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The
City Revisited
To
the Editor:
Aside
from the blatantly partisan headline, and the lack of balance
as it relates to the number of people arguing a point in your
cover story last week [“The Trouble With Harry,” Aug. 2],
the article by Chet Hardin discussing my administration was
quite poignant, even if you must dig deeper first.
As a public official, one of the first things you learn quickly
is that some people will not like you no matter what the case,
and even if it is bothersome, you must brush it away and move
on.
I would like to clear up a few misstatements by my opponent.
Laughing was the only emotion I could muster when I read him
trumpeting the recent movement of Congress-Ferry Street as
something he laid the groundwork for during his term as deputy
mayor. Perhaps Mr. Conroy needs a refresher course. If so,
I can provide him a 250-page grant application in which he
signed two letters of support that would have brought 260
units of public housing to the Congress-Ferry Street corridor,
while turning over all land to the Housing Authority. Could
Jim please explain how that laid the groundwork for
the $160 million of private investment we have fought for?
Then there is the South Troy Industrial Road, which Mr. Conroy
claims no one is pushing. While we continue the planning process
for the road, it is prudent to point out that we’re not convinced
that a strict Industrial Road is what is needed for South
Troy. Unlike Mr. Conroy, we have worked diligently to secure
more than 35 acres of land on the Hudson River for the purpose
of redevelopment. Why spend millions of dollars in taxpayer
money to build a road, when a little vision and effort could
change the landscape there for years to come?
James again takes credit for our success by saying he applied
for the grant that eventually purchased the King Fuels site.
That is an interesting take, to say the least. I am sure he
simply forgot to mention that the city refused to collect
taxes on the 20-acre parcel while he was deputy mayor. Troy
could have had that property at any point, but Mr. Conroy
failed to capitalize. Amazingly, when I came into office,
Jim suddenly became the listing agent for King Fuels. He was
trying to sell the property that for years he protected as
deputy mayor. We foreclosed on it, and the rest, as they say,
is history.
My final point will address the notion that the ongoing redevelopment
of downtown was because of Conroy’s willingness to rip up
the road and lay some fiber in the ground. I can’t imagine
he’s serious, but to each his own. The ongoing redevelopment
of downtown is taking place for dozens of reasons, some of
which have to do with government, most of which do not.
The people of Troy have great memories. When they vote in
three months they will remember when your administration refused
to acknowledge that there were gangs in Troy, and promoted
voluntary compliance of the law instead of enforcement.
They will remember going three days at a time without snow
removal, and employees telling the newspaper, “We’ll get to
Emerald Greens tomorrow.” They will remember the filthy streets,
and the complete lack of maintenance of all alleys throughout
the City of Troy. They will remember the constant planning
with no doing.
I believe most of all they will remember how that has all
changed, and though we sometimes make a misstep here and there,
we will never run the city down for our own benefit as you
and your party appear ready to do for the next 90 days, and
we will always do what we believe is right.
Mayor
Harry Tutunjian, Troy
Side
Effects
To
the Editor:
I
am writing in response to “To Educate or Intimidate?” [Newsfront,
July 26]. While you may have felt it your duty to make the
public aware of a campaign of attempted intimidation targeting
local businesses, we at Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood believe
that Metroland only played into the hands of Life Decisions
International.
LDI obtains very few results through its threatening letters
and list of targeted businesses (a list that is only made
available if you donate to their organization). Those who
support Planned Parenthood are aware of—and support—the services
we provide. The overwhelming response to these letters has
been to throw them in the garbage. Unfortunately, your coverage
provided much greater reach and credibility to the acts and
opinions of this obscure, fringe organization than they would
have obtained had you ignored them.
In addition, the manner in which you covered their actions
also helped LDI focus public attention almost exclusively
on Planned Parenthood’s provision of abortion services.
While we are proud to provide over 2,000 safe, high quality
abortions each year, abortions, nonetheless, account for only
12 percent of our visits. The overwhelming majority of our
patients come to us for prevention services; for annual GYN
exams, birth control information and supplies, cervical- and
breast-cancer screenings, treatment for abnormal Pap tests,
pregnancy testing and options counseling, and testing and
treatment for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
Each year, UHPP serves over 11,700 Capital Region residents;
many do not have insurance and would not otherwise have access
to any form of medical care, including reproductive health
care.
If anti-choice extremists like Life Decisions International
really wanted to make abortion rare, they would work to expand
access to family-planning services and comprehensive sex education.
Patricia
A. McGeown, President/CEO, Upper Hudson Planned
Parenthood
Metroland
welcomes typed, double-spaced letters addressed to the editor.
Metroland reserves the right to edit letters for length
or clarity; 300 words is the preferred maximum. You must include
your name, address and day and evening telephone numbers.
We will not publish letters that cannot be verified, nor those
that are anonymous, illegible, irresponsible or factually
inaccurate.
Send
to:
Letters, Metroland
419 Madison Ave., Albany, NY 12210
e-mail:
metroland@metroland.net
fax:
463-3726
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