Ok, so our State Senator Larkin secures a grant from the state [taxpayer’s money] and specifies a brand right in the application. What grant you ask? Guns with cameras for street patrol officers.
The brand is PistolCam, the concept is great and may help with post-mortem crime scene reconstruction, but the fun doesn’t stop there.
The Record did a story on the prevalent occurrence of insider deals and the lack of ethics in Albany, a shocking story I know, but it’s a story that has been swirling around the “Gang of 33” for quite a while.
The Record did a story on the prevalent occurrence of insider deals and the lack of ethics in Albany, a shocking story I know, but it’s a story that has been swirling around the “Gang of 33” for quite a while.
But what got me, was I called the author of the story, Chris McEnna, and had a terse conversation with him, after praising him on the article, I asked him what possessed him to actually write something about the “Good ‘Ol Boys” after letting this stuff slide for decades? He finally said, “I can’t talk about this I am very busy.” So, I got nothing.
The grant gave the Orange County the money to buy these devices from Legend Technologies only. Now this might not seem much on the outside, but the company is represented by William DeProspo. He is also the Chairman of the Orange County Republican Party.
The grant gave the Orange County the money to buy these devices from Legend Technologies only. Now this might not seem much on the outside, but the company is represented by William DeProspo. He is also the Chairman of the Orange County Republican Party. [You knew that was coming].
The purchasing agent for Ulster County or even the City of Kingston would never tolerate a grant specified to one company. There has to be a bid process with every major purchase. In this case...The OC Legislature put the brakes on the order and gave Larkin a homework assignment.
The purchasing agent for Ulster County or even the City of Kingston would never tolerate a grant specified to one company. There has to be a bid process with every major purchase. In this case...The OC Legislature put the brakes on the order and gave Larkin a homework assignment.
As you would expect: Legend Tech and its associates, dump a lot of money on Bill every election season. But we expect this from some of these guys, right?
What puts this over the top, is these PistolCams haven’t passed any rigorous testing period that I can tell and the OC Sheriff was quoted as “only using them in training”. What would taxpayers buy them for if not to protect the public in the real world?McEnna goes on with his research on alternatives to the gun camera…Some are solutions for under $100 each, compared to the $1,000 purchase price stated in the grant. What about a HelmetCam? Don’t we already have cameras in police cars today?
The answer is simple. Orange County suffers the same problems that all counties face, whether it be Ulster, Dutchess or Erie.Cronyism is alive and well. This is just one example of what’s really out there, and if you want more of the same…Vote for Bill.
4 comments:
the same concept is too aply when fixing police cars,all that are able too get on the vendor list.(thats the good old boy list).then you aren't able to or strugle to survive.the municipality where ever it is is supposed to maintain vendor lists to put everything out for BID,to get the best possible price when spending TAXPAYER dollars.although its the easiest to hide and to explain away,when there isn't any oversight.
there is plenty of cronyism here in Kingston, youre right mike.
Its everywhere!
Question is, at what level of financial pain do we step up and blow the whistle? Sure we have friends and relatives of our elected getting small city jobs, but these big dollar expenditures youve pointed out is what really hurts the taxpayr. Who's minding the store?
Why are you so worried about whats going on in Albany? You are a City of Kingston Alderman. You should be worried about Steve Gorsline's build up time. The stock piling of chemicals the city will never use. The waste here in Kingston is what you should be worried about.
What about Alderman's kids getting jobs ahead of people who really need them. Teetsel's kid did not start as seasonal like 99.9% of city workers.
There is enough scandlous behavior going on right here in Kingston with our own version of the "good ol boys".
Cronyism is taking place in more areas than people think. This is killing the economic development of our country. I actually set up a web site in regards to this happening in Crime Scene cleanup throughout the US. cpac.mobi This needs to stop and the more people who know about what is going on the better. Police officers, county officials,local and state governments have enough criminal activity happening throughout the US. The more people like us who bring this to the public the more it will start to take affect to be under control.
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