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In his letter to the Enterprise of March 26, Mark Grimm stated that he is not like Warren Redlich. However, there are surely enough similarities to indicate at the very least that they are joined at the hip.
This was first clear during the culmination of their campaign for Town Board membership in the fall of 2007 when they distributed the now infamous “postcard” on the eve of Election Day. Both Grimm and Redlich refused to seek clarification from the town’s tax assessor how the property owned by one of their opponents, Mike Ricard, was assessed. At the Town Board meeting on July 8, 2008, Mike Ricard, the gentlemen that he is, explained the legitimacy of the assessment. Mr. Redlich asked why he hadn’t debated him and explained the assessment.
At that same meeting, three of the leading business men in Guilderland spoke (Angelo Serafini, Jack Gade and Joe Abbruzzese) asking both Grimm and Redlich why they hadn’t researched this matter before wasting everyone’s time. In my view, it’s called win at any cost. When Mr. Ricard finished his presentation, Mr. Grimm’s response was “Thanks for coming, Mike”. What Grimm was really saying was, you’re down there, I’m up here, and that’s what counts. Both Grimm and Redlich joined in their attack on the reduction of the tax assessment of the Walgreens property. Mr. Serafini researched this assessment by contacting other municipalities; Guilderland’s tax assessment of Walgreens came up clean. Mr. Serafini asked Grimm and Redlich why they hadn’t done their homework. Again, it’s called win at any cost. Their collaboration on the tax assessment issue was probably the single most important reason for Carol Wysomski, one of the leading municipal tax assessors in New York State, to seek retirement.
Another collaboration between the two relates to their apparent opinions of Town employees; they seem reluctant to advance highly qualified candidates. This was obvious with the unnecessary delay in supporting the appointment of the new police chief. What should have been a “slam dunk” vote resulted in contentious, lengthy and meaningless postulating by each of them. What should have been a joyous event resulted in everyone leaving town hall sick and disgusted.
Both have little knowledge of Town Departments and how they operate. One example was during a recent Town Board meeting when they asked the most simplistic questions about how the Seniors Program works. For instance, what was the schedule of activities and how many and which vehicles are operated by the program. Both have long been charged with making no effort to improve their knowledge in this area. It’s my understanding, only lately, that Mr. Grimm is visiting various departments presumably in preparation for his pending run for Supervisor; these visits should have been conducted a long time ago if he were really interested in advancing the Town’s interests. These delayed visits can now only be characterized as advancing Mr. Grimm’s self-interests.
While there are many other examples, let me close with the “www.kenrunion.org” website issue. While the site was created by Mr. Redlich, Mr. Grimm is fully supportive of this type of campaign tactic. I was extremely disappointed to read a letter to the Enterprise a few weeks ago from Mr. Ted Danz, the Republican Party Chair, in which he declared his support of this tactic as well. In that letter, Mr. Danz compared the “kenrunion.com” site with a number of other websites, all with “Guilderland” in their website addresses. Apparently, these other sites include similar partisan propaganda from the political other side. I say, apparently, as I do not read partisan political blogs or websites; they are not intended to inform but to propagandize and spread misinformation, left or right.
In all due respect, Mr. Danz has missed the point. The creation of a website using a man’s name, uploading his picture to the site and then proceeding to deliver what many would agree are nasty even libelous remarks about that individual is entirely different from placing the word “Guilderland” in the website address. I would ask Mr. Danz what his position would be if someone created a website, www.TedDanz.com, uploaded his picture and proceeded to write terrible things about him and his professional services.
Is it in our best interest to treat politicians with the same courtesy and respect as we all expect to be treated? I think it is; otherwise qualified people will no longer seek elective office. As a result, we as a society, will continue to be presented with default candidates who are neither qualified to govern nor have sufficient statesmanship and character to bring citizens together who have differing points of view.
Gerard Houser
Guilderland
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