Tag: writing

Minita Sanghvi’s Shameless, Ageist, and False Attack On Mayor Safford

In the December 17, 2025, edition of the Daily Gazette, Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi falsely claimed that Mayor John Safford was suffering from some sort of dementia. Making her comments particularly icky was her casting her remarks as somehow sympathetic to his alleged decline.

“It was a transparent process. [Safford] voted for it,” Sanghvi said. “And I don’t know what to think about, except that, you know, I have sympathies for cognitive declines with age.”

Her shameless slur was all the more vile because it was included in a particularly ugly attack on Public Safety Commissioner Tim Coll and Public Works Commissioner Chuck Marshall, along with Safford, for their “heartlessness” in refusing to fund the designated recipients of Sanghvi’s Participatory Budgeting (PB) proposals.

Dear readers, there is nothing wrong with Mayor Safford, and in fact, when it comes to her dubious budgets, the Mayor has a better memory than Commissioner Sanghvi.

A credulous and ignorant press promoted Sanghvi’s narrative, ignoring some embarrassing facts.

As documented in earlier blogs, I reported that Sanghvi had not only recommended removing support for PB from the city budget, but also for cutting the funding for homeless services, such as the RISE shelter and crossing guards for schoolchildren. It is important to note that according to the city charter, if the Council fails to act, this budget presented by the Finance Commissioner becomes the city budget for the ensuing fiscal year. At the time, Safford, Coll, and Marshall urged Sanghvi to raise taxes to address the city’s growing deficits and fund these programs. Sanghvi refused to do this.

Bear in mind that her refusal to raise taxes occurred while she was campaigning for County Supervisor. In October, she acknowledged in an email to her colleagues at the table that the city was currently running a deficit of over $3,600,000.00.

This is from her email.

So not only was her cruel attack on the Mayor revolting, but her attack on Safford, Marshall, and Coll for heartlessly refusing to fund this year’s PB awards was the height of hypocrisy, since she herself had previously felt justified to call for defunding PB.

A gullible press and disappointed applicants for PB ignored her earlier effort to defund PB, amplifying her self-promotion and her attack on her colleagues.

Was Sangvi’s self-righteous attack on her colleagues a reflection of her extraordinary delusion regarding her own role in budget cuts or cynical politicking?

Her ageist attack on the Mayor is particularly galling as she has a history of acting in a self-appointed role of policing anything she suspects is discriminatory.

Pardon the mixed metaphor, but Commissioner Sangvhi “(physician) heal thyself.” Publicly apologize to Mayor Safford.

Police Interview Transcript Reveals a Different Jason Golub

I recently secured a copy of the October 14, 2024, interview by Saratoga Springs Police Lieutenant Paul Veitch of former Public Works Commissioner Jason Golub that was part of the investigation into Golub’s use of city employees to do work at a property Golub owned. The transcript reveals a very different Jason Golub than the public usually saw. His language is laced with epithets, his behavior angry, petulant, and unprofessional.

Background

Golub’s use of city employees to work on a residence he owned is thoroughly explored in this earlier post. As a reminder, below are excerpts from the city’s Human Resources Department that found Golub guilty of improper use of city employees.

Contrast this with Golub’s remark to Veitch.

The Plumbers Statement

This is the statement that the plumber made to Lieutenant Veitch. It conflicts with Jason Golub’s. According to the plumber, he and a second city employee went to Golub’s house on the second day, not once but twice. The second visit lasted half an hour, not eight minutes. Unlike Jason, the plumber remembers clearly what happened on the second day. The two snakes the plumber used were the city’s property, as was the liquid used to clear the drain. They were also in a city truck.

The plumber is also clear that Jason Golub did not pay him for the work over two days.

Golub’s Memory

As these excerpts document, unlike the plumber, Jason Golub had a lot of trouble remembering the events, particularly of the second day. In this first excerpt, he doesn’t remember that the plumber came on the second day, that Golub let him in, that he came a second time for thirty minutes, accompanied by another employee, and that Golub let him in.

Mr. Shreiber, in the documents, is Golub’s lawyer.

Why Would The Plumber Perform Work On Golub’s Home For Free?

In the interview, Golub states several times that he did not know the plumber before the plumber came to the house to fix the sink.

The plumber performed the work because Joe O’Neill, Golub’s deputy, directed the plumber to be there, prompted by Golub. It is clear from the interview that the plumber did not go to Golub’s home because he knew the Commissioner and wanted to help him as a friend.

Golub Did Not Pay The City Plumber For The Drain Work

So if the plumber was at his home, allegedly not on city time, and they had no personal connection, like a friendship, why didn’t Golub offer to pay the plumber? For that matter, why didn’t the plumber ask to be paid?

Golub has conflicting explanations.

Note that at one point, he claims to have paid him the first time he came to his home.

The plumber returned on an unspecified date for a third time to work on Golub’s water heater. This is when he allegedly paid the plumber $200.00.

Golub Has No Idea Whether The Plumber Used A City Vehicle to Visit His House On Either Visit Or Where The Liquid Declogger Came From

Plumber’s Alleged Threats

Golub claims that the plumber sent him threatening texts and emails. The implication was that the plumber was supposedly trying to extort him.

So, after telling Veitch he had received threatening emails, he later says they only communicated by text messages.

When Veitch asks to see these texts and emails, Golub says he deleted them. When Veitch asks whether the threats are on the city server, Golub says no.

So somehow the plumber got Golub’s personal cell phone number and private email address.

Golub did, however, go out for coffee with the plumber to try to get him off his back.

Golub’s Lawyer Cherry Picked

Golub’s lawyer is promoting the narrative that Jason Golub’s victimization is being driven by Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Coll. He references a comment by Veitch, “I totally agree. This is a big pile of what the fuck.” Of course, Golub’s lawyer is aware that interrogators will try to ingratiate themselves with the interviewee to build trust.

The lawyer disregards the section of the transcript in which Veitch observes that Golub could be charged with petty larceny or official misconduct.

It is interesting that when Golub complains that the Public Safety Department is leaking damaging stuff to the press. Veitch sharply denies this.

The Full Transcript

Golub Exhibit IDownload