I was a little surprised when I saw the small article in the paper today too. I thought it should have gotten more coverage.

We all also must remember that it was just used as a pole vault into the race....quick votes....well the turtle did win the race...

There are bigger things moving that garbage to Schenectady.....there is a bigger machine in motion...what motion... who knows?

as far as the media is concerned...the government machine, for all intense purposes,, has stalled.....

remember, the media outlets all have their Pontius Pilots that they support....where the truth lies is what we must dig for....

this matter is of importance in a very very large general sense....but, closer to the point is...who is in charge of the unjust scales??? and..where is the BITE in the law??

Does anyone know how the meeting went tonight? I hope they have an unbias article in the gazette in the morning.

Quoted from bumblethru

Does anyone know how the meeting went tonight? I hope they have an unbias article in the gazette in the morning.

Thanks for showing up and mking your voice heard, Z2IM.

Quoted Text

Schenectady sex offender law rapped  
  
By PAUL NELSON, Staff writer
Click byline for more stories by writer.
Last updated: 12:04 a.m., Thursday, August 23, 2007

SCHENECTADY - County lawmakers took heat Wednesday night from opponents of the legislature's law dictating where sex offenders must live - a measure that has split the city and its suburbs.
  
In June, legislators unanimously passed restrictions requiring convicted sex offenders to leave their homes starting Oct. 1 if they lived within 2,000 feet of public parks, pools and playgrounds, schools or day care and youth facilities.

A second law would ban offenders from moving within 2,000 feet of such areas. By scaling back the new law and removing the retroactive clause, sex offenders who now live in so-called restricted areas would be allowed to remain in their homes and not be forced to move by Oct. 1. The initial law would have applied to all three levels of convicted sex offenders. The revision would exclude Level 1 - the lowest level - from the statute.

Legislators will vote on those changes at 7 p.m. today.

Most of the speakers criticizing the proposal were municipal officials and homeowners from Duanesburg. Many argued the proposed amendments are not nearly enough and instead demanded politicians delay action until the topic is better researched. A New York State Civil Liberties Union representative said more needs to be done to stave off a threatened lawsuit.

"What we're doing is playing a shell game," said Delanson resident Brad Littlefield, noting he has tried in vain through the public information law to find out what evidence or information the county studied before crafting the law.

Richard Hamill, a mental health expert who said he works with both sex offenders and victims told the panel they need to consider bringing law enforcement, treatment providers, victim advocates and prosecutors to the table.

"We don't want you to be the experts, we just expect that you will ask the people who have the expertise," he said. "There has to be a regional approach."

Bill Marincic, who lives in Schenectady's Vale neighborhood, cheered the law. He urged the county law to keep it intact. "I'm tired of all these do-gooders that want to destroy the fabric of our country," said Marincic who attended the hearing with his 15-year-old daughter. He expressed fear for his child because of the dozens of sex offenders he contends reside within blocks of his home.

But if there was one issue that forces for and against the issue could agree on: it was that New York needs to pass statewide legislation.

...and I say to Mr. Marincic...with all due respect...I'm sorry for your 15 year old, but what about my 12, 9, and 5 year olds?  Shouldn't you have told your 15 year old by now how to protect herself from this?  An if they live within blocks of your home, maybe you need to do something about it?  Neighborhood Watch?  Don't feel safe?  Then maybe you should move out of where you are.  That's what you want the people in the outlying areas of the county to do, don't you?  They can protect themselves while you have the county protect you???

Quoted Text

In June, legislators unanimously passed restrictions requiring convicted sex offenders to leave their homes starting Oct. 1 if they lived within 2,000 feet of public parks, pools and playgrounds, schools or day care and youth facilities.

Is this a little lefty spin?  I thought there were 3 votes against this originally?  Ms. Lazzarri and 2 of the Dems?  

http://www.dailygazette.com

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
Citizens speak on sex offender laws Legislators set to vote tonight
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

   More than a dozen speakers told the Schenectady County Legislature Wednesday to throw out both of its sex offender laws and start over with local experts who would actually research the issue.
   But it’s not clear whether those speakers persuaded the legislators, none of whom spoke during the session.
   The Legislature will vote today at 7 p.m. on whether to keep, change or rescind laws it passed in June to ban convicted sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of any facility that caters to children. The meeting is on the sixth floor of the county office building.
   Legislators appeared ready to rescind one portion of the laws, which would have forced convicts to move if they currently live in one of the 2,000-foot exclusion zones. That piece of legislation has been called unconstitutional and un-American by the local chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union, and legislators have proposed that it be eliminated tonight.
   But the 2,000-foot residency restriction for new convicts is still under debate. Republicans on the Legislature said after Wednesday’s hearing that they were convinced the restriction did not adequately address local fears that offenders might rape or molest another person after being released from prison.
   They said they wanted to create a more comprehensive plan, which could include more elec- tronic monitoring and waivers for carefully screened offenders who want to live with family within the exclusion zones.
   Democrats held a closed-door caucus after the hearing to discuss what amendments they would propose at tonight’s meeting. They had not emerged from their meeting by press time.
   Republican Minority Leader Robert Farley said he was most moved by Niskayuna Supervisor Luke Smith, a Democrat who has decades of experience running the corrections system in Westchester County.
   Smith told the Legislature that the residency restriction would make residents less safe because offenders would quietly move a few blocks away from their current address without telling law enforcement where they went, rather than follow a law that forces them to move to areas where they can’t afford to live.
   Under the law, offenders would have to move to areas of the county where there are few apartments, no public transportation, and few jobs.
WRONG RESULT FEARED
   “I believe the real issue is, they’re going to go underground and we’re not going to know where these individuals are,” Smith said. “These offenders have to and will live somewhere. I would rather know where they are.”
   He said that when a similar residency ban was enacted in part of Iowa, more than half of the convicted sex offenders living in one county vanished. Of 435 registered offenders being watched by local law enforcement, 114 moved to legal residency areas, 74 were arrested for not moving, and law enforcement lost the rest of them, Smith said.
   “They just disappeared,” he said.
   Farley said he’s taking that concern seriously.
   “Going underground, that worries me a lot,” he said. “At the end of the day, we have to come up with a comprehensive program that gets everyone involved to prevent and punish. Residency restriction is a piece of the puzzle. It’s not the whole thing.”
   He wants the Legislature to create a committee of sex offender experts, which would spend 90 days coming up with recommendations on how to make the county safer. Among his ideas: expand the county’s small electronic monitoring program, ban convicts from entering certain “child-safety” zones, and possibly build an apartment building solely for homeless convicted sex offenders.
   “We’re already paying their housing bills. Build secure housing for them,” he said. “It’s monitored. You restrict access. Children don’t go in there. I think we ought to look at it.”
   Legislator Joseph Suhrada, RRotterdam, said he also wants to go back to the drawing board.
   “We need to admit we made a mistake, rescind the whole thing and start fresh,” he said after the hearing. “We went a bridge too far.”
   “My 15-year-old daughter is a prisoner in her own home. I can’t let her walk outside alone. I can’t let her walk to the mailbox,” said Bill Marincic, who lives in the Vale Village in Schenectady. He said seven convicted, level 3 sex offenders live within one block of his house, and 30 live within six blocks.
   He argued that the Legislature should think of his daughter, not the rights of convicted sex offenders.
   “Where’s her civil liberties?” he asked. “She can’t leave her house. Take up her cause, not the cause of someone who deserves to have their civil liberties taken. I have a right to not worry constantly that she’s not being raped or molested.”
   He was joined by Scotia resident Jeff Parry, who said the law should remain. To address Smith’s concerns, he said convicts should be punished with 25-year prison sentences if they stop reporting their address.
TWO FAVOR LAWS “We need effective counseling, But two residents urged the Leg- we need to monitor them and we islature to stand its ground. need to keep them away from society,” he added.
   He wasn’t the only one to say that convicted sex offenders should stay in jail. Resident Brad Littlefield of Duanesburg said he was opposed to the law because it might push more convicts into his town, which does not have a police force to monitor the influx. A far easier solution, he said, would be to get the state to keep sex offenders in prison for 25 years to life.
   But most speakers, including Littlefield, said the Legislature could find a local solution if it acted slowly. They urged the legislators to contact the many local officials in charge of counseling, supervising and punishing sex offenders and ask them what legislation would help them do their jobs better.
   “Take your time. Avail yourselves of all the research,” said Schenectady resident Helga Schroeter. “Do not rush into this, and you may get it right.”
Joanna Monachino-Orlando of Delanson, right, speaks to the Schenectady County Legislature on Wednesday about sex offender legislation.  

Quoted Text

Thanks for showing up and mking your voice heard, Z2IM.

Is our right and responsibility to voice our opinions and position.  

My opinion of the meeting is that the Legislators appear to be steadfast in their positions.   If I read their body language accurately, I would suggest that  Mr. Kosiur, and Mr. Petta appeared uninterested in the public comment.  Ms. Savage continued to exude an air of arrogance.

The highlight was when Christine Benedict, the Minority Leader of the Albany County Legislature, stated her concerns about and opposition to Kosiur's Laws.  Despite the existence of residency laws in Albany county that prohibit convicted sex offenders from residing withing 1000 feet of schools, day care facilities, parks, etc., her comments suggested that the Schenectady County legislation goes too far.  She was then asked by Ms. Savage regarding her (Benedict's) vote on the Albany County law.  She replied that she voted in favor of passage although she is concerned about the effectiveness of the laws.

After the public hearing concluded, Schenectady County Legislator Vincent DiCerbo promptly approached Ms. Benedict and told her that it was inappropriate of her to voice her opinion in the public forum, saying that her views should have been relayed in a private meeting w/ Schenectady County Legislators.  He called her actions hypocritical because she had supported Albany County's sex offender residency legislation.  Mr. DiCerbo's verbal tirade was viewed by those who witnessed it as unprofessional.  As Ms. Benedict exited the meeting room, Mr. DiCerbo followed her into the hallway where he continued his verbal attack.  Several members of the audience did their best to maintain distance between the two individuals.  It is my opinion that Mr. DiCerbo owes both Ms. Benedict and the residents of Schenectady County a public apology for his behavior.

As the public exited, the members of the majority party held yet another "Democratic Caucus" behind closed doors.  The Democratic members of the County Legislature were no doubt being instructed how to vote on the proposals.

As a Schenectady County resident, I would like more transparency in the actions of our elected leaders.  I would be encouraged to be an observer to spirited debate and the constructive conflict that would occur.  I would like to see the interests of the constituents place above those of political party.  My respect for many of our "leaders" has been seriously eroded.  The Democratic leadership of the County Legislature is dysfunctional, ineffective, self-serving, and self-grandizing.  It is time for a change.

Quoted Text

Is this a little lefty spin?  I thought there were 3 votes against this originally?  Ms. Lazzarri and 2 of the Dems?

You are correct.  The original legislation ("Kosiur's Laws") was opposed by Mrs. Lazzari, Ms. Johnson, and Mr. Eidens.

Zim, the trouble with the Schenectady County Council is that they really don't care what we think and will do what they want even if we disagree with them. I totally agree with you about the attitude of the council, it's a sad situation and you're right it's time for a change.

It's time to pressure Sheldon Silver to bring Jessica's Law to the floor of the NYS Assembly for an up or down vote.

In addition to writing letters to the editors of newspapers and requesting that your local government leaders request that the state government enact tougher sex offender legislation, you can purchase a bumper sticker or window decal calling for the passage of Jessica's Law at the web site below.  I will be purchasing a dozen or so for my family and friends.  Perhaps if enough of us express our opinions, Mr. Silver will have no choice but to serve the interests of his constituents rather than those of special interest groups.

http://www.billoreilly.com/c/The-Bill-OReilly-Store-Car-Truck/1/204.html

The arrogance and self serving that is flowing out of our dysfunctional county legislatures seats is beyond reproach. I firmly believe that they will NOT rescind this law. Their pride has become priority over the 'people'. Mr. DiCerbo's behavior was at best rude and disrespectful with the disregard of the people's right to speak. And may I also add, INTIMIDATING!! Such behavior should be cause for immediate removal from office. They have clearly become ineffective and need to be removed!!!!

Unfortunately, the passage of Jessica's law is not the answer to the blaten lack of effectiveness to govern the people. We need to broaden the spectrum far and beyond Jessica's law. There are many other issues that are in need of attention that surpass Jessica's law.

We need to get these clowns out of office. And quickly!!

Jessica's Law will only take care of the sex offender problem but will do nothing to correct the County Councils ineffectiveness and disregard for the people's wishes. They are so wrapped up in themselves that they see only what they want to see and hear only what they want to hear. There is no fixing that will work on the County only the removal of those whose interests are not what the residents who elected them want. Our new battle cry should be "It's Time For Change"

Quoted Text

Our new battle cry should be "It's Time For Change"

Or, perhaps ... "A change is coming"

Might invoke some concern in their minds as this was Mr. Amedore's campaign slogan.

I will be at tonight's meeting of the County Legislature to learn of the vote.  If any of you plan to attend, please find me and say hello.  I'm the guy in the picture standing to the left of the door.

There's a big train rollin' in......

Our elected officials are to represent 'the people'. Have they forgotten? The people have spoken at the voting booths, email and in the public arena. Now, if the country legislatures still display their arrogance and fail to effectively govern the people, we can either wait until their term is up and vote them out...OR there is a law on the books that would allow a permissive referendum to get these clowns out of office. 'We the people' are not without power over our governing powers.

Tonights vote for the rescinding of the sex offender law will tell all. We will see if they are truly listening to the people or their own arrogance, pride and political agendas.

http://www.dailygazette.com

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
Law to protect kids is altered Sex offenders already in county allowed to stay put
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

   Newly released sex offenders will no longer be able to move into most of the urban parts of Schenectady County, but those who already live here can stay where they are, the county Legislature decided Thursday.
   The Legislature also decided that Level 1 sex offenders, the label given to those considered least likely to re-offend, would be exempt from the residency restrictions.
   For those in levels 2 and 3, much of the county will become off-limits. They cannot live within 2,000 feet of any facility that caters to children, which in practicality means most convicts will have to live in Duanesburg, Princetown or western Glenville if they stay in the county. All of Schenectady and Scotia appear to be off-limits, as well as almost all of Niskayuna and Rotterdam.
   In those municipalities, only those who already live within one of the 2,000-foot exclusion zones can stay. The law takes effect immediately and replaces the two controversial laws that were passed in June on the same topic.
   Thursday’s decision comes after two months of contentious debate, but it may not be over yet. The Legislature also created a special council to consider how best to monitor convicted sex offenders and prevent them from raping or molesting another person after their release from prison.
   That council was directed Thursday to analyze a laundry list of possible pieces of legislation and recommend which ones be approved by the Legislature. It must present its recommendations within 90 days.
   The possible legislation includes:
   Notifying every household within 2 miles of every registered sex offender
   Requiring landlords to notify tenants if they rent to a convicted sex offender
   Creation of a sex offender enforcement team to regularly check on the addresses of convicted offenders
   Expansion of the electronic monitoring program for Level 3 sex offenders
   Restricting Internet usage of convicted sex offenders, as well as monitoring their Internet usage and cellphone text messages
   Creation of child-safety zones, which Level 3 sex offenders would be banned from entering
   For Level 3 sex offenders who have multiple convictions of sex offenses against minors, a law banning them from having any contact with children under the age of 18
   Offering county defense for any municipality that is sued after enacting residency restrictions that are stricter than the county’s 2,000-foot limitation
   Creation of a citizen review board that would consider residency and child-safety zone waivers for convicted sex offenders who have good standing in the community and have been county residents without incident for 10 years
   Creation of a secure housing facility for convicted sex offenders
LAST-MINUTE CHANGES
   The proposals were written Wednesday night by the Republican minority during a two-hour meeting at the Grog Shoppe. The Democrats met privately at the same time, according to Legislature Chairwoman Susan Savage, but did not draft any proposals during their two-hour caucus.
   When the Republicans handed over their ideas on Thursday, the Democrats immediately left the room to hold another closed-door caucus to discuss the proposals.
   After an hour, they decided to incorporate all of it into their original legislation, shocking Republican Minority Leader Robert Farley, who had said he expected few if any of the ideas to be considered.
   The Democrats reprinted the entire package and voted without mentioning that the changes had been written by the minority party.
   It passed by a vote of 13-1, with Legislator Michael Eidens, DNiskayuna, voting against.
   He said the council of experts and the proposals for it to consider were good, but that he still couldn’t approve any law that included a residency restriction.
   “I believe it’s fundamentally flawed,” he said. “We’ll be confirming residency restrictions for levels 2 and 3 … it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to rescind that at a later date.”
   Eidens also voted against the laws when they were originally passed in June.
   Legislator Carolina Lazzari, RRotterdam, also one of the three legislators who voted against the laws in June, was the only legislator not present. She is in California, visiting her son, but fellow Republicans said she wanted to rescind the laws.
   Since she couldn’t vote, she spent Wednesday night on the phone with her colleagues, helping them craft their proposed legislation as they drank coffee at the Grog Shoppe.
WORK AHEAD
   The Republicans said they believe a council of experts, including all five town supervisors, will be able to sift through their proposals and come up with concrete recommendations by Thanksgiving. But Savage took a different tone.
   “To the town supervisors: The ball is now in your court. You’ve asked to be part of the process. Now you are,” she said. “I think what you’ll find is it’s a lot easier to criticize than to actually solve the problem.”
   Duanesburg Supervisor Rene Merrihew, the only supervisor to attend the voting session, said Savage was “absolutely right.”
   “I don’t know what the answer is. I don’t know if I’ll be able to solve it,” she said. “I’ll sit on the committee and hopefully we’ll come up with something. Setting up the committee is all anybody asked for in the beginning.”
   She added that she wished the Legislature would have allowed the council to consider the residency restrictions, rather than adopting the 2,000-foot rule but letting the council recommend whether to keep it.
   “The 2,000 foot restriction is frankly unacceptable,” Merrihew said. “That leaves all of Duanesburg that sex offenders can live in. It’s dark roads, open space, we don’t have police, we don’t have any staff to do programs.”
   She added that she wouldn’t support creating a stricter residency restriction for Duanesburg. Each town could create its own rules, although supervisors have warned that could lead to one-upmanship with each town expanding its restrictions to push sex offenders into other towns.
   “I think for the Legislature to do it was wrong,” Merrihew said. “For us to do it, it would be equally wrong. The restriction isn’t going to help.”
   She said sex offenders who are going to rape or molest someone will do so whether or not they have to walk through an exclusion zone.
   But Legislator Gary Hughes, DSchenectady, said the zones could reduce the offender’s chances of meeting a potential victim.
   “We agree residency isn’t the only answer, but it can reduce casual contact,” he said.
   The Legislature also voted 12-2 not to make convicts move if they currently live in an exclusion zone. Savage and Minority Leader Robert Farley voted against the exemption.
   Farley said his vote was made on the request of Scotia residents who want convicts forced to move out of their village. Savage said she voted to make the offenders move because they are the ones who have committed crimes.
   “I have a concern that the rights of criminals shouldn’t trump the rights of the innocent,” she said. “I still don’t want to support legislation that allows 16 sex offenders to live across from one elementary school, 12 across from another elementary school.”