It would seem that our neighbors over in North Greenbush suffer from the same foolishness and political rhetoric/ gamesmanship that we have been subjected too - ie. Lou Desso.
I couldn't help but notice the similarities of our two County Legislators as I read the North Greenbush Blog. I saw striking resemblences. I would highly recommend you read for yourself : http://www.northgreenbushpipeline.blogspot.com/
Make your own determinations as to whether or not Lou Desso is the "savior" of North Greenbush.
Wow! That is some article! Funny, nobody mentions any of that on the idiot blog. Yeah, they really got their S*&t together as someone on that blog put it. It sounds like Desso and Cristo are one in the same. Nice job guys, what have ya got to say now?? Come on Mike, lets hear you defend Desso and tell us what a great job he has done, now that the facts are out.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, Whacko Dwights good buddy, the pedophile priest, was found guilty today. Yeah, real good guy there Dwight. Still feel sorry for him nutsy? Got some tears in your eyes now?
OMG ... are cristo and desso related?!?!? Talk about your basic revisionism!!!
ReplyDeleteIt must be noted - that we found this North Greenbush Blog completely by accident. We were looking for something else and stumbled onto the blog. Had absolutely no idea it existed prior to this.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find totally amazing is that Shakespeare defends this Desso like he's some messiah ! When I first read this article, I couldn't help but think of all the under-handed stunts that Cristo and company have pulled, and God only knows what we don't know about! I believe this reform movement is a ploy for a power grab by Cristo and Taylor - I don't believe for one fleeting second that they have the best interests of East Greenbush in mind at all. I think its clearly a power grab and that Cristo would place every single one of his stooge minions in place to do his bidding. Taylor would just as soon take total control of the Town and run it into the ground , she's been fired from TWO of her previous banking jobs that we know of.....what else should we expect to learn of the power hungry "reform party" couple?? Desso and Cristo - what a pair !! Taylor - incompetent or untrustable?? Terminated from jobs - WOW!!
ReplyDeleteWhich stunt are you referring too Timmy? Oh wait - there's too many to remember ...but the best one was her and Michael squirting hair conditioner on her car door and trying to blame that on one of the Dems!! That was the best one yet! And they thought nobody would learn the truth ! LOSERS!! DESSO+CRISTO+TAYLOR = BAD FOR EAST GREENBUSH and RENSSELAER COUNTY!!
ReplyDeleteHere's the best quote :
ReplyDeleteMichael Cristo said...
I have the privilege of calling Lou a friend. I was with him last night and we talked about the article which at the time I had not read. He was proud of it and eager for me to read it... I can see why! Lou approaches public service with all the sincerity that anyone could possibly ask from an elected official. He truly cares about the job, the people he represents and doing the best he can. He is intolerant of those with ulterior motives and strives to do better everyday.
We sit on a couple of committees together and the man is as dedicated as anyone I've met. I applaud his efforts, his accomplishments and his communicating the same with his community. We could all learn a little bit from Lou. It just goes to show you... it can be done, you just have to have the will to get it done!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011 10:04:00 PM EST
BUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I AM TRULEY ROFLMAO!!!
What possibly could we all learn from LOU?? How to hire a felon ??
This question should be asked and answered by all bloggers but I will start with this blog to see what kind of reaction I get.
ReplyDeleteHave any of the people who post, comment and read here noticed that your posts and comments are identical to those posts and comments you criticize from other blogs? Virtually identical -just opposite in perspective.
What this blog criticizes the C-T blog for is done, and often much worse, by people on this blog. You write about Mike, Ann and now Lou in exactly the same ways you criticized their blog about when writing about your heroes.
I am no sociologist but this situation of dueling blogs would make for a great study. An almost perfect example of "don't do as I do; do as I say". I know, I know "they" started it. But "they" say the same things about you good folks.
I am also not an idealist so I make no pretense that we will ever all get along. I doubt any blogging is taken seriously anyway, except maybe by the blogger herself/himself. And yes I am sure that would include me. It is pretty funny to watch and read, and maybe the blogger feels good about venting - but that's about it in terms of value to our town.
Oh- and there's ALOT more : read on dear friends !!;;;
ReplyDelete"One other Republican Legislator was challenging Desso for the honor of being the biggest looser last night. That would be Michael Cristo who ate a dish of crow rivaling the entree eaten by Desso. Cristo proudly proclaimed before the November town election where he was running for a conflicting town council seat, that he would oppose the proposed county tax hike. Sucking up to voters didn't work as he was crushed in his bid to be re-elected to the town council, finishing last in a four way contest. Last night Cristo sounded foolish as he tried to explain why he was not keeping his pre election promise.
The pressure on Desso to conform to the demands of his GOP colleagues must have been too much for Super Lou as he crumbled from his Town Council position to join Cristo at the dinner table. It's the same pressure he applies to his allies on the town board who have no ability to stand up to Desso's demands, even when it comes to voting on a budget without ever having seen the document. "
These people have Cristo's number as well !!!
Dear Anonymous 239pm : I believe you should start your analysis with the very simply facts of exactly how this blog began. You would clearly be remiss if you ignore the simple fact that the other blog had a years head start , and BEFORE that , cristo/taylor had almost free reign on the Times Union blog until Mike Huber realized exactly what cristo was up to and banished him from the TU blogs forever!
ReplyDeleteThe egtalks was started the 1st week of October 2010 as a direct result of many residents not having their opinions expressed on the cristo/taylor manifesto blog. It got ugly because no one from the cristo team was used to having anyone disagree with their point of view on anything.
If you read back - and if you have the ability to look back without prejudice - you'll clearly see that the nastiness and mudslinging clearly started over there, and was answered here- which may have accomplished nothing except to allow people a place to express their dis-satisfaction with everything cristo/taylor!
- You won't get this reaction from anyone over there- they still can't handle anyone disagreeing with their point of view and they defend anything they say as the clear gospel and no one is allowed to have a different view of anything they say. People who support these reformers are so drunk on their point of view , that McCabe is the anti-christ and the dems will be the downfall of east greenbush. Too bad they can't get it together over there. They refuse to acknowledge their shortcomings - instead they continue to try to embarass the current administration- to what end?? Good luck with your study- I hope it amuses you in some way.
1007am - your post is withdrawn- you have no basis for your point and clearly you are simply looking to bait an argument. Good luck to you over on the Cristo Blog. Your original post was answered , you are simply looking to further an argument.
ReplyDeleteit looks like 1007am proved your point Ole EG taxpayer ! They can't handle disagreement with their narrow point of view. Too bad they can't ask questions without making an argument out of every answer they don't like. It's clearly one of their shortcomings.
ReplyDelete"If there's one thing Lou Desso and Al Spain can't stand is press coverage of their shenanigans. Today's Troy Record gave them enough to fill a pamphlet. We're confident there will be more coming as the peeling away of the facade continues."
ReplyDeleteI luv that North Greenbush blog...the parallels between the corrupt politicians Desso and Christo are amazing ! Good catch egtalks !
watching the vultures over there feeding off one of their own is priceless. It would seem that one of their own doesn't necessarily agree that McCabe could be blamed for the budget overrun @ the DPW.
ReplyDeleteThey refuse to acknowledge that one of Mikies boyz could have possibly been responsible - and watch the feeding frenzy! PRICELESS ! They wonder why they're so easily beat in any election - read and learn ! That group couldn't stick together with glue! They will chase away votes without help from anyone else.
I can't wait for other revelations to come to light! YAY !
If only Ann had won things in Town would now be perfect, she could just fix everything, wait she could fix all world problems,Ann for president omg she is just wonderful just ask Mike!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHere's the latest from our County Legislator:
ReplyDeleteWhat is interesting is the fact that not only were positions added this year, but as you suggest a freeze when someone retires, not only did we not freeze the position, but we hired back three of the people who retired FROM those positions. The lack of logic is amazing... we are actually paying the same person twice to do the same job!
Did the little ego-maniac forget he did EXACTLY THE SAME THING LAST YEAR??
RedGuynup - Paul Mason - BOTH RETIRED and hired back as consultants by the Cristo Administration to help Chris DenFruscio- at "consultant rates no less!!!
- Once again - MIKE CRISTO - BAD FOR EAST GREENBUSH AND BAD FOR RENSSELAER COUNTY !!
Oh...I see Napoleon is back at it again huh ?!? If he thinks for one moment that people have forgotten the stunts he pulled - he's sorely mistaken. Just because you showed up with the check after almost two years doesn't make people forget your probably the worst financial planner/business man the Town has ever seen.
ReplyDeleteHiring your best friend / business partner is not forgotten and will NOT be forgotten either ! Defruscio screwed the DPW up beyond repair and over spent his budget by $160,000.00 to boot! That is unforgiveable and shows the extent of Christo's foolish behavior and quirky vein of thought when it comes to appointing to positions of power .
I wholeheartedly agree with Timmy- Mike Cristo is bad for East Greenbush and clearly bad for Rensselaer County . Yeah Mike- I'm well versed on your back peddleing on the county budget vote - your no politician !
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteApparently the reform party changed their name to EG community watchdog. Looks like that is the only thing they could reform! They will change thier name again just like terrorists groups do to get as much attention necessary. Nothing has worked so far but kudos to King Cristo and his plaything.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteFebruary 19, 2011 9:02 PM
Please provide a link to the NY Post article so that we can verify your comment.
Wonderful comment Feb 19 @ 9:32pm. Anyone want to top that one?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteJust posted this on the other blog. King Mikey is really that ignorant! I know he won't post it though.
ReplyDeleteMike as usual you only post half the story. Are you really that ignorant? Read both sides of the argument. Isn't what the denocractic legislators are doing in wisconsin the same thing many republicans did to our State Budget not to long ago. Gov. Walker is trying to break the union. He wants to get rid of collective bargaining. That is the bottom line. And for all you republicans who hate union government employees this is a typical move. We as americans are afforded many things because of unions. Unions have given us a Minimum wage, (not one you can live on) a 40 hour work week, Safe working conditions among other things. To say these legislators are cowards is absolutely unfair. But you won't print this anyhow so not sure why I typed it. You are a coward at heart and when crticized you whine like a baby. Writing what you did confirms everything people said before the election. You wanted to get rid of union workers in town. Especially the Police Dept.
Why does whoever manages this blog allow such nasty, belittling things to be posted about Bonnie?
ReplyDeleteWhat has she ever done to any of you? Bonnie took on her own shoulders the effort to clean up Hampton Manor. She may not be the world's greatest public speaker but does that justify the outright evil comments about her?
Every single time I try to make sure my mind is open to thoughts and beliefs expressed on this blog you permit a posting like the one about Bonnie. Shameful.
Hey Talks.....Why don't you put the lid on the adolescents and neanderthals attempting to make fun of people. I realize that the education level and intellectual capabilities are limited here, but why not give it a try?
ReplyDeleteMr. Cristo and Ms. Taylor contend that comparing the HVCC Faculty's raises to EG CSEA's raises is wrong.
ReplyDeleteMike Cristo:"I will tell you that those raises do not come from the tax payer, we voted on raises that they asked for. Yes, they have to ask us for permission to distribute THIER moneys, not tax payer. The true injustice would have been if we were to deny them." - Sunday, February 20, 2011, 9:57:00 AM EST
Ann Taylor: "HVCC is not in the same financial distress EG is in. Comparisons are done between apples to apples not apples to oranges." - Sunday, February 20, 2011 10:30:00 AM EST
Mike Cristo: "Their budget is funded from tuition NOT elected officials who depend on tax payer's money." - Sunday, February 20, 2011, 11:07:00 AM EST
The truth of the matter is that the Adopted 2011 Rensselaer County Budget (http://www.rensco.com/pdfs/2011a.pdf) includes more than $4.1 million in RENSSELAER COUNTY TAXPAYER Support for HVCC:
$3,138,900 for HVCC as the Local Sponsor Contribution (page 62) - the funding source, i.e. property tax, sales tax, etc., is not specified, and
$977,917 for Debt Service (page 1) which is property tax supported.
Furthermore, Governor Cuomo's 2011 Executive Budget states "SUNY’s community colleges have three basic funding sources: State support, LOCAL SPONSOR SUPPORT, and student tuition revenue. The Executive Budget recommends $427.8 million in State support, representing a $23.9 million decrease in total available funding from 2010-11 final Enacted Budget levels."
Rensselaer County Taxpayers DO, in fact, support HVCC, at BOTH the local level and at the State level.
Pete Stenson
Hey 622pm - why don't you slam your fingers in the window frame on a cold day ? Adolescents and neanderthals? Education level and intellectual capabilities? Puhleez - giggle~giggle~boom-boom! You must surely live in a cave if your referring to anything posted here - read back thru Taylors garbage blog - or when Cristo makes up facts and figures about something as he attempts to belittle someone because they don't agree with his point of view. limited capabilities ? Read the crap coming out of "over there" !
ReplyDeleteI think Taylor calls it - freedom of speech when she continually posts lies and disparaging remarks about people that she doesn't like - go try and put limits or a muzzle on her mouth - let me know how that works out for ya !
THANK YOU PETE!!! CRISTO CAUGHT IN A FABRICATION OF FACTS TO SUPPORT HIS HATRED FOR TOWN WORKERS ! CRISTO - YOUR A DISGRACE TO YOUR OFFICE AND TO THE TOWN OF EAST GREENBUSH
ReplyDeleteYa know - when I read Cristo over on his trash page telling everyone how many friends he and Ann have that work for the Town, I openly wondered if he was day dreaming.
ReplyDeleteHe would rather terminate every Town employee and hire some guy off the street , then fire them when he's done with them. That's the way he runs his business - ANTI-UNION! He has no use for union workers and never has. That tiger never changes it stripes!
Mike Cristo is anti-union which makes him naturally anti-town employee. WOW- Thank God the people of East Greenbush got it right this past November !
here's one of the blind that were led around by the hypocrit-Cristo:
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
47 Michael....I'm pleased that you corrected the attempted misrepresentation of the HVCC raises as being related to the tax levy. Some folks had some "fun" with the falsehood for a while, and we've seen that before. The Town raises in the context of current realities are nothing but a giveaway for election work. This administration is bought and paid for. I wonder if the Supervisor told Moodys that the debt reduction was due to a one million dollar REVAL mistake and a payment from FEMA, or tried to take credit for creative management?
Sunday, February 20, 2011 6:31:00 PM EST
- This post is why these reformers are so easy to pick on ! They drink the Cristo- kool-aide and walla!! Theye are immediate believers in everything cristo/taylor. I wonder if our County Legislator will ever admit that he made up figures and facts to suit his need?
Jeff-677; I remember vividly Cristo going against several town employees - DPW and Police , both this past November and November 2009. He just posted that he and Ann both get along well with several Town employees . OK - from what Town? Surely not East Greenbush!
Cristo couldn't buy a cup of cofffee in any Stewarts around here without running into someone he's pissed off ~ must be a nice feeling ! I said in the first line - hypocrit. But as I read thru ,I could have also used the word arrogant as well! They both fit him perfectly !
Seems to me that the original question was whether the County Legislature had any authority to negotiate or set the salaries granted to staff by the administration of HVCC. The question was not whether there was county and state money in addition to tuition which funded the HVCC budget. Big difference here related to who really has the leverage to impact salary agreements. If you follow the logic I think adopted by Mr. Stenson, the State Legislature must be just as responsible as Mr. Cristo for the HVCC salaries - so we should also go yell at Albany. There is a big difference between having direct responsibility and authority for reaching a salary agreement and having some pass-through function.
ReplyDeleteI sent in a question regarding pete's HVCC post, to Christo on the other blog. Here it is: Can't wait to ses if he answers.
ReplyDeleteMr Cristo;
There is a post on theother blog, directly refuting what you said about HVCC raises not being funded by us taxpayers. Here is the post:
The truth of the matter is that the Adopted 2011 Rensselaer County Budget (http://www.rensco.com/pdfs/2011a.pdf) includes more than $4.1 million in RENSSELAER COUNTY TAXPAYER Support for HVCC:
$3,138,900 for HVCC as the Local Sponsor Contribution (page 62) - the funding source, i.e. property tax, sales tax, etc., is not specified, and
$977,917 for Debt Service (page 1) which is property tax supported.
Furthermore, Governor Cuomo's 2011 Executive Budget states "SUNY’s community colleges have three basic funding sources: State support, LOCAL SPONSOR SUPPORT, and student tuition revenue. The Executive Budget recommends $427.8 million in State support, representing a $23.9 million decrease in total available funding from 2010-11 final Enacted Budget levels."
Rensselaer County Taxpayers DO, in fact, support HVCC, at BOTH the local level and at the State level.
This is either true or it isn't, we are all anxious to here you reply.
I rest my point !!!
ReplyDelete"The blog is written and monitored by Ann Taylor and Michael Cristo. Comment's origins are unknown. Comments do not reflect the views of Ann or Michael. "
and specifically for the reformer who wrote yesterday @ 5:32 - the above referenced phrase is just for you !
Mike and Ann havn't got the kahunies to post something until they've read it and pre- written their responses and called Don and Dwight to hurry up and author nasty retorts - then they post something. You screwballs really arn't all that sophisticated
7:01 - the point here is the fact that Cristo has taken the local Unions to task for the contracts they recently agreed to -( he hates Town employees) and then - he tried to justify his YES vote on the HVCC raises which were substantially higher than the local contracts.
ReplyDeleteCristo then went on to lie and state that NO EGB TAX DOLLARS were affected by his Yes vote! Well - he made that up - he's arrogant AND ignorant. The information posted is available on the Rensselaer County Budget page and there's also info available thru HVCC's website. Cristo lied - period!
Town employees all took a 0% raise for 2011 - that's huge considering any arbitrator would almost certaintly award somewhere around 2% or possibly higher!
What else has Legislator Cristo fabricated and/or lied about?
Anonymous (7:01 PM) It's bad enough that wingnuts 1 and 2 make up the answers to fit their version of reality but now your making up the questions???? Where are you from? North Dessobush???
ReplyDeleteThe worker Unions in East Greenbush all agreed to a zero percent raise for 2011? That's fabulous. I dare say that if Cristo was on the Board, none of those employees would have agreed to that and it would have been off to arbitration and much more of a raise . THANK YOU East Greenbush employees. Thank you for the break on 2011. I certaintly appreciate it.
ReplyDeletefor 8:02pm - read Cristo and one of his minions over there having a love fest while they shred one of their own - again. They wonder why no one supports them on election day - they still don't get it.
Glad to see I'm getting to you. Really important to focus on the facts.
ReplyDeleteIf you have not already done so please read Katie Nowak's article in today's Troy Record regarding North Greenbush, their former Comptroller and the results of a recent independent audit.
ReplyDeleteAnd then please ask yourself if this article causes you to change your thinking about recent blog comments about Lou Desso and the nastiness of him for leading the process of terminating their former Comptroller.
There's a lesson in the events in Kinderhook, Wilton, Kingston and now North Greenbush about everything from internal controls (lacking in East Greenbush as proven by multiple audits) to political commentary to fact based blogging.
Following is the link to the article mentioned by Anonymous 8:30 AM.
ReplyDeleteProcedural audit of North Greenbush financial materials reveals unknown, unauthorized town bank account
Published: Wednesday, February 23, 2011
http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2011/02/23/news/doc4d64adcbe5dad763375075.txt
In all fairness, the reported reason for Comptroller Strenka's dismissal was to reduce costs and not for any allegations of misconduct. See the following article:
Mike Strenka dismissed to reduce costs, spending, in North Greenbush
Published: Thursday, January 06, 2011
http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2011/01/06/news/doc4d255546b662a716968378.txt
Anonymous said... February 22, 2011 7:01 PM
ReplyDeleteI see that you've totally misunderstood my point ... there IS in fact County levied tax money supporting HVCC, contrary to what Mr. Cristo maintains.
Furthermore, the State Legislature is NOT, as you contend, "just as responsible as Mr. Cristo for the HVCC salaries". The State Legislature DID NOT approve the HVCC Faculty Association Faculty Association Agreement. The County Legislature DID approve the agreement on January 11, 2011. This is a critical difference.
Pete Stenson
I see that Mr. Stenson is still waiting for clarification from Mr. Cristo concerning the salary raises for HVCC. Come on Cristo...you are always so very quick to jump on everyone else for their alleged shortcomings....in your own words...."What Say you". I don't think you have ever answered any questions that don't show you in a good light. I know several people have asked me what you accomplished as a Board Member. I know the question was asked of you and an answer was never received - I guess that says it all!
ReplyDeleteThe problem of course is that the law does not require the town board to approve of any bank accounts opened by a Comptroller. Unfortunately for Lou Desso, the county operates the same way. So when asked if he could name even ONE bank account he approved for use in Rensselaer County as a member of the Legislature, the silence was deafening. Poor Lou! He was so upset he didn't know about the bank account opened on Main Avenue by the comptroller he fired he was calling for a "Forensic Audit". Yet Lou couldn't name a single bank account he had approved for the county in his conflicting role as a legislator.
ReplyDeleteBUAHAHAHA- Desso is really a LOSER- Cristo too !! IDIOTS !!!!
Millie,
ReplyDeleteYou'll get an answer from King Cristo on the HVCC issue when he can get someone from the Reformers to help him come up with a response. Cristo needs someone to help him spin what he said so that he can blame McCabe, O'Brien, Mangold or Malone for what he stated. If not them, he can blame the DPW guys, the transfer station guys, the Police Dept. Dispatchers, or the guys in the Ambulance District. If that won't work, Cristo has his old stand-by, "I didn't know", "I was tricked" or "I trusted too much"! Cristo would never admit he got caught with his pants down again. Cristo- do the Dems a favor and please run for office in East Greenbush again...