Mahan a little too flip about need to make job cuts in Colonie

Like many municipalities, the town of Colonie is facing some fiscal problems that need immediate attention. After attending the May 8 town board meeting, I was a bit surprised by Democrat Supervisor Paula Mahan’s off-the-cuff remarks, when she suggested that layoffs in the town may soon be on the horizon as a solution to the town’s fiscal problem. What troubled me even more was the supervisor’s lack of sensitivity when she said, “And if that’s the case, that’s the case.”

The employees of the town do an extraordinary job providing the top-notch services we all can be proud of. Cutting jobs and putting undue stress on town employees doesn’t have to be the case and shouldn’t be the case. Mrs. Mahan, I plead with you, in the best interest of our town and its employees, get back to the drawing board with the entire town board and come up with real solutions to our town’s fiscal problems. Don’t place the burden on the shoulders of town employees.

It’s our job as elected officials to protect the employees of the municipalities we represent. With all the proposals presented to the board in recent weeks for fiscal stability, slashing the town’s work force should not even be considered.

Carl P. Zeilman

Colonie

The writer is county legislator for the 24th District.

DiNicola shouldn’t slight barbershop singers

The American Heritage dictionary defines ditty as a short, simple song. Dan DiNicola’s May 9 Gazette review of “Young @ Heart” states that during their performances, the “Young @ Heart” chorus doesn’t hum barbershop quartet ditties.

Here, perhaps ignorantly, Mr. DiNicola attempts to devalue barbershop music altogether through his contextual word choice. Barbershoppers hardly sing ditties. A four-part barbershop musical measure, which makes use of the minor seventh (sorry if I’m getting too technical), immediately eliminates ditty from the vernacular. His word usage took a cheap shot at the barbershop world in general.

Does the Schenectady Symphony play ditties? Sure, when noted or very obvious. Are there barbershop ditties? Again, sure, “Happy Birthday” comes to mind. On the other hand, take a look at the gorgeous and technically challenging arrangements in any barbershopper’s repertoire and you’ll hardly see any “ditties.”

To experience the difference between Mr. DiNicola’s gaffe and the marvelously sophisticated barbershop sound, come to Racing City Chorus’s annual show May 17 at the Saratoga Springs High School. Perhaps Mr. DiNicola would like to bring along a Gazette critic. Hopefully, they’ll enjoy it and both experience the ditty difference firsthand.

Mike Pickett

Latham

Mayor should be congratulated on budget surplus

Kudos to Mayor Brian U. Stratton and his administration for producing a surplus in the city budget for the third year in a row!

When Mayor Stratton took office in 2004, the state comptroller’s office warned him that they would run out of money by mid-year if he didn’t make drastic cuts immediately. He and his administration were able to bring this city out of deficit in less than two years. What’s amazing is that this was done while making major improvements to Schenectady’s downtown and business districts.

As a business owner and a current taxpayer in the city, I’m most impressed by the fact that even though the city has a surplus, they are still spending as if they didn’t. This is a wise economic choice that will help the city for any hard times to come.

John R. Massaroni

Schenectady

Mothers deserve help with child care

I’m writing on Mother’s Day in honor of all mothers to insist that Congress make child care and Head Start top priorities for increased funding. Supporting the development of child care and Head Start programs benefits not only children, but parents and the community as well.

Today, nearly two-thirds of mothers with young children are in the labor force. These working mothers help to keep their families afloat. Child care can give mothers the support and peace of mind they need to excel at their jobs — plus, it is extremely important to our nation’s future, because children who are enrolled in high-quality child care are more prepared for kindergarten. Even though studies have shown that Head Start and Early Head Start are essential for children’s development, millions of eligible children still don’t have access to these important programs.

For these reasons and more, it’s vital that Congress make child care and Head Start national funding priorities.

Bill Liddle

Rotterdam

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