction, to feign a basic understanding of the permitting process and unveil an endless string of excuses none of which hold any water because of the timeline she should have been working in. A true Martyr must have at least some measure of innocence.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 23:51:44 +0000
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