......... ITEMS, that is........
A good chunk of change is given out all across NYS in the form of member items. You could say that member items are "state funds allocated for public purposes such as community projects, civil or public health programs...".
You could say that they are legislative earmarks doled out by individual members for pet projects.
Or, you could be completely honest and say that member items are "incumbency protection plans".
Over $170 million is in this year's budget for "earmarks" that will be divided up, and given to the Senate and Assembly for member items.
The majority party in each chamber takes the largest share of the member item money, and then the leader of the majority party in the Senate and the Assembly takes the biggest chunk and divvies up the rest, with senior members typically getting the most.
Years ago, when the Republicans were the majority of the Senate, earmarks were distributed mostly to special projects on Long Island and upstate NY - while the Democratic majority Assembly sent most of their money to NYC and the surrounding suburbs.
Now that the majority of both chambers are controlled by New York City Democrats.....upstate might see a little less of the $cha-ching$ that they used to get.
Ya wanna talk about "pay-to-play"? Research by Taxpayers for Common Sense uncover the uncanny alignment between earmarks and campaign cash.
Check out some of the links on this site.....it's pretty eye-opening.
Another very helpful tool to use when searching NYS member items is the SunlightNY site. You can view every county in NYS, and find other interesting things to peruse on there.
For instance, Irondequoit for 2008-2009:
Irondequoit for 2007-2008:
Irondequoit for 2006-2007:
Morelle for 2008-2009:
Morelle for 2007-2008:
Morelle 2006-2007:
Hmm.....it seems to show the same stuff that was in the previous blog about Pork-o-nomic$......not much at all given to the senior services at Pinegrove....just that $5,000 2007 gift from Alesi.
I guess $40,000 bleachers at McAvoy was more important than $40,000 worth of upgrades at Pinegrove.
You can clearly see how much "member item" money is spent on Seniors in Irondequoit......you know, the town with the highest percentage of seniors in Monroe County.......who are being told that they "come first"......well, after art, schools, sports, police, cabarets, landfill and water studies, bleachers, upgrades to Perinton Senior Centers, vans, kitchen upgrades, Henrietta Senior Centers......THEN they are definitely first!
Speaking of "Seniors First".....I was thinking about the "Seniors First Committee" at 3098 St. Paul Blvd. while looking up all this info.
They are "Active"....according to SunlightNY:
They haven't filed anything though. They sent out mailers.....how can they not have any expenditures? It said right in the top left corner that the mailers were paid for by the Irondequoit Seniors First Committee.
Unless......they didn't really pay for it, and the IDC paid for it, and is not expecting reimbursement? I have no idea what happened with that.
The "Seniors First Committee".....when was it started? Did they always care about seniors? Or did they just start caring about seniors jussssst before February 24th, 2009?
I wonder if there is anything on file with the "finance database"?
Let's take a look:
Nuthin'.
I thought they were a "committee"? A "committee" who puts "Seniors First"?
If they are truly a "committee", there should be some history of expenditures there, don't you think? Especially since Irena Scoglio was quoted in the D&C as assuming she would be billed for the money spent on the mailers that had her address in the top left corner as the "Senior's First Committee".
I wonder why there is no history there?
There should be......you know......because they care so much about Seniors, and put them first and all........
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight?
