Our city desperately needs to elect independent, thoughtful, and courteous individuals to serve on our City Council. In addition to his impressive credentials and extensive local government experience, this is one of the major reasons I am supporting Chuck Marshall, not Hank Kuczynski, in the special election to fill the Saratoga Springs Public Works Commissioner vacancy.
If you follow this blog regularly, you know that I am deeply concerned about the ongoing toxic behavior that regularly impedes the Saratoga Springs City Council’s ability to deliberate thoughtfully. You will also know that I am a registered Democrat. Despite this, I consider the Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee to be primarily responsible for the persistent uncivil and divisive behavior that unfortunately continues to erupt at the Council table despite Mayor Safford’s efforts to enforce decorum. The committee has selected people like Dillon Moran and Minita Sanghvi to run for office, and they continue to support them despite the glaring problems with their performance both at the Council table and in the management of their respective departments.
While Chuck Marshall is a registered Republican, he has garnered bi-partisan support from Democrats such as former Mayor Meg Kelly and the independent group One Saratoga, whose motto is “city before party.” In addition, as Planning Board Chair, Chuck has demonstrated his ability to work with various individuals with different interests, listen to all sides, and build consensus. You can find out more about Chuck here: Chuck Marshall for Public Works
In contrast, Mr. Kuczynski has garnered public endorsements only from the same old regular Democrats we unfortunately know so well, including current Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran and current Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi. Of particular note is the enthusiastic endorsement of none other than former Mayor Ron Kim.
Kuczynski Is An Extension Of The City’s Democratic Committee
This is from a recent piece on WAMC Kuczynski:
“The Democratic Committee said, ‘we’d like to give the people a choice, would you do a write-in campaign?’ and I [Kuczynski] said, ‘well I’ve never done one, but if you’re willing to do the work, I’m glad to be your candidate [JK:Emphasis added] because I love the job,” said Kuczynski.
In all the years I have observed elections in this city, this is the first time someone running for office has not set up their own campaign organization with a campaign manager and a treasurer. While candidates rely on their political party for support, they usually maintain some modicum of independence to decide how to conduct their campaign and address policy issues as they arise. Kuczynski has totally abrogated that independence.
The Committee’s complete control extends to the total financing of Kuczynski’s campaign with Committee funds.
If you go to the New York State Board of Elections and try to find any records for donations and expenditures for Hank Kuczynski’s campaign, you will find none.
The Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee has commingled Kuczynski’s campaign money with its general funds. Thus, it is impossible to know, for example, which donations were made specifically for Kuczynski’s campaign and which were general donations to the committee, and it is also impossible to know which individuals or groups are backing his candidacy.
Too Intimate A Relationship
Given the hyper-partisanship that has come to define our local Democratic Committee and Kuczynski’s unfounded previously documented attack on the judge who ruled that the special election should proceed, the situation is worrisome.
This community needs someone independent to fill the vacancy on the Council who will exercise courtesy but firmly challenge Moran or Sanghvi when appropriate. I regret that I do not believe that Hank Kuczynski is that person.
Early voting at the Rec Center begins tomorrow, Saturday, January 18. Election day is Tuesday, January 28.
Saratoga Springs Politics 
John
Let’s be honest. You dislike everyone on the Democratic Committee in Saratoga Springs. However, you’re using that to trash Hank Kuczynski. You can’t seem to dig up a whole lot of dirt about Hank because in the short time he’s been Commissioner of DPW he has done an excellent job. He is also a gentleman, he gets along fine, and respects people. He has handled emergencies in town professinally and people in his department like working with him. He is available for the job full time and is aware of his duties.
Now, Chuck Marshall, I understand he’s a nice fella. But, he has a full-time job with Stewart’s Corporation, and it’s hard to handle the duties of DPW Commissioner from your cell phone during lunch time. If you want to talk about his connections, I’m not too impressed by Meg Kelly, -the One-Saratoga Bunch? -I won’t bother expanding on that.
I’ll vote for Hank anytime!
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Ms. Smith—While Mr.Kuczynski may well indeed be a gentleman, riding around town with Tom McTyuge in a DPW truck 20 years ago hardly qualifies him to be Commissioner especially when matched against Chuck Marshall’s credentials. Who would you rather have overseeing the Loughbery Lake Dam project-someone who palled around with a former commissioner years ago or someone with an engineering degree who has actually overseen construction projects? BTW Tom McTygue had a fulltime job in Albany during much of his tenure as Public Works Commissioner, and I don’t believe you withheld your support from Jason Golub who also had a full time job while serving as Commissioner.
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a Dillon Moran endorsement a red flag for any candidate.
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John,
while endorsements are important , we should decide how to vote based on the individual.
However, you fail to mention that Hank has been endorsed by:
Michele Madigan, Peter Martin, John Franck, Ken and Karen Klotz.. These are people who I believe we respect their opinions and what they have done for the City.
I have known Hank for 40 years and I believe he has always looked out for the best interest of the City of Saratoga Springs.
Jim Lombardo
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Jim,
I have always respected your thoughtful insights, and I welcome you to the blog, even when we disagree.
It makes me very sad that someone like you is unphased by the manner by which our local Democratic committee is carrying out this campaign. It is a further sign of the decline of our country when our local committee channels the worst behavior of Donald Trump and people like yourself find it acceptable. We are entering a very dark period but anyone, Republican or Democrat that resorts to misinformation as Hank and our local committee are doing, only take us deeper into the void.
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Jim Lombardo
Hank is a nice guy. I see no dispute with that.
But his party screwed up and didn’t get his name on the ballot. So that means he is a write-in candidate and faces sure defeat. Unless there is some miracle, and we have the first-ever write-in candidate be successful at the voting booths.
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Mr. Lombardo, the people you mention were part of the “old” Democratic Party. Some of them, including Mr. Kuczynski, have not been active in the last 20 years. The “new” Democratic party is quite different. These “new” Democrats seem to have abandoned any interest in improving the city or in running campaigns based on issues. Instead, they have adopted Trump-like tactics of fear and disinformation. (The post card I received from them today shouts “Stop the Power Grab”. I want to say to them “It’s called an election”.) This Democratic party no longer endorses candidates of the quality of Ken Klotz or John Franck. This party instead serves up the likes of Ron Kim, Minita Sanghvi, and Dillon Moran. The endorsements people need to pay particular attention to are those coming from the current Democratic officeholders: Sanghvi and Moran. While some may have nostalgic memories of Mr. Kuczynski as Deputy Mayor years ago, clearly his function today will be to be the third vote to support Moran and Sanghvi, pay Moran’s lawyer’s bills, vote for Sanghvi’s crazy budgets, etc. He has done nothing to show any signs of independence from them in his months in office. There is no reason to think we will see that if he is elected to serve out the term. Sorry-a vote for Kuczynski, is a vote to empower Moran and Sanghvi to do whatever they want.
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