Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Let's talk stimulus

These days, everyone is talking about the Stimulus Bill. The possibility of receiving a large amount of federal funding for improvements has businesses and organizations all across our City, and across the country, excited about potential projects being approved. This funding will have a profound impact on the communities it is awarded to, and in the City of Albany, we are working hard to seize every opportunity this American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) presents.

To prepare, the City’s departments have organized priority projects that meet the regulations and intention of the ARRA. These projects were selected based on their ability to begin immediately upon receipt of funds, the number of jobs they would create and the quality of the impact each would have on the surrounding community.

As of right now, Albany has twenty of these “shovel-ready projects,” and, if they are fully funded, they will represent more than $584 million in direct investment, more than 1,000 construction jobs and roughly 1,000 permanent jobs. The projects include proposals such as a vacant building targeted stabilization program, the renovation of Bleecker Stadium, municipal water/wastewater system infrastructure projects and alternative energy retrofits for municipal buildings.

Please know that your input will be vital to this process. I look forward to receiving your questions, suggestions and comments, and I will continue to work with Governor Paterson, City departments, and local business leaders to ensure that the City of Albany is awarded as much stimulus funding as possible.

Let’s build a brighter future, together.

4 comments:

  1. You're 9 posts behind -- the mayor has one up about Arbor Day, his latest. I said this, but it hasn't shown up yet:

    Mayor,

    Six months ago you told me emphatically that the problems I brought to your attention would be addressed. That was the day before Thanksgiving. But you never followed through and you have ignored the problems.

    I question how you can find time to blog, and what your point is in doing so while you fail to address serious issues.

    This is a polite expression of concern, and I would like to hear your answer. You can say it here, call, write, or stop by.

    Sincerely,

    Kate

    ReplyDelete
  2. So, the mayor did censor my comment. I had to submit another one this morning:

    Mayor, you censored my post, which the TU confirms was received on Friday afternoon but does not appear here. Here it is again in full:

    Mayor,
    Six months ago you told me emphatically that the problems I brought to your attention would be addressed. That was the day before Thanksgiving. But you never followed through and you have ignored the problems.

    I question how you can find time to blog, and what your point is in doing so while you fail to address serious issues.

    This is a polite expression of concern, and I would like to hear your answer. You can say it here, call, write, or stop by.

    Sincerely,
    Kate
    Comment by kate — April 24th, 2009 @ 7:28 pm

    Comment by kate — April 27th, 2009 @ 9:54 am

    ReplyDelete
  3. The TU confirmed that the mayor handles his own blog, not the TU.

    From the TU, in response to a specific question about whether the mayor handles his own blog:

    "Each reader blogger moderates his/her own blog. That’s part of our SOP for all non-staff blogs."

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well, Corey Ellis is posting comments, while Jennings censors them.

    I am gathering the evidence day by day.

    ReplyDelete